Category: Winter 2014

So, as planned, we left the apartment around 10:45 and made our way to Notre Dame. It was a lovely Christmas Eve walk, from the Marais, across the Seine, to the cathedral. We went past one of the outdoor ice skating rinks. Typically jam-packed with a long line, at this hour it was closed and tranquil. Lots of people (tourists?) nearby, however, taking Christmas Eve photos in the holiday lights.

As we approached Notre Dame, the crowd thickened considerably. Arriving, we saw that the square outside was packed. The 11pm service was being broadcast outside via speakers and a huge screen. To our surprise, people were still being allowed in, but in small groups. The line to get in stretched a considerable distance. We moved to a reasonably vacant area to people-watch and listen to the service. This was the service that focused on Christmas carols and we recognized most, and were even treated to some in English. The Notre Dame choir was incredible, combining children and adults with beautiful arrangements.

Suddenly, the area in which we were standing became flooded with people. Melinda overheard some guards saying that people were to be let in from this spot! Ella was having none of that, though, thinking it wasn’t appropriate for us to go in. But Melinda and Chloe were stoked! In they went. At 11:30pm. On Christmas Eve. At Notre Dame. In Paris. Crazy cool.

Ella and I continued to survey the crowd and the spectacle from outside. From inside, Chloe sent me several text messages (apparently, this is acceptable behavior in the 21st century – on the big screen we could see several people in the congregation using cell phones, cameras and all). She and Melinda were standing along the outer area with a decent view of the proceedings. They couldn’t see the choir but they could hear them. Besides, they were inside Notre Dame! In Paris! On Christmas Eve! As midnight approached!

Soon after midnight, I received a text from Chloe that they were coming out. The midnight mass had begun and some people were being brought out while others kept heading in. I was exchanging texts with my mom in Mercer Island, which was kind of surreal unto itself. Bells were ringing in the city. Ella and I moved to the exit, arriving exactly as Melinda and Chloe came out. We wandered around with the crowd for another 20 minutes or so, taking several photos. Chloe was busy Snapchatting with friends at college and elsewhere. Then we started the walk home.

On the way, we came to a spot where people can rent bicycles. Melinda thought that would be a fun way to get home and Chloe was all in. Ella wasn’t feeling too well and once we had trouble renting more than one bike, she persuaded me to walk back with her. But off rode Melinda and Chloe into the early Christmas Parisian morning.

What a Christmas memory!

I went for a long walk this afternoon, my destination being the Jardin du Luxembourg. I passed by Notre Dame on my way, interested in checking out what might be going on there on Christmas Eve. As you might imagine, quite a lot.

I stopped to snap some pictures at about 3pm. As you can see in the lower photo, there was a long line of people waiting to get in for a regular tour. I’m not sure how they end the tours, but they have their first Christmas mass scheduled at 4:30, followed by a family mass at 6pm. There is an international mass at 8pm, an 11pm mass with carols, and then a midnight mass, as well, if I understand things correctly.

Hmmm… Come to think of it, maybe those folks going in at 3pm were getting inside for the 4:30 mass. Given how many people come to the midnight mass, so many that they set up a huge screen outside the cathedral for everyone outside to watch, it wouldn’t surprise me. We’re talking about heading over to get a feel for things during the 11pm mass, which is in about 4 1/2 hours.

Anyone else heading out to a world-famous cathedral on Christmas Eve?

I don’t really remember seeing a lot of milkshakes when we lived in France four years ago. That’s not to say that they can’t be found. It could be that I don’t actually go looking for milkshakes. Truthfully, I don’t really go looking for them back home, either. But I will say I know where I could find one in Seattle if I wanted one. I’m not really sure where to find one in France.

Apparently, though, milkshakes can be found in Paris. Today, Chloe and Ella went out on their own to do some holiday shopping and one appeared on their table when they stopped for a drink. Melinda and I thought it was a great idea for the two girls to head out without us (the milkshake idea didn’t come up before they left). Just imagine being able to explore Paris, 21 and 18 year-old sisters. And when your parents provide you week-long passes on the Métro, you’re pretty well set.

