Two Ladies on the Loose in Paris - dln and Marcy trip report!
Jan 21st, 2005, 05:58 PM
#62
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By the way, Marcy told me that our term "window shopping" doesn't translate directly into the French. Just like the way Latin countries call "goosebumps" "gooseflesh," the French call window-shopping "window licking." Blech again! That sounds almost lascivious to me, although given the enticing nature of French merchandise, it might be a very apt term. I certainly saw lots of things I wanted to gobble up. (Have I mentioned yet the three handbags I bought...?)
We ate lunch on Rue des Rosiers, which Rob and I had visited in September, and which I disliked. When he and I saw it, there was some kind of high holy day coming up, and the entire street was a madhouse of activity. It was noisy and crowded and I didn't take to it at all. What a difference a few months make! Marcy and I saw a more placid, palatable street. We ate lunch there at the well-known Chez Marianne. What a lunch. We both had a plate of four offerings. Between us, we ordered chicken liver, pastrami, eggplant caviar, stuffed grape leaves, tapenade, eggplant and tomato salad, and falafel. If it were my last meal, I'd have died a happy woman! We also had a demi bottle of their Chez Marianne house wine (a Gamay), and water. Our meal was accompanied by a basket of rye and pumpernickel breads. For dessert we had delectable dates embedded in marzipan. Heavenly.
We rolled out of Chez Marianne like two plump little sausages ready for another round of window-licking.
We ate lunch on Rue des Rosiers, which Rob and I had visited in September, and which I disliked. When he and I saw it, there was some kind of high holy day coming up, and the entire street was a madhouse of activity. It was noisy and crowded and I didn't take to it at all. What a difference a few months make! Marcy and I saw a more placid, palatable street. We ate lunch there at the well-known Chez Marianne. What a lunch. We both had a plate of four offerings. Between us, we ordered chicken liver, pastrami, eggplant caviar, stuffed grape leaves, tapenade, eggplant and tomato salad, and falafel. If it were my last meal, I'd have died a happy woman! We also had a demi bottle of their Chez Marianne house wine (a Gamay), and water. Our meal was accompanied by a basket of rye and pumpernickel breads. For dessert we had delectable dates embedded in marzipan. Heavenly.
We rolled out of Chez Marianne like two plump little sausages ready for another round of window-licking.
Jan 21st, 2005, 06:04 PM
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I just love the term "window licking"..just so appropriate. Can't remember what the french words are for it now...I got the term off of my "French Word a Day" e-mails. When I get back there, every window in Paris is going to get "licked"!!!!!
Jan 21st, 2005, 06:06 PM
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Good grief, LOL, the things we learn on Fodors!
Yes cornmeal (did not think sawdust sounded right) but kind of the same consistency, right?
And window licking - wonder who came up with that term. Guess it means perhaps that women look in the shop windows with their tongues hanging out drooling at all the beautiful merchandise.
Not to elegante!!
Thanks everyone
Yes cornmeal (did not think sawdust sounded right) but kind of the same consistency, right?
And window licking - wonder who came up with that term. Guess it means perhaps that women look in the shop windows with their tongues hanging out drooling at all the beautiful merchandise.
Not to elegante!!
Thanks everyone
Jan 21st, 2005, 06:11 PM
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LoveItaly! That certainly would have applied to me. I oohed and aahed over more windows than I could count. I almost smashed my head into one of them. It was a particularly lush jewelry shop (I am very attracted to glittery objects, lol). I leaned in to get a closer look and BAM! nearly cracked my noggin on too-clean glass. I was shocked!
Jan 21st, 2005, 06:12 PM
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dln -- Once again you produce a great trip report. With Marcy filling in the blanks you two make a fabulous team.
Maybe I'll get DH and Maitaitom together and arraange a guys tour, with Bob as our guide.
Keep up the good work.
Maybe I'll get DH and Maitaitom together and arraange a guys tour, with Bob as our guide.
Keep up the good work.
Jan 21st, 2005, 06:16 PM
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Won't go into the details of the purging process that yielded the velvety chicken livers we had in South Africa, or the cleansing process for crawfish in Louisiana. Suffice it to say, if it looks good, tastes good, eat it and don't ask questions! Ever seen sausage made??? hehe
Jan 21st, 2005, 06:29 PM
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I'm in perfect agreement with that, hightide. Best not to inquire too closely about delicious victuals.
Later in the afternoon we made a stop at Mariage Freres as Marcy wanted to pick up some tea. She had a list of teas she'd culled from Fodors, one of which was Marco Polo Wedding tea (or something on that order). Evidently there are more than one variety of Marco Polo, and it wasn't until Marcy specified "wedding tea" that the clerk understood what she wanted. He pronounced it "wehDING," heavy accent on the second syllable, especially the "d" letter. We thought it was kind of funny and gave us an insight of how equally funny we must sound to the French when we subject them to our attempts at their language!
