What a fabulous April for my family! My daughter and her husband moved into their first home today, and my son is began his career as an airline pilot last week. It was also birthday month for the two of them. So, I’m sending so much love their way, and we welcome May. Congratulations, my loves!

As for me, I discovered the grocery store to end all grocery stores today. La Grande Épicerie – which is on my street. I’d sort of passed by it a few times, but it’s in the opposite direction of the way I usually walk. For whatever reason, I ventured in today, and wow. There are various places to sit and have coffee and pastries, or wine, or I don’t even know what all. It is huge – several floors – but charming. I don’t know how they pulled that off, but they did. It doesn’t feel anything like a grocery store. I only saw one floor today.

I bought two of those fishnet shopping bags, so I think it’s real now: I’m officially French — especially with the baguette sticking out, non?

I was even offered a frequent shopper’s card at the checkout, and I said, pourquoi pas!

And if that’s not exciting enough, it was also laundry day today. Things are hanging everywhere now, drying. I went all Suzy Homemaker today and cleaned up around here a bit — just keeping things real. Chores happen in Paris, too.

For dinner tonight, I had a “Caesar Salad.” It was so tasty, but nothing like the Caesar Salads at home: Penne and émincés de poulet rôti, Parmigiano Reggiano et tomates semi-séchées, à la sauce Caesar. Except, no, that wasn’t anything like the Caesar dressing I know. It was amazing, though.

Le frigo is stocked now, which means I have two days worth of food. LOL! I kid. It’s three days’ worth. Anyway, I have a freezer that is smaller than the glove compartment of most cars. It has a plastic drop down door, that comes off the hinges every time you open it, so I don’t open it. I made ice cubes months ago, but never used them. I’ve gotten used to life and drinks without ice. It’s possible. And really, everything’s cold enough as is. But I’d forgotten I bought a mini frozen pizza at some point till that door fell off today. That reminded me that I have not had pizza since I got here.

Back to that grocery store for a minute… The charcuterie area in La Grande Épicerie was indescribable. You know how we can find those slim packs of thinly sliced specialty meats/cheeses in the gourmet section for like $12? Well, they have an entire section of all different kinds of meats packaged that way (cheese has its own area!) and they cost 2 -3 euros. Having said that, I did pass by a truffles section – and saw a price of 60 euros for something or other. In addition, there was a butcher shop in the grocery store, a fresh seafood area, and a Cheese shop, of course. Each station is manned by a knowledgeable employee. Wine is paired with different foods throughout. The chocolate section had multiple tall stands of those individual gourmet chocolate bars with 98% cacao and hazlenuts. And the cakes! They take their food so seriously here. Everything area felt more like a nice restaurant. The lighting. Tables here and there. There was no sense of “grocery store.” No Muzak. No TV screens (I’ve seen none since I arrived!) Even the checkout was civilized. All the cashiers are seated at their small stations. It’s all low lighting and civilized. People don’t buy massive “orders” (it’s those small freezers!), so the conveyer belts for each station seem miniature.

I digress.

I think I’ll suggest pizza to Jun for tomorrow night.

Have a good weekend!