Melinda and I went out in the Marais. I’m feeling a bit better today after my best night’s sleep since we arrived, although I’m nervous to report that Melinda’s energy is waning. While we were walking she described her “battery” as being at “20%,” which I took to mean she didn’t want to venture too far from the apartment. At one point we passed by a store called “Flu.” I found that name to be apt so I asked Melinda to snap a picture of me with the store name in the frame. She did so reluctantly.

Later in the afternoon I went to the grocery store to pick up some things for dinner (I manufactured a raclette dinner, boiling potatoes and microwaving raclette cheese over the top before adding ham and cornichons). Along the way, I saw some graffiti art on a wall. I thought it was a good reminder and am including it here.

To begin, let me say that I’ve been sick pretty much since we arrived. I felt a sore throat pretty significantly on Monday. I stayed in the apartment all day on Tuesday, sleeping away a day in Paris. I pushed myself a bit to get out Wednesday and Thursday, especially with Thursday being Ella’s birthday. I rested more on Friday and slept again for a good chunk of Saturday. Today, I stayed in while Melinda, Christine & Bernard went shopping, and while Chloe came home after helping Simone to the airport (Ella stayed in today to rest her “stirring wrist,” which is sore after 6 hours at Le Cordon Bleu yesterday).

Not wanting to squander another afternoon, I pushed myself to get up and take a shower, after which Melinda contacted me to see if I wanted to join the shoppers for a late lunch. I did, indeed, so Chloe and I set off to meet up for a lunch at an Italian restaurant 15 minutes or so on foot from our apartment. Melinda had purchased some crazy liquid cough medicine for me. It’s dispensed in single dose packets that you tear open and suck, straight up, into your mouth. I had that with lunch, then returned to the apartment, joined a couple hours later by Melinda, Christine, Bernard and Chloe.

It turns out Melinda bought me a pair of orange (rust?) corduroy pants from a store called Uniqlo. It turns out Bernard was wearing an identical pair. It turns out that Melinda’s and Bernard’s jackets look a lot alike…

Not wanting to stay in any longer, I put on my new cords and suggested that we head out to “take” an early evening “glass.” At the restaurant/bar, I consumed a Chivas Regal, straight up, adding it to my already consumed cough medicine. Perhaps that contributed to me convincing Melinda to trade coats with me as we walked along the Seine and then to take several pictures of Bernard and me together. I present these for your entertainment:

Ella, the chef centerpiece, surrounded by everyone after our dinner. We came back to our apartment for dessert, courtesy of chef Ella. As you can see, she cut slices of both of the yule logs (Bûche de Noël) that she made in class. Romain represents the anticipation we all were feeling in advance to eating the delicious cakes, one chocolate and the other lemon.

There are many wonderful things that happened today, and a big one that is still to happen. Chloe & Simone spent the day together and visited Sacré Coeur, the Eiffel Tower, and the Moulin Rouge (they didn’t go in, or so they say). Melinda, Christine & Bernard have been together wandering/shopping about town. We all are about to head out to join Laurent, Frédérique and Romain for dinner. But the highlight very well has to be Ella’s experience at Le Cordon Bleu.

That’s right, as part of her birthday celebration, Melinda & I were able to get Ella signed up to attend a baking class at Le Cordon Bleu, the famous French cooking school here in Paris. There were just three spots remaining when we enrolled her, and all the other classes were filled. In other words, it was meant to be.

Ella just returned to the apartment from her class with three baked goods in hand, two of which are super-fancy and have had to be put in the refrigerator. She also has a new “Le Cordon Bleu” apron, her chef’s hat, and a huge smile on her face. The class was 6 hours long, so she also came home tired.

As time allows, I’ll try to post some other photos. For now, you’ll have to get by with this fabulous shot of Ella in her class.

Anyone who knows me understands that my favorite dinner is confit de canard (duck confit). I didn’t know this prior to our sabbatical year in France, but the moment I first tasted it, I was hooked.

Hooked, as in I had it for dinner last night on Ella’s 18th birthday (so did Ella), and I made it tonight for Ella and me in our apartment in the Marais. Yes, that’s two nights in a row for both of us, and we are considering having it for breakfast tomorrow. Okay, I’m kidding. Everyone knows Ella won’t be up in time for breakfast (although she is taking a class at Le Cordon Bleu tomorrow afternoon).

