Romantic Paris

Tags

Augustin Dumont, Étoile, Balzac, Champs-Élysées, Eugène, gilets jaunes, Ivan Mazepa, La Génie de la Liberté, Léon Cogniet, Le Camondo, Le Parvis de Notre-Dame, meals, Metro, Musée Nissim de Camondo, Notre Dame, Parc Monceau, Petit Palais, Place de la Bastille, RATP, Romantic Paris, Zhizhong

On Saturday I arranged to meet Zhizhong at the Romantic Paris exhibition at the Petit Palais. We were aware that the gilets jaunes are active on Saturdays (and jours férié) so we checked on the RATP website to see what effects this might have on transport. The site warned that certain stations in the vicinity of the Champs-Élysées might be closed in the morning, but we weren’t meeting until 4 pm so I presumed that by then everything would be fine. Famous last words!

I allowed an extra half-hour to get there, just in case, but was surprised by an announcement on the line 1 métro that it would skip all stops starting with Tuileries. I got off at Palais Royal and started walking at a vigorous pace about two miles to the Petit Palais. At Concorde, however, I saw that not only were the Champs-Élysées blocked by police, but the entire area down to the bank of the Seine.

So near and yet so far! The Petit Palais is just peeking above the trees in the distance, but the barricades at Place de la Concorde prevented direct access.

Fortunately, it was still possible to walk along the berges (shoreline walkways) of the Seine . The street running between the Grand Palais and Petit Palais was also blocked, but the police let me through politely when I asked about the Petit Palais. I was fifteen minutes late, but Zhizhong was nowhere to be seen. I waited another fifteen minutes in the lobby, then decided to see the show anyway. (Since I had no mobile phone there was no way to confirm when or whether he was coming; just like in the old days!)  As it turned out, Zhizhong had an even more complex adventure, involving an illegal taxi driver who refused to accept a credit card, so was 45 minutes late himself. Fortunately we found each other in the exhibition. (Eugène subsequently remarked that Parisians stay home now on Saturdays, for exactly this reason.)

The exhibition was quite a lot of fun, but very different from the fine art I’m used to seeing. The focus in this exhibit was on the culture and style of the period from Napoleon’s fall in 1815 to the Revolution of 1848 (which started as the Second Republic but soon turned into the Second Empire, under Louis Napoléon, no doubt the subject of the next exhibition in the series). This exhibit took an interest in the artists and styles popular in the period, regardless of whether they have weathered the test of time. And many of the art works were principally intended to show us the people and mores depicted instead of inviting us to take any particular interest in the artist or artistic style.

The first room gave an overview of Paris in this period before diving into material related to eight particularly romantic parts of the city. This huge painting reminds us of how little of the Paris we know existed at the start of this period.

George Arnald, Paris vue de Montmartre, 1822

We are told that this painting had an immense success in 1827. It depicts a young Polish page who was tied nude to the back of a wild horse as punishment for adultery. Who am I to disagree?

Horace Vernet, Mazeppa aux Loups, 1826

Update: My friend Andrew points out in a comment that Balzac, among other authors, lampooned the fashion for including this print in French households of the period. His link also notes that the boy, Ivan Mazepa, survived the ordeal and went on to become the leader of the then-autonomous Cossack state.

In 1833 Notre-Dame didn’t yet have any of the additions by Eugène Viollet-le-Duc (no relation) that burned earlier this year, and it was somewhat hemmed in by other buildings.

Charles Frechot, Le Parvis de Notre-Dame, 1833

This painting of flags from the 1830 Revolution strikes me as being impressionist avant la lettre.

Léon Cogniet, Les drapeaux, 1830

And here’s a glimpse of Léon’s studio, painted by his sister:

Amélie Cogniet, Atelier de Léon Cogniet, 1831

Just one of several funny caricatures by Daumier and others:

Honoré Daumier, Portrait-charge de Jacques Lefebvre, banquier, 1833

I’ve always admired the golden guy who tops the pillar celebrating the Revolution of 1830 that stands in the center of the Place de la Bastille. This is a half-size plaster model — still pretty big!

