It was a day of contrasts. Black and white. My longtime
friend, Jane was working a flight from Miami to Paris and we were
meeting on our layover. I hadn't even left operations to get on the
plane when my phone rang. It was Jane saying there were terrible storms
in the southern Florida area and she was going to be late leaving Miami.
We had planned on meeting the next day for a full afternoon and evening
in Paris together. I didn't know just how late she'd be until we
approached Paris and one of the pilots told me the Miami flight was 3
hours late :-(( Soooo, I was on my own for the afternoon. The
temperature was that perfect balance of warmth without tipping to
uncomfortable. The kind of warmth that brings gentle breezes into the
evening, but still making a jacket unnecessary. I walked to Montparnasse and met my friend, Rick
and we had fun catching up on the last few weeks as we watched the
cafe's comings and goings. Before I knew it, it was time to head back to
the hotel and meet up with Jane who was waiting in the hotel lobby.
After big hugs and smiles we went out to catch the rest of the afternoon
with a walk through Luxembourg Gardens. We were happy for this day.
We weren't the only ones enjoying the park on this perfect,
late spring afternoon.
We meandered through the gardens, watching the children
chase each other and sail their boats on the pond. Leaving the
tranquility of the gardens, we walked and talked our way through streets
and passages, and in and out of shops. The sun started to settle as the
Latin Quarter lit up. 
The street candy vendors stay open late, but a chocolate
shop locked it's doors with a firm bolt as we decided to go back in and
spring for an 8 euro bag of cocoa. We wanted it even more then...and
we're still talking about it and how we'd use it! Hmmm...dust
truffles...mocha lattes...hot cocoa...chocolate cake???? Problems,
Problems. Walking along, we had planned on having dinner at a bistro on a
cobblestone street with a few restaurants on it. Checking out the prix fixte menus of several
restaurants, we gave each other a big look of "yes!" by the Boeuf Bourguignon posted on one of
menus. Without reservations, we felt we were lucky to get a table and
were asked to wait a few minutes in a cozy waiting area of this 17th
century building. 
The ambience was warm, but the greeting was as cold and
fragmented as the ancient rooms. We eventually were led up stone steps
to a small table for 2 by a winding stairway. The low beamed ceiling and
glowing fireplace added a sense of conviviality that contrasted to the
slow service that seemed more of a bother than a pleasure. The
appetizers were interesting in concept but not followed through in
flavor. We both had the Boeuf
Bourguignon, and thought it was just mediocre with it's thick
sauce. I did like the way it was served with gnocchi in the small iron
pot, though. We chatted away during our ultimate girl's night out. We
had 3 choices for dessert and our Île
Flottante and Creme Brulee
were delicious and a nice finish to this 4 hour dinner. 
As we were paying our long awaited check I was wondering if
that was a new chef I saw scurrying from table to table.
Yikes!! I don't think we'll be
back.
Being one of the first flights back into
Paris after the halt of air travel from the volcano was like a rescue
mission. Things were getting back to normal....we hoped. I still packed
as if it may spew it's angry cloud again (bags packed, fingers crossed
;-) There were so many stories of the stranded people. Some good, some
not so good. Most were happy to be on an airplane that was going where
they wanted to go and had a look on their faces of having endured or
enjoyed an adventure. One lady missed a much needed surgery and another
man got "stuck" at his cousin's B&B chateau in the
south of France (I got the card!) One business man said 100 Americans
from his company were stranded in Paris and 100 French were stuck in the
US...so they came out even. At our hotel, some of the changing of the
guard crews were met by flight attendants with "Je ♥ Paris" t-shirts and
pilots who had their pilot hats on backwards, a la beret style.
After waking from my rest, my
friend and I went out into the sunny blue skied day. No ash in sight. We
walked along blvd. Raspail towards
rue de Bac. 
On rue du Cherche-Midi I can't pass by Mis en Demure without
stopping in, so in we went. 
It is like walking into a well appointed
French maison. From the salons
to dining areas to the bed chambers, I heave a sigh of longing. 
The way the light rests upon the beds offers
solace as the street bustles below. 
Ahhhhh......lock the door, I could just live
in this store. 
