Dad and Caleigh's Farewell

We had a great day.  Jim and Sam's first full. AM exit to Eiffel for S/E and J/J to Orsay. The weather was so sunny, which is new!!! and so what to my listening ears should sound, but Jim saying "Let's go to this boutique so you can model dresses for me to purchase for you. If we never get to Museee d'Orsay, who cares..." Two dresses later we were off to Orsay, after dropping them off at the appt., both of us grinning.
I had my Paris dresses, 50% discount (probably Italian make, D&G for sure Italian, the other don't know but same size scheme.) Walked my street, St Honore-Faubourg to Castiglione, Jean Patou closed  : (  no Enjoy. Over the Seine via pedestrian bridge to d'Orsay, NO LINE. Great in, for me esp, given the shopping delay, but timed well with kids completion of Eiffel. They meet us at Orsay while we were nearing completion and given I had 2 prior visits, I was ready to share.  I showed my fav's and then they did their own. We collected outside and enjoyed a walk towards to 2 Maggots, to find LuiJo on the way with cute dress. Bagged it. Jim all for in. Nice slow relax on Deux Maggots on St Germain De Pres, then stroll through through Luxembourg Gardens to Le Closerie de Lilas for dinner with T/C. Didn't get the brassierie seats, but seated fabulously. Caleigh jumped on the bill, by surprise. ugh!!




They are off tomorrow. Missed more time with Dad, but I think he and C had fun.
Out of the flat tomorrow.
Better bed.
Master BDR is nice.

Jim and Sam Arrive

Hooray, Jim and Sam Arrived yesterday!!!! They managed to make it up the Arc Triomphe, to lunch at Victor Hugo Cafe.We dropped off the ties from Nantucket at Institute du Sein, to see the Eiffel Tower and on the Seine for a Bateaux Mouche . We all got a little groggy on that lullaby boat, so we metroed home from Trocadero, reconnoitered a bit. Sam crashed, and Jim and Erin and I held out till 10, and then likewise hit the hay.
Thursday night I had a farewell dinner with Lorena and Dr Cl at of all places the Grand Colbert, where Jim and I had celebrated our 13th anniversary. We started with a terrific platter of Fruits de Mer which included snails, oysters, wonderful and small, small very small shrimp like things that you pluck off the head and the tail and eat the whole thing!

Grand Colbert

I had magrette de canard and salad de artichoke and finished with creme caramel, none of which I could finish. Dr Cl was animated as usual, Lorena, happy to be finishing, and their nurse was a convivial  guest.

We finished at 1, Lorena and I taxi back, my first in Paris this season, if ever! She has passed her exam in Nice, and has an invitation to stay with Dr Cl, but she has some reluctance to stay in France, even with a French spouse, and is drawn back to Mexico, for a sense of pride, I think, honor, service, and family. Her mother has told her to keep this door open, that life back home is not so great, with the drug wars, etc. So it seems a tremendous challenge for her. A Bittersweet time, wedding August 20th, honeymoon, but also time to sort this out. 

Anyway, I now move on to  pure vacation mode, surrounded by the fam!!

To Orsay and Eiffel today,  adults and teens respectively and then Quartier Latin and dinner at the closerie. I asked DrCl for the name of this place and promised not to divulge, thinking it was non-touristy, only to find it in each guide book, on trip advisor, etc!! Ha!!

I found L'atelier de Chefs, about 5 blocks from the flat the evening before Jim and Sam arrived. They had a macaron class the next day not at 74 but 57 euro!! They are closing for the season! If I had known they'd crash for sure I'd have planned for it. I mentioned it to Erin and her expression said, "Are you kidding Mom Dad and Sam will be here." I mentioned it to Jim Saturday, no comment, to jet-lagged. 

July 26-7

My father and his amie have arrived and moved in quite comfortably for all. Monday was a full OR day, and Erin was able to hook up with an OR nurse, Corinne's daughter Camille for the afternoon. They saw the newest Harry Potter film, then Erin went to their house for the evening, stayed with Camille the next day, and went to Musee Quai Branley, spent the night again and just came back today. In the mean time, I met with Lorenna at the Institute du Sein Tuesday am. This is the office of Dr Clough and his three associates, Dr Nos, Dr Sarfati and Dr Angaud. It is a beautiful space, calmimg lavender tones with a receptionist at the front waiting spaces on the first floor with internet access and then office space. It is purely surgical. They have their tumor board there, which is multidisciplinary, but the other colleagues have offices elsewhere. I then made off to Les Bains de Grenelle and had a fabulous 90 minute facial. I wanted to buy all the products of which she spoke but on "serum" I needed to buy, was 140 euro!! Ah, maybe another time. I cannot even replace it if I like it. I got out and hightailed it to Clinic B only to find that Dr Cl was late. This was the day he had asked me to assist, and did, but two were mastectomy, the first a very wide excision sentinel node. That night, last night after I got home, Dad asked me to cook the meal I had promised, but the ingredients were a little off, and so was the dish, summer pasta carbonera.

