Pack a suitcase

Here's a great little packing tip that I found on facebook. Putting it here for future reference. :)

Pack a suitcase

Day 3- Rameses? Like Gordon Ramsey? Our tour of Louvre, Notre Dame, and St. Chappelle

This day was particularly hard to get started, after the 20,000 step day before. It was no joke getting out of bed, but thankfully, the construction guys started bright and early at 7:50 and ensured that we got the day started. After a breakfast at the apartment we set out to conquer our pre-determined itinerary:

·        Louvre

·        Lunch

·        Notre Dame

·        St. Chappelle

·        Seine River Cruise for belated anniversary dinner

Louvre Museum: Closed on Tuesdays; hours on other days range from 9am-6pm; with late nights on Fridays until 9:45pm (*See note on Metro in notes). First Sundays are free, but I’ve heard busy; otherwise 15 euros for adults and under 18 are free. We used Museum Pass.

So, everything I had read on the Louvre said, plan, plan, plan. Every source said that if you went in there without a plan, you’d get lost, not see all the best pieces, and be there for days. The problem was, for me- how to plan. I found the website to be user unfriendly, and couldn’t seem to find a good way to find the Mona Lisa quickly, much less figure out which pieces were highlights. This museum is HUGE. I mean, there’s really no way to describe it until you see it for yourself. On the morning we woke up, it occurred to me to check and see if they had an app I could download. I kinda struck out with that- because I did want one that would work offline so I wouldn’t have to turn my out of country data on for the day. HOWEVER, I hit the jackpot on the $5.99 bundle app- Paris Museums Bundle by Museum Tour Guides LTD. This app bundle included the Louvre, Rodin (too late for us), Musee D’Orsay and Musee de L’Orangerie. I 100% feel this was money well spent. The apps include a map, tour options, and find art, art descriptions and notes, as well as information like hours and ticket prices for the museums.

For the Louvre, this app allows you to choose the 4 hour, 1 day or 2 day tour. We previewed the pieces and decided that the 4 hour tour covered the pieces we most wanted to visit. The 4 hour tour covers 50 pieces, and we hit them all with the exception of about 5-6; and then previewed the 1 and 2 day tours to see if there were any additional pieces that we wanted to see. I will say, the downside to this app, is that it appears to not be updated to reflect parts of the museum that are closed for renovations, or pieces that may be on loan to another museum.  

We took the Metro down to the museum, and it dumps you out into a jam packed, crowded mall. You may see signs that point to purchasing Museum passes in little shops, but if you already have yours, just skip that and go straight up the escalators to the road level. Security was pretty tight, but I will admit that I was a bit unnerved that they missed checking my bag, but checked everyone else’s. So, tight, but maybe not so thorough, which is unnerving considering recent events. Anyhoo, after you go through security (we entered at the pyramid), you go down some escalators to the actual museum lobby. It will be packed. We immediately briefed the kids on what to do if they got separated, since their cell phones were not in use. There is a rendezvous point there in the lobby, but we showed them the uniforms on the staff, etc. There is a “locker room” of sorts, where you can “rent” a locker to store coats and bags, and an umbrella stash- you just follow the directions on the wall and enter a code. Just remember to take a picture or write down/remember your locker number because there are a lot of them.

After settling the “housekeeping” options, we grabbed an actual, physical paper map, and I will say, Martin and I both agree that their map is also not very user friendly. Or, maybe it was just us. I’m not sure. Even though we were going to follow a tour guide, the boys all wanted to start at the big ML, and then backtrack through. Okay, c’est la vie. You’re messing with my plan. But, whatevs, go with it Mom.

We got seriously sidetracked by the shiny objects in what I would say was MY favorite- and for lack of the official name, I’ll call it the French Bling Room. I’m talking emeralds, diamonds, crowns, precious jewels, ridiculous grooming items- I was in my element; and ladies- you shouldn’t miss it. The boys tore me away, though- and had to press on for the search for DaVinci’s greatest.

