AT HOME AND IN PARIS

POST-NEW YEAR POSTSCRIPT

I don’t know if there’s any such thing as a ‘PS Post,’ but if there is, this is mine! I realize that a couple of things happened before the New Year, which I left out of the New Year’s Eve Post, and I want to rectify that situation. I hope that I didn’t offend anyone involved. The other issue is that it doesn’t seem fair to leave everyone hanging on New Year’s Eve without a complete description of the events and some of the photographic images that go with my illustrations. So here it comes!

On New Year’s Eve in 2019, many know that we went to the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées for the celebration. Those faithful readers may not have seen the building, but it is stately and located on a magnificent Avenue. I now have a daytime photo to share. The portion of the building on the right-hand corner is The Comedie Champs Elysee, where we have attended many plays as recently as this past Fall.

Readers who have already reviewed my 2022 New Year’s Eve Post know that I must’ve finished writing and publishing just moments before getting dressed and leaving for the ballet on foot.

As a reminder, because we live at the back of the Église de Madeleine and within a stone’s throw (pardon my pun) from the American Embassy and the Elysee Palace (home to President Macron), all is securely blocked from any access except by pedestrians. Between Chez Nous and the Theatre lies the whole Avenue Champs Elysee and its parks on both sides. Crossing the Avenue is the glamorous Avenue Montaigne, from which

the Tour Eiffel can be seen and on which, at the far end, the Theatre is located. All the way between our apartment and the end of Avenue Montaigne and Chez Francis (one of our favorite cafes, where we often enjoy a meal with the best view of the Tour) is surrounded by and blocked off with innumerable trucks and officers that compose the Paris Police Department and the French Gendarmerie who are needed to contain the

crowd of over one million French people and foreigners, all making merry with alcohol, thankfully on foot.This Year we attended the Ballet Gisele, performed by the orchestra and ballet of the

Ukrainian opera! This was a first and seemed to be just another way we here in Europe could show our support for that embattled country in the face of relentless Russian attacks. The production, the dancers, and the conductor were all splendid, and the very young members of the orchestra played brilliantly.

Our route home took a little longer than usual and totaled 6.6 km round trip: two kilometers more than last. We cannot figure it out for the life of us, but it was a beautiful warmish evening at 50°F, and who can complain? Perhaps we could stroll a little bit more slowly and enjoy the beauty of this part of the city in the evening on foot. We could even bear to take photos with our gloves off. We also made it home in time to see where we had just been -- during the entire countdown projected onto the Arc de Triomphe and a spectacular display of fireworks -- with Mickey sitting between us on our comfortable reclining sofa in the TV room. What a night!

Before these celebratory events, we had two outings in Paris that came into mind only after I last posted. The first was an excellent tour, led by our trusty walking guide Thierry, this time of the Eglise Saint-Sulpice, and the docent who helped us appreciate the history and significance of each vault and its contents as well as the current use of each.

Eglise Saint-Sulpice is a striking Parisian church famous for its exterior appearance as well as

Its appearance in Dan Brown’s book the DaVinci Code. Its towers poke above the buildings around it, and as such, it’s one of the landmarks to look out for on the Left Bank in the Paris skyline. The church is enormous, stunning and only slightly smaller than the Notre Dame. This building dates back to 1646, although the church wasn’t completed for another 140 years. The church's facade looks more like something you’d find in Rome, with its mismatched towers, but inside it’s much more traditional. Robespierre frequented this church; Victor Hugo was married here; and the Marquis de Sade and Charles Baudelaire were baptized here. The underground vaults possess a unique collection of sculptures.

From Mary and Jesus to Daniel, to various odd pieces of stone and glass, there is something truly spiritual about this place.

After the tour, we crossed over to a lovely Brasserie whose decor reminded me of the famous Grande Vefour. Ted was also enthusiastic about our find, with a good menu and atmosphere to relax in.

The following evening we decided to visit the Christmas Market in the Place of the Mairie of Paris-- the City Hall -- all lit up and festively decorated for the holidays. Even the Mairie itself was lit up and surrounded by Christmas Trees. The scent of hot mulled wine and churros made for a tempting sugar violation, which we valiantly resisted.

But when we stepped into the cafe across from the market, Ted expressed his genuine attitude and enjoyed a Cafe Liegeois, and I indulged in a photo in front of a Christmas Tree.

I so love Paris at this time of Year! First of all, She is the first city I visited in Europe when Ted and I were engaged and were returning home from Israel where I had been introduced to his family. Besides those priceless memories, it has always seemed that there are endless glittering decorations in all of the shops and on our petite rue itself, crisscrossing our tiny street, one line hanging conspicuously just outside our breakfast nook, one outside the living room windows, and another bringing joy to my desktop from which I am writing to you now. At the head of the street are the letters in red that spell out “Rue Vignon Joyeux Noel.” Coming from Los Angeles, I never expected to have this holiday cheer on the street where I lived. I never imagined that this small, insignificant street was so well-known and loved by its commercial residents.

Last but certainly not least, I forgot to tell you about our visit to what is thought of as the most beautiful church in Paris, Eglise Saint-Eustache. The Église Saint-Eustache, with its initial buildings dating back to the 13th century, certainly deserves a visit, especially if you like music. The church is 700 meters from Le Relais du Louvre.

The building was a modest chapel with a crypt in the thirteenth century. If the latter still exists, it’s because the chapel was enlarged over time, and it was in 1539 that construction began of the church on the site of the chapel. This building was completed almost 100 years later and was rebuilt in 1754. The church has been the seat of many events, such as the baptisms of Richelieu and Molière and the funeral of Jean de la Fontaine. Colbert is buried there. You can see beautiful stained-glass windows, a rose window, and many paintings that decorate the chapels.

Someone once asked me, "What's with you, a nice Jewish girl and Cathedrals and Churches?" The answer lies in the breathtaking architecture, the art, the history, and the music. That's all. So

now that the season is over and I'm caught up, and all is put away until next year, I can tell you about my adventures in this new year, which I hope is happy, healthy, and joyful for all!

A bientôt ‼️