Gotta Maintain these 14th Century Relics! - Saturday, 9 November

Old relics need to be maintained. For this old relic, it primarily (and happily) means enough sleep and time with legs elevated (which usually leads to sleep!).

The 14th century building containing my apartment also needs help from time to time!  This notice is on our security door - basically, it says that maintenance on the courtyard side begins on the 16th and people need to remove any furniture and greenery from their windowsills and balconies.  My windows are on the street side, so no worries for me (although the entry might be a bit messy for a while!).

Miscellany from the Week - Saturday, 23 April

“Paris is loath to surrender itself to people who are in a hurry; it belongs to the dreamers, to those capable of amusing themselves in its streets without regard to time when urgent business requires their presence elsewhere … waste time … experience the faint distress that comes from thinking you have lost your way."  Julien Green, Paris

There are giants among us!  This façade on rue du Louvre was pretty arresting!

For lunch one day, chicken paillard (chicken breasts pounded flat and quickly grilled to be slightly charred and crispy on the outside while still juicy inside) served with a big lemon wedge, arugula, and a tasty uncooked tomato-shallot-herb-vinegar salsa, fries, and a beer at Café Étienne Marcel.  Very tasty, and there must have been five paillards here - could have easily fed a family with them!

I’m usually a beer or wine person for the afternoon “break” but one day I thought I’d try one of Le Compas’ signature cocktails - the “I Love Paris” - strawberry juice, Champagne and the elderflower liqueur St-Germain.  Tasty, but hoo boy, it went to my head right away!  Good thing I was just about 20 yards from my front door!  That brown bottle on the table is hand sanitizer - you’ll see them on the tables of many cafés and restos.

Many Paris streets, gardens, and squares are named after artists, writers, musicians, royalty, religious - a few are named after business persons or politicians, but happily, not many!  Just for you music fans, here’s a tiny (and overgrown) small square in the 6th named after Francis Poulenc.

Loved the metal “lace” fences outside the Haute École de Joaillerie (jewelry-making school) on rue du Louvre

It’s a bit hard to see, but this bicycle courier was delivering an Amazon box to the building across the rue Marie Stuart from my door.  I have always seen lots of deliveries via bicycle, but the volume seems to be increasing.  Also, with more and more streets being carved up to add a bicycle lane and remove some vehicle lanes, more and more commuters are on rental bicycles.  The bicyclists and pedestrians have the right-of-way, so if you hit one, the driver is liable.  There are still a lot of accidents, though.  But my drivers were all very cautious, so no accidents this trip! 

I should have thought to explore the other direction on rue Tiquetonne earlier. Perfect fish & chips, not strictly French of course, but SO yummy! 

And, my latest heartthrob….

It started pouring with rain one afternoon, so I *had to* seek shelter under the awning of a sidewalk café!

There's this cool little shop of "stuff" in the Passage du Grand Cerf at the end of my block, and I always try to stop by when I'm in town to find something odd & interesting to bring home.  This time I really wished I could pop this, um, stationary bicycle exercise stool (?) or one of these cool cabinets in my suitcase!   For more of their stuff, check out their website:   https://www.rickshaw.fr/en

Well, I saw SOME of the Gaudí Exhibit! - Friday, 22 April

This morning I visited the Musée d’Orsay for their Gaudí exhibit.  I am pleased to report that I got there in one piece!  Usually taxi drivers, especially ones who work for G7, are fabulously capable, alert and helpful.  But my driver today seemed to be having vision problems - eek!  After he picked me up at the apartment he pulled over to the side and took off his glasses and squinted at his phone/map device for a couple of minutes, then put his glasses back on and drove for a bit, very gingerly working his way through a crowd on rue Montorgueil as if he had a hard time seeing people clearly, then putting the glasses on and off a few more times before we got to the d’Orsay.  But we made it and no pedestrians were injured.  Phew!

It must be at least 10 years since I was at d'Orsay - gotta say it’s as gorgeous as ever, and even more popular!  But wow - huge crowds and tour groups for a Friday morning!  I could handle only about half of the exhibit because the crowds were making me feel a bit claustrophobic (and not everyone was wearing a facemask).  I did get to see several objects of furniture and other practical household (or mansion-hold, to be exact) items that I loved - one of my favorite things is to see practical objects and implements taken to a very high artistic standard.  And of course, Gaudí fit that bill (as well as several others)!   https://www.musee-orsay.fr/en/exhibitions/gaudi-213307

Read more about the exhibit on their Facebook page:   https://www.facebook.com/170924542917905/posts/5514532755223697/?d=n

I thought about taking a peek at an Aristide Maillol exhibit and an Yves Saint-Laurent exhibit, as well as some of the permanent collection, but I wimped out given the crowds.  