OK, back to reality, sort of. We went into
the Chapel
of the Miraculous Medal for a brief but quietly powerful visit. 
It is right next to le Bon Marché, where we stopped in to see what the food
halls were offering today. They are overpriced, but sometimes a treasure
may be found. We walked by the sweet and savory.
Different spices are sold by bulk in large
jars, near delicacies to put with them. 
We had made plans to meet friends in another
part of the city at 6:00 pm, and it was just about that time. 
We hopped on the metro to the lively rue Moufftard
area and found our friends, who had already begun cocktail hour. We
settled in as unspoken language chattered all around.
Stomachs started to growl and the
conversation turned to dinner. With so many choices nearby at such
reasonable prices, we decided to dine locally. Just off rue Moufftard, and along the
pedestrian rue du Pot de Fer,
outdoor tables are lined up on both sides. Here you'll find a decent
meal under 20 euro for 3 courses. We went into L'Atlantide which offers 3
courses for 14 euro. Fresh salads topped with a wedge of cheese, onion
soup, and escargot are a few of the first course offerings. Two of us
had a whole trout grilled with a garlic and coarse salt crust and a side
of really good chunky satéed
potatoes. 
The others had duck confit and grilled lamb chops. We were all satisfied
with our choices except for the lamb. The food can be hit or miss, but
in general is tasty along this casual dining street. The creme brulee wasn't on the menu, but
they had 3 to offer us as well as an apple baked with spices and served
on a caramel sauce. 
Our waiter, an engineering student, was
delightful as were the other patrons we chatted with. Walking back to
the hotel we passed a sign painted on a building for a bowling alley. 
I've seen this sign many times, but never
went in until this night. 
Walking down the stairs to this den of fun,
are murals on every wall. 
Air hockey and pool tables were full of
players. 
An emcee dressed in cowboy attire chatted
while retro western music played. There was a half an hour wait to bowl,
so we decided to wait until next time since it was getting late. Back
out on the street, bistros were closing up and the Vélib' were all parked for the
night. 
And so we called it a night....a good night.
Mis En Demeure 27, rue du Cherche-Midi
Le
Bon Marché 24 rue de Sèvres metro: Sèvres Babylone
L'Atlantide 4,
rue du Pot de Fer
I feel a little like the proverbial canary
in the coal mine. All flights into and out of most of Europe have been
canceled for the past few days due to a large volcano
erupting in Iceland. The volcanic ash it has spewed into the
jetstream is detrimental to airplane engines. Today I am supposed to be
taking one of the first flights over the Atlantic to Paris since the
initial cancellations. 
Keep your fingers (or spoons) crossed. It
could always cancel at the last minute. Last Saturday my friends Nancy,
Robert and I had plans to go to a local brocante or flea market that was just for the weekend.
The sun was bright and the temperature was warm. Normally we'd sit at a
cafe and soak it all in before starting our day, but bargains could be
snapped up as we sipped our coffee. So we did the unthinkable...we had
coffee emporter. It was my
first time, honest. I'm not sure why (I don't think there was volcanic
ash yet), but the photo of the coffee came out with a rosy glow which
seems a little surreal looking. 
This boulangerie
still makes their bread fresh every day, so to go with our coffee we
also got a couple of ficelle au
fromage for the walk through Parc
Montsouris to the flea market. 
As we passed through the park, families
enjoyed pony rides, carousels and just plain horsing around. 
I can verify that this man on the park bench
was dressed, but at first glance it seemed otherwise. You can make up
your own caption.
We left the park, 
and back on the main street an indoor flea
market, Emmaüs, drew us in.
It's not large but has some treasures. I bought some spoons from a box
of miscellaneous silver. 
I really wanted this fork and knife set, but
airport security frowns on bringing knives through**sigh** 
A lady carried a bowl that she snapped up
before me....see, there are valid reasons for coffee "to go." Minutes
matter. A short walk brought us to Place
Jacques Demy (named after the famous French filmaker), where a
caliope playing music welcomed us. 
The dealers had their wares set up with a
variety of goods. There were tapestries and puzzles,
linens, containers, and pottery. 
We didn't buy anything, but were tempted by
many. 
