We’ll always have Paris.” ~ Humphrey Bogart, Casablanca

“Paris is always a good idea.” ~ Audrey Hepburn, Sabrina

“When good Americans die, they go to Paris.” ~ Oscar Wilde

“There are only two places in the world where we can live happy, at home, and in Paris.” ~ Ernest Hemingway

“The chief danger about Paris is that it is such a strong stimulant.” ~ T. S. Eliot

“Paris is not a city; it’s a world.” ~ King Francis

“Whoever does not visit Paris regularly will never be elegant.” ~ Honoré de Balzac

My Paris time has come to end and now I will move on to Lyon. The photos above represent just one reason I will miss Paris so much. They are from a dinner with my friends at the culinary experience known as Atica. The food, as you can see, is amazing, but the experience is unlike any other restaurant. There are only 8 tables in a large space that, every few months, Chef Ramzi Saade decides on a culture to feature. The tables are in the middle of the room and on all four large walls are projected the most beautiful images of the place chosen. In our case it was Corsica. High resolution images and videos of the sea, the mountains, the forests and the villages of Corsica project throughout the 7 course dinner. Soft sounds of the sea and birdsong from the forest are so subtle that you don’t realize until later that you never heard any conversation from the other 7 tables. It is magical.

To live in Paris for over a month is such a different experience than to come for a few days or even a week. It is also different to have come back to Paris, having been here for shorter visits many times in the past. When a person comes for the first time, or for a short period, naturally they visit all the important sites and eat at the restaurants they have read about or their friends who have also come for short visits tell them they really must try. This visit I do very little of that. I wander the various arrondissements,

I meet local friends,

I have my neighborhood hangouts,

I go to the movies,

And to the many parks.

While even Parisians regularly go to the Louvre (although usually at night or off hours), they also love the less well known museums and I do too.

Some days I’m all over town. Other days I sit in the same café all day and people watch, read and write.

My last week here has been lovely. I’ve actually experienced three seasons during my month. It was summer when I arrived, then there were days of spring with chilly rain and now it is fall.

My birthday was last week and I had many celebrations. My new friend Jill takes me to the restaurant Pristine for a great dinner.

I have a wonderful lunch at Le Chardenoux in my neighborhood.

I have elegant drinks at Le Duc de Morny Library at Le Reserve Hotel.

In between all that birthday eating, I also was so happy to go to the John Singer Sargent Exhibition at the D’Orsay Museé. He is one of my favorite painters and while he is considered one of America’s most important painters, he is still largely unknown in France until now. This month, the D’Orsay organized a huge monographic exhibition of his early works and his ties to Paris. It was lovely.

Aside from enjoying yet another birthday in a foreign country, I’ve been sampling loads of restaurants, art museums, neighborhoods and taken some interesting day trips. Let me give you a sampling of my week.

More Food:

I hear of a restaurant in the 5th arrondissement, Les Papilles, where there is no menu. The chef each days makes four courses and you get what he makes. Today he makes vichyssoise, braised veal stew, and a Sainte-Maure de Touraine cheese course. That stripe of red is the spice I mentioned in my previous post: Piment d’espelette ( I am too full to find out what he made for dessert!) Afterwards, I take my friend Louis’ suggestion and stroll down the enchanting Rue Moufftard. Turns out I find dessert after all.

Art:

I have the opportunity to do a night time visit to the Louvre with friends who are members. It is not crowded at all and there is no waiting to get in. We decide to focus on the Napoleon III Apartments. The Louvre was a palace before it was a museum. These apartments show the splendor of palace living around 1861.

Afterwards we admire the beautifully lit grounds as we walk to another outdoor art installation nearby.

Another day I take myself to the Carnavalet Museum in the Marais. This museum is dedicated to the history of Paris. It is housed in two 16th century mansions and contains furnished rooms from different periods of Paris history and Paris life. I can’t believe I have never been here as it is now one of my favorite museums.

