The people speak

Several hundred residents of the 15th arrondissement braved the heat wave and filed into the 15th town hall for a public meeting called "The Grand Debate" on June 26.  The gathering's purpose was to give the people a chance to tell their local elected officials what they want for this beloved big arrondissement -- a district so large that it is a city in itself.

Le Pareloup, on the Rue Saint Charles.  The Rue Beaugrenelle is on the right.

The residents concerns are our concerns, it seems; we're bona fide part timers of the 15th.  Here's what's on our collective minds, according to the coverage of The Grand Debate.

Biodiversity is at the heart of many people's preoccupations.  The lack of vegetation is an issue, especially on the Place Cambronne  where more trees are wanted.

A public place for leaving waste for composting is needed.

To save energy, there should be less lighting at night.

The neighborhood around the Place Dupleix needs a place for public/cultural gatherings.

The proliferation of trottinettes (electric scooters for rent) and their "anarchic use" has become a major problem.

We the people are also bothered by cafés that take up too much of the sidewalk with their "terraces."

We all really like the pedestrianization of the Rue du Commerce one Saturday per month.  We think it should be expanded to become a weekly affair, every Saturday.

Too many sidewalks are torn up with construction and repairs.  Lots of improvements in the bike path system are needed.

We want to put an end to the parking lot concession under the elevated metro tracks on the Boulevard Garibaldi; instead, we want more vegetation planted there, including more trees.  Cars generally take up too much valuable space; they just sit there in their parking spots 95% of the time, being useless.

Lack of affordable housing is still an issue, and the management of certain mixed social and market-rate housing projects has not been good.

Last but not least, we want to put an end to the nuisances of the Lafarge concrete factory on the banks of the Seine. 

The Lafarge issue is going to be interesting to watch.  Just when the 15th arrondissement is making great headway in expanding all of its greenbelt projects, with the Lafarge facility very much in the way, the Lafarge people have decided that they want to expand operations at that site.  They have no plans for going away so that the greenbelt can be continuous.

But the people of the 15th love to walk on the Petit Ceinture, the banks of the Seine, and the many parks.  This stretch of the banks of the Seine is particularly notable, with the Eiffel Tower, the Pont Mirabeau (a listed historic monument), and the Park André Citroen. 

So the Paris city council and mayor have agreed that Lafarge's plans are subject to the review of the elected officials and the people of the 15th.  We shall see what happens!  My guess is that the big, powerful 15th will have its way, and Lafarge is going to have to move.

The Impasse de l'Eglise has that old village-y look.

For many years, we have thought that having large quantities of sand and gravel kept right there on the riverbank in the middle of the city was weird and inappropriate.  And we've resented having to go around it during weekdays when its gates were locked.

Less weird and much more appropriate was our pleasant evening stroll down the Rue du Théatre last night.  We stopped for a light dinner at Le Pareloup, which we liked very much but thought was a bit overpriced. 

We sat outdoors, at a table on the sidewalk on the picturesque Rue de Beaugrenelle side.   So nice.

Take it away

August 6, 2018 -- Walking along the Seine was a good idea, for about an hour and a half.  We paused in the beautiful garden at the Branly museum on our way to the river.  I showed Tom a far corner of the garden that I recently discovered.  We sat there in the shade for ten minutes, then moved on to the Seine.

Figures on the Pont Alexandre III.  The Rosa Bonheur is near here.

We meandered on the riverbank, strolling through the heavily vegetated archipelago-barges, and stopping for refreshments on the boat named the Rosa Bonheur.  The Rosa has expanded to include the outdoor bar/restaurant on the land opposite the boat, and its offerings have expanded but no longer include ice cream.  So Tom had a soft, dark chocolate cake instead.

By the time we reached the environs of the Musée D'Orsay, the sun was too hot.  We ascended to the street level, intending to take a taxi home, but we didn't find an available taxi until we walked back to the Tour Maubourg metro exit.

We practiced the art of the afternoon siesta at home, until it was time to prepare for dinner.  I made a reservation at Pietro Commerce.

Pietro is an actual person who has a small chain of six Italian restaurants in Paris.  His places are well-capitalized, and so at least some of them (if not all) have air conditioning.

Not only does Pietro Commerce have air conditioning, but Pietro even uses the air conditioning during heat waves like this!  We sat in comfort as food arrived -- dorade (sea bream) in a light tomato sauce with olives, on penne pasta, for me, and veal citron with penne pasta for Tom.  Knowing that Pietro does have take-out containers, we asked for boxes to take our leftover pasta home, and the server boxed the pastas without objection, and returned them to us in a nice paper shopping bag.

