Day 2: Paris

Day 2:  Paris, Monday

Quote of the Day: So, what are we missing?

Weather: 50 to mid-60s, very pleasant; sunrise near 7am and sunset around 8pm

As with any house exchange or apartment rental, the quirks come out quickly. For example, what are we missing? We’re missing shampoo and conditioner, cloth napkins, decaf ground coffee, a firm chair. How come the sink in the kitchen doesn’t have hot water? Why was the armoire in the bedroom closed when we arrived and now we can’t shut it?

Entrance  to our apartment building on right

Entrance to our building inside courtyard

Our unit at bottom with inset windows

One of our neighbors

It is still a  bit dark outside when THB takes the pic

Clafouti and baguette: other pastries didn't make it to picture time!

Off to our fave neighborhood bakery: Tout Autour du Pain. THB shows much restraint: almond croissant, white chocolate pastry (does not taste like white chocolate, just a very rich cross between a scone and brioche), baguette, $9.

Time to start making our list and checking it twice!  A visit to our 2015 market to get butter, more milk, another bottle of white wine (Burgundy this time), shampoo, $30.

The morning and afternoon are dedicating to fending off jet lag by walking around and shopping. AND SHOPPING? When has THB ever got anything but cramps in his thighs from shopping? And, so it goes: a visit to a trendy store called Merci. By the time we leave at 10:30, they are pouring into what is actually a fairly small space (THB has already escaped the growing butt brush factor and is waiting for DB in the front courtyard).

We are walking the canal, the start is not far from Merci. We join the canal at the very corner where Le Citizen Hotel is located. Inside we meet Emilie, one of our three contacts. She had received our text advising the lack of hot water in the kitchen sink. Aside: Not that THB would know anything about texting, he asks DB if anyone in the US would ignore a text of any nature requesting action, at least texting back something like “working on it” (or some acronym like WTF WOI) followed by at least four emojis. DB says generally a return text would be sent.

Emilie also enlightened us on the hotel connection to rental apartment management: hotel has only 12 rooms leaving time for other responsibilities, she (or Sophie or Chaim) works at a table in front of the espresso and juicer machines, Sophie “owns” the hotel and manages two or three rental apartments owned by her family and two or three other units and gets support from Chaim (we met him yesterday) and Emilie.

Lunch

Killer

Time to get some exercise in: walk along the canal up and back for over an hour, not much to see on the canal or along the street. We head for Rue de Turenne, exhausted and hangry and, lo and behold, end up getting sandwiches, drinks and an impossibly good mini chocolate “tart” at Tout Autour du Pain, $18. Enjoy lunch at the apartment, sans (that’s Frenglish for without) shoes. Excellent choice. “tart” so rich we leave half for another sugar overdose later.

Before our next event, there is easily enough time to sneak in a nap (with a timer set for one hour, or we’d sleep right through the night).  We meet up with DB and MB late afternoon: they trained in from Yorkshire Dales, and are only ½ late due to a stoppage in the Chunnel. A brief meet and greet at their hotel very near to us. We’ll spend tomorrow with them chasing art and fine dining.

Elsa setting up a few of her new work

We leave them to recover from their travel ordeal and head to visit with ceramicist Elsa Sahel at Galerie Papillon, her Paris gallery, an easy 20 minute walk. The mother/daughter of the gallery are there, we chat away for over an hour, looking at the current shows. Elsa brought two of her latest pieces and give us an overview of work at her NY gallery.

Miznon

Open kitchen

Roasted cauliflowers awaiting toppings, popular dish here

Roasted sweet potato: terrific

5E for small glass of wine

Spicy fish with extra spices on side

Pita is "spongier" than what we normally get in US and holds up better as sandwich

Dinner on our own at Miznon, a “fast-food” Israeli place in the Marais' Jewish quarter. Lamb kebabs in pita, spicy fish with toasted bread, a sweet potato, two small glasses of wine and one draft Heineken (other choices were Israeli and Italian beers in bottles), $50.

A pleasant stroll back to the apartment, we put the chocolate tart out of its misery, and now to see if we can get a full night’s sleep. TBD

Shots from around town and one from a far, far galazy

Locks on canal, THB does not think they are used any more

Orange vest rebellion 

A big moment that old parents like THB didn't experience until having grandchildren: the day when kids face forward in their car seats, thus avoiding multiple back pains for their parents and grandparents (C on left; does she really have only a giant pig tail on one side?)