Today’s photo features yours truly with the plate I had just fixed for Ella. I first asked Melinda to take a picture of both Ella and me with our plates, but Ella had just gotten up from a nap and wasn’t feeling picture-worthy, if you know what I mean. Me, I’m always feeling picture-worthy, as is any confit de canard, so there you go.

Ella said that last night’s confit was better than mine. Hmmph. Go figure that the one we had fixed for us at a fine Parisian restaurant is better than the frozen version I bought at Picard this afternoon and heated in the microwave. I’ll try not to be offended.

Say, you Paleo folks may enjoy Mark Sisson’s blog post/recipe about confit de canard. And if you ever want to do me a favor, just make me some…

Side note about today — Simone came over to our place and then she and Chloe departed for a day of shopping. It sounds like they may rendez-vous with Romain tonight before spending the next couple of nights at Simone’s hotel. She leaves on Sunday so Chloe wants to take advantage of being in Paris with one of her best friends. So, Chloe, no confit for you.

Translation : She has 18 years! Elle a = she has, but it also sounds like Ella! Ella is 18! That’s just crazy talk, I know. I remember when she was born, like it was, well, maybe not yesterday. But not 18 years ago!

To celebrate, we came to Paris, just like we did in 2011 when Chloe turned 18. Back then, we were living in France and just had to travel by train from Nantes. This time we had to come all the way from Seattle. But Melinda and I are pleased to have now celebrated both of our girls’ 18th birthdays in Paris. Here in France, at 18, they are fully adults. In fact, tonight the four of us split a bottle of champagne AND a bottle of wine at a restaurant! And after that, Chloe took Ella to a bar, just the two of them! She said something to the effect of, “I can’t be in Paris with my little sister on her 18th birthday and not take her out for a drink!”

It’s just past 11pm as I write this and to assure the grandmothers, everyone is now back in our apartment in the Marais, tucked into bed, safe and sound. But how did the day unfold?

To be honest, it began with a pretty significant PSCS focus. Back in Seattle, the students were signing up for their winter term classes today so Melinda had to get all the data entered in the school database. She got up early to do that so it would all be ready for them. After that, at about noon in Paris, Ella, Chloe, Melinda, and I took the Métro to Angelina’s to get some hot chocolate. As far as Ella’s concerned, it’s the best hot chocolate in the world and we were definitely going to have some on her 18th birthday, just like we did four years ago on her 14th. We took our time and savored the drink, which is really more like chocolate soup. It really is something.

From there, we headed over to the Eiffel Tower where we just played around for a long time taking all kinds of photos. We arrived at the north end and made our way to the south, all four of us busy snapping photos at various points along the way. At the southernmost point we were asked by a man to take his photo. In return, he took ours on Chloe’s phone. We were pleased with the result, much better than the “groupie” we tried ourselves.

After the Eiffel Tower, we decided to take a bus around Paris. Our destination was intended to be a jewelry store near the Opéra, but we started off in the wrong direction. No problem, though. The driver explained (in French) to Melinda the proper way to go so off we went. All in all, we spent a little more than an hour on buses in Paris, getting to see some of the great holiday sights along the way. Not bad at all.

For dinner, we had made reservations at Robert et Louise, a restaurant just a couple of blocks from our apartment that had excellent reviews. They knew it was Ella’s 18th birthday and took great care of us. We had a champagne toast to begin (Ella says she likes good French champagne – go figure) and a bottle of red wine with dinner. Speaking of dinner, Ella and I both had confit de canard so you know we are pleased. After the dinner dishes were cleared, the owner dimmed the lights, made a big announcement in both French and English, and brought Ella a piece of chocolate cake with a candle while everyone on the floor, patrons and workers alike, sang happy birthday to her in French. Me, the proud papa, I topped it off with a Poire, my digestif of choice. From there, Chloe took Ella out for her first legal adult beverage sans parents.

So what do you think about this, Melinda and me no longer having children? According to Chloe, we now have adults.

From the sabbatical year:

• Ella’s 14th birthday
  
• Chloe’s 18th birthday