F Train to Paris

In which a Jewish family from Brooklyn moves to Paris, France for two years of work, school, and adventures.

I still have time--just barely--to wish you all a Happy Chanukah. Chanukah has coincided with a cold snap in Paris, which has made the light of the menorahs and the warmth of the latkes all the more welcome. We light three menorahs, one for each kid. On the first night, J. (aka Hankobus, see below) said “I don’t really feel like I need to light my own menorah anymore.” Okay, no problem. But night after night, he has lit one. E. is so proud that he’s allowed to hold the shamash candle and light the other candles himself. I don’t remember if we let him do it last year. By the fourth night he had learned the brachot (blessings) by heart.

Last Wednesday, which was the first bitter cold day, I did a "hike" with a group from an English speaking organization called WICE, which started at the Parc de La Villette and headed south through Paris. The others ultimately got as far as the Seine, or at least they were planning to, but I had to leave early to pick E. up at school. In two and a half hours, we saw a lot but made very little southward progress. (Usually this group hikes in the forest of Fontainebleau, about an hour south of Paris, so I can't get back in time for school pickup. When they hike closer to the city I try to join in.) It was fun to walk around those neighborhoods up in the 19th arrondissement that you never go to--we discovered a charming neighborhood called the "Quartier Americain," because it was built over a gypsum mine that exported to the U.S. It's full of little tree-lined streets of adorable houses.

The kids' school vacation starts on Friday, and I've tried to cram lots of interesting activities into the past week or so to take advantage of my free time while I still have it. Last week I took another cooking class with a teacher named Francoise Meunier, in the 2nd arrondissement near the Bourse. She has a nice, casual style and is good at demystifying things like making caramel. Today, when I dropped E. at school, a group of moms and one dad were spontaneously deciding to go ice skating at the Eiffel Tower, so I went along. You've probably heard about the rink the city of Paris built there. You have to wait on the same line as everyone who wants to go up to the top, but once you're in, the skating is free, including skate rental. The rink is tiny, the ice is a mess (they don't know from Zambonis here), and a class of first graders arrived just after we did, but we had fun.

Tomorrow I will try to go to the Grand Palais to see the Turner, Whistler, Monet exhibit. I bought a card called a Carte Sesame so that I can just go to the special exhibits at the Grand Palais whenever I want, without booking ahead or waiting on line, but I haven't used it yet.

We've had a quiet, pleasant holiday, except for E.'s obsession with presents. I think he really believes he's going to continue getting a present every night, even though I've told him this is the end. We've eaten more latkes than usual this year, partly because J. decided he wanted to learn how to make them, and took over the frying. On Monday, he came home from school and whipped up a batch by himself, from beginning to end. I came home and found the latkes piled up on a platter, ready to be warmed up for dinner. He used liberal amounts of salt, onion, and garlic, and his latkes were amazing. Let me know if you want the recipe!

posted by: pariskleinmans at 22:26 | link | comments (2) |

Comments:

#1  19 December 2004 - 13:52

 

Your style is refreshing and personal and the content, informative. Thanks for letting us in!

By the way, Hankobus' addition certainly spices things up, creating a fabulous dialectic between the poise of L and the wit and edge of H/J's sunripe intelligence. I like "Science". Sounds like the patriarchal super-hero capable of spawning a mischievous family following....and now for fear of being L (for Loser) I will venture forth to strongbad.

Anonymous

#2  19 December 2004 - 14:20

 

...that-smart-lipped-L-for-Lara unlogged-visitor-comment-just-before...that was me!

laraolchanetzky

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