I am also fortunate to see the Paul Troubetzkoy sculpture exhibit that opened September 30th. He is an iconic Italian sculptor that uses Impressionism in sculpture. He has sculpted many many famous people including the master sculptor himself: Rodin.

Of course when the weather turned beautiful again, I turn to just walking and walking and sitting in cafes.

Neigborhoods:

I spend time in the Bastille Market which goes for at least six blocks and where many chefs shop for their produce.

I also sit in the sun in the Tuileries.

Nearby is the US Embassy and I usually try to take a look at our embassy in each city I visit.

I go from Boho shopping to luxury window shopping when I head over to the Champs Elysee and Rue Montaigne.

And then there is the shrine to luxury shopping: Dior.

I am early for my ticketed spot to see the Dior Exhibition so I am offered to go for coffee in their flagship store next door. Ok. Sounds good.

Now I’m at the Dior Exhibition. It is perfectly orchestrated. Room after room about the life and clothes of Christian Dior.

Day Trips:

Fontainebleau

One day I take the train 45 minutes south and see the beautiful Chateau Fontainebleau. A UNESCO World Heritage site, it is the only chateau to have been inhabited by all the monarchs from the 12th to the 19th century. Napoleon was the great restorer of Fontainebleau and ironically this is where he abdicated in 1814. I see the room where he signed the abdication papers.

I tour the gardens behind the chateau once I finish touring the chateau.

Having been to both Versailles and Fontainebleau, I much prefer Fontainebleau. It is easy to get to and quite uncrowded. Versailles is wall to wall people and you can hardly see the furnishings.

Moret Veneux-les-Sablons

This is a quaint village not too far from Fontainebleau. It is where the painter Sisley did much of his work. It has a beautiful riverfront park and ancient church. You can train here from Paris. It is quite peaceful with a town square to sit and have a drink.

Provins

Everyone I ask about a potential day trip mentions Provins. It is about an hour and 15 minutes on the train from Paris. It is an intact medieval village. The buildings date from the 12th century. I arrive late morning and walk about 10 minutes from the train station into the center of town. I see up the hill this beautiful dome.

I start walking and come first to the castle. Caesar’s Tower it is called. I pay my 5 euros and start exploring the interior of the castle.

I walk the ramparts and then come to the church called The Saint Quiriace Collegiate Church.

The interior is lovely. Joan of Arc attended mass here in 1429 with King Charles VII. The exterior of the church was never finished.

I climb back down the hill and I’m famished. I have made a reservation at Trattoria Val and I have my one and only Italian meal in France.

Tonight I have drinks with Benoit and Michele, who I met the first week I was here, at Au Cadran Voltaire in my neighborhood.

Afterwards, I walk to my favorite wine bar, Le Pure Cafe, and talk to Louisa, Antoine and Orem. I have a nice meal before walking the few blocks home.

So that my friends is some of how I spent my last week in Paris. Thanks for following along on the journey. I hope you will stay with me as I continue on to Lyon.

The expression that a picture is worth a thousand words always rings true to me. Let me present you a mostly pictorial description of my week 3 in Paris.

Monday: Chartres

Chartres has more to offer than just its famous cathedral. It is a beautiful fall day so I take a stroll along the Eure River, stop by several of the museums and admire the half-timbered houses of the old town. Then I walk back to the train station and head back to Paris.

Tuesday: Hidden Passageways

It is a bit rainy so today I want to find as many of the covered passages of Paris that I can. These were built in the early 1800s. There were almost 200 of these at their peak, but many were demolished during Haussmann’s renovation of Paris. Only 25 survive and all but one is on the Right Bank.

I stop at La Valentin in Passage Jouffroy in the 9th. Of course I go for the croque monsieur.

I realize I am fairly near the famous kitchen shop E. Dehillerin. This is where Julia Childs shopped when she was in Paris. Say no more! I am on my way.

I head home because tonight I’m going out to the suburbs to have dinner with Elena and her husband Sylvain at the restaurant Eugène Eugène.

