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Sunday, August 28, 2016

It's Been a Busy Summer

I've been trying to post to this blog once a week, but I apparently took a three week break. (Didn't realize it had been that long).  Okay, time to play a little catch up.

Autumn Was Here!!

The biggest news since my last post was that our daughter Autumn paid us a visit! She was only able to stay for about 5 days, and as I mentioned in my last post, all of our favorite restaurants were closed, but we made the most of it anyway.

Autumn arrived on Monday, a little after noon. We were waiting for her at Bistro D'Edmond which is directly below our apartment. When Melanie saw Autumn in the back of a cab she let out a little squeak, but it turned into a shriek when the driver didn't stop. He wasn't paying attention and missed our street, initially, but realizing his mistake the cabbie backed down Quatre de Septembre and let Autumn off right in front of us.

There were lots of hugs, and as I always do I picked Autumn up and put her back down again. This has become a tradition with us ever since I read a question on Reddit many years ago.  It said: "At some point your parents picked you up, put you down, and never picked you up again." Since reading that I pick her up every single time I have the opportunity.

Autumn spent a few days in Portugal before coming to France so we sipped some cocktails and heard all about her trip. After a few hours I called my buddy Steve to see if he had time to get together for a beer. He chose a great bar/restaurant near one of the canals and the five of us (Me, Melanie, Autumn, Steve and Deborah) had a great time chatting, drinking, and snacking on hummus and other delights.

Tuesday, Autumn and I took an early morning walk.

Autumn and I walked past the Louvre and then across the Seine

After working up an appetite we stopped at a boulangerie for some flaky and delicious pain-au-chocolats, then ordered espresso from a little cafe on a nearby corner. We sat and talked for at least an hour and it's probably one of my favorite memories from her visit.

After lunch the whole family headed to the train station for a two hour trip to Lyon, France.

Here's Autumn at the hotel bar in Lyon, just before we headed out for dinner

We had an amazing meal in Lyon (it's reputation as one of the food capitals of the world is well deserved) and we were quite stuffed, but happy, when we got back to our hotel rooms.

The next day Autumn told Melanie that we should take a bus tour of the city, and this turned out to be an excellent suggestion! We learned a lot about Lyon and came away with a completely different impression compared to our first visit about three weeks earlier.

Part of the tour focused on Lyon's amazing architecture, though some of it is a bit odd, in my opinion:

Some of the crazy buildings we saw in Lyon...

There's also a charming area in Lyon that the locals call "old town", which even includes an amphitheater from the Roman era! We stopped here and got something to drink, then checked out an amazing medieval clock. It still runs!

The Lyon astronomical clock was built in the 14th century. It resides in the Lyon Cathedral.

Our final destination was the Paul Bocuse food market called Halles Lyon.

Although some of the shops were closed for August, the food market had a huge variety of local delicacies. We picked up some sausages, cheese, and an assortment of sweets to take home with us.

Quick aside: when Steve was learning French he played a little game with himself at restaurants and cafes. He would order in French, trying to sound as much like a native as possible, and if the person waiting on him did NOT switch to English that meant he won the game. 

Naturally, have been trying to play Steve's game, though I should add that I've had very limited success so far. Unfortunately, my most humiliating failure happened at the Bocuse food market... right in front of my daughter. I was trying to order some Lyonnaise candies, and I started out okay, but then got confused by the little name cards. Instead of calling out the flavors I wanted, I think I was mindlessly rattling off the list of ingredients. It must have sounded like this: "I will have some Jelly Beans with... uh... sugar, wheat syrup, cornstarch..."

After hearing me destroy her language the woman behind the counter finally requested, "Just say it in English!"

Despite my French failure, we had a great trip and a really nice visit with Autumn. On Thursday we had dinner at a trendy tapas place called "Au Passage" (it was very good), and that night we all got a little drunk at a bar called "The Mary Celeste".

Melanie and I teared up a little on Saturday when it was time for Autumn to leave, and we pretty much felt lost for the rest of the day.

Help Us! We're Melting...

This is a pre-emptive understatement, but it's been a little hot in Paris. For a good portion of last week we had temperatures around, or just under, 100 degrees Fahrenheit (about 38 Celsius). Couple that with about 50% humidity and you have a recipe for lots of discomfort and more than a few restless nights.

The heat literally drove these Parisians in-Seine. (I'll let myself out.)

I'm writing this on Sunday and it finally cooled off today, which is good. Not sure I could've taken another day of that heat.

Mosquitoes

For the most part, Paris has been surprisingly bug-free. Every time there's a garbage strike I expect to be inundated with flies and other little insects, but these seem to be fairly rare around here for some reason. (Though we have seen quite a few bees.)

Unfortunately, Paris doesn't have a lot of AC, so when it's hot outside everyone just leaves their windows open. I don't think I've ever seen a screen here, which means we get the occasional mosquito.
What hell is up with Paris mosquitoes??? In the United States these little blood suckers are big, slow, stupid, they move in swarms, and they make a faint buzzing sound so you always know when they are around. Mosquitoes here are quite different. They are like crafty little Ninjas. More than once I've woken up with a bite on my arm or leg and immediately turned on a light. Nothing. Not a sign. Twice I've managed to see one biting me but as soon as I moved to swat it, ZIPPP it disappeared without a trace. I've got so many bites I'm starting to look like a teenager with acne.