The restaurant is so smart to allow leftovers to be taken home, because that way we ate less pasta and had room for dessert.  Both of our desserts, the tiramisu and chocolate mousse, were homemade, small, and absolutely delicious.

Dorade (sea bream) with light tomato sauce and olives, at Pietro Commerce.

After dinner, we walked over to see Washi Thai, an Asian restaurant that has low prices and great reviews.  When we saw that it also is truly air conditioned, we decided to make a reservation to dine there soon.  My guess is that taking leftovers home will be no big deal at Washi, either.

Only the French restaurants seem to be resisting the "doggy bag" idea.  Late in May, lawmakers were scheduled to vote on a law that would make it mandatory for restaurants to offer small bags or boxes for taking leftovers home.  This is part of a campaign to reduce food waste.  But I can find no news articles about the outcome of that vote, so perhaps it did not make it on the agenda before the session closed.

According to Le Monde on June 4, 2018, an amendment to require restaurants to provide bags or boxes for taking leftovers home (they will always resist the inelegant term, "doggy bag") was adopted on March 21 by the National Assembly's commission on sustainable development.  To be enacted, the amendment must yet be voted on by the economic commission, and then by the National Assembly (homologous to the U.S. House of Representatives). 

Does anybody out there know when these two things happened or will happen?

Morning Magnificence

July 13, 2018 --  My morning walks begin while I'm waking up.  I think about where I haven't been for a while.  I think about where I could go.  I think about what is happening where on this day of the week.  Which street markets are open?  What church or museum or park might I visit on this day?

Walking along the banks of the Seine in the early morning.

On a beautiful morning, when cool breezes prevail, I think about walking through the grand spaces, like the Tuileries.  I think about walking along the Seine.  This morning, I did both.

As I crossed the Champ de Mars, I noticed that all the structures for the equestrian event (Longines) are now gone.  The park is almost ready for tomorrow's Bastille Day concert, light show, and fireworks like you've never seen.

Russian Orthodox Church on the Avenue Rapp

I hadn't been on the Avenue Rapp yet this summer, so I selected that route from the Champ to the river.  Along the way, I noticed more and more Velib stations with bicycles in them.  Velib is slowly being resurrected!

When I was almost at the end of the avenue by the river, I paused across the street from the relatively new Russian Orthodox Church to photograph the morning sun upon its shining domes.

The walkway along the riverbank was uncrowded and clean.  The occasional runner or jogger passed me.  A few people were walking to work.  And there were four tall soldiers in camouflage uniforms carrying automatic rifles.   Security.

The walkway on the riverbank has many amenities.  I stopped to use the ladies' restroom but observed, after I opened the door, that the doorknob on the inside had been removed.  I would have been trapped if I'd gone in and let the door shut behind me.  Thank goodness I'm observant.

So I just used the handicapped restroom instead.

Chalk and paint have been used to color the pavement on the riverbank.
The fabulous Pont Alexandre III in the background.

The views along the Seine riverbank are extensive, and the steep angle of morning light illuminated the scene in a way I'd never seen before.  The archipelago barges were not open.  The gangways to them are lowered at 10AM.  Morning Seine walkers know this.  Now I know it.

Sections of the blacktop had been painted the colors of the rainbow.  In other places, swirly, colorful designs decorated the dull surface. 

As I walked, I grew thirsty.  I saw one of the City of Paris water dispensers.  For those who have their own water bottle, these dispensers offer a choice of flat water on one side, and sparkling water on the other.  I pulled my empty bottle from my bag and selected the sparkling water.  Mmmm.  Nice and cold it was. 

City of Paris water dispenser on the riverbank
offers flat and sparkling water for free --
if you have a bottle.

Off to the side, where weeds and wildflowers are allowed to grow at will, I saw a man harvesting herbs and greens.  He'll have a nice salad today.

When I reached the pedestrian bridge at Solferino, I climbed its center steps and began to cross the river.  I stopped to look at the view in the middle, and noticed the plague of love locks there.  Oh, how I wish people would stop defacing Paris in this way!

At last, at the Tuileries, I noticed the grand park's terrain was sharply divided between brilliant sun and deep shade.  Contrasts!

The ubiquitous green metal chairs, which would all be occupied this afternoon, were mostly empty.  I paused to sit in several as I wandered through the Tuileries this morning.

As I sat in one by the big pond with a fountain in the middle, in the midst of the sculpture garden, I heard a distant crowd roaring and cheering.  The sound came from the area around the Musée D'Orsay, across the river.  I imagined a bunch of French soccer fans having a pep rally in that outdoor space on the west side of the museum.

France plays against Croatia in the final game of the World Cup, on Sunday.   We three Cooleys plan to watch at least part of the game.

Love locks defacing a pedestrian bridge over the Seine.

