Yesterday was so idyllic. 73 and sunny, trees in bloom, long walks and a picnic by the Seine. Seriously contemplating how we are going to force ourselves into going to the airport on Tuesday morning.
They day even began excellently. We slept with the windows open last night and woke up to a French man in the apartment behind us blasting Whitney Houston (All At Once, if you happen to be a Whitney connoisseur), and singing along, of course. Right away, we knew this was a good omen.
We headed out to Montorgueil, which is very lively, especially on a Saturday. Lots of cafes, shops, and food stores. There were children and dogs everywhere. We grabbed a quick dejeuner to go, walked for a while, and stopped into a few boutiques before going into E. Delherin, a quintessentially French kitchen store. We made some purchases, walked around the neighborhood, and made our way to the Seine.
Seine picnics are one of the most "Paris" activities to me. Sitting on the Ile de la Cite, close to the water, next to the Pont Neuf (the oldest bridge in Paris) is really magical, and you feel like you're really experiencing the energy of the city.
After lingering in the beautiful weather for a couple of hours, we headed back to the apartment, took a little rest, and went out for the evening. We had a glass of white wine to celebrate the warm weather at Fish La Boissonerie, a favorite restaurant where we ate about a week ago. The clientele is a big mix of French, British, and American, and we ended up chatting with a born and raised New Yorker who lives above the restaurant (not a bad address). Afterwards, we went to 20 de bellechasse, a great bistro tucked away behind the Musee d'Orsay in the seventh. They make a salmon that is actually raw, but, when dipped in a specific sauce, becomes amazingly flavorful. Oh, it was so good.
Today is Sunday, a very calm day in France. Few shops or restaurants are open, so it will probably be a day of a simple meal, some reading and catching up on writing, and staring at the city some more.
We're back in New York so soon, and I feel as if I have to soak up as much Paris as I can. More before we depart on Tuesday!
* Flaneuse, a word that would only exist in French, means aimless, yet soulful, wanderer.
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