Some Things Are Meant To Be ...

Wall of Gloves
Denise Francelle
rue de Rivoli

As most people know, I have an extensive collection of beautiful scarves, gloves and other accessories, many of which I have found in Paris. For years, I have skipped all the big name stores and designers in Paris to buy my treasures at a tiny boutique on the rue de Rivoli - Denise Francelle.

The current owner, Sandra, is the grand-daughter of the shop's namesake and I have been shopping there since my first trip to Paris, almost 20 years ago. For me, no trip to Paris is complete without a few hours at Denise Francelle.

This trip was no different. I saved this guilty pleasure for the last few days in Paris, and finally decided on my last Monday that I would breeze in and pick out my scarf or gloves for this trip. Except when I arrived mid-afternoon, I couldn't find the shop.

Now, as many times as I've been there, the shop is often hard to find - it is tiny, very tiny - often more than one person in the shop is a crowd - there is almost no room to turn around. Nevertheless, I was baffled as I walked up and down the two blocks where I knew the shop was. After 20 minutes, I gave up - I was hungry, tired and a bit frustrated from walking the 5e all day - I needed to clear my head, fill the tank and rest the dogs, so I headed toward my little home in the 7e.

Inside Moulin de la Vierge
on rue St Dominique.
Photo from the Puff List blog.

After a delightful repast at my favorite patisserie on rue St Dominique, Moulin de la Vierge, I went to the apartment to check on Denise Francelle's address and relax from a hectic day.

All I could find was the same rue de Rivoli location and what appeared to be a manufacturing location in the 15e - yes, Denise Francelle had crafted custom-made leather gloves for decades, which sold for about $70 - a bargain at any time.

Determined to find my friend Sandra and her shop, I headed out again, arriving shortly via Metro at the Concorde stop. Down the street I went, exact address in hand this time, only to find the shop was gone. After asking in the surrounding shops, I discovered that Denise Francelle had closed in the Fall, 2011.

It seemed impossible for I had seen Sandra on my June, 2011 visit to Paris and she had said nothing about moving or closing the store. I headed to the rue St Honore to stroll and drool over the two Goyard shops and to stem the rising sadness I felt at losing Denise Francelle and the friendship I had built over decades with Sandra.

Not to be deterred, I woke up on Tuesday determined to find Sandra or at least to find out what had happened. I called the number listed for what I thought might be the manufacturing facility in the 15e and in my best French said, "Je voudrais a parler, Sandra?" "This is Sandra," came the reply. Oh joy! I had found her. Within minutes, I was out the door and on my way to her new shop on the Place Vendome near the start of the rue de la Paix.

Sandra

As I entered the shop, Sandra came around to embrace me, and once again, I felt at home in Paris. I had found two old friends.

Though the new shop is not the old one, it is indeed a treasure filled with wonderful gloves, hosiery, lingerie (a new addition), the most exquisite hand made parapluies (umbrellas) and tiny silk and lace parasols, walking sticks to die for - though no scarves right now but they will return, as Sandra continues to stock the store.

I spent the next hour or so chatting with Sandra about what had happened and the amount of time it had taken her to move the business from one place to the other and that is when I discovered that some things are meant to be.

The New Shop

If I had come to Paris in the Spring, which is my usual time, I would not have found Sandra. She told me as we talked, that the store had been open only 11 days. That the number I called was indeed the shop number, but the address listing was her personal home address, and that until late Monday afternoon, the phone was not working in the shop.

We both realized what a miracle it was that we were able to reconnect. Since she has changed the name of the shop, it may have taken years to find her but this is one time that clearly it was meant to be! And yes, I did buy the most exquisite and quirky pair of black leather gloves, with raised multi-colored leather dots.

Saved By My Own Ambivalence

Sometimes, we are saved by our own ambivalence!  There is so much to do and see and eating is often one of the things I struggle with here. Sometimes, I just want to eat on the street, sometimes in a restaurant, and sometimes I need an old friend, like the cafe at the Musee' Rodin on Friday. As well, being solo in a city that screams duo/couple/deux at every cafe along the way makes me pretty ambivalent about restaurant selections, and sometimes, I can wander aimlessly trying to decide, which I had been doing this Sunday for about an hour.

