Montparnasse Cemetery, Paris

Cemeteries can be beautiful, peaceful places to walk, meditate on life, and appreciate interesting art. One of my favorites is Cimetière du Montparnasse in Paris. It’s in the 14th arondissement, which is where we daydream about living someday. Some of the famous people buried here are Simone de Beauvoir, Susan Sontag, and Man Ray.

Here are some of my favorite photos from Montparnasse on our first visit.

Stained glass in crypt window

Blue on gravestone

Cat statute on grave

Green door on crypt

Boeuf Bourguignon in Paris and Portland

Photo 2010 Todd Mecklem

We had a wonderful dinner at Cafe Daguerre in “our” neighborhood in Paris, the 14th arrondisement. We’ve eaten there a few times, and really like the local feel to it.  I ordered the boeuf bourguignon and Todd had a croque monsieur and carrot salad. The beef was incredibly tender  and the bacon and wine melded together to give the meat a hearty, delicious flavor. We had a local red wine for dinner.

When we got home, I made a pot of it using the recipe in Paris in A Basket: Markets – the Food and People written by Nicolle Aimee Meyer & Amanda Pilar Smith. It turned out pretty well though I’d like to simmer it longer next time because the flavor wasn’t as good as the Cafe Daguerre’s. Maybe they used real burgundy or maybe everything just tastes better in Paris.