First Day in Paris...Yippee!!!

We made it!  Had the best flight ever coming over here this time.  We upgraded our tickets to first class
with our miles.  Wow what a difference.  Two totally different worlds.  Had  a nice meal (real silverware), each seat had its own computer screen to watch your choice of movies, and the seats reclined all the way flat!  We slept so good I am sure I drooled!  But I wouldn't know, I was sleeping.  The service was excellent, the luggage came off first in line, and we were out smiling.

Landed at 9:30 am, taxi'd to the apartment,  and by 11:00 am we were sitting with G & J in a sidewalk cafe having a glass of wine with lunch!  I love this place!  The weather is warm.  Shorts will work for a while yet.  Then we'll start layering up.

We went to 2 new places tonight with Gerald & Jody.  The first was a newly opened wine tasting bar.  Different from any other place I have been.  They had 80 to 100 wines to choose from incased in glass windows on display.  You push a button and all the info comes up on a screen to preview each bottle of
your choice. 

It tells about the vineyard, how old, how much is produced, where located, what concentration of merlot, sangiovese, cabernet, etc, is in each bottle, and the label info of course.  You can choose to have just a small amount for tasting and most of them were from 1 to 4 euros each.  They go up from there for a half
glass pour, to a full glass.  Great opportunity to taste many local wines until you find the ones you really like.

You purchase a wine "card" and you charge it with euros.  Think "pre-paid" phone card.  Then you insert the card into the window with the wine of  your choice, and push the button, small, medium, or large pour.  You keep recharging you card whenever you revisit.  It was modern, chic, attractive, and if you call ahead and make reservations they will have a cheese tasting plate available for your table. 
We will be doing that next week when Newton and Karen get here.

After the tasting we walked two blocks away to a new restaurant.  G told us there's a new place that has a sign in the window that reads (in French) "Open Thurs only, for Dinner".  That sounded unusual enough we had to try it.  We had an amazing dinner, and great service from the owner and his wife. 
We were the only 4 people in the place.  It was amazing.  Another winner on the fly.

As it turns out, they are open every day for lunch and just re-opened for dinner tonight, their first night back from vacation.  We started with fresh baked bread, with a nice crispy cool Chablis and we were all asked if we prefer to see a menu or have typical French Cuisine served as he preferred to make from what he had  fresh.  We of course choose door #2 and he started bringing courses.  One of the big winners was a fresh delightful Foie Gras served with fresh bread and a snifter of sweet flavored Apertif.  It was so buttery, none of us could remember having a better one.  It was light pink in color and did not resemble AT ALL the canned stuff we've had so many times before.  It was fantastic.  Then we all had fresh scallops served with Langostines and veg.  After dinner the owner brought out a bottle of Armangnac from 1973. 
It was another fantastic experience not to be forgotten.  And its only our first day!!! Yippee!!! 
Will pin up pictures next time.  K