Returning to France Day 6

Song - "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood" by Nina Simone

Beautiful day today so we headed to the Luxembourg Gardens which is only a few blocks from our hotel.

The tulips were in full bloom.

Sydney and I were trying so hard to get photos of the pollarded apple trees.

Finally one of the gardeners spotted us and let us inside!!!

Naturalized narcissus with dappled light

After about a thousand photos, we walked over to Les Deux Magot for lunch and so I could take some waiter photos. Sydney and Jackie decided to go shopping and I headed over to Saint-Sulpice.

 This Roman Catholic church was used in the film "The Da Vinci Code" with Tom Hanks.

 The building was founded in 1646 and in 1727 a gnomon was added.

A meridian line of brass was inlaid across the floor and ascending a white marble obelisk.
In the south transept window a small opening with a lens was set up, so that a ray of sunlight shines onto the brass line. At noon on the winter solstice (21 December), the ray of light touches the brass line on the obelisk. At noon on the equinoxes (21 March and 21 September), the ray touches an oval plate of copper in the floor near the altar.

The great organ from 1862. 

I returned to our hotel to rest my tired feet.  Words of advice - Never travel with new shoes. Always bring comfortable shoes at the risk of not being stylish.  

Mr. B had to ship my shoes to me.  Lesson learned!

That night for dinner we went to one of our favorite spots....Le Recamier.  

It has the best souffle's in Paris - both savory and sweet.

   For my dessert I had the Grand Marnier souffle.  Tres Bon!

You probably noticed that it comes with a full bottle of Grand Marnier for you to pour over the top of your souffle according to your taste.  Well.....since the last time we dined here, they have put a teeny-tiny spout on top so it just drizzles out ever so slowly.  I guess someone (insert wink here) may have taken advantage of that lovely bottle!

"The only thing that will make a souffle fall

 is if it knows you are afraid of it."  

--James Beard

Returning to France Day 5

Song - "The Conversation" by Pearl Django

A favorite shop of Jackie's is La Tuile a Loup in the 5th Arr.  It's filled with hand crafted specialty items for the home. Jackie "discovered" it many years ago and now it is very popular with people like Ina Garten.

Jackie pondering which items she might like for her home

After making my purchase, I enjoyed the flower shop next door.  It was early April so they were just putting out herbs and some small veggies.

Then the three of us met at the Petite Palais to see the Dutch Painters in Paris special exhibition " Les Hollandais a Paris 1789 - 1914"

Painting by Anton Mauvre

Painting by George Hendrik Breitner

Self Portrait by Vincent Van Gogh

We had lunch in the charming enclosed garden and then headed back to our hotel as it began to rain.

For dinner that night we had reservations at Restaurant Josephine Chez Dumonet. It had been recommended to both Jackie and myself so it was definitely on our "to do" list!

 It's an old school Parisian restaurant with large portions and excellent food. We got there right when they opened at 7:30 so there were not very many people there yet but they were filled by the time we left.

Jackie and Sydney both ordered the Pigeon with potatoes.

 I ordered the Beef Bourguignon and they brought it to our table in this little cast iron pot with a side of pasta.  It was rich and delicious!  Trust me.....

 For dessert we all ordered something different.....

 Apple tart.....for Jackie.

 Neapolitan for Sydney....and....it was massive!

And a fresh Berry Tartlette for moi with Pistachio cream inside and nuts on top!

Yes we were full but boy we were happy!!!

"A walk about Paris will provide lessons in 

history, beauty, and in the point of Life."

 --Thomas Jefferson

Returning to France Day Four

Song - Don't Panic by The Hot Club of San Francisco



My friends and I took an early morning Uber (pronounced Eww-Bear in France) to the Musee de la Chasse et de la Nature which is a private museum of hunting and nature in the 3rd Arr. in Paris. 

 They had several stuffed animals but most of what they displayed were items related to animals and hunting.  Above is a young falconer and below is a leather cap that falcons wore.