As I strolled through Le Marais, I knew better than to eat at any of the places that surround the Place des Vosges.  Most of them serve pretty ordinary food at prices that are simply not worth it.  I've given them my share of francs, and now Euros, over the years and was determined not to succumb, even though my stomach was rumbling pretty loudly after my trek from the Islands.

Norm

My feet were screaming so I paused briefly to rest in the beautiful Place des Vosges and began to think about in which direction I should head to get some decent food. I remembered that Chez Janou, a wonderful little cafe/bistro that my friend and colleague, Norm Rubenstein had introduced me to when our paths crossed in Paris a few trips ago, was nearby.

For the life of me, I couldn't remember exactly where, nor could I remember the street. Pulling out my handy map of Paris, I began to skim the streets of Le Marais hoping that the name would jump out at me. Voila - the rue de Roger Verlomme - just down the street and around the corner from the Place des Vosges.  Off I went in the hopes that a raucous Saturday night did not mean it would be closed on Sunday, as many restaurants and shops are in Paris.

I turned onto the Rue des Tournelles heading toward the restaurant and hoping to see a chalkboard outside as I came out of the curve that blocked my view. Hurrah!  A chalkboard and people - Chez Janou was open!  Another old friend was there, and I was indeed, saved by my own ambivalence!

Now Chez Janou serves hearty Provencale fare and I was thrilled to find myself once again charmed by this lively cafe. The bartender and waiters played with me unlike many restaurants in Paris that often ignore you if you're a solo diner.

The food was excellent - a beautiful tender lamb shank accompanied by a red/green pepper/potato/cabbage mixture rolled in a cabbage leaf and grilled. I always eat lamb with mint jam or something sweet but moutarde (mustard) was what I was offered and so I tried it - of course, it was perfect!

While enjoying a chocolate tart with raspberries for dessert, the bartender treated me (shhh- don't tell!) to two small shots of ice cold Amande (almond) liquor made in Provence - he seemed determined that I have some fun! And fun it was!  Nothing ambivalent about Chez Janou, and I left feeling happy, satisfied and thrilled that Paris, once again, surprised me!

The Islands ...

I call these 'jo birds' -
they are in my colors -
black, white, red and grey!

Sunday was a day of exploring the two islands that sit in the middle of the Seine - the Ile de la Cite' and the Ile de Ste Louis.  Most people are more familiar with the Ile de la Cite' - it's home to Notre Dame, Ste Chapelle and the Palais du Justice, among others. I love the Sunday morning bird market that accompanies the daily flower market - it is such a mixture of sights and sounds, as birds chirp and cackle, along with the typical haggling over price that often goes on between sellers and buyers.

There are so many different kinds of birds - from loveable budgies to finches and everything in between.  The color combinations are often spectacular - and of course, you can also buy everything and anything you need to house and care for your bird.  In the US, we usually just buy bird food in a bag or box, but not in Paris.

At the bird market, you can buy custom made bird feed, sold from barrels, much like you would buy grain, fruits or other edibles at a street market.  It's amazing the lengths people will go to for their pets and Paris could never be accused of not providing the same "liberte', equalite' et fraternite'" for its furry friends.

While here on the islands, be sure to sit for a while in the Place Dauphine behind the Palais du Justice - perfect for getting away from the crowds and you'll see the island from a different perspective.

As well, walking along the Quai des Orfevres, I noticed the accompanying art piece on the side of the building "Hora fugit stat jus" - Time flies, stand right - as you can guess it was on the side of the Palais du Justice near a massive door marked Correctional Tribunal.

The Ile de Ste Louis is mostly a residential island but it is quaint and charming and even though it is dotted with shops and cafes, it is not very touristy.  It is quite a bit more quiet and mostly filled with locals.  The few visitors are merely passing through on their way to Notre Dame and the Ile de la Cite'.

