Friday morning I ventured outside early. At 8:15 the French are sleeping in. Almost no one is out except the usual addicted runners and a dad biking with his son. Come on along.
A lone empty bus crosses my bridge, Pont Sully.
The Seine is receding little by little.
I'm kitted up in a fairly useless paper paint mask and blue plastic gloves.
The Île St.Louis pharmacie has zip but I needed a working thermometer.
I'm wearing my house keys, my hand-copied document 'Attestation de Deplacement de Derogatoire' (my reason for leaving the house, dated and signed). And my lucky horseshoe given me on Christmas Eve by DIPTYQUE. I don't go anywhere without it these days
First food stop is Boulanger de la Tour for a loaf of their Scandie grainy, brown bread.
I browse their lovely desserts. I am the only one in the shop.
My main haul is from the mini-branch Carrefour on the island and Monop. Smaller stores are well stocked with fresh fruit and veg, lait crus cheeses. Monop had a pile of tiny hand sanitizers I couldn't resist. My 1st ever bottle. FYI Mavrommatis' Greek yogurt comes from Greek cows and is wildly luscious.
I could have made a tomato tarte from the cherry tomatos but I forgot to get crust. Next time. Instead I season them with Z'atar, and a splash of balsamic and flavored oil from the sun-dried tomato jar.
I can't bring myself to binge-watch endless serials. Instead I watch and sketch old mysteries on Youtube like Poirot's Third Girl.Try it
Its nice to come home to our pocket garden in the courtyard - good for a bit of marching around, though clearly our concierge thinks I'm nuts. Every night at 8 pm Parisians come on their balconies making a great din showing their appreciation for French medical teams working day and night. Please STAY home PBers, and stay well 🙏🏻🐻💋
The entire world is in the same situation. Sending love. Take care♥!
ReplyDeleteALERT: POIROT LINK MAY NOT WORK IN THE US OR ELSEWHERE.
DeleteSTill there shou,d be many other Poirot videos on youtube. Do a search. Or there is always Rosemary & Thyme, or...
I was just on the Ile St Louis, I looked for you. Now I'm back in California. Stay safe please keep posting. Merci.
ReplyDeleteStay safe, and thanks for continuing to post, it really helps to share the experience. xo
ReplyDeleteTake care, Carol. My Parisian friend sent me photos of his walk to Monop for food today. There wasn't a single soul by Le Tour Eiffel. So weird. Quiet here in Michigan, too. Stay well.
ReplyDeleteI was reading about the balcony applause. What a lovely act of solidarity. I'm glad you got in some fresh food. Love your attitude. Stay well.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much Jen
DeleteIts nice to stay connected ❤️
Please take the best care of yourself. You bring so much light, happiness, and celebration in your work—we cannot have Light House down!
ReplyDeleteWith deep appreciation and the best of my prayers for your well being.
It is so bizarre to see Paris looking like a ghost town. Sad. You are very smart to get out early, it’s a wonderful time to do your shopping. Hope things are back to normal soon.
ReplyDeleteClever girl, making your own mask. You should cover it with your sketches and ”Paris Breakfasts”. Love your Poirot sketches.
ReplyDeleteGreat “haul” from the market. You're lucky your stores are still well stocked. Not the case here in the states. Take care, Carol. Your tomatoes look fabulous!
ReplyDeleteLove your shopping haul! Yes, we are true believers in getting out early, before people are up and out. Be well.
ReplyDeleteThose tomatoes and that Roquefort look fantastic!
ReplyDeletePlease take care, Carol. Love your post.
Cheerios.
Thanks Mary ❤️
DeleteI have to stay well to keepPBers up to date on PARIS !!
And you have to keep well for Bear♥Here we are told masks and gloves do not help when out..
ReplyDeleteThey are installing plexi glass for cashiers..of grocery stores..
Sad state for businesses..
And we cannot believe people who are not social distancing.
Heard M.Macron is suspending rents..utility fees..for small businesses..etc..
So much help going out here too..
I have to say I have 2 heroes here..M.Legault and Dr.Horacio Arruda.
Like having great fathers.
Stay well..stay safe..
I don't agree Monique.
Deletemasks and gloves are used in the countries with the lowest numbers.
Taiwan etc. The reason they say that is they don't have them.
They dont want ppl to panic.
In the UK they are taking protective wear away from health workers.
Things are messed up.
In France we were promised masks in Pharmacies. So far nothing.
I have heard nothing about testing being set up. Its disgusting imho.
They sat around and did nothing and now are playing catchup.
I agree with you, Carol. U.S. infectious disease authorities have made clear that while masks that are not N94s do not, without a face shield, provide complete protection, non-N94 masks, with glasses, provided some protection and that that is better than nothing. Lacking any masks, my husband and I are wearing double-layered thick cotton bandanas around our noses and mouths (tied at the back of our heads) and big glasses or ski goggles whenever we go where social distancing may not occur.
DeleteThank you that wonderful tour! Paris is always magnificent (especially those pastries!), in spite of the dire circumstances. Stay safe and well, and thank you for your lovely emails through the years. I have enjoyed every one!!
ReplyDeleteYou stay strong Carol.... the world needs you at a time like this.... for encouragement and art and just knowing you are there!!
ReplyDeleteGod Bless you and please stay safe and healthy!!
Thankyou for the walk in Paris. Take care, I know you will.