Here is a plate with the man of the house returning home with dinner.

From there we walked to the Marais and the Place des Vosges which is the oldest planned square in Paris and was built by Henri IV in 1612. It has red brick buildings and archways around a tree lined park.

No one was hungry until we saw some delicious salads coming out of Cafe Ma Bourgogne and we were gonners! We sat under one of the red brick arches and enjoyed a lovely lunch.

Next we walked over to the Jardin de Plantes as I wanted to see the Buffon Gazebo (see photo below) and Jackie wanted to see the bird aviary.  Both were a bust. 

The Gazebo was being restored so after walking up a hilltop labyrinth we were greeted with a construction site. And the aviary was kind of sad looking with only several birds inside.

Just before sunset Sydney and I went to Sainte-Chapelle to see the glorious stained glass windows. It was built in just seven years and completed in 1248.

It was originally built to house the Crown of Thorns and the relic stayed there until the French Revolution when it found a new home in Notre Dame Cathedral. 

For dinner we had reservations at L'Epigramme in the 6th Arr. We have been there several times before and it did not disappoint.  It is very small and has a lovely ambiance and great food!

PS - Sorry but my dessert was so delicious that I ate it all up before thinking about taking a photo......
Mmmmm.

"One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, 

if one has not dined well." 

 --Virginia Woolf

Bear With Me

Song - The Camping Song by Smith & Smith


I have been home for two whole weeks now from our recent trip to France. But due to a bad cough, lack of sleep due to coughing, jet lag, laundry and a multitude of other things, I had to put my blogging on the back burner for awhile. Now I'm back and ready to rock & roll!

My garden has been in full bloom and I am enjoying the cut flowers as well as doing some much needed work in the yard.....like putting in my vegetable garden.

Several days after returning we had a double header birthday party for my daughter-in-law Ashley and son Tyler. He always wanted to have a Bob Ross paint-along party so we dug up some of my previously used but not-ready-for-prime-time canvas's to be painted over.

Grandma Betty & Tyler

Above are just some of the birthday painters.  

Pretty great beginners here with their Bob Ross wigs on!

We painted along with his show - "Valley View".

 The very next day Mr. B flew to Washington DC for the week for work. 

I can't imagine what that did to his jetlag????

And with this last weekend being Mother's Day, my kiddo's invited me up to Boonville where they lease a little spot of beautiful land for camping and hunting.  This weekend they took me on a shooting spree........a "cameras only" shooting spree!

They have installed a humongous tent with a pot bellied stove and a queen bed. 

Their plans are to build a raised deck to put the tent on.

There is running water, electricity & a real flush toilet on site!

However, Mr. B and I stayed in the nearby Boonville Hotel which was delightful!

They have beautiful grounds with lots going on, like a Saturday morning farmers market, music,  oyster shucking Sundays and in the summer it's paella Sundays!

There is wine tasting nearby, hikes in the redwoods, a little shopping but mostly peace & quiet.

Andy helping Jon & Jacque set up camp

All of my loveys were there to celebrate & relax (except one - Tyler's SO was in Texas.....we missed you Monica!)

Andy showing Mr. B where things are

Chewy, Jon & Jacque hiking

 Even my grand-dog Chewy was there!

and dear Ashley who is always fun to be with!

Everyone worked so happily making delicious meals.  We even had a picnic lunch by the river while several of the guys went swimming.

We spotted some wildlife.....

 Lot's of  wildflowers......

And even some wild horses! (Unfortunately my camera is having focus problems and probably needs a good cleaning. It's nothing to do with the operator!!!)

On Sunday we had breakfast and a leisurely drive home and then cooked dinner for my sweet mama!

Thank you all for making it a memorable Mother's Day!  

I couldn't have dreamed up anything this special.

"Cherish your children...for they are the footprints 

that you will leave behind." 

--Taylor Evan Fulks