Paris l'hiver
Not only is it Gabe's birthday weekend, but we also wanted Ezra to visit Paris since this is his first time out of the US and experiencing France. So off to Paris! When faced with a rainy and cold weekend in Paris, what's the remedy? Walk everywhere! Friday marked Gabe's birthday, and we kicked off the celebration with a train picnic – but not your average one. No, this was a multi-course affair. The first round featured a beet salad, olives with anchovies and peppers on a toothpick, boquerones, and Ensalada de Morras (seriously, I can't get enough of that dish). Next up, a delightful pâté, all paired with bread from a newfound boulangerie and a bottle of Barolo. This bread was rustic perfection. Cheeses were next, but we were full. So, we went to the dessert course – chocolates from Lurka and pot au chocolat. It was a decadent feast for Gabe's special day. Only the best for our Gaby Baby! We rolled into Paris at 10:30 pm, and hopped into a taxi bound for our Airbnb.
The following morning greeted us with persistent rain and a chill in the air. Undeterred, we set out on foot toward a highly rated patisserie. Despite arriving soaked, we sought refuge under an awning, indulging in a croissant – because, rain or shine, you can't pass that up. We explored the Marais, collectively shivering, until we stopped at a café, on the Place des Vosges, where the boys had hot chocolate served in silver carafes with China cups and saucers. For lunch, we ate an incredible cassoulet – just the ticket for a cold, stormy day. Then it was off to the St. Chapelle. Even on a cloudy day, it maintained an air of mystique.
On Sunday morning, we “ran errands” and enjoyed lunch at one of our favorite spots, L'Avant Comptoir du Marché. Then we were off to the Louvre for a three-hour art exploration with a guide, recommended by Stacey and Bryan. While it might have been a bit lengthy for Charlie, we were all captivated by the insights into the Mona Lisa, Napoleon, the Louvre's history, and the evolution of art. Our guide, Cecilia Saavedra, deserves an A+; she not only shared a wealth of information but was also dynamic and engaging. From the transition from the traditional triangle arrangement in classical art to Matisse's departure and the in-between - the Renaissance and Baroque - she made the journey through the different artists so interesting. Her extra visuals and interactive games made the entire four hours fly by—we were so engrossed in art that we ran over an hour. We left the museum in the dark, exhausted but brimming with newfound knowledge. We ended up in a little restaurant in Montmartre for dinner.
On our last day in Paris, we had one logistic to figure out – needing to check out of our Airbnb at 11 am but our train wasn’t departing until 6:30 pm. No one wants to lug luggage all over Paris. Thankfully, we discovered Nannybag, a service allowing travelers to securely store their belongings. It was an easy solution! We left our bags near the Gare Montparnasse and off we went to explore Paris unencumbered by our luggage.
I finally made my way back to Maison Bourgeat, the place where I bought those fabulous French glasses last year. A bit apprehensive about asking for a replacement due to the peeling frames, we stepped into the store, and the salesperson looked up. In my best French, I said, "Je les ai achetés l'année dernière..."
To my surprise, she beamed and replied, "Je me souviens de vous - de la Californie, n'est-ce pas ?" Both Gabe and I were surprised that she remembered us. She immediately found another pair of the same frames, swapped out the lenses, and even handed me the damaged ones in case I needed any hardware for the new pair. I couldn't believe how easy it was.
Gabe asked the woman how she was doing, and she shared that things have been pretty tense since the Israel-Hamas conflict. Her daughter is feeling uneasy about going to school, and there have been several incidents of anti-Semitic conflicts across the city. The sadness in her response was clear.
The skies cleared, and despite the chill, it turned into a beautiful day. We found a great bookstore, explored a Christmas market, indulged in pizza for lunch, and visited the Eiffel Tower. The Seine, the timeless architecture, the hustle – we had a busy Parisian weekend. We hopped on our 6:30 train back to Biarritz. Merci Paris, we had a fantastic weekend.
