As I sit here on the day after Christmas, and boy has it been a hectic one which I will cover in my Christmas 2025 blog post, cursing at my Microsoft updates that have screwed uploading photos, and looking out the front window for an impending winter storm that allowed me to win a fifty-dollar bet with my husband that it would never happen today, I am happy to write and reminisce about our November-into-December return to Paris…….

Sadly, Christmas is over and so is our Paris trip–but there’s great memories!

Thanksgiving Day was spent last-minute packing—and repacking and making lists and deciding what movies I would watch enroute to France.  It was also spent with me wearing my rosaries around my neck like a piece of fine jewelry, praying to Mary that our flight would not be delayed.

Yeah. This is how I spent Thanksgiving.  Packing and repacking and I wore this get up quite a bit!

Day One—On the Way from Philly to CDG!

And so, the next afternoon, we took an Uber to the airport, expected ridiculous crowds, and arrived to a somewhat undercrowded one.  Going through TSA was quick and we were able to arrive at our gate with time to relax.   The flight left on time, thankfully, we made ourselves as comfortable as could be and kept ourselves entertained while flying over the Atlantic.

The greatest words at the airport “On Time”.  It warms my heart.

Ahhhh.  CDG Airport. What a shitshow.  On one hand, I am so happy to return to Paris but on the other hand, I despise this airport with every cell of my being.  The lines were a mess.  Vincent, with his EU passport was told, mistakenly to get on the USA passport line.  In his frustration, he found an airport staff member, mumbled something in French and within seconds he was back on the EU passport line—with me being able to piggy-back.  Outta there, luggage in hand and off to Paris Centre.

Here we come!

Now, despite what people say, I personally find the weather in late Autumn to not be that bad.  Yeah. It can be rainy but it is never that cold.  My high intelligence level had me bringing a trench coat and, if I had a hat, scarf, and gloves—I was warm. And it worked like a charm all week.

We arrived at Hotel Buci around ten, since it was too early for our room to be ready, we walked up the street (or is it down the street) to Café de Paris for breakfast and those carbs had me going for the rest of the day!

We arrived at Hotel Buci, bare of Christmas decor but when we arrived later on–the hotel was festive!

It has become a tradition to have our first breakfast at Cafe de Paris.  Keeps us full all day!

With time to kill, we grabbed a cab and rode to Galerie Vivienne, the most beautiful of the passages in Paris.   It was my mission to go to the new Louise Carmen shop to purchase a journal as I like to write and the brand’s customized journals are beautiful.  Leather bound which acquires a lustrous patina over time, various inserts can be found.  These are not cheap but do make a pragmatic souvenir of a trip.   No thanks to influencers, the journals are all over social media and we ended up waiting on a line for about twenty minutes.   Once inside, we had excellent assistance from one of the staff.  Who was thankful that I knew exactly what I wanted.  I don’t waste time.

Galerie Vivienne was dressed up in fine holiday spirit.  Le Grand Colbert, a restaurant made famous in a few films is located there.  It’s a great place to warm up in!

We did have to wait a bit outside Louise Carmen but….

……it was worth the wait.  I chose a charm of Mary because I liked it. In addition, my choice was the Honore model in which a lined insert and a “to do” insert.was added.  I also ordered additional inserts from Amazon to hold money and cards because I felt spending 100 euros extra on a fabric pouch was not pragmatic..

In addition I had a favorite phrase embedded into the leather journal.  “A tout a l’heure”!  It’s what my husband and I say when I leave for work in the morning! I honestly love this journal and highly recommend getting one as a souvenir  of your Paris trip!

We walked around, I got a card for my son’s in-laws, and we basically blew time by doing nothing but strolling and looking in shop windows.    By the time we made it back to the hotel, our room was ready for us. .  We love that hotel increasingly and look forward to our next stay. The room was beautiful.  Tastefully decorated, the bed incredible comfortable and a big old American bathtub. What more could one want than to take a nap!  And our two-hour nap felt like a full 8-hour nighttime slumber.

The classic decoration of the tree gives a good idea of how tastefully decorated the Hotel Buci is–and the staff is incredibly accomodating AND so nice!

The bed was cloud-soft but the mattress was firm enough for those who get sore backs..

In addition, the walls are covered in fabric and the desk with the chairs is the perfect place for a pre-dinner aperitif.  The bathtub was large enough to fit me ever-widening backside!

While I got ready for dinner, Vincent ran down the street (or is it up the street to Carrefour for aperitif makings.  It has become a tradition while in Paris to enjoy pre-dinner aperitifs in our hotel room.  I love this time because we reflect on the day’s activities and discuss what we might want for dinner.  Cabbed it to Chez René, sat at our favorite table, and proceeded to have an incredibly enjoyable dinner.

We both love this place because it is truly a local joint. The food is consistently great and there’s no pretentiousness.  It is old-school French fare—and after all, that is why we go to Paris!