Augustin Dumont, La Génie de la Liberté, 1833

After we closed the place down, we strolled back across the still-blocked Champs-Élysées.

Paris under siege: The Champs-Élysées on a typical Saturday afternoon.

We had dinner at Le Camondo, a restaurant that Zhizhong had been wanting to try. The room is attractive, they have a nice terrace out back, and the food is quite good.

Zhizhong and Bob at Le Camondo

Bob’s main course at Le Camondo

Pain Perdu (actually cake more than bread, but good) at Le Camondo

The service was friendly but somewhat casual, lacking the reserve I would expect to accompany fine dining. There was some sort of high-school party going on in an adjacent room, then on the terrace, which added youthful energy but was somewhat distracting. On the whole I would say that Le Camondo is quite a good museum restaurant but doesn’t offer an overall experience that justifies its price range.

The Musée Nissim de Camondo is next to the beautiful Parc Monceau, and I was pleasantly surprised to see, as we left the restaurant around 9:45 pm, that the park was still open. We strolled across it, and found it very atmospheric in the gathering dusk, despite reminders by an occasional guard to leave by 10.

Parc Monceau, just before closing, at 10 pm.

Parc Monceau, just before closing, at 10 pm.

We took the métro down to Étoile, after which our homes were in opposite directions. We naturally saved the most important part of our day’s conversation for our final parting, in the middle of a subway corridor.

Dinners at Champeaux

Tags

art, Belleville, Canal de l'Ourcq, Champeaux, Conservatoire de Paris, Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris, La Grande Canopée, meals, Récitals de fin de l'année, Sherard, Zhizhong

On Monday we went up to Belleville one last time to pick up the small Clem Letrusko painting that Sherard had purchased on Friday, and to visit a few galleries that were on our must-see list. We had planned to make this a relatively restful day, but as it happened we kept seeing additional pieces that we wanted to buy, which required us to walk down the hill to an ATM then back up to the artist or gallery to buy the piece. We ended up walking 11 miles on our “rest day”!

For dinner I proposed a nearby restaurant, Champeaux, beneath the Grande Canopée. It looked quite stylish, and wasn’t terribly expensive. Besides, I had an ulterior motive: I had been reserving restaurants through the website of The Fork/La Fourchette for years. I had gotten some nice discounts but I had never accumulated enough points to use them before they expired. I noticed that I had enough “Yums” for a $10 discount, and Champeaux was one of relatively few restaurants that accepted them! We both enjoyed our meals and we particularly loved the wine they recommended: Triennes IGP Méditerranée Viognier Sainte Fleur Blanc 2018, which Sherard subsequently discovered can be found in the U.S.!

Sherard and me on Monday at Champeaux

My salmon on Monday at Champeaux

I proposed a range of options for Tuesday, Sherard’s last day. He selected thesis performances by students graduating from the Conservatoire de Musique et de Danse, Récitals de fin de l’année.  I enthusiastically agreed, since I really enjoy these accomplished non-touristy (and free) concerts. In retrospect, however, I probably should have recommended something closer to home, or in a less familiar direction, since this was in the far north-east corner of Paris, close where we had already spent most of the week, so the walk was both long and partially repetitive.

We watched a couple of good performances but then needed to go get some food. Eventually we found a modest place on the Canal de l’Ourcq for a traditional lunch. After eating we walked home along the canals, and over to the Galerie Vivienne to find some vintage postcards Sherard had noticed earlier in his stay. With that mission accomplished we headed home, after a 12 mile day.

My friend Zhizhong joined us for dinner. I had reserved at an Italian place in the neighborhood, but when I mentioned our meal the previous evening at Champeaux Zhizhong’s eyes lit up, so we decided to cancel my reservation and go right back there for dinner.

