Food, food and more Paris Eats

Okay...hang on to your chair, you are about to go on a magical food ride of photos taken in Paris on our trip.  For the record, I didn't gain any weight, but Lindsay would eat up to 3 sweets per day...and did gain a few pounds, but it was sooo good!  Every meal was a feast for the eyes and fresh, well prepared food.  Presentation was always fabulous.  


Take a look, you'll see what we ate.

Cafe Gaudeamus

Lunch at the Cafe

Tea at Mariage Freres

Tuna Provenical at cafe beside Pere Lachaise

Croque Monsieur at Museum d'Orsey

Fish appetizer at A La Petite Chaise

A beautiful, small old cafe - cira 1650's

Fruit Tart on the Seine - on the way to Monet's Gardens

Breizh Cafe...savory crepes

Street food - Paella!

Lindsay's Birthday Adventure - May 10th

We began Thursday with a visit to Montmartre quarter where Sacre Coeur Basilicia is located, a top of the mountain with breathtaking views of Paris.  In an earlier photo I shared with the clock face, the basilica is shown from D'Orsey museum.  We ended the day with an amazing cooking class with cooknwithclass.com where for 185 euros we got 6 hours of information, instruction, 3 course meal, including a cheese board, dessert and wine.  Lindsay said it was the best adventure of the whole trip.


I'm also sharing pics from Montmartre area, including the artist that I got a cute Parisian painting.

Sacre Coeur completed 1919

Artist from Montmantre

Brie in the cheese shop

Items for dinner 

Chef Patrick showing us how to prep white asparagus

Slicing Duck Breast

Plating the main course

Molton choco cake with strawberries

I hope you enjoyed these photos....we really feel it was a great day in celebration of Lindsay's 32nd Birthday.

Monet's Gardens

I was really looking forward to our Fat Tire Bike Tour of Monet's Gardens and it turned out to be everything we dreamed of and more.  And easier than we thought.
http://fattirebiketours.com/paris/tours/monet-bike

We met our guide at the train station and 45 mins later we were in Vernon, picked up the bikes and visited the local market to get lunch.  Along the way, we stopped along the Seine to have lunch.  Then we headed off along the bike trail and encounter this beautiful horse and countryside.


At Monet's home, we enjoyed lovely gardens, tranquil sites and an overall peaceful afternoon.  At Hotel Baudy, we had tea upon our return to get the bikes and then headed back to Vernon to catch the train to Paris.


Hotel Baudy was the small inn where American's came to search out Monet in 1886 and learn about his painting style.  The owners saw an opportunity to expand and make money, so they created more rooms and created an artist studio and gardens to accommodate painters.  It was so simple and quiet.

French country side on bike trail to Giverny

Lindsay beginning her tour.

Monet's water lily garden

Monet's boats used to paint from the water

Entrance to Monet's Home

Wisteria at Lily Pond

Garden detail behind Hotel Baudy

Hotel Baudy

Village scene in Giverny

Tulip close-up

I've got many more flower photos and will post on a special flowers-only post.
Enjoy!

Lindsay's off to Bolivia, South America

As many of you know, Lindsay has a love for travel and adventure and today, she is leaving on a "jet plane" for Bolivia.  She has a 6 month contract with the Canadian Red Cross and off to Bolivia to coordinate a child's nutrition program with the Bolivian Red Cross.


Since learning she had the job, she has had many things on her "list to do", including going to Paris, subletting her apartment (like moving out!) and then packing for 6 months in a country that is opposite in weather to Canada...it's going into Winter there now down there.


Last night we did the Happy Birthday Lindsay, Farewell and Happy Mother's Day all in One at the "Matahari Grill".

Lindsay, Ocean and Denise

Lindsay & Ocean
(let's see Ocean in 6 months when Lindsay returns, with the changes)

Victoria is famous for making great cards, which are keepsakes.  Here is my Mother's Day card!

Sunday morning walk on the Beach, kite flying!

I believe the kites represent Lindsay on her new adventure.  Wishing her lots of love, adventure and know that she will make a difference where-ever she goes.






