This past weekend was even better than usual because we had visitors come to see us. Nicole Serleto came to visit us (again!) from Florence and it was good to catch up and show her a little more of Paris. Also, Ally Sturm and Sam Roesler were in town from Heidelberg and they came over to our apartment for a while to visit. It was so great spending time with these girls and sharing our European adventures, and I wish them all the best last month studying abroad!
Also, I recently booked my flight to Edinburgh, Scotland to visit Chris Ramento and his life at St. Andrews while Natalie Berger, Megan Carolin, and Alex Johnson are there! Thank God for the great friends that I have been blessed with and for the chance for all of us to get together even though we live in different parts of the world.
More about this past week…
FRESH BAGUETTES!
My roommate Kara is a student at Le Cordon Bleu cooking school where she takes pâtisserie classes (meaning we always have desserts to come home to!). Sometimes they make savory foods as well, and this past week she made baguettes. For anyone who has ever tried to make baguettes from scratch, you know how difficult and precise it is and the French still manage to have it down perfectly! Well, Kara made just about the best baguettes I have ever eaten… comme une vrai francaise!
Le Refuge des Fondues
17 rue des 3 Frères ... 18eme arrondissement ... Métro Abbesses
Friday night Em and I went to this fondue restaurant with Nicole and some friends from the Pepperdine Florence program. We had been there before so we knew it would be a great experience for them. It is the definition of a hole-in-the-wall kind of restaurant. Its small, with only two long family style tables on each wall of the place and always crowded. Many tourists know about this place and I am always amazed at how busy it is. The owner literally gives you a hand up to step over the long table because the place is so small. You are served a sweet kir first along with a plate of appetizers, like potatoes, cheese, and salami. Then you are asked if you want vin blanc ou vin rouge, which they bring out to you in a baby bottle! You then have a choice of fondue: either meat and potatoes to be cooked in an oil fondue pot, or bread to be dipped in a cheese fondue pot. If you have two people you should get both and share because they are so good and they bring you a lot. Finally when you are so stuffed and think you can’t eat any more, they offer you dessert: fruit salad, or for an extra euro ice cream or chocolate cake. The food is simple but really good, and it is fun to be able to make it and serve yourself right from the fondue pot!
4 rue des Rosiers ... 4eme arrondissement ... Métro St. Paul
H&M started another brand of clothing called COS and a store has been opened in Paris recently. The line is more expensive, but is also higher quality and carries more classic clothing. Andrew, Nicole and I visited this past Saturday. The store is located in the chic (or branché) Marais and has some really nice pieces… too bad I am a poor teacher! Nonetheless, a good fashion inspiration.
23 Rue de Sévigné ... 4eme arrondissement ... Métro St. Paul
Showcasing the history of Paris, this charming (and free!) museum was a great way to spend Saturday afternoon. It is housed in the Marais in two old mansions and has many paintings, drawings, sculptures, and artifacts to tell the story of the city. I especially liked the art from the French Revolution era (love that revolutionary spirit) and the models of what Paris looked like back in the 1600-1700s. It was a different world in Quasimodo’s time.
Rue Mouffetard
Métro Cardinal Lemoine, Place Monge, or Censier Daubenton
In the 5th arrondissement of Paris is this lively little gem of a street where Angie and Blake Thompson are lucky enough to live. All day and night stores and cafes are busy with customers and passersby. You should go here for the fromageries, wine tasting outside wine shops, and unique clothing boutiques. If you prefer the night and are looking for a cool place to go out to dinner, dessert, or drinks, this place is it. There are many young people around and not only sit down cafes but great places to take-away all kinds of foods: Greek, Lebanese, Gelati, crepes, etc. The bar The Wall has a 3 Euro house beer, and there even is a bowling alley! Not to mention very cheap movie theaters.
Home-Made Mexican Food mmmmm
Saturday for dinner we decided to make Mexican food at my apartment. Paris claims to have a few good Mexican restaurants, but all the ones I have tried have not been real Mexican food like I have had in America. Last time I flew home, I was so sad about being without Mexican food in Paris that I brought back some refried beans and Mexican rice (because they are impossible to find here) in my suitcase! These plus grilled peppers, onions and chicken in tortillas and Nicole’s phenomenal guacamole with tortilla chips equaled a fantastic meal. Haifa and Abass joined Andrew, Nicole and I to eat and Ally and Sam came over to visit. Eating in can be just as good as going out when you have great people to eat with.