Dad, Caleigh, Erin and my feet at point Zero

I sleep in the next day. Dad and Caleigh wanted to do Louvre, and I had Erin coming in with Camille.We tried to go to Edith Piaf musee, but despite hours posted on line it was closed. The number to call didn't answer, so we had a lazy lunch at a cafe. They both ordered poulet avec tym, and I had a terrific salade de Mont Severes. Too bad Camille had an orthodontist appt or rendezvous as they say here, and had to leave with Corinne, who arrived a voiture. They were kind to invite Erin en vacances nearby to Marseille, but I explained her brother would go nuts if he had to vacation with just his dad and me with no Erin. Nonetheless, I hope we can keep in touch. Of course we invited Camille to see us in the US whenever her parents can let her come. Erin and I meandered back through Marias; found some ballerines for 15 euro each, and some TOD look-a-likes for 59 euro (marked down from144->74->59 when I said, I like them but I'll just take the flats.) Found a DVD shop but no Alexandre, the shoppe owner and Camille had suggested FNAC, the dept store, that nobody know for what is stands, but no luck. Then we passed by a virgin megastore and Camille had suggest here as well, and we found it in French only, and only for french DVD player. We wandered in Les Halles, really a big shopping center, and metroed to FDR exit on our yellow Line 1. I really want a pedicure, my feet ache from so much walking in lousy no support j.crew ballet flats. I thought I had found it this evening at Biguine, I made an appt for 6:30, just a mere 30 minutes away. Perfect, I can take home Erin and return. We got to the apartment, I checked my email, got ready to leave, and oh, Caleigh and Dad return. I explain I must go but when I got to Biguine they said she was running late, so how about tomorrow at 10:30. Okay I thought as I had left all at home with barely a hello. In the apartment courtyard I found our landlord, who had always been pleasant, but was unusually cordial this eve and we spoke for 50 minutes, mostly in french. I received another compliment on my ability to speak the language, and I was introduced to many neighbors as they passed in and out.  I returned in and all were in there evening attire. Erin at her laptop, Dad in shorts on the couch and Caleigh at her computer. We traded the passing of the days events, and then Caleigh made a lovely salad, greens, egg, salmon, avocado. Some movie talk and off to bed.
Tomorrow, Erin and I may hit a new museum house, and maybe the market. Then in the eve I have the dinner with Clough and Lorenna and then the next day the calvary arrives, Jim and Sam!!!
I had to let my camera connector go back with my mom. so no more pictures till I get home.

July 25-26

The way-exciting thing to post from here is that Erin is sleeping over  with a nurse from the OR at STJ. I think it is good. She is safe and having fun.
I took Dad and Caleigh to the Marche du Puces, but they were non plussed, finding a lunch spot instead. Erin was a great companion. We leafed through prints again, but even at 20 euros I decided they were not a wise memento, the paper was so flimsy. It must be straight out of a magazine, as this time we were looking at artsy perfume ads. Never retraced our steps to find the Limoges enamel. Dinner out again has Dad irked at finances.