We eat and laugh and talk for four hours. We walk back to the tram together at midnight. Fireworks are going off. A really fun day!

Wednesday: Montmartre

Years ago on my first trip to Paris, I climbed up the steep staircase to see the beautiful Sacré-Coeue Basilica. I remember it being jammed with people. Today I plan to ease into Montmartre by starting above the Basilica and leisurely getting acquainted with this neighbor that has so much more to see than just the famous Basilica.

A walk home after a beautiful day.

Thursday: Strike day in France

Oddly demonstrators in France publish way ahead of time when they are going to strike. So I knew that today was the day. This is suppose to be bigger than the one we had here on September 10. I know I can’t plan anything that takes trains or metros as they won’t be running. So I set off down my street, Rue Charonne, to see what I can find.

What I find is complete quiet in my neighborhood. No ubers, cabs, buses. It is so peaceful. I walk further and do a little shopping at the boutiques that are open.

This patisserie is considered one of Paris’ best and it’s on my street. I decide I might eat my meals backwards today. I’ll start with a pastry.

Friday: Giverny

I have wanted to go to Monet’s home and gardens for the longest time. I am finally going to get there. Monet lived and painted at Giverny for 43 years. He meticulously constructed his gardens to be an inspiration for his paintings.

I am out the door at 6 am. Walking to the train. No one is one the street.

After a bite in the tree-shaded cafe in the village, I reverse my steps and make it back to Paris. Tonight I try a wine bar in the 2nd called Aux Deux Amis.

Saturday: Versailles Musical Fountains

Not every thing always goes as smooth as my trip to Giverny went yesterday. Today’s supposedly simple outing was less smooth. This is the last Saturday for me to be able to see the fountains at Versailles sprouting to the rhythm of baroque music. I buy my ticket in advance and I watch the YouTube video of the performance in anticipation. I check the weather. Nice, no rain in the forecast. I decide to wear a dress—after all I’m going to a palace. I go outside and I feel a few sprinkles. No problem. I’ll just grab my lightweight short rain jacket with a hood. I don’t need my longer raincoat or an umbrella. I train out to Versaille and when I come out of the station…it is pouring. No Ubers or taxis available. I jump on the bus thinking that’s better than walking. It goes the opposite way. I get off, cross the street. Try again for taxis or uber. Nope. Get back on the bus gong the right way. Walk the 15 minutes from the bus stop to the gardens. I’m pretty soaked.

Now I’m in the garden, fountains are not spewing and music is not playing. I get a hot chocolate and the rain tapers off. Finally the music comes on at a roar and the fountains do their dancing. I enjoy it for sure, but I would have enjoyed it more with a dry outfit.

One nice thing that happened on this excursion is that I was crossing over to take the train and my hood was barely keeping me dry. A nice man walks up to me and motioned that I should share his umbrella. We walked for about 10 minutes under his umbrella in silence before I asked him if he is a local.”Oh no, I work at Netflix in LA”, he says.

Gotta laugh!

Sunday: Brunch, Church, More Monets and a Park

I’ve been seeing the name Holybelly pop up a lot as a great breakfast spot. I go at 9am and I am quickly seated. What a surprise. It is a fun place run by Australians with a great menu and delicious coffee.

After mass I head out to the 16th arrondissement. I walked through the Bois de Boulogne to the Musee Marmottan Monet.

This museum houses the world’s biggest collection of works by Monet. It is in a magnificent townhouse with preserved European decor. Monet’s son, Michael donated his father’s works to the museum.

After reluctantly leaving the museum (they were closing), I decided to check out Jardin Des Plantes. This is a beautiful park with a zoo, museum, botanical garden and cafes. What a treasure to have this right in the middle of the city.

I cross back over the Seine and think what an amazing week this has been in Paris.

