Day Nine

Hi Everyone,

It's not even 6:00 pm and here I am, ready to start my blog. Something must be wrong. Well kind of. Isabel and Connie are on their way back to Washington and life has changed on avenue de wagram. After seeing them off this morning, I actually lounged around the apartment, enjoyed a cup of coffee and watched CNN. The election in London was the major news item so I didn't watcheTV for long.

The housekeeper arrived as scheduled at 3:00 pm and after instructing her what I would like done, I took off for a walk in the neighborhood. It was fun and I found some interesting shops so close to the apartment. I stopped and had a coffee at an outdoor cafe down the street and enjoyed a few tiny pieces of chocolate I had bought from the chocolate candy shop across the street. I tried out my new Longchamp "back pack" syle purse and stopped at the small grocery store to try it out. Actually I could fit yogurt, butter and an assortment of cheeses in it, so I believe this is just the right purse for me!!!

Yesterday was a wonderful day with my friend, Vicki. We all met at Jacquesmart-Andre Museum for an elegant lunch. This gorgeous building was once a residence and we ate in the most beautiful of all dining rooms. It was a perfect choice (thank you, Vicki) as we had not experienced anything like that so far. It will be a great place to take my friends when they arrive. And it's close to where I live. This bathtub was featured in a window close to our lunch spot and I know my friend Laura will recognize it. It was on her blog when she was in Paris recently. Now who wouldn't love taking a bubble bath in that???

After lunch we shopped and shopped some more. You saw the picture of Isabel in her new dress on yesterday's blog. And I got something very very special for Jessica who will be turning 12 years old in June. I'll be in Paris on her birthday but we'll celebrate when I return.

And a lovely good afternoon to all of you back home.

Love, Judy

Paris One Week Later

Home Sweet Home!

Now I'm feeling settled in on avenue de wagram. The computer works, the iPhone finally is getting service, the refrigerator and freezer are filled, the washer no longer takes four hours and I can now honestly say, "Life is good!"

Thanks to Connie we have explored Paris as I never expected in such a short period of time. Yesterday we were in the Latin Quarter searching out a divine candy store that she had read about on the internet. The owner let Connie take Isabel to the bathroom in her residence which was attached to this quaint little shop. Not only that, but she then walked us to a good restaurant in the area. The lady must have been 70 years old with two long braids and a plaid pleated skirt. She looked like she might be warming up to yodel!!! Did I hear that the French were not friendly? No you didn't hear that from me.

Connie and Isabel leave for the states in the morning. It's an understatement to say I will miss them. This has been the most time I've ever spent with Isabel and it's been an unforgettable experience. She has enjoyed everything this city has had to offer from the parks to the carousels to the French bread and food, the fashion and the language. Paris loves Isabel and Isabel loves Paris! She's modeling the new French dress I bought her today. Very cute, Isabel!!!

So the next few days will be a time for me to venture out on my own and slow the pace down a bit. I'm pretty confident that I have the metro system down pat. Time will tell, right?

It seems to be that magical hour--past midnight--that I say goodnight to my dear friends and family in the good old U.S.A. Enjoy what the day has yet to bring and keep in close touch. Aside from all the joy, I still miss home.

Love, Judy

Day Seven

It's a real challenge, you know, trying to decided what to do in a day here in Paris. But our day turned out to be a real surprise and not as planned. We had a visit in the morning from the "nanny" who takes care of a girl in this building --she's the same age as Isabel. Connie and the nanny had met on the elevator a day earlier. Long story short, Isabel was invited for lunch and an afternoon at the park with Allynor. Oh did I mention that this French family lives on the second floor of this building (I'm on the seventh). But their apartment takes up the entire second floor. It is so huge and so elegant that the only way of describing it is to say it's something you might see in a movie.