When I almost reached the crowd of people lined up to enter the Louvre at the I. M. Pei pyramid, I turned around to begin the trek home.

Off to the right, I veered to admire a beautiful statue called Méditeranée (1905), by Aristide Maillol.

Méditeranée, by Aristide Maillol, in the Tuileries Garden.

Walking straight down the middle of the Tuileries, Louvre palace behind me and the Place de la Concorde's ancient Luxor Obelisk in front of me, I felt like a queen.  No, an Empress.  In Chico's T-shirt and jeans?  I do have an imagination.

The white dot at the far left is the hot air balloon at the Parc Andre Citroen, miles away.  On the right, the smaller
white dot is the top of the Luxor Obelisk at the Place de la Concorde.

So when I turned at the Place de la Concorde, I wished to cross the Seine on the Pont Alexandre III rather than the plainer Pont de la Concorde.  Naturally, I walked along the Cours de la Reine (Queen's Way) to reach the preferred bridge, with its fabulous golden statues against the French blue sky.

The way home from there was simple -- the Esplanade des Invalides, a little knot of streets in the 7th arrondissement, then the Avenue de la Motte Picquet and the Rue du Commerce to home.  Sweet home, where I could finally break my 12 hour fast by having some vegetable juice and café au lait.

Enjoy more of today's photos, below.  You can get a better look at any photo by double-clicking on it.

Wildflowers and weeds allowed to grow along the Berges de Seine.

Morning sun in the Tuileries.

Twenty miles of Paris

La Fontaine de l'Obsevatoire, also called the Fountain of the Four Corners of the Earth

August 17, 2017 – The vegetated wall on the riverfront side of the Musée du Quai Branly – Jacques Chirac is something to see in Paris, even now during its state of deconstruction.  Unfortunately, many of the double-glazed windows on that wall are blown, necessitating their replacement and some reconstruction of the wall.  So, the museum is taking the opportunity to do some renovation of the structure that supports the plants on the outside of that wall; as long as the space is blocked off for construction, might as well do everything at once. 

Vegetated wall on the Quai Branly under reconstruction.

Tom and I took a diversion from our normal path through the Branly garden to the Seine.  We walked along the Quai Branly to see the wall of plants.  Only a section of it still has plants; the rest has been unplanted, and the work on the wall is in process.  There were many panels on the construction fence that explained the ongoing work.  I photographed them so I could sit down and translate them later, in the peace and quiet of the apartment.

I just did that this morning, so I’ll share my translation with you (below).  It wasn’t easy.

A peaceful presence along the Seine, the wall of vegetation is becoming an emblem of the museum, a strong part of its identity as well as a remarkable element of Paris’ heritage.  Under the watchful look of the Eiffel Tower, its image circulates in the media or on the social networks.  Across it plays as well the dialogue of cultures that the museum strives to defend and perpetrate.

A new life for the vegetated wall

Conceived by the botanical researcher Patrick Blanc, the vegetated wall has been since 2004 a strong attribute of identity of the Musée du Quai Branly – Jacques Chirac.  In language of French symbolization, the establishment is represented by its vegetated wall.

An echo of the collections of the museum and its programs, the vegetated wall carries the universal message of the museum and contributes to sustainable urban development.

Significant works are today undertaken to technically reinforce the building and increase its longevity.  A newly planted creation is coming thanks to the work, replanting part of the plants of the previous wall.

An ode to the continents

The vegetated wall is a living organism.  It is our equal.  Each day, the 22,800 plants that compose it are in dialogue with man:  visitors to the museum, residents of the neighborhood, tourists, citizens of the Paris region passing by the building.  Thanks to the work undertaken, this dialogue that is conducive to inspiration and escape will continue for a long time.

Celebration of the African, Oceanic, American and Asiatique continents, the new wall will hold 376 species from the entire world.  Coming from many of the mountains (Moroccan Atlas, South African Drakensberg, Himalaya, mountains of Chili and Argentina . . .), the plants are notably chosen for their capacity to adapt to the climatic conditions of Western Europe.  Numerous plants from the former wall will be preserved and re-planted in the new wall:  Bromeliads, Corydalis . . . .

At the vertical

The technique of the vegetated wall consists of a superimposition of three elements:  A mineral wool insulation complex and a fixed steel mesh on a metal structure, a ten-millimeter expanded PVC foil, and a three-millimeter polyamide felt made of recycled old clothes.   This felt has a strong capacity for capillary action and retention of water, enabling the development of the roots of the plants. The watering, controlled by the electrovannes, is done via the drippers situated on the irrigation lines installed at different heights on the wall.

