Author: Karen

Today started out bright and early: up at 7:15, met Ann for breakfast at 8:15 and said good bye as her cab whisked her off to the Gare du Nord to take the Eurostar back to London and finally to Truro, in Cornwall.

My next stop was to the pharmacy for a Covid antigen test. I had never been tested before so I was pleasantly surprised that it was a mainly painless experience. I was to return to get the results.

The two ladies who work in the pharmacy were exceedingly pleasant. They asked me about California, mentioning that it must be warm there. That’s the most common comment that I get. I said it’s a bit warmer but we’re very concerned about the drought and desperately need rain. They’ve heard about the rains and the fires.

Now to the post office. I love the French post office. There are wonderful boxes for you to load up all your treasures, or maybe even old unwanted clothes to ship back to the US so you’re not a beast of burden on the day of your flight. I have done this several times and have always felt it was worth the cost (59€ for the XL sleek Italian-designed Collisimo green box). There have been times when the box arrived home before I did – not this time, of course. The postman helped me with the entire procedure and the only hiccup was that he didn’t have online access to customs so I had to fill out three paper forms. No biggie. I told him how much I enjoyed coming to the post office and enjoyed his help. He actually blushed. Maybe postal employees are not used to getting compliments.

Back to the pharmacy. I tested negative – hooray! – and got the necessary forms needed by Air France to get me on the airplane.

It was almost noon but I knew that the cleaning lady was still working on the apartment, so I decided a decaf cappuccino was in order at the corner café.

The last few days have been quite active; in fact, Ann and I logged in over eight miles yesterday and between seven and eight most days. We were also on art overload, though the Hockney show was much less exhausting as the Russian show at the Louis Vuitton or the Orsay. I felt I needed to do a little slo-mo today and stick to the neighborhood.

And what a neighborhood it is. It’s very close to the two big department stores, Au Printemps and Galéries Lafayette, started during the turn of the century. The architecture and windows always fascinated me and reminded me of going to the Emporium in San Francisco every Christmas for Christmas visiting, shoppinf and gazing at the beautiful displays.

The French expression, faire du lèche-vitrine means to go window shopping. It literally means to go window licking, which totally grossed me out when I first learned of it. I decided to stroll the ‘ hood and go window shopping. Both stores have domes which are also quite spectacular.

The dome at the Printemps has what appears to be an art deco eating establishment.

It’s difficult to capture the entire dome in its completed form so I had to photograph bits and pieces.

On to Galéries Lafayette next door. Actually both stores are composed of several buildings but the dome is clearly marked or one of the ever-present beautifully dressed employees will direct you to the right spot.

The dome is used as a focal point on the third floor.

There were other delights in the gourmet shop at Galéries Lafayette:

Getting hungry? I wandered over to the Café de la Paix for some sustenance. Ended up with a delicious chicken Caesar salad with an egg in it. I was tempted to just get a millefeuille but I had pancakes for breakfast and needed a bit of nutrition .

The lunch was substantial so I took my dessert home!

Tomorrow is my last day. What will I do? You’ll find out after I do.

Like many cities, the museums are open for free to anyone on the first Sunday of the month. However, it can be quite crowded. Covid has dealt the problem of crowding by issuing timed tickets to ease congestion. I got reservations a month in advance for our free tickets because there was a special David Hockney show. The only time available was 9:30 so we were up bright and early and had the museum almost to ourselves. As always, we were asked for our health passes, or vaccination card for Ann. Her QR code didn’t scan on the French system, so they readily accepted her vaccination card.

David Hockney is an English painter that Ann and I have long admired. I have seen his work in London and Los Angeles and have seen his stage sets for the opera Turandot in San Francisco. He was an important contributor to the pop art movement of the 60s and is considered one of the most influential painters of the 20th century. He lives in London and the Los Angeles area. He also has a refuge in Normandy and when he saw the Bayeux tapistry he was inspired to do a scrolled version of a work of a scene. He was living there during Covid, so decided to recreate the change of scenes on his property. He did it on his iPad and printed it out. It’s a truly innovative work of art.

It’s the kind of work that can be seen again and again.