We stepped into a very charming tea salon/bar called Au Rendezvous des Amis on 10 Rue Ste. Croix de la Brettoniers. It had high ceilings and exposed brick walls covered with performance posters. There was a space downstairs where it looked like concerts were given. It was a small, intimate room with a vaulted stone ceilings and you imagine how wonderful it would be to listen to a singer crooning French melodies. Marcy had a glass of wine and I had a beer. I normally don't drink any beer in the winter because our 80 year old house is always too drafty cold, but in Paris the weather seemed like a heat wave to me! So I ordered a Leffe beer which had a nice yeasty taste to it. It went down in two seconds flat.
Later in the afternoon we made a stop at Mariage Freres as Marcy wanted to pick up some tea. She had a list of teas she'd culled from Fodors, one of which was Marco Polo Wedding tea (or something on that order). Evidently there are more than one variety of Marco Polo, and it wasn't until Marcy specified "wedding tea" that the clerk understood what she wanted. He pronounced it "wehDING," heavy accent on the second syllable, especially the "d" letter. We thought it was kind of funny and gave us an insight of how equally funny we must sound to the French when we subject them to our attempts at their language!
We stepped into a very charming tea salon/bar called Au Rendezvous des Amis on 10 Rue Ste. Croix de la Brettoniers. It had high ceilings and exposed brick walls covered with performance posters. There was a space downstairs where it looked like concerts were given. It was a small, intimate room with a vaulted stone ceilings and you imagine how wonderful it would be to listen to a singer crooning French melodies. Marcy had a glass of wine and I had a beer. I normally don't drink any beer in the winter because our 80 year old house is always too drafty cold, but in Paris the weather seemed like a heat wave to me! So I ordered a Leffe beer which had a nice yeasty taste to it. It went down in two seconds flat.
Jan 21st, 2005, 06:55 PM
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On Tuesday morning we took the #94 bus to the Madeleine. Our first order of duty was a visit to the public toilets. Believe me, they're worth a stop! Rob and I had tried to take a look when we were in Paris before and they were disappointingly closed. Lest you all wonder what is so wonderful about these public conveniences (and before you start shaking your heads about us), these are no ordinary toilets. These are gloriously tiled Art Deco extravaganzas! Simply amazing and perfectly and beautifully preserved.
Our second objective was to pick up supplies at Fauchon, one of Marcy's favorite food places. We marvelled at the tartes and other goodies before crossing the street to the main store. Fauchon had really super holiday decorations still up. What they'd done was take ordinary fir tree boughs (the kind you use for draping your mantelpieces and stair banisters), flock them heavily and then spray paint them a Schiaparelli pink. It looked fantastic! These boughs decorated the doors and windows and looked very festive. Marcy likes Fauchon much better than I do. I find the decor a bit severe, preferring Bon Marche's food halls, but they sell what Marcy likes so it was a worthwhile stop.
Our second objective was to pick up supplies at Fauchon, one of Marcy's favorite food places. We marvelled at the tartes and other goodies before crossing the street to the main store. Fauchon had really super holiday decorations still up. What they'd done was take ordinary fir tree boughs (the kind you use for draping your mantelpieces and stair banisters), flock them heavily and then spray paint them a Schiaparelli pink. It looked fantastic! These boughs decorated the doors and windows and looked very festive. Marcy likes Fauchon much better than I do. I find the decor a bit severe, preferring Bon Marche's food halls, but they sell what Marcy likes so it was a worthwhile stop.
Jan 21st, 2005, 07:03 PM
#76
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elaine, thanks so much for that website. I have tons of French language improvement in my future, since I intend to return to France again. And again. And again! I'm hooked.
I have to say that being able to understand a fair bit of the language is very nice. One thing that bothered me about visiting Italy is that I didn't know more than the tourist basics and as such, I felt shut out from a lot of what was happening. I'd look at all these really neat billboards and be desperate to know what they were talking about (Italian graphics are the best!) and was unable to do anything about it. In France, I can translate just about anything and as a result I feel "connected." Plus I can't tell you the benefits of knowing exactly what's on sale or what's on exhibit--that's obvious!
I have to say that being able to understand a fair bit of the language is very nice. One thing that bothered me about visiting Italy is that I didn't know more than the tourist basics and as such, I felt shut out from a lot of what was happening. I'd look at all these really neat billboards and be desperate to know what they were talking about (Italian graphics are the best!) and was unable to do anything about it. In France, I can translate just about anything and as a result I feel "connected." Plus I can't tell you the benefits of knowing exactly what's on sale or what's on exhibit--that's obvious!
Jan 21st, 2005, 07:05 PM
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What a wonderful trip report! dln, you really do write the best ones, you know! The delight is in the details.
