Blonde in Amsterdam & Paris: Van Gogh, Gables & the Gare d'Orsay
 

There’s a saying that when life gives you lemons, you make lemonade. In this case, life (or rather, work) took me to Amsterdam for two days in late April, so I decided to make a vacation of it by tacking on another few days to enjoy Amsterdam and a brief taste of Paris. I had good company too, as my recently retired 50 year-old mother was just starting out on a 3-week European adventure of her own! That we had a great time came as no surprise to either of us . . . as they say, we blondes do have more fun!

Day 1 - THURSDAY

Or maybe I should say Night One, since we met up in Amsterdam on a Thursday Night after I’d finished my meetings. Our meeting spot was a hotel called the Ambassade on Herrengracht, a lovely canal-ringing street in the heart of Amsterdam. The Ambassade was a wonderful choice and base for operations. If a little cozy by American standards, the room was spotlessly clean, had a fantastic shower (incredible water pressure!) and a great view overlooking the canal that goes by the same name as the street. And the staff was also sensational – very friendly, knowledgeable and welcoming. I would stay here again in a heartbeat.

As a traveler, I always enjoy trying out the local cuisine, which is why I was a bit surprised when the hotel staff directed us to a place called Kantjil & de Tiger which serves Indonesian food. But after I thought for a moment about Holland's long connections to Indonesia, it made perfect sense that this would be an important part of the local culinary landscape.

Located a few, quaint streets from the Ambassade, we could tell immediately from the festively buzzing interior and 45 minute wait for a table that this place was a local go-to. And when we were finally seated, it didn’t disappoint. We had been recommended to order a Rijstaffel (sp?) which roughly translates to rice table, which we did. And as a result, the waiters kept bringing out dish, after dish, after dish of various Indonesian delicacies. We thought it was all delicious (lots of wonderful peanut and papaya influences!), but Mom and I both required a few Bintang beers to handle the spice!

I was pretty tired after a manic work week and the jet-lag from California had Mom yawning, so we made our way back to the Ambassade and called it an early night. But not before stopping for a delicious stroopwafel on the way back! :) (If you have never had one, you must! – pure sugar, they are actually available at US supermarkets!). Try them now!

DAY 2 - FRIDAY

The next morning after a great night’s rest, I woke up at 7:45 to find Mom styling her hair, in her second hour of getting primped for the day. To think, I'd almost forgotten how much fun travelling with her is!

Once we were all put together, we made haste to the Anne Frank House. We got there at 9 o’clock and the line was already stretching down the street! As a rule, I have very little patience for lines, but if there was ever a worthwhile cause for waiting in one, this was it, and so we sucked it up. (Travel Hint: To avoid lines, I think you can buy tickets in advance – see their website for details).

I won’t really say too much about the Anne Frank House because my words don’t do it justice. It is a exceptionally necessary monument to a horrible time and stands as a reminder of true courage. Thank goodness it exists and thank goodness there are long lines to see it. Mom and I both felt that the Museum was perfectly displayed and were deeply encouraged by the masses of people, from all backgrounds and walks of life who made seeing it a priority on their itineraries. That was very uplifting.

We had not eaten before visiting the museum and in the course of strolling along another canal, Prinsengracht, came upon a place called The Pancake Bakery and decided to stop for an earlyish lunch. All I have to say is that the Dutch know how to do pancakes! You can get just about anything you want in them and they will be completely scrumptious. Yum! :) I was in vacation mode and looking to indulge my sweet tooth, so I made us order a banana and chocolate syrup pancake for dessert, which as a bonus came topped with abundant whipped cream! The Pancake Bakery is a great place to try Dutch pancakes and I think would probably be good for kids as well if you are travelling with them.

Mom and I are both fitness junkies, but with our limited time in Amsterdam we decided to make walking the city our workout for the day. And what a pretty walk it was. The day was a little overcast as we strolled from canal to canal, over picturesque little bridges, while tall, thin, blonde locals biked by, high in their bicycle saddles, frowning under the glasses they inevitably wore. The walk was pure architectural eye candy, with so much to see, and before we knew it, we were at the Museumplein to visit the Van Gogh Museum. Here we had booked our tickets in advance and thus were spared what would have been another terribly long wait in line.

If you want to know about Van Gogh, you could always read Wikipedia or an art book, but in my personal opinion (shared by most), the guy was nuts! How else could anyone paint like that – those vibrant, thick, swirling colors! Even if we hadn’t loved the artwork (which it is impossible not to), the building is magnificent too. This is a complete, 100% must see during any first time visit to Amsterdam! Also, while I don't usually love museum audio tours, this one was particularly good.

We stopped for a cup of coffee and made our way over to the Rijksmuseum. I have to admit, that even for highly energetic, intrepid walkers like us, this was a lot of museums for one day. But I’ve always felt that if you are going to see a city or country, you have to hit the high points, and the Rijksmuseum is definitely one of them. The artwork spans a broad range of styles and periods, with a focus on the glory days of the Dutch Republic (Vermeer, Rembrandt, etc). If you’re an art aficionado, I suppose the collection is not to be missed, but that particular genre really isn’t my favorite. The famous “Night Watch” painting, however, is fantastic and huge (and prompted Mom to lean over and whisper sheepishly, “where’d they get such a big canvas?!”). In any event, I was very happy to check the museum off of my list and to see the interior architecture of what is a very beautiful and stately building. And ever the fashionista, Mom had plenty to say about the choices of attire of the rich old merchants depicted in the paintings of Holland’s glory days – “even if they didn’t have razors, they do look good in black!”

