Paris Recap: The Moulin Rouge

A couple of days prior to our trip, Mom called to inquire as to whether or not I was up for an evening at The Moulin Rouge. My understanding of the burlesque show was based solely on the cheesy Nicole Kidman flick and a smattering of reviews that I had read in online tourist forums about Paris, so, I was somewhat less than enthusiastic about the opportunity.

But, you know, when in Rome.

Or, in Paris. Either way.

So, on Thursday evening, after our first full day of activities in Paris, we got gussied up and prepared to enjoy the show.

On our way out of the hotel, Barbie had a minor tumble on the circular stairwell, resulting in her landing, sprawled out, on the floor in front of the elevator, and, I would be lying if I said that I immediately sprung into action to help her up. I wanted to help her, I really did. But, I was too busy trying not to let the contents of my bladder run down my leg; laughter has a tendency to weaken my control.

So, yes, I just admitted that I was heartlessly laughing at my poor sister for tumbling down a staircase. In my defense, she did it in a most comical way, and, she was laughing, too. You know, as she writhed in pain on the floor.

It was an inauspicious start to our evening.

 

It should be noted that Barbie never used the stairs again. Also, she totally blamed the accident on ghosts. That's right, ghosts.
 

The Moulin Rouge is known for its' iconic windmill and the effect is similar to a Las Vegas casino in that the building looks super tacky in the daylight but magical and inviting after the sun goes down; the effect of the windmill and the lighting is just that impressive; my dad would have loved it.

Our tickets included dinner and the show, as well as several bottles of wine. We each had a different menu item and none of us was disappointed, but, it is safe to say that we were blown away by the desserts. I had a raspberry mousse with white chocolate layer that was absolutely to die for; I seriously savored every bite.

The inside of the theater is over-the-top lovely, in a borderline gaudy way. Which, is exactly what one would hope to find in a burlesque theater, I think.

The show was a typical burlesque showcase, which, meant that boobs were on display front and center. Once again, my dad would have loved it. We enjoyed it despite the boobs; the comedy act was hilarious, the acrobats were amazing, the costumes were changed with speed that made me dizzy, and, the energy of the dancers was contagious. Despite my initial reservations, I really, really enjoyed the show.

We ended our evening with a stop at the Eiffel Tower, where we were able to grab some Eiffel Tower figurines at rock bottom prices from the vendors who were closing up shop for the night. We also got our first glimpse of the tower in all its' lighted glory. It was a pretty fantastic way to end a pretty awesome first full day in the city.

Although, Barbie would probably have preferred to skip the stairwell.

 

She's fine! She's barely even limping.

Paris Recap: The Cathedral of Notre Dame

When the taxi (hailed with such enthusiasm by Midge) dropped us off at Notre Dame, we were all blown away by the architecture and massive scale of the cathedral, and, that was from the outside. The inside was absolutely breathtaking and humbling.

As soon as we entered the church, we were greeted with the familiar smell of incense and with the sense of peace that only being in a place of worship can provide. We unknowingly timed our arrival for moments before mass started and were able to experience part of the service. Although the mass was being said in French, it felt familiar, which, was a surprise.

I did my best to capture the beauty of the church in photos, but, I am no professional. I did manage to leave with a few favorites, however.

 

 

 The only disappointment that we encountered was the line that stretched around the block, preventing us from accessing the upper stories of the cathedral, where Barbie had been hoping to get a closer look at the famed gargoyles of Notre Dame. But, the wait would have put us in a time crunch since we had reservations at The Moulin Rouge later that evening, so we had no choice but to skip it.

I guess Barbie will just have to plan a return trip; I'm sure she would be willing to make the sacrifice.

Up next: The Moulin Rouge!

Pardon the Interruption

I am interrupting the Paris updates to wish you all a happy Easter!

I have always been a huge fan of the holiday, due in no small part to the opportunity that it gave us to gather together as a family. This year, it is just Hugh, the Cub and I, but, I have left none of our usual traditions undone; there will still be ham and scalloped potatoes for dinner, yeast rolls are rising even as I type this, and, a basket brimming with chocolate and other sweet treats awaited the Cub this morning.

We miss The Teenager, of course, but, she is in good hands with Barbie and my Mom. Barbie took the time to play the part of the Easter Bunny for her and Mom is making ham, so, all is pretty much well in her world, despite not being here with us.

