Holidays in Paris

Back to share a few photos of our recent visit to Paris 

over the holidays. 

Above is the department store BHV 

(pronounced Bay-Osh-Vay).

When we lived in Paris for a year,

we rode the metro down here to the Hotel de Ville stop on the 1 line

every single time we needed something for the apartment. 

They have an entire (basement) floor dedicated to hardware and maintenance. 

Now we have a Castorama right in our hood

so when we need something, we only need to walk a couple of blocks. 

Much less expensive too!

For some reason, 

I never truly feel like I've fully arrived in Paris

until I get myself down to the island, 

the place Paris began, 

the oldest section.

And walk in steps others have tread for centuries. 

Pictures are no longer allowed inside 

Shakespeare and Company

so I can only share outdoor photos now

(though I did sneak a few some years back HERE.) 

Loved this quote from Leonard Cohen outside the store. 

And I usually take this pic because I love this shot of Notre Dame 

behind the bicycles that are ALWAYS parked here. 

And of course

the iconic shot of the Eiffel Tower. 

Will be back next time with a few more of the tower

from our bridge on the river. 

Hope everyone had a lovely holiday

and New Year! 

HAPPY 2019!!

(Photos copyright: Kirsten Steen)

Notre Dame shimmers at Christmas

As promised, here are a few photos of Notre Dame just after Christmas

near New Years Day. 

After weeks of walking by crazy long lines,

people waiting in the freezing cold,

we finally found an opening with no line

and managed to walk right in during a New Year's service. 

For those too far away, 

there are even video screens to see the priest

whose voice rumbles throughout the ancient cathedral. 

Everywhere there is light pouring in...

... and candles flickering. 

But the sweetest part of Notre Dame during the holidays...

was the shimmering star hanging over the altar.

It twinkled with sparkly lights

as a reminder of that night. 

And all throughout are reminders and depictions of His life.

The beauty of this extraordinary place is awe-inspiring on a regular day

but breathtaking during the holidays. 

It seems funny to be posting Christmas in Paris in April

but then I realized that maybe the week between 

Palm Sunday and Easter is the perfect time. 

(All photos copyright: Kirsten Steen)

Trip to Launois in the Champagne region

There's been much said recently about 

champagne helping to deter dementia and Alzheimers. 

A 2013 study found that three glasses a week

can help prevent memory loss. 

So we did our part to save our minds by making a trip to the Champagne region.

One of our main goals was 

to pick up some bubbly for Christmas

at Launois.

So we made a stop at the Launois tasting room and office

in the town of Le Mesnil-sur-Oger,

a village in the Cote des Blancs area

south of Epernay.

A very young pretty woman.

who spoke almost no English, 

served us a tasting of the Blanc de Blanc,

'white of whites' made mostly of Chardonnay grapes,

then took us back to the office.

Though I didn't get many snapshots,

the entire place,

every surface and every space on the walls,

 was filled with lovely things.

And since I collect angel photos,

I had to get this one. 

Since we had family coming in for the holidays

and knew we would be surrounded by loads of people

for our actual anniversary the night before Christmas Eve,

we picked a little town in the region to spend the night,

(which I'll show more next time)

and celebrated just the two of us

with champagne and dinner.

So sweet to steal away and relive some of our travels

during our time of living in France. 

Since champagne was our First Date cocktail together,

it seemed fitting to celebrate with a trip to the region.

And if bubbles will also boost my brain,

then I'm all for that! 

Happy New Year to all!

(photos copyright: Kirsten Steen)

Our 25th Anniversary at Reims Cathedral

We are in Paris for the holidays 

and this past week the Chef and I celebrated 25 years together

with a trip to the French countryside and Reims (pronounced Rance) Cathedral,

lunch on the square

and a complimentary glass of champagne. 

Our first date 25 years ago

involved Champagne Cocktails. 

And this week, as we stood a couple of blocks from the square in Reims

perusing menus in restaurant windows, wondering where to have lunch

before touring the church on our anniversary,

a man walked up, handed us a brochure and told us

if we took it to a certain restaurant on the square 

and showed them the picture, we would be treated to a glass of champagne. 

