IN THEIR FOOTSTEPS

We ate this one for Alexis, who has always adored the strawberry tarts at La Madeleine.

First we spent one day following in Julia Child's footsteps.  Today we spent the whole day searching for all of Giada de Laurentis' favorite haunts, from her time at Cordon Bleu, including the indoor food market on Bvd. St. Germain, Poilane Boulangerie, and Patisserie Pierre Herme'.  If only I had thought to flip through my copy of Ina Garten's Barefoot in Paris cookbook, I probably could have come up with an agenda for a third day of foodiness!  John is probably glad I didn't.  He remembers our last trip to Paris as the one where I dragged him to 100 churches and museums, so he has dubbed this one as "100 Bakeries in Three Days!"  (Merde!  I pulled out my Barefoot in Paris cookbook when we got home, and there's a whole appendix at the back, listing all of Ina's favorite foodie places in Paris.  Must go back!)

People line up down the block to get in this place, but I was not all that impressed.  I think it was more about the "brand" than the product.

This one, though, was worth the wait -- a shared apple pastry from Poilane.

Tomorrow we leave bright and early for our seven-hour motor coach trip (with a lunch stop in Dijon) to the spot where our cruise starts.  John hopes there will be a little less trekking and a little more relaxing when we get on the boat.

Oh yeah, and if you're wondering how expensive Paris is?  Every Coke we buy is costing us about $7.50, and there are no free refills!  Good thing we were only here for three days.