It was already the late afternoon turning to the early evening when we left the Museumplein. I believe that the best way to get to know a city (in addition to walking it) is to see all sides of it, so I had been working all day to break down Mom’s prudish opposition to visiting the famed "Red Light District". Finally, after hours of pleading, she agreed to go for a "quick visit" and we made our way in that general direction. We had walked a lot during the day (thank goodness we had opted for wedges instead of heels!) and were happy to come across the nicely appointed bar at the Café Americain to rest our tired legs and enjoy a well-earned drink. We both enjoyed a well-prepared, crisp Hendrix Martini and the libation definitely helped to relax Mom about the prospect of being in proximity to Amsterdam’s notorious bordellos!

The red light district is one of the strangest places I’ve ever been to. Think of a mixture of a shoddy roadside restaurant with neon red lighting, an aquarium, a fashion runway and a dermatologist’s office and you’ve pretty much captured it. We wandered past a venue hosting a show of interesting content and were none-too subtly eyed by two separate packs of teenage boys. Needless to say, I wasn’t at all surprised and didn’t object when Mom, who is fabulously prissy and who clearly felt out of place perfectly primped and crisp in her tucked in white collar shirt and pearls, abruptly suggested we go find some dinner!

We managed (by dumb luck) to find two free seats at the bar at the bustling Restaurant In De Waag, which is located in a really neat old building in the heart of the red light district. The bartender – wish I remembered his name – was extremely nice and accommodating and in response to Mom’s question about the strange ceramic bottles on the wall behind the bar, introduced us to Dutch gin, which he proudly explained is called Jenever and pronounced gen-E-ver. His English wasn’t great and I didn't completely follow his short explanation of how the stuff is made, but I did feel badly when Mom and I both puckered and reached immediately for our water glasses after our first taste!

Not to be deterred, the bartender brought out another ceramic bottle. “It gets better,” he said with a wink as he poured us each a second sample. I can’t say that I agree that the taste improves, but the spirit is quite pungent, and a few minutes later I could tell by Mom’s fiddling with her collar and cuffs, rosy cheeks and her increasingly giggly conversation with the lovely young Greek couple, Cristos and Sophia, next to us at the bar that she was beginning to feel pleasantly tickled from her drinks. A cheese plate, a shared generous piece of Venison, a conversation about Santorini and Rhodes, and three more rounds of Jenevers later, our appetites had been quenched and we were bidding goodbye to our new best friends!

The food at In De Waag was not spectacular and I wouldn’t go out of my way to find it again for dinner. But it did serve us well as a pleasant, civilized retreat from the madness of the Red Light District, so that fortified by a good meal and the local spirit, we readied ourselves for another pass at the Red Light District.

We didn’t go to any shows. We giggled at many of the sites we saw behind the street-facing glass doors (and at the people who opened them!). We turned down tons of offers of pot-hashish-coke from pushers. We saw lots of glowing red lights mixed in amongst lovely old architecture. And I have to admit that after several rounds of Jenever, the neon red lighting reminded me a little of the swirling Van Goghs we'd seen earlier in the day :)

I said it before, but I’ll say it again – Jenever is some pretty pungent stuff! And if you’ve read any of my prior trip reports about our limo adventures in Napa, you’ll know that Mom has a tendency to get a little silly after a few drinks. So it didn’t come as a shock to me when a short while later the bartender’s generosity caught up with Mom, who was by now a trifle unsteady on her feet and shaking with laughter as she whispered in my ear, “I thhhick theresaa lilll alllllkk-holllll in the jennnnifers”. Scuzzy as the Red Light district is, there were so many people around that we felt completely safe and it was, dare I say, quite entertaining to watch Mom, still impeccably crisp and polished in her white shirt and pearls even while quite intoxicated, jettison her prudish horror over her surroundings in order to focus her fullest efforts on asking locals and tourists alike in her best slurred speech where we could find a “sooofwapell”. :)

Of course, it was not hard to find a purveyor of said stroopwafels and, apart from being supremely delicious, I took several hilarious pictures of prissy Mom posing with her new best friend, the Stroopwafel maker! He didn’t speak very good English, but did know enough to ask her what her favorite things were in Amsterdam. He nodded approvingly when Mom enthusiastically replied, “Soofwappels!”, but looked completely confused when she added a moment later, “annnn Jennnnnifer!” I made a drinking motion with my hand, at which point he smiled, winked at Mom and declared, “ahhhh, Gen-E-ver!” ;)

After a wobbly and laughter-filled stroll through Dam Square, we made our way back to the Ambassade to call it a night.

More soon including the remainder of our brief visit to Amsterdam & our jaunt to Paris!

Love this! Will be in Paris then Amsterdam in September, so can't wait for rest of trip report!

Stroopwaffles are so delicious, especially when made fresh for you. Trader Joe's Joe's Caramel Bites will have to do until I get back to The Netherlands.