Change over day; July 23->24

Tour de France from Notre Dame

A Bittersweet Day, Mom has to return home after three weeks in Paris, and Dad arrives, follwed by his guest for the week, Caleigh. And that took most of the day.
Mom's flight was at 1:30, so given a recommended 3 hour advance arrival and given we planned to use the metro/RER system, we left at 9:30 to take Metro line 1 to RER B. I left her at RER B and took the metro back but instead of getting off at GeorgeV I went to Porte Maillot where I thought I would find the large open french market described by Janet Greenberg at her Gallery about two weeks ago. It's just 2 stops past the Arc de Triomphe, and as they say its never more than a ten minute walk from one metro to the next.
I pick the exit that sounds alike a plaza. BAD IDEA. I end up in the middle of a large grass covered circle surrounded by a 4 lane rotary without easy pedestrian crossing. I skirt the perimeter, finally locate a crossing and dash to the other side. I see a street sign for a market, not where I would have predicted, and as I gaze down the street, it is there, but only two trucks ambled up against the sidewalk edge with your now standard fruit/vegetable display. I was looking for MORE, so I kept circumnavigating the rotary. I walked briefly through a park area, found a young man performing his daily "toilette" in his skivvies at a public fountain, and kept right on. I found the jardin climatisee, reminiscent of a wider Blackstone Blvd with a running path and not only striders, but folks out Tai chi'ing, child's posing, etc. It was a pleasant stroll but again not getting where I wanted to be, so I turned on Rue Sablon and spied a busy thoroughfare. Having made my way there, I found a plaza further down that did appear to be a suitable spot for a market, but no market in site. Nonetheless I crossed over and spied to the next street, but could find no more. I check out the grocer to see if things were cheaper outside the "beltway" or rue peripherique. Unsure, and no bulb for the bathroom. I need the skinny prongs.
My phone rings, it Dad, he is at the flat, in the courtyard. Yikes, I am 15 min away, I explain Erin is there, and while on the phone she finds him and lets him in.  I access the same metro stop now from the peripheral entry (5.6) and zip to GeorgeV, or should I go to St Phillipe, my favorite and go by Julien for croissants, no I'll go tot he boulangerie Elaine recommended off Washington. I stop in, but no croissants, baguettes. I'll go to the one across the street, not open, the other, not open. To Julien, no better check on Dad first, to the flat. He of course is all set, we decide to go out for a cafe. The sun is shinning, rare over the last few days, and I am dying to sit on a sidewalk cafe in Paris and catch up with Dad.
We walk down to St Phillipe, Julien's is closed, across cafes closed, We find a brasserie on Rue Boetie, kind of divey, Dad wants inside, so in we go, a wait and then yes "3 cafe and croissants, no, only pain, okay, 3." We trade stories, mostly him with his travels through Normandy, and then he realized he has misssed a call from Caleigh, she was expecting him to pick her up at the aeroport, but she has taken a cab, and he can't get her on the phone but he texts her the flat entry info. He feels we have to leave, so I settle l'addition I learn from the cashier, that shops are shutting down given the upcoming holiday time.  As we leave, a downpour! We get to the flat no Caleigh, and we wait, and wait and wait. It's 3 when she arrives, 2 hours later, but it was raining, and we had a lot of talk. On her arrival it is now time to return the car, they go together, just to Madeleine and back, is the report so Erin and I wait, because they didn't have keys for re-entry, and it's now 5pm. At least, in this time, I settled the flat issue, we have to check out on the 31st, and we wanted to sleep in Paris that night so I used a Rick Steves' recommendation and we are are Hotel France by Eglise du Dome, with a view, two rooms.
I decide to shower, and I wanted ot get out and look at that Chanel bag I have wanted. I decided I had tried to wait for them and they are on their own schedule. A text from dad's announces they stopped to nourish Caleigh and will take their time coming back. (no Key!!) I should have realized I could have left Erin there, and I could have gotten out, the sun was shining again, but only occurred to me just now. So, it is 5:30 when Erin and I are about out and they stroll up, we agree to go out to eat at 8. Erin had called and made the reservations at Petit Cler in french. Bravo!
So Erin and I head to Franprix, where Sabine told me to look for the lights. It was so small, and Erin had not seen light bulbs, that she and I had tried the "bigger" monoprix sans success. But yes, there they were at the Franprix: lights with the small wires. Got my usual vin blanc, yogurt and cafe, noisette for the expresso maker and gound for the press. I asked Erin if we could go to Rue Royale, as she was toting the bag, she equivocated, so I went back to the idea of Thomas Pink, which she had located on Rue Francois Ier nearby. We found it just before closing, and to pay for two pair of socks had to wait for the 5 store clerks to faun over the 2 foreign megashoppers for 20 minutes. Transaction completed, Erin found a text from Sam for a 7 pm skype, it was & I told we could get home in 15, let him know, and we skedaddled, she couldn't wait to connect with her brother. No window shopping on the way home, MOM!!
But on getting home, now he wasn't on skype, and by old fashioned land-line, Jim and Erin talked and Sam was out.
We set up a new date, and realized it was time to be a Petit Cler, we didn't call them, we just took off. I thought Caleigh might be too tired to go that distance. It's a 10 hr flight from SFO, she left a 4 pm so it was 6 am her time, without a good plane sleep.  But all wanted to walk and see, so we did. I with Dad, Caleigh with Erin. We found it the same come in from the south access as when I went with Mom.
We passed Cafe Central, that we had eaten at before, and went at 8:45 to Petit Cler.
"Do you have reservation?" Yes, 4 Fingleton? Yes inside.. Okay. Inside is open to the outside, and it was our standard chilly so I was great with it. Had a view to the street, no less.
We'd barely sat down, the a woman across the aisle and behind us said, "Are you American?" Yes,... we said, of course. She said " so are we, You are the only English-speaking people in here..." Obviously I can't recite the whole conversation, but the point is, she was across the way, not quite shouting, but speaking loudly. The couple behind them closer to us, were trying to talk, but clobbered by the volume of her banter. She kept up for a while telling us about her daughter's first job in Teach for America, now in  med school at Jefferson, wants to be an adolescent psychiatrist. Of course Dad had to pitch in there that his daughter was voted best surgeon by peers each year, chief of surgery... I chimed in yes, and I am also president of the United States. It worked, a laugh and brought the conversation to a pleasant halt. Phew.
Erin found ratatouille on the menu under entrees, their appetizers, and it was perfect!! I had a green salad too, DELISH!!  Caleigh a salad, Dad steak tartare. For dessert for me, a tarte tatin, I hadn't had one yet. It wasn't how I expected, seemingly whole apples, cored, though not much crispiness to the "carmelization" and a flat very thin crust, tasty, but mmm, not what I imagined, not what I saw on secrets of a restaurant chef. Erin pot o'chocolate, Caleigh, a petit sccop of the reknowned ice cream! Armangnac and wonderful conversation, limited to our table. Dad treated and we walked home at 11pm.
That make it an advil pm/am. Cafe okay, a little weak, and the special Illy noisettes I had splurged on at Franprix, over the cafe ethiope (by brand unknown @ 2.85 euro,) don't seem to work. The effluent is clear??? 5.85 euros down the sink, : (.
Today is the last stage of the Tour de France. Caleigh went running and says the are gathering already.
Dad's advice is hit a museum, avoid the crowds, hmm...