This was the point where we realized, we pretty much had no clue how to read that map, and were grumbling about it when oldest Boy Scout son says, “Let me see it” in a bored, exasperated voice. And voila. The kid has insane navigating skills. I mean, I can’t even describe the looks on our faces as he manipulated that building like no body’s business. Time after time, we were doubting him, and he would lead us up and down stairs, around the corners, and there it would be…. But, I digress….

We finally found the Mona Lisa, and pressed in among the flocks of tourists who were taking selfies like they were on the front row at a rock concert. This is the number one thing that has been on C’s bucket list for years, and poor little guy- his little ten year old frame was not packing enough punch, so I played that card, and kept saying, “I know you’re so excited about this” as I pushed him through the crowd (which was probably about 10 people deep). I kept using that line, and people tend to let kids through with a little more niceness, and he was able to get right in front of it, and take some pictures. M and I scooted off to the side and, yes, we took a selfie. Since so many people had told me that it was small, and underwhelming, I was pleasantly surprised by the size. And yes, it’s a great painting, but there are so many others….. M actually said that this floor has so many other good paintings in addition to the the Mona Lisa; with Delacroix’s Liberte Leading the People being his favorite.

Liberte Leading the People

Favorite highlights- the French Bling Room, the Mona Lisa (and DaVinci’s other works across the hall, which I actually liked more, and M agreed), the Moat part of the museum from the original building, and the Egyptian mummy, sphinx and relics. This was the part of the museum where I said, “Hey, look- this stuff was Rameses’!” and C replied, “Gordon Ramsey’s?” Insert history lesson here…. Also, our tour took us down into an area with amazing wood carvings, and we felt like we’d hit the jackpot because we were literally the only people there. It’s a shame that so many pieces are overlooked for the bigger ones.

This is the moat that the Louvre was built on. Who knew? 

The wood carving room

This museum was the great bulk of our day, and I highly recommend it, but I wouldn’t do it without the app and the map. We completed the 4 hour tour and a few other highlights in about 3 hours, because hey, we have a short attention span. But I will tell you that the walking is BRUTAL.

 There are a lot of stairs, and the elevators will be packed to maximum weight, and the one we rode had us holding our breaths because of it- M was doing a headcount, and said we exceeded the recommended number of people on board. They’re not shy about crowding in Europe.

After touring the Louvre, we were beat, and I mean, beat. The day, plus the one before had killed our feet. We knew we needed a quick lunch, somewhere close by. At this point, we didn’t have the mental capacity to pull out trip advisor for recommendations, so we spied a McDonalds across the street, and off we went. Do not judge me for eating at McDonald’s in Paris. We were at the point of hangry, and it was there, ok? 

Now I haven’t eaten anything but breakfast at McDonalds in probably 10 years, but this McDonalds has machines that you walk up and order from, and then pick up at the counter. Maybe that’s the new norm, I don’t know. But it ended up being a pain because you had to figure out where everything on the menu was; the machine ended up declining our credit card twice, and a different card once, and we ended up having to go up and pay at the counter. The declined credit card in Europe thing gave us near heart attacks, and since we were all hangry and tired, let’s just say, things got a little testy with the family at this point. We forced our way through the throngs of people to get our food, and then went upstairs to find a non-existent table. We came back downstairs to look for another non-existent table. We ended up eating outside in the cold rain (at least it was covered), and quickly discovered they’d left something off our tray and sent M back inside to figure it out in French (HAHA!). All in all, between finding out that our card was indeed fine, and they had 2 pending charges in addition to our actual charge- it ended up being a bit of a tense lunch. C lightened it up by feeding the birds and M by saying he “had to have the Paris chef’s hat” from the souvenir store next door. Side note- the food was better than expected.

I say all this, because I want to express that our mood was less than stellar for our next attraction; and I don't feel like we gave it a fair shake. 

Notre Dame: hours: 7:45am - 6:45pm; free entry for church, but not to go to top. Long security lines move quickly. 

I mean, the faces kind of say it all...

