10/4/2014 My last day with M&B.

These are the bullet holes in the Ecole Militaire. M&B's building had them also, but the last time it was painted, they were filled in. You can still see where they were, because the bullet holes are a slightly different color.



Marie and I walked to the store for the good cake. Here they are making smaller ones. Two meringues are pasted together with whipped cream.


Then chocolate whipped cream is slathered around the whole thing.


Then it is rolled in chocolate shavings.


For dinner we had shrimp and whelks to start.



Then had scallops, green beans, potatoes, and tomatoes.


This is Francoise (the French Joan) she hasn't eaten enough of Marie's cooking to quite match me.



The good dessert.


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10/3/2014 C d'chez eux

We upgraded a little for tonight's dinner. I will have to remember to take pictures before we start eating. You can see the remains of my frogs' legs - which were very tasty



A foie gras pate


Escargot


Duck leg


Pork


And on the way home the tower was sparkling.


A great day.

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10/3/2014 B Tour St. Jean Sans Peur

Marie has been wanting to go to this tower, but it is never open when she is in the neighborhood. We are accomplishing a twofer - the tower for her and a store to get a perfume for Jef.

The tower was built in the Middle Ages by Jean Sans Peur. (John without fear, since he offed someone in his way to power.) At one time it was attached to a larger structure and was used as his Paris home. The tower was used for defensive purposes if necessary. At the ticket desk they were very helpful, giving us guidebooks in English. Marie climbing the many stairs. It is a tower after all.


Design in the stairwell ceiling.


The toilette was very nice. It was placed behind the chimney for warmth.


A special exhibit was Love in the Middle Ages which was interesting. We decided that taking our picture with our faces here would be too weird.


Then we found the Yohgi store. Laurent was very happy to help us. He seemed lonely.

10/2/2014 A. shopping and police

Once again at the open market. That is M&B in the distance.



In France, one is much more aware of the reality of what the food is.


Lunch: shrimp, salmon and whelks.


Au Bon Marche is being upgraded. It's new name is TBM. They don't have the outpost of the best knitting store in Paris anymore. They were having a Japanese celebration, but no one knew anything about the products that Jef wanted. Finally, one clerk knew the place which was across the street, and gave very good directions for us.


When we got back to Marie's, there was an enormous police presence in the street just in front of her apartment. Seven trucks with guys in armor. Marie wanted to go up and ask. I asked if she would go up and ask a swat team in the US what they were doing, because that is what these guys looked like. We never found out. After awhile they all got into the trucks and zoomed away.


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10/1/2014 C drinks at Isabelle and Didier

We needed to get a little cleaned up because we have been invited for drinks by a lovely couple in the building. One never knows how much food is going to be offered. It could be anything from a few peanuts to a large spread.

This was a spread.


Three friends: Isabelle, Sister Elizabeth, and Marie.


Now including Bill and me.


Sister Elizabeth used to live in the Convent on the 7th floor. She works as a chaplain at a hospital nearby. Because her hours were so erratic, the other nuns asked her to live separately. (Which all of the rest of us think was a horrible thing and very un-nun like!)

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10/1/2014 B. Still exploring

I am breaking these up because I am having trouble uploading them. 9/30 just won't go, and will have to be added at home.

The buildings in this area were done in the early 1900's. Guimard was leading architect here. This building was nicknamed "castle d'rangee.





Wandered by the federal scrabble association.


And the queen waves. (Also the pope!)


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10/1/2014 A lots of social events

Today was a very social day. First, we went to the market to get stuff for lunch. This is a normal fish counter at a supermarket in France. Lots of choices.


Marie's guest for tea was the daughter of a deceased couple in the building.


We had tiny eclairs (from the frozen food store) and home made chocolate chip cookies.


Afterwards, Marie and I went exploring again. We came across a church that was celebrating St. Teresa day.


St. Teresa liked roses.


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9/29/2014 visits with Pascal and Charlie

Our friend Pascal Kramer, a French writer, recently moved to a new apartment. This is a what a garret looks like. (Of course, she is in the process of making it nice.) We met Pascal in Los Angeles about 14 years ago and have seen her through the years.


First, you climb the stairs to the very top:


If you get thirsty on the way:


Just in case: (I think that at one time these might have been the only water source and toilets in the building and shared by all)


Then after you get to the door there are two smaller flights. But these gave her a space for a nice book shelf. She has carried everything up all of the stairs with the help of a few friends.


Then there is another flight that you crawl up to a loft that Pascal uses when she has overnight guests.


Pascal says that it feels very cozy under the roof and that she loves to use it, but she can't stand up in it. When she has guests, and needs to go in the middle of the night, there is a toilet under the stair behind the blue curtain in the photo above.


Her normal bedroom. There is a full bath attached.


Marie leaning on the refrigerator. Notice how close her head is to the ceiling.


The kitchen table - also used as a desk.


There is a view of St. Paul's over the rooftops.


After a wonderful visit, we wandered. Saw a giant egg that was a present from Croatia, I think.


Drooled at lots of chocolate shops. The squirrel is in honor of my friend Ursula. Lots of shops have them.


Stopped at Marriage Freres for some tea.


And had lunch at the Brasserie l'isle St. Louis. We both had the onion tart, which came with a small salad.


That night M&B went out to dinner with Phillip and Evelyn for a combination birthday and anniversary. I went out for dinner with Chuck's grad school roommate, Charlie, his significant other Deborah, and another couple, Luz and Luis. Luis also knew Chuck.

The plans for this were a little complicated because C&D were arriving from their home in Italy that evening. The rest of their stay was probably going to babysitting D's granddaughter. So this was our best shot. We met for Champagne at C&D's (up many more stairs) and then walked to the restaurant. It was chosen because it was close and open on Monday. But the food was tasty and interesting.

I had quail:


Luz had scallops:


Deborah had foie de veau:


Charlie had beef cheeks:


And Luis had duck:


A very enjoyable evening. L&L are planning on being in L.A. In November, so I will probably see them then.

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