Thursday, June 24, 2010

Summer In Paris






If you don't like the weather in Paris, hang on; it will change at any moment. After endless rain and cold weather it has finally turned into summer weather: hot and humid. I understand how everyone wants to escape to the seaside somewhere! Me, too!

Last week I hiked with my hiking group outside of south Paris in the Foret (Forest)de Rambouillet (18k)and the weather that day was gorgeous and it was truly a lovely way to learn France. I like this French/English group. Most of them are middle aged to older and yet they do these rigorous Wednesday walks in or near Paris with great spirit and little struggle. We brought our lunches and ate in the woods. Eventually, we took the train back to Paris. Fun!



I snatched a ticket to Mikhail Baryshnikov(photo) through Craigslist and attended last weekend. It was bitter sweet. I knew I was watching the final stages of a great talent. He was not, of course, what he was. After all. he is in his 60s. But the four numbers, a couple of which were shared with another aging giant, Ana Laguna, were mostly great fun. His loyal following and fans burst the small theatre with applause. One number, they cleverly had him dancing with a film of himself at a much younger age. Very creative performance and I thoroughly enjoyed it. And I was in the six row although in the photo you can hardly tell it is Misha. And it was a "steal" at 45 euros!

A girlfriend and I had planned to bike in Versailles last weekend but rain ruined that plan. We had to go to Versailles as we had tickets to what was supposed to be a Fireworks "Spectacular". No rain refunds. So we went and had dinner and attended this "Spectacular". Americans are used to so much that the idea that a twenty minute fireworks display (photo)would be spectacular was almost comical. And cold as winter! But we were there.

On Monday Paris, France and a lot of European countries celebrated the longest day of the year with Fete de la Musique. Throughout Paris musicians played in squares, at corners, inside and outside and the masses prowled the streets looking (and drinking) for more free concerts. I had dinner with a friend in the fifth arrondissement on rue Mouffetard (photo) at a restaurant that could have been a Hollywood scene it was so perfectly French-looking. It was a fun evening. Soon I will write restaurant recommendations. But not this time.

All along I had a goal of seeing every medium and major park in Paris. Yet, I may not make it: there are so many! Gads! Yesterday, I traveled across Paris to the Southwest just across the Paris boarder to St. Cloud. It was enormous and lovely with a pretty church near by.

I have been Googling Paris museums and discovering wonderful places. Last weekend I marched over to Baccarat "Museum". It was a WOW place that is for sure. You entered on a red carpet with dazzling little lights on both sides. There is a greeter in a hushed, elegant atmosphere. I took photos till they told me I was not supposed to (and then I snuck photos) and they didn't seem to care. The "gift shop" was in my opinion more beautiful than the museum itself. Everywhere there were these gorgeous hanging chandeliers as well as sparkling, perfect tablewear. Two of the rooms had the same type of decorations as Opera Garnier did: recessed ceilings with hand painted murals, gold relief statues, opulent chandeliers: exquisite. Really, it was like walking into a Chocolate Factory for me: overpowering. Of course, as I would in a chocolate factory, I succumbed to the temptation and bought a lovely (albeit small) vase: my first Bacarrat! I love it! And they offer an exquisite restaurant that could serve a King (or in my case, a Queen) and I am going to be sure to eat there before I leave early August.

Last night I took myself to an African restaurant: L'Atlantide at 7 avenue Laumiere, walking distance from my apartment. It was a most enjoyable meal (photo) lamb tagine with figs and dates and unusual spices, and I splurged on a half bottle of wine. Then I walked for about three miles before I went home. It was a peaceful, lovely evening.

Today I visited two memorials: The Shoal Memorial of the Holocaust and the Jewish Art and History Museum. I particularly liked the Art and History Museum. They included in the admission a tape in English so I could understand the historical context of what I was looking at. I am ashamed to say it took me way to long to see these museums.

Besides being horribly hot today Paris (and France) went on strike over age of retirement for government workers. People everywhere and it made the already steamy, crowded metro impossible. I was delighted to get home and away from the crowds.

I am giving up on the men in Paris...well, almost. Having joined Match's sister website: Meetig, I have been deluged with dating opportunities. It really is too much. I can't keep up with it all: and it is darn confusing: which Jean Louis is calling? Then there is Jean Paul, Jean Phillipe, Phillipe Louis, yikes! After screwing up and being allegedly stood up because of language limitations I am going back to my original plan: just experience this on my own. It will save what's left of my sanity.

