Paris Journal 2008
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Last night was my last night of staying up through the wee hours of the morning so I could watch the Democratic National Convention on CNN Europe. I cannot tell you how good this convention has made me feel. We are proud to be Democrats. Now, focusing on Paris again . . . . We spent time and energy cleaning the apartment yesterday evening, which left less time for walking. But we did walk down the avenue Emile Zola and dined at Oh! Duo (see restaurant recommendations). Madame Valero at Oh! Duo asked us if we had found a nice restaurant in Paris. Tom answered that yes, of course, this restaurant. But she wanted to know where else we go when Oh! Duo is closed, for vacation, for example. We answered that the nearby Le Blavet is good. But then we amused her by describing how rigid and demanding Madame at Le Blavet can be with her customers (see restaurant recommendations for a description). We did a pretty good imitation, I think, and Madame Valero thought it was pretty funny. I can tell she knows of or has heard about Madame at Le Blavet. We then told Madame Valero that we also like L’Épopée, which is just up the avenue. Madame Valero said it has changed ownership. Tom asked if it was perhaps the son of the former proprietors, the Cargouets, who is now running it. Madame V answered no, that it had been sold to a young couple. I remarked that the menu is still the same. Madame V says yes, they keep it for a while so they don’t lose the faithful clientele, but that the new young owners definitely will change it. I hope they do not eliminate the prawn ravioli in curry sauce (a starter course). If anything, this dish is even better than it was under the Cargouets’ direction. I asked Madame V if the Cargouets had retired. She answered that Madame Cargouet has now retired, but not Monsieur. Tom asked if perhaps he was running a restaurant elsewhere. Madame V answered that Monsieur has taken off for foreign lands, who knows where. But not with Madame Cargouet. Wow. I wonder what the rest of this story might be? So much for neighborhood gossip. Wendy and Carol have taken a train to see the Chateau Vaux-le-Vicomte today; it has an interesting history. We’ll probably see Wendy and Carol tomorrow and we’ll hear all about it. Dinner at Oh! Duo was outstanding. I ordered the starter of the day and the main course of the day. The starter was a delicious dish of tender mussels (no shells) in a Sabayon sauce. This is a “sweet, thick frothy sauce cooked while whipping egg yolks with sugar and adding white wine and other flavorings,” according to my gastronomic dictionary. The main course was perfectly cooked duck breast, sliced and served with tiny raisons and homemade pasta. I am a fan of Monsieur Valero’s pasta. It is very light and delicate. Tom had a main course, émincée de selle d’agneau, which means thin slices of lamb loin. It was yummy. Then he had his usual apple tart, which, at Oh! Duo, is one of the very best. We are going to move over to the other apartment this weekend, so I am sure we will be eating out just about every night until we are settled there. I don’t like the mess of cooking when I’m trying to get everything tidy and put away. That’s a pretty good excuse, don’t you think? Sign
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Friday, August 29, 2008
We like this big sailboat moored by the Bir Hakiem
bridge. It is named the Vertrouwen.
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