https://www.musee-orsay.fr/en/exhibitions/yves-saint-laurent-museums-201146

https://www.musee-orsay.fr/en/exhibitions/aristide-maillol-1861-1944-quest-harmony-201198

Jetlag Won :-( - Tuesday, 19 April

Gotta start adding one more day of jetlag recovery to the front of my trips.  Tonight I had a ticket for an 8:30 recital by the legendary Russian/Austrian pianist Elisabeth Leonskaja, playing works by Schubert at the Philharmonie de Paris.  It’s a long haul to the Philharmonie (of course I’d take a taxi, but it is handily accessible by the métro as well), but it’s still a bit of a walk from the taxi drop-off/pick-up location into the hall, and my legs were just too swollen and weak for it to be prudent, so I blew it off.  If you’re interested, you can see her recital program here:   https://philharmoniedeparis.fr/en/activity/recital-piano/22910-elisabeth-leonskaja  She seems to be a regular featured artist, so maybe next time!

The Philharmonie does have a livestreaming app, but they don’t post all of their concerts there (hey, they do have to fill the hall to make money!), and they did not post this recital.  Bummer!  The livestreams have excellent production values, and you get to see the inside and outside of this amazing hall, so check it out!  And for you real orchestra geeks out there, take a look at the (free) stream of the Orchestre de Paris’ March 23 concert featuring their amazing new conductor, the 26-year-old Finn, Klaus Mäkelä!  He is most pleasant to watch indeed!  You can also find it in the web here:  https://philharmoniedeparis.fr/en/live/1138171-orchestre-de-paris-klaus-makela-khatia-buniatishvili-tchaikovski-debussy-ravel-falla

If you want to know more about the hall, just search for “Philharmonie” on this blog - I've written about it several times.  And/or read my first post about it here:  https://mariellen-musing.blogspot.com/2015/06/the-new-philharmonie-de-paris-imagined.html   

Anyhoo, lesson learned.  This is a short trip and I just tried to cram in too many things!  Next time, I’ll give myself a couple days to recover before venturing to the outer ring arrondissements!

Stuff I Don't See in Minneapolis - Saturday, 25 September

An afternoon "coffee" break quite like this - in the dappled shade of the terrace outside a lovely café across the street from Hôtel de Ville (City Hall).

Bicycle-riding police stopping what appeared to be random cyclists on a busy Saturday afternoon in the crazy-busy section of rue Saint-Antoine just a few blocks from the Bastille.  I'm not sure what they were looking for - maybe Passe Sanitaire documentation from those who weren't wearing masks?  In any case many passers-by stopped to watch, at least for a minute or so.

OK, I know why the police stopped this guy!  He was crossing a street that was open only to buses, taxis, emergency vehicles, delivery vehicles and bikes/scooters/rollerbladers.  Tsk tsk tsk.  They detained him quite a while.

A big ol' Teddy Bear checking out the ardoise (the slate, or chalkboard menu) at their local café.

OK, OK, the buildings here are centuries old.  Not all of them are in good shape!

A sanglier (wild boar) outside a deli.  True, just a carving of one (bottom left of the photo).  But still....

BTW, I brought home a mini pizza from this deli.  Thin, tart-style crust, braised onions in a Provençal style (with a little garlic, some tomato, thyme, salt, pepper, olive oil) and topped with an anchovy, olives and a tomato slice.  Yummers!

I also ordered one slice of their duck terrine with pistachios.  The proprietress cut off a slice from the loaf, weighed it, and then noticed that part of the crust had fallen off.  So she just gave me the rest of the loaf!  Some deal!!!  And fabulously delicious! 

The gentle curve of so many of the streets, with the buildings following that curve.

The Circus! - Tuesday, 24 September

The Cirque d’Hiver (winter circus) has been on my list of places to check out for a long time. They didn’t have any shows playing right now (you can see circuses, acrobats, stand-up comedy, concerts, clown shows, animal acts, and various other “spectacles,” as they call them here) but it’s just a couple blocks from the apartment so I headed over there on Tuesday.

Impressive building! It’s round (er, actually icosagonic – a 20-sided polygon), 45 yards in diameter, and seats about 2000 spectators. Apparently you can rent it for private events too…hmmm…!

Shows of one kind or another have been presented there since it opened in 1852. It sits right at the Filles du Cavalier Métro exit. Sure hope something is playing there during my next trip!

https://www.cirquedhiver.com

Incense, Architecture, Etchings, Sculpture, Memories, Tears - Sunday, 7 October

Incense hung in the air of l'Église Saint-Séverin as I stepped inside on Sunday afternoon. This just might be my favorite church in Paris. I’ve been here many times, but I’ve never experienced the incense so present - sandalwood and floral - there was something very purifying and holy about it. There has been a church on this site since the 11th century; it is named after a 6th century hermit who lived in the area. It sits in the midst of the insanely bustling Latin Quarter, a welcome refuge from the madness of the world, a quiet and sacred space. I shuffled around the double ambulatory (stepping cautiously on the very worn-down paving stones), stopped at the side chapels, sat and breathed deeply in the nave.