Lots more planned but I will share that with you in the future. It is impossible to be bored in Paris.

Sunday, June 13, 2010

A Weekend in Paris






One of the things many miss when they visit Paris is just the sheer delight of having no goals, of meandering the streets of Paris in whatever arrodissement in which you find yourself.
After a fun Friday night Saturday morning I set out to a cute restaurant overlooking the Seine and the south side of Notre Dame. Had a typical Parisenne salad (Nicose) and just sat and enjoyed the scenario. Then I wondered the fifth arrondissement happening upon the strangest chairs I have ever seen (photos); would you be enticed to sit on one of those chairs? Then on I went to find a beggar with his cat and two rabbits. At first it appears that the cat is about to eat the rabbits but upon examination was merely treating the rabbits as his personal pets, jumping on top, rolling them over with his paws. PAX.

Then I happened upon a cute open air market place, which I will have to return to, went on through Luxenbourg Gardens to a museum I had been meaning to visit for a month: Musee Zadkine, a sculptorist who lived in the early 1900s during the Picasso and Rodin period and you can see their influence on his sculptures. They also had a special exposition of a Chinese sculptorist, Wang Keping, who cust trees and then sculpts from the limbs. It was really a cool and interesting exhibit and none of my French or English friends have ever heard of it!. Tre cool when I discover such a find.
I walked near the canal last night with the twinkling lights at dusk and it was quite pretty (photo).
Today, Sunday went down to the other end of my metro line(always interesting characters to see on the metro: above photo) to the 13th arrondissement, Place d'Italie, where there was an art show going on all over the neighborhood in the artists' homes or studios. So I became acquainted with the 13th.They had the largest open air marketplace I have seen in Paris, literally blocks of vendors. If you couldn't find something wonderful to eat you must be bulimic!
If I wrote travel articles I would urge travelers to be sure they have relaxing, goal-less walks whereever they travel. It may be the favorite part of their trip.
So, what did you do with your weekend?

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Giverney Beauty






The flowers were not as profuse or gorgeous as they were last October when my sister and I visited Giverney, and I nearly died of a heat stroke, but Giverney remains a beautiful place that my spirit returns to when it needs peace....

Brian and Me





Where did I leave off? Oh yeah, American Airlines put us through hell. We dropped our lives and tried to meet their very last minuteand their ever-growing demands for more medical documentation (even though they had waited for five months to the day before Brian was to travel to tell us what they needed). I don't give up easily. I rise to the challenge but it is a wise person who knows when, no matter what one does, it will not be enough.
We dropped American and went with United. It cost me $800 more but I was not about to let American ruin Brian and mine vacation in Paris.
Brian had few problems on the flight and arrived safe and sound. But when he was here challenges evolved on a daily basis and his body had a difficult time in making the time transitions and med intake. I was ever vigillent in watching out for him most particularly after there was a bloody seizure at the Eiffel Tower. With police, riffled military surrounding him I realized that the personon the ground was my darling Brian. I rushed over as the military pointed their guns at me and yelled at them "I am his mother, his mere, his mamom. Get out of my way". Wisely,they let me through. They knew a mother when they saw one.
We were blessed that a lovely couple from Holland were the first to assist him and kept him from further serious head injuries. But in biting his tongue, lip and inside of his mouth he was covered in blood and there was a pool of blood next to him soaking into the cement.
We were eventually taken to a local hospital although I had requested The American Hospital in Paris. This hospitol was not the poster card for socialized medicine. We realized a long, long wait in the ER and its corridors would ensue and what he needed was to get home and take a missed dosage of medicine and get some sleep. So we left, took a taxi across Paris to the apartment.
In this respect (seizures) we were challenged frequently. As the time progressed, however, he had them less often and with less ferocity.
In between we experienced really high temperatures and loads of rainy days, but still we managed to see: Giverney (photo in follow up photo gallery), Musee D'Orsay, Montmartre ,Opera Garnier, the 3,4,6th arrondissments, Luxemborg Gardens, rue Mouffard, parc de la Villette and parc Buttes Charmont, lots of restaurants, Notre Dame,the Eiffel Tower and took a Seine boat trip.
We enjoyed real croissants; Brian tried foie gras (and liked it), beef carpaccio, and lots of French pastries.
The double sided coin: stress and joy. I choose to remember the joy. I know Brian always does, as well.