Paris, day 2

After some croissants (thanks Micah!) Zoe and I headed over to the Eiffel Tower where we queued up to walk up the stairs.  Going to Paris to see the Eiffel tower seems like a bit of a cliché, and I was really only doing it for Zoe, but I have to admit that there is something magical about it.

Zoe impressed me with her stair climbing skills, and we were soon at the second level, looking down on Paris.  A Scottish couple behind us in line had advised us to not stop at level one or two, but go all the way to the top, and stop at the other levels on the way down, which we did.  I think it worked out pretty well, because we hardly waited at all for the elevator to the top and were able to look around relatively unhindered.

Next stop: the RER.  We stopped at the cool living facade of the Branly that Micah and Ali had shown us the night before:

I wanted to go to a very highly rated vietnamese restaurant called Saigon Pantheon near the Luxembourg gardens, but after a lot of walking and negotiating with Zoe, we arrived to find it closed!  We went to another one nearby which actually had some pretty good Pho.  

From there, we went to the Menagerie, which Zoe heartily enjoyed.  I find zoos somewhat torturous, but this one was not too bad.

At this point, Zoe was starting to flag, so we walked to the Seine by way of the Tour d'Argent

to enjoy the fabulous weather

People were sunning themselves on the banks of the Seine, and the occasional boat would pass by, overflowing with tourists.  I wondered if I would get seasick even on the calm waters of the Seine.  I also wondered whether anyone had ever kiteboarded in between Ile de la Cité and Pont de la Tournelle.  It looks big enough!  I couldn't find anything on google and was jolted out of my kiteboarding reverie by a yacht motoring by, with every inch of it's decks occupied by bikini clad ladies.  We were supposed to meet my old friend Glen for coffee, but when he texted me to tell me he would be late, I knew I couldn't delay any longer and Zoe and I began the walk home.  Somehow we had a little trouble finding Metro stations, but we did come across a bridge covered with locks

and the restaurant where I proposed to Chloe, eleven years ago

By the time we got back to Micah and Ali's, Zoe was like a little zombie.  I set her up with some pens and paper and that was pretty much it for her, for the day.

The parents, however, were in for a treat!  A babysitter had been arranged in advance, and reservations made at le Concert de Cuisine.  We walked over to the resto, which is s small room with a fully open kitchen with one chef, one sous chef and one saucier (?). 

 The chef was in front of the grill, which would periodically erupt into an impressive fireball. The chef's movements were precise and economical:  no Benihana malarky here!  The meal itself was fantastic -- probably the best that I have had in the last few years.  Simple, fresh ingredients, perfectly cooked and plated, but with some excellent creative touches.

It was a wonderful meal, with excellent company.