Over the Top in France - August 9

Like the Yanks at the St. Mihiel Salient, it took us only days to smash the German lines.  The LEF entered Paris on day eight of our French offensive. 

We leave the children with the funcles so that they can actually have a fun time rather than sitting in the car with us and circling various terminal 2s at CDG four times (but better that than the Arc de Triomphe, Nancy Laskin) to find the rental car return place.  We finally arrive at our positively palatial digs mere steps from the Seine at 4, Rue du Cardinal Lemoine.  The apartment has all we could ask for and more:  huge rooms with high ceilings, comfy beds, wifi, and beautiful double-glazed windows that keep out the traffic noise.  (Although it does not have AC, and it is a bit warm, so we open those classic tall French windows when we go out and close them at night.)  There is beautiful plaster work on the ceilings, and room for everyone and a kitchen that I could be very happy in, oh, say, forever.  The children’s rooms are little cells, and the layout is very odd, I think it may be two apartments joined together, but we are thrilled with our very spacious Parisian pied à terre.

More of a journey than I anticipated brought us to the restaurant Au Bon Coin, which turns out to be where Tom and KT took Bill and Nancy when they were here in May!  It is right near their apt. and Bill is talking to Tom on the phone as we pass, so he pops out onto his little balcony for a wave.  We feel that we really are native.  Look, we wave at locals!  Peter enjoys a large plate of girolles (chanterelles) to start, and the waiter is impressed when he orders his beef saignant (mama pride).  Rabbit and leek terrine and then some sweetbreads for me, please, and a baba aux fraises de bois pour le dessert.  Andy introduces me to a kir made with creme de mûre, blackberry syrup, oo la la, a bottle of which will find its way to my suitcase very shortly.  Izzy is in her happy place ensconced between the funcles, and has some chicken and a lovely dense chocolatey cake called a moelleux which is quite hard to pronounce.  Peter and Bill both enjoy a spectacular deconstructed lemon tart.  This is an auspicious start to the Parisian portion of our adventure.