And that winds up our first day.  Its always comforting to be back.

Day Two—A Lazy Drive to Chateau Pierrefonds!

If you’re familiar with our trips to Paris, you know that we always rent a car to drive outside of the city.  This time was no different. And on this Sunday, we picked up our auto rental to drive to Chateau Pierrefonds.   This is one of those chateaus that Vincent, surprisingly, had never been to but wanted to visit.  For me, I am just happy to visit any chateau and allow my delusional personality to go into overdrive and pretend I live in that prime real estate!

The ride through the countryside was pleasant and the weather was excellent. Cool but not freezing.  Cloudy with blue sky!

We came upon village churches..

and Holiday decorations in local squares,

Trees with odd puffy balls,

A church in the middle of nowhere,

And many beet farms with harvested beets!

And we were getting closer to this magnificent chateau!

Along our walk to the chateau we passed a festive patissier and..

A most unusual poster!

The drive through the countryside was beautiful and parking was easy and free.  The walk was good exercise and views from the chateau’s property was spectacular.   Once inside, I was surprised that it wasn’t furnished the way Fontainbleu or Versailles are; but the empty interior gave a better perspective of how massive the rooms were!

Pierrefonds is quite the step back in time!

We picked up sticker books and knight smocks for Owen and Bennett which they loved!

Oh yeah baby!  Had I won the billion Powerball, THIS would have been our retirement estate! 

On the way back, we opted for a more direct route back because we didn’t want to be late for dinner at Brasserie Lipp.  I wanted to go there for years.  And years.  Vincent’s aunt Daniele loved the restaurant and I was thrilled when Vincent made the reservations.

Back in Paris with time to get ready for dinner..

But not before snapping this pic of a woman carrying her Christmas tree back to her apartment.  See how she’s dressed?  It was that warm outside!

Lipp. I had read mixed reviews about the place.  Mostly reviews of the seating arrangements. And I didn’t want to be thrown into the back.

After how many years I’ve been coming to Paris, I finally got to have dinner here!

However, when we arrived, we were led to one of the best tables in the house!  The food was great.  I started out with Razor Clams which could very well be my new favorite starter—but I’ve never seen them on any menus here in the States.  Garlicky and juicy and delicious.  I wouldn’t even share a one!  Second night in a row and I had kidneys.  I can’t help it.  When kidneys pop up on a menu, I must have them the way my husband must have Steak Frites!   We really had a very enjoyable dinner.  Drumming up conversation with the people on either side of us was fun.  And being able to walk back to the hotel afterward was, in a way, a form of exercise.

The interior is stunning!

What a dinner!  Especially the kidneys.  

The second we hit Rue de Buci, we heard music and a lot of noise—it wasn’t bad noise either—it was very good noise.  A guy, kind of young, dressed in all white, like a little puff of snow, was getting the crowd psyched up to sing and dance.  People from young to older were all dancing in the street. I had never seen anything like it and boy, was I ready to join in!  As I handed my purse to my husband, I ran into the crowd (note—my husband does not join in to this sort of thing.  He is too reserved) and started dancing by myself.  When what to my crossed-eyes should appear but the little puff of snow dancing into the crowd to me and we danced together for a few minutes.  I’m telling you, this was such a fun way to end the evening!

What a way to end the night!

Back to the hotel and down for a comfy slumber!

Day Three—If it’s Monday, It must be Galeries Lafayette’s Christmas Tree!

Despite yesterday’s drive outside Paris, today was a day where we would do some shopping and kind of do nothing out of the ordinary.  Time to head to Galleries Lafayette to look at the windows and see the tree.  But first, let’s head to Monoprix.

Vincent dropped me off. Yes. In the middle of Paris, he drove because he misses driving in Paris and loves doing so.  That said, I was, after trying three various Monoprix stores in search of pajamas that my daughter requested for my grandsons, heading to a larger of the chain for these coveted pjs.

With the particular pj’s nowhere to be found, I discovered Christmas-themed sweaters for the boys instead.  And just as I was taking my time, my husband appeared out of nowhere to reiterate to me where his car was—and then he ran out. Still unaffected by where he was parked (I paid no attention to him), I purchased a few ornaments and had another look around before heading outside.

Holiday sweaters for the boys!

And reindeer ornaments!

Once exited from the hallowed doors of Monoprix, I sort of didn’t know where Vincent parked.  So, I walked up the street and found him in a matter of seconds.  Then we were off to Galeries Lafayette.

On the way we passed a billboard that I swear was meant for me!

Monday isn’t a bad day to play window tourist.  The Christmas displays in the stores are remarkably creative, colorful and fun.  This year’s window display, along with the 2025 Galeries Lafayette tree were wonderful and reminded me somewhat of if Peter Max drawings had come to life.  I thought Santa looked like John Lennon.