We also visited the permanent display of Monet’s Water Lillies murals that he made for the museum between 1920-1926.

The museum has also made these images available online.
We stopped for a coffee and a little retail therapy before going on to the Bastille market for some people watching and a crepe!

I like this market because they sell not only food products but clothing. Here a man is trying out a sweater and being inspected by his wife. I remember my sister once bought a frock here!

We walked down the boulevard Richard Lenoir all the way to the Canal Saint Martin. We saw some interesting outfits on people strolling by.

and even a boules tournament in progress on the way.

We finally arrive at the Canal Saint Martin.

Paris is the city for lovers. I’ve seen evidence of this throughout my trips here.
Enough romance. Time to eat!

We took the bus back to the rue de Rivoli and walked through the tourist shopes. Angelina’s tea room had a very long line but we weren’t going there. We had our meal at Brasserie Flottus, an excellent recommendation. I opted for the French onion soup and Ann had cassoulet. We were both pleased with our meals.

This is Ann’s last night. She’ll return to England tomorrow. I’m sad to see her go but we’ll meet up in less than a year, again, in Paris, for a few days before embarking on the Moroccan Sahara Odyssey in 2022 with Overseas Adventures Tours.

Tomorrow we mert for breakfast and I begin the plans for my return to the U.S. early Wednesday morning. What should I do before I leave Paris? Any ideas?

Today was our day at the Orsay museum, one of my favorite spots in Paris. The old Gare d’ Orsay, the Orsay beaux-arts train station, was built to bring visitors to the 1900 World’s Fair, but fell into disuse over the years and instead of being torn down, was reformed as the museum. It is located on the Left Bank of the Seine.

The museum was built to bridge the gap between the works at the Louvre and the Regional National Museum of Modern Art at the Georges Pompidou Center and holds mainly French art dating from 1898 and 1900. A competition was held and the project was awarded to a female Italian architect, Gae Autenti.

Theew are remnants of the train station throughout, especially in the many huge clocks that one finds throughout the building. The visitor has space to spend time contemplating the sculptures on the ground floor. There is light throughout.

My favorite paintings are here. It was so nice to see these works in this gorgeous spot. The last time I was here, all the Renoirs were on tour in Japan. It’s nice to have them back.

The clock motif is found throughout the building, with views of the Seine and surrounding buildings.

Degas and his dancers continue to delight.

Eventually we had to sit down, have some food and fortify outselves before going on to the next show.

Ann’s dessert was the best!

After the Impressionists and post-impressionists, we saw Art Nouveau furnishings and a special exhibit on the history of French cinema.

After spending most of the day inside, we strolled through the Tuileries, down to the Place de la Concorde to the Madeleine and returned. Ann wanted to take pictures from the top of the Printemps department store and I needed to put my feet up for a while. We met at 7:00 and had a light dinner across the street at the Café Sud, a warm, welcoming and popular place.

Tomorrow we leave early for a 9:30 appointment at the Orangerie to see a David Hockney exhibition. It will be much smaller and less strenuous than the adventures of the last two days. We have early tickets because it’s a free Sunday and tickets go fast! When I ordered them from home a while back, it was the only time available. The weather is holding up, in the 50s, with no rain forecast. We’ll see what happens eith the rest of the day. Brunch? Possibly..

My friend Ann from Cornwall, England arrived here Thursday afternoon. We met at her hotel 1/2 block down the street and started our adventures by having a French onion soup across the street at Le Week-End. It was warm and bracing on a cool day.

We walked the neighborhood and went to the Exxpiatory Chapel in the Square Louis XVI. It’s a small pavillion, considered a place of prayer, and is surrounded by a lovely garden.

We got caught in the rain so decided to come back here for tea and macarons. She left to unpack and we met up again for a light unmemorable dinner at a nearby café on the Place de la Madeleine.

Today we met up at 9:00 and went to the boulangerie for breakfast. We got lovely croissants but didn’t eat there because they didn’t serve decaf and I can’t have caffeine so we had breakfast here. We took a taxi to the Fondation Louis Vuitton to see the Morozov Collection: icons of Modern Art.

