We got a slow start this morning as the girls continue to sleep in after our long, active days together. I know that sounds great but, it only works if *all* of them sleep in and Natalie didn't get the memo so she's still waking up at 6:15 while the other two sleep until after 8:00. It was a overcast but pleasant day so we decided to wander the streets of the Marais to find a well worn but much loved doll museum. After a picnic lunch overlooking the sculptures at the Pompidou, and a chocolate snack procured from Pralus, we headed over to check out some dolls.
The first several rooms were antique dolls from the late 1800's and early 1900's. As we entered the room, I couldn't help but notice the hundreds of wide, sightless eyes gazing out at us. All I could think was, this would be the part in the horror movie where the power goes out ... the dolls outnumbered the people by about 100 to 1 so, if push came to shove, I wasn't liking our odds! Just as I was playing that little scenerio out in my head, Jacqui called to me and I looked to see her face-to-face with a life-sized little girl doll that they'd tucked in the corner, just in the shadows. Someone running this museum has a dark sense of humor. The highlight for the girls was the 'Barbie & Ken through the ages' section. Starting with Barbie & Ken as Adam and Eve and moving through the Knights of the Round Table, King Henry the VIII , Napoleon, Queen Victoria and onto modern day- about 75 in all- these Barbies had some awesome costumes and hair doos (so refreshingly different from 'Drag Queen Barbie' and 'Hooker Barbie' that you find clogging the store shelves these days). At the end, they had some complete Barbie and Ken outfits from the the 50's through 80's - these were a scream - although more so for me than the girls. There was a spot where you could design your own Barbie outfit and leave your sketch behind in their look book. Jacqui and Charlotte both dutifully left their mark.
We headed home and, once the girls were settled, Jack and I turned right around and headed out for date night. We started off at Musee Carnavalet - a museum dedicated to the history of Paris. (We're on to the B-list museums now!) all I can say is thank goodness for Haussmann - Paris is the beauty it is today in no small part to his vision (and Napoleon III's power and money). It is so nice to have some cycles to actually think about something other than the minutiae and admin of day-to-day life!
After a wander through the Marais, and a falafel sandwich from the much lauded L'as du Fallafel, we split up so I could do some shopping and Jack could return home to take a meeting - how dare his clients make him work? Don't they know he's on vacation?!?
Well, I soon found out that the stores are closed by 7:30 on a Tuesday so I was left with 2 hours to kill before our dinner res. So, I did as the Parisians do, I stopped at a corner cafe, sat down at a table facing the street, ordered a drink and watched the parade of people go by. Dinner at Auguste was passable but, since we have had so many great meals on this trip, didn't really shine.
The first several rooms were antique dolls from the late 1800's and early 1900's. As we entered the room, I couldn't help but notice the hundreds of wide, sightless eyes gazing out at us. All I could think was, this would be the part in the horror movie where the power goes out ... the dolls outnumbered the people by about 100 to 1 so, if push came to shove, I wasn't liking our odds! Just as I was playing that little scenerio out in my head, Jacqui called to me and I looked to see her face-to-face with a life-sized little girl doll that they'd tucked in the corner, just in the shadows. Someone running this museum has a dark sense of humor. The highlight for the girls was the 'Barbie & Ken through the ages' section. Starting with Barbie & Ken as Adam and Eve and moving through the Knights of the Round Table, King Henry the VIII , Napoleon, Queen Victoria and onto modern day- about 75 in all- these Barbies had some awesome costumes and hair doos (so refreshingly different from 'Drag Queen Barbie' and 'Hooker Barbie' that you find clogging the store shelves these days). At the end, they had some complete Barbie and Ken outfits from the the 50's through 80's - these were a scream - although more so for me than the girls. There was a spot where you could design your own Barbie outfit and leave your sketch behind in their look book. Jacqui and Charlotte both dutifully left their mark.
We headed home and, once the girls were settled, Jack and I turned right around and headed out for date night. We started off at Musee Carnavalet - a museum dedicated to the history of Paris. (We're on to the B-list museums now!) all I can say is thank goodness for Haussmann - Paris is the beauty it is today in no small part to his vision (and Napoleon III's power and money). It is so nice to have some cycles to actually think about something other than the minutiae and admin of day-to-day life!
After a wander through the Marais, and a falafel sandwich from the much lauded L'as du Fallafel, we split up so I could do some shopping and Jack could return home to take a meeting - how dare his clients make him work? Don't they know he's on vacation?!?
Well, I soon found out that the stores are closed by 7:30 on a Tuesday so I was left with 2 hours to kill before our dinner res. So, I did as the Parisians do, I stopped at a corner cafe, sat down at a table facing the street, ordered a drink and watched the parade of people go by. Dinner at Auguste was passable but, since we have had so many great meals on this trip, didn't really shine.
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