Exploring by day...

Last week wasn't all dough and no play! I continued exploring the city by foot last week ...

I wandered my neighborhood, finding my local market street and beginning the oh-so-scientific taste test to determine which baguette is best. My current favorite? Still the one at my old boulangerie in the 15th, although I do have a favorite boulangerie in this neighborhood, on rue de Buci. I love, by the way, that rue de Buci is my market street. I'm not sure I can describe it better than a fellow blogger ... but I love that I walk this street every day for my baguette and cheese, fruit and veggies. The market streets in Paris remind me a lot of Tokyo, as that was the city that introduced me to the concept of a market street. We need this kind of shopping and lifestyle in the United States. Or at least, I do...

I explored Ile de la Cite, seeing (but not joining the crowds inside of) Notre Dame and the Palais de Justice.
















I also spent a few moments at the Memorial de la Deportation, dedicated to those who were deported during the Holocaust. Unfortunately, the memorial seemed to be closed for lunch, but I did sit for a moment in the park adjacent, and intend to return when it's open.











I continued my walk on the Right Bank, heading up through Les Halles. The night before, a friend at home had recommended Emile Zola's book Belly of Paris, set in Les Halles a few years after it opened, as a book "no Paris food student should be without!" Well, I haven't been able to find an English-language copy yet, but I was able to wander through the neighborhood last week, and I loved it! I found a great culinary equipment shop called Dehillerin (18, rue de la Coquilliere), and I was like a kid in a candy store looking at all of the kitchenware! I also spent some time in Laguiole, a knife shop at 1, place Ste. Opportune. Even though I just got a whole knife set from LCB, I keep thinking there are other knives I need. Like cheese knives, right? Doesn't every French culinary student need a good cheese knife??

I also found the location where Henri IV was assassinated in 1610 (I owe Ms. Newman a lot for all of this European history that's coming back to me!), and enjoyed the dichotomy of this church and the sculpture in front.




I also saw the first of many boucheries chevalines (everyone know what that means?)








Continued through Beauborg, seeing the Centre Pompidou and remembering exactly how little I like it. Call me old-fashioned, but I find it an eyesore.

Not too far away, though, is place Igor Stravinsky, where, according to my guide, "a whimsical fountain full of colorful spouting scultures awaits you. Enjoy it -- French whimsy can be hard to come by." I loved it, both on its own, and along with the amusing commentary!



One day, I decided to explore the 14th arrondissement, and spent some time in Cimetiere du Montparnasse, where such folks as Baudelaire, Maupassant, Beckett, de Beauvoir, Sartre, and Man Ray are buried.

I found it interesting that there were some Jewish graves, like this one, in the main cemetery ... but most were in a small cemetery across the road, and the grave of Alfred Dreyfus was nearly impossible to locate.






But I found it.


Another day, after class, Nika and I took a walk from school to Place des Vosges, with stops along the way for coffee and to pick up fixings for a picnic lunch. Sitting outside in a gorgeous park, with homemade quiche, a baguette and ham and cheese to top it, fresh nectarines, and chocolates? What could be more fun? We called Anne to meet us, and spent the rest of the afternoon wandering through le Marais.




A few days later, Anne and I spent some time before class sitting in Jardin du Luxembourg. These parks, I really could get used to them. Dupont Circle and the Mall don't compare!

Yet another day, I decided it was time to see where Mom studied, when she was in college. So a stroll through the Latin Quarter was necessary, to see the Sorbonne. It was strange to think of Mom, younger than I am now, walking through those same streets, having her own Parisian summer. Hopefully, she's coming to visit later in the summer, and we can compare notes!

I walked along beautiful Ile St. Louis and had ice cream at my sister and brother-in-law's favorite ice cream shop (sorry, couldn't FedEx any home to you)! I sampled chocolat noir and fraises des bois (wild strawberry), and they were both delicious.


One more exciting thing I've noticed as another week passed -- my conversations in French are getting longer, and fewer and fewer people are switching to English when they hear my broken grammar. I'm thrilled. I wasn't sure how much of my high school French was going to come back, especially since I've studied two other languages since then. But apparently my brain does okay at retaining language. Mme. Grenier would be so proud. As would my very first French teacher, who I know is reading this blog.