The Frank Gehry designed building is also a work of art. Designed to look like a sailing ship, he sought to “ design, in Paris, a magnificent vessel symbolizing the cultural calling of France.” This glass iconic building is constructed for the 21st century. It is situated at the edge of the Jardin d’ Acclimatation in the Bois de Boulogne, the Parisian equivalent of Nee York’s Central Park, west of the city.

The exhibit was so vast that it took most of the day. We were lucky to get tickets but I ordered early. There’s much to tell about the Morozov family and their collection but I must stop since I’m out of energy. The collection was extensive and exhausting.

I’ll pick this up when I can.

Just to give you an example…details will follow when I have more time to devote to more information about the family and their collection.

After the exhibit we visited the park, took the metro to Notre Dame to see the progress on the reconstruction, and had had dinner at a delightful restaurant next door to Shakespeare & Company bookstore called Le Petit Chatelet.

I’ll be back. Promise. Sleep calls.

After Tuesday’s walking, Wednesday was more of a kick-back day. Christiane left for Venice in the morning and I had a hair appointment at 10:30 and a tour of the newly refurbished Hôtel de la Marine at the Place de la Concorde at 5:45 pm. Today the best part of the day was the tour.

It was an indulgence, and a nice one, to have my hair shampooed in Paris and the commute was geeat. The Salon de Sandy was across the street! The chair where I was shampooed even had a massage feature, which was quite relaxing.

After my newly coiffed hair, I stopped off at the pharmacy around the corner to check on Covid tests for my return on the 10th. I will need an antigen test, which I’ll get at the pharmacy Monday between 10-12. Results will be given to me in twenty minutes, and I’ll have a paper to show to the authorities two days later when I get on the plane.

On to Monoprix to pick up a few items: tea, shopping bags, yogurt and wine – all the essentials.

I couldn’t resist taking a selfie with these hearts to send to my sister and Marilyn. We text hearts daily. Why? Who knows. We find them everywhere. This was the beauty department of Monoprix.

I found an interesting looking Italian place called Pastis so I stopped by for lunch. The staff was very welcoming and my eggplant with parmasan was to die for – beautiful and healthy too! The fries? Not so healthy. I never eat them at home but have had them many times here, as you can tell by the photographic evidence.

One last stop: Paul for macarons for tonight’s dessert!

I got home loaded down with goodies and relaxed a while with Diego. He likes to zoom aroumd the rooms. He’s not a toy boy but loves looking in bags and investigating. He doesn’t understand the concept of social distancing when he’s looking at new things! I left again at 4:30 to check out the Opera house and go to my appointment. It was busy as people were getting off work and shopping at the department stores, Printemps and Galeries Lafayette.

Then I made my way to the Place de la Concorde for my tour of the fabulous Hôtel de la Marine.

Yes, Paris is for lovers and I found another heart, courtesy of the Banksy tote while waiting at the stop light. The building is to the upper left.

The restoration of this building is big news in Paris. Built between 1757 and 1774 by the architect to the king at what was then the Place Louis XV, it was one of the highlights of the square. If you Google “renovation hotel de la marine,” you will find a site called sortiraparis.com that gives you a nice article called “The Magnificent Venue to Discover in Paris.” You can also go to wikipedia for more information. These articles do it better than I can. I know my limits.

The tour that I took , the historic tour, covered the rooms that had period renovation features from the 18th crntury and the grand loggia, where diplomatic receptions were held. The headsets “ know” when the visitor in a room and gives the correct information. Amazing!

Before we began the tour, we waited in the inner courtyard and enjoyed the new touches. The glass ceiling was designed by Hugh Dutton and Associés. The ancient melding with the modern is a frequent feature of Parisian architecture.

We were taken up three flights of stairs with ghosts of the past whispering in our ears. This tour is only for the fit and hardy!

We began our tour in the anteroom. I’ll only show you a few rooms, so you get the idea.

I thought the bathtub and the couch- bed in the same room was a nice idea. Bathrooms were meant to be spacious, since the bather often had company to conduct business and therefore needed more space!