An eco-responsible project

Reservoir of biodiversity and of urban ecology, the vegetated wall contributes to the preservation and the reinforcement of nature in Paris.  Its contribution to the quality of the air is clear:  thanks to photosynthesis and to micro-organisms living in the roots, the plants exert a purification in the urban setting – absorption of gas, fine particles, and other elements tied to pollution.  The cushion of air separating the supporting structure from the building also makes excellent natural insulation, on a vast surface, reducing the need for air conditioning in the summer and the necessity for heating during the winter.  The work on the future wall will permit the perfection of the watering system as well to reduce the consumption of water.

The improvements made

Mother Nature's attempt at a vegetated wall on the
floodwall of the Seine.

The principal work consists of resizing the metal structure.  The fixation method for the PVC layers will be modified, to facilitate the maintenance and the work on the wall, augmenting the number of points of fixation.  A support grid for the plants (wire mesh of galvanized stainless steel) will be fixed partway up the wall, in a manner for reinforcing the ensemble of the structure against the effects of the wind.  The joints between the PVC layers will be filled to prevent any infiltration from the back of the complex.  The insulation will finally be thickened to improve thermal performance.

The Campaign “Build the Wall!”

Thanks to the generosity of the public, the campaign for participatory financing organized from May 15 to July 15, 2017, has permitted the museum to finance a third of the costs of the planting of the wall (introducing new species).  The Musée du Quai Branly – Jacques Chirac warmly thanks, once again, the donors and the patrons for their contributions to the project.  Thanks to their support, the wall will continue to live long years, with sweetness, beauty, luxuriance, and a positive impact on the environment.

A timeline on the fence  indicates that the work began in July (last month) and will be completed in May 2018.

The Berges de Seine, complete with beach chairs and palm trees (no, this is not Paris Plage).

We continued our normal walk along the Berges de Seine, spotting a plant here and there that Mother Nature was trying to install on the floodwall.  Tom loves the presence of a few palm trees along that stretch of the river.  They remind him of home, of course.

In the short span where we had to ascend to the street (at the eastern end of the Musée D’Orsay), we decided to cross the quay and dine at Le Fregate, a fine brasserie at the corner of the rue de Bac.  We’ve dined there several times in the past. 

I remembered a classic French blanquette de veau that I had there one Sunday afternoon.  Since it was Tuesday, August 15 – a big holiday – I thought the blanquette de veau just might be on the menu again.  It was!  I ordered it, and found it to be a lighter, healthier version of the dish I remember from that Sunday years ago.  Tom just had dessert – a café gourmand and apple pie.

The brasserie is as beautiful as ever, and the service was warm and professional.  

Ceiling at Le Fregate, on the rue de Bac.

After that lunch, we walked on to the Saint-Germain-des-Pres neighborhood.  Right there, on the corner by the church of Saint-Germain-des-Pres, we saw the musicians of the group La Planche a Dixie performing, just as we’ve seen them there on many Sundays in the past.  The leader of the group, Christian Giovanardi, is a drummer and washboard player, like Tom.  Out on the street, Christian is playing the washboard, of course, not the drums.

We stopped and listened for a while.  I noticed that Christian is a very good washboard player, but my husband Tom is better.  Tom thinks it is terribly funny that the playing the washboard is something he does so very well.  Why couldn’t it have been the violin, he thinks.

La Planche a Dixie plays on boulevard Saint Germain, and sells CDs.
We already own all four of the group's CDs.

Percussionist Christian Giovanardi plays the washboard.

After a stroll through part of the Luxembourg Gardens, we left that green expanse via the rue de Fleurus, where Gertrude Stein once lived.  Making our way back up the boulevard Raspail, we were able to catch the number 10 metro at Sevres-Babylone to go home in time to rest up for our traditional holiday dinner at Le Tipaza.

We found ourselves on rue de Sevres once again yesterday.  We stopped in Bon Marché to look around the place and to see if the store might have a scarf that I’d like.  We didn’t find the right scarf, but we picked up a couple decorating ideas and admired some of the two buildings’ finely restored features.  Work is still going on in parts of the two structures.

Stairways and escalators in Bon Marche.

A long lunch at Les Mouettes, on the rue de Bac near Bon Marché, restored our energy.  It was the quiche of the day for me, and café gourmand again for Tom (coffee and an assortment of three small desserts – fruit, chocolate mousse, and crème brulée) – a very nice lunch indeed!

Quiche of the day at Les Mouettes -- a savory ham and mushroom.

We strolled over to the Place Saint Sulpice, whose fountain was looking lovely on such a beautiful day.  We toured the inside of the church for what seemed like the thousandth time.  Then it was time to stroll through the Luxembourg Gardens again. 

Included in that stroll were the two gardens south of the Luxembourg.  At the end of that stretch is the magnificent fountain of the four corners of the earth.  Two great fountains in one day! 