P.S.  I am still working on Paris photos...more to come!

Famous Paris Sites

Locks of Love with Notre-Dame

Today we'll share some of our photos to the famous sites....Enjoy.

Musee du Louvre

Roof detail - chapel at Pere Lachaise

View from inside Musee d'Orsay to Sacre Coeur

            

View from top of Arc de triomphe

Let's call the Right Bank Home for 10 days

We're back at home and have downloaded about 600 photos, so I've decided to break down the photo show by themes for your enjoyment.



Tonight's version will be getting settled into our apartment at 69 rue du Temple in the 3rd arrondissement - Marais.  It's the centre of the oldest Jewish community in France and home to the largest gay/lesbian community in Paris.  Here is the link to this apartment if you ever want a great home away from home...  www.couette-et-cafe.fr.  Marc Jules and Etienne were great hosts that offered a large (by Paris terms) 2 bedroom apt. with sitting room, small kitchen (think 6 x 4) and bathroom with washer/dryer. They also rent just 1 bedroom if needed. The apartment is located on the 2nd floor of a walk-up of a building build around 1650.  Everything is modernized and it's hard to imagine how old this building is.  In many Paris apartments, they use the old exposed beams as a decorative feature, which was in Lindsay's room.

Lindsay's room

Linda's room

View from the bedroom

We were very close to the Metro stop - Rambuteau which made it really easy to get around.  Speaking of getting around...if you ever go to Paris it is a must to purchase a pocket map guide of the Paris Arrondissements....without this you cannot navigate the streets as many are so old and very narrow.  Without this map we would have been frustrated and wasted a lot of time wondering in the wrong direction.

 Each night Lindsay would plan the next day adventure on our agenda and use the map book, Metro map to determine how to get there or decide we'd just walk.  Paris is a very walkable city, so while we used the Metro, Bus....we did do a lot of walking!




On the first day while we were able to drop off our luggage, we began to explore before jet lag kicked in.  I'll attach some of the sites we saw, very close to our apartment.




In closing, the apartment was just around the corner from several boulangeries, charcuteries, marche, pizza shop, several la banques and a bistro on every corner.  You never had to go far to find a treat, sweet or a baguette.


Stay tuned....I'll have more beautiful pictures to post as the week goes on.   
Regards, Linda

Too busy to blog!

I am so sorry to advise that due to all our time enjoying Paris that I have fallen behind on keeping up the blog.  As you know I am not techie and we have had issues with the internet here and it really takes time to outline what we've done and upload pictures.

So I promise I am keeping a written log and will update this blog once I get home.

I must say, we are out from early morning to late at night...yesterday went to Pere Lachaise cemetery and by the end of the day to the Eiffel Tower for 3 hours.  So much to see, with so little time.

We've got lots of pictures, been eating great and amazed at all the beautiful buildings and monuments.  Went by the Louvre today on the bus, this place is huge!  I can't imagine being able to see everything in a day.

Out of our whole adventure, Lindsay said that the Paris pocket guide is the best investment we've made, it shows every street, road and river so it's hard to get lost....especially when each street sign is on the corner of each building.

Tomorrow we're off to Giverny's Gardens on bike, hopefully we'll be able to sit down and write about it before we get back to TO.

First Day in Marais - May 4th

Entrance into Metro

We're here in grey Paris...weather is grey, raining and cool, but we're still enjoying the sites and can't get over the beauty of the city.  Marais is more a community rather than the big city..at least until we crossed the Seine to the Left Bank and the busier part of Paris.

Still working out technology bugs, but we will summarize the first couple of days.  Lots of great food, beautifully presented.  Lindsay has enjoyed many pastries and had a chicken falafel that was a meal in itself. 

The apartment is comfortable with 2 large bedrooms and a tiny kitchen and okay sitting space.  We are in a very old area, I understand the building is from 1650's.

Lindsay's room.

I'll keep this short today, we have had a very busy day.  Lots of walking (like 14 km according to the pedimeter).

Cheese shop

Really big shimp