A good nights sleep was much needed. Wake up in our dollhouse room, burgundy and delicate lime. Grabbed some very American coffee and a muffin to go with some fresh squeezed orange juice, as we take a morning stroll in the Luxembourg Gardens. Probably the worst coffee of our trip next to the Starbucks. Coffee to go is viewed as a sin in both France and Italy, so what you can get isn't very good.
"Cette Rue" shouted a group of grade schoolers in unison. The gardens are beautiful, more yellow and bright orange against the cityscape grey and black. I start paying attention to the color themes of cities.
We happen upon Hevin and shopped for our first squishy crunchy delights, known as macarons. I become obsessed with trying to recreate them upon returning to the States. Just got a text message from Julie... today is the day we meet up with her, Ava, and Maneesh.
An accordion player on the metro serenades us to Montmarte, and I am excited to see the streets that inspired Amelie. But, there is a conflict between the cute cafes and the rows upon rows of tourist traps and neon SEX shop signs. I not able to fall in love with Montmarte, it was better on the silver screen.
We do find a fascinating cemetery filled with large gothic looking tombs. It is a mess, stones in crooked rows on hill ground. Modern stones next to ancient ones next to weird tombs that look like the submarine from Life Aquatic.
We are suckered in by Nigerian friendship bracelet scam artists near the Sacre Couer. They won't let us go, hakuna matata... now give us money. We try to find someone in the hordes of Asian tourists to take our picture. We take the back stairway down to avoid the Nigerians. I am getting hungry and can't wait for the "inspiring" lunch that Julie promises to take us to.
Metro to Les Halles. Find a shop that sells Hello Kitty couture. I spot Ava window shopping herself, as we approach Willi's Wine Bar. Julie tries to order an Aligote and we get Champagne by accident, oh well. Ava toasts with her milk. Tom and I try real foie gras for the first time, served with golden polenta and poached egg, a ridiculously French dish. We love it.
Clos Montirius Vacqueyas Cotes du Rhome 2004 is so deliciously earthy and unique. Julie loves it and complains about the wine shops in Germany not understanding that it doesn't have to be all about price. This wine is fruit, must, black pepper, and barnyard earth. Tom says it smells like a "new dictionary".
Lamb and cous cous with raisons and some unknown fruit. Meat is very rare in this country. As for medium and you get rare, which is fine by us. Finally Tom gets to have a cheese plate with red wine, he's been craving it.
A guy lights up a cigar right in the middle of the hat store while Ava runs around trying to make us try on hats. We are her dress up dolls. She won't sit still today, as she rides on Maneesh's sholders and keeps asking him "can we go to Paris?"
Julie discusses European oven size and the perfect pot for byriami in French to the store clerk at ______. I laugh, as I can't understand a word, and it reminds me of that Monty Python skit about the half sheep half airplane, you know, the one where they keep exchanging mustaches. Tom tries to overhear various conversations in French as we wait outside, and tells me the little kids are talking about video games.
We are riding along the Seine in Maneesh's Ford Galaxy. Ava keeps singing songs "Hurray for Marta, Hurray for Tom", while Julie tries to confirm their hotel reservation. We stop for some wine, but the good wine bar has no seats in the covered alley, so we opt to just sit. Cute little French girls circle the alleyway or "gallery" on their bicycles, singing songs.
We spot American cars few and far between, mostly Fords. I try and make Ava laugh by putting my earrings on Tom, but no luck, tough crowd. She keeps singing "Hurray for Paris" as the tourists look into the Gallerie Lafayette Christmas window displays. Zonk, Ava falls asleep, then Tom, then me, alternating in 5 minute wine power naps.
Navigation system takes us to Champs Elysses, which is crazy at rush hour. Insane traffic circles the Arc de Triomphe and Tom becomes terrified of driving in the city. Tons of car show rooms and a 3 floor HaganDaaz that looks like a night club.
Dinner at Les Papilles, where you can select your wine from the wall at retail price. The only problem is you have to bend over people's dinners to do so, and they look at you like you are a crazy person. The pumpkin soup & beef bourginon puts to shame Cremerie Polidor and brings new meaning to delicious soup, mmmm, exquisite. They slap down a baseball wad of butter at the bottom of a bowl, with some bacon, herbs, and roasted chestnuts, then give you a big pot of pumpkin soup to pour over it.
Domaine Chante Aloutte Cormeil Saint Emilion Grand Cru 2000 for $33, is that too good to be true? It smells of raspberry jam, fruity with good earth.
Domaine Vallet Saint Joseph Cuvee 2005 Cotes due Rhone is lighter than the previous wine, but deliciously fruity.
I am so full by this point, and wish they would have let us "partege". Myths debunked... French are rude, portions are small. Tom watches weird French commercials as I fall asleep.