Not having found anything else we were interested in,

we wandered over to the restaurant and had the perfect lunch,

at the perfect place, right on the square

... with champagne. 

Angels were smiling on us.

And if you look closely, you'll see that

 the very first figure to the right of these doors 

looks like it could be one of the Smiling Angels of Reims. 

Below is a picture of the famous Smiling Angel

on a votive holder.

The cathedral was built in the 1200's

over the site of an earlier church

where Clovis (the first king of the Franks)

 was baptized in 496 A.D

(the original being built about 400.)

It is the church where the Kings of France were crowned. 

Like Chartres, a labyrinth was built into the floor

but here it was later destroyed. 

In its number of statue-laden portals,

Reims is second only to Chartres.

In 2011, the cathedral celebrated its 800th anniversary

with the installation of 6 new stained glass windows

by German artist Imi Knoebel

and nearly 6 months of celebrations

including light shows, concerts, performances, exhibitions.

Click HERE for a Guardian article

 (his first newspaper interview ever given)

with Imi Knoebel (a man of 700 colors) 

and a photo of the actual windows.

During the first world war, 

it served as a hospital

and many of its stained glass windows 

were sadly damaged or destroyed. 

With help partly from the Rockefellers,

it was restored and reopened in 1938. 

And above, the gorgeous Marc Chagall windows in the very far end of the cathedral. 

**************************************

Tomorrow starts 2017, ready or not. 

In numerology, 2016 equals a 9

which is an ending year. 

And with all of the loss this year, 

it certainly has been that. 

Loss upon loss upon loss...

And with 2017, I'm wishing you a magnificent one!

A new beginning, a cycle of abundance and joy

giving the future now what we want to reap. 

I wish for you all the miraculous beauty you can hold within your heart.

A vous, Bonne Annee!!

Til next year....

(Photos copyright: Kirsten Steen

Info via Wiki)

Vivaldi Concert at La Sainte Chapelle Church in Paris

Enfin!! Finally! 

I'm here...I'm back...

from Paris

and the holidays! 

I do hope you had a joyous holiday season. 

Our first set of photos from this most recent visit to Paris

is to the royal medieval Gothic chapel of

La Sainte Chapelle.

For the 23rd anniversary of our first date

on the 23rd of December,

I decided rather than spending a huge amount on a fancy restaurant,

the Chef and I should see a concert in a cathedral

and then have a nice dinner nearby. 

I've always wanted to see one of these cathedral concerts

so this was the perfect day...and excuse. 

But it was COLD! 

A friend had warned me:

Bundle up! 

It will be cold. 

But a magnificent backdrop

for such exquisite music. 

Vivaldi's Four Seasons.  

These beautiful angels hovered just next to me as I listened.

And religious figures stood nearby. 

Even the floors are colorful and exquisite.

Adam and Eve grace the exterior doors on the way out. 

And the ancient church spire

hovers under a darkened sky. 

The church, located on the Ile de la Cite,

was commissioned by Louis IXth 

to hold his Passion Relics

one of which was to be the Crown of Thorns. 

The church itself was opened in 1248. 

Sainte Chapelle is most known, among other things,

for being the largest collection of 13th century stained glass windows anywhere.

(See first photos above for a small sampling.)

It was my 3rd visit to this special church

and I never tire of it. 

Next time, I hope to see a concert there in the summer! 

***********

From the church, we made our way to the restaurant L'Absinthe,

quoted as a 'neo-retro bistro'.

A little Paris, a little New York,

the restaurant is run by Caroline Rostang,

daughter of the famous Michel Rostang.

I wish I'd gotten some shots of the interior

but you can see photos by clicking the link below. 

We sipped bubbly 

(in memory of our very first bubbly together on that first date)

and had a fabulous meal just near the clock. 

I highly recommend it. 

Thanks for coming along 

for the first of many photos of our recent time in Paris!

(All photos copyright: Kirsten Steen)

**********************

La Sainte Chapelle

8, rue Blvd. du Palais,

75001, Paris, France

33.1.53.40.60.80

L'Absinthe (Paris)

24, Place du Marche Saint Honore

75001 Paris France

01.49.26.90.04