The church and the fountain on Place Saint Sulpice.

We ambled along the boulevard Montparnasse, admiring beautiful and famous brasseries like Le Dome and Le Coupole, as well as funky shops like a costume store that posted masks of political figures on its window.  Can you name them all?  (Double-click on the photo to enlarge it.)

Masks

Each of these walks – Tuesday’s and Wednesday’s – were about 10 miles long.

Last night, we dined at one of our favorite restaurants, O Fil Rouge, on the rue St. Charles.  The owners and chef have re-opened after an invigorating vacation.  New items are on the menu.  We ordered one of them, duck breast ravioli, as a shared starter.  Then Tom had a delicious steak and fries, and I was back to my usual fish-and-vegetables habit.  But oh, what a special dish this was:  perfectly cooked red tuna on tasty veggies with just a bit of buttery sauce – all topped by a slice of foie gras entier.  The dish practically exploded with flavor.

We shared O Fil Rouge’s unforgettable pain perdu for dessert -- rich, warm, and seductive – just like the summer evening in Paris.

O Fil Rouge's red tuna, "Rossini" fashion.

Paris in the mists of August

Garden on the rue Brancion in the 15th arrondissement.

August 12, 2017 -- As we walked past the three barges that form an “archipelago” in the Port du Gros Caillou of the left bank, I noticed a sign (in French) by the third barge that captured the mood and atmosphere of this mid-August afternoon.  The sign said:

Misty Island. It is the prow of the archipelago and the most beautiful panorama on the Seine revealed thanks to an unobstructed view. For the more nonchalant, large wooden lounge chairs invite families or lovers to taste the sweetness of the banks of the Seine. Arranged facing the river and adjacent to a high line of vegetation, a moment of relaxation is offered on these lounge chairs on the margins of the quay. Behind them unrolls a landscape that recalls the little rivulets on the edges of the Seine, and the mist which forms sometimes above them.

Oh, so French!

Like so much of Paris in August, the banks of the Seine were not crowded.  We had plenty of room to move – even dance, if we wanted to.

Later, as we moved into the old core of the city, we were enveloped by crowds of tourists.  Parisians in this part of the city must feel constantly besieged by tourists.  We have lots of empathy for them, for our island in Florida is also besieged by tourists for three or four months of each year.

But outside of that core of the city (as well as the area around the Eiffel Tower, Trocadero, and the top of Montmartre), Paris is calm, quiet, and uncrowded in August.

"Do you speak English" scammer approaches a couple on
the Champ de Mars (not the man in the story below).  This man
said "no" to the scammer, but she followed him anyway, until he
turned around and told her to stop following them.

We had begun with our usual route up to the Seine – through the Champ de Mars and the garden of the Musée du Quai Branly.

Scammer's fake petition.

On the Champ, we heard a man yell, then saw him chasing after a couple of the “do you speak English” girls and their lookout-boy.  They’d evidently picked the man’s pocket, and he realized it right away.  He chased them into the middle of the Champ, and then the two girls and the boy went separate ways.  Not knowing which one to chase down, the man gave up the pursuit.

One of the scammers had dropped her fake petition not far away from us.  I walked over and picked it up.  I photographed it, and then put it in the trash, making it more difficult for the scammers to find and retrieve it.  At least that might slow them down a little for the day.

What a shame that law enforcement does not crack down more on these scammers who often also pick pockets.  We don’t see these particular type of scammers elsewhere in Paris; only on the Champ de Mars.  Maybe they are on the Trocadero, too; I’m not sure because we haven’t been there in a while.

Calm and serenity quickly returned as we proceeded up the Champ and over to the garden at the Branly.  We took a little break on the smooth granite chunks under a rebar arbor in that lovely garden.  Then we crossed the quay and descended the steps to the river. 

Dr. Thomas Cooley rests on a chunk of smooth granite in the Branly garden.

First we walked through the open gates of the Franprix port.  A sign warned that pedestrians are prohibited here, but everyone ignores that sign.  Soon we were on the beautiful, pedestrianized banks.

We ambled along the Seine for a couple hours, pausing once so that Tom could get an ice cream cone and eat it.  After we passed the Musée D’Orsay and before we reached Notre Dame, there was an area where the steps are being repaired; that forced us to ascend to the street level.  There, for a few blocks, we had to mix with the mob of tourists until we could descend to the river again.

Along the river, we admired the houseboats and even a couple beautiful sailboats for all their residential amenities -- flower pots, potted trees, teak deck furniture, a collection of rubber duckies, etc. – as we walked along, hand in hand.

I'm ready to ignore the "forbidden to pedestrians" sign at
the FranPrix port on the Seine.