Then I proceeded to the small elliptical Mansart Chapel in the southeast corner of the building. This simple chapel, with its etchings by Georges Rouault, and beautifully cast bronze Madonna and child by Georges Schneider, and crucifix, altar and lectern by I-wish-I-knew-who is a beautiful spot for quiet reflection.

And reflect I did. And cry. Many many years ago, I told my friend and college-freshman-year-accompanist Leah Harding about this place, and about the etchings. As an artist herself, she knew of them, and told me that they were by Georges Rouault. Then, in April 2008, Leah came to Paris with me and we visited Saint-Séverin, where she was also enthralled by the three organs in the church. We ate lunch across the street (where I had my confit de canard today). The incense in the church reminded me of the perfume she always wore.

Leah died almost a year ago of cancer. So all the memories came rushing together as I sat in the Mansart Chapel, and tears ran down my face, and my sniffling was quite loud in that elliptical stone space. Happily, there was only one other person in the chapel whose prayers I disturbed. He smiled at me kindly when he left.

A Classic French Beauty! - Friday, 5 October

La Seine Musicale - Far Out! - Friday, 5 October

The concert hall is in the round bubble
in the center of the picture

The ring corridor inside the
concert hall "bubble",
looking outward

My Friday night adventure was checking out the newest concert venue in Paris, La Seine Musicale. It opened about a year ago, and features a concert hall primarily for unamplified music (mostly classical and jazz) seating 1,150, plus a larger modular hall accommodating 6,000 where rock and popular/musicals/dance are performed and other events are held.  It’s in the far western suburbs of Paris, in the middle of the Île Seguin in the middle of the Seine, in an area called Boulogne-Billancourt, about 5 miles downstream from the Eiffel Tower.  The Pont de Sèvres terminus of Metro line 9 is just a few blocks away on one side of the river, as is the RATP line 2 Brimborion Station on the other side of the river.  Of course, taxis and Uber also serve the area, but it’s a long way from central Paris so it's pretty pricey, especially during rush hour (ask me how I know!).

I hadn’t been there yet, so I just had to check out a concert by Patricia Petibon, a coloratura soprano who specializes in baroque, Mozart, etc., but who also takes on modern and opéra-comique work with her unique theatrical and almost cartoonish (at times) style.

Inside the concert hall

La Seine Musicale has a modern industrial feel – lots of concrete and a bit of glass – very sterile in the corridors, bars, restrooms, etc. – it felt like they could hose down the place pretty easily!  The concert hall’s wood and red upholstery has a much warmer feel, but it’s at the other end of the facility from the entrance, so the journey there is through the concrete jungle.  It’s in a big dramatic glass, steel and wood bubble which I’m guessing provides acoustic separation from the rest of the facility (as the ring corridor does at Orchestra Hall in Minneapolis).

Apparently this was a concert to celebrate the release of Ms. Petibon's new album, “Alchimia.”  She performed with two pianists and a violinist.  The performance was amplified and included some prerecorded tracks, looping, etc.  There were some original works, some jazz interpretations of classic works (such as Puccini’s “O Mio Babbino Caro” done in both a straight style and a jazz style), some pieces just for piano and amplified violin, etc.  As I mentioned, Ms. Petibon has a very theatrical style – for the first few pieces the stage was quite dark and she had lights attached to her hands to amplify her dramatic sweeping arm movements.  It was a bit “over the top” for me, but then the songs were in French so I didn’t understand the lyrics, so the melodramatic effects might have been perfectly appropriate!  All the performers displayed excellent technique, but the style just wasn’t my cup of tea so it got tiring.  I’m glad I went to check out the place, though.

The entrance plaza, with multiple
outdoor cafes

They have a restaurant, a café, and several bars on the premises.  Since I wanted to give myself plenty of time to get there and figure out the venue, I decided to have a light supper in the outdoor café.  Nothing fancy, so the bill came to just 32 euros (about $40).

The Whole Evening was a Gift - Schubert Monday, 1 October

So tonight it was some Schubert!  At Theatre des Bouffes du Nord, none the less!

But it almost wasn’t, for me anyway.  When I bought my ticket a couple months ago the concert was already almost sold out.  But I nabbed a seat I thought would work up a few steps from the floor in row G.  Little did I know how treacherous those steps were, or that there was a big post blocking my way.  Ya had to be skinny and nimble to reach it.  Neither are words that describe me!

The nice usher suggested that I wait until everyone was seated, then he convinced a row of people to squish together to make room for me on the aisle of row C.  I couldn’t have picked a better seat if I tried.  What a gift.

