A Parisian Weekend

Weekends in Paris are great because there is a plethora of things to do, not one of which is the same as the next. To prove that to you, my dear reader, below I have pictures and a video montage documenting my weekend with a now non-jetlagged husband. From delicious meals at restaurants to even better street food, museums, and an 80 year old woman dancing the night away, we were constantly entertained in gay ol' Paris.

The weekend started with a lunch on Friday at Au Bascou, a Basque Country restaurant. The food was good and the dessert was the best in Paris yet. If you are in Paris and happen to be in the 3rd arrondisement, stop by for a lunch that gives good insight into the culinary tastes of Southwest France.

Au Bascou
3rd Arrondisement
38, rue Réaumur
01 42 72 69 25
http://www.au-bascou.fr/


B's dish: Pastilla filled with salmon and codfish over a bed of salad greens.



My dish: Cheese encrusted shrimp (Gambas) over veggies.



As you can see, the dessert was so inviting that we started eating it before I could snap a picture for you. A crispy chocolate cookie, topped with chocolate ganache and accompanied with homemade vanilla and almond ice creams. Yum!

Friday night found us on a bridge over the Seine.

With the lunatic that set up this interesting concotion (and I mean luncatic in the most endearing sense because without lunatics, what would a Friday night in Paris be like?).

We then found this bar, which I highly recommend for two reasons: 1) During Happy Hour, you can get a huge beer from Holland for just 4.50 Euro. 2) They actually have a real martini menu. I think I have previously discussed the complete lack of French understanding regarding a martini. It's so bad that B and I gave up on attempting to order one since we usually get a bottle of Martini and Rossi liqueur brought to the table with a glass and a little bowl of olives to eat instead of a dry martini up with olives. However, this bar knows what a real martini is and even has cosmopolitans (imagine it! Cranberry juice in France - I never thought I'd see the day).

La Panfoulia

4th Arrondisement

7, rue Ste Croix de la Bretonnerie

Saturday morning took us to a market (shocking, I know). Apparently, Lorenzo the fish man was selling Langoustines that also double as an acrobatic act.

The fish was so fresh it was amazing. This is one of the markets to see in Paris.

Marché President Wilson

16th Arrondisement

Wednesdays and Saturdays

8am-1pm

On to the Museum of Modern Art in the City of Paris. It is across the street from the Marché President Wilson and has some really cool art work.

B and a random big red dog on the rain-soaked streets of Paris.

Ah...The ultimate hot dog. A perfect late afternoon lunch on Saturday.

Here I am shamelessly chowing down with the Eiffel Tower in the background.

You can find this delicious hot dog on Place de la Concorde at the entrance of Jardins des Tuileries.

Saturday night brought a bottle of wine named "La Font Louisiane."

And Sunday morning brought church at the American Church in Paris.

Sunday evening, we headed to a park a block or so from our apartment. The back drop was Notre Dame at dusk - a perfect ending to our weekend in Paris.

Below is a video montage from the weekend. Click play and come along with us on a whirlwind weekend tour of the sights and sounds in Paris. Please note the dancing old lady who is definitely young at heart. She danced nonstop while the band played. An amazing sight to see, especially when contrasted with the hip hop dancers later in the video. I'll let you decide which dancer was the most captivating and thus deserving of our spare change...