Saturday, January 15, 2011
June 2010 Update from France and the U.S.
June 1, 2010 Paris, France
SIM card. Carousel. H&M for warm clothes. Lunch at sidewalk cafe: 4 sandwiches, FF, sodas. near Beauborg, Kids tired by 3pm.
June 2, 2010
Cite des enfants, geode ocean movie (63E), hippodrom(?) for lunch (50E). Fed pigeons at Notre Dame, Badri paid 8E and climbed 400+ steps to top. I went in free line with kids through Catedrale. Lg stained glass beautiful. Saint Rita.
June 3, 2010
Wandered around Quartier Latin, cafe for coffee and 4E oranginas, street performers fun.
Really warmed up today.
June 4, 2010
Left hotel at 9:40am. Reached top of Eiffel Tower at 12:05pm. By 12:50, on way down. Tour d'eiffel 53E + 12E for 2 cafes, 2 beignets and 1 pain au chocolat.
Had a picnic below the tour d'eiffel
Took Vedettes parisiennes 2-3:15pm. About 46E for family. Gorgeous. Charlie fell asleep in my arms. Early dinner at Leon de bruxelles, a chain restaurant serving mussels 4-6pm a la terrasse. Great people watching.
Rue de lappe, used to be gangster lane, but about 20 years ago changed. Cielito lindo, thai, cuban-havanita. 1990. Que pasa. so much smoking!!
Metal pointus across from hotel baudelaire, down rue de lappe to right.
Grapes from India. Namdharis written on box!! At alimentation generale in bastille neighborhood. rue de la roquette.
Free jazz concerts every sat and sun in June in Parc floral de paris (metro chateau de vincennes).
Joey's graduation today.
June 5, 2010
Relaxed departure. 10:40am. to Montmartre and Sacre Coeur. Taught girls how to take holy water and do sign of the cross. Put coins in box for Virgin Mary and Saint Rita.
Paul Laszlo sketched in charcoal Maya and Molly 40E. Kelly necklace at Anokhi 8E (later gifted to Patty). Kids ice cream 5E. 2 cafes 11E. Batteries, baguette, milk, OJ: 30E.
Bought tin jewelry coated in silver at metal pointu's bijoux: earrings, necklace and bracelet with money Janaki auntie left me.
June 6, 2010
Another late start: 11:30. It comes from staying up late with the late sunset. Breakfast, kids helped hang clothes on line, did some math and reading before giong to Luxembourg garden. Reached park by 12:15.
Charlie and Maya collecting pine cones, Molly climbing tree. Swish toilet at Odeon Place in basement. Badri not feeling great--sore throat since day before yesterday.
2E to rent a sailboat on pond in front of Luxembourg Palace for Maya and Charlie. Went to paying playground with Molly: 2.50E/kid, 1.2E/adult. Popsicles 2E each. Cafe au lait 2.5E each.
Work/life balance a little better here than in Bangalore. Hardly any dads on mobiles at playground compared to many in Bangalore.
Went to Theatre du Luxembourg. Fondation Robert Desarthis. 4.5E ticket. Les trois petits cochons en 2 tableaux (There Little Pigs).
Got pizza at what Clarisse (the apartment manager) says is the best place in Paris. A couple from Perth sat at our table. They bought a one bedroom third floor walk-up apartment in Paris in 2002 for 140,000E and it's more than doubled in value, in le Marais.
June 6, 2010
10:30 departure. Ran into Clarisse who led us on shortcut to the Bastille open air market. Fantastic fish, vegetables, fruit, bread, bubbling cauldrens of chateaubriand, paella and other one dish ready-to-eat meals.
Kids played in fenced in park while we were at market. Then went to the Louvre. Huge line, and didn't realize until we got in that today is the first Sunday of the month, so we got in free.36E savings. Before we got in Molly had to go to the bathroom, so we walked across the Seine until we found one hotel open. Jemiel, the front desk person, was a sweetheart and let us in to use the loo.
Saw the Mona Lisa in Denon wing and Charlie was exhausted. Badri took girls to see Egyptian exhibit while he rested.