Sherard, Zhizhong and me on Tuesday at Champeaux

My cod on Tuesday at Champeaux

Sherard and Zhizhong with soufflée desserts on Tuesday at Champeaux

My strawberry rhubarb dessert on Tuesday at Champeaux

Champeaux gets a quite good overall rating of 8.8 on The Fork, and we really enjoyed both meals, but I have to admit that it has some flaws: Service was somewhat uneven, and the greeting our first night was downright strange, with the maitre’d being busy talking with a couple of policemen and a waiter being unable at first to find our reservation. The portions aren’t large and the prices aren’t cheap, but we had enough to eat both nights, and the bill wasn’t punishing: 40 euros per person including wine and desserts. You would pay more at a similarly nice restaurant in Boston. The location in a shopping center is admittedly a bit odd, but the room itself is light and airy and stylishly decorated. All in all I think the critics are being churlish; Champeaux is good value for money.

Zhizhong and I stayed up past midnight solving life’s problems, but Sherard had an early flight so he went to bed after dinner. In the morning he headed out to the airport without waking me, but left a nice farewell note on a vintage postcard.

Atelier des Lumières

Tags

art, Atelier des Lumières, Jackie, Lisa, meals, van Gogh, Zhizhong

At the start of this year’s stay I suggested to Lisa and Jackie that we plan a visit to the relatively new Atelier des Lumières, since I thought we would all enjoy the current shows, Van Gogh, the starry night, and Japan Dreams, images of the floating world. I had visited similar shows last year with Andy, and we both enjoyed them; the teamLab Borderless show, which we liked even better, closed last September, though a version is permanently installed in Tokyo. Atelier des Lumières was booked through the following weekend but I was able to get us tickets for Monday. Since we move rather slowly in the morning I prudently selected 11:30 rather than 9:30 am.

We all enjoyed both shows, as evidenced by the fact that we watched them through twice! The music was terrific for both shows but the Van Gogh show suffered from an annoying mismatch between the emotional charge of the musical selections and the emotional tone of the visuals. I also felt that the Van Gogh visuals often weren’t as crisp as they should have been. Recommended for all ages, nevertheless.

We had invited Zhizhong to join us that evening after work for Japanese takeout. As the shadows of evening deepened so did the conversation, eventually covering the challenges and rewards of work, parenting, real estate and filial piety. I wish I could say we solved all the riddles we tussled with, but at any rate we left few stones unturned!

May Day!

Tags

art, Aya, contemporary art, gilets jaunes, Jackie, Lisa, meals, muguets, muguets de mai, Paris, Salon de Montrouge, Zhizhong

Since Lisa and I arrived on Sunday morning we missed the gilets jaunes protests on Saturday, April 27. I had thought we were in the clear for a week, since their protests are typically on Saturdays. May 1, however, is Labor Day, a jour férié (national holiday) in France, as it is in most civilized countries. (In America, in the hope of inoculating us against Godless Communism, it’s “Law Day.”) Not only are protests scheduled for jours fériés as well as Saturdays, but the protest on May 1 was touted as an “apocalypse” of gilets jaunes ultras and anarchist “black blocs,” in addition to the large traditional march of union members and other more-or-less militant groups. Last year we headed for the march but this year we stayed far away. In the event there was much less disorder and damage than expected, and we saw no signs of protest except a phalanx of riot police on motorbikes who passed by harmlessly. I don’t mean to discount the impact of the protests, but news reports focus on exciting problems, not on the fact that 99% of a big city like Paris goes on obliviously, and for the most part happily.

One striking feature of May 1 is that muguets (lillies of the valley) are sold on every busy street corner.

I discovered this tradition during my first long stay, in 2010, and I’ve enjoyed it ever since. Only this year, however, did I realize its complex historical resonance. While the muguet has long been associated with spring, before World War II May 1 was called la fête des travailleurs (Worker’s Day) and the flower most closely associated with it was the socialist emblem the red eglantine. Petain subtly changed the name to la fête du travail (Work Day) and changed the flower to the muguet. So while French people love their mugets de Mai 1, the hardest core unionists still resent the original rightist meaning.

Instead of cowering indoors we met up with Zhizhong for lunch at Le Petit Gorille, which I had enjoyed for dinner a few days before.

Midday on a jour férié was very busy, but even with that excuse the service was terrible, although the food was again quite nice.

We then strolled over to see the 64th Salon de Montrouge, a contemporary art show that I’ve visited on several other occasions. It was uneven, as usual, but nevertheless had many points of interest.