ReplyDeleteGlad to see you out and about. I wish you continued good health. Your blog is my favorite for Paris news and events. Keep writing and stay well!!
ReplyDeleteRichard and I interrupt our each other in our news reading often to say ’did you the what carol drew or wrote or photographed?’
ReplyDeleteTake care of yourself- maybe tuck away a spare pair of Sketchers in case supplies run low — hope you stay well and keep walking in the sunshine.
Such a bright spot in my day, those tomatoes look delicious, I'm craving fresh veggies right now. Stay safe & well, Carol, we all need your Paris moments to sustain us.
ReplyDeleteStay safe and enjoy those parisian sweets!!! God bless us all! Love, Sweetmuseek
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for this post, Carol. I imagine being on lock down in Paris would be infinitely more bearable than some places. You can look out your window onto the rooftops of Paris! Glad that you can venture out to get FRESH food. We are lucky,too, to be at our little "cabin in the Colorado Rocky Mountains." But, not so convenient for food shopping. Thirty miles to drive.We know how to be contented out here and have been doing that for almost nineteen years.
ReplyDelete30 miles for fresh food! Very courageous on your part but the views must be spectacular!
DeleteThe views have muchly improved since car pollution has gone way down. I'm see much further along the horizon than normally. Makes you stop and think.
Can CV kill global warming?
Many thanks for your blog and especially for this early morning visit through the rues of our beloved Paris. My husband and I had to delay our annual Spring trip to France this year. We stay in the area you photographed and we were very happy to join you on a virtual early morning walk. As we all enter this new way of life it is good to connect in any way and so, again, merci. Please know how much you are appreciated.
ReplyDeleteThank you Barbara,
DeleteThats very helpful! I can do more morning excursions on the Ile easily
It Doesnt have to be pastry all the time 😄
Oh, this is lovely . . . except that Paris looks so ghostly.
ReplyDeleteParisian rats left the sinking ship on Tiesday and went to their country homes (where they are not wanted in fact).
DeleteMy building is almost empty= like AUGUST in Paris
Please add to the above chorus my thank you for the beautiful photographic walk around your neighborhood with your always-interesting comments. While I deeply regret the reason why there are not many people on those streets at that time of morning, I have to admit that there is something quite wonderful about the absence of teeming masses of tourists in your photographs. Here, the main people I've seen on our street (which is usually full of walkers on a beautiful Sunday afternoon like today) are walking their dog/s (and maintaining the recommended 2-meter social distance from other humans).
ReplyDeleteThe French can be just as teeming an any tourists. They adore being flaneuring outside. I poked my head out my front door on sunny Sunday afternoon and was I shocked to see whole families strolling, biking, scootering. Only 1 person was wearing a mask. But that was before Macron cracked down on Tuesday...
DeleteI see your keys in that picture. Can you take a clearer picture of those keys? They are so unlike American keys. They look so much sturdier.
ReplyDeleteYes the keys are quite old-fashioned but then my building is 17th century...
DeleteOnly you could make a quarantine look charming!
ReplyDeleteI so loved your photos and your funny little side comments.
You brought tears to my eyes.
Awww...Thanks Jamie, so nice to hear from you.
DeleteI guess ppl are still hungry for Paris as ever. The Ile is quite empty as is my building. Many Parisians are taking their August vacay in March. I'll continue to post every 2-3 days.
Good to hear how you are doing and what life is like in Paris now.
ReplyDeleteHope to meet you someday soon.
Thanks I hope so too Kathleen
DeleteI opened Letters from Paris first when I looked at my email this morning. I live in Eldorado, a small enclave just outside Santa Fe, New Mexico. I've visited Paris many times and I love your beautiful city, especially les isles. I have always enjoyed your newsletters and paintings but now it has a special poignancy for me. I know Paris and its boulangerie and ponts over the Seine. It seems unreal that the very same things we are going thru here, you are going thru there. And all over the world of course.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your wonderful emails, particularly now to help us all feel connected. The first photo is reminiscent of a painting by an old master - such a beautiful tone. The last time I was in Paris was 2016. I had been there many years before, but it had always been a lifetime dream for my childhood friend and I to go together. We are now senior citizens, but met when we were 5 years old and lived down the street from each other in Iowa. We kept our friendship blooming over the 40+ years I lived in San Francisco. I had been hospitalized a few weeks previous to departure and was very worried we'd have to cancel. But I was determined and we had a wonderful trip. Upon retirement 3 years ago I moved to the Hudson Valley in upstate New York to be with my sisters. But my friend in Iowa and I are still connected by our hearts and our memories of Paris.
ReplyDeleteIts a good way for me to feel connected too Jean
Delete❤️🥐☕️🐻
Chere Carol,
ReplyDeleteYour shopping trip is so healthy! Mine was heavy on carbs; brownie mixes, shortbread & Easter chocolates.
Restez en plein forme!
Bon Chance
I love this commenr ❤️
DeleteNormally I would be doing something similar...
But 3 weeks pre-Lockdown I listened to Dr Robert Lustig on Fast food on youtube and something clicked. As someone who always works at home full-time I got in the habit of eating Mostly frozen processed food (Yes and I live in France!). Shame on moi. I went cold turkey and havent looked back. In a week I felt 100% better. Shocking. And now I'm losing albeit slowly amd cravings are gone. A red pepper is sweeter than an eclair. I'll post on it soon.
Bon Chance 😄