pre-gaming?

Paris Plage and Mom's Last Day, 22.

I started off the day early, 6:30 to make it to the OR by 7:30 to work with Dr.CL colleague, Dr N. It was tough rolling out of bed while all else slept, but I didn't want to look lazy. So out, I slithered, and took the Metro to the usual am hiked spot. It all went swimmingly especially receptive group today. Dr N. had a first assistant, who is delightful, and the circulator was American, Ellen, but in Paris for 17 years! And guess what, knows my friend Pat, the plastic surgeon!! WOW!! We finished 5 cases by 1:30, crazy fast. Apparently at the private hospital the patients choses to make up the difference, rather than at a public hospital, and the pace is much quicker, from getting care booked to the time to get the care. When you are not feeling so well you can go into this fabulous garden for recovery. All were out soaking up the sunshine, given our recent persistent deluge.

St JeanDieu

Garden

I met Mom and Erin in the Tuileries. They had tried to go to Jeu de Paume to learn about the Nazi art transactions, but apparently there was little information. We soaked up the sunshine around the fountain with the toy boats and then ambled to the 178 to change for High Tea at the Hotel Crillon. On the way mom picked up her macarons for friends at home from the famous La Duree. A quick change and a metro hop and we were in the lobby of The Crillon Hotel from the 1770's. Designed by Soufflot, the same architectect that designed the Pantheon. We had Marie Antoinette tea, an assortment of finger sandwiches and an assortment of desserts. So many desserts came with we had to take some out. I splurged and finished with a champagne. It was "my" birthday celebration, after-all. We whiled away at least 90 minutes, reminding ourselves to slow down and enjoy the setting. Mom did spy Senator Dodd of CT as he arrived.  After the loo break we toured just the first level, while Erin shuddered, Mom what are we doing here... quite grand and lovely.

Hotel Crillon at Pl concorde

I wasn't at all late, We felt we had to get to Tea by 5, and did, so it was maybe 7 when we left, and decided to amble about. We had just recovered from nonstop rain and wanted to deeply inhale the warm dry air and let the sun warm our inner most selves.

Place du Concorde apres Tea

Place du Concorde apres Tea

.

constantly Evolving Sky

We decided a stroll throught the Tuileries was again in order, and then made our way to Paris Plage...

Paris Plage

Rue Plantee

sprinkling gardens

Sand Castle by EuroDisney

Luncheon of "the boating party"

Jitter bug lessons!!