Off to the train station to catch a morning ride to Montmartre. The hill of Montmarte provides a spectac ular view of Paris, especially from the monumental Sacre-Coeur. Isabel rode the carousel--isn't it beautiful? Connie had to get Isabel back for her 12:30 pm "luncheon date" so I stayed behind and awaited her return. A few postcards written and two cups of cafe au lait later, Connie was back and we enjoyed the afternoon together. I found a restaurant that served beef bourgogne so that satisfied my urge for this Julia Child speciality. Some of you might recall that I made this very special recipe six weeks ago and am pleased to report that mine was every bit as good as what we had today!

As we left home this morning I mentioned to Connie that a dear friend was sending me a belated birthday gift to Paris and I so wished it had arrived. Why? Because it's a cashmere scarf and with this cold weather it would have been an ideal accessory to keep me warm. When Connie met me for lunch at Montmarte, guess what was in her backpack? A large envelope from Burbank, California, addressed to me in Paris and voila, it was the scarf! How blessed can I be to already have received two letters and one gift from my friends in the U.S. (and in less than one week?). [Notice the beautiful blue cashmere scarf with fleur-de-lis design that I'm wearing at lunch!]

It looks like I'm going to end this blog before midnight and that's a good thing. Tomorrow is another busy day and getting enough sleep is a top priority. It's also the last full day before Connie and Isabel leave for Seattle. The thought of them leaving makes me very sad...

Love, Judy

Blustery Day 6

It was a crisp, cool Autumn-like day in Paris! Connie, Isabel and I were out for 11 hours starting our day at 11:00 am and ending at 10:00 pm. Other than several transfers on the metro, we walked and talked and walked some more. What a brilliant decision I made to bring the shoes I wore every day to work and my new work out shoes. First stop was the Cite des Sciences et de l'Industrie--packed with interactive exhibits for children.

Last night we all watched Julia and Julia on my laptop and couldn't get Julia Child's beef bourguignon out of our minds. The restaurant where we had breakfast said they only make it when the sun is not out. Since the sun was shining when we left, so we had little hope they'd be preparing beef bourguignon for dinner. Around dinner time when we returned to our last metro stop, we took a chance and stopped by but no beef bourguignon. Tomorrow maybe our lucky day depending on the weather.

As cold as it was today, it didn't stop us from going half way across Paris to the Ile St. Louis, a small island known for their ice cream, among other things. We each had a scoop of the famous Berthillon ice cream. Never have we tasted such creamy, delicately flavored ice cream. We ordered something like "caramel beurresel" which translates to caramel with butter and salt. It had a sweet and ever-so-slight salty taste; truly made for the Gods! This has been on the "must go" list of many of my visitors and now I know why.

It's 12:30 am and time to say "bon nuit mes amies."

Judy

Day 5

Here are some pictures taken before I started my Paris blog due to internet problems. The one below is at the Saint Germaine train station while waiting for Joseph to pick us up for an afternoon/evening visit at his home with Vicki and family. The other pictures were taken at local places not far from my apartment! Isabel loves the nutella/banana crepes!

Today was rather cold with a few showers. This is my kind of weather but I decided to stay in today and take care of some business. I finally got my iPhone working but you could never imagine what I had to go through to get the data plan set up with AT&T. Again, Joseph was a life saver. He hooked me up with AT&T in the U.S. and we got it done!

My French landlord called from Connecticut to see how things were going. She made a few phone calls and before I knew it, people were knocking at the door ready to assist. The TV got fixed (even though it was never broken--user error--surprise?) And two ladies came who had been hired to show me the operation of the apartment. It is finally coming together!

Connie and Isabel headed out for the children's museum only to find it closed. They ran into the Royal Palace while walking toward the metro and spent a wonderful afternoon there. In Paris there seems to be something awesome and inspiring no matter where you turn or where you go.

Thinking of each and every one of you...

Love, Judy

Springtime in Paris

Today was breathtaking! It was a cool 60 degree day with some rain and as we were walking home, we saw this incredible rainbow. Once we got up to the apartment, we snapped a few pictures and voila! Yes, folks, this is the view from the living room window.

