Mon Post Finale

Today was my last day in Paris...

I cannot believe it. You cannot believe it. But we all must believe it because sadly - it is true.
C'est ouvert. C'est fin. Tomorrow I return to the United States.

I don't even know how to write this last post. There is still so much to say. So much to do. So much to aime. But my time is up.

I did, however, have the ultimate last day in Paris. I know you're dying to hear about it - so let's begin.

Woke up to more neige! Falling lightly and covering Paris in a layer of buttercream frosting!

The day started with a trip up to my banque, to close my account. Which was very sad! They made me hand over my checks, and my French credit card - which they proceeded to cut in half in front of me!I had wanted to keep it as a souvenir, so I was very triste! And watching them cut it up was kind of traumatic! I needed to go to a patisserie after to feel better.

So Caroline and I went to our favorite boulangerie in the 7th, where I got my final pain au chocolat. It was parfait! Buttery, flaky, chocolate filled. Oh how I will miss seeing them stare at me in every boulangerie window. Chocolate, butter, and bread...the perfect breakfast!



Next on my list was a final trip to the Musee D'Orsay, my favorite museum of the big ones in Paris. I had to say "au revoir" to my pals Van Gogh and Degas. It would have been quite rude if I left without saying goodbye.

The musee had two amazing exhibitions on - so I spent a couple hours in there, admiring the art nouveau metro entrance and macabre, post- impressionist paintings of Erson. It is such a GORGEOUS musuem. Walking out those doors for the last time was very difficult for me. I felt like sobbing. For the fifth time that day.



As I started towards home, I noticed the snow-covered jardin de tulieries across the Seine. So I detoured and walked through it one last time, and said goodbye to the Louvre. I LOVED my runs through Tuileries. I loved watching the cute french children play with boats in the pond, and sitting in one of the nice chairs looking all the way up to l'arc de triomphe. Simply - incroyable memories.



I picked up Caroline at our apartment, and we went to have afternoon tea at Marriage Freres, which we had been wanting to do since we moved in. The smell is intoxicating when you walk through the doors, and it is adorable inside with the white-tux wearing waitors. Such a lovely experience.

We got sandwiches, sweets, and eventually were able to choose one of the 1000 kinds of tea that they have when we saw "tea du Noel". As Caroline said, "It was Christmas in a cup." The sandwiches were amazing! Foie gras, salmon croque monsieur- need I say more? The sweets included mini creme brulee, madelines and bien sur macarons. It was the most perfect afternoon, and most perfect final lunch in Paris!



Ice skating had been in my intital last-days plans since the day I saw them building the rink at Hotel de Ville. However - the rink never opened, and I was getting very frusterated....until today! It opened today! A bit ironic, non? It's like they were saving their opening day to make my last day even better! Like Paris wanted to surprise me with a going away present!

Awwwwwww Paris! You shouldn't have!
Okay, okay - you should have!

I nearly cried when I saw it was open! The rink is right in front of Hotel de Ville, with the roof sparkling, two giant christmas trees, and Notre Dame off to the left. Skating around there was like being in a dream. One of my crazy, Paris-obbsesed dreams. I could have stayed all night - but I had lots to do still before the night was over!

We jumped on the bus (LOVE the bus - it's like a free tour of Paris) and went to Trocodero, to go to the Marche du Noel one last time, and see the Eiffel Tower of course! I went to order my final crepe after a long process of choosing the stand with the person who looked most trust-worthy and capable for such an important task.



I ordered my crepe jambon fromage and explained in French to him that this was a very important crepe because it was my last. He proceeded to not only make me a truly delicious crepe, but told me I speak "tres bien" and that I am "tres jolie!" I definitely choose correctly! What a wonderful crepe making man! If I was staying another week I would make him my Parisien BFF.

I munched away, savoring every magnifique bite until I was right underneath the tour. The Eiffel Tower always takes my breath away, but when I am actually right next to it like that, I also am not able to move. I'm just paralized, not breathing - and tearing up.



I wanted to see ALL of Paris one more time on my last night, so I walked over to the Seine just in time to catch a Bateaux Parisien river cruise! I've taken Bateaux Mouche, and Vendettes du Pont Neuf - but Bateaux Parisien blew them out of the water. Or I should say out of the Seine!

