Day Six in Paris – Le Shopping
Yesterday we shopped for les cadeaux for folks back home, and a few items some friends had requested we pick up for them from Paris. We strolled up and down Boulevard St. Germain, and I was finally able to fulfill one of my Paris fantasies: a stop at Cafe Flore for a leisurely coffee and people watching from one of the sidewalk tables. 
These are the new boots again, worn with the black jeans, green cardigan. They have a bit of a heel, but not too much. Yes, that’s a new scarf I picked up today at Gerard Darel. They’d sold out of the women’s size in the leopard print, so this is a kid’s one!
Last night’s dinner was at Robert et Louise, and were seated downstairs in the cozy cellar. This is a really old-time Paris restaurant, for carnivores only. Everything was quite simple and good, nothing fancy, just meat cooked (barely) over a fire right in the upstairs dining room, and lovely potatoes and salad. We really enjoyed it!
Tomorrow we’re planning to visit Jardin des Plantes, and the Musee Cluny if we have time, and do some more shopping, this time for some wines to bring home. Later in the afternoon we’re meeting Tish from A Femme d’un Certain Age!! This will probably be my last update until next week, as we leave e a r l y Sunday morning for the long flight home.
A bientot!
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Le Musée du Cluny is wonderful, but of course meander wherever you want as your whirlwind trip draws to a close.
At le Jardin des plantes, you are very close to the Great Mosque of Paris, where there is an Arabic café where you take mint tea, or tiny cups of strong Arab coffee, with tiny Maghrebi pastries and feel you have travelled to Morocco, not Paris. In the same area (both a short walk from le Jardin des plantes) l’Institut du Monde arabe faces the Seine and is close to a bridge that will take you home to your rental flat. I’m not recommending that you take in an exhibit as you have too many other things to see, but do take the lift to the terracce roof, for a remarkable view of Notre-Dame, Tour St-Jacques and east-central Paris.
There is also a café there where you can have tea or coffee (or even a glass of wine, unlike at the Mosque obviously). You don’t have to pay admission to take the lift up.
The fact that you can comfortably “arpenter les pavés citadins” de Paris in your new boots is an invaluable testimonial to how very comfy Arche footwear is.
Chez Robert et Louise sounds great and reasonably priced, which is becoming rare in le Marais. I’ll refran from recommending it to vegetarian friends – my first Paris rec to them is to find a rental, not a hotel, as they’ll be happier with the markets than the restos.
I stumbled on a blog in FRENCH about “becoming Parisian” – actually written by a Frenchwoman, perhaps even a native Parisian, not a Québécoise, a Belgian or a Moroccan francophone. Haven’t read through it yet, but you might find it fun once back in LA: http://www.devenirparisien.over-blog.com/
You’re having such a lovely week! And you look fabulous in every one of these photos. I agree with Lagatta about the Mosque just across from one of the entrances to Le Jardin des plantes, and even more, that L’Institut du Monde Arabe is wonderful just to see for the architecture — the technology of the windows, designed to regulate the amount of light and thus protect the exhibits, is stunningly intricate and beautiful. I like the Cluny very much as well, but remember to follow your heart and your feet — prioritize meandering; eschew the “shoulds”!
Oh , you must go to the cluny!!!
I have so enjoyed visiting Paris with you this week via your blog. What a wonderful time you’re having – and you look delightfully chic.
Lorrie
I’m having such a good time touring Paris with you that I’m said you/we are going home!
Love, love, love the scarf! And have a wonderful time with Tish – my favourite two ‘D’un certain ages’ together…. am most envious!
Darn, I wish I could click on the photo of you to enlarge it (as I could with the other photo) to see the details of your outfit. I really want to see your scarf. Your trip has just flown by, but every moment sounds very well spent indeed. And I am super-jealous of your meet-up with darling Tish. Have fun!
If you read this before setting out for le jardin des plantes: don’t bother. I found it very second-rate–esp at this time of year. There aretoo many other wonderful places to visit.
Casey, une femme is not far from waking time, in the Paris wee hours. We can just wish une femme et un homme (in lieu of “un homme et une femme” a pleasant and safe journey home. Takes longer going westwards.
Yes, it can be a bit fusty, but it has great historical importance. This botanical garden was founded in 1635! (I did know the century; my background is in history, but fr.wikipedia delivered the precise date to my old brain). And it is nice that les pseu are dwelling on places they can easily walk to. It makes for a very special visit.
The Jardin des plantes has undergone extensive work over the past several years. The newly restored and re-opened Galerie de Minerologie et Geologie is well worth a visit, and the once less than notable grounds are stunning.
Lagatta, a visit to the hammam at the Mosque is one of my Paris musts- though with separate days for men and women, Pseu & Mr. will likely not be able to fit it in for both. We rent an apt. 5 min. away, just at the Jussieu metro.
Pseu, safe trip home!
Yes, I always take time for the hammam; as Muslim people are required to be ritually clean (similar to the Mikvah for Orthodox Jewish women) the price is kept low, and the hammam welcomes people of all faiths or none.
But one day the friendly guy at the entrance wicket to the mosque was laughing with me about some Frenchpeople who wanted the hammam to be “mixte”. The Mosque is a place of worship after all, moreover hammam culture between women and between men is a major facet of social life in the Arab world and other Muslim lands.
I didn’t bother recommending the hammam to pseu simply because their trip was so short and they already had day outings planned.
That is a nice area to rent in, Duchesse. It is less hectic than the centre of the Quartier latin, but pleasant and central. A friend of mine was a professor at Jussieu for many years so I know the area fairly well. But how ugly that particular university is – “brutalist” architecture.
pseu et monsieur pseu are crossing the ocean right now!
A child’s scarf in leopard? Must be Paris. It’s been great to see the sights with you, our tres chic guide, but the best part is that you look so happy!