On Sunday (our final full day in Paris) I awoke my teen ami early, although I got up earlier to go for the mandatory pain au chocolat and brioche, so that we could head out and to rue Moufftard and then to the Marais. But as so often happens, our plans went astray and we ended up walking up the Champs Elysees and then Metro%26#39;d to Montmartre. Talk about a change in plans! We stopped at Place de la Concorde, which she thought was grand, and I told her a little about the history of the French Revolution there, as well as the Hotel Crillon%26#39;s place in WWII and continued the lesson up the Champs Elysees. Now, I%26#39;m no expert in French history, I was just trying to give her a sketch of things. But she was interested and, I think, got the major points because she asked good questions, although she did want to know what they did with the heads once the guillotine had done its job. Didn%26#39;t have an answer for her there...
Anyway, we stopped at the Alsacien (sp?) restaurant on the Champs Elysees for lunch. I think I got it mixed up with Fouquet%26#39;s because I don%26#39;t remember it being quite so upscale. They seated us downstairs in the back corner so, I guess, they weren%26#39;t too impressed with us. I bet they changed their minds when I ordered a Kir Royale and Escargots!!
We continued up to Montmartre. Does anyone know why the funiculaire isn%26#39;t running? Is it just for the winter?? We walked up the stairs. I figured I was good for an extra eclair for that effort! My ami was particularly interested in the yarn scammers at the bottom. I%26#39;m glad I read on the Forum not to be taken in by them. The ami had to stop at one of the landings on the steps and watch an unsuspecting tourist be taken in. She was very impressed that I knew not to let them have a go at us.
We went to La Terrasse for dinner that night. More escargot, of course. My ami had roast beef and I had the sea bass. It was served with a large portion of haricot vert drenched in butter. My ami loved those (as did moi). Another Kir Royale and we were off to pack.
Monday morning we had to go to the boulangerie to get sandwiches, eclairs, macaroons and palmiers to take on the plane.
By that time, we had decided that LeNotre%26#39;s macaroons were the best so we actually had to go to two places. One that had the best sandwiches and LeNotre for the macaroons.
All in all a fine trip with a great, low-maintenance teen traveler.
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%26quot;funiculaire%26quot; is closed due to a technical breakdown.
I got no information about when it will work again
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From what I can see from your report, your trip was one culinary experience after another. I%26#39;m glad you had so much fun with such a delightful young companion.
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Yes, it sounds like you got to do a lot of my favorite Paris activities - walking the streets and eating wonderful French food!
Did your friend buy any clothes? I remember you saying that she was interested in fashion.
It%26#39;s a good feeling to think that you%26#39;ve helped soemone catch the travel bug, isn%26#39;t it?? :)
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My ami has a semi-formal (that%26#39;s teen-speak for %26quot;no jeans%26quot;) dance in honor of her best friend%26#39;s bat mitvah this Saturday. It%26#39;s at a country club and she wanted a dress from Paris. We ended up buying one at Naf Naf on rue Etienne Marcel. It was a brown knit with crocheted trim. It is really cute and very age-appropriate. She got a cream colored sweater to go over it. But the coup was really the shoes and purse. Almost right across the street from Naf Naf was a Lollipops store. She got high-heeled shoes; brown with white polka dots. She loves polka dots. She got a purse and wallet to match. She had told her friends that instead of presents last Christmas, she would buy them a gift in Paris. She bought almost all of them in the Lollipops store. It%26#39;s a fun place. Oh wasn%26#39;t she impressed with herself later that day, preening and prancing around the apartment in her outfit! She%26#39;ll be the belle of the ball...
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Happy...
So fun to read your reports! After a trak up those stairs I think I%26#39;d need an extra eclair and another Kir Royale! lol. Love hearing about your friend! I took my first trip to Paris with my parents when I was about 20, I think. Older than 16, but I still got the biggest kick out of buying clothes there, even if it was just a shirt (although, my Mom can attest that it was far more than that!). Then, once I got home, as soon as someone made the slightest mention of what I was wearing, I was immediately ready with the reflex response of: %26quot;I GOT IN PARIS!%26quot;. Now, THAT was fun! lol. I can only imagine it would be doubly so for a 16 year old. Heck! I still have a blast sporting my Parisian purchases! haha.
So...more about LeNotre. This is a place I haven%26#39;t heard much about or maybe I glossed over because I had Laduree on the brain. Where is it? Are they truly the best?? Because, well, then we must, of course, try them! :)
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An yes Happy..getting in the last minute foods! Before going thru security at 2E I bought and ate a%26quot; raisin escargot%26quot; (as they called it, thought you%26#39;d appreciate that) and a cafe, and got a sandwich mixte at Paul%26#39;s just in case. Wound up eating half the sandwich on the bus to the gates! Put the rest in my carry on. At the gates with a little time to kill I got a thon baguette and vin rouge!
Ate the other half of the sandwich back in my apartment that nite..the next day was Ash Wednesday...so...it had to be done then!
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HappyGoin - Which day did you wear %26quot;the sweater%26quot;?
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Shoesy...The sweater didn%26#39;t even go. All the sweaters I brought were to be worn with black slacks. I am proud to say, though, that I didn%26#39;t buy even one article of clothing in Paris for myself. YOu will be happy to know though that, next week, I have a dressy dinner to go to and I am probably going to give the sweater it%26#39;s first public appearance:)
tcgirlie, LeNotre is a patisserie with stores found all over Paris. Gaston LeNotre (if I remember his name correctly from pastry school) is thought to be the godfather of modern Parisian pastry. And they really are fabulous. If you enjoy coffee, make sure to try their pastry called Costa Rica. It%26#39;s a layer of coffee meringue (sort of) on top of a layer of chocolate ganache on top of a layer of nut pastry. With a few mystery layers in between all that. And all topped with a coffee bean covered in edible gold leaf. They were definitely my faves.
geordy, I forgot that I also bought three of the mini quiches on Monday morning to take home. I ate one on the plane, one at home Monday night and the last one for lunch yesterday.
And also, when we were standing at the gate at CDG, my ami noticed the label on the luggage belonging to the people at the next window had an address in the next town as ours. We talked to them and they live right near us. Small world!
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Happy you are going to have to describe the sweater again...I%26#39;ve heard SO much about it but think I must have missed the actual description! I need to know what the fuss is all about :)
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Happygoing - you cannot escape it any longer. WE WANT TO SEE THE SWEATER !! How about posting a photo or two for us to admire ???
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