Tip of the day: choose cafe au lait over capaccino--more coffee, less foamy cream, and one euro less. 17E at Louvre McDonald (yes, there's a "forum" mall attached to the Louvre now, with McDs). 4E for happy meal including sandwich, chery tomatoes or fries, toy, drink, applesauce or yogurt. One euro to use the toilet at Louvre forum (apx $1.33). Order sandwich and drink separately and cost is 3.30E plus 1.50E.
June 7, 2010
Woke up at 7:15am. 10:05 left for airport. Got Clarisses's address:
Clarisse de Buzonniere
68 Boulevard Beaumarchais
75011 Paris France
+33 686651422
Clarissedebu@gmail.com
Flight Air France 0332 13:40.
Charlie's quote of the day: "Where you live first, you miss a lot" said on the way to the Charles de Gaulles airport. I think he was saying he already missed Bangalore.
Had such fun chatting with security about not being able to take the cassis home that later we thought Maya lost her back. But we discovered we'd left it back at security.
Flight went fine, but it was a huge plane and not very new: first time in quite a while we had to watch a movie on a shared screen: Valentine's Day and Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief.
Mary picked us up around 3pm and we switched to our car at her house. Said hi to Andrew, Max, Alex, and Mom, and went to Methuen. Chilly weather. Stuffed cabbage for dinner. To bed by 7:30pm. Exhausted. Just lost 8 hours in flying time.
June 8, 2010
Up by 6:30 with Charlie and Mom. I wondered why Mom left a bathrobe in my room yesterday and this morning I knew why--it was chilly out! Charlie kept warming his hands over my coffee.
Badri mowed Mom's lawn today.
Went to park near Mom's house by 9:30. Walked two miles (about four loops) while Mom watched kids on playground. Two dogs--Bailey and Romeo--that the kids adored. Spaghetti for lunch. Yum. Kids helped around the house--washing and drying the car, clipping vines. Then they climbed tree in Mom's front yard. Played with next door neighbor's kids CJ and Luke. Then I took them to Chuck E Cheese for one hour, 30 tokens total.
June 9, 2010
Went to Mary's after lunch and hiked in the Harold Parker State Park, then had a cookout at her house.
Badri had a meeting in Waltham with Healthcare Analytics.
Veronique, Emmanuel, Matthias, Marie, and Jasmine left for France today.
June 10, 2010
Kids did math for the 2nd or 3rd time since coming home. Trying to do math and reading daily. By the time school starts in September, they'll have had five months off.
Went to play with Max and Alex. Rode bikes and scooters behind Mary's. Made rajma for dinner. Mom came over. Kids had a blast on the swingset in the backyard and with water guns.
I took a nice long walk to Harold State Forest on my own.
June 11, 2010
Lincoln pool opens.
June 12, 2010
Went up to Ski and Elena's in York, Maine for Elena's graduation barbecue. Lobster bake with clams, lots of Greek appetizers: tzaziki, stuffed grape leaves, steamers. Aunt Tula and Uncle George and Aunt Victoria and Elena's mom Maria and husband Michael. They all came over in the 70s from Greece. It's amazing how they've held on to their Greek accents. Living in California and Maryland.
Went to Mark and Sandy Gagnon's for Kate's high school graduation party. Unbelievable how the kids who had been little squirts only [what seems like] yesterday are walking around bald and with pot bellies.
June 13, 2010
Met Erin and a diner in Lowell for breakfast. Terrific catching up.
June 14, 2010
Went to the Lincoln School with Mom and the kids. Met with Stephen McKenna and Sharon \Hobbs, the K-4 and 5th-8th principals.
Afterwards headed over to Cindy's twin sons' birthday party at an Andover club. Cindy's a friend of Mary's. Mom used to babysit the twins when they were first born.
June 15, 2010
Drove to Woburn at 8:30am. Mom brought back the car and we took the 9am bus to Logan for an 11:20 flight to Miami for Badri's interview with the start up. I didn't have a photo i.d., so security took about 20 minutes questioning me to verify who I was. They asked me lots of questions, but the one that did it was when I told them we owned a home in Lincoln, MA (even thought we weren't living in it yet). Badri had gone through security with the kids when they started questioning me. I'd just been so used to Badri carrying the passports when we traveled over the last six years. I'd rarely used my driver's license in India, so had just packed it up with everything. It all turned out okay in the end.
