Here's some background information on how I got started on this great adventure.  Way back in Sept. of 2011, I along with my friend Eileen, committed to apply for the Teacher Creativity Grant offered by the Lilly Endowment.  It is one of the oldest programs of the Endowment.  Its purpose is to revive and revitalize hard working teachers.  They are given $8,000 (now $10,000) to pursue an interest that fascinates them.  It does not have to be directly associated with the subject matter that they teach.  The philosophy of the grant is that teachers lack time and the resources to pursue their many interests.  If they are given that opportunity, the benefits to the individual teachers and consequently their students will far outweigh the investment made by the Lilly people. I had know about this wonderful opportunity for years, but had lots of excuses for not carrying through. This was the year!  Perhaps my motivation came from my friend and mentor, Mary Golichowski who brought me my third copy of Paris: Birthplace of the USA, or maybe it was Eileen as I talked to her about the program and saw her eyes light up.  Nevertheless, we took to our computers to fill out the applications and obtain the necessary letters of recommendation. I wrote about that book, my fascination with Paris, articles I read about Franklin, Jefferson, and Adams and their fascination with Paris and much more. I fussed over the application for weeks, and then it was time to turn it in!  Was I ready?  No matter, it had to go.  Several months ensued and there were times when I almost forgot about it.  I remember saying I didn't need to go to Paris, I'd been there before......but there was always that little voice saying that this would be a special trip......

Then it came, that big envelope in the mail.   My husband called me when it arrived. Even though I was afraid, I instructed him to open it.  Whoppee---I got it!  My next thought was for my friend, Eileen. Perry sanned the names of the other grantees, and she was there too.   Whoppee again!  I was going to Paris and she was off to Myanmar.  Adventure, here we come.

Paris Plages and Good bye

It's time for Paris Plages, or Paris at the beach!   I read that since many Parisians cannot commit to the traditional month at the coast anymore, the city has brought the sand and sun to them.  I snapped this picture on one of my last days in Paris. We head a bit of a concert near the Hotel de Ville, there are temporary pools installed along the Seine, hammocks, water spraying stations, games and fun.

I flew home on Wednesday and Thursday with my daughter and her fiance (yes, that happened in Paris too, but that is for her to blog about).  The trip to the airport was made much easier by a car and driver from the apartment rental company.  Thankfully, there were no big traffic jams that day. Although the airport seems huge, we maneuvered it, did some last minute shopping, and boarded the plane.   A delay leaving Paris made us late for our connections in the U.S. but we made it home without major difficulties.  It's great to be back.

Thank you for sharing this month long experience with me.   I was able to keep a record of the events, analyze my thoughts and activities, and develop a deeper understanding of my project as I shared it with all of you.  I have appreciated all the comments you have made, and I hope you will continue to send me a note when you find a connection, or remember something written in the blog.  Milles merci!

Bits and Pieces

How many of you have heard of the Arago markers that appear all around Paris?   I decided to find out more about them as I discovered several on my explorations.   They are important to the plot of the Da Vinci Code, but there is more to them.   Take a look.

The Observatory of Paris is the oldest observatory in service in the world. It was built in 1667 by the architect Claude Perrault. The four facades of the building are oriented towards the four cardinal points. The median line of the building defined the meridian of Paris from 1667 to 1884: the French then adopted the international meridian that passes through Greenwich near to London.

Still today it is one of the world centers for astronomic research, even though it has been associated with the observatories of Meudon and Nancay (Cher department). The observatory diffuses the "coordinated universal time" based on international atomic time.

Since 1995, the Netherlands artist Jean Dibbets marked the imaginary Meridian line across Paris with 135 bronze plaques of 12 cm in diameter set in the ground, marked North and South, and bearing the name of François Arago (1786-1853), a prominent astronomer and political figure. The route, of course, crosses the Observatoire de Paris (Paris Observatory)

It also travels through other parts of Paris, known as the "Rallye Transparisien," making a good excuse for Getting Lost in Paris. like we needed an excuse to get lost anywhere. http://www.lostintelligencer.com/dumbass/2000/0003arago/0003arago.html

I found this one at the Palais Royale. We found one in the middle of the Louvre also.   Where have you seen them?

