Debbie and Laurie arrived yesterday, and we relaxed a bit in the morning, went to lunch at the little bistro around the corner that we went to with Alex last week – Chez Casimir – and then hopped in a car and headed to the Grand Palais to try to get into the George Braques exhibit. Debbie speaks French, so that helped get us pointed in the right direction. I thought it was odd when we were sent to the entrance to the garage, but the guard there said that we were in the right place. At a certain point, he opened the gate and told Debbie we should go in, without much more instruction. So we went to the bottom of the ramp and we were in what looked like the underground loading dock for the Palais. After looking around we wandered to the left, and found two more guards, who told us we should go up a rather steep ramp where there were doors. Both sets were locked, but had intercoms next to them, so we pushed the buttons, but no answer. Finally, someone came up and asked what we were looking for, and we said the George Braques exhibit, and he said that it was down the ramp, and took us to the door we were to go in through (near the guards who sent us up the ramp).  We got through the doors and were in the bowels of the palais, and greeted by Julie and another group with a wheelchair.  Then we took the freight elevator up to the first of two floors of the exhibit.  There was a long discussion about whether we had to pay or not, but it was decided that David didn’t have to pay, even though he didn’t have his Disabled Person’s Priority Card, which you can only get if you are French or have a work permit.  This was the first time this was a problem.  We were happy to pay for the three tickets, then we went to the exhibit.  It was terrific and there was a lot of work from many periods.  Almost too much work.  Sometimes it is best to have the best selections from a period and edit it down.  By the time we got through the second floor and discovered that there was yet another section, David didn’t want to bother to get someone to work the small lift to get him to the other level.  Debbie and Laurie went to see it and reported back, which we were happy to see through their eyes.

Then home and a nap before our dinner with Alex and Claire and their friends Ed and Alexis.  We were meeting at Casa Olympe at 8pm, so we headed out the door at about 7:30.  After getting in the Uber car to take us there, I realized that it was actually much closer than I thought.  Only a block or two further than La Table des Anges, where we walked to the other night.  With the traffic, it took almost the whole 30 minutes to get there anyway!  We were the first to arrive, so got settled, and were soon joined by Ed and Alexis and then shortly after that by Alex and Claire.  It was a great dinner, and we were so glad to be able to take Ed and Alexis out as a small thank you for being such great surrogate parents for Alex and Claire since coming to Paris.  They are also lots of fun to be with so it was a great evening all around!  After dinner, we walked home.

This morning we got up, had a bite to eat and some coffee then out the door and got on the bus to head to the Village Noel at the bottom of the Champs-Élysées.  We strolled all the way up, and even though David and I weren’t really shopping, within the first 60 yards, we had made two purchases – boots for Theo and mittens for David.  We stopped and had a mound of potatoes with cheese and ham and a sausage and when we were a the top of the market and spoke to Alex and they were going to come out and meet us.  When we got back down to the bottom of the market, spoke again, and told him that were were going to head to Maxim’s and would meet them next door in Minim’s for a coffee and to warm up.  The waiter was less than thrilled with our arrival, but he got over it, and while we were there 3-4 people came in want to use their bathroom and had to have a coffee at the bar first.  Being so close to the Place de la Concorde on Rue Royale, they must get a steady stream of people wanted to use the bathroom.

Alex, Claire and Theo arrived and we had some wine and chatted for a while.  Theo has been not feeling so well, unfortunately, so he wasn’t his jolly self.  It was also much colder today, so we didn’t want to stay out too long.  Then we got on the bus to head back home and said good-bye to Alex, Claire and Theo and after some searching, found the stop for our bus.  We hit some major traffic snarl near the Opera, and the driver had to take a detour to avoid it.  I am guessing it is the beginning of Christmas shopping at the Galeries Lafayette and when we drove by on our way in, I noticed that there were crowds looking at their windows, which might have gone in this weekend.

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Then home and back to the warmth, a little reading – we are rereading Paris Reborn, and it is taking on much more texture because the places are all very real having just seen them and you get a better sense of the spaces.  Rereading was David’s idea, of course.  So smart.

I am going to leave you with one other little bit of Paris.  The area where we are staying is

very nice and interesting, but has the distinction of being home to what seem like hundreds of wedding dress and wedding suit boutiques.  And this is no Kleinfeld’s or Vera Wang, they come in all shapes, colors and styles, but this one caught my eye and I couldn’t help taking a picture to share.  I don’t know who the bride is who would wear this, but I think that the dress speaks for itself.  Also, I might add, it was only in the window for two days, and was gone the day after I took this picture.  The white ones remain.