As for me, I am thanking God for the sacrifice of his Son and for my numerous blessings. I am also enjoying a few pieces of chocolate here and there. It was a very long Lenten season this year, for some reason, and, I found myself craving chocolate more often than I didn't.

Apparently, this is not exactly unusual for me, if the pictures that I scanned at Mom's last fall are any indication.

This is me and my sister Midge, circa approximately 1970. I feel it necessary to point out that I am ignoring the camera in order to give my full attention to unwrapping a piece of candy. I believe you begin to see a trend as these pictures continue...

...reaching for another piece...

...probably denied a piece...(as an aside, would you look at the legs on my grandma? Damn! Not bad for an old lady. And, I digress)...

...mouth full of chocolate, attractive!...

...unwrapping, again...

...hey, Dad, can I have a piece of candy? Wait, you're not Dad. Mom! What the hell are you doing in a photo? (seriously, she was never in our pictures. Do you suppose the shock of seeing her there is what has Barbie so upset?)...

...Ah, Dad, there you are! The Earth has shifted back on its' axis (and all is right in Barbie's world). But, seriously, if I smile really big, can I have a piece of candy?...

...Forget the candy, I am too cool for that kid stuff. I'm standing in the yard wearing an orchid corsage, what if someone I know sees me? Gah!

My dad bought those orchids every year on the day before Easter. The corsages were stored in the fridge in our bar until Dad pinned them to our dresses on Sunday morning.

For me, Easter will forever be the taste of chocolate and the smell of orchids. I don't have an orchid today, but, as I said before, I am well on my way with the candy.

Happy Easter, y'all.

Paris Recap: Champs Elysees and the Eiffel Tower

The next week or so is going to be heavy with Paris posts. I could apologize for that, but, since I probably won't have the opportunity to visit Paris again in this lifetime, I won't. So, if reading about my trip feels like being forced to watch your Great Aunt Erma's slideshow of her trip to Yellowstone that one summer, do feel free to click on; I promise not to hold it against you.

When I thought about how to best organize my thoughts on our trip, it seemed only natural that I would blog about how we spent each day, but, there was so much that we packed into each day; I think it might be hard to do all of it justice in one post. So, I have decided to break the posts up not by day, but by experiences. For example, our first full day in Paris consisted of the Champs Elysees, Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, The Moulin Rouge, and the Eiffel Tower at night; there is no way that I can pack that all into one coherent post. Instead, I will focus on one or two elements of the day and try my best to be thorough, after all, the purpose of writing this is to remind me of the trip as I age and memories become hazy; skimming the details would lose a lot of the impact of the trip.

And, now that I have written a book defending my stance, let's move on to the actual post, shall we? Unless, of course, I have already Great Aunt Erma-ed you and you have wandered off to better things, in which case, no judgment!

So, for today: The Champs Elysees; home of high end shopping, cosmopolitan flair, and the Arc de Triomphe.

Our small boutique hotel was located the equivalent of an American block off the Champs Elysees and we were just a stone's throw from the famous arch. Thursday morning, after a full night of rest, from which we were somewhat able to recover from the exhaustion of our travels, we headed out to explore our surroundings. We were not disappointed.

As with all of the architecture that we encountered in Paris, The Arc de Triomphe is beautiful, with detailed masonry and majestic statuary. The fact that it is surrounded by modern conveyances creates an unusual dichotomy but in no way diminishes its' charm.

After giving the Arc its' due appreciation, we made a stop in a small café where we had the opportunity to learn the ropes regarding the use of euros, as well as learning that there is a definite difference between French coffee and American coffee, specifically, we learned that the French idea of American coffee is instant granules. That was interesting. The croissants made up for that perceived snub, however.

Upon leaving the café, we began browsing the shops along the Champs Elysees. It was interesting to see familiar stores in the mix, Sephora, for one. We hadn't planned on spending money that morning, but, the weather was quite a bit chillier than we had anticipated, so, a stop in a small souvenir shop resulted in the purchase of light gloves for me and gloves and a scarf for my older sister, who, was woefully unprepared for the elements.