They played French music the whole time (including la vie en rose, songs from An American in Paris, and au Champs Elysees)and had the most fun facts! Some of which I didn't know already, which is a true accomplishment on their part since I know everything about Paris.
I don't have to be modest. This is MY blog.

There is no way to see the city and the lights like you do from riding up and down the Seine. It is so magical. All the boat-people were talking to me since I was seule, so I got to speak a lot of French which made me even giddier than I already was. To end,you ride past the tour. I had my face pressed to the glass and tears in my eyes. I'm sure everyone else on the bateaux thought I was insane! If so, they thought right.

When I got back on land - I HAD to go up. The tour was begging me to. Because of the snow, only the first level was open so I couldn't go all the way to the top. But - I had never been to the first level, and didn't know there was a mini Eiffel Tower museum up there! Quel surprise!You can imagine I almost peed my pants when I realized that.

There are all these different paintings of the tour by various artists, and also a short film with video of Gustave, the 1889 exhibition, and even a clip from Funny Face! I was freaking out! I braved the freezing weather to walk around the outside, and say goodbye to all the beautiful things in Paris one last time. Opera, Sacre Coeur, the Pantheon, Place de la Concorde, Pont AlexandreIII, Grande Palais....This is when I started crying.

I went into the cafe and sat journaling for a bit, smiling just knowing I was inside the tour - crying because tomorrow I'll be on a plane...At least I'm flying AirFrance.

I exited the tour at 10:59,and at 11:00 the sparkling began. I stood there right in front of it for the full 5 minutes - LOVING IT, watching it sparkle and wondering how my life would go on without it. I'm not sure it will....

Then, because I have a clinical-obbsessed-with-Paris-disorder, I remained outside in the FREEZING weather for another 20 minutes, watching the Eiffel Tower do it's light show where it lights up a million different colors and ways for 10 minutes after the sparkling stops. It even turned completely pink!! I don't remember what happened next because I fainted from the sight of the pink tour.

Okay - I didn't faint. But I did stay there until 11:30, when I caught the bus back to Hotel de Ville, watching the tour get smaller and smaller as we drove away until I couldn't see it anymore. I stood in front of it for a moment, turned to look at Notre Dame, and then I walked to my apartment in the Marais for the last time - eyes filled with tears....

Go ahead and make fun of me. I know it's just because you are jealous that Paris and I are in a serious relationship.

Now I'm in my bed - for the last time. Bloggin about my Parisen day, for the last time. It's sad my blog has to end, but really - you wouldn't want to read post after post of how much I miss Paris, and baguettes, and the Eiffel Tower. And I can guarantee that is ALL I will be talking about for the rest of my life.

I want to thank you for following my adventures, and for those of you who helped me get here and supported me coming - rest assured you are on Santa's good list for doing such a good deed! The biggest and most sincere "merci beaucoup" goes to my parents. There is no way no to describe how these past 4 months have changed my life. Allowing me to come to Paris is the most generous and wonderful thing my parent's have ever done for me. I could never thank them enough.

I had the most parfait, most incroyable, most magnifique last day here. And the most parfait, most incroyable, most magnifique 4 months of my life, living in the most beautiful city in the world. And for that I am truly blessed. And truly awesome. (it's MY blog - remember)

I can't believe it's le fin. I have truly enjoyed sharing my vie parisienne with you! One day, La Blonde Parisienne will revenir to Paris to live again. So it's not "au revoir" that I must say - but instead, "à bientôt."

Paris Dans La Neige!

Ohhhhh la la! Aujourd'hui a Paris il neige! C'etait incroyable!!

As Caroline and I were riding to school on the 69 bus for the last time, I was getting more and more melanchonly with each stop and writing in my journal about how sad I was. Then all of sudden, Caroline says "oh my gosh, it's snowing!" And I look up, to see giant white flurries fluttering through the Parisian air, falling to the ground and covering Paris in a white blanket!

I don't think I stopped smiling about it all day!

