19 & 20 Nov

The third Thursday of every November, the year’s new Beaujolais, a lightweight, sweet red wine, is introduced. It is immediate cause for a party, & most of the French tend to at least sample the wine within a few days of its introduction. Far be it from us exceptional students to ever miss an opportunity to study a new topic AND to party while we’re doing it.

With a group of about 12 thirsty people, we left a long day of class in search of the Lizard Lounge, a rustic place recommended by one of our helpful teachers to ring in the new wine. With the Lizard Lounge a bit full, we adjourned to a nearby chic-looking tapas bar/cafe that had some long tables available. Coincidentally, this place was immediately adjacent to the first hotel I’d every stayed at in Paris (the Hotel de Nice).

After several hours of important Beaujolais analysis & research, we were feeling excellent. More people joined our group. The group became large enough that we would have to call other group members further down the table on their mobiles in order to share wine observations. The decibel level increased, & out came everyone’s digital cameras. I learned how to make a small video on my camera.

After some time, I began to notice that big groups of well-dressed men (no women) were coming into the restaurant together. I also noticed some, er, dainty mannerisms on the part of our waiter… well, all the waiters. When we ladies walked to the restaurant, there was a conspicuous absence of attention thrown our way. Finally, Peter consulted with the bartender, who confirmed that we were, in fact, in a very popular gay restaurant that is highly recommended by the Spartacus Guide to Paris (a gay travel guide). VOILA. A new experience !

We concluded our research at about 1am, & amazingly, the Swiss still were off to continue the evening at some club. I thanked them profusely for their invitation (with due admiration for their endurance), but headed home and died. I was up at 6am the next morning to relieve my body & hair of about 100-cigarettes worth of second hand smoke.

The next day at class involved a lot of coffee. It thankfully was only a 4 hour day, & then I was off to the airport to gather SALLY, my American friend from Germany. Sally arrived just as my digital camera ran out of battery juice… AND as she told me that the singer SEAL and his band was on her airplane & would probably be exiting right behind her !!!!!!!!! NO !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We didn’t want to wait, & headed back to Paris by RER train.

After depositing her stuff at my apartment , we then walked through the 1st arrondissement , by the Palais Royal, the Louvre, & the Tuileries, over to the fabulous Catherine’s parfumerie. We were planning to meet another friend , Pat, there at 6pm. Pat is an American gal who is married to a Moroccan; they & their 2 boys have lived in Paris for 5 years. We did some important perfume shopping at Catherine’s. Two sisters own the shop (one of them remembered me because I come in with my friends every time I’m in Paris, & ask for the absolutely NEWEST fragrances that aren’t in the States yet). They are very good at finding perfume that fits your skin chemistry. Sally & I were both looking a bit worn after our long days (& my long night preceding), so one of the sisters took us to the makeup counter & freshened us up. I ended up purchasing 2 bottles of perfume & some Chanel & Dior makeup. Ever since we left the store, Sally has been intensely contemplating the fragrance that the sister recommended for her (Cristobal). It’s absolutely gorgeous. I hope she decides to buy it!

We adjourned with Pat to the cafe on rue de Rivoli where my longtime Paris friend Philippe works. He is a handsome & gregarious waiter (MARRIED, ladies,) who has been at this cafe over since I started staying at the Hotel Brighton (next door). Luckily, he was there & was totally surprised! We caught up, then he left for the evening. A lingering evening of girly conversation ensued. To conclude, we headed up to the Champs Elysees & went to the Monoprix store so that Sally could buy Crest toothpaste and that funny little soft cheese in foil wedges. I picked up some Christmas cards & harira soup packets.

We concluded our evening poring over my Catherine purchases & all the little samples she threw into my bag, & reading the American Vogue I brought for Sally. A fantastic day!

By the way, I received the formal invitation to my landlord’s Christmas party. Let me just mention that his last year’s Christmas party went until 9AM the following day, & included a roster of about 80 people. This should be interesting. Note, this year’s invitation indicated that everyone must wear a WIG. Hmmmm… very ‘La Dolce Vita!’.

Here is the beaujolais group:

Here is Sally, Pat & I at dinner: