shopping

One Year Ago

So, it’s hard to come up with much to write as the only time I leave our place is to buy groceries. I’ve almost decided to stop going to our local Monoprix as it is usually packed with people, something I’m trying to avoid. They always have the best selection of food though so if I go and there isn’t a long line out front I will run in and out as fast as I can.

In other news, the other day the rubber on the wheel on our little grocery cart came off. We were luckily able to get it home on the plastic that remained. We couldn’t find a new one in the Monoprix-they are all gone for some reason-so went to Amazon and ordered one and were told it wouldn’t arrived for three weeks. To our surprise, we got a call from downstairs and it was here three days later. The UPS guy brought it to our door and we left it in the hall to shed any germs or viruses. Then I sprayed the box down and opened it up out in the hall wondering if this was really necessary but afraid to take a chance. So we now have a nice new cart for our dangerous voyages into the shopping world.

We have started watching a tv series on Netflix called Money Heist. It is made in Spain with English subtitles and we watch two episodes every day-it has 26 episodes. It’s sort of a soap opera in a way with story lines of the police, the hostages and the robbers as the mint in Madrid is being robbed. I don’t know if I would watch it during normal times but these are not normal times and we are hooked and wondering how it will end.

Quiet

My blog was down for a few days and during this time when so many places are closed, I didn’t think I could get it fixed but here I am. We in France are in confinement for at least two more weeks. I’m betting we will be confined the rest of the summer myself. I plan to wear a mask for a very long time. Here are a few photos I’ve taken when I’ve been out.

Maurice and I in front of our Monoprix. I hate to go in there as it’s so crowded but they seem to have the best selection. Not everyone in the store is wearing a mask, not even the employees.

The Seine looking peaceful as the sun sets. We aren’t allowed to walk along the river anymore.

A lovely reflection of the Eiffel Tower on the smooth water of the Seine.

I made a martini the other evening but they sort of make me sick so I guess I’ll stick to wine.

I hope everyone out there is doing as well as can be expected. Thanks for dropping by.

Lourmarin in Provence is one of those French villages that is packed with beautiful shops and, although many were closed in December, I found some lovely places.

Day and Night

Once I am home, it’s very hard for me to leave at night leading to few night shots. I’m always sort of amazed by what I see when I happen to be out in Paris after dark.

Restaurants look a bit magical with their lighting.

The column at Bastille looks even better in its night time light.

Cocktails taste better at night too.

Many mornings we are out walking in the Promenade Plantée with great Autumn light.

Seen in Printemps. I was looking for a light coat to wear now when I should have been looking for one months ago. I am always to late for what I want and what I want is a Burberry trench coat but I am genetically wired not to spend a lot of money on clothes. 1600 Euros for a coat? I just can’t do it. So I looked for a knock off but after two hours I gave up.

The best part of the day is when I went to their top floor to look at this magnificent stained glass dome.

(This post was written in October before we went to Canada and the States.)

A Long Wait

I don’t know why but there are few flights on British Air between London and Paris. After the long flight from Arizona, the only flight going to Paris was six hours later. I thought about going into London but a cold front had arrived along with wind and I was still dressed for Arizona weather so I decided to stick it out at the airport in terminal 5 which turned out to be very luxurious full of high end stores such as Louis Vuitton. I’m not a shopper but walked around looking in windows, spent time in the WH Smith bookstore where I bought two paperbacks, ate lunch and had a bit of a nap in a chair. I arrived in Paris at 10:40 at night and Maurice being worried about me taking an RER so late at night, I took an Uber home. There was little traffic and I was home in 25 minutes. I unpacked a bit but left the rest for morning and made it to bed about 1 am. I slept until 11:30. I think I was a bit sleep deprived. It is cold and rainy in Paris but going to warm up nicely in the coming week.

I had seen Gordon Ramsay on tv so decided to have lunch there. There was a video of him cooking on two screens the whole time. The lunch, some chicken curry, was good but too spicy for me. It wasn’t cheap either but is anything at an airport?

It was beautifully decorated and designed.

One of the shops I went into was an English one called Fortum and Mason which has beautifully packaged food. The men working there, all handsome and calling women “Madam”, were dressed in suits with tails.

The packaging was beautiful.

Picnic baskets.

Tea for sale. I thought about buying some but didn’t.

Honey comb in honey too. Such a pretty color.

Passage Vivienne

One of the prettiest covered shopping arcades left from years past is Passage Vivienne. So elegant and refined.

So beautiful.

I especially liked this corner. The doors to the left lead to a stairway and apartments. Wouldn’t it be great to live there?

A painting for sale in one of the shops. I’d love to know who it was.

This restaurant looked really inviting. It was still being set up for the grand opening when I look in the window. The designer shop Jean-Paul Gaultier used to be in this space.

Seen in a window. I took a photo of this years ago but have recently seen photos by others on instagram. You do wonder how the pigs got there and why they remain.