Outfit: Jeans, Sperrys, and a blush colored shirt with a tie in the back and front detailing.
Meals Eaten: 3
Something I learned: You can visit history at the Louvre. The medieval moat that was once part of its main infrastructure has been kept and put on display there.
Amazingly, time flies in the "city of lights" (or should I say City of Daylight based on the average time of sunset). Clearly, the only way to rightfully finish up my first week in Paris, was to have Breakfast in America, literally. Breakfast in America (B.I.A.) was a guidebook find that seemed to quirky to pass up. Started by Craig Carlson who went to film school and moved to Paris to work on a television show, B.I.A. has classic diner decor and great food. In fact, it was the lack of "good ol' American breakfast food" that gave Carlson the idea to start it in the first place.
Outside of B.I.A.
Located at 17 rue des Ecole, B.I.A. offers pancakes, French toast, and a bottomless mug o' joe. As I sat and ate my chocolate chip pancakes, I had the pleasure of watching two job interviews take place for new waitresses at one of the booths. Apparently, it is a requirement that B.I.A. employees speak English, but they do not have to be fluent in French. Intriguing. The staff was lovely and it was a nice "taste" of home.
After Breakfast in America, it was time to get back to all things French. A short walk took me to the Church of St. Etienne du Mont. If you've seen Woody Allen's film Midnight in Paris, you might recognize the steps of the church and its winding side street. This is the location in which Owen Wilson is picked up by the car that transports him to another time. Aside from the general look of the street, you can tell that it is one and the same based on the cement cylinders with black chain connecting them. If you haven't seen Midnight in Paris, watch it. It is one of my all-time favorite films and I happen to be listening to the soundtrack as I write this post.
The Magical Street from Midnight in Paris
What better way to follow a movie location than with an art museum? Today, I went to the Louvre. Containing approximately 35,000 objects, the Palais du Louvre was built as a fortress in the 12th century and opened as a museum in 1793. In 1874 it attained its current shape and in 1988 it gained the famous (or infamous) Louvre Pyramid (designed by architect I. M. Pei). The Inverted Pyramid was completed in 1993 and within 10 years of its completion Louvre attendance doubled.
The first time I had ever gained exposure to the Louvre was while watching Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen's movie Passport to Paris. Unknowingly, the second time was when I first saw Funny Face. The third time was when I read The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown. However, never could I have possibly imagined its grandeur and the fact that it is impossible to cover even a small portion of its 652,300 square feet in a day.
The Louvre Pyramid (Scandalously I Have Not Seen The Inverse One)
One of the first objects of art that I saw was the Winged Victory of Samothrace. With flights of stairs leading up to it, one can only stare at it in awe. Or in recognition. I had never realized it, but in Funny Face (which is another favorite and must-see) there is a photo shoot sequence. One piece of the sequence involves Audrey Hepburn walking down a flight of steps in a red dress telling Fred Astaire to "take the picture! take the picture!" Little did I realize, but those stairs are in the Louvre and the statue behind her is the Winged Victory. As I stood there looking up at it, I could only feel waves of excitement and magic making my skin tingle.
Winged Victory
The Scene From Funny Face (citation here)
Next I walked through halls of Italian painters' works. It was funny to see the coloring of some of the skin, the creepiness of some baby faces, and the way the crowds got heavier as you headed toward the Mona Lisa.
When it comes to the Mona Lisa, I was expecting to be underwhelmed. People had always told me that it was very small; that the mounds of people surrounding it were annoying. While it is not my favorite painting, I will say that it is worth seeing in person. It is worth pushing your way to the front of the crowd to see the painting with two "beware of pickpockets" signs right next to it. It is not to be missed.
Entering crowds like the ones around the Mona Lisa, I was shocked when I ended up completely alone in a hallway of the Louvre later in the day. It was one of my favorite moments as it felt like a movie where anything could happen and I could peacefully take in the art around me.
Lunch was on the mezzanine level of the Denon wing. Here I ate my fruit salad and took in a view of not only the Louvre grounds, but some of its paintings as well. Some of my favorites in the museum included Eugene Delacroix's "Mort de Sardanapale" and Jean-Louis David's depiction of the coronation of Napoleon and Josephine.
Another Favorite: The Louvre's Very Own Moat
Dinner once again took place at Pizza Marzano overlooking Notre Dame and the Saint Michel area. Their margherita pizza and tiramisu are simply divine.
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