Food, flowers and the Paris Mosque

Saturday was another beautiful day here in Paris, and we spent most of it just settling, doing laundry (there is a washer and dryer in the apartment) and waiting for the delivery of the new bed – they came about 9 am.

OK, first the Mosque. It is one the prettiest buildings we have seen in a city of wonderful architecture. It is just a block up from our apartment and directly opposite the entrance to the Jardin des Plantes, which is now Susan’s favorite walking route. (photo: Paris Mosque on Rue G. St. Hillaire.)

The building is open to the public (€3) every day except Friday and Muslim holidays. The sunken gardens are stunning and there is even a lovely tearoom with garden, which also serves light meals of North African cuisine and one of the city’s best Hammams (Turkish baths).


After returning from her walk through the Jardin Saturday morning Susan informed me that the promenades through the central artery of the garden are now open. Later that evening I grabbed the camera and the two of us headed back there. Truly the flowers are gorgeous: they seem to be arranged, as Susan pointed out, with attention to color and interaction among colors. For example, a long line of just green plants but of varying shades, then a line of reds and a line of pinks and then one of oranges and yellows and reds all mixed together as if they had been arranged for a table decoration. Beautiful.

We returned home and relaxed for the rest of the evening. About 9 or so I ambled into the kitchen and got to work.

For dinner we had simple steamed long grain rice, topped with cold roasted chicken shredded and mixed with a Maille vinaigrette (the Maille store is at Place de la Madeleine) and the required haricot vert, blanched, accompanied by a simple Sancerre. Susan’s homemade chocolate chip cookies rounded out the meal – she actually found brown sugar here! They were deeeeeeelicious – and the brown sugar used here gave them an almost toasted like quality.

Wish you were here,

Steve


(photo: Old Mini with the right idea about parking protection: buoy tenders front and rear!.)

Steve