Maybe not by this candy, 
but I wondered what these rug dealers had
brewing in their pot. 
It made us start to think about dinner after
we had whiled away the day. We had plans to meet our friends Rick
and Brenda for dinner, so we had a brisk walk back to the hotel. After
dropping off treasures, we made it to our friend's apartment and had
time for a few cocktails before going to Chez Gladines for dinner. It is
known for huge salads, low prices and a large social scene outside while
waiting for a table. We made it for the first seating, but soon it
filled up elbow to elbow inside
and cheek to jowl outside. 
While we dipped our bread into the garlicky
oil from our escargot, 
a beagle at the next table had his eyes on
everyone, or maybe just our plates. 
He settled down as the evening wore on. 
We finished our meal and were told not to
linger...people were waiting outside. 
OK, OK...we paid the l'addtion and left. It was a
beautiful night as we kissed Rick and Brenda good bye until next time.
Emmaüs 80 blvd. Jourdan in the 14th
metro:
Porte d'Orleans
Place Jauques Demy in
the 14th has a variety of markets depending on the day.
metro:
Mouton Dervernet
Chez Gladines 30 rue des Cinq
Diamants in the 13th. Arrive by 7:30pm or after 11:00pm for a table to
avoid the large local crowds for this budget priced restaurant.
metro: Place d'Italie or Corvisart
It was a day of contrasts. Black and white. My longtime
friend, Jane was working a flight from Miami to Paris and we were
meeting on our layover. I hadn't even left operations to get on the
plane when my phone rang. It was Jane saying there were terrible storms
in the southern Florida area and she was going to be late leaving Miami.
We had planned on meeting the next day for a full afternoon and evening
in Paris together. I didn't know just how late she'd be until we
approached Paris and one of the pilots told me the Miami flight was 3
hours late :-(( Soooo, I was on my own for the afternoon. The
temperature was that perfect balance of warmth without tipping to
uncomfortable. The kind of warmth that brings gentle breezes into the
evening, but still making a jacket unnecessary. I walked to Montparnasse and met my friend, Rick
and we had fun catching up on the last few weeks as we watched the
cafe's comings and goings. Before I knew it, it was time to head back to
the hotel and meet up with Jane who was waiting in the hotel lobby.
After big hugs and smiles we went out to catch the rest of the afternoon
with a walk through Luxembourg Gardens. We were happy for this day.
We weren't the only ones enjoying the park on this perfect,
late spring afternoon.
We meandered through the gardens, watching the children
chase each other and sail their boats on the pond. Leaving the
tranquility of the gardens, we walked and talked our way through streets
and passages, and in and out of shops. The sun started to settle as the
Latin Quarter lit up. 
The street candy vendors stay open late, but a chocolate
shop locked it's doors with a firm bolt as we decided to go back in and
spring for an 8 euro bag of cocoa. We wanted it even more then...and
we're still talking about it and how we'd use it! Hmmm...dust
truffles...mocha lattes...hot cocoa...chocolate cake???? Problems,
Problems. Walking along, we had planned on having dinner at a bistro on a
cobblestone street with a few restaurants on it. Checking out the prix fixte menus of several
restaurants, we gave each other a big look of "yes!" by the Boeuf Bourguignon posted on one of
menus. Without reservations, we felt we were lucky to get a table and
were asked to wait a few minutes in a cozy waiting area of this 17th
century building. 
The ambience was warm, but the greeting was as cold and
fragmented as the ancient rooms. We eventually were led up stone steps
to a small table for 2 by a winding stairway. The low beamed ceiling and
glowing fireplace added a sense of conviviality that contrasted to the
slow service that seemed more of a bother than a pleasure. The
appetizers were interesting in concept but not followed through in
flavor. We both had the Boeuf
Bourguignon, and thought it was just mediocre with it's thick
sauce. I did like the way it was served with gnocchi in the small iron
pot, though. We chatted away during our ultimate girl's night out. We
had 3 choices for dessert and our Île
Flottante and Creme Brulee
were delicious and a nice finish to this 4 hour dinner. 
As we were paying our long awaited check I was wondering if
that was a new chef I saw scurrying from table to table.
Yikes!! I don't think we'll be
back.