Monday: I take the metro out to Cafe Kleber to meet Elena, a friend of Nick and Ivan’s. In our text to set up the meeting, she says, “ I may come with my little darling”. “Daughter”, I say? “Sausage dog”, she replies. They arrive via e-bike with Rita, her cute dog, in the front in a custom made carrier. We have coffee and get to know each other, all the while Elena instructing the men at the table next to us to send their smoke in the opposite direction. Elena works at Insead, a prestigious global business school that is part of the grandé école, which is similar to the Ivy League in the US and Oxbridge in the UK. Elena is wonderful and after coffee and conversation we decide we are going to spend much more time together while I am in Paris. She rides off with Rita.

I wander over to the Trocadéro just across the street. Named in honor of the Battle of Trocadéro in 1823, it is now most famously known as the ideal place to take pictures of the Eiffel Tower without being at the Eiffel Tower. I snap a few myself before walking across the Seine to Le Bon Marché, one of the world’s first department store.

Le Bon Marché is now owned by the luxury brand LVMH. I browse the store, but what I am really interested in is the Food Hall occupying the entire floor of one of the buildings. It is similar to Harrod’s Food Hall and just as crazy, with people stocking up on food to take on the plane and also enjoying the restaurants or buying things to eat at home.

After I try a few of the food items myself, I see that I’m not too far from the 13th century Church of Saint-Sulpice, so I walk there. Along the way I stop in at Le Chocolat Alain Ducasse, as well an interesting shop called Popelini that sells cream puffs of all variety.

I enjoy the splendor of the third largest church in Paris. It is the church that baptized the Marquis de Sade, where Victor Hugo got married and where the funeral mass for Jacques Chirac, the former President of France took place.

What’s a few more steps when I’ve been wanting to see Rue Cler. It is touted as one of the best market streets in Paris. I try to see that, and it does have a nice cheese shop, but honestly I like my neighborhood in the 11th much better.

Back in my neighborhood, I opt for Louie Louie, another Laura great find. It’s Neopolitan style pizza and owned by a family from Naples. I sit at the bar and talk to the bartender who is named…Louie (he quickly points out he is not an owner).

Tuesday: Elena and I are meeting at the Musée d’ Art Moderne de Paris in the 16th. I love modern art and this museum is excellent. There is a mural by Raoul Duffy installed in an oval room that is breathtaking. It is called The Spirit of Electricity. He researched everything related to electricity: technical and historical works, biographies of scientists, correspondence with scientists of the time to update his knowledge. The mural includes 108 scientists from Antiquity to the present day.

The museum also has a sculpture by one of my favorite French artists, Louise Bourgeois.

We decide to have lunch on the patio at the restaurant Bambino after seeing the rest of the museum. Our table has a view of the Eiffel Tower of course.

We ate so healthy at lunch that Elena takes me to her favorite patisserie, Cyril Lignac, for a treat. Incredible.

Elena bikes off and I make a brief stop at the Musee de la Mode de la Ville (Fashion Museum) before walking down the Avenue des Champs-Élysées to the Petit Palais.

There I find more beautiful art, including an antique book sculpture.

I’m meeting more new friends tonight so I must head home. First I stop at a local patisserie to buy a hostess gift for my new friends to be. I’m going to the home of Benoit and Michelle. They are the parents of Mathias who I met a few months ago when I was on a walking tour in London. He will be there as well. It is just a short walk from my apartment. They live on a cute quiet street and as I approach they call to me from the their balcony.

Up I go and we have the best time. Michele works for the non-profit associated with Patagonia and Benoit works in strategy for French national transportation. They are curious about me and I them and we get along very well. We enjoy champagne to toast Mathias’ graduation from college a month ago.

Wednesday: Elena and I were going to meet today but she is concerned about the demonstrations that are called for all over the city so she asks to postpone our meeting. Of course I agree. It gives me the opportunity to go to Canal Saint-Martin. I jump on the Metro and get off at Place de la Republique. There is a bakery there that I must go to near the Canal.

I start walking from the metro stop and see I have a text from Elena. “If you go out don’t go anywhere near Place de la Republique as that is the heart of the demonstrations.” Oops. I’m already here and I don’t see much going on. I love the shops in the area as I walk towards the bakery, Du Pain Et Des Idees. It is in a shop from the 1800’s with a gorgeous ceiling.

