Paris Journal 2015 – Barbara Joy Cooley Home: barbarajoycooley.com
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The Champ de Mars was an enormous beehive of activity yesterday afternoon. Barriers have been set up here and there throughout the park. I am guessing that they are for some holiday-related activities, although I haven’t seen anything in the news about that. Today is the Feast of the Assumption – a major holiday in France and a milestone in that brief season called Summer in Paris. After today, bit by bit, the city will resume its normal frenetic pace. Full speed will be attained by the sometime in the first week of September – also known as the rentrée. On the busy Champ, the illegal vendors of Eiffel Tower trinkets were more numerous than usual. This year, they’ve been non-aggressive; they will not even approach tourists. Tourists have to come to them. That seemed to be the case until yesterday, anyway. One of them approached me but I ignored him. The illegals make life difficult for the legitimate businesses that pay taxes, have licenses and are trying to sell competing merchandise, but do so legally. If you buy souvenirs, buy from the shops, not the illegal vendors. When we turned down the avenue de la Bourdonnais, I was pleased to see a big group of shoppers clumped around the sidewalk display for one of these legitimate souvenir shops. We worked our way back to the Champ de Mars, crossing it in just the right place so we could leave through an almost hidden exit. This takes us directly to the quieter route home, through the Square Dupleix and down the rue Violet. Sometimes there are too many busy shoppers on the rue du Commerce and the avenue de la Motte Picquet. The rue Violet is still the way this quarter used to be. At the end of our promenade, the skies were darkening. We had just enough time to buy a baguette at the bakery and wine at the Nicolas shop, then to walk the short block home. As soon as we were safely inside the apartment, the rain began. Our timing was good. I do love a good thunderstorm. I set up a chair just inside the open French doors onto the balcony, watched, and waited. The rain intensified, but there wasn’t any real thunder at all. Suddenly, a powerful gust of wind swept through the apartment. I closed the doors, and picked up all the things that had blown off the dining room table. (Nothing breakable, thank goodness.) The rain continued, but then magically stopped when it was time for our walk to dinner at O Fil Rouge on the rue Saint Charles. There the owner greeted us with warmth and good humor. Rain began falling again when we were safely seated at our table. We enjoyed the citrus, shrimp, and greens salad again, and then Tom had the special of the day: a pastilla of lamb. I thought a pastilla was a Spanish dish, but the patron says it is North African. One of the special appetizers of the day was a dish involving shellfish called couteaux. The patron was trying to describe couteaux to us, but I cheerily told him that these are called razor clams in English. He was happy to have that information, and he made a note of it so he could explain this to English-speaking diners. I hope it helps, but I think that razor clams outside of Europe are generally only found in the Pacific Northwest and New England; diners might still be in the dark until they can see and touch this odd shellfish which does look vaguely like a straight razor. My main course was the filet de dorade royale, which the chef at O Fil Rouge prepared perfectly. The chunks of veggies served beneath the fish were excellent, and I was pleased that they included tender morsels of turnips. The caramel-rich pain perdu at O Fil Rouge is unforgettable, so we shared one of those and then were on our way.
The rain had stopped. The dining room had grown warm and humid, and it so felt good to escape onto the cool, damp streets. But we did enjoy the playful banter with the patron at O Fil Rouge. I’m sure we’ll be dining there again soon. |
Saturday, August 15, 2015
I love looking up at the tops of apartment buildings
like this, where I find whimsical or romantic balconies, arched windows and
doors, and unusual dormers. The
retracted awning that looks like a ruffle is a nice touch, don’t you think.
The citrus and shrimp salad at O fil Rouge.
Filet de dorade
royale rests atop hidden veggies.
A pastilla
stuffed with lamb, with salad and smashed potatoes. |
