It's a good thing we have cell phones these days since as you may recall, John tends to disappear in the blink of an eye. Whether it's in IKEA, HEB or in Paris, if you aren't paying attention, you'll be left - literally - out in the cold. But before the adventures of the day began, we started the morning in the cellar of the hotel at the charming little breakfast area. It was hardly enough food but the atmosphere makes it worth it, and like this past summer, I can see my mom walking down the stone steps. There's such magical memories in this hotel for me. I will never tire of coming here.

Of course, we had to get more carbs for breakfast and before we started off, we popped into our neighborhood patisserie. Since the summer, it has had a complete make over. Tables outside, brand new interior paint with bar seating and two tables inside and a register where you insert your bills so that bakers can concentrate on never touching the currency. We wound up having two pane au chocolates since the first was an almond chocolate and it was not what John wanted. I knew if I didn't get the proper one, he'd be upset for hours. Of course, with the remodel (did everything get a remodel this year?) now, we need to return in warmer weather so we can sit outside and enjoy the view - which proves my point - there is always a reason to return to Paris. 

Our main agenda was still looking for the Paris knives and the elusive red sneakers. We did find our way to the

Galeries Lafayette and upon entering realized we had been there this past summer after all. And, although I didn't find the red sneakers, I did get an amazing pair of Orange ones. What I can't understand is why the United States doesn't have this kind of selection for menswear? Are we that boring? There was so much fashion to choose from it was mind blowing and if we had the money, yes, we would have bought the $3,900 Euro dress shoes.

With purchases in hand, we headed towards Montmartre for a quick lunch, and since we were just down the hill, we decided to go walk up the stairs to Sacré-Cœur. All that leads me to the aforementioned gypsies. The line to get inside was even LONGER than it was in the summer. It snaked around the front of the basilica to three looped lines that started to form toward the left side of the church. I turned around and John was nowhere to be found. I was alone in sea of tourists, so I decided to just walk to the edge and wait it out. Not five minutes later my phone rang and I debated...."do I pick it up or let him wonder where I went?"

"Where are you? Did the gypsies take you?" I heard on the other end of the phone. After proving my point on his Casper the Ghost disappearances, we nixed going into the church to head back to the hotel. We had dinner reservations in the Latin Quarter and I wanted to rest a bit before we had to bundle up once again.

Maneuvering the Metro is so much easier than it was years ago. When John and I first came here on our own, the only way to enter the underground labyrinth was with paper tickets. Coupled with maps on the subway walls, the metro was difficult and nerve wracking. With the advent of apps and cell phones, it is now the easiest form of transportation to manage. Plus, with it being winter and having so much clothing on to keep warm, there is no way anyone could pickpocket us. We can barely maneuver in our scarves and puffy coats as it is.

After a short respite, we changed for a uniquely Parisian date night in the Latin Quarter. On our honeymoon, we had stumbled upon a restaurant not far from the Pantheon that was nice enough to let us sit outside and order dessert and wine without a reservation.