At last, we saw a lovely, winding, brick stairway through a sloping garden in front of the Arab Institute.  We climbed it, and walked a block back to the brasserie called Le Nouvel Institut, situated at the eastern foot of the boulevard Saint Germain.

There we had refreshments -- including the best home-made fries ever -- and remembered the couple times in prior years when we’d taken similar pauses in this handsome brasserie which is outfitted with some furniture that appears to come from an old architectural or engineering drafting room.  We noticed that the decorative old zinc bar has been nicely restored, and that the big old brass clock still looks over the dining room.

We walked back along the grand boulevard only to the Maubert-Mutualité metro station.  The line 10 train quickly took us back to our neighborhood, where we bought fruit, cheese (comte, gouda, and Roquefort), a slice of country terrine, a baguette, and a delicious Greek-style mushroom salad.  And so we dined well, at home, with our view of Parisian rooftops.

From the Seine to India

The Square Dupleix is a small and typical Parisian park that we frequently walk through on our way to the Champ de Mars.  It is the centerpiece of an attractive, quiet neighborhood that is surprisingly close to the Eiffel Tower.  The square is dominated by two playgrounds for children, and an old-fashioned gazebo in the center – a good place for band concerts, although we’ve never heard one there.

There is just enough open space left over to erect a small circus tent.  Every summer, the Gontelli circus sets up there for weeks.

When we walked through Square Dupleix yesterday, the circus was in action.  Moms, dads, and kids were lined up to enter the colorful little tent, to see what wonders it might hold.  Recorded circus music drifted though the air.

The flowers at the Square Honore Champion on the rue de Seine are gorgeous.

We crossed the Champ de Mars and crossed the avenue de la Bourdonnais so that we could walk through the magical tropical garden at the Musée du Quai Branly.  As we entered through the gates, the security guard took a really good look inside my little bag, instead of the cursory glance that the bag usually gets.

We crossed the Quai Branly and descended to the banks of the Seine.  There was no mob walking along the banks because it was a weekday; on weekends now the banks are crowded with pedestrians.  The Berges de la Seine project has been a huge success; pedestrians rule, and the highway along the Seine is no more.  Yesterday, we walked comfortably among just the right number of pedestrians.

Faust, the restaurant under the Pont Alexandre III, was heavily damaged by flooding last year.  Now
it is looking better than ever, and it has added high-top "terrace" seating under the bridge.

Nowadays you can count on seeing several temporary attractions set up along this stretch of the left bank.  Yesterday’s attractions included a vibrant section featuring the wonders of Colombia.  We sat on a bench for several minutes to watch the scene, which included some Latin dancing.

Later, we checked out a photo display about Dalida.  The purpose isto promote an exhibition about this French entertainer’s wardrobe, currently showing at the Palais Galliera, the fashion museum for the City of Paris.

At the Pont des Arts, between the Louvre and the French Academy, we climbed back up to the street level to walk along the rue de Seine, looking into the many trendy art galleries, until we reached the busy little rue de Buci.  By the time we were near the Mabillon metro station, it was close enough to our dinner reservation time that we decided just to take the metro all the way to the Charles Michel station, and spend a few minutes sitting on a bench, watching people in the Place Charles Michel.

At rush hour, this is entertaining because so many people are criss-crossing the Place, and they make a diverse display of almost-frenetic activity.

Looking into Faust as the restaurant prepares to open for the evening.

Then it was time to walk over to Annapurti, and Indian restaurant on the rue Lourmel.  I’d noticed its good reviews in lafourchette.com, and when we’d walked past it on our way home from Le Blavet the night before, I thought it looked clean and inviting.

We had no idea how good it was going to be.  What a surprise!  This little place with not-so-lavish Hindu décor is a gem.  The food did not arrive at the table too quickly; we took that as a good sign, that everything was being freshly prepared.  And it was!

The samosa and pakora starters were perfectly and beautifully presented.  The three classic Indian chutneys were clearly homemade, and the spicy one made my taste buds dance.  The garlic naan also seemed to be homemade, and was infused with some herbs in addition to the garlic.  It was served piping hot from the oven.

An old sealed-off well tucked into the end of a street in the Village St. Paul.

Tom’s lamb biryani was served with a separate bowl of tamarind sauce; its deep, rich, dark red color was very representative of its taste.  The korma sauce was heavenly – made with crème fraiche instead of heavy cream, and incorporating only the choicest ingredients – like clearly top-quality cashews – this was a sauce you’d expect to find in a pricey restaurant. (Our total bill for dinner was just 62 euros.)

The top-quality lamb in both the biryani and korma was tender, moist, and flavorful. 

We shared a kulfi for dessert.  In the past, I have not particularly liked this Indian version of ice cream.  But at Annapurti last night, I learned to love it – because it was so good.  The flavor we had was saffron and pistachio.