Classic, your mother sounds great! I haven't been to Amsterdam in decades but it's very close to the top of my list for a revisit.

You crack me up! I can totally picture your mom, and as my first trip to Amsterdam is coming up in September, I am going to have my husband read this so we can be sure to try some "soofwappels" and "Jennnnifers!"

@Italynovice - Thanks for the kind feedback. September is probably a wonderful time to visit Amsterdam! I can confirm that April is too :) More trip report coming soon!

@HappyTrvlr - I agree, SW's are the greatest! Strangely, I've been able to find them occasionally in random corner grocery stores . . . in which case I always buy them out!

@Wellltraveledbrit - Thanks for your feedback. I'm loving reading your "ongoing trip report"!

And, yes, traveling with Mom is great. She's one of those young-at-heart fabulous 50 year-olds who stays in shape and is wayyyy too enthusiastic about fashion, especially when it involves heels, handbags, collars and pearls. :) As you probably deduced, she enjoys a good tipple, but since she isn't too masterful at holding her drinks, we've been known to end up in some giggly situations (cue the Red Light District!).

Did you visit the Van Gogh Museum when you last went to Amsterdam? If not, make sure to next time! Just wonderful. I can't wait to compare the building with the Tate in London later this year!

Hi again Blondie!

As always, I loved your report! We are deciding between a trip to Japan or Europe later this year, so your reviews are very helpful!

Your evening in the red light district was hilarious! As my boyfriend will attest, I've been known to have a little trouble with my words too after a few glasses of wine, so I actually laughed so hard this morning I woke him up when I read Mom's declaration that “I thhhick theresaa lilll alllllkk-holllll in the jennnnifers”! :) Did she have any other memorable musings during your wanderings in the red light district? She sounds like a fun drinking buddy! :)

Did you give any thought to traveling to any of the other nearby cities in Holland - The Hague, Delft, Leiden? We are, but we may need to pass if we're short on time. Curious to know your thoughts.

Can't wait to read the next installment. Collars & Pearls Forever!
- Cait

Haha, Blondie! I love your mom - and I'm sure my daughters would think she has a lot in common with me. ;)

More importantly, how wonderful to travel with your mother - and really enjoy it. You obviously have a special relationship and I'm sure you both treasure it.

Looking forward to more of your adventures.

(Oh, and I was along on your Napa adventure as well - such fun!)

Great report. I know hardly anybody who doesn't find the red light district hilarious except for church ladies and serious customers.

But frankly my biggest discovery on my first trip to Amsterdam (which I have visited more than 20 times since then over the years) was the herring trucks. And when it is the season of "new herring" it is pure ecstasy. Well, maybe not for everybody.

I may be unconventional, because I am also a huge fan of the Febo automats.

Yay! Another Blondie trip report!! A big hello to you from me and Hubbie . . . how is everything?

Loved the first installment . . . we are big fans of Indonesian food, and I can just imagine the spice! We also had a drink at the Cafe Americain a few years ago when we were in Amsterdam . . . nice place!

After bumping into you gals in Napa two years ago, I can only imagine how giggly Mom must have been after all of the Genever . . . hehe :) She is so much fun!!! Actually . . . Hubbie and I are thinking about a trip to Greece . . . someday in the near future . . . and to see some islands. Would love to know if Cristos and Sophia had any good suggestions that you and Mom remember and care to pass on . . .

Can't wait for more of this trip report! Cheers!

@Kerouac . . . we loved Febo too!!

Oh . . . and Hubbie insists I ask . . . did you gals get Jenever collar? Any different from the famous "wine collar" you were laughing so hard about that far off day in Napa? ;)

Your wonderful report brings back memories of adventures in travel with my late mother. It's a joy to have had those great times together.

And... speaking of genever, I have six of those little Delft houses KLM gives to their business class passengers. They contain Bols genever and have never been opened since I got them in the 80s or 90s. I've often wondered if the genever would still be drinkable. Anyone know?

Hard liquor never goes bad.

@Joan - Thanks for your nice note! (And hello to your husband!).

If you are picturing a 5'-8", slender, fifty year old blonde, tottering through the red light district in cobalt blue slacks, a black skinny belt and a tucked in crisp white shirt, giggling and starry-eyed as she asks for directions in her best slurred speech, then you're right, you can picture Mom perfectly! :)

But, yes, it was pretty priceless to watch Mom repeatedly calling Stroopwafels "soofwappels" and to see the confused look on the face of a fellow American tourist when she grabbed on to his shoulder for balance and proudly declared "sorrry! issss the Jennnnifers!" ;) Actually, I'll be curious to know if people know what you're talking about when you ask for "soofwappels" and "Jennnnifers" during your trip -- Mom did talk to an awful lot of people that night! (Kidding, Kidding!)

That's so great that you're going to Amsterdam in the fall! We had a splendid time -- there's so much to see. Do you have your itinerary set yet?

Hi @CCC! Great to hear from you again! How is everything?

You're not alone -- I was also laughing uncontrollably at Mom's “I thhhick theresaa lilll alllllkk-holllll in the jennnnifers” comment in the moment.

