Took Maura with me to the gym, Sandy had class and Bill slept in.

At the gym, a typical French experience, I tried to get Maura in on my gym card, having been told that Sandy and I were allowed one guest each, but, “Non! Pas possible!” with only a 3 month membership although after a little polite pleading, the attendant relented. So, you never know.

Have to finish a few work things this week.

Well, my impression is confirmed. It’s the butter! Even Lebovitz, the former Chez Panisse pastry chef, says it’s the reason he’s living here. That and the red wine, as the link (from Norma) attests:http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/david_lebovitz_-_the_sweet_life_in_paris. Hard to argue with that proposition.

Had a light lunch at Pâtisserie Viennoise, 8, rue de l’Ecoles-de-Médicine and hung out for the day, working mostly, Sandy doing her French. (Thought I had a photo of this place but can’t find it at the moment. Pas grave, as they say here. Now posted, a day later.)

Had a less over-the-top dinner tonight (hard to have a more over-the-top dinner than last night) at Le Père Claude, www.lepereclaude.com, 51, av. de La Motte-Picquet, a reasonably priced, comfortable bistro in the 15th., with a very amusing waiter. French comfort food at its best.

That’s the thing. Each neighbourhood seems to have solid, affordable, reliable restaurants nearby. Doesn’t quite seem the same in Toronto. Perhaps it’s the diverse ethnicity of the various areas and maybe it’s that we don’t have French restaurants all over our cosmopolitan city?

Finished my article and called it an early night.

We needed one.