Now we have a new favorite Indian restaurant in Paris, and we’re delighted.

Celebrating a birthday in Paris

June 25, 2017 --  The weather was gorgeous:  blue sky, puffy little white clouds, cool enough to wear real shoes and socks, and warm enough to wear a T-shirt and no jacket.  Our goal was to walk along the Seine, perhaps all the way to the Jardin des Plantes.

Getting started was a challenge, because we were distracted by the abundant shopping opportunities.  Tom needs things:  shoes, a blazer, etc.  The aptly named Rue du Commerce has things -- not touristy things, but real things, that people really need.

Clothing and wares were being displayed out on the sidewalk in front of many shops.  We were witnessing the weekend of a Rue du Commerce street fair -- something that we remember attending years ago.  We usually are not in Paris until July.  This year is different from most; we're experiencing June.

Street fair at one end of the Rue du Commerce.

Yesterday was Tom's 75th birthday.  So we shopped for him.  First we looked at an entire rack of men's walking shoes out on the sidewalk.  He seriously considered one pair, but decided to wait.  "Maybe I'll try gluing my old shoes together one more time," he said.  I replied, "Well, maybe you could take them to the shoe repair place on our street."

We are guilty of being frugal, but we also know how to stimulate the economy in our own meager way.  We moved on to the Celio shop, a place where we'd purchased a rain jacket for Tom in the past.

Celio's prices are good, and so there were a number of people shopping there.  I'm always wary of empty shops, or shops where there are no French people spending money.  We knew right where the blazers were.  Within a few minutes of perusing them, a salesman cheerily swept by to welcome us and point out where the mirrors were as Tom was about to try on the first blazer.

Weirdly, these blazers were marked S, M, L, and XL for the sizes.  Clearly they were made for an English speaking market.  But that market must have been for very small English speakers.  I'm not sure where in the world that would be.  Tom, after his illnesses a year and a half to two years ago, is not large.  He is quite medium -- a 40 regular kind of guy.  Knowing these blazers would probably run small, he tried a Large.  Nope.  Large was too small.  There was only one XL in black.  He tried it, and it fit beautifully, but the sleeves were a little too long. Tom has unusually long arms, so he didn't expect this anomaly.

The price was amazing:  30 percent off of 49.99!  Tom was going to buy it and just make do with the slightly long sleeves.  I encouraged him to buy it, and then go to the tailor across from our building to have the sleeves shortened.  Tom didn't want to spend the money.  I said, "Even if it costs 35 euros to alter the blazer, it is still worth it, and you'll feel better wearing it if the sleeves are the right length."

When I convinced him that it couldn't hurt to ask, we backtracked around the corner, onto the Rue du Theatre, and entered the tailor's shop.

This was a Saturday, but yes, the shop was open.  The tailor and his friend were sitting around with not much to do.  We'd shopped there before; I bought a suede jacket there once, and had the sleeves shortened by the tailor.  Leather seems to be a specialty at this plain little shop/workshop.

Quickly and professionally, the tailor pinned up one of the jacket sleeves to mark the proper length.  Tom asked "how much?" in French.  Twenty-five euros was the answer!  And the finished blazer will be ready on Monday afternoon.  I love customized, quick service!

View of the Eiffel Tower and garden at the Musee du Quai Branly.

Off we went again, making our way successfully this time, to the end of the Rue du Commerce and up to the Avenue de la Bourdonnais, where I checked out a little shoe store that advertises on Google that it carries Skechers.  Alas, the little shop did not have my size.  We walked on to the garden at the Musee du Quai Branly.

The garden is more lush and green than ever.  The foliage and exotic grasses are wildly growing together.  The place reminds us of South Florida, but better.

We were both hungry, so we stepped into the cafe facing the garden.  Tom consumed a dish of rich ice cream, which almost had to be Berthillon.  I ate a salad with wonderful goat cheese.  Fortified, we left the garden, crossed the quai, and walked down to the banks of the Seine.

The throngs of pedestrians there grew thicker and thicker as we walked.  We saw that this was the second of two "Olympic Days" for which a large assortment of games were set up for all, young and old, to play.  Ping pong was a popular one.

When we reached the far side of the Pont Alexandre III, we looked up and saw two colorful diving platforms set up on the bridge.  At twenty minutes before 3PM, people were starting to gather, looking up at the platforms.   We decided to join them to watch the divers.  After we'd waiting several minutes, a large screen behind us illuminated with a video explanation of the event about to take place.  The divers would not be diving, but rather working their way down long pieces of fabric, doing acrobatics along the way.

Acrobatic "diver" leaving one of the platforms on the Pont Alexandre III.

