StuDudley - How was Paris?
 

Stu,

Have been anxiously awaiting your trip report about your trip to Paris in December. Hopefully, you returned home before Dec. 25.

Sebina
Los Altos

Yes, we want to know!

I really don't do "standard" trip reports.

Paris was fantasatic, of course. The first few days it was warm, then it got quite cold - and snowed. We saw most of the Christmas decorations at the "standard places" - Galleries Lafayette/Printemps, Pl Madeleine, Garnier, Ave Montaigne, Champs Elyses, Pl Vendome, R St Charles (thanks kerouak), etc. The interior of Galleries Lafayetts was quite spectacular (without crowds) in the early morning just as the store opened. In the evening, there was a mob-scene around the grand department stores area. My wife took about 800 pictures. I don't think we used our umbrellas at all - so the weather was "perfect" for Christmas with the snow but no rain. Ate too much foie gras (is that possible?). Had a Fodors get-together with Joan Grace, Betty1, and friends. Spent an enjoyable evening with Anselme - kirs at our apt, watching the Eiffel tower "show" from our windows, then dinner at Fables de la Fontaine.

The day it snowed, we had morning tickets to the Renoir exhibit at the Grand Palais. The buses didn't run, so we walked along the Seine - which was a highlight of our trip (we don't get snow where we live). Took lots of pictures of the snow with the Eiffel Tower in the background, Grand Palais in the background, Pont Alexandre, etc. The pics will be the photos for our Christmas cards next year..

It's really enjoyable to visit Paris with a "do nothing" itinerary. We only dined at restaurants in the immediate area (there are many great ones). Had oysters shelled for us on R Cler, which we took home for an appetizer before cooking magrets for dinner at the apt. Later in the stay, our local market even had a guy outside selling & shucking oysters for people to take home. Prepared our "gite chicken", smothered with creme fraiche, mustard, etc - and I used the carcass to make chicken stock for risotto later in the stay.

A memorable experience

Stu Dudley

Well Stu, for someone who doesn't do standard trip reports, that was an A+ report! Gald you had a nice time. The apartment sounds just lovely.

Always a first time for those trip reports. Sounds great. Lots of get-togethers too, lots of fun.

I've been making good use of your San Francisco information, by the way, since my daughter has moved to the Bay Area. I'll be visiting again in February and am digging out your great notes on the area. Thanks.

Thanks Stu - I hopefully will get to enjoy Paris just as much in July/August. Reading a great book at the moment called "Parisian's Paris" by Bill Gillham. Your remark about oysters reminded me what he says in the Preface:

Leaning against the American bar in La Coupole I watched the barman prepairing a multi-coloured cocktail: he caught my eye and shrugged, 'C'est toxique'; an huitrier opening oysters with effortless skill outside a brasserie; an old lady helping herself to chocolate cake in Dalloyau and mumuring "It is temptation, monsieur " - shades of Oscar Wilde.

Stu...are you going to share some selected pix? Please do......I think all the respondents above would appreciate that from you. Sounds like you two had a joyful visit..

stu tower

<i>Ate too much foie gras (is that possible?). </i>

No.

Glad you had a great time Stu.

gruezi

<< <i>Paris with a "do nothing" itinerary</i> >>

Sounds like the kind of stay DH & I are dreaming about one day! Can you share the name of the apartment you stayed in?

Many thanks!
2010

Welcome back, pictures please!

What apt did you stay in that had a view of the Eiffel Tower???

I think Stu is going to have to do a trip report, complete with pictures :) Looking forward to it!

This was a splurge for us - however, it was worth every penny. We also stayed there for 3 weeks in Sept/Oct '09. The apt is on a corner, and there are seven floor-to-ceiling windows with views of the Eiffel Tower out each one. The bedroom, living room, dining room, and kitchen all had these large windows with the knock-out views. Lovely Haussman buildings were across the street. At street level, there was an interesting cafe on the corner opposite ours. I re-arranged the furniture so I could get the best view of the Eiffel tower, and keep an eye on cafe life across the street. I enjoyed watching the cafe as much as the Eiffel tower. Lots of activity on the corner, since one road leads into the Champs de Mars. On the block we were on, there is a bakery, grocery, bucherie, and wine store. Plus a place to purchase mi-cuit foie gras & magrets. On this same block, there are 2 Christian Constant restaurants, plus 2 more of his on the next block. The Fountaine de Mars restaurant is on the second block - that's where Obama & family dined.
http://www.parisperfect.com/apartmen.../champagne.php

Haven't figured out how to post pics to any web site yet - perhaps I'll do that soon.

Stu Dudley

>>I think Stu is going to have to do a trip report<<

We didn't do much - except hang out and enjoy the Christmas happenings. Only went to the Renoire exhibit. The rest of the time we took in the Christmas fair on the Champs, toured the departments stores to see the Christmas decorations, sat by one of the windows in the apt & read several books & kept an eye on the cafe, went to dinner in the "hood", cooked several meals, ate too much foie gras & oysters, met Fodors friends, took 800 pics, tramped through the snow - generally we just enjoyed living in Paris & doing the non-touristy stuff - like we do at home in San Francisco (except the snow).

Stu Dudley

Sounds like my idea of a perfect trip. I've been to Paris at Christmas and loved it.

We would really like to see some of those 800 picutres!

I am by no means an expert on posting pictures. I use the Kodak site. Go to www.kodak.com , click on Photo Gallery, and select My Photos from the pull down menu. Open an account and upload your pictures. Then if you want to order prints, you can do it simply through Kodak. I know there are many sites but Kidak is the only one I have used.

Stu...

