Paris - Day 5

08-27: It is cooler today, thankful for that. I don’t think coming to Paris in June or July, maybe even August should be a future plan. We came here the last week of August and it isn’t bad. People are still talking about the weather 2-3-4 weeks ago and how unbearable it was.  We relaxed this morning, not much pain free energy for me. For lunch we stayed in lunch as we have some groceries to eat.

We left in an Uber with plenty of time to get to the cabaret. It said come early to get the best seats. At the moment of our arrival, it started pouring down rain and I mean pouring. The Cabaret is not open yet and we are sort of standing in on the sidewalk getting drenched. We popped into a nearby bar to await opening. La Novelle Eve is the name of the Cabaret and it is in the 9th arrondissement. There are a lot of sex shops in this area. However, the advertisement for the Cabaret said it was suitable for children 8 and above. However, I don’t think so, but we are in France. Service was impeccable and the food was delicious. Stuart had an appetizer of shrimp and I had a Caprese sort of tomato salad. For our main we both chose the steak and it did not disappoint. The sides with the steak were mashed potatoes and zucchini, with the ever-present Bearnaise sauce. We each had the dessert, his was orange and mine was chocolate. We both liked his orange one the best. I forgot to mention upon arrival we were served a glass of champagne and there were 2 bottles of wine on our table as well. It is time for the show to start so no further photos can be taken. It was a loud and lively show and we thoroughly enjoyed it. Between the dancing there were a couple of other acts. Of the extras was a juggler, an aerialist, and a sort of mime. All were entertaining. We really enjoyed the evening though it is geared toward the men in the audience with the topless dancing, etc. All the men wore shirts and trousers – not a speedo to be found! An Uber back to our apartment, a game of cards, and we called it a night.

Paris - Day 4

08-26: Today we have a food walking tour called NO DIET food tour. We got a deal on this tour from Airbnb. For booking our stay, they gave us $50 off of a selection of tours, we chose this. We took an Uber to the starting point in the 4^th Arrondissement getting there a little early. Introduction were made and we headed out. Our first stop was at Chez Haana where they made special falafels for us but more like little meatball combination so freshly made just for us very tasty. Next stop a French cream puff, Dunes Blanches, followed by a cheese tasting, next was ice cream followed by a burger portion with fries. I’ve tasted better burgers but it was fine. We ate the burger in a little secret garden called Anne Frank’s Garden. There is a tree growing there that was sprouted from the one Anne looked at outside her window in Amsterdam. We headed out for two more stops, but I was beat. It is muggy at 86˚F and about 2 miles, I was done. We are thankful it isn't any hotter than it is. We left the tour at this point. It was fun and tasty. Our guide Celia was knowledgeable and entertaining. I learned about the some of the buildings and how they were built with the wealthiest people living on the lower floors (fewer steps). Some of these built in the 17-1800’s must be replastered every 25 years to be sure they are safe. Old plaster is removed, boards are checked, and new plaster reapplied. We are tired. I am exhausted but we had a good day. 

This photo is an old wall of the City of Paris maybe from the 14-1600's. The walls changed as the city expanded of course, until no more walls. 

Paris - Day 3

08-25: We slept in again. I am tired with some amount of back pain. Stuart made fancy scrambled eggs for us around 11:30a. We don’t want to eat too much because we are going to Le P’tit Troquet tonight at 8:30p. There is a story behind the visit there tonight. In 2000, when I came to Paris with my Mom, Deb, and my sister, we ate there! We did a little research on the place. It is in the same location but has changed. When we went it was a single dining area, very small, perhaps 6-8 tables. It changed hands in 2011, and has expanded to 2 dining areas, and a terrace out front with maybe 8 tables. They were busy and the place rarely had an empty table. I should say we did not see the second dining room in the back, but there was a steady stream of diners. One thing has not changed; it is still very quaint and “old Paris” décor in my opinion.

The food was fantastic. The menu is not as small and not written on a chalk board either. The menu is one page with starters, mains, and desserts. A few sides are offered as well. Stuart ordered the beef bourgionnone and I chose the Angus shoulder steak. Both were absolutely delicious. But I am getting ahead of myself! First, they took our wine order. Next, they returned with a small appetizer of smoked salmon and a bread basket, along with water. We each ordered a starter. Stuart had the Pork and shrimp meatball skewers, grilled on a Binchotan with papaya salad. There was also a nice portion of dill and parsley on the plate with an excellent dressing with just a little pop of spice. I ordered the Heirloom tomatoes, peach, Kalamata olives, anchovy, and basil pesto. This dish was also fresh, bright, and tasty. We shared each dish. The anchovies on my salad were the best I’ve ever had. I would order them every time if they tasted like that! Our mains arrived with tantalizing aromas and they were an epicurean’s delight. Stuart’s beef was as tender as butter, as was my steak. He had carrots and potatoes in his cast iron pot that stayed nice and hot. Neither of us could finish our main, but that did not keep us from having dessert! We did manage to finish the Fraisier cake, which is a French classic strawberry cream cake followed by a Grand Mariner digestive. While we ate, there was a brief rain storm. Between courses we chatted with a mother and daughter from South Carolina and charming table mates. Even though we walked to Le P’tit Troquet we opted for an Uber to take us back. What a wonderful evening.

France - Day 2

08-24: We slept in pretty late this morning and then got to work on the rest of the unpacking. We also have a washing machine so we took advantage of that and did some laundry. Stuart walked to the grocery store and got a few more things but I stayed here resting my back from our long day yesterday. A bagged salad and our leftover pizza were our main meal of the day. Later we had cheese fruit and crisps for a light evening snack. 

It was quite amazing today to be contacted by Don and Lisa ball. We met them on a recent cruise with friends Paul and Maureen. We had no idea they were even in France. They are in Lyon right now but they will head back to Paris shortly. We have arranged to meet them Saturday for lunch. Because of that we canceled our cooking class but that's okay we would rather meet with them and have lunch than go to the cooking class. We have plenty of things booked already! Of course, the day is not complete without a few hands of cards!