I had HOPED and DREAMED that before I left I would get to see Paris in the snow! And the last 2 days of my life here - it snows! How parfait! Another example of how me and God are BFF.

It was such a beautiful, snowy day! After class Caroline and I went to l'arc de triomphe, and walked down the Champs Elysees one last time, stopping in at all the fancy stores,and walking through the Marche du Noel! Knowing that was the last night I would walk down the Champs until who knows when was heartbreaking for me.,,

Afterwards, I went straight to the Eiffel Tower, because I wanted go to the top one more time, and look out over a snow-capped Paris! Mais, when I arrived - it was ferme! I wanted to cry! Partly because it looked so beautiful covered in snow, and partly because I was so sad I couldn't go up it.

But it so amazing to just stand there under it. Gazing up at huge and beautiful it is... I could do it all day and love every minute.

So since I was freezing and starving - I headed to Angelina's to meet Caroline and our friends Arielle and Leandra for - what else? CHOCOLAT CHAUD! Angelina's has the most incroyable chocolat chaud! It may or may not be better than City Bakery, because I award them bonus points for their homemade marshmallows - butI award Angelina's points for their macarons, and gorgeous salon de the. So it is a tough choice....

Anyways, we sat in the beautiful grand salle for nearly two hours, drinking our sinful chocolat and talking about how much we love and are going to miss (every moment of every day!!!) Paris. It is so nice to be with people who are equally as obbsessed with something as you are. In this example - Paris. (And chocolat chaud).

We started to walk home, (because hello - we just had drank liquified chocolat bars with real whipped cream) and stopped in the jardin de tuilieries because it was gorrrrgeous! All covered in snow and looking like a dream. Ohhh, Paris is even more beautiful in the neige!

We stopped to pick up a baguette and cheese for dinner. Our LAST baguette, wine, and cheese nightin Paris. It was soooooooooooooooooo sad. I just wanted to sob the whole time. But the cheese was so amazing I couldn't.

We got this cheese called "mont d'or" - which is a special cheese only made in France in the winter. It's super creamy and the way to eat it is to go at the center with a spoon, and then spread the spoonful on your baguette. So OF COURSE we had to try it!

I can't even tell you how delicious it was. We drank our last bottle of merlot together, ate our last baguette together, and enjoyed our fancy french cheese! What a perfect nuit!

Oh, P.S. I am desperatley sick! Like death by sneezing. Every minute or so I have body-shaking sneezes and my nose is constantly running. But like I would let that stop me from enjoying my last 2 days in Paris!

I bought some french rhume medicine at the pharmacie today and since everything is better in France it should start working soon. I'm hoping to be sick-free by the time I return aux etats-unis Saturday.

So tomorrow is my last day....
I cannot believe it. It is so so so so sooooooooooo
soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
triste.

I BELONG HERE. And so everyone I love needs to compromise and move over to Paris maintenant! Got it? Good. I'm really not asking that much of you. You'd be glad you did it after 1 pain au chocolat. I promise you that!

I have a busy day of fun Parisian activites planned with Caroline for la jour finale. Ending with my champs de mars campout. Wish me luck....

A Piece of Gâteau!

My French exam was a piece of gâteau! Pourquoi? Because I am la blonde parisienne who is totally fluent in French!

Okay, and it was also quite easy! But I was soo proud of myself for being able to completely understand the oral and reading comprehension!

My french class went out for some vin chaud afterwards, and reminisced about how wonderful the semester is and how we love Paris. I showed my French teacher my Paris journal/scrapbook and she was loovvving it! It really is my favorite souvenir. I can't wait to read it cover to cover and cry on the plane ride home. And then one day show it to my children. And then grandchildren. Who will most likely say, "oh my, Grandmother you were an alcoholic." And I will say, "Non, mon cheri - I was French!"

