Full of Hot Air

 Last night at dinner I pulled a very American trick and stuck my extra roll in my bag. But it was so nice this morning to have a roll and no need to run to the bakery to get breakfast. I was lazy getting up,  didn’t go to church and was kind of pokey getting out the door. 

Per Parisian escape “ The former Place du Trône-Renversé took its present name 'Place de la Nation' on the occasion of the July 14th French national holiday in 1880. It is famous for having had one of the most active guillotines during the French Revolution.”

First, I went to the marche Richard Lenoir market 

to see if I could find a dress for my friend Phoebe however I decided it was too small. We used a piece of ribbon to measure how big it needed to be and it looks like it was about 2 inches small. I did buy myself a red cashmere shawl and some cadeau.  Then I decided to go to the Tuileries to see if I could find the Olympic balloon, and I’m going to tell you they got the Tuileries all crapped up.  No place, no chairs rather, to sit and soak up the beautiful warm sun, regard the balloon and Eiffel Tower, and generally people watch.  

I got off at Palais royal and had to cross a place with a mirrored building on one side, a “official Olympic stuff” pop up booth in the middle, and a fellow playing sax. I give it an A+ for ambiance.  

I walked along the rue du rivioli toward Angelina’s developing a back up plan, this I needed as the line was not a block long this year but it was still pretty stinking long. Back toward what entrance to the Tuileries is left (they are all close- at least most) was a little crepe place where I landed and had a coffee au lait 

and crepe with Nutella and banana.  

It was heavenly, and the coffee came with a charming little Eiffel Tower in the foam. What a cutie was the barista! He gave me grief for messing ip his artistry when I added sugar.  

The hospitality workers here must have the patience of Job, the table beside me was Brazilian, the other side was maybe Italian and across maybe Chinese.  They muddle through with accuracy and a smile.  I am thinking the ED on a bad was not so hard. 

The Tuileries was all closed up  at many entrances and when I did get in it was all closed off inside.  I sat for a bit but it irritated me that I had to look though fencing.

So I walked up to have a better look and there was a stone ledge with grass behind that I perched on and soaked I up sun and the sounds and people watched.  I have been reading some about Marie Antoinette and the Revolution, so I also wondered where the royal family lived the last few days of questionable freedom before they got separated and moved to the Conciergerie .

There was a guy with a couple of poles and string and bubbles, he was a hit with the kids and honestly with me too.  

I decided the quickest way back was the Metro line 1 so went for it, not too bad stair wise! After 14,000 steps yesterday I was worried but lower extremities are holding up, and I think maybe the absence of raid/clouds is helping that. I am grateful.

I wandered to Place du Voges 

before dinner tonight to just people watch, sit and enjoy the evening.  It was Hoppin, there were two little brothers that were fighting and I got so tickled they were just literally playing dirty with each other.  At one point in time they were in the 69 position and I wasn’t sure if the one kid was biting the other one in the crotch or not. But they never got mad,  never got ugly with each other and it was pretty funny.  I have to assume no one left teeth marks.  There was a young man playing a guitar for a young woman and she was sitting there with a smile on her face and soaking it up and all kinds of people sitting on the grass or strolling around arm in arm. It was lovely

Dinner tonight was at l’ange 20, I think one of my favorite restaurants here. I’m in sort of a pickle because not one but two people I know from the US are here while I am & I have the privilege of seeing them and in both instances they are here and available on a Monday, which is when most of the interesting restaurants are closed. That will not keep me however from returning to this jewel because I had the most amazing fois gras  with an onion chutney and a balsamic glaze tonight

proceeded by a kir royale and followed by veal in a mushroom sauce with those cute little green beans I saw In the market yesterday(not really but in my world…….) , and mashed potatoes.  

The potatoes I could take or leave but the green beans were delicious as was the veal. I didn’t feel like I could do justice to the desert so I made my way back to the Bastille where there is now an Amorino open again and I had caramel ice cream. It was the perfect amount and it had the most delicious little teeny chunks of caramel (I mean the real stuff)  strewn throughout the ice cream, it was delicious.