Now, I can’t say for certain if that was the reason, or the fact that we had purchased a toboggan hat for C at the souvenir shop (since he was freezing, apparently) and he promptly lost it as soon as we walked into Notre Dame (we’re talking mere minutes people); or if we have been jaded by the grandeur of Westminster Abbey and St. Paul’s Cathedral, but I felt like we rushed through this attraction, and I’ll be very honest- I don’t have much to write about here. (Hello, run-on sentence that feels like my feet felt at this point). At Westminster, we did the audio tour; but here we did not, and I regret that. I feel like I would have appreciated it more if we had. The church is beautiful- as you’d expect, and there are some really cool drawings and such to show how long it took to build. But I feel like I spent the majority of the time trying to catch up to Martin’s back- we’ve tested it and he takes about 1.4 steps to every one of mine.

By the time we finished, we did not have the fortitude to even think about climbing the steps to the top. I’m talking- feet were dying; not to mention it was so cold and rainy and we knew it would be worse at the top.

So, right across the street was St. Chappelle (hours 9:30-6pm; 10 euros for adults, free for kids under 18) and let me tell you- do this one. You will enter on the bottom floor. Use the museum pass- we waltzed right in (well, as much as one can with security these days), much to the chagrin of the people in line. I was prepared to walk in and see the most amazing stained glass in the world, and when we walked in, I was all, Meh.

Downstairs chapel

It was a small chapel- and I’d seen better. I mean, not to be snotty or anything…. But then I realized….. crap, stairs. Really narrow ones. And we all wanted to cry. Apparently, this chapel is attached to what was formerly the royal palace, and the King would enter from his terrace- so the real show is upstairs. If you go, grab one of the brochures that explain the stained glass when you go up, and be prepared to have your socks blown off. It is gorgeous and beautiful and it tells a story, and it is worth the climb. We spent more time here than we did at ND, I think. It was amazing. I wish I could’ve come back several times with different times of day for different lighting.

St. Chappelle

At this point, we were approaching the 4:00 something hour, and Martin and I still had the anniversary dinner cruise on the Seine to go. So we jetted back to the apartment, took off our shoes, took a little nap, and then the day continues….

This has been a really long post, so I will have to split the dinner cruise into it’s own blog. Talk to me though…. If you’ve been to Notre Dame, what did you love about it? I feel like a loser for not giving it the time it deserved…. 

Day 2 in Paris- The 20,000 step day

Our goal on these international trips, is to see as many highlights as we can, without burning every one out. We do not (normally) go from sunrise to sunset. I don’t want my kids to be so tired that they don’t remember anything. So, I usually try to schedule 2-3 things- or 1 big excursion per day; with the goal of being back at the apartment or in our neighborhood for dinner, and back in time for a regular bedtime, so that the kids (and we) have some down time in the evenings. Trust me, if your kids love the gaming and electronics like mine do- they will thank you, and yet still be willing to go see the sights with you during the day. You can read more about how I loosely plan itineraries HERE. We did pre-purchase the Paris Museum Pass for us adults (we had it shipped to the US, but you can purchase it or pick up there, too); kids under 18 are free- but ALWAYS ask if they need an actual ticket before you go to the admission line. Rodin did not require it, but everywhere else did, so I think that was a fluke.

On dining- I'll be elaborating in a separate blog. These things are getting too long if I don't. 

2^nd Day (Sunday)

You should note that many shops and stores are 100% closed on Sundays- this includes the Monoprix (grocery store). Some museums have free days, but we’d heard they are busiest then, so we avoided those. Our original plan included the Seine river cruise- because in London, it was a great way to get an overview of the city. But because of the weather, we decided to forego that. Here is what our day ended up looking like:

·        Musee Rodin

·        Hotel des Invalides  and Musee de Armee

·        Lunch at the Invalides museum

·        The skies cleared, so we decided on impromptu visit to Eiffel Tower and went to the top.