I arrive and it is amazing. I choose two things: The Tarte Fine Aux Figues and the Boeuf Fume Chèvre Frais Piment d’Esplette. One sweet and one savory. I love the spice Piment d’Esplette and it is hard to find in the US.

These are so so good. Still warm. I get a cafe allongé to have with the pastries and I am in heaven. I walk back to the metro at Place de la Republique and I can see more of the demonstrators’ action. But to be fair, these are French food-loving people, so I also see two men pushing a cart to make crepes for the demonstrators.

I head to the Church of Saint Mary Magdalene (also called la Madeleine). It was planned by Louis XV as the focal point to the new Place Louis XV, the present Place de la Concorde. It has an exterior design that looks like a Greek temple. Inside it is magnificent. There is a dome that depicts the History of Christianity. As I am looking around I see daily mass is about to start so I stay for mass and it is lovely.

After church I stop by the Ritz hotel (trés chic) for a coffee. Less chic but more tasty is the special sandwich I have at Le Petit Vendôme.

I have a special dinner reservation tonight at a new restaurant in the 20th called Dandelion. It is the creation of two famous chefs that left their big name places to collaborate on this new venture. I walk there in the rain and find tidy white walls, opaline suspension lamps and a buffed cement floor. A sophisticated menu is presented by very friendly staff. The sommelier helps me choose a wine as I contemplate my choices. I choose a starter of corn and crab in a harissa sauce. It is amazing.

Before the next course a couple with their college age son sits next to me. The husband gets up and takes the menu to the window squinting mightily. I’ve been there. He’s forgotten his readers. He seems frustrated as he goes to sit back down. I hold up my readers (3.0!) and offer them to him. He is so happy! I tell him I have ordered so he can take them to his table. He couldn’t thank me enough.

Here comes my main course. It is trout with stracciatella and charred cabbage in a tomato butter broth. Again…amazing!!!

I walk home with my umbrella very happy.

Thursday: I am meeting another Parisian today. He is Louis who used to live in Palo Alto. Our daughters, Laura and Ines, were born 10 days apart. I haven’t seen Louis in over 15 years. We meet in the Marais and have a lovely lunch. It is like we saw each other yesterday. I forgot to take a picture of us together so here is a picture of our two girls the year they were born. Obviously the one with the Louis XIV collar is French.

After leaving Louis, I go to Place des Vosages to view some art galleries.

Then I head home, as tonight I am going the Paris Philharmonic. The Paris Philharmonic is in the Greater Paris Metropolis, founded a decade ago by the French Parliament. The project to build up this far eastern area of Paris stalled for a while, but was revitalized with the coming of the Olympics and has brought development, vitality and housing to this area. The Paris Philharmonic was designed by architect Jean Nouvel and is a 2,400 seat concert hall. 1.5 million people attend the Philharmonic annually. Compare that to Davis Symphony Hall in San Francisco with a 2,700 seat capacity and an annual attendance of 300,000. Parisians love the arts!

I leave home with enough time before the performance for a bite at Café de las Musique.

I’m siting at a communal table when two ladies join. They are from Vienna and they fly to wherever the conductor we are seeing tonight presents. They are in awe of him. He is pretty amazing actually. Klaus Mäkelä, from Finland. Twenty nine years old. At twenty-one he conducted the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra and by twenty four he was the chief conductor of the Oslo Symphony. He is the director of the Orchestre de Paris. In 2027 he will become the music director of the Chicago Symphony. I ask these ladies if they will fly to Chicago to see him, “But of Course”!

It is a beautiful building and I find that I have a front row seat overlooking the percussion group as well as a clear view of Klaus conducting. I am so lucky!

The program is wonderful. The featured piece is “An American in Paris” by George Gershwin. I tell everyone how nice it is that this big organization has welcomed me to Paris with this choice.

I enjoy myself so much. I take the metro home and it is after midnight.

