Paris - Day 5

Paris Day 5 - Sunday In Paris

Last evening we had dinner at a restaurant called Jeremie. Its cuisine is French/European.  We identified the restaurant several months ago and the concierge at the hotel booked it for us when reservations opened.  

​We walked to the restaurant and the walk took less then ten minutes.  We were fortunate to have a short walk since it was raining and on the windy windy side but as they say that is all part of the experience.

As soon as we arrived we were welcomed by the Manager/Waiter and Head Chef and they hung up our rain coats and umbrella.  Anne Marie changed into dress shoes.

Our reservations were for 7:00 PM when the restaurant opened.  The good news is we had the restaurant for ourselves for close to 45 minutes.  LOL.  By the time we left several people were dining.  The Manager said that many Parisians enjoy dining starting at 8:00 PM or 8:30 PM for different reasons including have pre-dinner drinks.  

Service was superb.  The manager was also the waiter and was exceptional.  He stayed on top of every detail and he also had a great sense of humor.  Every time we looked he was bringing out a new breadbasket even if what we had still had several pieces in the basket.  Yes, the French  like their bread and wine.  LOL.  The head chef brought our entree out to the table which was a nice added touch.

Food was terrific.

We had a three course dinner.  Each course had several items to choose from.  There was a separate menu featuring some specials for the day that could be ordered as stand-alone items.  

Before the first course arrived they gave us a duet of two appetizers served on top of salt.  It made for a nice presentation and each item had a pleasant and unique taste and was delicious.  

Our first course from the menu was salad.  It had several characteristics of Caesar Salad but the dressing was more flavorful and lighter and the salad very tasty.

For our second course Anne Marie had Veal accompanied with salad and Keith had sea bass served with gnocchi and spinach.  Both were a hit.

There were several wonderful choices for dessert.  We both went with the cheese which was a brie cheese with truffles that the executive chef put together accompanied by lettuce.  It was delicious and the taste was unique.  We actually could have followed that with another dessert but if you remember the size of the crepes we had for lunch it was a wise decision to pass on that.  

Since we didn't order a dessert as in something with sugar the manager brought us out macaroons over a bed of sugar.  Once again a unique presentation.  As if we didn't eat enough he came out with a second round of the macaroons.  When Keith took a photo of them he took it too fast so it looks a bit fuzzy. 

We also had wine.  After all we are in the"land of wine" or is that the "country of wine". Whatever.  LOL.

Overall a wonderful meal and we highly recommend the restaurant.  

On our way home there was no longer a strong wind and there was only a light drizzle.

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We began today as we have each full day since we arrived to the hotel.  We enjoyed a nice breakfast out on the terrace. Becky had asked if the hotel rectified the situation of the ten cups and ten saucers and yes that was done immediately.  Each day we get 10 coffee capsules and creamers.  We don't use them all so they just replace enough to get us back to ten of each.  

The morning had the coolest temperature since our arrival.  While having breakfast outside on the terrace it was a chilly 48 degrees Fahrenheit.  However, it was sunny making it feel a less nippy.  Thank goodness for the spinach that Keith eats.  It makes him strong so he can hold the Eiffel Town in his hands.  LOL.

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  The one we were most impressed with we didn't take a photo of but will tomorrow.  After breakfast we went on a very long walk.  We walked along the Seine.  We noticed extra police and military out today at not only major sites but at entrances to some of the bridges.  We stopped by the d'Orsay for a short visit.  It was open to the general public for free today but we were able to use our museum pass to avoid a very long line.  We then walked over to the Luxembourg Palace and behind sits the Jardin du Luxembourg Palace (this is the garden)  It is absolutely stunning.  It contains a large pond and some men were sailing small radio controlled sailboats while others looked on.  The gardens feature roses and other flowers and there were beautiful groves of trees.  We saw several statues of previous Queens of France.  Many locals were just enjoying the morning sitting on park benches or on the grass or walking as we were.  We thought about getting some cheese, bread and wine and having lunch outdoors.  

We then proceeded to some of the nearby streets featuring a variety of shops and restaurants, cafes and pastry shops. We saw a couple of pastry shops that are amazing and think we will return tomorrow for a pastry.
The one we were most impressed with we didn't take a photo of but will tomorrow.    We had lunch at a restaurant called Mondrian.  We wanted something simple and this was perfect. Keith had a salad which included avocado, eggs that was between hard and soft boiled, smoked salmon, mini pancakes, and various salad items.  Anne Marie had a Chicken Caesar Salad.  Everything was fresh and the bread was delicious having a hint of butter although no butter was on it.  

We then walked over to the Rodin Museum featuring 300 or more sculptures by this artist.  For those of you in the United States who can remember a show from the late 1950's/early 1960s and it opens up with a spoof on one of the works of art we saw today.  Hint...Hint....We took a photo of it.  The actual sculptures is called The Thinker.  The sculptures were very interesting both inside and outside the museum. The outside also featured beautiful landscaping and an assortment of flowers.

On our way back to the hotel we walked right towards the Eiffel Tower.  It was very busy with lots of tourists.

All in all a terrific day. The temperature during our walk ranged from mid 50's to around low 60's fahrenheit.  There were times of total sunlight and other times the sun was hidden behind some clouds.

TODAY'S THOUGHT FOR THE DAY.....

Our hearts go out to the victims of yet another act of terrorism in London.  Unfortunately, this can happen anywhere around the world.  The reality is that you have a far greater chance of dying from some other event. With that said we believe that everyone from individuals to nations and their governments must continue to be vigilant in holding those who commit terrorist attacks accountable and must continue to focus resources on preventing as many of these attacks as possible.  At the same time we have to continue to live our lives and not give into the terrorists by eliminating travel and by doing things contrary to those that many nations have stood by for many years.  It is not easy to balance all of this but each of us as individuals can and so can our nations as a whole.  Unfortunately history shows us that there have always been evil in the world and while the acts of today are horrific there have been much worse acts committed by individuals and even nations.  Thankfully in the end good has been successful in triumphing over evil and we can all do our part to see that this continues.

Unfortunately there has always been evil and thus senseless acts will not be eliminated in our lifetime. We know for some this seems like the worst of times but the reality is there have been far worse times in the history of our world. One only has to look back less then 80 years to World War II and the tens of millions who lost their lives. This includes not only those on battlefield but the six million plus Jews who perished in the Holocaust. The positive is that good can and does triumph over evil. It can't eliminate the evil in our world but it can do a lot to strike down the evil. Never forget but don't live in fear. Unite with all those good people who in the end represent the vast majority of our human race. Don't give up. This is the time to stay strong
 


Anne Marie & Keith