The Champs Elysees was on Barbie's bucket list for Paris and I don't think she was disappointed. She compared it a lot to New York City and was completely in her element. We followed her lead and were able to navigate the streets without a map and with plenty of time to take in the sights before turning our direction toward the Eiffel Tower.

Midway through our journey to the Eiffel Tower, we decided to stop for another hot drink. Walking was keeping most of us fairly warm but my older sister (who probably needs a name on the blog at this point...hmmm...let's call her Midge) had become uncomfortably chilled. A light rain was also falling and we thought that it might pass over if we waited.

So, in another small café, we ordered cappuccinos and hot tea and planned our attack for the remainder of the day. We knew that we wouldn't spend that much time at the Eiffel Tower since we didn't plan on taking the elevator trip to the top, so we had a few hours to kill before needing to get ready for The Moulin Rouge, which was scheduled for later that evening.

From the street in front of the café, we could see the very top of Notre Dame, and we decided to make the trek there after the tower. With that plan in mind, we finished our drinks and continued on.

Although the rain had lightened, we still required the use of our umbrellas, which, in my opinion, only added to the ambiance of the experience-Paris in Springtime, people!

The first glimpse of the Eiffel Tower was impressive, and, it just became more so the closer we got. Actually standing under the Tower was as surreal an experience as I have ever had. I was actually in Paris. At the Eiffel Tower! Who would have ever thought?

Unfortunately, the iconic carousel in the park adjacent to the Tower was not running, but, I had a chance to snap a few quick pictures of it before Midge, having decided that the weather was not her friend and that a walk to Notre Dame was no longer an option, flung herself in the path of a taxi, thereby engaging its' services in transporting us to the cathedral.

Thus, Midge became our default taxi-hailer for the remainder of the trip.

Up next: Notre Dame, The Moulin Rouge, and, Barbie takes an unexpected tumble.

P.S.
If you made it all the way through this, congratulations! You earned an out the next time Great Aunt Erma requests a bunion massage. Well done!

Friday Favorites: Treasures of Paris Edition

Jet lag is having it's way with me, and, as a result, I am feeling somewhat scattered, but I am going to make a valiant effort at writing this post about all the treasures that I purchased while in Paris. Please bear with me if I lose track of my thoughts, or, if I digress in any way...

...yeah, because that never happens here.

Anyway...favorite things purchased in France...

The St. Ouen flea market offered a fabulous treasure trove of antique items, many more than I expected, and many out of my price range. Luckily, I stumbled upon a few items that I could both afford, and, with which I fell in love.

The first was an antique camera that called my name like a siren. I hesitated at the price, but, with Barbie's awesome haggling skills, was able to negotiate a price that I could agree with. The camera is going on permanent display next to my antique typewriter, because; those two items define my personality quite accurately.

The only other items that I took a particular interest at the market were the antique silver pieces, and there were literally thousands to choose from. I decided on some flatware that will mix well with my existing silver set, and I am beyond thrilled with the choice.

One of the things that I knew I wanted to find while in Paris was some artwork of some kind. Once again, there was plenty to choose from in the city. I settled on a gorgeous oil painting on canvas and I can't wait to find the perfect frame for it.

While we were eating our way through every patisserie that we could find, I discovered an obsession with lemon tarts, or tartes du citron, as they are called in France. I knew that I liked lemon curd before, but, the English lemon curd used in Paris was so much better than anything I had ever tasted in the States, so, I knew that I had to bring some home.

I found the curd, plus some adorable sugar cubes and a cute Eiffel Tower shaped bottle of chocolate pearls, in a shop near our hotel, and, all three came home with me. I plan to use the sugar cubes at my next Spring Luncheon table, and, once the chocolate is gone, I will fill the glass bottle with something. Not sure what yet, but, something pretty.

While Barbie and I were exploring the area around our hotel, we discovered a candy shop with the cutest window display. These bunny egg cups were too cute to pass up, and, they fit right in with my Easter décor.

Finally, I purchased this adorable (and practical) magnifying glass in the gift shop at The Louvre. My eyesight ain't what it used to be and this is fashionable enough to be considered jewelry. Well, practically, anyway.

So, those are my favorite things from Paris. If the jet lag lightens up a bit, I might try to post the second part of this, which will be my favorite places that we visited.

I wouldn't exactly hold my breath for that one, though.