Since the windows of these rooms give a good view of the Place de la Concorde, it was difficult to decide whether to photograph the ancient building or the modern world whizzing around outside the windows.

We now begin our tour of the loggia, rooms comprising a very long hall, where many public events took place, such as diplomatic signings, balls and entertainment.

The tour ends at the balcony, where we see today’s Paris.

I finished my evening with dessert with Diego and wrote yesterday’s blog. I’m now caught up! It’s Thursday and my friend Ann from England is arriving. You who read this blog may remember her from our adventures in Tuscany and Umbria. She’s staying down the street, taking the night train then Eurostar from London. We facetimed two days ago but I haven’t heard from her so I may walk down and see if she’s at the hotel.

I now know of a place where there’s great French onion soup, just a short metro ride away. I hope she’s up for it. She’s been my partner in crime for many food adventures since we met on a tour in the mid 80s, and I’m sure she’ll be happy into getting into a little mischief. It’s her first trip out since Covid so it’s sure to seem strange.

I walked to the Opera and the Café de la Paix because I learned that the best millefeuille – a multi-layered pastry – are to be found there. Think we can fit it in? Maybe…it’s good to be prepared.

Of course I’ll report back but we’ll be busy. We have museum reservations for Friday, Saturday and Sunday and she leaves Monday. There will be lots to see and do. Be patient, dear readers.

I woke up refreshed after my easy holiday Monday and was ready to go – but where? I checked on a museum exhibit that interested me, the Boticelli exhibit at the beautiful Jacquemart-André museum, once a home, but tickets were sold out until mid- month. The Jeu de Paume museum at the Tuileries Gardens had an exhibit of photography from New York’s Museum of Modern Art, so I thought it would be a nice walk. I also wanted to find French onion soup! I remembered a place where I enjoyed it in the Odéon section on the Left Bank. I also wanted to visit the Medici fountain at the Luxembourg Gardens. The weather was nice so I thought it would be a good day to stroll the Seine.

Starting at the Place de la Madeleine, I would go to the Tuileries to see the exhibit, then walk along the Seine, cross over to the Left Bank, find Saint-Germain des Prés, then go east to the Odéon section for the restaurant. After the restaurant it’s a straight shot to the Luxembourg Gardens. Easy.

But then I’ll have to return. I’ll figure that out as I go.

Step one: go to the Jeu de Paume. The exhibit was small and not overwhelming. I enjoyed it. It didn’t take long.

Step two : Now I walk the gardens on my way to the river.

Step three: I walk the river. It’s nice to see that some of the bouquinistes are open. These booksellers have their treasures in locked boxes attached to the river, a long tradition.

As you can plainly see, the tour boats are packed on this sunny day.

I cross the river at the Pont Neuf. The “ new bridge” is actually the oldest bridge in Paris, then retraced my steps a bit to pass by the Institut de France, a section with narrow winding streets filled with small artisan shops and galleries. There was not a café to be found! I was getting tired. I needed to stop and rest.

I spotted one and got a seat in between two sets of people. Relief!

Here I am, squished in between the German fellow and significant other on my right and the French lady with her family on my left. Neither lit up until after I sat down. I had some second-hand smoke along with my Coke Zero. I do think that California and Hawaii have the fewest smokers in the US. Just can’t get used to it here. Of course, after I stood up and walked a short block, the street opened up and I was in the center of St-Germain-des-Prés, literally surrounded by cafes. Go figure! I just got to step four.

This quarter is well known for being the center of the Existential philosophical movement in the 40s and 50s, with Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir being its main proponents. It’s also home to a great deal of academia: the School of Fine Arts – Ecole des Beaux-Arts – as well as various sections of the University of Paris are here.

Its center is flanked by the church, formerly an abbey. It’s a very busy and lively scene. The café culture there is also well known as the place to see and be seen. Les Deux Magots, Brasserie Lipp, Café de Flore and le Procope are among the places where those in the know flock.

Unfortunately, my hair is in great need of refreshing. I got it done today. Oh, well..chatted with nice folks from Mexico and we took each other’s photos.