·        Crepes and hot wine at the street vendor along the Seine

·        Catacombs

·        Dinner at Les Antiquaires

Musee Rodin (Rodin Museum)

Photo by Martin Hueneke

For our first official stop, we walked to the Rodin Museum, and it was very cold, and very rainy, so the gardens were closed. We did have a short wait out in front of the building because of security. The highlight was that the boys took a picture with The Thinking Man, and I mean, who doesn’t want to do that? Besides that, the boys ended up liking it more than I expected. I was surprised by the way they examined the details of the sculptures in the museum. This *may* be due to the fact it was the very first thing that we did in Paris…. So they weren’t quite over museums yet. If you have kids with you, I would recommend doing this toward the beginning of your trip while they are still interested. Ha! I’m sure that if the gardens had been open, they would have enjoyed it even more.

*Parental note- there are several sculptures that feature nudity, and even sexual interaction. My youngest (10) giggled in the beginning at the “boobs” (Oh my gosh, I said, “boob”!), but I quickly said, “This is France, this is art, you better get used to it.” The more intimate sculptures were beautiful, but I just sped past them, and the boys kept on going and didn’t really comment on them and I’m not sure they even noticed (okay, the fourteen-year-old probably did). More on my stance on this type of art, and why we let our kids experience it- later.

Without the gardens, we got through this museum in probably about 45 minutes to an hour. If you’re a Rodin fan, you could probably spend a lot of time here, but when you have kids, you need to keep moving.  Don’t miss looking at the actual building! It’s beautiful. That is one thing that I love about French museums- the beauty of the actual architecture.  We did not do an audio guide for this museum, but did look at the signs on each piece.

Hotel des Invalides and Musee de Armee (Napoleon’s tomb and the Army Museum)*

Hours: Monday- 11-6pm; Wednesday-Friday 11-6pm; Sat/Sun- 11-7pm; CLOSED Tuesdays

It was pouring by the time we went to this museum, and this was the moment where we regretted our choice of tennis shoes for footwear. I think, if you visit   in March- go ahead and prepare yourself for rain, rain everywhere. Invest in good, warm rain coats, a scarf, a hat, and comfortable shoes. Bonus, if the shoes keep the rain out. As much as I warned my kids about puddles- it was inevitable, and miserable when it happened. I really, really liked this museum but I am a history and war buff. My kids loved it for the firearms and the swords, and World War 1 and 2 relics. Personally, I was floored by Napoleon’s hat, personal items, and his war horse. And yes, I said war horse. They apparently stuffed the poor thing and saved it for us. I mean, no words here.

We got through this in probably 2-3 hours, but if you really want to look at everything, and do an audio-guide- this museum could turn into at least a half day, if not a full day- if you let it. After touring this museum, we popped into the museum café for lunch.

Wonder of wonders, as we left the café, lo and behold, the clouds parted, and there it was- the Eiffel Tower, right across the street. We had originally planned to reschedule this visit because it was so cold and rainy, but as the clouds and rain moved out, and ushered in a bit of blue sky and sunshine- we realized that there was probably no line and the timing was good… so off we went…

Eiffel Tower: Hours- Tours every day 9:30 am – 11 pm is the winter schedule. Sparkles for five minutes on the hour I think starting at 9pm.

·        Tickets to the top- 11 euros per adult, 8 euros for teenagers, 4 euros for under 13, I think. Total for all four- 58 euros. There is also a ticket to the second floor only, which is still pretty high.

We had read numerous blogs and warnings to beware of pick pockets and scammers in this area and I must say I think my youngest would make a great policeman. Security was very good. There is an outer perimeter fence around the tower, and you must have your bag inspected and walk through a metal detector. This raised my alarm because C had purchased a letter opener that looked like a sword at the army museum (we weren’t planning to go up the Eiffel); but they did not open the souvenir box. I had already been practicing my French for “Can you please hold it for us?” and they waived us through. Huh. Okay. But then, there is another security check point to go up the tower. This one is in an airport style xray machine, as well as a metal detector. Needless to say, we were flagged. I unleashed my French phrase, to no avail; and we were the spectacle to some British visitors. And poor C had to surrender his precious letter opener, which ended up being a big deal by then end of the trip…. More on that later. 

