Paris je t'aime

Jeff de Bruges Chocolatier

We are in the City of Love and so on Valentine's Day as I did my daily shopping and errands, I looked for Valentine's Day reminders.  Even though the French are proud of their language and fight the anglicizing of their language, English is everywhere in their advertizing.
The White Bakery had special pastries with red hearts on top and on the shelf inside was a big red heart.

Red Hearts in White Cake and other Pastries at White Bakery

French Terms of Endearment

White Bakery Interior

Across the street from our apartment at Le Nôtre there were very fancy pastries.  Everything at Le Nôtre is very good and really expensive.  I hear that if you are asked to dinner and bring something from Le Nôtre along, the host is always impressed.  I wanted one of those big layered hearts with the raspberries!

Le Nôtre Pastries

Flowers were everywhere on the rue Cler, and everything was set out on the sidewalks now that the frigid weather has finally broken after more than two weeks.  Who wouldn't want a bunch of these flowers for Valentine's Day?

au nom de la rose

Even the Papeterie below our apartment had red heart-shaped paper.  I also liked the coin purses on display.  The smallest bill is 5 euros so I am always digging in my purse for 1 or 2 euro coins in addition to the centimes.  Paris shop owners love exact change.  I can get an exasperated look from them if I pay with a big bill and expect change.  This metal coin purse looked like a good way to stay organized-but at 25 euros, it was a bit too expensive to justify the purchase.

Coin Purses in Many Colors

Papeterie Heart

In the Metro I saw a Valentine's Day ad for Picard.  Picard is the store filled only with freezers of frozen food.  Everything tastes better from Picard.  Kate is a fan of their frozen quiche and mango ice cream.

"Fall Instantly in Love Guaranteed"

I also found a few interesting shop windows in the Marais quarter when I went to the Vaissellerie to buy some dishes and glasses (I had broken three glasses in one fell swoop Monday night!).  Everything seemed to be heart-shaped at the pastry shops.

One shop, L'Atelier du Chocolat, had an interesting sign promoting their chocolates for Valentine's Day.  It says  "Chocolatez votre St. Valentin" and turns chocolate from a noun into a verb.  I guess we do that sort of thing in English, too.

The craziest display I saw was at a wine store.  The window was filled with bright pink feathers and hearts.  Nothing says Valentine's Day quite like feathers?

Meanwhile, our students, dressed in red and pink, were exploring Paris, looking for signs of love.  Here are a few of the pictures they took.

Madeleine and Mary Claire at the "I Love You" Wall

Sydney and McCall, Hillary, Danielle, Phoebe and Brooke at Wall of Roses

Sydney and McCall

Brooke with her Rose from the Wall of Roses

Phoebe with a Baguette Heart

Danielle in Jardin des Tuilieries and La Grande Roue

Isn't it all romantic?
That evening, Kelly took his two Valentines to dinner on the rue Cler at the Café Central.  I had penne with a Gorgonzola sauce and fresh asparagus and carrots on top and Kelly and Kate split a four-cheese pizza, complete with goat cheese.  We all shared some frites served in a pewter cup and wrapped in paper with Russian writing.  Kate warned me no picture taking during the dinner although I was sorely tempted to photograph those frites.  Maybe a return visit with Sande is in order?  We decided we were too full for dessert, but the waiter brought over a  platter full of pastries and we couldn't resist sharing a chocolate éclair.  After our meal the waiter brought Kate and me each a red rose. 

After dinner Kelly suggested we take a stroll over towards the Eiffel Tower, despite the light drizzle.  Who can resist the Eiffel Tower on Valentine's Day?  Kate snapped a picture of us with Kelly's iPhone.

Paris je t'aime!