Friday: I have to get up early as I have secured a spot on the tour of the Paris Opera House (Palais Garnier). Virginia is our guide and she is funny and knowledgeable. She tells us the main auditorium is closed for some repairs and that is too bad. But…as we start up the beautiful staircase a man comes and whispers in her ear. She smiles and said she has permission to take us in. So glad, as it is beautiful.

It opened in 1875 and it is huge. 450 dancers can be on stage at once. Virginia shows us where ladies had to sit because they all wore large hats and no one wanted them to sit and block their views.

Now I must get across town to the Neuilly-sur-Seine area as I am meeting Elena at the Fondation Louis Vuitton. But first, I want to get a crepe at the well regarded Cafe Breizh. The crepe is square with a pat of butter and I devour it.

The Fondation Louis Vuitton is in an extraordinary building designed by Frank Gehry. It opened in 2014 as an art center and is sponsored by LVMH. It cost 800 million euros to build, an overrun of 700 million euros.

We take a tour of the building and then we are invited to do an immersive VR experience. We are game so we put the glasses on and find ourselves all over the building, on the roof, leaning over the edges and in general inhabiting this amazing a structure.

Tonight I will try the restaurant Camille. I walk there about 30 minutes and I’m glad I reserved ahead because it’s packed. The waiters are very sweet and explain a few of the choices. I go with the sea bass cooked in an olive and tomato sauce accompanied by a cold glass of Chablis.

Saturday: I have read about the best boeuf bourguignon being at Chez Réne. I have been wanting to have this dish for two weeks. Today is the day. I walk there to get exercise as it is across the Seine. I am seated at a nice table and I notice every person in the busy restaurant is French. This is a good sign. People are ordering so many things: Beef tartare, sardines, onion soup, frisée salads. But I want what I came for so I stick to my plan. The very professional waiter first brings me a little crock of a cheese dip and crackers.

I say I want the boeuf bourguignon and he says then you must have a glass of red wine. Well ok if you insist. It comes to a side table and the waiter scoops a lot of it into a bowl and then brings me the bowl and the rest of the crock. Oh my!

I pass on dessert. C’est tout! I meet the man having lunch on my right. He is French and has just gotten off a plane from Brazil. This is where he comes first. I see why.

I leave quite satisfied and stroll through this lovely neighborhood. I know from my research that the best baguettes in Paris are sold nearby as well as a well regarded cheese shop. I visit both and make purchases thinking I will eat in tonight.

As I cross the river, I decide to pay a visit to La Samaritain. This is another luxury department store located right on the Seine and you guessed it—-it is also owned by LVMH. The one smart thing I do is go to the perfume department and have then spray some fragrances I like on business card size paper. I keep those in my purse as they come in handy sometimes on a crowded Metro ride where personal hygiene is not uniform.

It is starting to rain so I head home. At 6:13 I realize there is a 6:30 mass at Church of Saint-Germain de Charonne. It is a mile away but if Iget out the door immediately I will make it. I do! The church bells are ringing as I run up the steps. It is a beautiful small mass.

Afterwards I stop in a bookstore on my way home and then a wine shop. After all, I have that cheese waiting for me and it needs some good wine.

Sunday: It is a rainy day so it is perfect for the museums I still want to see. I start with the Picasso museum. The audio guide is very helpful. The museum is three floors and has an enormous collection. It is not crowded at all which I am surprised at given the weather.

I know that between the Picasso and my next museum is supposedly a fantastic falafel place. It is called L’As Du Fallafel . I go by and there is a long line to eat in the crowded little place. But they have a take away window and the All Saints store across the street has a little covered patio and a bench. So I order to go at the outside window. It is delicious.

My next museum is the European Phtography Museum. They are having an exhibit of Marie-Laure de Decker. She is one of my favorites as she photographed in dangerous situations, but from a human level. The room of her Vietnam photos is particularly captivating. She has a series of portraits from Chad that I love as well. It is all just so compelling.

I am all museumed out so I head home as I am having a coffee with Mathias shortly.

