Vide Grenier On Rue Du Commerce, 15th

One of the things we've enjoyed most about Paris over the years are the annual neighborhood flea market/yard sales that pop up here and there, now and then. We learned of the Rue due Commerce vide grenier at the Mouffetarde market some days before. Some of these affairs exclude the professional flea market types (they come anyway), and some invite them (for a price). This one, we judged, was about 50/50. It's the local folk and their yard sale items that interest us, of course. This one ran 6-8 blocks along Rue du Commerce, a major shopping street in the area, both sides, and pedestrianized for the event. A wonderful Sunday morning outing.

Part of grand-mere's turtle collection

Quite a collection it was; now being parted-out...

Still no oboes

Probably not part of grand-mere's garden set 

Memories of eBay, North Carolina

A surprise extra were croissants from an award-winning boulangerie

Curvy flatiron

Circumnavigating The Eiffel Tower

After another grueling day of art appreciation at the Louvre, we bused out to the Eiffel Tower, mostly to see what Olympics stuff was up (we'd heard the rock-climbing wall would be there) but also to fulfill our usual touristic obligations.

Hopping off the bus

Grandstands on the Champ du Mars

No climbing wall; AI we guess

Grandstands before the Trocadero

Parc Floral de Paris, Bois de Vincennes

After a day or so "off" we decided to visit an old friend, the Parc Floral in the distant Bois de Vincennes, on the southeastern edge of Paris, in search of nature, quiet, tranquility...

By the ponds and water lilies

And now at the bonsai complex, admiring the blooming (!) rhododendra

!!!

!!!!!!

Resident checking us out

A favorite setting

OK, so what you haven't seen so far is that this is the
next to last week of school in Paris, and the Parc Floral
is overrun--overrun!--with school children, their 
teachers, and aides; apparently there is no dress code
for teachers' aides

We still got to see some floral stuff

But mostly kids, elementary age

Innovative fencing (no smoking)

Now we needed another day off!

Le Train Bleu

Heritage dining. That's the name for our current restaurant interests in Paris. Great old restaurants of the past, traditional fare. Le Train Bleu has long been on our wish list. We both were sick on our 56th wedding anniversary, June 8th, but a few weeks later, several fine meals later, we both were well enough to entertain a big meal at one of Paris' most storied restaurants, Le Train Bleu, in the Gare de Lyon, 12th arrondisement.

The restaurant itself dates from 1900, the year of the great Exposition Universelle, and more than two dozen artists of the day contributed to its decor. All forgotten, I would add: not the Guimards nor Muchas nor Rodins nor Laliques; nor anybody that made it to the Musee d'Orsay. Be that as it may, the place is still stunningly beautiful, in its neo-classical-whatever-revival sort of way. Chandeliers, sculpture, moulding, furniture, and many very large format paintings on the walls and ceilings, all glorifying the great Paris-Lyon-Mediterranean train line of the day--le Train Bleu, it was called--and its destinations...Lyon, Nice, Monaco, Menton.... The place was saved from demolition in the 60s by France's great minister of the interior, Andre Malraux, and declared a historic site somewhat later.

The food is traditional, although much updated and up-graded with two-star chef Michel Rostand now overseeing it all. The real treat, we thought, was people-watching, both the clientele but especially the serveurs and serveuses: a good bit of the food preparation is done table-side. The pix below reflect this wonderful three-ring circus: the decor, the food, the service. Another of our more memorable anniversary dinners! 

Vicki's kir royale (my pastis not pictured)

The amuse bouche, a beet puree with cheese and nuts

Carving leg of lamb

Her salade

My pate en crote provencale

And une verre de Morgon, por favor...

For possibly the first time in recorded history, we both had the same
main, the pork medallions...the three course prix fixe meal was €74,
tax and tip included

Preparing a boeuf tartare

Having a look around

Part of the adjoining lounge; if you're not into a full, fine meal, you
can pop in here for something light, a drink, a snack, and still get to
see the place

Pistachio souffle

My baba rhum; incredibly, they left the bottle of rum at the table...in the
future, I have resolved, I will always carry a shot glass in my jacket

The flames from the crepes suzette were perhaps five feet high

Official anniversary portrait