Entre Les Murs

Le Weekend Domestique

A wonderful weekend in coupledom, but nothing too exciting to report for those expecting tales of Parisian romance, art and culture. The hallway was finished at the end of last week, a pleasant white (actually "Blanc Lumineux") which nicely opens up the narrow space. Over the weekend we prepped the master bedroom and completed painting the trim, so that today I can put a coat on the walls.

We did a little shopping on Saturday. Some of "les grands magasins" (department stores) are having sales, a less common occurrence than at home, and we were able to find curtains for the den substantially reduced, and a lamp for the living room also on sale. Lamps are one of the things we have to replace, owing to the different voltage used. We have transformers for some things, but one needs so many lamps (no overhead fixtures in this apartment) that it's not practical to use our own from home.

We rewarded ourselves for our deco and shopping successes with dinner at a Thai restaurant called Baan-Boran, across from the Palais Royale. The food was excellent, and the atmosphere, service and value very good as well. Except for prices, it seems one doesn't have to compromise on one aspect or the other. One can expect all of food, service and atmosphere to be good in Paris - and the cost is always high (but if the bill in Euros comes to what you'd be happy to pay in CDN$, you've done all right). Not that there aren't places where one or other of these things aren't poor or indifferent, but the standard is generally higher, and one needn't sacrifice one for another.

We are getting into a routine of shopping at the open air market on rue de Versailles on Sunday mornings. Another important purchase in our transformation to Parisians was the "chariot", or grocery cart, with which we set off after breakfast to load with wine, cheese, and fresh veg. It's still a novelty to wend our way through the crush and see piles up pigs ears, skinned rabbits and dozens of different shapes, sizes and colours of goat cheese.

posted 24.10.05