We meet at Au Cadron Voltaire, a local cafe.

We sit outside at a little table. I really enjoy getting the perspective over a coffee of new friends in my host country and we have such a wide ranging conversation. I am really going to miss this terrace culture when I leave. Every block in Paris is full of cafes with outdoor tables. It’s Paris’ version of a pub, but outdoors. People are just having a coffee, drinking a glass of wine and some are eating. I do not understand why we don’t have this in San Francisco. In SF there are a few tables out in a few neighborhoods, but by and large those are restaurants and you don’t sit and have a coffee. We have just as a good a climate as Paris. It puzzles me.

Mathias is off to his parent’s home in Lille tomorrow so I hope to see him when he returns. He starts a new job in the UK in October and he will be a huge success.

Tomorrow I am taking my first day trip…to Chartres. Stay tuned!

Bonjour mes amis! I leave for Paris on Air France on September 1 for Shirleyfest #15 and arrive Tuesday September 2nd.

I uber quickly to my new home in the 11th arrondissement. It is a vibrant, residential neighborhood filled with with Parisians taking their children to school, running for the bus, strolling to the cafés. I like my apartment very much and the neighbors are really friendly.

Now I must start walking to avoid jet lag! I immediately find my “first place in the morning” cafe, “On Partage.” I walk into this lovely coffeehouse on my block and Marion greets me warmly. The coffee is wonderful and all the people working there make me feel right at home. I wisely hold off on the pastries and order a healthy option.

After a coffee, I walk for miles getting to renew my love of this beautiful city. I stroll through three arrondissements on the right bank before crossing the Seine and exploring the left bank. I am almost home when I come a cross Le Pure Cafe, which beckons me for a glass of wine and some nourishment.

France and Poland are playing basketball on the tv behind the bar. I meet Antoine, Anita and Sebastian and now I have my “last place at night” place. After dinner, many miles on my feet and 30+ hours since I left home, I finally turn in for my first night in Paris.

Wednesday: First thing first. I have to buy my monthly metro card. It is the one thing that makes traipsing all over the city a breeze. Charonne is my station on the 9 line so I go there and I am lucky to get a patient attendant to make my card. Voila!

I know I want to buy an annual membership to the D’Orsay Museum and the L’Orangerie. I set off for the museum ticket office.

I like having an annual membership because then I can go every day for an hour and actually enjoy the museums. Also I like providing support for the arts in my host city. The water lilies at the L’Orangerie never disappoint.

At the D’Orsay, I head for Van Gough’s Starry Night and say hello before eating at the museum’s cafe under the famous clock.

If you get the right vantage point, you can catch a glimpse of Sacré Coeur through the clock. After the museums, I wander the left bank, browsing the lovely shops and after a while stop at Gérard Mulot, a famous patisserie for a pain aux raisin and café allongé ( basically an Americano).

It is difficult to not indulge in even more of their beautiful wares, but I reluctantly leave.

I head home just before a rain shower that lasts all of 5 minutes before blue skies arrive and out I go again.

This time I go to the 2nd where I check out the area known as Montorgueil. It is an off-the-beaten path pedestrian area in the heart of Paris.

I spy many historic homes, cheese shops and brasserie-bars. Then I see it. Stohrer’s!

It is the oldest patisserie in Paris, founded in 1730 by King Louis XV’s pastry chef, Nicolas Stohrer. Nicolas invented rum baba, the Chiboust cream tart and the puit d’amour. This last one I learned from the shopkeeper was the pastry the king would send to his mistress as a signal he wanted to rendezvous with her. I have my own love affair with this beautiful pastry and now I’m off for home.

Thursday: Today Laura arrives for a quick visit. She is like me and wants to start walking as soon as she arrives so we head off down Rue Voltaire. We stop in at Paperboy for coffee and admire their sandwiches, but it is too early for that! We walk to Marché des Enfants Rouge. This oldest covered market in Paris dates back to the 17th century and gets it name from a nearby orphanage founded in 1534. The children were dressed in red, a color symbolizing Christian charity, hence the name.

