Samedi

People often ask what I do in Paris so here is a summary of today.

• After preparing for the day, I’m off the the boulangère for a croissant amande (almond) and a café Americano.
  
  
• Another VoiceMap self-guided audio tour, “Finding the Lost Generation in Montparnasse.” Lost Generation refers to the expat community during the 1920’s, including Hemingway, Gertrude Stein, Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald, etc. The tour started in Montparnasse and wandered north, ending very close to Jardin de Luxembourg. Getting to the starting point required a Mètro ride plus two RER lines.
  
  While standing outside Gertrude Stein’s apartment, taking pictures, at 27 rue de Fleurus, a man approached me. He introduced himself and I quickly introduced myself as an important personage of Alliance Française de St. Louis (Alliance Française de Paris is located next door). He asked if I would like him to take me to Stein’s apartment! He was nicely dressed and probably in his 80’s…not very threatening. Sure! He proceeded to walk across the street, flash a key on the digicode panel and we were in the private inner courtyard of the building. We walked to the corner as he pointed to the ground level apartment of Gertrude Stein. I took a few photos and we chatted in a combination of French and English. We exchanged cards and parted. Mr. Wasersztrum, I learned, owns the antique bookshop across the street. This was amazing.
  
  
• As I approached the end of the tour, it was time for lunch at a small café near Théâtre de Odéon. A croque madame, frites and a small salad, with a glass of Rosé was perfect, with the background sounds of Louis Armstrong and Billie Holiday.
  
  
• After the nice lunch, it was time to sit in the sun in the Jardin de Luxembourg. Then, back to the apartment.
  
  
• Mid-afternoon, it was a walk around the quartier with a stop at the tiny pocket park, Square Santiago du Chili, which is literally in the shadow of Musée de l’Armée. What a perfect place to read a novel and enjoy a cigar.
  
  
• Back to the apartment for a martini and an assortment of charcuterie and cheese.
  
  
• Dinner at a Vietnamese restaurant.