Next up, we waited in line for the lift to the second floor- and it’s much higher than you might expect- when the doors opened I thought we were at the top. We got off and got some good pictures, and then waited for the lift to the top. The top is as you would expect it to be, with champagne available for purchase, with a price tag that was as you would expect it to be. I got my kiss at the top of the Eiffel, though. The boys liked the inside level because it had pinpoints of how far you were from famous cities. I liked it because it was warm. We caught a quick elevator down to the second level, and then, for some reason- time seemed to stand still while another huge storm rolled through with drenching rain, wind and cold. Yep, I mean, it’s always fun to stand in that for 30 minutes. We bonded with some Americans though, from Iowa I think- as we shivered and suffered in solidarity in the cold. For some reason, the other lift line moved faster than ours, and we never figured that out. All in all, I would still say it’s a must do. For this, I was thankful for a winter visit that had winter lines.

         Street Crepes and Hot Mulled Wine- Street vendor close to the Seine- better picture location! 

The Catacombs- Open Tuesday- Sunday 10am- 8pm; Under 18 is free; Recommend pre-book as the line is very long- even in cold winter.

As you can imagine at this point, we were starting to fade, but we had done the recommended and pre-booked our tickets to the Catacombs. So, on we went…. We had to take a train over to this location- it’s not ideally right beside where we were or anything, but our itinerary being what it was- Sunday was the best day to do it. Note that there are no restrooms below in the catacombs- we popped over to a McDonalds to handle that before entering. The audio tour was approx. 30-45 minutes, and I don’t think I would have found it as interesting without the audio guide. So do that. My kids thought this was super creepy and cool- but if you have little ones, they might be spooked. If you have a problem with caves, note that it is underground, without light. I’m fairly claustrophobic, though and I did ok. All in all, the catacombs were among the top favorite spots for my kids. You can read the full trip advisor review: HERE. 

Photo by Martin Hueneke

Dinner- Les Antiquaires; 13 rue de Bac, Paris; reservations accepted and probably recommended

That concluded our really long first official sight- seeing day. I just referenced my steps on the activity log on my phone, and yes, this day banked over 20, 500 steps and 29 flights of stairs. So, needless to say, we were ready to get off our feet. This was our heaviest walking day in Paris, but what a good one.

My next blog will be on Day 3, and I’ll cover the Louvre, Notre Dame, St. Chappelle, and our fantastic river cruise on the Seine. Check back soon! 

Day 1: Jet Lag Day in Paris

In the next few blog posts, I plan to break down a 7 day itinerary for our trip in Paris. I actually had a hard time finding a seven day version- as most were 1, 2, 3, or 4 days. We obviously did not see and do everything in Paris, and since the weather was quite cold and rainy, we did not get to experience the parks and picnics that a summer visit would allow. However, I believe that the crowds were significantly reduced, thanks to the timing of our visit- which was March 4-11. Keep in mind, that I'm writing this for the traveler who is newer to these experiences, and might be stating the obvious to experienced travelers.

Day 1- Jet Lag Day

               We landed in Paris at CDG at around 9:20ish am, which felt like about 2:20am our time. We do not sleep well on planes, and this part is a bit of a beating. Thank goodness Martin had booked a driver recommended by our VRBO.com rental agent, to pick us up at the airport. We had learned from our London experience that this is money well spent. There is nothing worse than trying to manipulate a foreign city, metro or subway system, while dragging 4 suitcases, 4 carryon bags, and 2 kids behind you; all while in a jet lagged fog. Our driver spoke great English, loaded our suitcases, and saved us loads of time and walking; much less the agony of processing French and a subway system in a foggy state of mind. Also, the stairwell of the apartment was extremely narrow, and about three flights, so it was nice to have another guy to help haul up luggage; elevators are scarce in European buildings. I highly recommend asking your rental company for a driver recommendation if you’re traveling abroad. He was also a fun and willing guinea pig for our French skills. 😉