I River Seine-side beach, with chairs, umbrellas, sprinklers, palm tress, gardens, food stands, drink stands, the kiddie pool, dancing with impromptu dance lessons, a piano player with a sing along crowd. Lights festooned beside riverside just set up cafes

River view

We toured the entire area, from beach chairs, to dancing to piano bar to the last pont. There we spied the crazy space invader looking animal again. I asked a nearby security guard, who said it has to Paris Plage.  I explained I had seen it at St Phillipe Roule, a church and metro stop.  He then said it was a sign of the society for the metro and the Seine/Paris Plage????

We have seen different versions of these figures all around town!
Anyway it was now about 10 pm.We never had gotten the river boat, but it didn't begin where we were, so we walked through Il St Louie, lovely with lots of cool looking restaurants, and then Il de la Cite to St Mich to Mom and Erin saying METRO and we rode home. Hard to end Anne's last day, but we squeezed a lot in and had a beautiful day too.

Ile St. Louis

Thursday, 21st

We enjoyed a retour of Musee D'Orsay with a fab tour guide. We went to FNAC department store to buy the tickets ahead without the interminable line, and that part worked, a 1.60 euro fee. Unfortunately the pre-purchased line at Orsay was long and we still waited 30-45minutes.  We metroed to a hike along Promenade Plante, still iffy weather, but it turned nice-ish, and we had a superb walk both below looking at the shops, none of which were really shopable. We took short detour to Rue Faubourg-St Antoine with a foolish shopping deviation. (Erin said the clothes, that were affordable, therefore exicitng, could be found in Forever 21, nay), another metro to Tour Eiffel, but the climb-up line was too long for Mom and Erin and I decided that she would do it with Sam if not Tony. We did chance upon Paris summer festival and spoke with some ladies from Marseille, who were drenched in brown tanned skin. Their vocation is savon concoction, and we picked out a nice sample as gifts for Erin's friends. Mom and I found some for us too. Erin and I found some funky bracelets 2/10 euro. We traversed the Seine to view the Tour Eiffel from Trocadero, and then a hike home with pit stop at a brasserie for a wine and cheese plate.

We had found lunch in a divey luncheonette, but at 5 euro for croque msr it was a steal!!

What is this curious sign always with a space invader, it s on the truck's side

Promenade Plantee

Atop Promenade

Apartment building with Rodin's Sleeping Slave

At dinner...

Mercredi, wednesday

Today was the last day for the Italian surgical resident, Stephano, and Suzanne, who visited the time I was here but from Scotland. They had a Parisian reception with champagne, but I had to cut out, since I had planned to have onion soup with Mom and Erin followed by a concert at the Eglise Madeline. The music was Vivladi's 4 Seasons, by a string ensemble. Mom decided she couldn't attended after dinner. So after great thought, Erin and I decided to go ahead. It was wonderful. During the event, I kept thinking it was not projected, no microphones, probably just the acoustics. I think I was right, as when the lead violinist spoke the projection was poor.
It was raining on the return, apparently the day had been dry. Mom and Erin visited 3 churches and Ile St Louis.
I was in the OR mostly. Dr C was a little late, but that gave me a chance to meet with the pathologist, Elisabeth, whose daughter is in summer camp in Maine, now. Elisabeth may come to Boston to work with Stuart Schnidt some summer. I tried to make her promise to call. I also got to meet the visiting resident ahead of time, Tomas, from Tours, a gyn onc who is being groomed for breast. He told me about the Fitoussi Breast Atlas as a good resource with all the "numbers." We exchanged ideas about gyn onc vv breast surgery.
We moved throught 3 mastectomies and a WLE with SNB in the UIQ, always a tough place, and then a BCT despite IBTR.
Apparently genetic counseling is an issue here. Only through gvt. Takes 6 mos.
Also learned no artificial insemination is allowed. Illegal! ugh
Suzanne was good enough to get some photos. We exchanged emails. Lorena and I will continue.I think the work is moving forward with options. I learned today I had sent a deluge of email to Dr C. I have to refrain. TG I deleted last nights.