Stayed at a great service apartment in Miami on the 9th floor, with a pool and fitness club on the 7th with a view of the canal, trees, Nordstrom, JC Penney's, etc. While I was on the treadmill I could watch the kids swimming. Had dinner at a Pan Asian restaurant about two minutes walk away.
Celtics lost to the LA Lakers in the playoffs tonight.
Kids went swimming and I read while Badri exchanged the rental car: the GPS system didn't work and one passenger seat armrest had been broken off. Poor quality for Hertz.
June 16, 2010
Badri went to interview with Third Solutions. I spoke with realtor about rentals. Very tight market in Coral Gables and Pinecrest. $3100 + 3700/mo for 4 bedroom. People renting rather than buying since housing market still going down. Schools reputation down here pretty bad except Pinecrest and Coral Gables.
June 17, 2010
Looked at houses with Guillermo. Very depressing. Stopped at Mexican restaurant for yummy lunch.
Went to Miami Beach. Swam in very warm ocean for a couple hours. Lime rickey conditions.
Back at the apartment, kids went swimming and Badri and I worked out. Made mango chicken and Joe came to dinner. Watched celtics lose to L.A. Lakers in game 7 of the Championship Series.
June 18, 2010
Kids did journals and Bridegwork (workbooks to work on during the summer between grades) so their brains don't get rusty while out of school for five months. Went swimming by 11am. Badri and I slept til 9am!
June 19, 2010
Headed to Naples for Saturday through Monday to visit Patty, Joe, and the kids. 2 1/4 hour drive. Swam in pool. Had steak and salmon for dinner.
June 20, 2010
Went to Clam Pass beach all together. Great fun swimming and jumping into the water from trees along the shore.
Went out to eat for Father's Day with Patty, Joe, Katie, and her boyfriend Diego.
June 21, 2010
Patty colored and cut my hair. Left Naples by 1:30 and arrived in Miami by 3:30.
June 22, 2010
Molly and Charlie went swimming and i worked out while Badri went on Third Solutions interview. Maya didn't swim because the water was too cold(!).
Left service apartment 12:50pm for Ft. Lauderdale Airport. Leave 1pm. Flight 3:37. Arrive 6:54.
June 23, 2010
Badri had an interview with Shiva Kumar at IBM in NY.
I went to Logan with Mary to pick up our air shipment.
Went to Pomps Pond with Mary. An idyllic place with docks to swim out to and jump off of.
Started to swim at Barry Pond, but Alex got a fish hook in his foot and Mary stubbed her toe. They left with Maya and Badri and I went for a 45 minute walk with Molly and Charlie. Molly was in her element.
Went to Weathervane for dinner. Then Molly and Charlie stayed at Mary's, and Maya and Alex came with us to Mom's.
June 24, 2010
Maya and Alex spearheaded the lemonaide stand enterprise, and Max and Charlie helped.
Mom provided the haddock, and I cooked them up at Mary's for dinner.
June 25, 2010
Went to Pomp Pond swimming with the kids. Badri had an interview with Enernoc. We picked him up afterwards at the train.
June 26, 2010
Helped mom bring stuff to yard sale.
Went hiking in Newburyport at Maudsley State Park with Molly and Charlie. Got an annual pass for state parks. Took the Pasture Trail.
June 27, 2010
Visited Prajna and Andre. Swam at the club pool in Framingham with them and their sons Adam (8) and Owen (12) . All the kids got along great. Molly loved Checkers, the rat they're ratsitting for a neighbor.
June 28, 2010
Camp starts at Andover 9-3. Got kids settled. The kids go to Pomps pond from 10-12:30, then are at the Recreation Park til 3pm.
Went for a walk with Badri. It was like the old days--going on walks by ourselves.
Molly started gym at Gymstreet in Wilmington. Teacher Sam is very nice and Molly had a great time. $163 for 10 lessons.
June 29, 2010
Badri had lunch in Woburn with Third Solutions board member.
