Day 5 of my Parisian adventure was again full of highlights, too many to mention really. The factor that helped day 5 stand out from the previous days (and trips) was finally relying on the Parisian metro. I was able to fit in twice the amount of site seeing and in much better spirits as I wasn't totally wet, exhausted and cold all day!
I began the day by staying close to home, on the Ile St. Louis. The small island really is a self sufficient city within the larger whole and full of significant and historical hotel particuliers.
Afterwards, I was able to finally visit one of these stunning mansions, the Jacquemart-Andre Museum in the 17th. 
I'm only slightly embaressed to admit that I've wanted to visit this stunning hotel particulier since watching the movie Gigi, where it stands in as the family home of Gaston.
The rest of the day was spent wandering through the city, stopping into numerous churches (hearing the monks sing at the St Gervais St Protais was awe-inspiring), shopping at such yummy spots as Fauchon and along the Rue St Honore.
During the evening, I had the pleasure of meeting noted architectural watercolorists Andrew Zega and Bernd Dams at their stylish apartment for drinks. 
I was interested to learn their art really is a dual effort: Bernd (with his German precision) does the drafting while the watercolor is applied by Andrew. Of course the bulk of the effort, the research, is done jointly as evidenced partly by their enviable book collection, seen in part in the first image.
If you haven't already, be sure to check out their blog NOTED, linked from my bloglist on the sidebar. Also their website, architecturalwatercolors.com, is regularly updated. Look forward to future posts on all of these items!
During the evening, I had the pleasure of meeting noted architectural watercolorists Andrew Zega and Bernd Dams at their stylish apartment for drinks. I was interested to learn their art really is a dual effort: Bernd (with his German precision) does the drafting while the watercolor is applied by Andrew. Of course the bulk of the effort, the research, is done jointly as evidenced partly by their enviable book collection, seen in part in the first image.If you haven't already, be sure to check out their blog NOTED, linked from my bloglist on the sidebar. Also their website, architecturalwatercolors.com, is regularly updated. Look forward to future posts on all of these items!
You may recall my visit nearly 2 years ago and my many many posts (and pictures!) of the chateau so I won't deluge you now but you can of course reference them through my blog search feature in the toolbar.
A leisurely delicious lunch was spent at Angelina's in Versailles which included some of their famously decadent desserts. The hot chocolate IS as good as they claim and the Mont Blanc could feed a family of four for at least a week (if that family lived on sugar alone). Sinful; as was the fois gras which was probably the most delicious thing I've eaten in my entire life.
Of course, no visit to Versailles is complete without a visit to the Petit Trianon, forever associated with Marie Antoinette whose bed at Versailles you see above.
I spent much of the day with the talented photographer Cedric Benetti, whom you may know from his fantastic blog Paris 2E (see link in my blog list). 
Cedric has started giving guided tours of the city, mostly spots off the main tourist beat, and with his background in art and architectural history he makes the perfect erudite guide. See information on his many tours at 
Highlights included the Opera Comique,tea at Le Grande Hotel across from the Opera Garnier (the Inter-Continental), an insider tour of the Ecole des Beaux Arts (where the architectural profession was born, so dear to my heart), the Louvre (where Cedric studied) and finally a walk through St. Germain des Pres.
One of my favorite spots we saw today was L'hotel, also known as the Oscar Wilde hotel. Impossibly charming, right in the heart of St Germain, the hotel's restaurant is one which I plan on visiting later this week and hope to stay during a future visit. Tomorrow, Versailles and I'm so excited to visit it again that I doubt I will be able to sleep!
As it's Monday, many places were closed and I spent the day visiting old haunts; the Rue St Honore and the Palais Royale on my way into the 17th for dinner at Le Relais de Venise. I highly recommend it for dinner but arrive early and be prepared to wait in line. They also have a restaurant in NYC at 590 Lexington Avenue.
Green Valley Christmas Trees 
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