I asked Madame for a good cheese recommendation, and she told me about a wonderful type of chevre, and even went with me to the fromagerie to help me find it!It was so sweet of her, I have LOVED Madame! Going into a fromagerie is sooo wonderful. That is definitely something I am going to miss so much. It's just the most adorable thing. Stacks and stacks of every sort of cheese, the wonderfully stinkiness, the cute old french men who work there that have devoted their life to fromage. It's just charming. I bought some wonderful chevre that I can't remember the name of. Not like I could find it in the States anyways.(sadness)

After my cheesy purchase, I met my friend Lauren at Bar Au Central, this adorable place on Saint Dominque that I have been wanting to go to for the past month. We had wine and amazing french onion soup. I love 2 hour meals. I love when the waitor tries to explain something in english and cannot find the word he wants. I love the fresh, crusty baguettes they bring to the table. I love un carafe d'eau. I love when the waitor does not bring you the bill until you say "l'addition, si vous plait!" I love bistros..... I love Paris!

I walked past Invalide, Pont AlexandreIII, and looked back towards the tour just as it started to sparkle. Despite the FREEZING weather, I stood there for 5 minutes. Shivering, yet completely warm inside at the same time from the sight of la tour. So incroyable!

Now I'm sitting in my almost empty chambre. I've just spent the last 2 hours packing all my things I won't need for the next 2 days into the 4 suitcases I brought along. They may burst on the way home, I'm just saying....

I cannot believe I'm packing. I cannot believe I'm leaving in 2 days. I cannot believe that this time next week, I will already be in Texas - teaching my new neice French. 4 months just flew by. The best four months of my life (yet).

As we were eating fondue with Caroline's adorable Aunt and Uncle last night in their gorgeous apartment with a view of the Eiffel Tower, I said to myself, "I am going to live here again." I don't know when. I don't know for how long. But I do know that it is going to happen.

People move to Paris - and they don't leave. My speech teacher, my french teacher, Caroline's aunt and uncle....wonder why? I don't! I know why. It's that "je ne sais quoi" that Paris has and nowhere else does. My speech teacher said to me, "I always thought if I could figure out what it was that I loved about it here, I would put it in my suitcase and take it with me." But obviously, he never did. You can't. There is something here that no where else has.

My conclusion is just that Paris is simply magical. That's all there is to it.

Examen Francais

Examen finale today! In about 1 hour. I started studying about 3 hours ago - and have hit my limit.

Really, the best way to study for a french exam is to go walk around the street, parlering with people and ordering crepes. That's real France!

I am trying to keep the 10 verb tenses I am going to be tested over straight, listening to the french MTV to practice for the oral comprehension part, and skimming through le petit prince once more to prepare for the reading....

God, please don't let me fail.

Luckily, our exam is only worth 20% of our grade. Most of our grade is based on class assignments and participation, and our personal acheivement in the class. Since Madame told me during my oral exam with her that my accent has improved sooo much, and I have only missed 2 classes all semester - I am going to pass with flying colors. Even if I do confuse the passe simple with the subjunctif, and completely forget the endings for the imparfait.

Maybe I can sing "la vie en rose" for bonus points....

After the examen my French class is going out for a "coup de champagne" to celebrate how wonderful and french-sounding we all are! Bon Sante!

Fini et Fondue!

Just finished my Paris Architecture exam! It was TRES DIFFICILE! Though, I got B+'s on both the midterm and the final paper (which nearly killed me), so I will definitley receive my P for PASSED - so lets celebrate with cheese fondue!!

Really, I am going to go celebrate with cheese fondue! Carolines adorable Aunt and Uncle who live in Paris have invited us over tonight for fondue and it is the only thing that got me through that exam! Nothing is more delicious than warm, gooey cheese dipped in various things on a cold winter night!

IT IS INDEED A COLD, WINTER, NIGHT! It is freezing here! The kind of cold that when you walk outside your face is immeaditley frozen and you can't make any expressions. Which is simply terrible because on my last week I would prefer to be frociling about Paris instead of trapped indoors! Between the bitter cold and the studying, I am restricted to musees and cafes! But that allll ends tomorrow! Because I have my final exam in the afternoon, and I am free to enjoy my last 3 days in Paris.

Oh mon Dieu. How is it possible? Only 3 days....
I just....
I don't even....

I can't think about it. Let's go back to talking about cheese!

Have I devoted a post to cheese yet? I don't think so actually. Not one just to cheese - I know I incorporated cheese in the things I was worshipping several times, but praise must be given to cheese, and it must be given now.