After an apéro on the pleasant terrasse of a Montrouge café we went our separate ways and called it a successful, non-apocalyptic, May Day.

Last Weekend

Tags

Anti-Macron, Anti-Macron demonstration, apartment, bande dessinée, Belleville, Café des Anges, church, departure, Grand Fête, head on a platter, John the Baptist, Jourdain, Latin Quarter, Le Jourdain, Lisa, Macron, meals, Metro, neighborhoods, Paris, Place Saint-Michel, tourists, touristy, typanum, Village Jourdain, Zhizhong

The open studios walk Andy and I took a couple weeks back ended up in a neighborhood of Belleville called the Village Jourdain. I had noticed a banner for a festival being held there on my last weekend, so on Saturday morning I headed over to see what it was like.

A flâneur at the Village Jourdain festival

The festival was very charming and almost 100% local. There was a brocante (tag sale), shops and restaurants, a stage with local performances, and lots of convivial people. Anti-Macron demonstrators took advantage of the crowd to organize an impromptu sing-along, with lyrics on banners set to a popular tune.

An anti-Macron sing-along at the Jourdain Festival

There were many budget lunch options but since it was my last weekend I felt like going a bit upscale. Fortunately I was able to get a seat at the bar of Le Jourdain, a delightful seafood tapas place a few blocks from the center.

The happy dining room at Le Jourdain

The service was friendly and professional and the food was excellent; the kitchen was somewhat slow but I was in no hurry.

Seafood tapas at Le Jourdain

More seafood tapas at Le Jourdain

After lunch, on a whim, I strolled up to the pretty neo-Gothic church on rue de Belleville, across the street from the Jourdain métro station, for a tour offered by the parish priest. I assumed that it would take about half an hour but I didn’t anticipate the gusto with which the priest would explain every facet of the church’s history, architecture and decor: it ended up taking 90 minutes!

19th Century Neo-Gothic church at Jourdain

The priest explained that the tympanum is like a bande dessinée (comic book)

At left, John the Baptist’s head is about to be chopped off. At right, it’s being served up on a platter.

I understood almost everything the priest said! (Addressing a group is a key professional skill for a preacher: he was speaking so slowly and distinctly that any fool could understand him.)

I had been anticipating a photo opportunity from climbing up the bell tower but in fact the most interesting view was of the excavation for modernization and extension of métro line 11.

View from the church tower of excavation for modernization of Jourdain station on métro line 11

That evening I thought it would be nostalgic to go over to the Latin Quarter, where I had always used to stay, from my student days through the 2008 trip with Andy. I tend to avoid it these days, but I do have a soft spot for the area, if not for the throngs of tourists.

A dancing couple at Place Saint-Michel, heart of the Latin Quarter

My plan had been to eat in the tourist district, as I had done for so many years, but I simply couldn’t bear it! I walked a few blocks further, to a Vietnamese place in a quieter area.

The Tourist Track in the Latin Quarter

I had planned a photo shoot along the banks of the Seine for after dinner but it started to rain so I high-tailed it home and called it a night.

On Sunday I spent most of the day at the Grand Palais (described in my previous post).

My last week had been fairly solitary, since most of the people I spent time with this year had already left. Even Zhizhong had unexpectedly been called away to China on business, but fortunately he got back in time for us to have a farewell dinner on Sunday night at one of his favorite local places, Café des Anges on rue de la Roquette near Bastille.

Farewell dinner with Zhizhong at Café des Anges

Packing at the end of a trip is infinitely easier than packing at the start, since there are almost no decisions: you just throw everything into a suitcase (after triaging liquids, sharp objects and spare lithium batteries). The only issue I encountered on Sunday morning was weight. I travel with a hand-held scale, which showed that my checked suitcase was two pounds overweight. I moved a book to my carry-on and ditched some replaceable bottles to duck under the 50 pound limit. Then I tidied the apartment, wrote my previous blog post and checked out.