               We headed to our apartment- which was booked through VRBO.com. It was listing #139630. This rental apartment was a 2 bedroom with 1.5 bathrooms (2 showers, 2 sinks, 1 toilet closet), a living room, and a small kitchen that was equipped with all modern conveniences except an oven. We made do without the oven, just fine. It was perfectly located in the 6^th arrondissement of central Paris on the Rue Saint Germain des Pres. This is a main street in Paris, but that afforded us the convenience of plenty of shops, a grocery store, and a metro stop just a couple blocks away. The double pane windows helped buffer the street noise, and if you’re going in the winter, this would be something to check for. If you’re going in summer, most units do not have AC, so you will have to open the windows to the street traffic. Security was good- even though our apartment was literally on a main street between a restaurant and a boutique- we felt very safe because we had to use a key remote to get in the first door, and use it again to get into the second door in the hallway before climbing the stairs to our apartment. 

If you are going to “travel like a local” then you really do need to take care in researching the location of your rental for safety, as well as walking distance grocery stores. Nothing is worse than carrying bags of groceries for blocks. Except of course, the aforementioned 8 bags coming from the airport with kids in tow. We were able to secure a better rate on this rental because of some work that was being done on the façade of the building. We were pre-advised by the owner that this was going to be the case. We quickly learned that the French work day started promptly at 7:50-8am, but also ended just as promptly sometime around or before 5 (we were not always there to know). Since most of our day was spent sight-seeing, it was not an issue, but it is something to consider if there will be construction going on near or at your rental (which seemed to be the case in a lot of Paris). They did work on Saturday morning, as well.

Tip: To get an idea of your rental’s safety, convenience, and even the construction situation- jump over to google earth and plug in the address for your rental and take a look around the nearby streets. You may have to contact the rental company or owner to get the address as VRBO does not provide that information on the website until after it is booked.

We were pleasantly surprised to find a box of Julhes Parisian chocolates and a bottle of wine greeting us at the apartment; as well as a booklet to familiarize ourselves with the idiosyncrasies of the rental, instructions on how to work equipment, and wi-fi instructions and troubleshooting (which we did end up needing as this was our only challenge). We also found that this rental was well stocked with paper towels, toilet paper, soap, even laundry detergent, fabric softener, and dish detergents- this was a nice surprise since some rentals we've stayed in do not provide all of that beyond the initial start up supply. We really did feel that Ala Carte rentals thought of everything we would need. 

There was a grocery store about two blocks away- the Monoprix, which you will find all over Paris. These stores have everything from women’s clothing, children’s clothing, a Starbucks, a bakery, toiletries, all in addition to a well-stocked market and grocery area. They do have rotisserie chickens, an extensive meat and cheese counter, and sushi as well. We found that the produce tended to be less expensive than the US, while the meats- poultry, lunch meats, etc. were more expensive. We did bring some things from home, and packed in our suitcases- based on our experiences in London. We brought pre-packaged almonds and cashews, kids snacks (if it will smoosh, then put in hard plastic school boxes), paper plates and napkins (short supply and really expensive in Europe), plastic cutlery for potential picnics (our weather did not comply- but good to know for summer); as well as a cooler bag, Ziploc bags in sandwich, snack, and gallon size; and a collapsible grocery bag- as almost no one uses store bags in Europe. I would say the ziplocs bags and the grocery bags received the most use on our trip. I carried the collapsible zipped up grocery bag in my cross body purse each day, and we used it almost every single day. 

For lunch the first day, we picked up some prepared foods from the Monoprix- pasta salad, olives, wraps and sandwiches. This allowed us all to eat at our leisure- before or after our naps; C did not make it very long and napped first. That night for dinner- we ventured back and since we were feeling more refreshed- we picked up chicken, pasta, pesto sauce, cheese, salad and bread to make an actual meal.

This is all we did the first day. If you are traveling internationally with children, and there is a significant time change, I do not recommend planning anything for your first day- if you can help it. We’ve done this on all three international trips we’ve taken across the pond, and it has worked well in all cases. We usually land, head to our location, eat, and then nap and then take the rest of the day easy until the proper bed time. I find this is the best way to avoid grumpy, tired "family drama". If we feel good and want to go out after our nap, then we do- but we keep the expectations at zero so that no one is grumpy or disappointed.