Brie, Camembert, Emmental, Comte, Pont-l'Évêque, Roquefort, and of course - my true cheese love, Chèvre.

Voila, Chèvre.


Mmmmmmmmm chèvre. Creamy, soft, sharp, tangy chèvre. Toasted on brioche, wrapped in philo and atop a salad, inside a crepe,in an omlette, or simply generously spread straight from the wrapping onto a crusty baguette. I have never tried it straight with a spoon, but I could see it happening in my future.

Chèvre has my made my life in France so much better. And you don't find chèvre in the states like you do here. Trust me, I will be on the lookout. Maybe I will have luck Balducci's, afterall, it is only a few blocks from my new nyc apt! BONUS

I need to face the facts that my life in nyc is not going to be like my life here. no more daily baguettes, no more chevre, no more crossiants, no more Notre Dame on my way home....

Caroline and I have already decided we're going to have "Paris Day" once a week. This will entail:
speaking only French all day,
listening to French music all day,
going to either Pain Quotidien, Madeleine, or Payard for lunch,
having wine and cheese night,
reading an excerpt from my Paris journal,
and watching either a french movie, or movie filmed in Paris

I also plan on getting a giant picture of the Eiffel Tower and taping it outside our window so it looks like we have a view.

La Vie Parisienne will continue, no matter what it takes!

Exams in Process...

I managed to write and perform my final "farewell to Paris" speech yesterday, about an hour before class started, making me the Queen of procrastination! When I practiced it for Caroline right before leaving, I started crying! And then laughing because obviously Caroline made fun of me for crying - and told me under no circumstances was I allowed to cry when I did it for the class....

It is quite a tear-jerker if you ask me! Since I KNOW you are just sitting there wondering what I said, I will post it for your enjoyment. Though it is a bit lengthy, and I'm warning you...grab the tissues before you proceed!

I'm got to keep studying for my architecture exam in exactly 2 hours! ahhhhh Wish me bon chance!


"Farewell to Paris"

Today, I would like to tell you a love story…

A love story more moving Napoleon & Josephine, more tragic than Romeo & Juliet!
Yet slightly less known…
It’s about a young girl, and a city called Paris.

Her obsession began at an early age. Loving Brie at 7, and starting French lessons at 10, which she continued until age 18 – when she finally arrived for the first time in the city she had studied and dreamed of for years.

Her every dream came true in Paris. The Eiffel tower gave her chills, the musee d’orsay nearly made her cry, and her first nutella crepe was love at first bite. She was very much in love - and Paris loved her back! For rarely had it met someone so enthralled with its beauty, so excited to walk its streets, and so devoted to trying each and every one of its pastries!

Sadly, the girl had to leave when her week was up. But she thought of Paris everyday they were apart, and it missed her too.

She returned 2 years later, and things got serious between them. They spent morning, afternoon, and night together, and Paris truly had stolen her heart. But like the time before, her days were numbered – and she had to leave…. Not sure when she would return again! The girl was heartbroken because she could not imagine her life without the city…..

(dramatic pause)

Well, the girl in the story is me. And I have truly fallen in LOVE with Paris.

People say as you live in a place like Paris the glamour slowly wares off….
That your big eyes get smaller…
That eventually croissants are no longer appetizing….
And that the Eiffel tower becomes just another part of the skyline…

But This is SIMPLY NOT true for me!
I still walk around, eyes wide and jaw dropped, with EVERY STEP.
Just looking at a boulangerie makes my mouth water, and I cannot see the Eiffel Tower without stopping and STARRING as the chills spread over my body and my heart melts like butter on a warm baguette.

While I will miss everything about Paris, I need to say goodbye to a few things are especially close to my heart…..

So... Goodbye to:

-The Marais
How nice it was to walk home through a sea of men, and never have to worry about being approached or followed! Rue Rosier – I still feel dishonest for paying only 5 euro for the best falafel I’ve ever eaten.