SIM card. Carousel. H&M for warm clothes. Lunch at sidewalk cafe: 4 sandwiches, FF, sodas. near Beauborg, Kids tired by 3pm.
June 2, 2010
Cite des enfants, geode ocean movie (63E), hippodrom(?) for lunch (50E). Fed pigeons at Notre Dame, Badri paid 8E and climbed 400+ steps to top. I went in free line with kids through Catedrale. Lg stained glass beautiful. Saint Rita.
June 3, 2010
Wandered around Quartier Latin, cafe for coffee and 4E oranginas, street performers fun.
Really warmed up today.
June 4, 2010
Left hotel at 9:40am. Reached top of Eiffel Tower at 12:05pm. By 12:50, on way down. Tour d'eiffel 53E + 12E for 2 cafes, 2 beignets and 1 pain au chocolat.
Had a picnic below the tour d'eiffel
Took Vedettes parisiennes 2-3:15pm. About 46E for family. Gorgeous. Charlie fell asleep in my arms. Early dinner at Leon de bruxelles, a chain restaurant serving mussels 4-6pm a la terrasse. Great people watching.
Rue de lappe, used to be gangster lane, but about 20 years ago changed. Cielito lindo, thai, cuban-havanita. 1990. Que pasa. so much smoking!!
Metal pointus across from hotel baudelaire, down rue de lappe to right.
Grapes from India. Namdharis written on box!! At alimentation generale in bastille neighborhood. rue de la roquette.
Free jazz concerts every sat and sun in June in Parc floral de paris (metro chateau de vincennes).
Joey's graduation today.
June 5, 2010
Relaxed departure. 10:40am. to Montmartre and Sacre Coeur. Taught girls how to take holy water and do sign of the cross. Put coins in box for Virgin Mary and Saint Rita.
Paul Laszlo sketched in charcoal Maya and Molly 40E. Kelly necklace at Anokhi 8E (later gifted to Patty). Kids ice cream 5E. 2 cafes 11E. Batteries, baguette, milk, OJ: 30E.
Bought tin jewelry coated in silver at metal pointu's bijoux: earrings, necklace and bracelet with money Janaki auntie left me.
June 6, 2010
Another late start: 11:30. It comes from staying up late with the late sunset. Breakfast, kids helped hang clothes on line, did some math and reading before giong to Luxembourg garden. Reached park by 12:15.
Charlie and Maya collecting pine cones, Molly climbing tree. Swish toilet at Odeon Place in basement. Badri not feeling great--sore throat since day before yesterday.
2E to rent a sailboat on pond in front of Luxembourg Palace for Maya and Charlie. Went to paying playground with Molly: 2.50E/kid, 1.2E/adult. Popsicles 2E each. Cafe au lait 2.5E each.
Work/life balance a little better here than in Bangalore. Hardly any dads on mobiles at playground compared to many in Bangalore.
Went to Theatre du Luxembourg. Fondation Robert Desarthis. 4.5E ticket. Les trois petits cochons en 2 tableaux (There Little Pigs).
Got pizza at what Clarisse (the apartment manager) says is the best place in Paris. A couple from Perth sat at our table. They bought a one bedroom third floor walk-up apartment in Paris in 2002 for 140,000E and it's more than doubled in value, in le Marais.
June 6, 2010
10:30 departure. Ran into Clarisse who led us on shortcut to the Bastille open air market. Fantastic fish, vegetables, fruit, bread, bubbling cauldrens of chateaubriand, paella and other one dish ready-to-eat meals.
Kids played in fenced in park while we were at market. Then went to the Louvre. Huge line, and didn't realize until we got in that today is the first Sunday of the month, so we got in free.36E savings. Before we got in Molly had to go to the bathroom, so we walked across the Seine until we found one hotel open. Jemiel, the front desk person, was a sweetheart and let us in to use the loo.
Saw the Mona Lisa in Denon wing and Charlie was exhausted. Badri took girls to see Egyptian exhibit while he rested.
