Wow.
The last four days have been a complete blur — and with 48 plus hours under my (tightening) belt, I finally have a few pics to show you.
As I toggle back and forth between English and trying out the bits and pieces of French I remember (plus a soupcon of jetlag), I will skip most of the running commentary and focus on the best part.
Just a few Paris pics until I fully come up for air.
Doorways.
I’ve literally looked at hundreds of painted doors in the 27.5. miles I’ve walked in the last 3 1/2 days — and here’s just one of them.
On the recommendation of one foodie friend as well as Parisian food guru/bakery genuis David Leibovitz, we spent a couple hours at the Place Aligre and food market– and bought sacs and sacs of amazing food.
We ended up with cherries, raspberries, avocados, cucumbers, endive, curly lettuces and some of the sweetest strawberries I’ve ever had (they taste much like Oregon varieties but with an even shorter lifespan, apparently).
At the same market I bought innumerable cheeses, and made buddies with the fromage guys.
I came home with two pounds of various cheeses — and they were all spectacular.
Plus I tracked down this butter.
I’d been reading on-line that Bordier produces some of the best Normandy butter available — and seeing that yogurt was also available at a very small second cheese shop, I bought some of that too.
I bought salumi (truffle garlic) on this street and three and a half pounds of olives from yet another recommend spot from Monsieur Lebovitz (I’ve become quite the food cyber stalker).
I also bought two of the recommended rotisserie chickens (as mentioned in another foodie find, “I’ll Have What Phil’s Having”) and two pounds of lovely peeled potatoes that took on a lovely saffron hue and and then are anointed with the drippings of the blissfully crispy birds.
Already having been to two boulangeries in our travels: Poilane
and Eric Kayser — I finally felt like we had enough food to get our spread on.
Think we had enough food? This is just the beginning of it.
Now back at our flat, a lovely two bedroom flat in the heart of St. Germain de Pres — we ate and talked and laughed and then ate some more.
Afterward, there was nowhere to go but up.
To our roof deck.
Now granted — it’s a very steep walk up an interior ship ladder off the living room (the ascent of which exacerbates my fear of heights to no end) but once up there, we have the place to ourselves and there is a 360 degree view of Paris.
Yes, it’s like being thrown into Aristocats. (Am I so old that I’m the only one who remembers this?)
So that’s the first food days…
Great street food — like gyros and crepes and killer falafel, eaten on the banks of the Seine.
Picnics out during the day and later ones with different treasures inside at our big long table –all enjoyed alongside so many wonderful wines and breads.
And for friends and loved ones back home, a big yeasty, crunchy edible hug from us to you.
A plus tard!
Love reading about your adventures Sarah! Enjoy!
Merci Beth! J’espere que tu est bien!
You are having the most in-depth tourist experience! Keep it up!
Merci, Elizabeth!
So wonderful – the Klines take Paris!
Kisses, hugs, salted caramels…
Love the pics and am salivating (but admit I was a little stunned by the idea of 3.5 of olives)!
It’s been Project Runaway Food Purchases– you should see my fridge here!
Miss you, hope Diamond Lake was all you were hoping for!
Bon appetit mon petit lavarella!!! Wish i was there with you ❤️
Anne! I miss you! So wish we could meet up– maybe next trip we’ll hit Italy- My crew has never been and is love him and kids to see…XO
Charlotte looks tres chic and very at home there! Et pourquoi pas? Sounds like you are all having a wonderful time and will continue to do so.
Thanks, Mary! We’re all having such an amazing time!
Sarah in Paris…..Bliss for us all!
Thanks, Kristen!
I am so feeling your pictures, the language addled brain where you are thinking in both languages, or trying to and constantly translating signs all around. And the doors!! Oh the doors. I could have made a photo book of Doors of the Netherlands, but I’m sure its already been published. We lack true door pride in the US I think. Its some kind of religion over there. Always clean, always polished. For that matter I could also have done a photo book of toilets of Amsterdam!
Love the virtual vacation, keep ’em coming!
Drooling over the photos and especially loving the one of Charlotte! And, just in case you still have unscheduled time for another tasting, here’s the note I just got back from a young friend, Alyce Shields, living and cooking professionally in Paris:
“Bonjour, and nice to hear from you. I am cooking at Rose Bakery–a restaurant/cafe inside of Le Bon Marche at metro Sevres-Babylone. We do breakfast from 10am, lunch until 4pm, and tea time until 7pm. Closed on Sundays and air conditioned 🙂 (Having a heat wave this week). Thank you Anita! xx”
Hello Anita! So wonderful to hear from you. Not sure how you know Alyce, but we’ve been to Le Bon Marche three times in the past week — perhaps one of the very best food markets in the world! We will miss it dearly (and the pastries from Rose are spot-on). Come up for another visit soon!