The Luxemburg Garden are always beautiful but when the sun is out, it’s especially wonderful.

Taking a little rest in the sunshine.

Urns filled with flowers and statues-just a small part of all that is there.

A look at the Palace where the Senate meets. They also fund the work of the garden which is why it always looks so great.

A different perspective.

A small Statue of Liberty is there too.

Invalides is a hospital for Veterans-and has been for centuries-which is also where Napoleon is buried.

The gilded roof of the chapel there. It wasn’t always gilded and many liked it better without the gold. It does stand out though and I am always asked what it is when visitors first spot it.

The inside is very striking and there are others buried there along with Napoleon.

Napoleon’s final resting place. As you can see, the exterior isn’t of wood. There are actually six coffins inside the ornate exterior, one inside the other made of iron, mahogany, two of lead, ebony, and the outer one is red porphyry.

Nearby Invalides is the Rodin Museum. You don’t have to pay to go inside if you don’t wish to, but can instead walk around the very nice garden and still see some of Rodin’s sculptures.

The first thing you see when entering the grounds is his sculpture of “The Thinker”.

Along with “The Kiss” which is inside the museum, I think The Thinker is one of his most well known pieces.

The museum is in what was once his home and studio.

As you can see, Invalides is nearby. My grandson was with me and told me that Napoleon’s tomb which is at Invalides, had an exterior of wood. I was sure this wasn’t true, so we went there next.

You are given a sticker when entering the Rodin Museum and people take them off when they leave and put them on various lamp posts and poles up and down the entire street.

I’ve never been to a fashion show before but I always thought it would be fun. My daughter in law, the designer for Lollipops, recently had one. Along with purses, shoes and other accessories, she is now doing some clothing. Since Maurice is her father we got an invitation and got to go. The show took place in her business offices which are done really well and here’s what we saw:

The exterior with a pink, not red, runner.

I’ve long passed the age-and size-where I could wear something like this but I thought it was cute.

There were cute little decorated corners here and there.

One of the models sat in a tub for a while after doing the “runway”.

I’m not sure if this tutu was part of the clothing line but the tshirt was. It’s hard to tell in the photo but the model had her head shaved and her arms were covered with tatoos.

la Maison Champs Elysees is a hotel that has been newly renovated. It is not far off the Champs Elysees on 8 rue Jean Goujon and I decided to check it out since I had recently read about the decoration done by a Belgian named Martin Margiela who uses trompe l’oeil effects making plain walls look like fabulous carved wooden door or lovely ceilings. A very nice door man showed me around a bit on the ground floor. I have to say up front that I am not a fan of this type of design, very spare and severe. I like color and cozy seating and soft lights but I’m sure this is loved by many people. (It’s sort of like the difference between a cool thin woman with blond hair done up in a chignon dressed in a white evening gown with perfect makeup and diamonds galore and a haughty expression on her face or a slightly over weight redhead, hair down and casual, friendly smile, dressed in a soft wool skirt and colorful top with necklaces of many hues. Which would you find more comfortable?) It’s located in what is called “The Golden Triangle”, a shopping area full of high end shops such as Channel and Louis Vuitton. I much prefer the 6th arrondissment which has that unique Parisian ambiance that most Americans love.

The front doors.

A side lobby. Does this look comfy to you? I didn’t like the bright lights or the coverings on the chairs, but then, no one asked me.

The ceiling which doesn’t have actually carvings but, as I said before, trompe l’oeil effects, which looked like blown up photographs to me.

The carpet on the floor designed like the ceiling.

The unique floor in the main lobby.

A very nice outdoor area for eating. You couldn’t hear any traffic noise at all.

Some sections of the wall that could be closed like door and looking like doors too.

New territory in a way. I don’t usually explore around the Champs Elysees area as I find it rather soulless, like a giant outdoor mall but I was in the middle section of the Champs the other day looking for a hotel-more on that to come-and saw some new to me places.

I had read about the new Abercrombie and Fitch store in Paris where they had live male models all over the place for the opening, but didn’t really know where it was until I came across all of these people in line waiting to get in. It’s inside those fancy gates. I’m trying to remember if I ever shopped in an A&F in the States or not. I might have a look inside the store here in Paris one day if I happen upon it and there is no line.

There’s lots of pretty buildings in the area. The President’s residence is across the Champs from here. It was once a very popular place to live. I thought this door looked very elegant.

An interesting looking church on a little side street a ways “inland” from the Champs. I would have gone inside but they were having a funeral.