First Day of School

Alliance Francaise. First class today at 1:30. There are four other people in the class, all less than half my age. Le professeur is a delightful young man named Camille. Apparently, a new cycle of classes started last week because all of the other students were here last week, and we are now on Unit 2 of the book. So I have a little catching up to do. But I think I'm in the right class level. During le petit pause, I go down to the Alliance bookstore to buy the book we're using in class and une grammaire explique en francais.

I walk all the way there (about 45 minutes). I really should look at a map to find the most efficient route because I certainly didn't take it this morning! However, I do walk down r. de Buci past the open-air market and what I think of as the "original" Paul's, because it was the first one we discovered. The walk takes longer than I expect and I'm almost late. Despite the fact that I'm hauling a-- on this walk, I see another, strictly take-away, Paul's on r. de Rennes (like the one I saw on r. Saint Antoine). I think they must be expanding their bread business, which is great. Later, after class, I grab a chausson aux pommes to fuel my walk home!

A quick visit of St Sulpice which, despite all appearances, actually is still open pendant les travaux. The north tower is being renovated and is covered with scaffolding. I also stop at Gibert Joseph (a bookstore so large that it occupies several different buildings dans le Quartier Latin, most on or near the Place St Michel, to buy a Larousse Poche (a French/French dictionary) and some notebooks. Then to the supermarche to buy laundry detergent, fruit, yogurt and toilet paper! Lug everything (books, dictionary, notebooks and grocery purchases and my weary body) up the 63 stairs.

Noted on walk home:
1. A four-wheeled, pedaled Urban Taxi with "driver" similar to the ones now being used in NYC. Sign on the front "transport ecologique"!!
2. I will never enter un cafe ou un bistrot that has a sign out front reading "Happy Hours."

The Washing Machine. I appear to have succeeded in reading the instructions for the Machine a Lavage/Sechage (the instruction manual is in French bien sur), as it now seems to be washing my clothes. Apparently it runs for 72 minutes (the washing part); not sure yet about the drying. The same machine does both. I'll let you know later.

L'Alivi. Wonderful dinner tonight at L'Alivi, 27 rue du Roi-de-Sicile, about a 5 minute walk from my apartment and recommended by Lofty Becker, one of my law school professors. Chef Alain Cacciari. Authentic Corsican cuisine (right down to the wine and the bottled water from La Corse). I have herring with fennel to begin and then an eggplant and cheese dish. Both superb. And a glass of fabulous Corsican red wine: Niellucciu is the cepage (according to very cute waiter - I made him write it down!). For dessert, glace des figues which turns out to be vanilla ice cream surrounded by slices of fig and sitting on top of a paste which tastes very familiar and then I realize it's like the inside of a Fig Newton! Yum.

The couple next to me strikes up a conversation; turns out they are here for the Exposition Maison et Objet which is being held in the Parc des Expositions outside of Paris. Josie is originally from Holland, her family immigrated to the US when she was very young and she grew up in California. She is now married to a Danish man and has lived in Denmark for more than 20 years. She still has Dutch citizenship. Her colleague, Fleming, is Danish. Although she speaks Dutch, English and Danish and he speaks Danish, English, French and Italian, they are conversing in English. They work for a design company called Greengate which is exhibiting at the show. We end up sharing wine (theirs) and dessert (mine). Great fun, and now I have someone to visit in Copenhagen. Unfortunately, the exposition closes tomorrow so I won't be able to go (I have class in the afternoon).

Plus Tard. I come back after dinner and my clothes are clean and dry! A triumph!
Pedometer reading 11,887.