We shop there and then visit 134 RDT, which won the award for the best croissant in Paris and which happens to be across the street from Jacques Genin, the chef turned famous chocolatier. It is climate-controlled and it is like entering a goldsmith’s shop.

We find some lovely home stores before completing our walk back home. We stop for lunch at a local café called Belle Equipe and meet hilarious waiter Gregory.

Tonight we head to OOBATZ for dinner. It is one of the most talked about new restaurants in Paris and it is pizza! Laura had this on her radar and got in the queue for a reservations minutes after our dates opened up. It was delicious, minimilist decor, great food and attentive service.

Friday (Laura’s second and last day): We start to do a walking tour and then thought a better use of our time would be shopping.

We head to the left bank and enter the world of French beauty products known as Aroma Zone. Just to demonstrate the popularity of this store, in France the brand sells a hyaluronic acid serum every 10 seconds. Exhausted from shopping we get baguettes of jamon and fromage and sit in the Luxembourg Gardens for a picnic.

Crossing back over to the right bank, we do more shopping on Rue Vieille du Temple which houses the competitor to La Labo perfume, Perfumer H, conceived by Lyn Harris,a British perfumer trained in Grasse. We also stop in Laïze-Sainte-Avoye, a Taiwanese beautiful tea/coffee house for tea and delicious lemon cake.

We visit a wine shop and secure a natural wine which we take home for happy hour while we get ready for dinner. Dinner tonight is at Mezetiere in the Marais and it is delicious.

Afterwards we take a walk through this gorgeous neighborhood.

There is still time to jump on the metro and take it out to view the sparkling Eiffel Tower.

Saturday:Laura has been here less than 48 hours and now she is flying back to New York. I will miss her energy and her systematic way of finding the coolest places in a city she barely knows.

After I wave goodbye, I head for a hike along Paris’ inspiration for New York’s Highline, the Coulée Verte. It is a beautiful fall day and I do the entire length. There are ivy covered arches and elegant rooftops as I walk through the breezy path.

I then join my San Francisco friend, Patrick, at the St Regis for a coffee and a little browsing on I’Île Saint- Louis.

Patrick is staying at our friend Bob’s gorgeous apartment on the Seine and that evening I am delighted to attend a cocktail party there. It is a terrific party with such fun guests. While sipping champagne, eating pâté and French cheeses and gazing at the river views, I start to wonder how I can possibly live in Paris full time. A memorable evening!

Sunday: There is an open air market, Rue Ponchlet, near the Arc de Triumph that I’m looking forward to seeing. It is near an English speaking Catholic Church and I have the idea that I might go to mass there. My timing is off for that, so I go directly to the market. It is rowdy in a good way and people are buying up the produce and flowers excitedly.

I buy my provisions and go to Parc Monceau for lunch at the carousel.

Afterwards I walk to the famous Père-Lachaise cemetery. I have studied a map and I am proud to say that in this enormous place I found Jim Morrison’s grave easily.

I then explore the rest of the less famous graves, like Proust’s.

Later I set out for Notre Dame. I have an idea to at least get in to hear vespers and hopefully mass. I am amazed that while the line to view the newly renovated cathedral is long, there is no one online for vespers.

I go right in and I have a seat in the front row. It is beautiful eveningsong and prayers and the church looks spectacular. I ask if I can stay in my seat for the mass which follows and I am told “but of course”. The mass is presided over by a bishop and at least 20 priests. I can’t take pictures during mass, of course, so I patiently wait to do this afterwards. Of course the mass is in French, but I can follow pretty well. It is breathtaking to be there and experience Notre Dame in this fashion.

I walk the 40 minutes home in a lovely trance. Of course I stop at Le Pure Cafe, my last place at night bar, for a glass of Chablis and I toast my first week in Paris!

Tomorrow morning, I am excited to meet Elena, a friend of Nick and Ivan’s who lives in Paris. Stay tuned.