Tip of the day: choose cafe au lait over capaccino--more coffee, less foamy cream, and one euro less. 17E at Louvre McDonald (yes, there's a "forum" mall attached to the Louvre now, with McDs). 4E for happy meal including sandwich, chery tomatoes or fries, toy, drink, applesauce or yogurt. One euro to use the toilet at Louvre forum (apx $1.33). Order sandwich and drink separately and cost is 3.30E plus 1.50E.
June 7, 2010
Woke up at 7:15am. 10:05 left for airport. Got Clarisses's address:
Clarisse de Buzonniere
68 Boulevard Beaumarchais
75011 Paris France
+33 686651422
Clarissedebu@gmail.com
Flight Air France 0332 13:40.
Charlie's quote of the day: "Where you live first, you miss a lot" said on the way to the Charles de Gaulles airport. I think he was saying he already missed Bangalore.
Had such fun chatting with security about not being able to take the cassis home that later we thought Maya lost her back. But we discovered we'd left it back at security.
Flight went fine, but it was a huge plane and not very new: first time in quite a while we had to watch a movie on a shared screen: Valentine's Day and Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief.
Mary picked us up around 3pm and we switched to our car at her house. Said hi to Andrew, Max, Alex, and Mom, and went to Methuen. Chilly weather. Stuffed cabbage for dinner. To bed by 7:30pm. Exhausted. Just lost 8 hours in flying time.
June 8, 2010
Up by 6:30 with Charlie and Mom. I wondered why Mom left a bathrobe in my room yesterday and this morning I knew why--it was chilly out! Charlie kept warming his hands over my coffee.
Badri mowed Mom's lawn today.
Went to park near Mom's house by 9:30. Walked two miles (about four loops) while Mom watched kids on playground. Two dogs--Bailey and Romeo--that the kids adored. Spaghetti for lunch. Yum. Kids helped around the house--washing and drying the car, clipping vines. Then they climbed tree in Mom's front yard. Played with next door neighbor's kids CJ and Luke. Then I took them to Chuck E Cheese for one hour, 30 tokens total.
June 9, 2010
Went to Mary's after lunch and hiked in the Harold Parker State Park, then had a cookout at her house.
Badri had a meeting in Waltham with Healthcare Analytics.
Veronique, Emmanuel, Matthias, Marie, and Jasmine left for France today.
June 10, 2010
Kids did math for the 2nd or 3rd time since coming home. Trying to do math and reading daily. By the time school starts in September, they'll have had five months off.
Went to play with Max and Alex. Rode bikes and scooters behind Mary's. Made rajma for dinner. Mom came over. Kids had a blast on the swingset in the backyard and with water guns.
I took a nice long walk to Harold State Forest on my own.
June 11, 2010
Lincoln pool opens.
June 12, 2010
Went up to Ski and Elena's in York, Maine for Elena's graduation barbecue. Lobster bake with clams, lots of Greek appetizers: tzaziki, stuffed grape leaves, steamers. Aunt Tula and Uncle George and Aunt Victoria and Elena's mom Maria and husband Michael. They all came over in the 70s from Greece. It's amazing how they've held on to their Greek accents. Living in California and Maryland.
Went to Mark and Sandy Gagnon's for Kate's high school graduation party. Unbelievable how the kids who had been little squirts only [what seems like] yesterday are walking around bald and with pot bellies.
June 13, 2010
Met Erin and a diner in Lowell for breakfast. Terrific catching up.
June 14, 2010
Went to the Lincoln School with Mom and the kids. Met with Stephen McKenna and Sharon \Hobbs, the K-4 and 5th-8th principals.
Afterwards headed over to Cindy's twin sons' birthday party at an Andover club. Cindy's a friend of Mary's. Mom used to babysit the twins when they were first born.
June 15, 2010
Drove to Woburn at 8:30am. Mom brought back the car and we took the 9am bus to Logan for an 11:20 flight to Miami for Badri's interview with the start up. I didn't have a photo i.d., so security took about 20 minutes questioning me to verify who I was. They asked me lots of questions, but the one that did it was when I told them we owned a home in Lincoln, MA (even thought we weren't living in it yet). Badri had gone through security with the kids when they started questioning me. I'd just been so used to Badri carrying the passports when we traveled over the last six years. I'd rarely used my driver's license in India, so had just packed it up with everything. It all turned out okay in the end.
