Gyms are not plentiful; the French somehow stay thin despite working out. Must be smoking although it’s so much better now in restaurants, bars, etc. than it was when I first started coming here almost 30 years ago. Anyway, I didn’t want to go back to the sketchy one near here so I sauntered down the Blvd. St. Germain in search of one I had seen on Google. The name had been changed to Healthcity but it looked less dingy so I joined.

We went for an “Impressionists” walk around this area, from St. Germain des Pres over to Blvd. St. Michel, stopping on our way back at Patisserie Viennoise (where we’d been before) for a hot chocolate. Parisbymouth.com (!) has an article on the 5 Best in Paris and this was one. Slightly disappointing compared to other times but we are in Paris drinking hot chocolate so we have no complaints. I will keep you posted on the other four.

In every movie set in Paris, you see the Eiffel Tower from a window but I am sitting here, typing, looking at the top of it. I will take a photo one of these days.

At L’ami Louis tonight with friends, Charney, Chemla, Charlotte and Antonis. Either you love this place (like many Americans; Megan, Kate Hudson was here one night when we were) or hate it (like the Brit A.A. Gill who calls it “the worst restaurant in the world” ). It’s ridiculously overpriced but very fun, best to go with a group, the food is that plentiful. Say, maybe that’s why the Americans like it; reminds them of Minnesota? Maybe not.