2 Place de Palais Royal ... 1ere arrondissement ... Métro Palais Royal Musée du Louvre
We went to this centrally located club Saturday night, and to be honest, it was a disappointment. First, we were put on the guest list by a friend, and when we got there they told us there was no list. The cover is usually 20 Euros, so we were not about to pay when we were told we would be able to get in free! I told the bouncer that I received an email invitation and he told me that I was supposed to print it out. Who brings a printed-out invitation to a club? Anyways, I ended up showing him the email on my phone to convince him and he finally let us in, but with a warning to print our invitation next time (??).
Once we were inside, we found some lame music, a poorly designed basement type setting, and all drinks cost 15 Euros! Also, we got there before our other friends so it was lame on top of having to wait for them. And this is supposed to be a very popular club too… we left by 1:30am and found a huge line of people as we exited. Did I miss something? I guess it just wasn’t my style.
Babysitting
I recently started babysitting for a French family living in Paris. They have 2 boys (Norgay, 6; Kay Sar 3) who are French-Cambodian and they are so sweet! They lived in London for most of their lives, so Norgay will speak English with me in a British accent but Kay Sar will still only speak French. He is so cute the way he explains things! Yesterday they used my scarf to tie me up in “prison” and then took off my shoes and socks. Kay Sar also told me some bad words I am not supposed to say… I couldn’t stop laughing all while saying “No, we cannot say those words”…. Too funny!
GAGA
Kara and Emily and I got tickets to see LADY GAGA! It is in May in The Netherlands, so we are going to take a weekend to Amsterdam to see the city (which I have never been to) and to see her in concert! “Ga-ga-oo-la-la…!!!!!!”
And running through the Champ de Mars tonight in 60 degree weather, I see the Eiffel Tower start to sparkle above my head… perfection.
L’As du Falafel ... 34 rue des Rosiers, 4th arrondissement ... Métro Saint Paul
The Marais area of Paris (literally translating to “swamp”) in the 4th arrondissement is a very unique and interesting part of Paris. Home to many Jewish synagogues, restaurants and shops, it is a very lively and fun place to go especially on Sundays when the rest of Paris has closed down. My favorite and most frequented place to go is L’As du Falafel, a falafel restaurant that boasts being the best in the world. I always order the falafel sandwich for 5 euros, which is made in a pita and comes overflowing with falafel, roasted eggplant, cabbage, carrots, and the best creamy and spicy sauces. It is a highlight to every week (because I seem to go at least that often!) and a definite must-do in Paris.
Silk & Spice ... 6 rue Mandar, 2nd arrondissement ... Métro Étienne Marcel
This past Saturday night Andrew and I met up with his friend from school Zvi and another friend Skylar. Skylar chose the restaurant Silk & Spice, a great Thai restaurant with a full menu of traditional Thai entrées and plats and a few not-so-traditional desserts. I had a great papaya and cabbage salad, shrimp Pad Thai, and a chocolate cake. The food was fantastic and the restaurant so chic. We stayed for over two hours finishing our courses and visiting. I would definitely go back (as soon as I can afford it!).
Pinacothèque de Paris ... 28 Place de la Madeleine, 8th arrondissement ... Métro Madeleine
The first Sunday of every month most museums offer free entrance. I wanted to take advantage of this, so on Sunday Andrew, Emily, Sean and I went to Pinacothèque de Paris in Place de la Madeleine to see the Edvard Munch exhibit. I have liked Munch since I saw his Girls on a Bridge many years ago, so I was really excited to see more of his work. We got there and waited for about 20 minutes in line in the freezing wind only to find out that it wasn’t free! Many smaller private museums do not offer the free entrance I guess, but after waiting in line we decided to pay the 8 euros anyways.
The exhibit was really a great representation of Munch's earlier and lesser known works. I didn't realize that he did so many lithography and engraving pieces! Some of my favorites in the collection were from the Madonna series:
Conversation Exchange
I finally have started something called “conversation exchange” with une française. The idea is that we meet every week at a café for an hour or so to speak half the time in English and half in French. This way we both can improve our language skills and get help from a native speaker. I met yesterday morning with Marion, a 28-year-old French woman. She is very sweet and is very interested in learning English and patient with my French speaking abilities. I was a little nervous before I went because I wasn’t sure if it would be awkward, but it turned out to be a great time just to get to know her and practice French without thinking about it. This will be a great way to have more exposure to and practice with speaking, not to mention perhaps making a good friend while trying out new cafés.
In other news, Andrew and I made great sandwiches this week: sautéed peppers, chicken, parmesan cheese and arugula... mmm!
Also, Emily made THE BEST Sprinkles-from-the-can red velvet cupcakes tonight. They even came with the signature decorations! I have the best roommates (who like to constantly tempt me with sweets!)!
À bientôt!