Additional jet lag tips- drink lots and lots of water; pop a vitamin C/Zinc supplement to combat anything that might haunt you from the recycled air on the plane.

Experienced travelers, what do you do your first day to combat jet lag? I look forward to sharing Day 2 with you tomorrow, and we'll get into even more details about the sites we visited, with tips and tricks for when you go!

Leche Vitrine- Watching the Window Watchers

Today was our first day to be in Paris as a family. Although, I would call it half a day since the first half was in the air, or in transit, or napping to catch up and recover from jet lag. So, after our “introduction” to Paris, we found ourselves maneuvering the rainy streets and puddles of "our" street- Saint Germain des Pres, in the sixth arrondissement of Paris, on a very gray first day.

 I tried my best to look “Parisian” but despite my best efforts and to my great frustration, apparently, I was spotted as American even before I opened my mouth, and even though I tried to instigate and carry on French conversation. I asked my boys about this later, and M said it was because I was too nice, and didn’t carry my “Bonjour!” greeting with a bored face. LOL. If I’m too friendly, well, then so be it.

This evening, we headed home with our meats, cheeses, pastas, wine, and yes, the quintessential and necessary baguette- to make dinner at our “home” apartment. As we entered, I decided to move a chair towards the windows, which open up out onto the street, overlooking some very pricey shops with extremely creative window dressings. Currently, our unit façade is being renovated, and therefore, we were able to negotiate a better deal on the week’s stay. However, the netting over the scaffolding still affords a clear view of the street, the shops, and people passing by.

 I found myself completely absorbed in people watching. TV off, phone put away, nothing in my hands, but a glass of red wine. As I watched the people passing by, I noticed that even in the rain, they slowed down to peruse the shop windows. After watching a while, I pondered it aloud to Martin- remarking that I had read somewhere, in preparation for our travels, that there is a slang saying in Paris (“leche vitrine”)- “licking the window”. When I read this, I immediately pictured the moment of “licking a bowl” of the dish that appeases your senses but leaves you wishing for more.

 As I watched the Parisians walk by, I noticed that not just one, but two, then three begin to slow their steps to peruse the window and/or the one next to it, obviously “leche vitrine”. The one window had a blue/gray background, and a set up that looked a bit like a kitchen with the blue/gray counters behind the mannequins- both dressed in men’s clothing- one with some very trendy narrow legged French jeans, and a dark blue puffy vest. Nothing too striking, in my opinion. I laughed aloud and commented to the boys that it was funny to watch the people walk by and get “caught”. After a few minutes I started to notice people not only slowing their steps, but doing full on double takes, slowing down, and going back to look at the displays. A few actually followed up by going in. What in the world was so effectively catching their eye? I wondered aloud that this must be some kind of art form for them to stop what they’re doing and look at a set up of clothes, because in the US, well, we run past this stuff without a second thought. We talked about how de-sensitized we must be to walk past all that beauty and intentional art, and not even see it. How we always have heads down, mission on, and miss things around us.

 After a while, I was laughing and laughing, because it happened over, and over and over. It became such a spectacle that the boys became curious and came over and sat by the window and started to watch, and laugh…. “Here comes the next victim!” We laughed and laughed as over and over the passerbyers became caught in the “web of the shop window”. At one point, I had to leave my spot at the window, and the boys said, "don’t worry mom, we’ll keep watching!" One of the last victims of the night was a guy riding by on a unicycle, who elected to double back, stop and pause at both windows….. that became a highlight of the night’s spectacle. We lost interest at some point, but decided that the next day we would watch to see if candy and chocolate displays garnered the same respect as fashion.

In the days that followed, I slowed down at the shop windows- letting my eyes take in the vibrant colors, well-made products and intentional art that had been created for me. And while I soaked it all in, I will say, I’m pretty proud of the will power I exercised at only “licking the window” and not buying what was in it. Well, with one exception…. You’ll hear about that later.

 I’d like to challenge you to slow down, double back, take a look around you; and let me know what commonplace, every day things you begin to appreciate and see.