She did have some other good slurred speech musings, but I can't really remember any good ones off hand. (Probably b/c I'd had my fair share of Jenever too!) But the funniest thing of all was how suddenly the Jenever caught up with her out of nowhere. She was definitely giggly and getting drunker during our time at In De Waag, but then, whammo! It was like somewhere along the line she forgot how to speak English! In any event, you're right that she's a great drinking buddy and always happy as a clam :)

I would have loved to go to some other towns, but we really barely had enough time for Amsterdam as it was. Leiden is definitely on my list of places to get back to though -- I had a college professor from there once and he loved it!

Japan and Europe! Wow, that's two totally different directions! I think you have to pick one or the other first and then drill down. But either way will be great. Europe is magnificent and since I've never been to Japan, for me that's the stuff of legends!

Collars & Pearls Forever! :)

@LCBoniti - Thanks for your kind words. I love my Mom too! -- and I'm sure that if folks haven't met her (and assuredly everyone except for Kendra hasn't!) she's as amusing a read as she is a companion :)

But in all seriousness, I think you hit the nail on the head. I can't think of any relationship that is more special than the Mom-Daughter dynamic and I'm SO lucky to have a great one. The truth of the matter is, with her unique sense of style and youthful outlook, I have more fun with her and share more with her than I do most of my contemporaries. I think it's very rare to have someone like that in your life whom you can confide in, travel with and loosen up with!

How are things on your end? Any good travel adventures coming up?

(Also, glad you got a kick out of our latest jaunt to Napa. We had a great time! We're trying to figure out what to do for her 51st, but it's so hard to coordinate everyone's calendars these days!)

Cheers!

@Kerouac – Thanks for your nice note! I totally agree with you about the red light district – it needs to be taken with a grain of salt. Mom is generally quite proper and reserved, so it didn't surprise me that I had to talk her into visiting. In any event, during our post-Jenever walkthrough, she too was ready to laugh! :)

And BTW, you totally foreshadowed my next installment, in which both herring and febo make brief cameos!

What fun! Amsterdam has long been on my places to visit and I enjoyed your take on it.
How lucky you are to have such great adventures with your mom.

Hi Blondie,

Thanks for your thoughts! Too bad you didn't have any time to go to other cities in Holland. Maybe next time. If we end up going to Holland, I think we'd do Leiden too... and maybe The Haag, since my boyfriend is a human rights lawyer and never shuts up about that place!

So funny your description of how the Jenever just caught up with her... happens to me too sometimes, with very silly results. Although I've never tried Jenever :) Please let Mom know she's not alone and we all still love her! :)

Can't wait to hear more about your trip, especially Paris!! After your bubbly 50th Napa wine tour, I hope you made certain to toast your visit with some champagne! :)

CountryClubCaitlinn . . . I went to Delft, Leiden and The Haag . . . go to Leiden . . . great University charm!

Blondie, your audience is waiting . . . ! :) :)

And CCC . . . because I like bad puns, I have to tell you that Hubbie just added, "if you go to Delft . . . you're daft!"

Terrrrrrrrrible!

DAY 3 - SATURDAY

I don’t know how Mom does it, but the very next morning she was up and at ‘em at 7:00 a.m., energetic, enthusiastic and primping for the day. Despite her loving chiding, I elected to roll over and sleep for another hour and half, until Mom, great alarm clock that she is, gave me a loving shake, flashed her white smile and said in a stern, motherly tone, "Out of bed, Honey!"

I stretched, rolled over and checked my phone. I was surprised to see a text from my sister Bailey which read "Who is Jennifer???" I was completely stumped by this question, and responded with a "Who??? IDK!".

I also had one voicemail, so I checked it. It was from Mom -- who in her the midst of her considerable drunkenness the night before had accidentally left me a rambling voice message that she’d clearly intended for my younger twin sisters: :)

"Hiii Ainzzz 'n Baill . . . isss smom <giggles> . . . Isss . . . hic! . . . latennn Ams . . . hic! <giggles> . . . Amssserdam but iwannna <giggles> . . .iwannnna saayy . . . hic! . . . <giggles> . . . isss . . . hic! . . . <giggles> isssmom . . . annnn . . . isss a lill bittty alll-ka-hollll . . . isss Ammmersam <giggles> . . . Ammmderrr . . . Ammmserrr . . . hic! . . . isss somussh fun . . .isss <giggles> . . .smom loveyou!!!"

When I finally stopped laughing (which was just temporary, because I am still laughing about this!), I hurriedly got dressed (yes, in Athleisure!) and met Mom downstairs in the fresh air by the canal. (In case you are wondering, I still haven't deleted the message and listen to it when I'm in dire need of a laugh!). :)

We were both feeling a tad foggy and donning sunglasses after our adventures with Jenever the night before, but it was nothing that a walk through the crisp morning air and a great cup of coffee and pastry couldn’t fix. We took a few minutes to review the photographic and video evidence of the prior night’s adventures, prompting Mom to blush and exclaim innocently, "Oh my gosh! I can’t believe that nice bartender got me drunk!"

Mom’s best friend back home had planted the idea in her head that no visit to Amsterdam is complete without a canal cruise, so we queued up and took one. It lasted for a bit over an hour and I have to admit it was a really great way to see the city and its fantastic architecture. Winding through the canals, you can really get a sense of how the city expanded gradually over the centuries to meet the successes and needs of its inhabitants. My only regret is that it made me wish that I had about two more days to spend in Amsterdam!