Step five: I arrive at the Place de l’ Odéon, looking for my restaurant.
Good news: it’s there, but renovated. The charm is gone. So is the French onion soup. I preservere. I’m starving. There must be something on the menu for me.

There was and it was delicious. I also had a little window area, nicely socially distanced, so I could see all the street action as I ate.

Step six: I go to the Medici fountain at the Luxembourg Garden. It’s an easy stroll, I know, and I also pass my friend Marty’s favorite hotel where he and his wife Sandy spent many happy hours.

Step seven: I visit the Medici fountain. Marie de Medici was the wife of Henry IV and later his widow and regent of King Louis XIII. It was built around 1630 and was moved here in 1864-66. Whenever I visit it, the landscapers change it for the season and I try to see it when I’m here because it’s so delightful.

I retrace my steps and try to decide how to get back. Bus? Metro? Walk? You’ve got to be kidding. I spy a row of taxis.

I jump in a taxi and head back, but not all the way back. I stop at La Durée for dessert: a decaf coffee and a coffee macaron. What better way to end the day in Paris than with one of my favorite pastries?

It was a short walk back to the apartment.
How many steps? 17,412. Of course it took all day. I was home before 7:00 pm. My fancy new iPhone 11 won’t tell me how many miles it is. Can someone help me?

Hope you enjoyed coming along with me for the day!

As you may have noticed, I’ve been walking quite a bit and on the November 1 holiday for All Saint’s Day I decided to take a holiday myself and veg out a bit. I spent the morning organizing my days that I’ll be spending with my friend, Ann, who’s coming from England Thursday the 4 th for a few days here.

Christiane also had lots of walking on her tour so we rested most of the morning and part of the afternoon. She made a delicious quiche with roasted vegetables, so we were vegging out literally as well as figuratively.

In the late afternoon I decided to take the #42 bus to the Eiffel Tower. It stops just a few blocks from the apartment. It was sunny in the morning but the skies clouded up as I waited in the soft rain. It’s much easier on the old body to take the bus, avoid the stairs of the metro, and watch the world go by.

Fortunately the bus wasn’t crowded.

i got off at the quai and walked to the tower. The rain had stopped but it was still messy.

Built for the Universal Exposition of 1889, the tower was built to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the republic and was meant to be temporary. As it turned out, its height lead to the discovery that it could be used as a radio antenna and so it stayed, in spite of the protests of leading citizens, including the writer Guy de Maupassant, who considered it a public eyesore. Monsieur Eiffel even had an apartment built on the tower so he could supervise its construction.

I made my way back and only waited a few minutes for the bus to arrive. The bus stop has the number of minutes the passenger must wait, which is very helpful. The bus stops are also sheltered from the rain.
I managed to get some cool shots coming back , with the rain on the window offering an interesting dimension to the image.

When I got off, I decided to check out the view from the Printemps department store. See the people on the top?

So up I went to the 7th floor terrace, just as the sun was about to set, at 5:15 pm.

Now it’s up to the top floor for more shots and another panoramic view.

I had to stop for a little treat on my way home, of course: crème brûlée from the corner café.

We watched Death in Venice before going to bed. It’s been remastered to recapture its true beauty. What a gorgeous film.

There were many beautiful sights today. I only logged in 2.1 miles but I managed to get some nice images. You can see why Paris is called the City of Light.

My next post will take you further afield, with more walking. I get to the Left Bank!

October 31 is Halloween at home but the festival isn’t celebrated much in France. It was also a Sunday. I knew that the Bastille maeket was open, and I wanted to go visit, since my friend Allan and I used to shop there, and it’s a lively spot. Didn’t know how it would be in the rain, though.

i also wanted to shop at the Bazar de l’Hotel de Ville, commonly known as BHV, which is a real, down-to-earth department store, reminiscent of the San Francisco Emporium of my youth . I love to pick up pretty kitchen towels there and I wanted to check out their hardware department in the basement do-it yourself center, called “ le bricolage”, to replace a handle that had fallen off the WC yesterday.