Here's an amusing footnote: for a long time, the French wanted the Prime Meridian to pass through the Paris Observatory, while the British wanted it to be at Greenwich. Neither side would budge until the Brits agreed to a compromise: if the French would allow that Greenwich was zero longitude, the UK would convert all measurements to the metric system.

Last days in Paris

On my last day in Paris, I wandered the streets around the Palais Royal looking fort that one souvenir that would become the capstone of my time in this city.   I decided that I wanted an old medal from the “Monnaie”, or French mint.   After the American Revolution, when the Patriots wanted to commemorate their victories and heroes, the standard souvenir was a medal.  Franklin began the design process with the help of his friends at the “Monnaie”.  It lost some impetus, but was revived by Jefferson while he was ambassador, before he left Paris to return to the U.S. to serve in George Washington’s cabinet.  My research says that there were 11 medals struck to remember important victories of the war. They were also intended to honor specific heroes. The list reads as you  might expect, but there were also some surprises.  Of course, there was Washington, Horatio Gates, “Mad” Anthony Wayne, and John Paul Jones.   But there was also ones for everyday soldiers.  Another medal that I learned about was one minted to honor the “hero of Two Worlds”, the Marquis de Lafayette.

I did some research, knew what they looked like and even how much they should cost.  Now all I had to do was find them.  There are coin and militaria shops at the Palais Royal and although several knew what I was talking about, no one had anything for me to purchase.   They sent me to the rue de Richelieu.   Up and down the street I went with no luck.  It was then that I was reminded what else was on the this rue.  In her book, Alice calls the rue, Street of  Four American Presidents”.  While I was looking for the medals, I snapped pictures of the spots where many of the “Patriots” lived when they first arrived in Paris. 

At Number 17, John Adams lived for a short time.  Although the original building no longer exists, it was still fun to think about him moving in to what was once an elegant hotel.   Alice and I had a conversation about Adams and his thrifty ways.  He feared that he was not spending the money of his nation as wisely as he should, and when he came back to Paris with more official responsibilities, he moved to the outer parts of the city where real estate was more affordable.

Thomas Jefferson lived in another hotel on this street.  The number was 30, and it too, was once an elegant hotel.  Since he was the “official” ambassador, after the French recognized the U.S. as a country of its own, he believed that it was necessary to establish an embassy.   Consequently, he moved to a spot on the Champs Elysees where he both lived and received representatives of the government.  (He loved shopping for furnishings for the embassy, and since Adams was right about how to spend US. money, Jefferson ended up paying for and keeping many of the furnishing he bought.   Some are still at Monticello).

Although these outside doors often don't look impressive, they usually open to a beautiful courtyard with a garden, parking, and a lovely front door. 

Gouvernor Morris, the American ambassador following Jefferson lived here at Number 63.  Then it was the Hotel Richelieu, and today it is still a hotel, the Malte.  (By the way, my students always ask about this man's name.   "Gouvernor" was the maiden name of his mother, so the family chose to use that name for their first son).  Morris witnessed the Reign of Terror, and was aware of the execution of many aristocrats.   Adrienne, Lafayette's wife was arrested and preparations were being made for her trip to the guillotine.  He and James Monroe intervened and were able to save her.

James Monroe became ambassador after Morris.  He lived in this building that is still a hotel.  He rescued Thomas Paine from prison for speaking out against the violence of the Revolution.  He installed Paine in a room here also.   (Paine was very ill at this time---he later died, and some historians believe that he succumbed from Bright's disease).

The fourth president to reside on rue de Richeleu was not actually a  “Patriot”.  He was John Quincy Adams, who arrived in Paris as ambassador in 1815.  He had lived in Paris previously with his father during the war era.  When he came to Paris during this later time, it was because of his own abilities as a diplomat and statesman. 

No luck on the medals, but I did discover that copies were made for the American Bicentennial in 1976.  I think I would be happy with those.  I’ll keep you posted. 

Tuesday July 24 in Paris

Today I visited a spot that I always wanted to see----La Defense.  It is at the end of Metro Line 1, and was the brainchild of Francois Mitterrand.  It is very different from Paris proper, with skyscrapers, glass and steel buildings, and a huge office and shopping area.  This is modern Paris--no "Patriots" here. I spent the day wandering around, noticing the modern sculptures and buildings, visiting one of the largest shopping centers in Europe, and people watching!