By the time I finished here, I was starving and so thought I might find a place to rest and eat on the Ile de Ste Louis - but nothing grabbed my interest. I wandered across the Pont Marie and headed into Le Marais - beating the crowds by a few hours. After a week of rain, the day had turned to bright sunshine and surely the best was yet to come.

Fly Girl is Flying ...

WOW! I can't believe how long it has been since I've posted to this blog! Been too busy flying I guess but so sorry that I haven't been sharing my adventures with you.

I am about to take off to some of my favorite places with some of my travel clients -- beautiful Italy. We'll be hitting the sights in Florence, Rome, Venice and perhaps a few of the hilltop towns of Tuscany. If we're lucky, we'll find the time to sneak off to Milan.

When I'm finished in Italy, I'm training my way overnight to Paris where I'll catch a bit of the French Open, do a little business for some of my clients and then head to London before returning home in early June. I hope to be posting along the way and hope you'll be there right with me.

In the meantime, Ciao Baby!

Fly Girl Home ...

Well, I just completed my last trip to New Orleans for the year and am home for the winter.  And just in time, it snowed in New Orleans the other day -- finished by the afternoon, just as I remember from my childhood and other years.

Since I now live in Chicago, I can pretty much expect snow anytime and am always excited just like I was when I was a kid and it snowed in New Orleans.  People here who have grown up with the white flakes think I'm crazy when I get giddy as the snow falls -- but like flying, snow just seems like such a miracle.

It was only a few weeks ago, I met some friends down on the Magnificent Mile to go to a play and when we came out, the first big flakes of snow were just coming down. Michigan Avenue was twinkling with holiday lights and here they were -- these big white flakes, the sky a dark blue, not quite black yet -- lake effect snow not a storm.  The crowds were still small -- no holiday frenzy yet -- but that has changed as has the depth of snow -- the Arctic blasts have begun and it's the wind and ice that make it truly Arctic.

I cannot help it -- I always love Chicago blanketed in white before it turns slushy and people have tramped all over it -- but there are plenty of areas of the City that rarely see a footprint in the snow for all of winter and those remain so pristine and fairy tale like.

You may choose to be warm for winter -- but I invite you to come north even for only a few days and bask in the city's snowfall.  It is a child's delight and I am always happy to report Fly Girl's child is intact!

I'm Back ...

Hi All --

I'm back but not Down Under though I think about this magical place all the time. It's been almost a year since my last trip to Oz and who knows when I'll have the time or opportunity to go again. I keep up with the many people I met while there and even with the extreme time difference there is an overlap that makes phone calls possible.

I'm blessed to have friends and colleagues all over the world -- today I spent an hour on the phone with a friend and business associate in Istanbul -- I hope that my travels will take me there one day soon to this mysterious crossroad of East and West.

This year my travel has been all domestic and I have been to New Orleans a few times, to Washington DC and to Boston -- all cities which I've been to many times. Of course, New Orleans is my birthplace and it's hard not to be connected there though visiting is often difficult as it is not the same since Katrina. Though the tourist areas look fine -- so much of the city where I played and lived is still in disarray and it will be decades before a full sense of normalcy returns, if ever.

My travel partner, Annie just returned from Florence and had a glorious time -- she's still recovering and when I have the chance to talk with her -- I'll let you know the details.

Be well -- FlyGirl

Been Here ...

Greetings!

I've been here in OZ since 11 November 2007 -- who would have thought that I'd make two trips here in the same year? WOW, how cool is that?

This has been a work trip so not much time to blog -- but I've had a wonderful time and such a different experience this time. I have indeed fallen in love with Australia ... and I intend, through my travel company http://www.freedomtours-llc.com, to bring a group here to experience both Sydney and Melbourne in January 2009.

I am planning on being back before that perhaps again in conjunction with the Allergy & Gluten-Free Show -- http://www.allergyglutenshow.com.au/ which will next be held in 2008 in Brisbane in May, New Zealand in late June and then back in Sydney in November 2008.

Leaving later today for the US -- so Fly Girl is signing off for now -- but it's been a great trip and I'll see you soon ...