From practical bathroom location tips to meal descriptions worthy of "Gourmet" magazine, from precise recollection of shops, churches, and street scenes, interspersed with little jolts of humorous asides, your travel writing is an absolute joy to read!
Thank you so much for sharing your experiences and giving us all so much enjoyment along with the information.
From practical bathroom location tips to meal descriptions worthy of "Gourmet" magazine, from precise recollection of shops, churches, and street scenes, interspersed with little jolts of humorous asides, your travel writing is an absolute joy to read!
Thank you so much for sharing your experiences and giving us all so much enjoyment along with the information.
Jan 21st, 2005, 07:20 PM
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Croque Madame, a compliment from a writer as witty as you is a high one indeed! Merci, Madame.
Marcy and I stopped back at our hotel laden with packages (we'd made a stop at a toyshop, Le Bonhomme de Bois, on the corner of Rue Lavoisier and Blvd. Malesherbes, where Marcy made a purchase for her little grandson). We hopped on the bus once more, towards Port-Royal, to eat lunch at a well-recommended restaurant, Au Petit Marguery (I think that's it; Marcy will know better than I). It's a tricky thing about eating lunch. There's actually a very small window of time that you can do it. You can't eat too early because they're not open yet. You can't leave it too late in the afternoon either, because they've already closed. The latter was our case. We arrived at the restaurant's door past 2:30 pm, and missed it. We hopped back on the bus which took us to Place d'Italie.
A long time ago I read a Gourmet magazine article about the "Paris of Parisians." It featured the lesser touristed neighborhoods of Paris, one of which was the 13th. There were one or two enchanting photographs that made me want to visit and see the 13th for myself. I convinced it was THE place to see, the next Marais or Montmartre. Wrong! There's nothing exceptional or the least bit enchanting about the 13th. Gourmet magazine must have hired a magician of a photographer because what he saw sure as heck wasn't what we saw. What a dump! Ugly old 1960s nameless faceless non-descript buildings cheek and jaw to falling down faded buildings. It had a grubby feel to it and we took a quick look and high-tailed it back to our neck of the woods. (I will add, though, that the large Avenue des Gobelins north of Place d'Italie was very nice--I'd explore that area more on a future trip.)
Marcy and I stopped back at our hotel laden with packages (we'd made a stop at a toyshop, Le Bonhomme de Bois, on the corner of Rue Lavoisier and Blvd. Malesherbes, where Marcy made a purchase for her little grandson). We hopped on the bus once more, towards Port-Royal, to eat lunch at a well-recommended restaurant, Au Petit Marguery (I think that's it; Marcy will know better than I). It's a tricky thing about eating lunch. There's actually a very small window of time that you can do it. You can't eat too early because they're not open yet. You can't leave it too late in the afternoon either, because they've already closed. The latter was our case. We arrived at the restaurant's door past 2:30 pm, and missed it. We hopped back on the bus which took us to Place d'Italie.
A long time ago I read a Gourmet magazine article about the "Paris of Parisians." It featured the lesser touristed neighborhoods of Paris, one of which was the 13th. There were one or two enchanting photographs that made me want to visit and see the 13th for myself. I convinced it was THE place to see, the next Marais or Montmartre. Wrong! There's nothing exceptional or the least bit enchanting about the 13th. Gourmet magazine must have hired a magician of a photographer because what he saw sure as heck wasn't what we saw. What a dump! Ugly old 1960s nameless faceless non-descript buildings cheek and jaw to falling down faded buildings. It had a grubby feel to it and we took a quick look and high-tailed it back to our neck of the woods. (I will add, though, that the large Avenue des Gobelins north of Place d'Italie was very nice--I'd explore that area more on a future trip.)
Jan 21st, 2005, 08:04 PM
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Hi dln,
I love reading your report as I will be traveling to Paris for the first time in the beginnign of April. Was the name of the tea Marcy asked for "Wedding Imperial"? That is one of my favorites from Mariage Freres. A friend brought some back for me...i love it. A slight chocolate flavor...and so good with a little almond milk in it. Tastes like chocolate covered marzipan. YUM!! I am really looking forward to going to Mariage Freres.
I love reading your report as I will be traveling to Paris for the first time in the beginnign of April. Was the name of the tea Marcy asked for "Wedding Imperial"? That is one of my favorites from Mariage Freres. A friend brought some back for me...i love it. A slight chocolate flavor...and so good with a little almond milk in it. Tastes like chocolate covered marzipan. YUM!! I am really looking forward to going to Mariage Freres.
Jan 21st, 2005, 08:30 PM
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cigalechanta: thank you, I did miss your post. You must have posted while I was giving my disertation on snails. LOL I'm writting it down and saying it till I won't forget..it's just a great term.