The window displays were the best ever.  I wish I could have downloaded the videos I took but my X^&(_*&*&*ing laptop would not allow them to be viewed!

Doesn’t Santa look like John Lennon?

Oh.  Perhaps that’s because he’s Papa Noel.

Inside the store, we (or rather I) made a mad dash to see the tree.  Last year’s tree was “meh” and disappointing.  It lacked color and imagination.  This year’s tree made up for it.  It was so beautiful and…well, Christmassy!

Yup! 2025’s tree was exceptional!

So much better than last year!

Satisfied and with my mission of seeing the tree accomplished, we headed back to the car and were off for more aimless driving through the streets of the City of Lights.

Just joyriding around the City of Lights!

Then it happened.  A police officer pulled us over.  Thankfully, Vincent had his passport and all ID with him.  Apparently, my husband was driving in the bus and cab land.  The French are sticklers for following rules.  Something we Americans are not. The officer was very nice—especially after conversing with Vincent in his native tongue. And when he turned around and told me why he was getting a ticket (that hadn’t been written out yet), my reaction was rather dramatic and loud—something akin to “ARE YOU KIDDING ME????  HOW COULD YOU NOT SEE THAT THE LANE WAS FOR BUSSES AND CABS???”   “OMG—OFFICER, MY DAD WAS A NYC POLICE OFFICER AND IF I WAS DRIVING THIS WOULD NEVER HAVE HAPPENED”!!  With the officer looking at me as though I belonged in an asylum, my husband translated that my dad was a NYC cop.

At that point the officer had a change of heart.  He mentioned NYC police and smiled.  And we left with a warning.   I also gave my husband a warning—I told him this was the second time I have gotten him out of a ticket. Three strikes and you’re not getting any more. The officer was very kind and I went to church to light a candle of thanks to my dad.

Yes. And upon arriving home, my husband had acquired additional speeding tickets!

Back at the hotel to rest before dinner, I took advantage of the little breakfast area, took a table, and started to write while Vincent took a nap.  Then it was aperitif time!

I’m still amazed that we stayed around the corner from this restaurant when Daniele was alive and never knew it existed!

We had dinner at Chez Fernand Christine.  A slightly off the main streets place in the 6^th arrondisement.  It took all of five minutes to walk there and the weather was fine. Cool but not freezing and not windy.  Our reservation was at 7:00 and we reserved a table that we enjoy…….

Whoever took the reservation screwed up because two guys were seated at our table.  I know this might sound petty but, if one makes a reservation for a certain table and someone else is sitting there—that does not bode very well with me. OTOH, Vincent was incredibly hungry so he didn’t really care where we would be sitting.

View from our table.  Within ten minutes of taking this photo, the restaurant was full.  It’s such a charming and warm atmosphere!

We were led into another area of the restaurant.  And—we liked the new table better.  Even better was our server, Julien.  This guy was, hands down, the best server/waiter ever.  He was Franco/American—from New Orleans and spoke perfect French but as the restaurant became increasingly crowded, he moved with incredible speed and his personality could be a study in working with the public.  At the end of our meal, a group of very, very obnoxious Americans arrived and were basically, assholes.  Loud and entitled, Julien was his great self.  It was a pleasure to watch him.

This guy!  Best server in Paris and I wouldn’t be surprised if someday he has his own restaurant.  If you’re lucky enough–he will be your server!

The food?  As usual, wonderful.  For the third night in a row, I feasted upon my beloved Rognan’s/Kidneys.  Once again, I allowed myself to enjoy Bone Marrow. And, once again, Vincent started with Escargot and feasted upon his favorite dish of Steak Frites.  We are creatures of habit.

We had a nice walk back to the hotel after this feast.  BTW,  I gained weight.

After downing a bottle of tasty wine and enjoying dessert, it was a walk back to the hotel.  It’s funny because the older we get, the less we have the urge to stay out late—whether at home or away.   We had one late evening and that was because we had dinner with family but I will get to that later….

Day Four—Lots of Walking and –Halfway Through Already?? NOOOOOOOOOO!

Tuesday.  Day Four and I am anxiety-ridden because we’re halfway through our week’s visit. Why do I do this to myself?   Anyway, today is a very walk-friendly day. Our plans were to hoof it to the Marais where we would revisit the Shoah, which is the Holocaust memorial. Then head off to Notre Dame.  But first, we would check out the store BHV for the decorations.

Day four and anxiety regarding returning home to work is grabbing me already!

Paris is a lot like New York City where any given street can be a serious wind tunnel due to the weather.  It was incredibly sunny—which is a good thing but smaller streets were bitingly windy—and with my sensitive eyes and ears that ache even at the slightest breeze, I was thankful for wearing a hat that covered my natural hearing devices.  With the eyes, I wasn’t that lucky.  It looked like I ugly-cried for hours by the time we reached BHV and I could not wait to get inside.