Interestingly, the design was shaped by the "Historical Axis", which starts at the Louvre and continues along the Champs-Elysees, and the Arc de Triomphe.  The culmination is the Grande Arche. This line has been evident and important for many years, but only in recent times was such a huge building project initiated.  The name comes from a statue in the middle of the esplanade.  "La Defense" honors the defenders of Paris during the Franco-Prussian War.

Like another Paris landmark, La Defense was not welcomed by all of Paris, but is had become almost as iconic.  More facts include its size of 110 meters tall by 112 meters deep and it could hold the Notre Dame cathedral within its arch. One more interesting fact;  there is a slight deviation of the Arch along the Historical Axis.  That alteration was needed to keep the underground traffic stations well placed.  Several websites claim that that just makes it a better sight to see and appreciate the "cubic volume".


                                              

© French Moments

Saturday July 21 in Paris

Two more "Patriot" activities today--I finally got to spend some time at  the Jardin des Plantes. Originally, it was called the Royal Garden of Medicinal Plants, and was created for Louis XIII.  His personal physician, Guy de la Brosse, planned it to provide a source for the medicines needed for the king and court.  Over the years it was expanded to its present size, 68 acres,  Thomas Jefferson often walked here and of course made friends with the director,  Comte de Buffon.  They both shared an intense interest in growing things and carried on a friendship long after Jefferson returned to the U.S.  I read one account of their yearly exchange of seeds. in which Jefferson grew pots of plants in a window sill in hopes of  finding products that would improve the life of Americans.  I could imagine Jefferson walking the allees of this place with ideas swirling through his head. A later addition to the Jardin that Jefferson would have loved is the Alpine Garden.  Created in the 1930's, it is the gardeners' attempt to create an environment where plants from different mountain regions could thrive and be studied.  What a success!  There is a male pistachio planted in the 1700's, and male and female kiwis planted in 1900,  The gardeners take credit for introducing the kiwi fruit to Europe. 

A tine water lily pool graces this garden also.

This is a sunken garden so there are many steps and stairs to view the plants.

Aconit Napel  flowers from the Carpathian mountains

I believe this is schist rock, an environment for Himalayan flora. 

Next on the agenda was cooking class!  All of the Patriots, but especially Thomas Jefferson commented on the food they discovered in France.   Franklin suffered from gout while in Paris, ( a condition we believe today comes from a diet concentrating on meat, seafood and alcohol), so we know he was a gourmand.  Writings from all the others make mention of what wonderful discoveries they make on the culinary front.  Of course Jefferson took those discoveries and translated them into his lifestyle.  He brought his slave, James Hemmings, to France to learn the art of French cooking, made sure he grew plants that would support the cuisine, and even developed what some call a Franco-Virginian style of cooking and eating.  

We arrived a the Ecole Conviviale de Cuisine and Art de Vivre with plenty of time to look at the cooking products in the front.  Behind were the instruction kitchens.  We washed our hands, put on our aprons and got started! The chef was enthusiastic and we participated in all aspects of the process.  Along the way, he sprinkled his commentary with information about history, technique, and shopping. 

Let's get started!

Fresh everything from the market earlier in the day.   Chef says that the menu must always be determined by what looks best at the market that day.

Preparing the creme de romain for the fish.  This is a combination of carrots, onions, shallots, garlic rosemary, tomato paste, wine and hot sauce from Louisiana! 

Here's an Indiana connection.  The young lady on the left is the cousin of some of my former students.

Chef called these vegetable flans.  They seemed a bit more like a souffle to me.  No matter, they were delicious.  

Here is our whole class.  Chef only allowed the wine drinking after the chopping  of the food.  

What a great idea to cook the fish.  Cut in strips, make an attractive arrangement, then back.

Beautiful outcome--fish, vegetable, sauce.

Now we eat our work.

Delicious!

Preparing dessert

Presentation is everything

Melting chocolate cake with creme anglais.

Thanks to the Patriots for inspiring this type of learning!

Friday July 20 Extra Edition

While traveling around the city with Matt and  Emily, I stopped to take some pictures in the Rodin Rose Garden.  Take a look.