-Opera
I spent so many afternoons, and SO many euros – shopping your beautiful streets! I will miss admiring the ceiling in Galleries Lafayette, and no ballet will ever compare to seeing Giselle at Opera Garnier

-The Musees
Who knew that “History of Art Student” was equivalent to “celebrity” inside your walls?
I will miss Room 16 of the Musee D’Orsay and the stunning sight of Winged Victory, everyday.

-2 Euro bottles of Wine. And being old enough to buy them!
Merlot, Chardonny, Rose – je t’aime!

-Macarons
You have made me so happy… You are the most perfect 2 bite dessert in the world, and don’t let anyone EVER tell you otherwise.

-The Seine
Thank you for letting me sit on your bank, drinking wine, and eating cheese while admiring the beautiful city built around you. I love you in the rain or shine.

And lastly…
to the Eiffel Tower……
I remember the day we first met. The young girl that I was, running towards you with a buttery croissant from Polaine in my hand, unable to speak because you took my breath away…. My feelings have not changed since. You still make my heartbeat fast, send chills up my spine, and when you sparkle it brings me to tears. Your beauty is unparalleled – and I will think of you, EVERY day of my life, until we meet again.

4months in Paris….
19 Museums
43 bottles of wine
37 baguettes
5 lbs!
Only God knows how many macarons…

It all equals out what I will always remember as the BEST time of my life. And surely a love story, that will stand the test of time.

The End.

Parisian Makeover

Oui, I should be studying for my History of Paris Through it's Architecture Exam tomorrow, but I just happened to come upon this makeover website and decided to waste an houring doing that instead!

Since I have had the same hairstyle since the 7th grade, I am contemplating a Parisian makeover before I leave! So, I played around this awesome website!

You can change your hairstyle, color, put makeup on yourself, false eyelashes, plump your lips up, whiten your teeth - its amazing!

Here are some makeover possibilities I came up with...

TAAZ.com : Virtual Makeover. Real Beauty.
http://www.taaz.com/makeover/180319968755264-1df83f35daa343205aa3073fd2ccc48e/89247023.html

Before

After

TAAZ.com : Virtual Makeover. Real Beauty.
http://www.taaz.com/makeover/180319969146264-3972d09116ffaf63b6831e939cc6f5a6/89247953.html

Before

After

TAAZ.com : Virtual Makeover. Real Beauty.
http://www.taaz.com/makeover/180319969327264-acee4b827cf023f3f4575b652feb4f3a/89246440.html

Before

After

TAAZ.com : Virtual Makeover. Real Beauty.
http://www.taaz.com/makeover/180319970416264-5bf63c3a32eb48a0685aad344f9e7ddd/89248555.html

Before

After

TAAZ.com : Virtual Makeover. Real Beauty.
http://www.taaz.com/makeover/180319970723264-59ef89a25d5afb498d97156bdb809d9f/89248573.html

Before

After

As I write this I can hear my mother reading it, going "Ohhhhh NO!" I predict a phone call now...
Mom: "ANN!" You're going to make a HUGE mistake if you cut your hair!"
Awww my cute little mom! I am quite excited to see her! And my daddy! I think my dad would support a makeover. Lucie too! So that's 2 to 1. Majority wins, since I am bi-partisan.

Chances are, I will not do anything because I am a big scaredy chat. But it would be very Sabrina of me! Alors, c'est possible...

La Semaine Finale

I would just like to point out that at this moment, my parents, sister, and Joshua are chatting and chowing down on amazing Greek food together at one of my FAVORITE restaurants in New York, Periyali.
Clearly, the people in my life just go on living without me! How rude!

I would also like to point out that a few hours ago, my parents found us an apartment to sublet for Spring Semester that is...
1/2 Avenue from my favorite bakery, Billy's.
1 Avenue from my dearest boyfriend Joshua.
4 blocks from my favorite bagel place.
2 blocks from my gym.
6 blocks from FIT, and....
2 stops on the C train from my darling pal Kristin!
Clearly, there IS a God, and I am on his A-list.

I would also like to point out this is my last week in Paris. I leave Saturday morning.
Clearly, this is devasting. And I am going to cry like a bebe at the aeroport

A final thing I would like to point out is that in exactly 12 hours, I have to give a final speech for my Speech class - that I have yet to write! I choose my topic " A Goodbye to Paris."
Clearly, I cannot write it because I just not ready to say goodbye! I do my best work last minute anyways.