The process of getting to the airport, checking in, going through security, etc. was predictably annoying, but not in any interesting ways. The flight itself, on Air France, was surprisingly tolerable. Among the 200 movies they offered I chose Jules et Jim, directed by François Truffaut, in French with English subtitles. I found all the characters believable and relateable. Jules and Jim were both in love with the same woman but in the end I was even more deeply moved by the affectionate and respectful friendship between them.

Farewell to the view from my 2018 Paris apartment

Andy and Uncle Bob in Paris

Tags

Andy, Andy Mack, Canal Saint-Martin, Il Tre, Il Tre 3, Italian Beer, Les Délices de la Lune, Les Enfants Perdus, meals, neighborhoods, Paris, rue Montorgueil, Zhizhong

Ten years ago, in 2008, I took my nephew Andy, then 15 years old, on an eleven-day trip to Paris (and Chartres). He had been studying French for several years, so when I offered to take him pretty much anywhere he chose France. I had been here many times as a tourist, but this was my longest visit, and the experience — even though we stayed in hotels — started me thinking about the idea of an even longer petit séjour. It was thus a particular treat to host him for almost a week this year.

Andy and Uncle Bob (2008)

Andy and Uncle Bob (2018)

Andy arrived on Saturday evening after a 3-1/2 hour drive to LA, and two flights, so we just had a quick Breton meal at a favorite neighborhood place, Les Délices de la Lune.

The next two days we had a great time visiting art studios and galleries in the Belleville neighborhood, which had its annual open studios event that weekend. I’ll post separately about that, but on Sunday we first met up with Zhizhong for brunch along the Canal Saint-Martin. We had a delicious meal at Les Enfants Perdus, which Alexis had introduced me to several years back.

Andy and Bob at brunch with Zhizhong at Les Enfants Perdus

Brunch with Zhizhong at Les Enfants Perdus

There was a funny moment when the waitress whisked our menus away after we chose drinks and breads from the top section. We were still trying to decide among the several tempting main courses and desserts, but it turned out that you get all of them!

The main courses of our brunch at Les Enfants Perdus

Monday evening, after all our walking, Andy and I had a simple Italian dinner at Il Tre, on rue Montorgueil.

Andy’s first Italian beer

A simple well-prepared Italian dinner at Il Tre on rue Montorgueil

Dining in Strasbourg with Zhizhong

Tags

food porn, Kougelhopf, Krutenau, L'Alsace à Table, L'Ami Schutz, La Hache, Les Canailles, meals, restaurants, Strasbourg, Zhizhong

Yes, it’s time for food porn from Strasbourg!

On Saturday our lunch was at L’Ami Schutz, a “restaurant-bierstub” along a canal near the Barrage Vauban. It served traditional Alsatian food, but I was able to get a meal of fish, noodles and veggies that was tasty and not too heavy.

Zhizhong and Bob at our first lunch, at L’Ami Schutz

My fish and noodles, at L’Ami Schutz

Our shared frozen Kougelhopf, at L’Ami Schutz

That evening, our foray off Grande-Île into the university neighborhood of Krutenau eventually led us to an excellent gastronomic restaurant, Les Canailles. I assumed that the name was a reference to canals, but it turned out to mean something unrelated.

Menu at Les Canailles in Krutenau

Tender octopus appetizer at Les Canailles

Delicious fish dish at Les Canailles

On Sunday we headed back to Krutenau, intending to have lunch at a Syrian-Lebanese restaurant that had caught our eye. That place was closed, however, as were many others, so we settled for a modest local restaurant/bar, that nevertheless served up some quite reasonable meals.

Pleasant enough lunch on the terrasse of a local Krutenau place

Sunday evening Zhizhong fond a place on Google maps near our hotel that looked good: La Hache. It was open, and had great energy, but was booked solid. By that time it was getting late so we ended up at a fish place near the city center, L’Alsace à Table. It had a slightly odd vibe but the meal was just fine.

