Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Neighbourhood watching


Today was a 'red-letter' day. Not sure where that expression comes from, other than Nathaniel Hawthorne's "The Scarlet Letter" where his heroine had to wear a screaming red A on her chest. A for adultery. Anyway, it was just a day for taking note in my book.

Today, I found a cafe that I am pleased with. Now that is picky I know, because I am in Paris and cafes are a franc-a-dozen, one would think. But I want one that doesn't serve frothee-coffee. That doesn't pile a plate high with limp-lettuce and fatty-frites! So in my wander of the 7th (between Invalides and La Tour it is known as 7th-sud) I turned a few corners and blow-me-down was in rue St-Dominique, outside this most un-French looking pastry shop.


It is very much a woman's shop - no wine,no fries. But lots of sugar. I had the sandwich de jour, which was a gorgeously crunchy roll. Plus a grand creme, but really did not need THAT much milk so a Petit creme will suffice tomorrow. I rounded it off with a very lip-smacking tarte citron. And all that cost 13 euros - at an exchange rate of 69c, you do the math, as they say.

Prior to that though, I did myself proud. I posted some letters and bought more stamps. I went into three shops looking for a non-slip mat for the shower-over-bath. Found one for E10.95. Found a plug for the kitchen sink for E4.95 AND an old ladies; shopping trolley for E34.90 which was a rip-off.

Now does all that scream out that I am living here!! Add to that, that today is the end of the first week and the longest continuous stay in Paris for me. AND AND AND ... I am doing a load of washing.

Wuhoo ... I'm living here ... I'm living here, doing ordinary things.

6 comments:

brattcat said...

the only way to truly know a place. you are nesting beautifully, you chic little chick.

Joan Elizabeth said...

Well done and sounds great but if you stay too long the pennies will surely run out at those prices.
Wv extrav.

freefalling said...

Wuhoo!
Good on you!

What was on your sandwich?

Ann said...

Sounds like so much fun. Don't forget that you do, unfortunately, have to come back.

Julie said...

Joan: Ah, but I am not paying entry fees each and every day, and they are either E15 or E20. But this week the catacombs. Today will be 23C, so Ile de Cygnee, the fake island on other side of La Tour.

Ann:: Ah, yes, but there is much incentive to return, n'est pas?

Letty: Mmm ... Mortadella, some sort of lettuce, dried tomate, and cucumber with a relish. I will write it down today. Eating a lot of bread and butter ...

diane b said...

Aha a Cafe that you can call home. I love the crunchy bread. Nearly every Parisian has a dog and they live in their apartments with them.