Paris 2016 -- updated 2.21 with more museum links and photos

No matter how many days you plan for a city like Paris... there's always more to do and see than you have time for. UPDATED 2.21.

A spectacular sunny day in Paris is rare in February! We raced out to see two masterworks of stained glass (lucky me .. I took all the photos below and got some of my favorite pics ever)

 

Notre Dame...http://www.notredamedeparis.fr/rubrique2.html

Sainte Chapelle  http://sainte-chapelle.monuments-nationaux.fr/en/

Pont des Artes bridge... (all these locks in process of being removed)...http://www.cnn.com/2015/05/30/travel/paris-love-locks-bridges-feat/

best ice cream in the world....Berthillon....http://www.yelp.com/biz/berthillon-paris-2

Gallery of Comparative Anatomy at Natural History Museum of Paris...http://www.mnhn.fr/fr/visitez/lieux/galeries-anatomie-comparee-paleontologie

 Another day, another museum ..... behind the scenes at the laboratory of Madame Curie http://musee.curie.fr/

 Three nobel prize winners.. Pierre Curie, Marie Cuire, and their daughter Irene.

 The other Curie daughter... the beautiful and talented Eve ... it was her bequest that helped fund a glorious renovation of this precious museum space.

( lab coat dress of Marie Curie below .... with artist Terryl Whitlatch)

Terryl and I also visited the Cluny Museum, the French National Museum of the Middle Ages. ....http://www.musee-moyenage.fr/visiter/english.html

 Set in a medieval castle in the heart of the 5th in modern Paris.. the collection includes treasures of Medival art.... stained glass... statues... armor..

even an impressive Narwhal horn ...

  and the famous lady and the unicorn tapestries.

We spent nearly an entire day reveling in the amazing collection of the Gallery of Evolution at the Natural History Museum...http://www.mnhn.fr/fr/visitez/lieux/grande-galerie-evolution  An outstanding example of combining the mission of natural history with the scope and emotional impact of a dramatic space. The building is from the 1800s

 The overhead lighting changes.. with sound effects that suggest a storm.. and even a rainbow effect.. all contributing to the experience..

 The collection includes some historical individual specimens...

 Including the hide of the Rhino that lived at Versailles...

 This Rhino's skeleton is on display at the Gallery of Comparative Anatomy ...

 This museum explores the ongoing process of evolution.. the impact of man on the environment and the art and science involved in saving these natural artifacts..

More photos of this gallery...  and the Musee Curie ... in this blog post from 2015: http://stuartngbooks.blogspot.com/2015/02/france-2015-rodin-museum-musee-curie.html

Between the museums and wandering.. time to enjoy a taste of Parisian cafe life ...

some images are timeless.....

 patrons at the cafe in 2016...

Stuart Ng outside on the streets of Paris...(go Niners!)

and Stuart Ng inside bookstores.. bien sur!

I took a detour with Anabelle to the house of Laduree.... Mecca for macaroons since 1865!

OMG you must go there!https://www.laduree.com/en_int/

Another dining highlight... Montparnasse 1900 restaurant   . http://www.montparnasse-1900.com/en/

Known for its Art Nouveau decor..

 We stopped by first time late at night to marvel at all the authentic details.. and returned another evening for a wonderful dinner...

A new stop on this trip... our visit to the Art Ludique Museum... 

http://artludique.com/jeuxvideo2.html

A beautiful venue! We saw the exhibition on the art in Video Games.

One day, I ventured out on my own to see two other museums...
This copper colored Steampunk-eque Metro station ....

.... is the stop for the Musee of Arts and Metiers...http://www.arts-et-metiers.net/musee/visitor-information

The building is from the 1700s.. and the collection spans advances in scientific equipment, locomotion, and industrial arts

Tools from the laboratory of Lavosier...

 examples of decorative glass

 Textile machinery..

Another stop for me..the  Musee Palais-Galleria .. a  museum of Fashion ...

At the back of the museum, there is this charming garden square, with a view of the Eifflel Tower.. But you can't access the museum from this side...

The front entrance to the museum..

I went to see this particular exhibit..http://palaisgalliera.paris.fr/en/exhibitions/la-mode-retrouvee
 A collection of gowns and accessories from the wardrobe of Elizabeth, Countess Greffulhe.

Photos not allowed in the exhibit... these 3 color exhibit photos by Pierre Antoine from the museum website.

The Countess was a muse and patron of the arts ...  an icon of the Belle Epoque and a leader in fashion and trend setting thorough two world wars...

black and white photo below (also from museum website) shows the Countess in a version of the Lily dress above

Here's an example of the Eiffel Tower view from the Musee Galleria...

After a busy day in Paris.. nothing beats a cozy cafe. This one has a Bande Dessinee bookstore theme...