Passage Brady

by Danielle

After enjoying an incredible meal of home-cooked lamb curry with friends the other night night, we found ourselves craving yet more Indian food. It was a good excuse to bike over to Passage Brady, a 2 block-long covered passageway which is the heart of Paris’ small Indian and Pakistani district.

We enjoyed another delicious curry-based meal and poked into a great market of Indian spices, chutneys, sauces etc. Although I’m told the “true” heart of Paris’ Indian neighborhood is in the 18th arrondisement (and not the 10th), we love exploring areas like this which are not necessarily on a tourist’s map.

I’m Sorry, I Thought This Was a BANK.

by Danielle

I received a reimbursement for an overpaid bill and went to our bank to cash it. When I made my request I was asked, “Do you have a deposit slip?” I thought I had used the wrong verb for a minute, and said, “Um, no I’d like CASH please.”

The teller said, “I’m sorry we don’t carry cash.”

I had to let that hang in the air to digest. How can a bank not have cash? I must have raised my voice a little while discussing this matter, because an english-speaking manager came over and clarified that yes, it is a bank, and no, they don’t have cash. Wow.

I had forgotten a similar experience a few months earlier when I stopped into my branch to break a 50 euro bill. I was headed to the grocery store and needed some change to give to my homeless lady who sits out front. It’s a major faux pas to show up empty handed, in my opinion, as we have almost a friendly exchange.

Bank yes, cash no.

A Whole New World

by Danielle

This week marked the first time we’ve had both kids in school, Joseph in preschool (maternelle) and Rachel in nursery school (halte garderie). They have both adjusted very quickly and we love the childcare situations more than anything we had arranged back in the states, and the bonus is that it’s practically free. So now we find ourselves with four days a week (there is no school on Wednesdays) where we can do whatever we want. I can’t express how mind boggling this is, after having been consumed with the needs of (at least) one child at all times.

We took full advantage two days this week and played tourist. Day one we took Velib bikes toward Ile Saint Louis in the heart of the city and had coffee while overlooking the Seine and the park on the backside of Notre Dame. Then to the Marais for lunch, joined briefly by our friend Romy whose apartment is in the square by the restaurant.  This morning was rainy so we started at the Louvre but deemed it too crowded.  We walked through the Tuileries and had a coffee until the sun came out. Then we visited the museums of the Orangerie and Jeau de Palme. After a quick lunch in the Marais, we biked home along the canal. Life is good.

There are so many things we’d like to see, I suspect the next few weeks will be jam packed with tourist activities. We also are exploring the idea of taking day trips (not necessarily together) to cities that are easily accessible by high speed rail. It’s crazy to think that a day trip to Strasbourg, Amsterdam or Luxemborg is possible, but it is. Stay tuned.

My Cheatin’ Heart

by Danielle

In Paris there is a boulangerie/patisserie (bread/dessert shop) on almost every block. I used to find this unnecessary but I quickly came to realize the benefits. You learn that one has great baguettes, another great quiches, yet another has great north african cookies and so on. To further complicate matters, one might have great service with a sweet elderly lady, another has snotty girls on staff, pick your poison. Fortunately everything  costs about the same so you don’t have to factor that in.

A year ago we bought our daily bread from “Petit Plaisirs” at the bottom of our street. After shopping around we slowly realized that his bread isn’t the best. But we like the guy and I feel bad not buying from him.

To top it off, a boulangerie on the next block was renovated during “vacances” and now it’s a real gem and a pleasure to enter. It’s my new favorite. But because we have to walk by “Petit Plaisirs” on the way home, I have to hide the bread under the stroller (if the basket isn’t jam packed with groceries) or in my tote bag. Sometimes Joseph wants a piece to munch so I try to make sure he’s not eating it as we pass the shop. God forbid he and his wife are in front of the store with their daughter, who is Joseph’s age and goes to his school.