I was out the other morning doing some speed walking and was just blown away by the blue sky. It has been gray here for weeks and it is such a spirit lifter to finally see that blue. Of course, since I wrote this the gray skies are back, the temperatures are in the 30′s and snow is expected this weekend.

As usual when I am exercising, I was at Promenade Plantee. This is a bridge that goes over a large expanse of grass where, in the summer, people get out in the sun.

There’s one area where they are always doing artistic looking things, this time with wood.

The promenade takes you between these two buildings which I like the look of.

I’m always taking photos of this police station with the line of sculptures and wonder who thought to do this there.

Someone wrote this on the steps going up to the street. I often call Maurice Frenchy.

Last year I missed the Chinese New Year parade in China Town and was so disappointed. I love going and seeing the colorful costumes, hearing the firecrackers and feeling at times like I am in another country. I thought I had missed it again as the actual day has passed but luckily for me, they had a parade Sunday afternoon. When I read the weather forecast a week ago, rain/snow showers were forecasted. Happily, the weather changed and though it was cold, there were blue skies and a wintery sun.

There were signs like this along the street which I think means good health as I saw one in French too.

Pretty girls everywhere as they wait for the parade to start.

I was wondering why these guys were wearing these pants and finally figured out that they were the dragon that dances down the street. Lots of drums as they move and firecrackers often go off.

I loved all of the color on the parade participants. They are not afraid of color.

This happy guy first did those gangster/rap hand signs but finally changed to this.

The parade hadn’t started yet so these girl’s “horses” were on the ground.

Some more lovely girls.

Took this for the colors.

These ladies did one of those charming dances with fans.

Two dragons fighting. This is the year of the dragon by the way.

I still haven’t been out much except to the grocery store. Part of it is the rainy weather and part is this diet I am on. I almost have to be home to have the food I’m supposed to eat so I’m not dropping into cafes at the moment although I did manage to get a very expensive chicken broquette the other day. I did go to the movies yesterday if that counts. I saw the latest Sherlock Holmes movie which I liked due to the humor but mostly to the fact that some of it was set in Paris which they manage to make look over a century old I’m sure due to computer enhancement. Parts of Paris, of course, don’t need changing as it is still as it has been for hundreds of years.

Now, can you not only rent bicycles in Paris, you can rent little cars. They have space for three of these at Nation but they almost always seem to be gone but I finally saw one the other night.

It’s an electric car and if you look closely you can see the electric cord behind the car. Interesting concept. I’m sure someone will figure out a way to steal one.

Bercy Village seen from on high at the movie theater.

A short video I took at Bercy Village where I often go to see movies at the theater there.

Like millions of French women, according to publicity, I decided to try Dr Dukan’s Diet. It’s fairly easy as the first five days (there are four sections to the diet) consists of just protein as in meat, chicken, fish and other seafood-as much as you want. No veggies, no carbs, no wine and lots of water. The results are rather dramatic and I lost about nine pounds in five days. I was craving something other than meat by the end of those five days and am now in the part of the diet where I can add vegetables every other day-except for potatoes, rice and beans-and, I have to tell you, they taste so good. The weight loss will now slow down but continue but once I reach the weight I want, I switch to the third section and finally the fourth where I am hopefully going to be able to keep the weight off. We will see. I’ve done diets before and usually the weight returns. I’m interested to see if what the Dr. recommends works. I hope so. I didn’t want to go to any businesses, such as Jenny Craig, as I don’t like going in and weighing and all of that. I told a doctor that we go to that I had lost weight on Dr. Dukan’s Diet and she told me that she hated it and that she considered it dangerous and that it would lead to me gaining more weight but if I would make another appointment and come in, she would set me up with her diet. She has “nutritionist” after her MD but I’ve seen part of her diet that she had Maurice on which included soft cheese and a baguette a day which seemed strange to me. I decided to stick with what I am doing and see how it goes.

I watched the first season of Downton Abbey here in Paris a month or so ago and really enjoyed it. I’m looking forward to seeing the second season. It got me to thinking about a lovely home I saw in England the last time I was there with an enormous kitchen which once held a huge staff to keep care of the family there so I went back and looked at the photos. Here are a few of the kitchens which had many separate rooms devoted to various parts of a meal, such as a room for making desserts.

For cleaning up the floors. I thought it was rather decorative.

A pretty container which I think might have been for fermenting things. I could be wrong.

I took this because I liked the blue wall.

This wasn’t in the kitchen but was, in fact, the suitcase of a son who had died in the war. I was amazed at the contents.

I don’t know if the French love Americans(they do)-I am often asked this-but, one thing for sure, they sure do seem to love Americana and cafes set up to look like an American burger joint from the 60′s. I don’t know if it’s due to movies and TV, which I suspect is true, but I am seeing more and more places for American food. The other day I finally got out of the apartment and went out for lunch at a new place called le Fils Rouge.

A look at the menu. It’s not a good place for a diet.

There is, of course, a counter with seats that turn.

Advertising food to go. I saw a young man eating one of those double burgers.

This little tableau was set up in the bathroom behind the toilet. The walls were covered with various American objects and old advertisements.

The door to the toilet. Many French people I have met seem particularly taken with Route 66. Maurice and I traveled along part of it in Arizona a few years ago. There are only sections of it left now but some cafes and stores along Route 66 have that 60′s look.

You have to have a juke box of course. There wasn’t a Fonzi hanging out though.

I still haven’t been outside with my camera. I’m feeling low on energy and drive, especially since it’s going to be raining or misting off and on for the next two weeks. I am going out for lunch today and will have my trusty camera with me so I’m hoping to have some new material. In the meantime, here are some IPhone photos. It’s really fun to use my IPhone for photos as there are all sorts of apps to apply. I recently read about a bunch of new to me apps that I plan to download and give a try.

I love seeing items through blurry glass. This was in a restaurant but I no longer remember the name.

Same place but bottles this time.

A look at the spiral staircase in the lobby of the Louvre Museum.

Maurice’s son told me McDonald’s had a bagel hamburger so one day I gave it a try. It was pretty good but, to tell the truth, I like the regular bun better.