Tuesday, Rainy

What is it with the rain here??
I met with Lorena this am to go over her paper for Dr.C. We met at the Starbucks St Phillipe Roule. I had been curious since Starbucks is so nice and strong in the US, but when  I tried to order a grande dark roast of the day, today, it was sadly, weak. I added a shot of espresso and that made it better, but not great. Lorena arrived, and we traded cheeky smooches and then she set up her laptop and we got to it. I hard to try not to get labored down in the wording of the introduction etc, it is so easy, but rather I tried to get us to the "discussion," as Dr C had requested. Lorena is so delightful, and such a fun conversationalist sometimes it is hard to focus on what you need to do, but we tried.
and I think we made good progress.  I anxiously await her version of how the Dr (as Erin would say about Dr Who) felt. While I suspect he is not much older than I, he has a longer CV and tenure as an academician, so...
She and I spent 4 hrs there, and it was a mix of fun and work, but I felt the pull to Erin and Mom, so after 1 pm we went out ways, she to C.B. and me to 178. But at 178 it was rainy. Erin and Mom were sorting out what to do and had found the covered walkways reference in both LinP and Michelin Paris, so we headed out to Galerie Vivienne by metro given the weather. We made it. but charming as it was, not much to do: high end pricey boutiques, resale shoes, for 95 euros, hphmm... I/we found Galerie Colbert, and Cafe Colbert, where Jim and I had had our 13th anniversary dinner 6 years ago. it looked just as charming. Still pouring rain, but we skidaddled over to Palais Royale and strolled the covered walkways, again only restaurants ands pricey shops. I made them hike to Rue Casteglione to try to purchase "enjoy" a JIm favorite parfum by Jean Patou, but they were closed at 4 pm, 16hrs??  So I freed Erin from the drudgery of walking in the rain and we metroed to Roule, I bought bread and mom bought dinner fixings and we checked into 178.
Ultimately, I made Erin a sandwich of hard-boiled egg, avocado, tomato and parmesan. She went to care for a small child, for 3 hrs, recruited by our gardienne, for a tenant. Mom and I had a dinner salad. I think the soup is in process.
I edited the paper more, google imaged Dr C for mom to see to whom I am reporting, crafted an email to him, in draft though, and await email from Lorena about his thoughts re manuscript. hmm.. where is she??
they only had 2 cases..
Erin is back, a petit Ecolier saved for her, mom and I each had one, and then the newer cookies too.
Mom has finally found the brilliance of Elisabeth Bard's LinP and is enjoying reading it now! So much to fit in with 3 days left.

Other ponderings:

I think the sky here is different. I think the clouds are puffier. Certainly the weather is more tempestuous. Rain followed by sun, wind followed by calme. The good is if it is not to your liking it will change soon, the less perfect is the spells of less favorable weather. It reminds me on Nantucket.

After 2 weeks of up late at night and up late in am now I have switched time clocks, just as we were expecting a midnight/1am skype.

Monday, Monday

Today, I woke up early, as I landed in bed early. I knew I was to meet Lorena south of CSJ and I wanted to check in on my  google map. Check in is okay. I lounge back in my bed/cot for a few, and then get up. No coffee for me to make, since I know I will have to pay later with Lorena, so I get into the shower to get ready, but then I hear my mother making the coffee, how nice. I get ready a quick as I can, down the coffee, and check out with mom. Off to CSJ. I am to meet Lorena to review the paper she is to complete for Dr C. I wander around the spot she ID'd , but can't find J.V.C. cafe au coin de Severes et Rousselet, I try Vaneau, but no. I find the same macaron vender, that we had discovered in the Marias, and I spy a boucherie and a fromagerie, but not Lorena. I find a cute cafe looking authentic, maybe we will try it, mom and E and me, and then I hear Lorena call. OMG she has had a family tragedie that messed up her schedule and alarm clock.
We have time and grab cafe et formule de breakfast and make it to CSJ for am schedule delayed since Dr C had a busy weekend flying to B.

Altar piece with King Louis' on either side

The North Rose window, not lost in WWII, so it is the olderst.
Rare green robed Virgin Mary in the center  (usually in blue)

We have a a simple am case and something pre-lunch but then we are dismissed for lunch at a routine and return for aft. I had just eaten with L so I decided to return to Notre Dame. E and A and I had enjoyed.

We had been for service and a movie early on, the first Saturday, but not to browse initially. So I took the metro there for times' sake. It was terrific.The windows, Joan of Arc, lovely. To return I couldn't find the Cluny metro, I wanted and ended up looking for the next, and the next and then deciding to walk back, past St Sulspice, and Bon Marche. I thought it was a good store but have read little.
At CSJ, we finished with a complex reduction case. We also saw a UIQ lesion that was tough due to lack of density and delayed lipofill was the strategy.
I metroed back to Miromesnil, mom made stir-fry and we await skype  with the guys
Tomorrow, usu cases, is off, meet with L for manuscript prep, nearby! St Phillipe Roule!!

