Susie, Misato, Loie Fuller and Champagne with Valerie

After a lazy Sunday morning Susie headed off about 10:20 to meet up with her friend Misato. The plan was to meet at the Patisserie Carette, a Salon de The in the 16th arr., near the Trocadero Metro stop for the no. 6 line. After a bit of a hitch in finding one another there (it is a huge Place) the two of them and Mistato's mother had a superb lunch followed by delicious pastries.

According to Misato this place has been ranked one of the best pastry shops in the city. One can certainly see they don't lack for quality:

As for me I left the apartment shortly after Susie but walked in the opposite direction: east. I walked to Pere Lachaise in search of the final resting place of Loie Fuller.

Now for those of you who aren't from the Providence area, Loie Fuller happens to be the name of one of the city's best restaurants. Not only is it decorated in one of the most sumptuous, indeed lavish art nouveau styles in honor of this once-famous American dancer turned Parisian, but it also happens to be right across the street from our condo. We can attest to the fantastic interior decor as well as the tasty food.

Marie Louise Fuller, who as a young child always known as "Louie," was born in Illinois in 1862. She moved to Paris as a young girl and really never looked back. (And she eventually began spelling her name "Loie.") She became one of the most well-known dancers in the city, much of her sensational style due to her innovative use of great bollowing clouds of fabric juxtaposed against imaginative lighting effects.

She died in 1928 in Paris and reportedly was buried in niche no. 5382 in the Columbarium at Pere Lachaise cemetery. However, as one can see from a recent photograph there is no plaque on her niche. Stolen perhaps? Or maybe her ashes were removed somewhere else. Who knows?

Susie and I eventually reconnected and about 5pm headed for the Metro and the 15th arrondissement to visit our friend Valerie. She had asked us to drop by for champagne and antipasti (hors d'oeuvre in French). It was nice seeing here again -- she is so full of life and energy and I think marvels at our continual excitement about her home city.

We left her about 8pm and headed back home to tidy the evening up, have a late dinner and prepare ourselves for the trip south, into new adventures amidst the wilds of the Dordogne.

Wish you were here,

Steve