I left by following the same route to the Concorde metro, line 1. On my way, once again, I noticed that many people are masked outside and on the metro EVERYONE is masked. There are signs everywhere to remind people to mask up. The French take the rules very seriously. Restaurants and museums ask to see the health pass before you’re allowed to enter. There are hand sanitizing stations at the bus stops. It’s a busy time with the two-week school vacations and the metro can be as crowded as ever, yet I feel safe. It may also because I’m actually triple vaxxed with the extra Moderna shot. People distance themselves.

I got off the subway at the Hotel de Ville stop and saw that the Olympic rings are much in evidence in front of City Hall, in anticipation of the Olympics to be held in the summer of 2024.

Next stop was to the papeterie, the paper section with all kinds of stationery, pens, note cards, greeting cards and Even the beginning of the Christmas decor!

i headed up to the kitchen department, where I found some nice kitchen towels. I was given a big bag, which wasn’t yet full but I had an idea that it would be if I continued to find more treasures.

I also enjoy wandering the aisles, looking at unique kitchen appliances.

Back on the metro I went to visit the Bastille market. I didn’t want to load myself down too much, so I just enjoyed the scene and took pictures. I was getting tired so I stopped by a café for a cappucino.

After I had some time relaxing, I did a bit more walking and discovered the Franpris where the Monoprix used to be. I found instant decaf coffee (hard to find) and treated myself to a dark chocolate bar.

Hunger set in once again. I’d remembered that there was a Léon de Bruxelles nearby. It’s a chain that does mussles – moules à la marinière – very well. Just as I was thinking about it, I turned the corner and there it was, right next to the metro. Was this destiny, or what?

Before I was allowed to enter, I was asked for my health pass, as usual. I’ve discovered that it’s easier to show the paper copy, since the phone copy is too tiny for their machine to scan the QR code. I noticed that this was one of the few places decirated for Halloween.

I started off with a Kir Royale, champagne with crème de cassis – as I was waiting for my moules. It was refreshing and delicious, and I admit to feeling jist a little tipsy after drinking it on an empty stomach. At least I don’t have to drive . The metro will take me home.

The metro is a marvel but there are tons of steps, with lots of to-and-froing and going up and down. No wonder the French are so fit! No wonder this out of shape American is so exhausted! The bag added a few extra pounds of weight as well.

I rested at a couple of bus stops at the about-to-be-renovated Madeleine with my big bag as I contemplated the traffic and the changing colors of the skies.

I came back and checked my mileage: I went 6.1 miles. How did that happen? I thought today would be an easy day.

Tomorrow I’ll take the bus, but I’ll make sure it’s the right bus. The #42 goes around the city and the stop I’m searching for will be a scenic trip away. What’s more iconic than the Eiffel Tower?

It sounds like a plan. We’ll see what happens.

Yes, that’s what the lady told me, the result of an accidental bus mishap. I’m too embarassed to explain the details – and they’re not that interesting – but I was on avenue President Wilson, just not the one in Paris. I was in the suburb of Levallois. And it didn’t seem that far!

My plan to visit the Saturday market there wasn’t that difficult. After all, I’d been there before and taken some great photos. This time I opted for the bus over the metro. I know the metro but I’m not familiar with the bus system.

I decided to check out the village anyway, since I was there. Guess what! There was a market, just not the one with a view of the Eiffel Tower.

People laughed at me when I asked, and that’s when I was told the name of the village. My friends know that I make mistakes all the time, and even though I’ve been to Paris many times, it is very possible to lose one’s direction or go one street over where you should go. With age comes wisdom, but loss of memory kicks in too.

At least it wasn’t raining at the moment.

The village and the market were lovely and the people were very friendly. the window displays were charming and the produce was exquisitely displayed, as usual.

I asked directions for my return and got different answers so I decided to do the easiest: retrace my steps on the other side of the street and return, but where? I no longer felt the urge to go to the Trocadero. I got to a fairly large bus stop amd examined the options. I decided to go to the area near the Grand Palais and the Alexander III bridge. Touristy? Yes, but after all, I am a tourist. I was also curious about an exhibit at the Petit Palais across the street, but expected it to be crowded during the long weekend. With the changing skies, I hoped to get some unusual shots of iconic places and spaces. You can be the judge.