The first half was Schubert string quartet #15.  Then, “Death and the Maiden,” #14!

Quartet Van Kuijk is VERY good.  And the guys are very cute!  Just wow.

And Schubert!  The spectacular beauty, the power, the humor, the melodies, the complexity, the material for collaboration, the craft, his almost frightening ability to control one’s breathing, ....  One of a kind.

The crowd went wild.  Multiple curtain calls.  Euro-clapping.  Then we got an encore of Poulenc’s “Les Chemins de l'amour” arranged for string quartet. Sweet!  Two more curtain calls before we were sent out into the balmy evening.  Aaahhhhh.  Life is good!

Craftspeople and Artisans and Passages, Oh My! – Saturday 30 September

It’s amazing the craftspeople and artisans you find joyfully doing their work and creating beauty in the 200-year-old glass-roofed “Passages” in Paris. Just two stories from this morning….

About a year ago I read about the only umbrella repair guy in France, Thierry Millet. His tiny almost-50-year-old shop called PEP’S (where he also sells a vast variety of regular and folding umbrellas and canes) is in the ancient stone-paved Passage de l'Ancre in the 3rd arrondissement, about a mile from my apartment. I also read that he fabricates an Eiffel Tower umbrella of his own design, and I just had to see it for myself! So I shuffled over there this morning and was smitten! He doesn’t take credit cards, but I had just enough cash in my purse to buy one of his masterpieces (with enough left over for a coffee on the way home!). A charming 2-minute video about him was produced this summer – check it out here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNsrU-t0lf0
And here are his website and Facebook page:
https://www.peps-paris.com/reparateur.html
https://www.facebook.com/maisonpeps/

On my way to PEP’S I walked through the Passage du Bourg l'Abbé for the first time. At its eastern end I found big slabs of rough-hewn tree trunks outside the atelier of the last cabinetmaker in central Paris, Ivan Lulli, who has worked in this shop in this location for 30 years. He studies a slab or chunk of wood to discern its characteristics and then designs a piece based on what the wood tells him. Sometimes he collaborates with architects on custom pieces and takes commissions from individuals. Golly, I wonder what it would cost to have him make something for me? Of course I’d have to factor in the shipping, and I really can’t think of something I “need,” but ….

A group called “les Petits Frenchies” did an article about Mr. Millet this spring.  Read it here (it's in French but you can easily run it through Google Translate):   https://fr.petitsfrenchies.com/ivan-lulli-dernier-ebeniste-du-centre-paris/

About 20 “Passages” remain in Paris (many have been destroyed). I’ve visited only five of them, and some fairly superficially. Some are rough-and-tumble like Passage de l’Ancre and some of them quite elegant and fabulous and haute-everything like Galerie Vivienne. Maybe I should organize a future trip around studying (and shopping! and dining!) them all, one or two a day. I’d better get to work on that plan!

Like the Olden Days – and the Kindness of Strangers – Friday, 29 September

So, after my euphoria-inducing French “lunch” at Alliance (perhaps I could just call it “déjeuner” but that wouldn’t really do it justice either!), I decided to take a little walk to my favorite church, Saint-Séverin, which was only a few blocks away in the heart of the Latin Quarter. The scale, the quiet, the beauty, the “sacred grove” created by the double ambulatory, the height, the Chagall windows, the peace amid the rampant noise and tourism of the quartier – it’s my favorite place to just sit and be still.

And then, since this was St. Michael’s Day (or Michaelmas, as they say in England), I had my heart set on getting a selfie in front of the huge fountain at Place Saint-Michel just down the street. Unfortunately, when I got there my phone decided to go into whacky mode, phantomly pushing its own buttons and wearing down the battery. Oh, well, you’ll just have to enjoy this photo I found online featuring the same perspective I was aiming for!

So with my phone on whacky mode I couldn’t get an Uber either. But there was a taxi queue at the intersection, so I went and stood over there, just like in the olden days. For 15 minutes. And there was an old guy in line before me who had been standing there even longer. Apparently early rush hour on a Friday isn’t the best time to catch a cab!

But, harkening back to even oldener (!) days, there was a bus shelter right there where the #85 stopped (a route that goes within a block of my apartment). And I had a ticket in my purse. And the bus that arrived 5 minutes later wasn’t already full, so I could get a seat! Yippee! However, the yippee factor muted a bit at every stop as more and more people got on. By the time it reached my stop the bus was packed, and I couldn’t use my patented rock-and-lurch method for getting up (it takes some room to get the inertia going!) and there wasn’t anything close to push against for the leverage I need. But a couple of sharp-eyed passengers (both women, of course!) saw my dilemma and helped me up and made sure the driver saw that a slow-poke was trying to get off. God bless these strangers and their kindness!