My 3 Favorite French Words - Defense de fumer!

January 1, 2008 was a momentous day in France. It was the day that the "Defense de Fumer" ban in the restaurants, cafes, bistros and all public eating establishment went into effect. Hallelujah! It's safe to say that I'm an obnoxious no smoker - and that's a hard thing to be in Paris because everyone smokes, considering I'm the foreigner and I'm in their country (you know, when in Rome...) The popular bar located four doors down from our apartment on rue Saint Dominique, O'Brien's Irish Pub, was always rockin' and rollin'. And they always had loads of people, young people, watching the football (rugby) games on the 4 large screen TV's placed strategically in the bar area so no matter where you sat, you had a birdseye view of the action. It always looked like so much fun.


My heart was beating with anticipation when I finally took my first step inside. It was so great to cozy up to the bar, raise my hand to order a brewsky (or two or three ...) and know that when I went home that night my eyes wouldn't be blood red, I wouldn't have to hang my underwear out the window to air it out, and that I could go to bed without first washing the stink out of my hair. O'Brien's had just finished their remodel and the whole place looked great and was packed with fans of football who were cheering on their local team favorites. And with the dollar being worth close to nothing, the reduced prices for drinks on Thursday nights is a welcome enticement for further patronage. And just think, such a short "commute" home ... only three doors away. No designated driver needed, thank you very much.

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.

John ,
You're here! You've finally arrived. Our "little piece of heaven on earth" just seems a little more complete with you here with me. And I'm so glad you liked my new "haunt", Cafe Vergnano, located right around the corner on rue Cler. The coffee drinks we had were almost like having a dessert, n'est pas?
The weather has been fabulous and I'm glad you are able to spend a couple of days in the sunny, cool autumn weather. Fall is my favorite time of year and with the terracotta glow of the afternoon sun, it makes this time of year in Paris seem magical.
Off we go to London - for Ian and Amal's wedding this weekend. Here we come, Oxford . . . .

Hi John, It's the first time that I've been in OurParisHome where I feel like I really AM returning home. The young woman at Le Boulanger Julien next door - welcomed me home. En Vacance? she asked me. She actually realized I'd been gone for some time and that I had just returned. Felici, the owner of my favorite little Italain restaurant around the corner on rue Grenelle, welcomed me with a complimentary glass of wine and the "kiss-kiss-kiss" on the cheek. Our concierge, welcomed me with a hug and a package that she had been waiting to give me. It's sort of like "Cheers" - I like to go where people know my name. It just plain feels good. Plus - changes, changes, changes in the short three weeks since I've left. Over on rue Cler, (the pedestrian Open Market around the corner) a fabulous new Italian caffe opend up where the Le Notre used to be. The coffee drinks are fabulous. It's the first place I'm going to take you to when you arrive next week. I miss you and wish you were with me. Counting the days, xo me

Hi John,

I'm sitting here hunched over the sewing machine assembling the curtains for the guest bathroom. But Billie and I had the nicest day and I wanted to share it with you. She's reading in the study (her room) and I'm sewing, or at least trying to sew. We're like a couple of little old ladies. The day started with freshly baked, warm & buttery croissants with cafe latte's from Colombus Cafe next door, then we took the Invalides Metro to Place de la Concorde. We strolled over to the Hotel Crillon located across the street from the US Embassy. Somebody famous must have been staying there and was getting ready to come out. There were barricades and gendarme (police) and lots of people and media types standing around with cameras at the ready. But of course, those barricades didn't stop the two of us from going and looking at the lobby and the tea salon and the restaurant and the piano bar and the boutique. We just stepped right up to the front of the hotel and walked right past the doorman like we owned the place.

Then we strolled down rue de Rivoli and I showed her some of the upscale designer shops and two of my favorite "passages". Next, around the corner to Sia to replenish my room fragrance that I ran out of. And to Resonance to buy some more bubble bath that I ran out of - and they discontinued it - how dare they! Then hopped across the street (almost getting run over) and oogled at the flower market. Lunch at Lauduree - the place famous for it's macaroons - Billie's treat. We completed the meal with a candied ginger& lemon macaroon that was to die for - and I don't even like macaroons!

Off to one of the Depot/Vente discount shops mentioned in Suzy Gershman's "Born to Shop Paris" - it didn't pan out, but glad I went. Then back home to our very own "little piece of heaven". I finished spray painting the finials for the drapery hardware in the living room - I could only get two gold instead of black so I had to spray paint them. Then we both crawled onto our beds, stretched out for a short read, and before you knew it, we both fell asleep reading our books. What a life - and all because of you!

Do you happen to have the last email that our dear friend - Arnaud, the Contractor - sent to us? I need to square that away and get him his last check. I have the file here but don't have the last piece of correspondence from him. I'm guessing you have it stored somewhere on your computer, n'est pas?

Love you bunches, me