Stayed at a great service apartment in Miami on the 9th floor, with a pool and fitness club on the 7th with a view of the canal, trees, Nordstrom, JC Penney's, etc. While I was on the treadmill I could watch the kids swimming. Had dinner at a Pan Asian restaurant about two minutes walk away.
Celtics lost to the LA Lakers in the playoffs tonight.
Kids went swimming and I read while Badri exchanged the rental car: the GPS system didn't work and one passenger seat armrest had been broken off. Poor quality for Hertz.
June 16, 2010
Badri went to interview with Third Solutions. I spoke with realtor about rentals. Very tight market in Coral Gables and Pinecrest. $3100 + 3700/mo for 4 bedroom. People renting rather than buying since housing market still going down. Schools reputation down here pretty bad except Pinecrest and Coral Gables.
June 17, 2010
Looked at houses with Guillermo. Very depressing. Stopped at Mexican restaurant for yummy lunch.
Went to Miami Beach. Swam in very warm ocean for a couple hours. Lime rickey conditions.
Back at the apartment, kids went swimming and Badri and I worked out. Made mango chicken and Joe came to dinner. Watched celtics lose to L.A. Lakers in game 7 of the Championship Series.
June 18, 2010
Kids did journals and Bridegwork (workbooks to work on during the summer between grades) so their brains don't get rusty while out of school for five months. Went swimming by 11am. Badri and I slept til 9am!
June 19, 2010
Headed to Naples for Saturday through Monday to visit Patty, Joe, and the kids. 2 1/4 hour drive. Swam in pool. Had steak and salmon for dinner.
June 20, 2010
Went to Clam Pass beach all together. Great fun swimming and jumping into the water from trees along the shore.
Went out to eat for Father's Day with Patty, Joe, Katie, and her boyfriend Diego.
June 21, 2010
Patty colored and cut my hair. Left Naples by 1:30 and arrived in Miami by 3:30.
June 22, 2010
Molly and Charlie went swimming and i worked out while Badri went on Third Solutions interview. Maya didn't swim because the water was too cold(!).
Left service apartment 12:50pm for Ft. Lauderdale Airport. Leave 1pm. Flight 3:37. Arrive 6:54.
June 23, 2010
Badri had an interview with Shiva Kumar at IBM in NY.
I went to Logan with Mary to pick up our air shipment.
Went to Pomps Pond with Mary. An idyllic place with docks to swim out to and jump off of.
Started to swim at Barry Pond, but Alex got a fish hook in his foot and Mary stubbed her toe. They left with Maya and Badri and I went for a 45 minute walk with Molly and Charlie. Molly was in her element.
Went to Weathervane for dinner. Then Molly and Charlie stayed at Mary's, and Maya and Alex came with us to Mom's.
June 24, 2010
Maya and Alex spearheaded the lemonaide stand enterprise, and Max and Charlie helped.
Mom provided the haddock, and I cooked them up at Mary's for dinner.
June 25, 2010
Went to Pomp Pond swimming with the kids. Badri had an interview with Enernoc. We picked him up afterwards at the train.
June 26, 2010
Helped mom bring stuff to yard sale.
Went hiking in Newburyport at Maudsley State Park with Molly and Charlie. Got an annual pass for state parks. Took the Pasture Trail.
June 27, 2010
Visited Prajna and Andre. Swam at the club pool in Framingham with them and their sons Adam (8) and Owen (12) . All the kids got along great. Molly loved Checkers, the rat they're ratsitting for a neighbor.
June 28, 2010
Camp starts at Andover 9-3. Got kids settled. The kids go to Pomps pond from 10-12:30, then are at the Recreation Park til 3pm.
Went for a walk with Badri. It was like the old days--going on walks by ourselves.
Molly started gym at Gymstreet in Wilmington. Teacher Sam is very nice and Molly had a great time. $163 for 10 lessons.
June 29, 2010
Badri had lunch in Woburn with Third Solutions board member.
# posted by Kelly @ 7:25 PM 