We began our day of hoofin’ it by heading to BHV.

BHV is a department store that isn’t as luxurious as Galeries Lafayette or Printemps or Bon Marche but it’s good.  It was a shock to see that the store has a “Shein” floor. It’s the first time I’ve ever equated France with cheap fast-fashion but, it is what it is.  I picked up a few moleskin journals, some items for a Secret Santa that I was involved with and my husband picked up a book about his grandfather.

Then it was off to the Shoah.  I could not take photos because they are not permissible. I will say that this is a site all visitors to Paris should see.  It is somber and it will awaken any doubt that any person who doubts the Holocaust (you know who I am referring to) will have.  I’m leaving it at that because there’s so much more I can write but I’ll stop.  This is about our trip.  Anyway, we did run into a large group of Police trainees who were there to learn more about the Holocaust—it is a smart thing too because the police need to handle antisemitism.

I highly recommend a visit to the Shoah Memorial–especially if you’re an American.

After the Shoah visit, we walked toward Notre Dame.  We passed by a scam artist who called me a “Disagreeable Parisian” because I basically told her to “eff off” in French.  Her calling me that was the highest compliment I could have received!

Next stop: Notre Dame.  Okay.  I’m a Roman Catholic.  I take my faith seriously.  Vincent grew up going to Notre Dame quite often.  He was extremely upset when the cathedral caught fire and he was looking forward to seeing the renovated interior.

Last year we couldn’t get in because it had just opened. This year the crowds outside didn’t appear to be bad but inside was a different story.

We waited on a line (we had reservations) that moved very quickly.  All seemed very organized which was positive.  And then we entered.  What came next, to me, was daunting and disappointing.  Even Vincent was disgusted.

The crowd inside was massive. It was an assembly line of visitors—this magnificent structure was no longer a place of worship but was nothing more than a tourist trap. There. I said it.  On either side of the cathedral, toward the front were shopping kiosks.  And let me tell you they were crowded!  Lines at both.

I managed to get a few photos –even got to light a candle. But this was not what we expected.

People taking selfies. A lot of people taking selfies. It was a circus.  Don’t get me wrong.  The renovation is breath-taking.  What was once a dark and dingy place of worship now felt like The Righteous Gemstones gave up evangelic ideology and made the switch to Catholicism. I managed to get some pictures but wasn’t pleased with them.

What the French cultural side of the government should do is limit the amount of people going into Notre Dame and should charge a fee.  By doing so would limit the number of selfie-obsessed, social media types and those who really want to see Notre Dame and admire it slowly would be able to enjoy this site more.  Funny thing is after we talked about this, the next day, one of the newspapers had an article reiterating what we thought.

Instead—if you’re visiting Paris, head to other churches.  St. Sulpice is my favorite.  I always feel welcomed there and love going to Mass at that church.   St. Severin is another favorite.  This is a church that is in severe need of a renovation.  It’s beauty is found in its decay and darkness.  If I was a billionaire, I would start fundraising for renovation. Église St. Germain-des-Pres had been renovated and is gorgeous.  Vincent’s Aunt Daniele’s funeral mass was held there before the renovation.  It was dark, and cold and dingy and now is bright as a lit Christmas tree.  And it is never crowded during the day.  I strongly suggest visiting these churches because they aren’t tourist traps nor do they have influencers or narcissists snapping selfies of themselves.  I mean, there’s a time and place for everything!

I lighted candles at St. Severin. 

St. Severin is ancient. It is decaying. It feels like ….Church and is absolutely wonderful.

And Paris is chock full of churches like this.

Enough of my Church Lady rambling….

We walked over to Samaritaine Dept. Store.  The first floor was hopping but the remainder was relatively empty so it was a nice way to get warm and take respite from the wind!  I picked up a pouch to organize my bags and we headed back to the hotel.

Took the route through familiar Place Dauphine..

Then along the Seine…

…and made it to Samaritaine.  It was getting cold.

..and after warming up, headed back to the hotel!

7:00 Reservation at Allard!

Allard is one of our favorite restaurants.  We’ve been dining there for over a decade and the food is consistently very good.  There have been years were service was better than others but, turnarounds in staff are expected.

Been enjoying meals here for years!

We sat at our favorite table, offering a great view of the interior of the room.  Very old-school.   We started off with aperitifs of Kir Royals and an amuse bouche of Gougères and a cucumber sorbet. I started off with a foie gras pate and Vincent had frogs’ legs—which were delicious.  My main plat was…Sweetbreads—and Allard has the best!  Vincent had his usual—take a guess! He ordered a fine wine and for dessert he had Ile Flotant (Floating Island) and I ordered Profiteroles, which I couldn’t finish because I was stuffed!

Bonne Nuit!  Part Two is coming….. Lot’s more. And no more Kidneys!