Housekeeping Chores Even in Paris
Bonjour,
Yesterday was busy doing what we eventually all have to do…laundry and housecleaning. We started early on the laundry since it included bed linen for both beds and used our washing machine/dryer here in the apartment (takes 4 hours!) as well as a lavomatique down the street for the large duvées. It all sounds a bit bizarre, I know, but laundry is arduous and always has been. (We are so, so spoiled in the US as daily chores like this are easy.) It’s safe to leave your clothes when they are locked in the washing machine, but it’s best to sit close by when they are drying. A French lady scolded me for putting the heavy sheets in for 30 minutes! They were still slightly damp so I added yet another 8 minutes or 1 euro. She had already departed, thank goodness.
The whole process is a cultural experience…ha!
About 3pm, we were finally finished except for the dishwasher which takes 3.5 hours, but it’s okay to leave it. We planned to eat dinner at one of our favorite little spots on Ile St. Louis called SORZA only to get a text as we headed in that direction that our reservation could not be honored because they were closed on Mondays. The website is wrong! So, we had to adjust. We people-watched for a long while in front of Miss Manon over coffee because the Bouquet St. Paul, our favorite watering hole, is under major renovation. I knew it would take much longer than 2 weeks which was what they initially told us.
After that, we went in search of a quiet, cool spot for an aperitif without all the cigarette smoke, and ended up at the JOBO hotel. Let me recommend it! JOBO stands for Josephine Bonapart and it’s a hidden delight off Ste. Catherine’s Square. It’s 4-star so if you’re coming to Paris anytime soon and want a really unique place to stay, this is it! The patio is quiet and quaint and the rooms are over-the-top fancy. It also has a great bar and you are steps away from everything Le Marais has to offer. Wish we had the money just to stay here for 78 nights! Ha! The room rate depending on the season is around $500 per night.
We went around the corner and ate in St. Catherine’s Square at one of the small cafés. Dessert was the best…mousse au chocolat.
Today, we were going to Montmartre to check on some artwork that Sharon and Johnny purchased which had never arrived at their home in Arizona. We were all nervous, but I got a text yesterday saying that the painting had arrived. They were thrilled!
We may go to Montmartre anyway for probably our last visit this trip. We wanted to eat lunch at La Maison Rose but, yep, it’s closed on Tuesdays. C’est Paris.
We’re enjoying a cooler day from some rain overnight!
L & B
August 30, 2022 @ 7:39 am
So glad we got that lovely rain in the middle of the night! I think we will have to recover from our busy day yesterday. Looks like tomorrow will be our laundry day. At least you got out to ear in a nice spot. Isn’t that at least half of what Paris is about? Our time is running down. We are trying to enjoy every minute.
August 30, 2022 @ 7:51 am
4 hrs to do laundry, wow… But thats probably because your machine in your apartment is one machine that does both washing and drying?. People use those in NYC to see space ( as they would in Paris ),,, but usually get rid of them after a few years cause they take so long. ( and actually are more expensive cause of electricity use!).. 1 Euro for 8 minutes? Its 35 cents here for 5 in my building, and when I went to a friend across the street when we had a gas leak, her building charged 25 for 7 minutes! Funny, I dont remember doing laundry when I lived in Paris. Trudging ping to a not near by store sticks in my mind… JoBo looks lovely…
August 30, 2022 @ 8:13 am
Yes, we have a washer/dryer combination. If you let it run the 2 hours to wash (and that’s a reduced cycle) and 2 hours to dry, the clothes are truly dry. Otherwise, we have a clothes rack that we can hang them on. Yes, 8 minutes for 1 euro. When we came years ago, it was more like 12 minutes for a euro. I think people here send their sheets to the dry cleaner for laundering. That cost 60 euros about 5 years ago because our landlady had us pick up the sheets and we saw the pre-paid ticket!
August 30, 2022 @ 11:04 am
Even in Paris people have to do mundane tasks! The hotel JoBo looks fabulous. We’d have to win some state’s lottery before staying there.
August 30, 2022 @ 11:13 am
Doing laundry right now with our rental home’s modern, computerized appliances. I’ll have three loads done completely by 9:30 a.m. and will not take this boon for granted. Thinking of you.
August 30, 2022 @ 2:39 pm
It’s always interesting to get a glimpse of what every day is like for residents. Thank you.
August 30, 2022 @ 11:00 pm
Linda, Rachel says one thing she really looks forward to, returning to the States from France, is a decent washer and dryer. Hers also takes hours and, worse, at her house is down two levels of stairs. Do they really serve the mousse in a French canning jar?
August 31, 2022 @ 4:43 am
Yes, some places serve the mousse this way. Not everywhere, but we think it’s kinda of fun.
August 31, 2022 @ 3:48 pm
Just the fact of “every day living” in a foreign place is one of the best cultural experiences and benefits of having a long stay!!! Love the pictures of all the small places you go. I had the BEST dessert at Cafe de la Paix a few years ago. Expensive, but as my father would say, “but just look where you are!!” Well worth it!
September 14, 2022 @ 5:53 am
What a pretty bar! And not so sure about that green either; it used to be black, yes? At least it will be memorable, ha! I believe StCatherine square is where we are one of the first days/nights of my very first visit- right?
September 14, 2022 @ 6:37 am
I honestly don’t remember. Might have been La Place des Vosges.
September 14, 2022 @ 5:58 am
Love Betsy’s comments ☺️❤️