Sunday, 17th

Another day of overcast and rain, we decided to make our way to marches du puces, and had great fun. At least Anne and I did. Erin kept herself entertained, but then well, it is a slew of garage sales. But what fabulous stuff. Furniture, antique mostly, and beautiful, chandeliers, objets d'arts, records, dvd, lithographs, etc.  I found a seller who identified my long lost movie, Alexandre le bienheureux, and I have just located it on, of all mainstream US places, none other than amazon.com. How embarrassing that I have to come here to find it there! Ugh!!and I have already queried my filme-o-phile, ami, Jose. I hope he can tell me if the EU version will play in the states. We had lunch at Chez Louisette, a recommended spot from a book my dearest friend had sent me. We were seated right away, but couldn't get the waitress to comover for at least 30 minutes. Fortunately during where we heard une chaunteuse comme Edith Piaf, et des chanteurs tres biens. The singing was totally fabulous. The each came around with the obligatory hat to pass, a little challenging giving away euro after euro, but not able to get a tranche de pain to quell the stomach's yearnings.
I saw several things que je voudrais. A Few lithographs de Chagall, Miro, Matisse, 60-90 euro. There were on old papier and I asked the seller qu'est-ce ques passe? He said that there were books of lithography of the works that were made and the pages are now sold. Hmm.. Mom and I loved a madonna in enamel apparently by Limoges?? 380 euro?? I thought about my dad's style of "Here is 50, 50 50, 50 euro bills for you???? Cash, here in front of you. this is all I have???" Peut-etre a prochaine weekend?
I thought about a copper pot?? J'ai decide que je ne veux pas une sac utilisee (chanel.) C'est sale en l'interior.
Nous retrounons sur Metro at Roule, and walked to find wine for dinner, and bread. We are all typing or watching our hand held units, mom kindle, erin and me laptop.
I am ready for schnooze soon. Had fun talk with Jim.

Rainy Saturday

We started the day planning to go to the mother of all flea markets, the name-donor: Marche du Puces, and then the rain started. The sky had been grey, which I had seen as a plus. I didn't want to look through aisle after aisle over the 7 hectares (about 2acres/hectare) in the blistering sun, but in the rain would be worse. So we quick flipped over to the rainy day list, and opted for a tour of L'Opera Garnier. I had stalled at buying opera tickets, at 140euros, earlier this week.  I don't know why; orchestra at the Met is $240.  I don't know where my head was??? Today is the final performance of the season and sold out. We had tried to tour the Opera Garnier earlier on but couldn't get in, so I wanted to go over early and grab tickets to the 2:30 guided tour. On arrival, the line to get in just to seek out what was going on extended onto the sidewalk outside, but it seemed to be moving along and we agreed to wait. We made it inside in about 30 minutes but to discover that the ticket sales person for guided tours had just left for lunch break for 1 hr. So we could go out and wait an hour and then wait in line again, NOT or we could opt for the cheaper, non guided tour. DID!!  Enjoyable, but sans audio/live guide. A small brochure helped.
The whole construction is stunning, brilliant, over-done. The Chagall ceiling is always a favorite. The view from the loge, the hallways of mirrors, the grand double staircase, the oversized torchieres. It is just as they describe, a place to be seen!!  After we had coffee and a madeline at nearby and tried to go to Fragonard perfume musee, but just before we arrived a huge tour group piled in so we  postponed for another day.

Chagall Eiffel Tower

Chagall Arc Triomphe

Chagall Women

Erin and Mom

We hopped on metro to Latin Quarter, and wended our way to the Pantheon, viewed Foucoult's pendulum, demonstrating to the populace that the earth not the sun was in orbit. It originally dedicated to St Genevieve but then with Bastille day to the republic. The crypt holds Rousseau, Voltaire, Hugo, Dumas and Mme Curie and other greats!!

The terrific Eglise de St Etienne, is just nextdoor, where not only is the relic of St Genevieve is stored, but an architectural dynamo, built in three different eras with there differing architecture styles.

Eglise St Etienne

The rain which had been spotty now was really coming down, and at 6 we were ready for dinner. I headed toward St Germain de Pres for lest touristic restaurants but the pouring rain drove us into a spot just behind Deux Magots.  Too much rain and a late meal start kept us from Vivaldi's Four Seasons at the Madeline tonight, 20:00h. We lingered over dinner for 2 hrs. We started with a cucumber soup, a goat cheese salad, and a french salad caprese, all with A+ presentations and delicious, then Erin had a terrific shrimp with pesto linguine, I had scallops with a mild basil risotto, and Mom had a delicious duck breast. We split apple tart and a not really molten chocolate cake for dessert. Finally dragged ourselves out into the elements; caught a metro. Soggy from the stop to 178, but dry now.
Whatever to do tomorrow??