Oyster appetizer at L’Alsace a Table fish restaurant

On Monday we happened to be in the neighborhood so we stopped in at La Hache again and made a lunch reservation. It turned out to be a simply delightful place. Everything was perfect: welcome, menu, service, food, wine, decor, vibe and value for money (rapport qualité prix)

Zhizhong and Bob at our favorite bistro in Strasbourg, La Hache

Appetizer at La Hache: Cod sushi, avocado and mango

Supreme de volaille at La Hache

Pork over red choucroute at La Hache

Strawberries, merengue sticks with ice cream, topped with whipped cream, at La Hache

Last look at the dining room of La Hache

We would also return to Les Canailles for a somewhat more gastronomic meal, but for a classy but casual dining experience it’s hard to beat La Hache anywhere. All in all we were quite happy with our Strasbourg meals.

Update: Here’s a photo set with full-size versions of all the photos from my 2018 trip to Strasbourg:  Strasbourg 2018 with Zhizhong

Mot du jour: canaille, a dishonest or immoral person. I didn’t recognize the word, but apparently in English it means rabble, rifraff or proletarian. My guess is that it’s being used here in the last sense, even though I don’t see that definition in Larousse.

A Day Trip to Amiens

Tags

Amiens, Amiens Cathedral, canals, Cathedral, half-timbered, Judgment Day, Marais, Metro, Paris, rose garden, Saint Sebastian, secret garden, tympanum, Zhizhong

On Sunday Zhizhong and I met up at Gare du Nord for a day trip to Amiens. I was almost late because the line 4 platform was closed for repairs, but the efficient Parisian métro system nevertheless got me to the station with time to spare.

The signature attraction of Amiens is the cathedral, which is quite impressive; here are a few pics.

Zhizhong was surprised when I explained that the tympanum showed Judgment Day, when the blessed are led off by angels to heaven while the damned are led by devils to hell through the mouth of a monster.

The highest interior space of any cathedral in France. Meant to impress!

The ornate interior seems to have been recently re-gilded.

Zhizhong wondered aloud why Saint Sebastian has become something of a gay icon. I have no idea…

The stained glass is colorful but modern since the medieval windows were destroyed in the Revolution. Chartres is one of the few cathedrals in France with mostly intact windows.

There are many other heritage buildings in Amiens, but the regional museum was closed and the rest of the town seemed a bit depressed.

An attractive half-timbered building opposite the Amiens cathedral

One notable feature is that the city is built around many canals.

Ironically, one of the biggest thrills of the day for me occurred after we got back to Paris. Zhizhong mentioned that we were near a hidden garden at the Eastern edge of the Marais. I was skeptical that there could be anything interesting in the area that I didn’t already know about, but I followed his lead.

The entrance from the Marais is down this alley…

… then through this literally forbidding barred gate.

But inside was a gorgeous rose garden, in full bloom!

It’s a public park, sitting in a courtyard of posh private residences.

Many thanks to Zhizhong for his company on the trip, and especially for unveiling yet another Parisian secret.

Update: Here’s a Google photo set with full-sized versions of all my photos from our Amiens day trip: Amiens Day Trip

Parisian Food Porn

Tags

Amiens, Brian, Jackie, L'Envie du Jour, La Régalade Conservatoire, Le Quai, Le Quai Amiens, meals, Pratolina, restaurants, Sheila, Zhizhong

I have been remiss in not posting enough food pics, but I’ll make up for it now. Oh, and yes there are also a couple of pics of the friends I ate with.

First off is Pratolina, an Italian restaurant a couple blocks away in the 2ème. Starter was a salad with sliced pears and walnuts, followed by salmon ravioli. Warm greeting, good service, nice atmosphere and quite good food.

Next is L’Envie du Jour, a French restaurant in the 17ème. Starter was nicely presented bites of mackerel with veggies and fish over lentils with crispy onion topping. Food and atmosphere was quite good. Service neither problematic nor memorable. I’m not that familiar with Batignolles, although I did visit the area my first year here. I had the impression that the quarter was somewhat run down, but there were lots of attractive looking and busy restaurants in this area.

Both of those meals were with my new friend “Theseus,” of whom more later.

On Friday night I met up for dinner with cousin Jackie, cousin Brian, his wife Sheila, and their hosts and friends Rick and Sheryl. I may have my own place now but this is still a family year! Brian and Rick suggested La Coupole in the 14ème but that seemed to me like a project so I offered to look for something closer to home. I found La Régalade Conservatoire on The Fork. Although I had never been, it looked good and not crazy expensive, and was just a few blocks away in the 9ème. We all agreed that everything about our meal was superb: ambiance, welcome and service, and of course the food. Quite a find! 

