Friday, October 18, 2013

DATELINE: Paris (12)



Sips instead of gulps.  I've been gulping down everything I see, sometimes not even chewing. And likewise passing on to you huge hunks of somewhat indiscriminate information.   I think I've got cultural indigestion.  For the next few days, tiny bites.

First, before heading out this morning, breakfast.  Golden, slightly sweet, buttery and flaky, a croissant from Carton's.  With it, rich and dark coffee.  No au lait.  Save the fat for something else.


Then off to the Eugène Delacroix museum over in the 6eme.


We visited there several years ago and what I remember best is seeing his personal art collection of his contemporaries.  This time none of those paintings was in evidence.  What he's known for is this painting:  Liberty Leading the People (1830), now housed in a museum called The Louvre-Lens, located in the far north of France in the city of Lens.  It's a new museum that holds an overflow from the Louvre-Paris.


There are other things by him in his little museum that are of some interest but I think the above painting was his magnum, if not to say only memorable opus.  What he seemed to be mainly famous for was being "artistic."  The museum does have a very pretty garden which is currently undergoing renovation and, at this time of year, has lost most of its color.

On our way home we stopped at a green grocer for a look around.  It was only yesterday that I was lamenting the lack of mâche anywhere to be found.  But le voilà!


Tucked in with the baby spinach and the rockette were boxes of this tasty, tender green.




We came on home for lunch which included a big green salad loaded with delicious mâche!

Tonight will be dinner downstairs at Les Fêtes Gallantes.  I stopped by to check on tonight's menu; two fish dishes, just what I'm after.  Report tomorrow.

For this afternoon, preliminary packing up to leave for Bruges on Monday followed by more reading followed by, perhaps, a little nap.

Just a little bite from that richest of cookies, Paris, on a foggy, cold day.


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