New Diets

Melanie and I really do love Paris but boy is this a difficult place to stay on a diet. There is just way too much good food, and cheap delicious wine around here. We've started diets a dozen times since we moved, but after a few days or weeks we would think, "We're in Paris. How can we deny ourselves the culinary treasures this place has to offer?"

After that we would ask ourselves: "When we eventually move back to the United States and people ask about the food are we going to say, 'We don't know. We didn't get to eat any of it'"? No!

Then we would start to rationalize: "In fact... wouldn't we be literally spitting in the face of French food culture if we didn't eat what they have to offer???  We can't be rude!" Then, we would finally feel justified to wolf down a pan of foie gras swimming in hollandaise sauce... 

It's REALLY hard to stay on a diet when surrounded by croissants, baguettes, and all the rich French food here

Fortunately, Autumn told us about a diet that should work great for us. It's based on a Tim Ferris book called "The Four Hour Body", and it's pretty similar to the paleo diet we were on back home. The biggest differences are that we can have legumes, and we get a cheat day once a week. This last feature is critical, because now we don't feel like we are depriving ourselves of all that amazing French food. It even works with our weekend travel plans! Saturday is our cheat day, so if we travel to, say, Frankfurt for the weekend, we can go to a biergärten Saturday night and eat and drink whatever we want!

*  *  *

Now that the summer break is over I'm hoping to get back to my old posting cadence of once or twice per week. We're still loving Paris, but it's starting to feel like home and not some exotic fairy tale city. That's both great.. and a little sad.

Sunday, August 7, 2016

Photo Time

Not much going on in Paris at the moment. As I mentioned last week, lots of folks are on vacation right now so the streets and cafes, at least in the less touristy areas, are relatively empty.

Since I don't have anything new to report, I figured I would just post some pictures and stories.

* * *

Church Surprise

As you may recall, I was REALLY in the mood for some spicy Chinese food last week.  The place I wanted was closed, but I found another Sichuan spot pretty close to our apartment.  After work on Friday I typed the restaurant name into Google Maps and headed off.

After passing the Opera House I walked around a corner and suddenly was standing in front of a beautiful church.  (I thought I was pretty familiar with this area, but Paris continues to throw surprises at me!)  I quickly snapped a pic with my iPhone:

The Église de la Sainte-Trinité, a Roman Catholic church built between 1861 and 1867.

Crossing the Seine

When my parents visited a few months back we took a walk down by the Seine.  As we stood on the ironically named Pont Neuf bridge (it's the oldest bridge in Paris but the name translates to "New Bridge"), I asked, "What do you guys want to do?  Do you want to keep walking or head back?"

My Mom looked across the bridge and then back towards our apartment.  "Have you seen what's on the other side of the bridge?"

I said, a little excitedly, "No! I haven't crossed over the bridge yet, so I'm not sure what's on the other side."

Mom said, "Well... let's head back then."

Dad and I laughed about that later.  Seemed like that conversation was going to have a different outcome; but I think Mom was afraid I would get all of us lost by walking around in unfamiliar territory.

A few weeks after they returned to Colorado I got up early one morning and walked across that bridge to see what was on the other side.  Here are some pictures I snapped from the bridge:

You can see the Eiffel Tower off in the distance. It was a beautiful morning!

There are 37 bridges in Paris that cross the Seine.

Seafood Tower

Maybe these things exist all over the world, but until we came to Paris I had never heard of a "Seafood Tower".  When I realized that a local restaurant offered one I had to give it a try. It was delicious... especially the oysters.

This mini-tower included crab, oysters, shrimp, and shellfish (snail-like cockles, whelks, and winkles).

Retro Paris

When walking around in Paris it's easy to imagine this city as it used to be. I used a "Time Machine" filter to create this picture:

I saw this "Cafe Brasserie" on an early morning walk.

On the subject of "retro photos", my buddy Steve found some books on the history of each district in Paris. I bought the book for our arrondissement (the 2nd) and found a picture of a park that is only a few blocks from our apartment. Strangely, I had just taken a picture of that same park a few days earlier!

Le Square Louvois, built in 1839. The picture on the left was taken in 1905. I took the one on the right.

American Dream

Not too far from Harry's Bar (creators of the Bloody Mary, and one of Hemingway's favorite haunts), we found a restaurant and bar called "The American Dream".  Not sure what I think of the decor, but it's certainly... interesting.  Haven't been inside yet.

This American Dream restaurant and bar seems to have it all: clowns, Elvis, the Blues Brothers...

Hair Today Gone Tomorrow

Pretty Simple, the company I work for here in Paris, is kind of amazing. We just got our own barber shop! It's open every Thursday, you just have to make an appointment. Free hair cuts for everyone!

Sandy, from La Shaperie, does a great job! (He recently cut the hair of Usher, an American singer.)

Sainte-Chapelle

During my parent's visit we stopped by a very old gothic church that had absolutely incredible stained glass windows:

Sainte-Chapelle is a gothic chapel within the Palais de la Cité, home to the Kings of France until the 14th century.

