December 21, 2014
In Paris: Lovely people, Sunday mass at Notre Dame de Paris, dinner at a Lebanese restaurant run by an Iranian where I had manouche (similar to tandoori roti) with makanek (Lebanese beef sausage flavored with cumin) and broumana (semolina honey lemon syrup cake). Paris is all lit up and the weather is mild spring weather for us Rochesterians. So wonderful to be here.
December 23, 2014
So yesterday we checked out the Louvre and the I.M. Pei pyramid and stole a glance at the elusive Mona Lisa. We walked around the Eiffel Tower which begins to shimmer and glitter at dusk and loved the Christmas market along the Champs-Elysées (nothing like churros and a warm drink on a winter night). Kids were ice skating in a small, makeshift rink and there was Christmas music aplenty. We had dinner at a restaurant in Saint-Germain-des-Prés. Today we checked out all the ostentatious gold at the Chateau de Versailles, took a rest after all the walking and then headed to Montmartre. The Sacré-Coeur is always magical and the views of the city from the butte Montmartre always stunning. But the best part of the day was getting together with my indefatigable activist friends, the brilliant Stephanie McCarthy and Raymond Deane! Here we are at Le Sancerre with our families. What’s not to love about Paris?
December 24, 2014
Merry Chirstmas everyone! Special wishes from Place Rossetti, in Nice. This beautiful video was shot by my son.
December 25, 2014
Today we drove to the picturesque towns of Villefranche-sur-Mer and Menton. It is nice and sunny here. Menton is so pleasant in fact that it is full of lemon and orange trees, heavy with fruit, throughout the year. I kept saying to my husband that I wouldn’t mind retiring in the South of France. That is until I read a comically awful article about the “djihad sexuel” which made beards and long hair synonymous with beheadings and rape. Seriously? That’s a bit much, even for Yahoo News in French. Below is a stunning picture taken by my daughter.
December 26, 2014
Visited Eze and Monte Carlo today. Was charmed by Eze. Some history: “Eze is a tiny walled village perched on the top of a 1400-foot peak overlooking the Mediterranean. The village claims to be one of the oldest continuously inhabited settlements in France, possibly dating from the 9th century B.C. Tradition has it that early Phoenician sailors chose the spot to build a temple to Isis, goddess of the sun, and that the town’s unusual name is derived from hers. The site’s obvious advantages of defensibility, nearby water and arable land, and a commanding view of the sea explain why a town was established and remained there, despite repeated attempts of invaders to conquer and destroy it.” Loved Le Jardin Exotique planted amidst the ruins of a 12th century Roman castle that crowns the village. Not only does it offer gorgeous views all the way to Saint-Tropez but it’s also alive with beguiling sculptures of Earth goddesses created by Jean-Philippe Richard. The sculptures have an elegant simplicity to them, a calm beauty that blends in with the garden (which is full of exotic cacti and plants from all over the world) and the rugged cliff that supports the village. Magnifique. Picture by my daughter.
December 27, 2014
Started the day with a visit to the Matisse Chapel, Chapelle du Rosaire de Vence. Matisse was quite old (77) when he started working on this project, which took 4 years to complete. He designed everything – from the chapel’s architectural rendering and stained glass windows, to the furniture and light fixtures. My favorite piece of art inside the chapel is the carved wooden door to the confessional, a perfect example of Matisse’s cut-outs. The patterns are inspired by Islamic art Matisse had come across in Morocco. Light from the chapel’s stained glass windows hits the door at such an angle that the confessional seems to be suffused with pink light, when in fact the room is completely white. Simple and elegant, stripped down yet full of the creative play between light and color, it’s the perfect place to be quiet and centered.
From Vence it was a short drive to St Paul de Vence, one of the most beautiful villages in the South of France, chock-full of art and sculpture. After a quick lunch at Cafe de la Place, we headed to Cannes. The Promenade de la Croisette was lit up and offered gorgeous views. I had some hearty soupe de poisson à la provençale and a piece of delicious tarte Tatin with vanilla ice cream at a cafe across from the boardwalk. It was getting dark by the time we got to Cannes but the sky was an incredible blue velvet, palm trees rustled in the wind, and people hurried along to their various destinations. A wonderful, lively scene.
December 28, 2014
Back to Paris after a very comfortable ride on the TGV. I wanted to check out the Pere Lachaise cemetery but it was closed by the time we got there. No problem. We had a lovely dinner at a bistro on Rue de la Roquette. I had magret de canard avec de la sauce aux canneberges et gratin Dauphinois. To die for! The tiramisu wasn’t half bad either. Tomorrow back to the US. Will miss France!