Sounds like the perfect holiday. I'll be staying in a Paris Perfect apartment in May (the Meursault). Yes, it's a splurge but can't wait...oh those views! :-)

That apt. is so beautiful, you just might get us off of Ile St. Louis next trip. No matter where we travel, I can never get Paris off of my mind. Just thinking about your walk along the Seine in the snow makes me want to be there.

I also use Kodak Gallery. I'm not real good at it yet, but you can make an album, then Email it to yourself, then copy & paste the URL at the top of your email, and copy & paste it in a thread on Fodors. This came from advice from Fodorites. I've tried other sights and

Anyway, it sounds like you had a wonderful trip. We always appreciate your comments.

oops! Dropped part of a sentence-----I've tried other sights and didn't have any luck with them, too complicated for me.

The Champagne apartment is A favorite for Stu..He haa a zillion pictures from it. I stayed in it for 10 days a week or so ahead of him. I stayed 10 days in the Cabernet and I like the Cabernet better than the Champagne. Next, I think, for me, the Fleurie. The Fleurie is so spacious. For a long stay you couldn't do better.But then I did stay in the Lovely Chateau LaTour with those spectacular views of all of Paris, because it is up so high.

LowCountryIslander..You will like the Meursault. Great views. The ET is there all the time! You are a block away from Le Florimond and a block the other way and behind you is Pascos..and many others nearby


Joan

My wife has Shutterfly albums for:
1. Provence Lavender fields & markets
2. La Rochelle, Nantes, Brittany (2 weeks), Bruges, and Amsterdam trip in '07 - 4 week trip
3. Paris 3 weeks in '08
4. Dordogne (another do-nothing itinerary), Cantal, and Loire in '09 - 4 week trip
5. She is starting to work on this past trip to Paris.

I'll attempt to do the e-mail, cut, & paste thing that TPAYT mentioned.

Stu Dudley

Joan...it was your comments about the Meursault about a year (or so) ago that helped me take the plunge...hopefully our paths will cross in Paris this coming spring! :-)

Oh, I should have known it was parisperfect. I wish I could afford their apartments. If we go we will have to stay in some little studio garret with views of the trash bins....Just kidding, but parisperfect is out of our budget...unless I convince Mr. rbnwdlr that ALL the apartments in Paris cost as much...hmmm

that's a lovely apartment. I can see why you loved hanging out there. So would I.

>>I'll attempt to do the e-mail, cut, & paste thing that TPAYT mentioned.<<

It didn't work out so well. The album was visable, but the pictures were too small.

Stu Dudley

On Kodak when I hit "share photos" I have a choice of sharing Gallery or Sharing on Facebook. If I hit share Gallery, send an invitation to myself, then I have a URL link directly to my album I can cut and paste and share:

http://www.kodakgallery.com/gallery/...05%3A645297829

Don't know if this helps. If all her pictures are already on shutterfly, you may not wish to transfer them to Kodak. The link to facebook is new and looks like a good tool.

We found out how to post pictures in Shutterfly. She uploaded about 250 to shutterfly yesterday. Today my wife will narrow that down to 30-40 which I'll post here - hopefully.

Stu Dudley

Stu from Stu:

I've had very good success with Picasa. Very easy to use, edit, caption, share. I've used it for nearly five years...and I have all my "albums" in Favorites...simple to share. I'm in the process of scanning many pre-digital pix on Picasa...works very well, also..makes an amateur photographer look half decent. Thus far, I have digital albums covering all trips since 2005...and scanned pix going back as far as 1941. Such fun. (Black and whites come our superbly)

Basic storage is at no cost...butI just rented a gb of additional photo storage through Picasa for a mere $20/year...don't even know if I needed it...but went for it anyway.

the other stu

Just wanted to toss my 2 cents worth into it.

Stu, That's just the way DH & I like to spend our Paris vacations - a Paris Perfect rental (yes, it is a splurge) and hang in the neighborhood. No plans, just lots of grocery, cheese, boulangerie shopping, restaurant hopping, and a few museums here and there. Seems like we never do enough to write a trip report, either. We'll be staying in Cabernet once again at the end of May. Just wish we had longer than a week at a time.
BTW, I'm a neophyte when it comes to posting photos, too. Looks like this post might turn into a useful tutorial. EJ

elsiejune,

I know you like the Cabernet, as I do. You should also take a look at the Fleurie. It is really right next door in the next bldg. with their entrance on Rapp that you look out on when in Cabernet. Fleurie is sooo spacious. Great for a longer stay..but Cabernet is much larger than Champagne and with two baths (one toilet, but within in a full bathroom.

I do a lot of playing it by ear..day by day..

Joan

Here it goes !!! I'll post it late in the day so I can make corrections if it does not work

Pictures !!!

http://share.shutterfly.com/share/re...=1EYt2Llw1ZMKG

Stu Dudley

Adjust the vertical scroll bar if you want to see the captions

Stu

Tell Ellen, her photos are wonderful and as a lover of Oysters, I enjoyed that photo of you. Now, how about photos of the GTGs?

>>how about photos of the GTGs?<,

Didn't take any. Joan took one

Stu Dudley

Stu...

Absolutely wonderful photos...thanks so much for sharing! :)

Gorgeous photos! And nice to attach a face to the name. Thank you.

Ellen...excellent shots..the one (#201) with the mirror image of the bare trees on the Seine is a classic.

Where did you find that itinerant "actor" with the blue apron?

stu

Great photos, Stu. I especially liked the close-up of the butcher shop, Les Viandes du Champ de Mars. It's definitely one of the more delicious spots in the "hood". Thanks for sharing. EJ

Thanks for the photos Stu - Please tell Ellen she has taken brilliant shots

Great photos! I don't see any "vertical scroll bar", however, so most of the shots do not have captions. Am I missing something?