Mountains of Macaroons

Spotted at a great chocolate shop on Rue St Germain

Finally - Hot Chocolate

Angelina Cafe is rumored to have been Coco Chanel's favorite haunt for a cup of hot chocolate. Now this cafe is located inside of the Louvre on the first floor of the Richelieu Wing. Oh - and their food is good too!

Typical Louvre

Sidewalk grocery stands

Walking down a side street, I came across a fruit & vegetable stand with some amazing produce, including these black radishes and white parsnips that are large enough to a family of 4 for a month!

Louvre

What can you say about the Louvre? The museum houses the finest collection of art in the world. A walk through its endless corridors is one of the best experiences you can ever enjoy.

Lilane Restaurant

Tonight dinner was at Lilane Restaurant in the southern section of the 5th Arr. Lilane is a good bistro and the service was very attentive. The single waitress at this medium sized joint did not speak perfect English - but luckily her Spanish was very good.

Monet's Waterlilies

One of the 8 panels of the waterlilies that fill 2 rooms at the Musee l'Orangerie

Monet

A must for any trip to Paris is a quick stop at the Organerie to see Monet's work. They are flawlessly shown in this space designed specifically for them. Of course, the collection of paintings downstairs deserves a visit too.

Seine Sights

I found the Seine River to be fascinating during this trip - I suppose it was after hearing about the upcoming 100 year flood. Each day she appeared to be higher and higher on her banks. I was certain the flood was imminent.

Secure Paris

Paris is always an interesting and trend setting place. From cooking to clothing - Parisians is constantly bending away from the expected. Tourist often co-mingle with the Parisian culture in the most unexpected ways. Here on the bridge crossing the Seine river is the latest in the urban stew - a modern graffiti of sorts.

Lunch d'Orsay

Most museums offer a quick escape for lunch but few look this good. The restaurant on the second floor of the Musee d'Orsay is beautiful. It is part of the original (now restored) hotel that once adjoined the train station. It is a nice place to eat and rest after touring the museum.

Degas

My favorite Degas. Needless to say, a better photo would have been taken if we didn't have to sneak them!

Wednesday AM

Arrival of the Metro taking us to the Musee d'Orsay

d'Orsay

Still one of the finest museums in Paris - the d'Orsay sits on the Left Bank across the river from the more famous Louvre. That said - the modern interior to this old abandoned railway station is simply terrific. Paris - an aging city - made a decision not to be left behind and have newer cities like New York take over the art scene. Its newer art houses -while controversial - clearly show its drive to remain on the map.

Seine

The talk of the City locals is the long anticipated 100 year flood of the Seine River. Every 100 years or so the Seine overflows her banks and engulfs the City of Lights for up to 2 months. The City takes the upcoming danger seriously enough to have already emptied the underground vaults at both the Centre Pompidou and Louvre to off-site (and dry) warehouses.

L'Agrume

Tonight dinner reservation took us to the southern edge of the 5th arrondissement. L'Agrume is a small friendly establishment with only 6 tables. While the daily menu can be a little limited on choices - the portions are large and quality is fantastic. Mushrooms and truffles are mainstays of the chef so beware if you don't like either of them. L'Agrume offers a 5 course fix priced menu for $37 Euros if you are interested in that choice also.

Modigliani

Italian artist Modigliani is my all time favorite painter. The Moderne is home to a couple of his works as well as the l'Organerie which we will visit tomorrow.