PARIS

I did not venture out yesterday - I was exhausted from the flight and virtually no sleep thanks to a screeching baby - all night!! Never encountered that before. Also, it is really cold and I could not pack heavy clothes or boots - no room. I'll have to make do with layering. I'm off to the theatre today and will leave early to do a bit of shopping en route. After the theatre, I am going to a friend's house for dinner - he is making lapin a la moutarde (I will not translate it - Julie will have a fit!!) and we are going to look at all his photos from the Norway cruise. It is snowing now - only 2-5cm (get out your converters - it's not much by our standards), but tomorrow in Belgium, where I am supposed to spend the day, they are to get 15 cm. Not sure if the trip will be a go. Estelle ad I are going to confab late tonight.

Now what did I actually DO yesterday. Well, I stayed at home! Cesar Ritz dreamed of creating the ideal hotel where the rich and famous would feel "at home". Well I aint the rich and famous, but I must say one does feel at home. Everything, from the separate foyer to the room and the doorbell to the impeccable and friendly service really does make it feel as though it is your own apartment in Paris. There is only one main restaurant in the hotel - the Espadon a one-star Michelin establishment where dinner costs $500 with wine - that's for one. Room Service is the way to go. I only wish I could throw the widows open, as I would in spring or summer. The Hemingway Bar is famous, but a drink can set you back $50 and I am not doing that just for the sake of doing it. There is a fabulous spa and one of the largest hotel swimming pools (free, thank goodness) in the world - it is stunning. IF I can get into my suit, I may brave all the surely skinny female guests and try it on Monday. (I've gained 12 lbs - may as well tell you in case you don't recognize me!!!)

In addition to having lunch and dinner in the room, I slept a lot. Got 10 hours sleep last night, so am pretty well caught up.

So,here is the lunch table - a Ritz club - BLT with chicken and egg...same as on the Vic - Gee I wonder where Cunard got the idea? - and a half bottle of Sancerre.



Dinner - clear vegetable soup and a REAL Caesar salad - gorgeous, perfect bib lettuce leaves, shaved Parmesan, the best prawns ever and THE best dressing. I must say, though, that all the portions are enormous - enough for three!



I took a bath in the largest, longest, deepest tub in years - I couldn't even prop my head up on a towel at one end to rea, my feet did not each the end and I kept slipping under. Still, it felt so good after the long flight.

This morning breakfast came at 9 - I was still asleep! Look at this table and note the Herald Tribune! My first x-word in almost 5 weeks!!!!




And here is a photo of the snow on the rooftops of Paris.