If there’s one thing Mom and I love to do, it is shop. And Amsterdam has just the place for that – the splendid Nine Streets district. Basically, this area is chock-full of mostly small boutiques offering many unique and local products on quaint and centrally situated Amsterdam streets that ring the canals. If like us you like to browse, make sure to leave several hours to give the district its due -- we were definitely short on time! And make sure to leave extra space in your suitcase, because you WILL buy something. Our favorite shop was one called Hester Van Eeghen, where Mom picked up an adorable "Gloria Gaynor" styled pair of shoes and a handbag to add to her ever-growing collections. :)

Alas, it was finally the early afternoon and time to hit the road, or in our case, the tracks, and we walked our roller bags in the direction of the train station. On the way we passed a small kiosk selling herring sandwiches. We both love herring, so made a point of having one (a good idea, since we’d completely forgotten to stop for lunch!). Talk about a great street snack! It’s not a taste that everyone likes, but for me, it was tops!

Finally it was time to go. We boarded the Thalys train to Paris and were off. I have to say that the Thalys trains and their cushy seats are really lovely! As a Bostonian, all I could think about as we cruised past pastures, farmland, and Belgium was that the scenery and the train experience was so much nicer than New Jersey and Amtrak! And I definitely need to add to Belgium to my short list of places to visit. :)

I read and caught up on work e-mails for a bit and looked out the window, until my phone rang. With the time difference, it was now Saturday morning in the USA and my younger twin sisters, Ainsley and Bailey were calling. I picked up the phone and immediately began laughing so hard that my eyes teared up and Mom immediately put her fingers to her lips to "shhhh" me as I drew glances from others in the train car. The reason I was laughing so hard? I had gone to bed immediately after we returned home from our Red Light District adventure and am a very deep sleeper, so, unbeknownst to me, Mom had stayed up for a while longer and in her inebriated condition decided to Face Time with her younger daughters!

As veterans of Mom's two Napa limo birthday trips, the twins know from experience that Mom is a recipe for adorable comic relief when she's had a little too much to drink. Which is why, as they relayed it, they immediately knew when Mom appeared on the screen swaying, with bright pink cheeks as she primped the collar of her crisp white shirt and stifled her giggles that they were in for a treat. :)

Even very much under the spell of the alcohol, Mom was apparently supremely thoughtful of others, insisting on whispering so as not to wake me. And, after confiding in them in her thickly slurred whispers "that "issslate heree, but . . . hic! . . . iwaanna calll buzzzz I missssyou," Mom wasted no time sharing (with occasional prompting to stay on subject) the full slate of our day's adventures, including her intellectual musings on the Van Gogh Museum, the Rijksmuseum, Dutch Pancakes and her frustration about getting her hair tangled in her shirt collar as she repeatedly unsuccessfully practiced her French Twist (which she planned to sport in Paris) with drunken precision! :)

And the twins also solved the mystery of the peculiar text message I had woken up to from Bailey. Playing detective, the twins were determined to get to the bottom of how Mom had gotten so plastered. But whenever they asked her, Mom would just giggle and provide what to them seemed like non-sequitor responses like, "isss Jennnnniferr <giggle> . . . I'm alill . . . hic! <giggle> . . . tossicate frommmthe . . . hic! <giggle> . . . alllll-kaa-holll <giggle> . . . inna Jennnnifer" or "okso I'm alilill tosssicate, but . . . hic! <giggle> . . . i ssilll lovvve Jennnnifer".

Unfamiliar with the Dutch tradition of Jenever, the twins had assumed instead that we had gone drinking with a friend of hers named Jennifer!! Epic! :)

Back to our journey! The train was slightly delayed by forty-five minutes, so we each had a tasty ham and cheese sandwich to tide us over until Paris. Well done Thalys – it was surprisingly filling! Eventually the countryside gave way to suburbs and then to real . . . urbs and Paris was upon us!

Paris is Mom’s favorite city on earth. She calls it the "City That Sparkles", because as she likes to say, “it is the capital of fashion, decorative lighting and champagne!” I had heard her hash out and rehash this theory many times growing up, and yet somehow we had never gotten there together as a family. So you’ll forgive how excited I was when, just a short while later, there we were pulling into Paris Nord! From the number of down-and-outers we saw in the train station, I can tell you that Paris Nord certainly does not sparkle. But we queued for a cab and were soon at our hotel, Le Cinq Codet, located just a short walk from the very sparkly Eiffel Tower.

I would recommend Le Cinq Codet highly. It is a relatively small hotel, but freshly renovated, and the staff is amazingly professional and courteous. If you are using the room as a base instead of the focal point of your trip, I think this is a great choice, particularly if you are looking for an upscale option near the Eiffel Tower.

We toyed with the idea of immediately taking a cab over to Galeries Lafayette for some later afternoon shopping (since it would be closed the following day, Sunday, my last full day in Paris), :( but after a full day of travel, opted instead for a nap. It was the right choice. The bed was perfect and after an hour nap, I felt great! We had a small, but lovely terrace attached to our room, so Mom ordered a half (“demi”) bottle of champagne to the room and we sat for a bit, read our books, sipped the bubbly and watched life unfold in the city below.

