Christmas on rue Saint Dominique

I have a set routine when I first arrive in Paris. Before I even make it up to the apartment, I must make a quick stop at the boulangerie next door to our apartment on rue Saint Dominique and grab a warm croissant. Nobody, but nobody does buttery, flaky croissants like the French do. This time was no different, but I was stopped before I even got inside by the Christmas decorations that had gone up since my last visit and changed La Boulangerie to a winter wonderland. The owners had even erected an entirely new facade on the front of the building with faux 'buche' (logs) complete with feathery soft snow, blue twinkling lights, wisps of branches, and even pine cones. The French are known for their beautiful artistic presentation - whether it be the wrapping of a purchased item of clothing from the local 'magasin' (store) in color coordinated tissue paper, the carefully laid out food dishes on a dinner plate, or simply the eye-catching arrangement of vegetables at the local market on rue Cler. It's important that it looks pleasing to the eye; they take great pride in this. I so appreciate and admire the extra work that goes in to all the beautiful decorations that are put up for the season. The festive Christmas lights strung across our street in a zig zag pattern up and down the complete length of rue Saint Dominique looked even more brilliant as the Eiffel Tower began it's hourly twinkling in the background.

I decided then and there that even though I wasn't going to be in our apartment for very much of the Christmas season, the act of decorating the apartment - regardless of the amount of work involved - would be worth it. And I bet the friends that we had staying in our apartment will be appreciative, too.

Paris Marathon 'Carb Loading' Dinner

Whether you're a marathon runner from San Francisco, Boston, or Paris it doesn't matter. Every great runner knows that the night before a marathon is 'carb loading' night and my husband John, who was running for the first time in the Paris marathon the next day, was especially looking forward to this evening since he no longer indulges in pasta like he used to, so this would be a special treat. We enjoyed the evening with our US/Paris friends - Jeff & Oriana Vick and our Paris friends - Patrick and Ghislaine Roussel who came in just to be with us from their primary home in Cholet to cheer John on. I decided on a special evening out at Il Sorrentino, my favorite Italian restaurant within walking distance of our apartment located at 12, rue Monttesseuy at the foot of the Eiffel Tower. Their specialty is a linguini cream dish prepared at your table and flavored with parmegiano reggano scraped from the inside of the cheese wheel that the waiter flames with cognac. It is one of the best pasta dishes I have ever had. The restaurant is so cozy and intimate; there are only 9 tables in the entire restaurant and the chef always comes out to visit and make sure everything tastes perfect. You really feel like family and that you are eating in their private home. Great food, perfect ambiance and to top it all off, l'addition" (check) will not set you back an arm and a leg.