Le Quinze, le jour apres Juillet 14

Setting th chairs out

Today I had the great fortune to meet with Dr C's fellow to revue her papier. It was good fortune, because we did it in the Tuileries at 10 am. So I left tat 9:30  and walked in quiet streets to Les Tuileries.

Eye-full in am sun light

We had cafe et un tres bonne slice of a cranberry coffee cake-esque treat. We spent four hours but it seems like less.  While I would have been reluctant to leave Mom and Erin, E didn't feel well so I was okay, and Mom seemed ready to tend to Erin's needs. After I got home, Mom and I traipsed off to Blvd Foch, where she had wanted to go and Erin was over-full of walking. So off we went.
We had heard from our Paris -greeter that there was nothing to see on Ave Foch and essentially he was right. There were lots of beautiful homes and beautiful median with gardening. So I suggested to mom that we find the Marmottan museum, only I couldn't remember where it was. I asked 3-4 different groups of people to get only one suggestion of which way to go. I ended up calling Erin at he apt to find out the address and the direction. She gave us what we needed and we made our way. Boy was it farther than I thought.
The Marmottan was outstanding, a full room to Monet, in the best light, in a protected lower level. It was eye-popping!!! I thought I was done, but then the second floor waited, and while I am not a student of illuminated manuscripts, the collection was jaw-dropping. I had never seen such work. It was like living how the Irish saved civilization!!  Then there were the few "other" impressionist artists' works which were a collection unto themselves.
We only exited at closing, but landed in this verdant triangular park, feeling as if we were in a local paris neighborhood for the first time. We are off the Champs E!! anywho we walked in a real neighborhood with shops outside of Chanel, Vuitton and Prada and found a market replete with cheese, fish, viande, fruits and vegetables and wine. Bonne chance!!

The only challenge was finding the metro post shopping for abundant liquids: coke six pack for the ailing femme, my vin blanc and for mom: dish detergent, ugh. But after only a small roundabout we go to the Passy metro to Etoile and the G5 stop near 178.
I had looked at an apt in Passy, and passed it by, but today I found it to be a charming livable neighborhood. Good idea.

BASTILLE DAY

Or the day Jim said I should hold out till So Sam could have a notable birthday. Of course we all know that in time Sam's Birthday has the potential to outshine Bastille Day, so luckily, for the French, Sam came on his own schedule.
We made it to the Champs E. for the big "defile" as they call it. I was full of military exhibitionism. I wondered if I was back in 1950's Stalingrad?
                                                                                            
It ended with a  Helicopter fly over, sort of anticlimactic.
The streets remained cleared and the gendarmes kept their posts so it was odd that it was over without some triumphal finish.
We finally figured it out, and decided to make our way to Montmartre via the Metro.
We had a reasonable tour, but Erin wasn't her self.
Sacre Coeur had the obligatory outside chanteur

We found the Stain glass homage to Jean d'Arc inside and St Michel slaying the dragon, but I lost out on the effort to climb the dome. When Carrie and I had toured France in '85, everywhere we went she always had to go to the top on the highest structure. Now it's in my travel genes. Oh well.
We found the charming, but very touristy square Tertre with all the artistes many vying for portrait drawings on the spot. Luckily for Erin I had already commandeered that request a few summers ago on Nantucket so she had every right to say no, and I didn't even ask.

We then finished the tour, finding Le Moulin de la Galette, one of my very favorite Renoir paintings, as well as his residence, Van Gogh's flat and chez Toulouse Lautrec. We grabbed a bit at Moulin de la Galette, which was not to pricey and quite delicious. Mom had a sublime chilled pea soupe, and I had salmon (partially cooked) with vegetable salad, and Erin had the plat du fromage. We all shared and were stuffed at the finish. The wait staff were fabulous. We spied a second area labeled Moulin de la Galette further down the RS tour path. I can't figure out the relationship.

Renoir lived here

Moulin de la Galette

And Renoir lived here

Van Gogh lived here with his brother Theo

Toulouse Lautrec lived here

 By this time Erin was totally wiped out. We metroed home and went straight up to 1 etage, (but 2nd floor) of block H at 178.  She plopped on the bed and I am holed up in the entry way typing and downloading!
I climbed up to the highest floor to see if I could catch a glimpse of the fire works for tonight. but it doesn't seem so. They don't start till 11-ish according to the Juillet 14 website.
Mom laid down in her bedroom. I have a glass of wine but may have to run out to the Marche d'Artois...
Yes they are open. It is run by middle easterners.

A new era of Piaf

The man walking through Mont Martre

Where Jim and I had noshed 6 years ago

The ballroom at Moulin de la Galette