After a short while, Mom disappeared inside to "make herself Parisien". When she emerged a bit later, she had accomplished the task admirably and looked tres chic in her black Louboutin heels, a belted black shirt dress with the collar turned up and her hair done in a perfect French Twist. :)

Now it was my turn to "make myself Parisien"! I always feel gross on days when I travel, but after a refreshing shower, felt much better as I donned a pair of sparkly black Jimmy Choo heels that I’d brought along specifically for the occasion of a Saturday Night out in Paris with Mom. I was also happy to see that even after nearly a week of travel (and one prior wearing), my black dress was relatively unrumpled and, with minor ironing, ready to go! I presented myself to Mom who said with a smile, "good, except for the hair!" And with that she proceeded to effortlessly weave my hair into a Chignon. To those of you who are a little older, I ask, does getting Mom's sign off and having her do your hair EVER end?? :)

Crisp, clean and coiffed, and frankly looking like twinsies in all black, we stepped back onto our balcony to finish our champagne and take some selfies! The pictures came out great, done up as we were, our cheeks a little pink from the champagne and the lights of Paris twinkling in the background, so we texted them to Ainsley and Bailey to let them eat their hearts out! And then we were off into the Paris night!

We instructed the cab driver to take us to the top of the Champs Elysees near the Arc de Triomphe. We got to within a few blocks of the monument before the traffic came to a complete standstill. Mom produced the required number of euro notes from her clutch and we stepped out in the thriving city. Ahhhh, Paris! So wonderful! We approached the Arc de Triomphe, which was beautifully illuminated and, a little warm from the champagne, I agreed whole-heartedly when Mom turned to me and whispered, "I told you this city sparkles!"

We proceeded to our destination, a lovely, quaint bistro called Le Hide that had been recommended by a work colleague of mine and is located just steps away from the Arc de Trimophe. Our table was ready when we arrived for our 9:30 reservation (always a plus!).

Mom is committed to the view that since Paris is the City That Sparkles, every meal (other than breakfast) should start with a glass of champagne and a toast. So we ordered a glass of champagne each, toasted to her newfound retirement (she sold her company!!) and sipped our aperitif as we perused the wonderful menu. After careful study and reflection, I decided to begin with Escargot and had beef bourguignon as my main course. Mom ordered a cheese plate to start (I think she probably came perilously close to naming one of her daughters Gruyere) and ordered Risotto for her main course. And because we were done with our champagne, and already tipsy and in Paris, of course we had to share a bottle of Crozes-Hermitage to wash it down. :)

I have to say that the meal was one of the most pleasant I've had in years. We weren't rushed. I enjoyed every bite of my super garlicky Escargot (watch out boys!!). And the beef bourguignon was hearty, rich and delicious! And we shared a wonderful Crème Brulee for dessert. And most special of all, we talked. About everything. Men, relationships, work, Mom's newfound freedom and next challenges. About her 51st birthday and how to celebrate it. About Jenever and Wine and Herring and Crème Brulee. About how much she is enjoying having the chance to travel and how I think she should travel more now that she can. (And how I think she should write about it - preferably on Fodors!). And of course, we talked at length about fashion and style and Paris and Amsterdam and about the merits of Chignon's and French Twists.

We paid the bill and held hands (you can do that in France without anyone looking at you funny) as we made our way back to Champs-Elysees. In that moment, I couldn't help but compare Paris and Amsterdam. Another city, another night but so many similarities.

Once again we were two tipsy blondes (me and my glowing cheeks and Mom giggling as she played with the collar of her shirt dress), last night from Jenever and tonight from Champagne and Red Wine.

Once again we were surrounded by glaring lights -- last night Amsterdam's Red Light District and tonight the manic displays of the Champs-Elysees.

Once again, we were questing for dessert, last night a stroopwafel and tonight an ice cream sundae at an innocuous, overpriced outdoor cafe on the Champs-Elysees. Soon we found what we were looking for, sat down and shared a tasty sundae.

I must confess that I was swimming a little from the wine and champagne by this point and Mom's pink cheeks, giggling and attention to her collar made it perfectly clear to me that we were both one more drink away from disaster. So we made a disciplined and conscious decision to avoid a repeat of the prior night and walked down the Champs-Elysees hand in hand. And, after admiring the sparkling lights one last time, we hailed a cab back to our hotel where we called Ainsley and Bailey to say hi and rub it in that we were in Paris. And this time we even remembered it the next day! :)

@MaineGG -- Thanks for your nice words! I completely agree with you -- the mother-daughter bonding time was by far the best part of the trip. And that's really saying something when you are visiting Amsterdam & Paris!!

As for the Jenever, I'm sure Mom would be happy to test it out for you :)

@TPAYT - Thanks for your nice note! Amsterdam is amazing. You need to give it a good three days to take it at a leisurely pace. We had a blast, but we were definitely too rushed! :)

OMG Blondie! Loving this report... keep it coming. That phone message was probably the funniest thing I have read in about a year!!!!

How does your Mom know how to do a Chignon and a French Twist? I think I have pretty good hair and I had to look both of those up!

And how come you decided to go to the Champs Elysees for dinner? I would've thought you ladies would be in the Marais!