So was my last Sunday in Paris. My last time waking up and getting ready for Church at the American Church of Paris - which I have LOVED. Today they had the children doing a re-inactment of the Christmas story. It was so cute! The sheperds (little kids with dishtowels on their heads) and the angels (little kids with aluminum foil rings on thier heads) dancing about the stage. It was really adorable!

We also went to ACP last night for a holiday Christmas concert. It brought back memories of good old GOHS and the annual Holiday concert, which I now realize was pretty top quality (minus treble chorus). It ended with a sing along! And I can still belt out the Alto part of my favorite song "Oh Come All Ye Faithful" just like senior choir in Chorale. Gosh that seems like AGES ago!! How am I growing up so fast? And more importantly, how do I make it stop!!?

After church, I went to the Louvre. I wanted to see the Napoleon III apartments, since I never had - and I had to say "au revoir" to my favorite work in the Louvre, "Winged Victory" I sat in a little nook right near her and did some studying for my architecture exam for about an hour before coming back to mon apartement. It was very hard to say goodbye to the Louvre because I Louuuvvvvre it soooo much!

Saturday I said goodbye to Montmarte, which was even worse. Caroline and I walked up the stairs of Sacre Coeur, around the artist sqaure, and stopped for a crepe! We told the crepe-maker we were leaving Paris soon and he decided to make us a "going away crepe" which meant triple the amount a cheese a crepe would normally have! IT was truly a wonderful going away present from Mr. Montmarte! Who says Parisians are rude!

So while this is probably going to be the sadest week of my life yet, I am looking forward to seeing everyone! Moeski and Freddy! And Lucie! Joshua, my friends from home! I haven't seen anyone in 4 months! Sadly I will only get to spend 48 hours at home, and then we are flying to Texas to Christmas in the Lonestar state - where I get to meet my neice, Nina! T, and M.Ice, Alison, Biggie and Diana and the adorable Oliver! It's going to be soooo fun to be with my whole family! (Minus Mands and David who WILL BE MISSED EVERY SECOND!):(

Thenn....to Flordia! For 2 weeks of sun, sand, and Mickey Mouse with Joshua to ring in the New Year! So I am definitley looking forward to the month ahead! I'll wait until mid-January when all the fun is over to start my missing-Paris-sob-fest. Bring on the wine!

A Religieuse Experience!

Today, I took Caroline to have tea at Laduree for an early Christmas present! I have popped in for macs time and time again, but never actually sat down in the beautiful salon and indulged in a ridicously expensive and delicious little cake. Until today!



We got the cutest table! Upstairs, right next to the fireplace, in the most beautiful room! It was all so parfait! Laduree is like a giant, Parisan mansion. A series of fancy little rooms, connected by hallways lined with portraits. It's very adorable.

Just as we were sitting there, enjoying the prissy-ness and fancy-ness surroundingus, we saw a grey thing dash across the floor...

Grey dashes were ALL too familiar to me to not know what it was! A MOUSE! In Laduree! Oh mon Dieu!
I could not believe it! Only us and another table saw it at first, running from one side of the room to the other. As we were starring at each other, exchanging looks of disbelief - the guy said to me "its under your chair, right now. Right by your feet - don't move!

You can imagine..... I FREAKED OUT! I jumped out of my chair nearly screaming "there's a mouse!" to everyone in our little room. What is even odder than seeing a mouse IN Laduree, is that no one cared! All the Parisians were just as unemotional and nonchalant as ever!

One woman said "Ohh, itz juzt Ratoutille! He iz cooking downztairz!"
Another said "Don't whurry - all zee reztaurantz in Pariz have zee mice"
Ohhhh, Merci Madame! HOW REASURING!

Despite my pounding heartbeat, and memory flashbacks our own Rataouille problems this past September - I decided to pull it together, because eating at Laduree has been a dream of mine, and I wasn't going to let Ratatouille ruin it. So I kept my feet raised off the ground for the duration of our tea, which resulted in a killer ab workout, that came in handy as we were eating our 8 macarons.

