Archive for January, 2007

Friday
January
5th
2007
3:03 pm

Out to the movies

I went to the movies this evening for the first time in Paris (and my first time in several weeks!), and saw The Holiday. It was entirely predictable, but mostly charming, although I really wanted to slap Cameron Diaz’ Amanda around a few times.

American movies are very popular in Paris, and most movies can count on a Parisian release. Unfortunately, the release dates are different. While usually this means that they’re later, so I now have another chance to catch Hollywoodland, sometimes it means that they’re earlier. In particular, it looks as though I’ve missed Children of Men: it opened in France in November, and right now, it doesn’t appear to be playing anywhere closer than Marseilles.

The movie listings for American, or other foreign language films, include a notation “VO” (version originale) or “VF” (version Française) to indicate whether it’s subtitled (VO) or dubbed (VF). Sometimes the same theater will offer both versions.

Friday
January
5th
2007
4:16 am

Just looked out my window…

To see two policemen riding by on their bicycles. They weren’t pedalling all that quickly, so I gather they were just making their usual patrol.

Given traffic and parking (and it’s amazing to see the way that the French will wedge their cars into any little teeny, tiny space, even straddling corners), I suppose bike patrols make a lot of sense. It was, nonetheless, a surprising sight.

Wednesday
January
3rd
2007
4:19 pm

Second visit to Table d’Eugene

I may just try eating my way through the menu.

My first visit, I had the salade aux boudin noir (salad served with four croûtes of black sausage), brick auvergnate (a sort of gratin with potatoes, cheese, and ham), and lemon sorbet.

This second visit, I had the salade de cabécou au miel (salad with chèvre drizzled with honey), poisson au sauce beurre nantes (fish with a *very* buttery sauce studded with baby shrimp), and tarte belle Hèlene (a tarte with a filling of chocolate mousse studded with poached pear).

I have to say that the desserts are the weak spot: the lemon sorbet featured too much rind, making it bitter, and the tarte was okay, but boring.

My initial impression of Table d’Eugene as a neighborhood spot has been confirmed, though.

Tuesday
January
2nd
2007
3:37 pm

Into the center of town

Today was the first day I ventured out of my immediate neighborhood: I headed specifically for the Bazaar de l’Hôtel de Ville to find adapters for my computer & speakers. Which I found, along with a (French) power strip and a few other little odds and ends. Then, since I was in the area anyway, I wandered over to Notre Dame de Paris.

Even midday on a Tuesday, it took about 10 minutes for the line for entrance to the cathedral to make its way inside. Is this just still the holiday season, or is it like this all the time? And what a nuisance for those for whom this is their "home parish." But it’s as lovely as I remembered.

And now that I have my adapters, I can get set up again with my own Internet access. Yippee!

Monday
January
1st
2007
12:02 pm

Bonne Année

A quiet day today, a bit at loose ends. I made it to the 11 AM Mass at Notre Dame de Clignancourt and went for another walk out towards Montmartre. This time, though, instead of going up on the hill, I just followed Blvd de Rouchechouard out to the Place Pigalle, where it turns into the Blvd de Clichy. Which in turn is where Paris’ strip clubs congregate. This was another area full of tourists: I counted over a dozen tourist buses parked along the street.

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