M'aitre D' Indeed!

As we wound down our tour of the Louvre, our stomachs were growling. We talked about going to the food court at the mall in the Carrousel de Louvre, but I couldn't bear the thought of more strange medium-fast food.

The Grand Restraunt Louvre located on the lower level of the building looked like a good choice, and it was. The food was very nice, I had salmon in some kind of butter sauce of loveliness. Isabella had steak hache and frites, oh and a brownie and ice cream desert.

But, the best part was the spectacular M'aitre D'. I'd heard about it being a calling in France, that it's a serious professional pursuit, but I had yet to see it fully in action. The man who was in charge, was really in charge.

Not a moment went by where he wasn't tending to new people walking in the door, or setting a table or generally making sure the staff was where they needed to be. We watched and counted the seconds between when a group of people entered the restaurant and either understood to wait or just waltzed in and tried to seat themselves. It usually took him less than 20 seconds to attend to everyone.

He was unfailingly nice, but very clear to those who seated themselves that it would be just two minutes as he pointed out the groups of people waiting. He made time to chat with Isabella and each of the older Spanish threesome at our next table.

Mr. M'aitre D' was all business, charm and sass, but he got the job done and made everyone feel right at home.

PointWC

Remember how I mentioned that you have to pay for publice toilets here?

We found the top-of-the-line of pay toilets in the mall below the Louvre (which happens to be at a central Metro station for the past few days' adventures). It's called PointWC.

It costs 1euro for each person (yes, this includes strollers or toddlers who need their parents help). There are about 3 attendants on duty at any given time. One takes your money, the next holds the line and the other one is busy wiping down each stall after each use.

These stalls are like no other. The toilets and all the fixtures are for sale. It's like going to a Kohler showroom and being able to test-drive the toilets and sinks. There is mood lighting in each stall, and they are impeccably clean. And, a Dyson hand drier extraordinaire is situated just behind the bank of custom sinks.

I'd say it's well worth our money for the fanciest toilets in Paris!

Tuilleries Tramp

Again, brains out of the gutter, please.

As it turns out, at the end of our exhausting Louvre visit, we discovered a midway set up along the Rue de Rivoli, complete with rides, carnival games and, you guessed it, trampolines.

Isabella first went on the same style of trampoline she hit up in Montmartre. She tried a few times to do a flip, but never quite got all the way around. She did, however catch some good air and got a nice view of the gardens.

After this, she spotted a whole bunch of tramps set up next to one another. For 3 euros, she was granted 5 minutes of jumping. 20 minutes later, the guy came to tell her it was time to get off. Red-faced and exhausted, she thoroughly enjoyed herself and we headed back home.

A Little Romance

Anybody who knows me at all, knows one of my all time favorite movies is "A Little Romance". It takes place here in Paris and in Venice and is the story of a 13 year old rich American ex-pat girl who meets a 13 year old working-class French boy.

When my mom and I went to Venice in 1989, we spotted many of the locations the movie was shot in. As of today, I have found two or three of the key spots in Paris. The main one, is their second meeting at the Arc du Triomphe du Carrousel, near the Louvre, pictured at right.

Isabella has commented many times over the past two weeks how much romance she is witnessing and how nice it is. I have to agree, being a die-hard romantic, it is nice to see how Parisians show their passion. There is sometimes just a gesture or a hand on a back, but you can see the connection in a way I'm not sure I've seen in the US.

Keep in mind, I'm a sucker for flowers, little notes of admiration or your day-to-day romance. But, this is different and I hope to see the kind of romance we're seeing here back home. It would be nice to live in a place where romance triumphs.

By the way, in the Luxembourg Gardens, we saw a man and his friends unfurl a banner in front of a huge crowd of people and then cheering. As it turned out, he was asking his lady to marry him. She said yes, as I'm sure most of us would!

Below is one of the sweetest dialogues from the movie (which I own, and is also available on Netflix via mail or instantly, in case you have a need to see it):

Lauren King: I used to think, maybe a long time ago, like... like in the time of the pharaohs or Louis the 13th that, there was somebody, made just perfect for me. I mean, when you think about it and consider that your feelings of love, begin when you're about ten and if you live to say 70, well that's pretty limiting because, what chances there that he'll be alive at the same time you are? You know?

Daniel Michon: I feel the same things. I mean, even if she lived in my lifetime. What if my perfect woman lived in India or California or Brazil? What chance is there that I'd meet her when I live in La Garenne?

Lauren King: It's incredible isn't it?

Daniel Michon: Absolutely... incredible. [holds her hand]