Finally, at 3PM, a diver appeared.  She was an athletic-looking young woman in a red one-piece swimsuit.  She performed her act to the amplified sound of Vivaldi's Four Seasons.  Slowly, she lowered herself along the lengths of fabric, wrapping them this way and that, around her body, as she pivoted, twirled, did somersaults, etc.  I can't say that the "choreography" had anything to do with the Four Seasons, but it was interesting -- much like what circus acrobats have been doing for many years.

As we stood there, I became slightly uncomfortable as people standing near me pressed into my space.  When the first act was almost over, I turned to Tom, who was standing behind me.  Then I saw that the crowd behind us had grown tremendously.  There were no spaces between people.  The entire space was full of humans who had no room to move.

After the lady in the red suit finished and the Four Seasons had concluded, Tom and I decided to try to make our way out of the crowd.  Fortunately, some other people decided to try to leave, too.  At first, nobody could move.  That was truly frightening.  Everyone stayed calm, however, and eventually, there was a little movement this way, and a little movement that way.  It took twenty minutes or more, but finally, Tom and I were moving.  We almost got separated at one point, but soon all was well again, and we continued our walk on toward Notre Dame.

As a general rule, we avoid crowds.  The Olympic Days crowd was one nobody would have predicted.

The Seine, looking toward the Ile de la Cite.

We'd been on our feet for hours, so we rested a few times on old limestone benches.  At last, we were across from Notre Dame on the left bank, gazing up as we walked at the cathedral's lacy grandeur.

Across from the far end of the church, we climbed the steps to the street level, crossed the quai, and started walking down the rue Maitre Albert when we saw the perfect sidewalk cafe for pausing for beverages on the rue des Grands Degres.  So, pause we did, for a bottle of sparkling water to share, coffee for Tom and a glass of chardonnay for me.  The large, garrulous man sitting at the table next to us was evidently the owner of the place.  He was consuming mussels from a big red pot which was accompanied by a small mountain of fries.  The man periodically dumped fries into the pot.

We finished our beverages, paid the tab, left a pour boire (a couple euros), said good-day  to the garrulous man, and went on our way down the Rue Maitre Albert to the line 10 metro at Place Maubert Mutualite.

Quaint old storefront on the Rue des Grands Degres.

Soon we were back at the apartment, where we rested up for the next adventure:  Tom's birthday dinner at La Gauloise.

While we were resting, we heard drums.  Something musical was happening at the street fair, six stories below.  The sound of the drums grew louder.  Then there was music with the drums.  We walked out on our balcony and looked down.  Soon, a colorful group of Brazilian musicians and dancers appeared at the intersection, where they paused and the dancers showed off their flamboyant garb and exotic moves.

I told Tom I'd ordered the girl dancers and the drum line for this birthday.  I wish I had thought of it.

Brazilian dancers and musicians on the Rue due Commerce and Rue du Theatre.

Dinner was at La Gauloise -- one of our longtime, favorite, traditional Parisian restaurants.  The classic interior of the restaurant was half full of families having dinner together.  They were all French.  Just like when we had lunch at the Trois Garcons brasserie the day before, we did not hear any English being spoken in the restaurant.

Dinner was simple and elegant.  We skipped the starters and Tom ordered a thick, juicy filet of beef in a nice black pepper sauce, accompanied by a small salad.  My main course was a filet of dorade royale (golden sea bream) accompanied by Spring vegetables.  We each had an outstanding souffle Grand Marnier.

I mentioned the lunch we had on the 23rd at the Trois Garcons brasserie on the rue de la Croix Nivert.  My dish was fish and veggies there, too:  a slightly seared piece of red tuna with marinated, thin, crispy slices of beets, fancy radishes, and a few cucumbers.  The dish was colorful and delicious.  Tom had a slate of mixed charcuterie -- so copious that he sneaked some of it away into folded paper napkin, then into a shopping bag to take home.

Wallace Fountain near the Trois Garcons brasserie.

That outing on the 23rd was our first daytime adventure for this summer, even though we arrived in Paris on the 21st.  The first two days were consumed by an oppressive heat wave and episode of pollution (bad ozone).  We just hibernated, unpacked, and recovered from jet lag during those two days.  Oh, we did manage to go out for supplies at the grocery, fromagerie, and bakery, but we know better than to try to go traipsing about normally during a heat wave in Paris.

And we had a nice dinner at La Terrasse as the weather was breaking on the evening of the 22nd.  I had a perfectly juicy and tender duck breast with vegetables and Tom consumed a beef carpaccio with salad.  Service was so professional and the ambiance was so Parisian.  It was a good way to start.

Amazingly, the weather became suddenly much better on Friday, without any noticeable storm front.  And so it goes -- all seems to be well in Paris now.