Saturday, March 2, 2013

Goat Cuddles

A new Chagall exhibit opened last week at the Musee du Luxembourg.  We wanted my mother-in-law to feel like she had done something in Paris other than play with Baby Oil and rock Mademoiselle to sleep, so we headed to the small museum just inside the Luxembourg Gardens.

It turns out that Chagall is fantastic for a toddler, mostly because his art features a lot of farm animals.  For instance, take Chagall's well-known "Midsummer Night's Dream":
Credit: Marc Chagall

Baby Oil took one look at this painting and declared, "Goat cuddles!"  And really, that does look like one cuddly goat.

We also spent quite a bit of time studying "The Dance" - rather than consider the bright colors and possible biblical symbolism, we mostly discussed the chicken. And the violin.
Credit: Marc Chagall

Mademoiselle thoroughly enjoyed her first museum (it was also her one month birthday!), and celebrated by sleeping soundly throughout the visit.

Winter is long in Paris.  Maybe not every year, but definitely this year.  It is now March, and I can barely remember when the world was not gray and cold.  It makes venturing out with both kids significantly less appealing, to say the least.  One of the few bright spots (besides the whole new daughter thing) has been our discovery of an amazing patisserie/boulangerie just north of Place Marechal Juin on Avenue de Villiers in the 17th.  This is not actually near our apartment at all.  It is 3 metro stops or over a mile walk away.  Yet we've managed to get there at least five times since Mademoiselle was born in order to gorge ourselves on the best raisin bread ever, or the spectacular desserts that rival any to be found in the big-name places around town.  Given that there are at least 8 boulangeries within a four block radius - and untold numbers within a three metro stop radius - you must believe this one is something special.  Winter has its silver linings, and when it gets really cold and dreary, there's always goat cuddles to keep you warm...