I felt back to normal today--good thing I brought that protein mix with me! It does wonders. Connie, Isabel and I spent the day meandering in and out of shops at the Marche Veinaison, a huge flea market in the heart of Paris. Of course we had fun spending a few Euros! I bought Isabel a French beret--mais oui!! And I got a very chic French scarf (soon to be seen in photos), a dozen antique linen napkins and some lovely Limoge dishes. I bought something (a surprise) for Paige and Jessica and something in an XLL for a male member of the clan!!!

One never knows what to expect on the metro. Today a gentleman got on and played what looked like a small tuba. He had a rolling device along with him which belted out other music and he would join in at the appropriate time. It made us smile to listen to such lively music after a long day of shopping.

And how lucky I am to have received my first phone call from the U.S. tonight. Thank you, Eddy!!! It was so good of AT&T to help you reach out and touch someone! And lucky too that I have mail soon-to-be-delivered from the U.S. by the same thoughtful gentleman. Keeping in touch with home has more meaning than ever now that I am going to be gone for such a long time.

Yesterday was May Day in France (and throughout Europe I believe). It's also known as Labor Day. On every corner of the street and in every shop there are lily-of-the-valley flowers for sale. They are so sweet and beautifully fragrant--it's a lovely tradition. So one of my purchases today was a Limoge coffee cup and saucer with the lily-of-the-valley motif. It's delicate and oh so pretty and most of all, it will remind me of spending May lst here in Paris.

How can it be that each day passes so quickly and I find myself up in the wee hours of the morning making entries into my blog? Time will tell if I can find time to blog and not cut into my beauty sleep!!!

Good night to all of you. A thousand kisses are being sent your way...

Judy

Settling in on Avenue de Wagram

Hello Everyone!

Finally it's happened--we're in Paris and just getting settled in after a few days of exploring and discovering how things work here in the apartment. What is the simpliest thing at home becomes a real challenge here in the apartment. There are plugs and adapters everywhere, the scale says "bonjour" and then proceeds to say in French how many kilos I weigh. I have not a clue but I wouldn't be surprised if it was saying "You've eaten too much. Go to the gym and check back tomorrow." It's taken us four hours to do a load of laundry (wash cycle only--I was told to use the express setting but couldn't find it!) and we do not have a clue how to answer the phone. We say hello and it seems to hang up.

On the bright side though--being in Paris with Connie and Isabel is beyond my wildest dreams. Isabel (age 6-1/2) has adapted beautifully. She loves what the city has to offer. Today on the metro an elderly woman needed a seat and she moved over one chair. The lady said "bonjour" and Isabel replied in her sweetest of all voices, "bonjour madam."

We took the Bateaux Mouche (boat ride) on the Seine on the first night. It was like a summertime evening--balmy and beautiful for a ride down the Seine. The buildings and monuments are beautifully illuminated. It's quite a sight.

My friends, Vicki and Joseph, have been amazing in every way. Joseph greeted us at the airport and drove us to our apartment. Honestly, I don't know how we would have managed without him. Then the next day we took the RER (train) to their city in the suburbs and spent the afternoon and evening with them. Vicki cooked both lunch and dinner and on top of that, Joseph made an apple pie for dessert. Unfortunately Vicki had an accident while in Paris this week and cut open her chin, so she is recovering from that. It didn't stop her though from being warm and welcoming to us. Isabel had fun playing with Sarah, the youngest Philippona!

Connie took Isabel to Luxembourg Park for the afternoon. I was feeling under the weather and decided it was better that I stay home and get better. So here it is 3:30 am or so and Connie and I are up chatting, laughing and even doing a load of laundry. No surprise - this often happens when the different time zones kick in.

I can't wait to post some pictures but I have to figure that one out some other day.

There's nothing like hearing from you. Please please keep in touch. I miss you more than you might imagine.

Love, Judy