Le Jardin!

We recently discovered that now that it's spring and the sun is in a more northerly position, we get direct sunlight in our apartment! Not a ton, no, maybe just an hour in certain select locations, but enough to inspire. In celebration, we have obtained a basil plant. For those who have been to the market with us, we got it from the potato stand, where the guy told us that that it should have its drink and fresh air at the same time that Monsieur (I assume he meant Jeff) has his apéro.

So here is Monsieur le Basilic sunbathing before his apéro.

Jardin de Reuilly

One of our first pique-niques in Paris was at the Jardin de Reuilly. Remember? It seems like so long ago. Saturday we returned. After visiting many, many squares and parks in Paris, we've developed favorites for different purposes. Jardin de Reuilly is a strong contender for number 1 in the sitting in the sun, eating, drinking and doing nothing category. So here we go again- a beautiful day, lying on the grass, feelings of calm and well-being. How about another shoddy panoramic photo to illustrate the scene?

from the bridge
I think I'm the shadow in the upper right

Please note our lovely new cheap polyester tablecloth. 

Light and compact, it's always ready when the pique-nique mood strikes.

Le Crépuscule, Parc de Belleville

Eiffel Tower with spotlight

Parc de Belleville is set on a hill in the 20th arrondissement, just south of the larger and more well known Parc des Buttes Chaumont. It is a densely planted series of switchback walkways that work their way up the hill. At the top is le Maison de l'Air, a hands-on museum for kids that focuses on meteorology, pollution and other air-related things. Most importantly, the roof of the museum serves as an excellent viewing deck. It's a popular place all day long, but is an especially nice place to congregate, have a drink and watch the sunset. If you direct your gaze downward, it also serves as a great place to watch the stray cats emerge when the park is closed to humans at dusk.

We stopped by Parc de Belleville last night before our dinner at Le Chapeau Melon(no website, as is the French custom), a wine shop/restaurant that serves an always-changing, market-based three course fixed menu. They'll open any bottle of their entirely small producer, vin nature stock on the shelf for a modest corkage fee. Here is a recent review (in English!) featuring a photo of a mackerel dish we had, plus a bunch of other things we didn't have, because the menu changes so frequently. Dinner was to celebrate the beginning of spring break. On Wednesday we head to Lyon for a four night test of our eating endurance. 

Parc de l'Île St-Germain

It's still very nice out in Paris, thanks for asking. Last weekend visited an island in the Seine just outside the southwest border of Paris. l'Île St-Germain was used for military exercises until the 1980s when half was developed into housing and the other half turned into a park. It's got that hidden-refuge-within-the-big-city feel to it. And flowers.

Cherry, apple and whatever else trees have been flowering like crazy lately. 

one of the many gardens is dedicated solely to lavender

it smelled good

some roads and parts of the old military buildings were used as design elements

A large strange statue. We pique-niqued at the base of the hill.

Le Crépuscule, Chez Nous

Le Crépuscule, Pont de Sully

Le Jardin des Plantes

Not to rub your mostly Minnesotan noses in it, but it's spring here in Paris. I know, I'm shocked too. The experience of a short, mild winter is constantly surprising to me. "It's far too early," I think, as I loll about on the grass, getting way too used to it. While my Minnesotan genes await the inevitable late winter plunge back into snow, ice and cold, my surroundings continue to offer proof that it's not going to happen- spring is here and summer is next. Le Jardin des Plantes is a great place to watch spring unfold. We are within strolling distance and have been dropping by weekly to monitor the progress.

The entrance, with a statue of Jean Baptiste Lamarck, Chair of Botany in the late 1700s, coiner of the word "invertebrate" and developer of evolutionary theory before Darwin was born. 

poppies, tulips and forget-me-nots blooming in the central aisle

more poppies and the most popular attraction, the giant cherry tree

close inspection

closer inspection

standing within the tree is pretty amazing

here's a low quality video of the experience

les fleurs!