After a couple of raw, cloudy days where I also made bad choices in my pursuits, I had a marvelous day today. I had headed downtown thinking I'd go to the Orangerie or the Musee d'Orsay, but there was a gorgeous mist going when I got there, and I couldn't resist painting. I did three pretty quick ones before lunch time. After that I spotted a long line to get onto the Orangerie and decided to eat my lunch with a view of the Eiffel Tower instead. I love the multitude of chairs scattered around parks here. Very hospitable. For dessert I decided to go to Angelina. My sister had told me it is the best got chocolate in Paris. It was worth a short wait to get into the elegant tea room founded in 1903. I had been wondering for several years if the gloss of memory had elevated the hot chocolate I had in Florence as an exchange student into an unattainable Platonic ideal. But, no. Thankfully. Angelina serves the molten decadence I remember from my youth. What a marvelous find. I walked on to the Opera and loved the teal dome, so I had to sketch it as well. When I crossed the street to it, a street musician was playing. I continue to be stunned at how many upright pianos randomly appear on sidewalks in this city. I visited the Galeries Lafayette department store behind the Opera, which my sister had also recommended. They know how to do department stores in this city. And finally I walked home the length of the Rue des Martyrs, recommended by my host. A charming old Paris street. I got some amazing bread to go with dinner and ended up with a small detour to buy muesli just opposite Vincent and Theo van Gogh's house. Yep. We're neighbors. A perfect day.
3 Comments
Nancy
5/2/2013 08:11:07 am
Love it! You are so lucky to have weeks in Paris to explore it in a leisurely manner. I'm adding Galeries Lafayette to my list of must-sees.
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Kathy
5/3/2013 03:57:00 am
I loved shopping Les Galeries Lafayette (known as Les Nouvelles Galeries in Caen) when I lived in France. One of my favorite memories is of the dog "hitching posts" outside the grocery section.
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Eric
5/4/2013 08:12:01 am
I'm thinking a bad day in Paris beats a good day here at home most of the time. These are wonderful. Hope you have time for the Musee d'Orsay and the Orangerie, too.
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![]() online store Martha Kelly is an artist and illustrator who lives and works in Memphis, Tennessee. Get studio email updates from Gideon and me. To subscribe to this blog, by email: Archives
July 2022
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