Winter has arrived…..
The week began with my friend Julie Levine arriving in Paris for a quick overnight stop whilst she was visiting her son in London. We spent her first afternoon exploring my Passy area - the shops are really wonderful here, then had the ‘young ones’ for a drink - they are a couple of young chefs from San Francisco, working in different parts of the world to get experience. Then out to dinner around the corner, - with an early night to gather our energies to make the most of the next day - and we certainly did that.
We started off in the St Germaine area - down to Rue Jacob and to laduree for morning tea - coffee and macaroons, Laduree’s signature ‘biscuit’. Julie couldn’t resist a few little boxes of the chocs and macaroons to take back to London, and then on our way out, what did she spy, by the Laduree umbrellas - just gorgeous they are, long handled with the lining in Laduree’s colours, either the pink or the green. so what was the most impracticable thing to carry around all afternoon whilst racing around Paris, yes, 2 umbrellas, beautifully packed but nevertheless did not fit in our bags - oh well, we will have great memories when we use them!!! (as will the people we knocked into with them!!)
We walked across the river - which was looking so beautiful with the batobus plying up and down and all the tourists waving, then around to the Louvre, a quick look at the sculpture gallery through the big plate glass windows, before heading off to the Opera House - as always for my visitors, a ‘wow’ factor.
It was then going to be a quick look at Galeries Lafayette and their stained glass ceiling, but again, such a beautiful store - and what did we spy, but the new Christmas decorations, just in.
All in all a lovely couple of days as Julie caught the train back to London, her suitcase bulging, to be with her family before they all headed back to Melbourne this weekend.
Ian arrived back from Melbourne this Thursday - and is now back at work for next few weeks - although will have a week off when David and Andrew arrive.
And we are very excited today, David has handed in his last assignment for his Masters Degree - 18 months of solid work, so he is feeling very pleased and relieved. He will join us in Paris for our last 10 days or so, as will Andrew coming over from Cornwall - an early family Christmas together in Paris.
And this weekend we met up with Di Macgillivray’s sister in law Fiona and husband Geoff and enjoyed a lunch together in Passy, before they headed off to the Musee Marmatton and it’s 65 Monet paintings. I am so pleased to see the weather has turned sunny for them - makes such a difference when you only have a few weeks here.
Well, what a year of visitors - to date we have had about 51 friends touch base with us here, some staying, some just for lunch or dinner - it has been wonderful.
Oh and I have jusst discovered, through my friend Terrance who runs the Expat group, a fabulous Home wares shop in the St Germaine area called Flamant - Ian and I went to have a look on Saturday - their christmas decs are so beautiful and unusual and quite irrisistible - and we now have 8 glass balls, of various colours and decorations, to transport back to Melbourne - my hand luggage will be bigger than my suitcase at the rate I am going!!!
Au revoir for now
Barbxxx
PS I am off to the English bookshop - to buy a copy of Immoveable Feast by John Baxter. Probably not available in Aust yet - if you want a copy, let me know - and I can even get it signed!!
