Paris, Saturday evening

Hello; a very short update on What People Look Like: those down quilted sweater-jackets on everyone aged three to eighty.

When the temperature dips below 57F/14C, Parisiennnes haul out down, thick woolens, over the knee boots and scarves big as bedsheets. Canadians find that weather almost mild enough for a t-shirt. I met Huguette at the Grand Palais for the "50 Years of Mexican Art" exhibit. I wore a light padded jacket over a midweight t-shirt; she wore a below-the-knee wool skirt, heavy tights, a down vest under a wool coat, gloves, and a wool felt fedora.

This woman reading in the Jardin du Luxembourg was a compromise, and I liked her red accessories:




At home in a comfortable apartment, we eat as many French oysters as Le Duc will shuck... if you like them too, you'll now how good these are:


 In a week we'll fly home to snowflakes in the air, but for now, the winding streets invite more steps and enchantments. But home is best, isn't it?

See you soon. 




Comments

I was holding off posting, as no one else seems to have done so. I don't remember Parisians bundling up so much before winter set in when I went there more often, 20-30 years ago. The young French immigrants here do the same, wearing Canada Goose parkas with fur when it is above 0°C and not a speck of snow on the ground, while we hold off as long as possible, meaning it is the beginning of months of misery and ugly clothing.

I do recognise the quality and beauty of those oysters, though I must confess (inner plouc?) that I don't like raw oysters. I love them poached a bit, and have no problem whatsoever with sashimi or ceviche. It is a texture problem; I can't stand slimy things.

Yes, Paris is also a lovely place to "eat in". Have a wonderful stay!
LauraH said…
Lovely to hear from you in Paris. As always your street observations evoke a sense of time and place...interesting that Parisians bundle up so quickly. It's so mild here this week that I've gone back to some of my lighter clothing and had the doors open this afternoon. Leaves are just starting to turn, still plenty of green. This warm prolonged fall is wonderful....hope you catch some of it on your return.
materfamilias said…
Just came back from oysters at the market here - un dégustation of 6, with bread and butter on a paper plates, for 6 euros, glass of white another 2, perfection in the sunshine. We're not confident shuckers, so don't bother taking them at home, and they're too cheap here to need to. Delicious!
Also noticing the ubiquity of the down -- and although the days are still climbing to high teens, even squeaking just above 20 here, folks are already bundling.
Always a delight to see, taste, hear through your writing. xo, f
materfamilias said…
and I know, I know, dégustation is feminine. Une dégustation, yikes!
Madame Là-bas said…
I love to see the vendors from Cancale with their oysters for sale. The down sweater does seem very popular. Enjoy!
Oh yes those puffy vests and coats are coming out when the temperatures dip.
I do love a raw oyster especially when it is served with a mignonette sauce...pure bliss and even tastier when eaten in Paris!
The same puffy jackets that were all over Rome - Uniqlo must be laughing all the way to the bank! And it was so warm in Rome, the jackets were madly inappropriate. There will always be those among us who prefer style over comfort and good sense!

Have a glorious time...

hugs,
Janice
Janice, I've always found those puffy jackets absolutely ludicrous as worn on warm Roman evenings; moreover I don't find them attractive in the slightest - we have to wear things like that because it gets to cold in Montréal. Especially in light of the exquisite Italian woollens. Though I am concerned about my friends in Umbria right now.
Mary said…
It is funny what each of us considers as cold enough for winter wear. I remember the first winter I lived in MN when the temps seemed to hover between -10 and +10(F) for weeks at a time. I started out wearing a down coat, but my body learned to adapt. By the time temps made it up to the 20(F), the heaviest item I wore was a sweater. Forget a coat.

Your time is Paris sounds delightful. Hope it isn't too chilly upon your return home.
Araminta said…
Here in London you can't guess the temperature by glancing out of the window at the passers-by. Some people are in tee-shirts and sandals, others in boots and winter coats. It does get pretty chilly in December and January, the more so because of the damp climate, but the daft but popular fashions during the winter are the sleeveless coat, or the thin, edge to edge, open front "coatigan", both seemingly designed to keep extensive bits of you cold and exposed to the chilly wind. I'm with the Parisians and go with a Uniqlo feather-light down jacket under a rain coat or with a wool coat when the weather is bad.

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