This city continues to amaze and inspire me. Every walk is a new adventure. Just this morning I took a walk through the 9th and stumbled on the Moulin Rouge nightclub, and the Montmartre cemetery, which dates back to 1825. I can't wait to see and learn even more!

Tuesday, August 2, 2016

Where the Hell is Everybody!?

It was Friday morning. The tail end of the last week in July.

Melanie and I had been trying to diet... but of course we live in one of the food capitals of the world, so two guesses how well that has been going. Still, Friday night is cheat night, and I was already thinking about what I wanted for dinner.

Chinese food sounded really good, but there was something else I was craving. Then it hit me. Heat. I wanted some really spicy Chinese food! A few months back my friend Steve mentioned a fiery Sichuan place in his neighborhood so I texted him to ask what it was called.

"Deux Fois Plus de Piment" (Basically that means: Two Times More Pepper).

Hell, yeah!  JACKPOT!

Super spicy Chinese food with an ice cold Tsing Tao beer? Yes please!

I ate a light lunch and literally spent all day thinking about peppers. I could smell them... I could taste them. I texted Melanie: "I am SO excited about this meal tonight!!!!"

But about 15 minutes before quitting time my "friend" Steve completely shattered my dreams. We were talking about the restaurant when he suddenly blurted out, "Sorry, dude. I just went to their website and it looks like they are closed."

After demonstrating (for the entire office) my growing knowledge of French swear words I calmed down enough to inquire (through a few tears), "For the love of God... Whyyyyyyy?"

Steve reminded me that many people in Paris take their vacations in August, most heading off to a beach somewhere.

A lot of Parisians take two to four weeks of vacation in August.

Yeah, okay, I knew about the August/beach thing. I just hadn't realized that it was going to affect ME! I frantically tried to find another restaurant, but my second choice was also closed, prompting me to share a few more French swear words.

I finally found a Sichuan place near our apartment with good reviews, and Melanie and I had a very nice dinner. Not a big deal. I still wasn't aware of the trouble to come.

I normally eat lunch at home on Mondays and Wednesdays so Melanie and I can get ready for our evening French class. Only there are no French classes this month because, you guessed it, everyone is on vacation! Still, it was a beautiful day so I decided to come home anyway, figuring we could have a nice lunch on our balcony. But what to eat? Steve and I frequent a super good sandwich place called "Jambon Buerre Cornichon", and I've been wanting Melanie to try one of their specialties, so that seemed like a perfect choice!

Jambon Buerre Cornichon is a fantastic sandwich place about 10 minutes from Pretty Simple.

I'm sure you can guess where this part of my story is going. Yep.
CLOSED.

I was really in the mood for a sandwich, so I checked Google for other shops in the area. The next best sandwich place was also closed but I eventually found a spot a few blocks away. Melanie and I had a nice lunch on our balcony, basking in the midday sun.

Back at the office I told Steve about the closures. He laughed, "Yep. I told you about Paris in August, right?" Yeah, he did, but I was only now starting to wonder how deep this 'August in Paris' conspiracy really went.

I was about to find out.

Last Christmas our daughter and her fiance came to visit and we had an awesome time, but Melanie and I were a little chagrined that we didn't know more good restaurants for them to visit.

We vowed to do better next time, and since December we've been branching out, trying new places, and compiling a list of our absolute favorite eateries. When Autumn told us she was coming for a 5 day visit starting August 15 we were very excited because we knew exactly where we wanted to take her!

We have a few weeks before she arrives so we are still "auditioning" new places. This afternoon I called Mel and said, "Hey, if you are feeling up to it tonight, let's try that place Steve recommended a few months ago: Le Servan! See if it should go on our list!"
CLOSED from July 27 to August 23.

Hmm. I e-mailed Boyoung, a lovely young Korean woman from our French class, and asked the name of the local Tapas restaurant she raved out. She wrote back: "A. Noste".
CLOSED from July 30 to August 23.

Melanie has been wanting clams so perhaps we could go to that really great seafood place, Clamato?
CLOSED until August 23.

I started to get a sinking feeling. What about our carefully cultivated list? I began checking the names:

Frenchies
CLOSED

The Beast (that amazing BBQ restaurant we've been raving about)
CLOSED

Philou
CLOSED

Every single restaurant on our list is going to be closed while Autumn is here!

Why aren't more people talking about this? Where is the news media?  Where is CNN??? Doesn't anyone care about all the tourists who come here in August? It's like they spent a bunch of money to visit Disneyland only to discover that all the best rides and attractions were shut down for the summer! How can this be allowed to happen? What the hell, Paris!?

Okay, okay... maybe I'm overreacting... maybe I'm trying to make a molehill out of a mountain. All is not completely lost, right? After all, there are still some restaurants in Paris that are open. They don't ALL shut down. We've been working on a new plan for Autumn's visit and it looks like this:

Monday - McDonalds
Tuesday - Subway
Wednesday - Pizza Hut
Thursday - That cheap Crepe/Kebab/Hamburger joint on the corner
Friday - Airport Cafeteria

<sigh>