The second time I brought Jodi here we had an energy crisis. She felt that she did not have enough energy for her camera and I did not pay enough attention to the problem, thus it became a crisis. Never think that there is not divine justice! Last night I plugged in both my phone and camera battery to recharge. I was so proud of myself this morning as I placed my camera into my purse, that I had charged them both well! Today I decided to go to see the Basillica of St. Denis, it is where St Denis ended up when he was beheaded, and the old guy picked up his head and carried it to this place. It is also where many of the French Royals were buried. Getting there was a bit of a challenge. I think the RER is harder than the Metro, but it was the only way, short of a cab to get there, so off I went. IT took about an hour and a half but I finally got to the St Denis station, walked up a main street that was thronging with a multicultural denizens. I was amazed at the number of people in the street in the middle of the day. I found the Basicilla and got out my camera to take a photo and it would not turn on. I looked at it, tried again, and thought, “hmm, What’s up? I just charged the battery.” Then I noticed that if felt a little light and I opened the battery chamber and it was not there! I left it in the apartment; I had unplugged the charger from the wall, but not taken the battery out of the charger.
Cell phones are a wonderful thing, and while not quality, at least I have some images, some of which are not too bad! The Basilica is beautiful in and of itself, and I got more than I bargained for because I had to do a report on Charlemagne for my last class, and I got to see his grave, that of his mother and father, and of course Francois 1er, Catherine De Medici, And last but not least Marie Antoinette. Notice in the picture of Catherine De Medici, that both her and her consort’s hands are folded in prayer! While she was not the more evil of the two De Medici Rulers, I thought it ironic! Poor Marie Antoinette, always the height of fashion, their tomb was not done until after Napoleon and she is dressed in an empire wasted (the term comes from the “Empire” of Napoleon and the waist styles that were popular then) rather than a dress she would have been really in her time. I had lunch at a little place right by the Basilica, probably got ripped off but I pulled a Bill and Toots and saw a tart a man had just been served and it looked too good! It was a salmon and sorrel tart served with a salad.
I returned home to get that darned battery, made reservations for dinner, and started writing today’s bolg. Then back out to BHV. I had heard a lot about this store, but not ever really been there. WOW. First that perfume for my friend, it was there. I got so excited that I had go call her just to make sure it was the right stuff. Then my friend Kathy had given me Euros for my birthday before I left and I bought some French CDs. Current French music is difficult to find, even on I-tunes. Eric from Cookin’ With Class had given me some recommendations and I tortured the poor sales guy in the music department. I even discovered one on my own because Borders isn’t the only gig that has headphones so one can preview. I also had seen a the maps one of my Fordor buddies had and was feeling a little green about that, so I found one too. All in all while Sanmartine it is not, it is a honey. AND there is this great dusky lavender purse that may be singing the sirens song to me.
Dinner at Aux Lyonaise( Ala Alain Ducasse) was very fun and once again I tried something new and LOVED it. I asked the waiter what he would recommend and followed his suggestions, with trepidation, but in a stalwart manner. It went well. I had a charcutrie board, which was probably totally not good for me, but it was good and flavorful. In addition to the meat it was served with cornichons, (tiny pickles) and a potatoes salad that had ham in it. Imagine my surprise when that odd looking pink potato turned out to be ham! It is a new taste treat to consider. Then I had a Quenelle et ecrevisses, which my dictionary calls dumplings, but let me tell you this was not a dumpling as we know it. The waiter described it as fish mousse which sound horrid, but it was the lightest, most delicate piece of food I think I have ever had. It was a big pillow of smooth fish mousse that had been gratinated and served with a sauce and a crème on the side. It was not even served with any kind of knife I have ever used before. It was heavenly. Then for desert he recommended a apple dish and when I was served I looked at it and thought,” It is just a poached apple.” But it was served with a piece of cinnamon pound cake and had been cored and stuffed with some sort of jelly or jam. It too, was good and light, so in spite of the fact that I probably consumed a zillion calories, I left feeling fabulous.
The restaurant is lovely. There are these white ironstone dishes at home that I am particularly fond or, they are an ivory white, have a pattern and then have been sort of antiqued, know the item? First let me tell you that I had to take a photo of the tile in the only place I could think of to do it without making a fuss, which was the bathroom. So now you can see an example, but above the tile, including light fixtures and columns, everything was done in the look of those ironstone dishes. Honestly I don’t remember was below. I was pretty fixated on that tile and the icing above.
So I am home and my new music is downloaded and I am listening to it! Bonne Nuit
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