There was some kind of grève (strike) here yesterday so, as the newsagent unhappily told me, no papers today.

Nevertheless, we learned a number of excellent expressions in French today, like vachement, meaning trés.

Had a fun lunch at a wine bar/resto in the 6th called Fish La Boisonnerie, 89, rue de Seine, email:laboissonerie@wanadoo.fr, owned by an American and an Aussie (or New Zealander, I can’t remember). The American also owns an interesting wine boutique nearby called La Dernière Goutte (“The Last Drop”), 6, rue de Bourbon le Château, which we frequent. Good and diverse selection. Our apartment for the last 3 weeks of our stay is near there.

Afterwards, we walked up the river and we went to Art Paris at the Grand Palais. It’s like the International Art Fair in Toronto, lots of galleries showing their best artists. A few that we liked. My favourite was a small painting of an éclair but at 3,000 euros, I’d rather have the éclair itself. It would only be 3 euros. (Athough there is the F-A-T factor, not likely with the painting.).

The weather, I must add, has been great, of course, since we bought umbrellas.

Bought a tin of cassoulet at Comtesse du Barry, made a salad and stayed home.