auntie louise arrives

while a hurricane is approaching north carolina, wednesday morning brought aunt louise to paris...she was a whirlwind arrival as her flight from rdu to philly was delayed more than an hour...she had 15 min to make transfer upon arrival....running through the concourse yelling to the gals at gate 14, call gate 20 and tell 'em i'm on the way...she made it...only barely....as the gate was closing...last to board flight

while waiting for her flight, had opportunity to check in with hertz, learn about their location, where cars are parked, etc...in prep for the geriatrics' arrival on sat

so so so glad to see auntie louise

she only had 3 hours sleep on the plane but was ready to hit the street...dropped bags at hotel bonaparte, home for the nunnery clan while in paris...i had been over at 530, waking up the night manager to stow my bags in the baggagerie...then headed off to my favorite pastry shop

there, they have the most incredible bread pudding with apricots on top...wish sarah and wendy could have a slice...tastes more like ma's than anything i've had since she crossed over in 2000...she used to give us "little glasses" of the bread pudding custard/milk ...even saving some for us in the frig until we got home from school...she still did that for me when i was at pfeiffer...but the pastry shop was closed...so...to the pantheon where we had a wonderful picnic on the steps of the church...very relaxing until the security guard kicked us off the square...no picnics allowed...emily and hampton, do you think aunt louise is a bad influence on me? hadnt been kicked out of church until she arrives

on to notre dame, walked till 2...back to the hotel...naps in the afternoon...then, river seine tour...got chilly, i neglected to bring jacket...dinner near hotel...ribeye...awesome...first steak since mid-july...tiny tables...nice business dudes at next table told us to put some of our things on their table since ours was packed. dont think uncle larry had fed aunt louise since july 4th, she ordered what turned out to be a huge meal...full plates of coq au vin, green salad and mashed potatoes

yesterday was her 61st birthday...best coffee in europe at hotel bonaparte with croissants...then to marmotten museum...large collection of monet....got there at 10, opens at 11, so we had some yummy pastries nearby...then on to printemps for shopping....covered entire store...3 buildings, save for boxers and brassieres...after all we aint from west virginia, lol

as i type this, have headphones on listening to a little jerry butler...i'm just thinking about coolin out...johnnie britt are you reading this?

printemps is the harrods/maceys of paris...shopped last time there with linda bunch

big new york promotion going on...hot dogs on the street just outside the store...great lunch...had french fried onions on them...made me think of robert monk...robert and suzan used to do monk burgers on sunday night...burgers on the grill...as they got 'ready' robert would add a mound of durkees french fried onions, then 2 slices of cheese, close the lid, cheese melts, encapsulating the onions...awesome...sure miss robert monk

to the louvre....there for almost 4 hours...thought i had done the 'left wing'...2 hours of galleries i hadn't seen...then the sexy stuff, venus, slaves, mona, and winged victory

back to printemps for a coke-aunt louise and a cold beer...me!! on the roof...great views of the city...and back to ladies wear for the thursday afternoon jazz concert...to the hotel, change...
chez allard for dinner...famous for frog legs...didnt have them....but reservations for next tues at 1030 pm...must have them then

friend beth fleishman recommended...louise had salmon, i had rabbitt...hippity hop....terrific meal...to celebrate her special day

today, louise is shopping more, wandering the city, i am heading to the cordon bleu for a cooking class...cant wait

momma has 4 sisters...she is 2 of 5, louise is #3...always knew we were a lot a like...both have alot of nunnery in us...can go from zero to get the hell ouot of my face in less than the last 10th of a second on the clock in the ncaa basketball tourney...we also travel great together...spend the same amounts of time with art, shopping, etc...then moving on

more later, gotta go cook lunch