Brian, Jackie, Sheila, Rick and Sheryl after dinner at La Régalade Conservatoire

Green bean and mozzarella appetizer at La Régalade Conservatoire

Cod over baby peas and tiny clams at La Régalade Conservatoire

Sheila enjoying her feathery light Grand Mariner souffle at La Régalade Conservatoire

On Saturday Zhizhong and I went for the day to Amiens. More later about the cathedral and town, but here was our meal at Le Quai. Perfectly nice food in a small city with a limited selection of restaurants.

Bob and Zhizhong at one of the many canals in Amiens.

Correct main course at Le Quai, Amiens

Correct dessert at Le Quai, Amiens

En Famille

Tags

Ali, apartment, Aya, bis, Jackie, Lisa, May Day, meals, neighborhoods, Paris, quater, ter, Virgule, weather, Zhizhong

The unique feature of this year’s petit séjour is that the first part is en famille. I’m staying for ten days in the 15ème arrondissement with my first cousin Jackie, her daughter Lisa and Lisa’s four-year-old daughter Aya.

Jackie, Aya and Lisa in our intensively furnished Airbnb in the 15ème

Our apartment is lovely, well-designed and filled with light. It’s also filled with a fascinating collection of bric-a-brac. The location is safe and quiet, well served with grocery stores and boulangeries, albeit completely lacking in anything that might interest a tourist (I haven’t noticed one since I’ve been here). We chose the area to be close to our friend — Lisa’s former partner — Ali. I’ll move to central Paris next week, but I have to admit that living here is perfectly pleasant, and perfectly Parisien.

The day I arrived the weather was dreadful, cold, windy and rainy. The flight was early but there was a SNAFU. The plane landed in the distant reaches of Charles de Gaulle airport, and the five buses sent to take us to the terminal left me behind, along with two dozen other passengers (and the entire crew). We waited for ten minutes or so on the freezing exit steps until the crew invited us back into the plane, where it was at least half an hour more before a sixth bus finally arrived to rescue us.

The was also a SNAFU concerning the address. Lisa had correctly told me that our building was at « 15 quater, rue A___ B____. ». I didn’t know what to make of quater, which isn’t in my Larousse, so I ignored it … to my sorrow! I was well acquainted with 15 bis, which means a second entry with the same number, somewhat like 15A. And I congratulated myself on having also encountered the enigmatic ter, which would in America be 15B. But Lisa had to explain by telephone, after the door code didn’t work at 15, that quater is yet another entry beyond ter!

15	15 Bis
15 Ter	15 Quater

After quater I personally give up but for the curious I offer this link. Jackie called me with the same problem when she arrived later in the day. I’m afraid I was laughing too hard to be properly sympathetic!  2019 Update: So far absolutely everyone (except one Uber driver) has been confused by Quater the first time they visit, even when we’ve tried to explain it beforehand.

One of the peak experiences my first year in Paris — 2010 — was a walk across half the city with Lisa on May Day. We planned my arrival to allow us to take another May Day walk, adjusting gracefully to the changed route of the march and the inclusion of my new hyper-radical first-cousin-twice-removed Aya. Luckily, the weather was much improved, so we had a delightful walk, after a longer bus ride than we had expected. We arrived at Place d’Italie a bit after the main demonstration, but still managed to borrow a red flag for a classic photo op.

Aya waving the Socialist banner to demand equal rights for all!

Zhizhong was busy at work that afternoon — on a jour férié ?!! — but he joined us later for a lovely reunion dinner, at Virgule, near Place d’Italie.

Jackie, Lisa, Aya, Bob and Zhizhong at our May Day dinner.

The adventure in dining begins!

That afternoon we noticed some curious posters, for another demonstration next Saturday.

Google Translate explains that la fête à Macron means “the party in [President] Macron.” Sounds like fun!

Mot du jour: faire la fête à, to beat up.