I sat on a bench for a bit, enjoying the interplay with young couples and school kids seeing this bridge for the first time, and getting some time to plan my next move.

it came to me in a flash: food.

I wasn’t that far from my home away from home, so I set off, going down the Champs-Elysees to the entrance to the Place to the Concorde, and turned left on rue Royale. I didn’t see any places that appealed to me until I saw the red glow of an awning with happy people eating. It was then that I realized that I was on the corner of my street.

The gourmand reared its ugly head once I plunked myself down and saw the menu. Escargots! Steak! French fries! Oh, yes. Remember, I’m on vacation.

This isn’t my normal eating; at home I eat lots of salads and salmon and chicken. On vacation I get nostalgic toward French comfort food and I crave traditional French fare such as French onion soup, mussels, and snails! Not for everyone, I know! I’ll also need to get some macarons while I’m here.

But not before I get my cappucino!

Dinner is over. Time to head back. However, there’s a bakery down the street…hmmm.

To be continued. Tomorrow is another day.

I’m sure most people know the song “I love Paris” and the singer is telling the listeners that he loves the city any time, even ”in the winter when it drizzles, in the summer when it sizzles..”. We’re now in the fall and it’s drizzling, and out and out raining for parts of the day.

But it’s okay. It’s still Paris and the changing light and clouds make for beautiful photography. I was ready for possibly inclement weather with newly waterproofed puffy coat , waterproof shoes and umbrella.

Friday was also the beginning of a three-day weekend and people are cramming into metro stations with carry on bags, ready to flee for a short holiday. There are lots of European travelers here. Monday November 1 is a national holiday and although some stores will open, many will be closed.

Armed with my brand new Navigo easy card, I hit the streets. Down to the metro!

I decided to go to Fondation Cartier to see fhe Damien Hirst exhibit.

This museum specializes in contemporary art. In its present incarnation, it was designed by French architect Jean Nouvel and completed in 1994, moving from the outskirts near Versailles. It is made of glass and has a garden, which brings the outside in. The building appears to be a work of art in and of itself. I’ve been there before. My friend Allan was a big fan of Jean Nouvel and we visited the structure on our last visit.

The original building was built in 1984 at the bequest of Alain Dominique Perrin, then president of the French jewelry and watch manufacturer Cartier international, to highlight established artists, encourage the young just starting out and raise public awareness about the importance and impact of modern art.

The Damien Hirst exhibit called The Cherry Blossoms is his first in France. The entire museum was taken over for his 26 giant sized paintings, which show the juxtaposition between the reality of nature with abstraction. At first glance I found these paintings unimpressive until I really started looking at the depth and detail. Then I was fascinated. I found impressionism, pointillism, humor and depth in each work.

After seeing both floors of paintings and checking out the well-stocked bookstore, I made my way to the wet garden. Fortunately it was not raining.

After having my fill of art, hunger took over and I scurried to find a local place in the neighborhood for a late lunch. I ended up at a cozy place on the boulevard Raspail, where I had a tasty lemon pasta with veggies and a glass of wine. I would have dessert halfway through my walk home.

It’s quite a long walk, but in theory, I figured I’d just walk up boulevard Raspail until it hits the Seine, or perhaps turn when I see a sign for the Orsay museum, walk through the Tuileries by the Louvre and head back via the Place de la Concorde. Easy.

And it was. However, the wind and rain also came. I survived. I also saw some cool stuff. Love the cafés and window decor.

As I was wandering through streets leading up to the Orsay and heading to the Tuileries, I saw more people. I was getting back into civilization!

I saw the rue de Rivoli. I saw cafés. I saw people. Time for a dessert and a rest!

Yes, coffee ice cream is my favorite, any time. This is called Café liégeois. I
also found some good people-watching. It was interesting that no one asked for my passe sanitaire in either restaurant but I did need it to get into the museum.

I was rested and ready to take the last trek, skirting the Place de la Concorde and heading up to the Madeleine.

Corporate sponsorship is helping to spruce up the city! Merci, Oréal!

Finally home. Time for rest and kitty care. I walked 13,179 steps!