Cheers!!

- Cait

Hi @CCC -- I agree that the Champs-Elysees seems an odd choice, but as I said, Mom likes the sparkle, so we just had to go to that part of Paris for dinner on a Saturday Night. But fear not, we did make it to the Marais and I'll share my thoughts about that wonderful district in my next installment (coming soon!).

Ahhhh, so you want Mom's secret about Chignon's and French Twists? The answer is simple -- collar shirts! They are, after all, Mom's standard attire and they look great and crisp with those two styles!

Happy weekend! Cheers!

Day 4 – SUNDAY

The next morning we were up early, excited for a fun day in Paris. Another reason why Paris is Mom’s favorite city is, because it is the only city in the world where people are always impeccably dressed!

My favorite super-fashionista was not about to let anyone down on the fashion front, rising precisely at 7:00 and spending a full two hours primping herself for a day out in her favorite city, including a full forty minutes perfecting her blonde French Twist. I have it to hand it to her – she did look tres chic in her dark blue skinny jeans, fitted white button up shirt, louboutins and navy blazer on to which she had affixed a costume jewelry peacock brooch that she had bought on her first visit to Paris many moons ago.

I, on the other hand, opted for sleep, and a more laid back look involving non-skinny jeans :) and a red and white stripped polo button down. And while I don’t like heels as much as Mom does, through on a classy wedge as a compromise to avoid allegations of being “un-parisien”! The only thing Mom forgot to do as part of her meticulous preparations was check the weather, and after retreating to our rooms for our umbrellas, we were out the door and off on our pleasant twenty minute walk through the drizzle to the Orsay Museum.

Although I have been to Paris several times before, somehow I managed to short-change this wonderful museum. After learning our lesson earlier in the trip at the Anne Frank House, we had bought our tickets in advance and took great pleasure leap-frogging the crowd and avoiding the continuing drizzle.

The Orsay Museum (Musee d’Orsay) used to be a train terminal. Some decades ago it was repurposed as a museum which today houses wonderful works of art from many, many renowned painters. I am a bit of an art fiend (though hardly a buff!), and I have to admit to spending three full hours in the museum devouring the sensational collection of Manets, Degas, Monets and Van Gogh. In particular, having just come from the Van Gogh museum in Amsterdam, it was really neat to see the Van Goghs on display in Paris as well. I’d be lying as well if I were to say that we didn’t spend at least thirty minutes sitting on various benches in the soaring terminal just taking in our surroundings. Wow! If you go, be sure to give the museum the time it deserves and be certain to make your way up to higher floors where you can see great views of Paris through the massive clocks which must have caused countless commuters to valiantly run for their trains!

After all that art, we were ready for a good meal. So wandered into my favorite part of Paris, the glorious 6th Arrondisement. We strolled along Boulevard St. Germain and admired the wonderful storefronts in that district. I wanted to go to Deyrolle, but sadly, like too many of the stores, it was closed on Sunday!

Finally, we turned the corner and made our way past the ancient church of St. Germain des Pres and down Rue Jacob to one of Mom’s favorite cafes, Le Pre Aux Clercs. Although this place is famous and has been around for almost as long as St. Germain des Pres, we didn’t have any trouble getting a table looking out onto the street side and made ourselves comfortable. I ordered a Salade Nicoise and Mom ordered a Salade Parisienne. And of course, in deference to Mom’s rule, we each had a glass of champagne and had a great time watching the perfectly Parisian waitstaff scurry around frantically taking orders, while across the street customers queued for macaroons at Laduree. The food was generally good, if not incredible, but the people watching and luxurious cappucino we had for dessert made the experience memorable.

Thoroughly refreshed, we decided it was time for some shopping. So we took a long, leisurely stroll alongside the Seine, and, under a grey sky and headed off to the Marais. The Marais has been at various times the home of Parisian aristocracy and its Jewish community. An example of the former is the Place des Vosges, which, with its magnificent architecture had us gaping with delight. And when we walked by many stores with Hebrew lettering selling magnificent looking falafels, I cast an eye to Mom to see if she wanted to indulge, but heading me off at the pass and pointing to the dripping pitas being devoured by several bystanders, she declared, "I'm wearing white!"

With its narrow winding streets full of boutiques, the Marais is a true shoppers paradise and Mom’s favorite part of Paris! We spent at least three hours wandering in and out of shops, chatting with what I’d like to believe in many cases were the actual sole proprietors themsleves. Mom is herself a successful entrepreneur, so in addition to checking out the great fashion offerings and boutiques, I think she really enjoyed being around fellow dream-chasers. Our favorite store was a very random and quirky shirt shop we happened upon called Cotton Doux. They had well made, fitted dress shirts with fun patterns on the inner lining of the collar and cuffs, so Mom was in heaven! She bought four neat shirts (a white one with cupcakes on the inner lining, a black one with lip prints on the inner lining, a white one with pink filigree inner lining and a white one with a rose pattern on the inner lining). I could only listen to her compliment the shop owner for so long about their great fit and crisp collars and darts, and eventually indulged her by buying a white shirt of my own with a playful giraffe print on it. Maybe I will wear it to the zoo one day :)

After a full day of shopping, we hailed a taxi back to our Hotel. When we got there, Mom immediately began to eye my suitcase. Talk about an insult - not only was I going back to the boring old USA the next morning, but as she had more than two weeks of solo travel (including 5 more days in Paris) to look forward to, she proceeded to pack as many of her purchases as possible into my suitcase!

