Where Everybody Knows Your Name

Just back from a fun dinner at what has become our go-to bistro. Le Sevigne is just down the block and next to one of the parks we frequent. The staff and owner are exceptionally nice to Pierce and shower him with food and treats. Today the owner asked me if we wanted our 'usual' table. I guess that is how you know you've been to a place a lot. We love the charming atmosphere, handful of tables and the fact that they like to entertain Pierce. Also, the food is always solid. Tonight Mitch had Rotisserie Chicken and I had an omlette with fine herbes. I love that the French eat omelettes all day, every day. Pierce, of course, had selections from both our plates and received special treats from the owner throughout the meal. Another big plus is that they have Affilgem on tap, which has become one of our new favorite Belgium brews. A milestone of sorts was reached tonite when Pierce bid "au revior" to the owner as we left. That's the first time he has mastered "bye" en Francais.

Today was the first day in 3.5 weeks that it was actually somewhat miserable outside weather wise, well at least for half the day. We woke up to hard rain and high winds, but things cleared up in the afternoon to partly sunny skies. Nevertheless we ventured out early and went to the Cite des Enfants, a kids museum within the museum of science and industry here. Spectacular is the only word for this place. It is head and shoulders above any kiddie museum we've been to thus far. Pierce had an amazing time and so did Mitch and I. Here' s a pic of Pierce in a peep hole in the kids maze.

When le petite took his afternoon snooze, Mitch and I enjoyed the Musee de Carnavalet, a museum about 1 block from our apartment that features a real hodgepodge of Parisian artifacts, from old street signs to the furniture of Marcel Proust's bedroom. Some interesting early 1900s artwork as well. Definitely worth a visit if you have more than a week in Paris.

A late lunch of french onion soup for me (delicious! I hate overally salted ones and this one had more of a sweet wine flavor to it) and fish soup for Mitch led to a spectacular dessert concoction of vanilla ice cream covered in some kind of toffee-ish thing with with carmel and whip cream on the plate. We weren't planning on dessert, but when a grandmother and her granddaughter next to us both ordered this, we couldn't resist after seeing it.

Hard to believe we leave one week from today. Making the most of our final week here. Tomorrow night we have Djamila, the babysitter, for the last time so we are trying to figure out where to go, probably dinner and a possibly some live music.

I am beyond excited about seeing my friend Aurelie on Monday. It's been 20 years since we were exchange students together. I am looking forward to our reunion (thanks facebook!) It is also Pierce's birthday on Monday and he'll get to take the high speed TGV train to Aurelie's house in Verdun. For a train obsessed little one, there's no better present. Oh, that and getting to spend his birthday with Aurelie's two sweet, very cute daughters will help as well.