It was by this point 7:00 in the evening and the gray drizzly day was finally giving way to soft sunshine. So we walked over to Fontaine de Mars, where
Mom had made us an 8:00 dinner reservation, and where Obama famously ate. I understand that Mom has eaten here during almost every one of her trips to Paris, but I have to be honest and say that the place felt a little tired to me -- the décor is at this point pushing the bounds of "charming". But the small upstairs dining room they sat us in was pleasant enough while we ordered a glass of champagne, looked the menu over, and checked out the cute, embroidered pink and white tablecloths and napkins.

The food was just ok - I had steak frites (to say it was over-done is putting it mildly!), and Mom had a duck breast, which she seemed to enjoy. We also shared a splendid (if pricey) bottle of Saint-Estephe. The meal was not great and pretty expensive, but to the restaurant's credit, the servers were very pleasant and let us linger without rushing us as we recapped the adventures of our short little journey together and finished our wine.

After Mom paid the check, we left and made our way over for a night time view of the Eiffel Tower. We stood on a path in the Champ de Mars and talked and laughed, while the Eiffel Tower's lights danced and shimmered. And I understood completely once again why Mom loves to call Paris "the city that sparkles".

And that was it. The very next morning, I was on a 8:30 flight back to the States, while Mom’s European adventure continued on. Somone please remind me to follow her lead and to become a successful entrepreneur later in life!

Thanks for reading & sharing your thoughts! :)

Oh, I'm sorry it's over so soon but you certainly packed a lot into four days. What a wonderful time you had with your mom... memories for a lifetime.

Thanks for sharing your lively and entertaining report!

Love genever , Louboutins and Jimmy Choo- what a fun mother and daughter trip - love your style!!

@Trophywife007 - Thanks so much for your nice comments! I agree 4 days is too short! Could have spent that amount of time in Amsterdam alone! But on the bright side, I'm planning on something longer (and much needed!) in the fall!

@Northie -- Thanks so much for your kind words! We had a blast! :)

What a fun trip! Indeed don't forget to follow her lead!!!

Sounds like fun. We always end the night with a glass of Champagne (but if you read my reports there is a lot consumed through out every day).

While I love my Lobos and Jimmy Choo, I can't imagine my mom wearing them. I also can't imagine my mom tipsy...but I wish she would do that occasionally.

Loved the rue Jacob stuff...we stayed on rue Bonaparte on our last trip and passed that cafe all the time. Great memories.

@LuvToRoam -- Thanks so much! We had a blast! Thinking about Germany in the fall with Mom, as with her newfound free time she is planning another big trip ... will have to see.

@Denisea -- Thanks for your thoughts! I could see how ending the night with a glass of champagne could be good too :) But in all seriousness, I actually read your report about Paris not too long before we left and that, coupled with Mom's effusiveness about how great it is, made me really sorry not to be able to get to Galeries Lafayette on this trip! (Annoyingly, she did text me a selfie of her there later in the week after I left!) Also, so funny that you can't imagine your Mom in Lobos & JC's! I can't imagine my Mom without them -- or a pearl necklace -- but then she's a total fashion addict . . . different strokes for different folks! And as for getting occasionally tipsy (or tipsy plus), to the endless entertainment of her daughters, she's pretty much mastered that act! :)

Great report. Really enjoyed reading it on a boring day at work :) I think 2 cities in 4 days is an achievement and it sounds like you saw some very special sites and had loads of fun. Like Denise I can't imagine my Mum in high heels or getting tipsy but I'd love to have a girls only trip to Paris with her one day....

Really enjoyable report! You really did a lot in four days!
We're among those whose fave city is Paris! Thanks for sharing so many details of both cities.

Another Bostonian here. You're mom is young so how old are you?It was a fun read. Wish we could have met up.

@Ozgirl07 - Thanks for your note! Glad to have provided a nice distraction from work -- along with reliving a great trip, that's always part of my goal in writing :) I was pretty happy that we squeezed in so much, but I really could have done with more time in Paris! Next time, I guess. As for Mom, she's definitely a character, and I think that's part of what makes traveling with her fun (and keeps her young at heart!). But I do wonder if I'll be living it up like she does when I'm 50! (I hope so!) :)

@Tomarkot - Thanks for commenting! J'adore Paris, but I really didn't have enough time. Top priorities for next time include Fondation LV & Montmartre!

Cheers!

@Cigalechanta - Thanks for your nice note! Yay Boston!!! :) A lady never tells her age (so Mom tells me (recognizing that I've already leaked that she's 50!)), so I'll just say that I am sadly (and gladly) clinging to my 20s :) Were you in Amsterdam/Paris lately?

Hmmm, it seems maybe I am Bostonblondie's mom...(almost) 50 with a fab footware fetish!! :-) I can barely remember my 20s anymore!

Bostonblondie226 - I'm 72 and wear heels - have some Manolos , bought 2 pairs shoes in Le Printemps 4 weeks ago . Never too old !!!!