I read the tea menu to find a tea called "Marie Antoinette." Bonjour, parfait! So I got the "Marie Antoinette" tea of course! I LOVE that they have that! And - it was actually delicious! I usually don't like the actual tea drinking part of having tea - but when Marie Antoinette is involved - of course I amgoing to love it!

We had some macarons, of course! Pistache, Framboise, Fruits Rouge, and Chocolat Noir. They were all aaaamazing! For main course, we ordered a grand macaron pommes caramel and a religeuse a la violette!



The macaron was magnifique! Filled with roasted apples, and caramel creme. The religeuse was the first I've had in Paris! And it was incroyable! I LOVED violet-flavored things! The taste is so unique! When Josh was here we had the most amazing violet ice cream with a chocolate mi-cuit. It was out of control delicious. And so was this!



It was like a little violet tower of yumminess! We sat sipping our tea and savoring every bite of our cakes as the lights of the Champs Elysees went on and were visible through all the windows, sparkling away and lining the street.

Our waitor was veryyyy magnifique because he brought us 4 more free macarons, "becauze of zee mouze." It was tres nice of him! I must admit, the sight of the mouse was well worth the 4 free macarons! Maybe our mouse relocated to Laduree once we installed the electro-cat - he was pretty smart! It would make sense to me, really. If I was a mouse, I would want to live in Laduree.

After our very prissy and very Parisian tea time, we walked over to Trocerado to see the marche du noel by the Eiffel Tower! There was an ice rink set up there too! I nearly flipped out! Skating in front of the sparkling tour! Can you think of anything more wonderful? I am so doing it my last night here, post camp-out.

The market was very adorable, and full of delicious looking things - just like the other one! But, they get bonus points for playing the Carpenter's Christmas album. And being right in front of the Eiffel Tower! I LOVE Christmas in Paris! It just keeps getting better and more beautiful, everyday!

So, next our list is afternoon tea at Marriage Freres, which is almost equally famous and right on our street! But this time, I am going to inform Rataouille that he is NOT invited to join us!

Piq-nique on the Bank of the Seine

When Caroline et moi arrived in Paris, we made a list of things we wanted to do before we left. Nearly everything on the list was accomplished by now - but one very important one we did not get around to until today!

Pique-Nique on the banks of the Seine! And it was a magnique pique-nique! (I HAD to... the rhyme was too perfect)

Today in Paris it was simply goorrrgeous! Literally, it was like one of those early April days when there is still a bit of a chill in the air, but the sun is shining and it feels like Spring! I like to call it "sprinter". I thought this was very clever and amusant and Caroline did not. She barely gave my clearly hilllarious joke any acknowledgement.

Alors, since it was soooo pretty outside, we grabbed our wine and cheese and headed to the Seine! We walked up to the Pont Neuf, and sat right on the tip of that little island that sticks out right on the Seine and had our pique-nique there, feet dangling over the bank! This idea became less genius as the wine bottle became more empty...but we made it out
alive!

(THIS is where an adorable photo of us would be if my camera had NOT broken 2 weeks before leaving) We actually took some with le camera de Caroline, so eventually I will post them. For now I will have to use a photo courtesy of Google Images....




Ohhh how fun and Parisian it is to sit along the Seine, breaking a morceaux of baguette off the end, and smothering it in creamy fromage! Ohhhh how I will miss that. Ohhh how I will miss staring at Notre Dame on my walk home to our perfectly located apartment.

I am down to 8 days until I depart. 8.... 8! How did this happen! I knew time would fly, but it seems like it took a private jet - and landed early.

I feel like just yesterday I was counting down the days till I was coming to Paris, pulling my most Parisian-looking ensembles from my closet, looking through my old French text book to brush up my verb tenses, listening to La Vie En Rose on perpetual repeat. And now... I am counting down the days until I have to leave with tears in my eyes.

I am going to live this last week like it is my first. Go to all my favorite places, walk and see all day and not come home until the early morning, then wake up and head out again. Induldge in a nutella crepe (en plus du nutella si vous plait!) like it is my first. Wander through the musees like I've never seen them.

Most importantly, I have every intention of sleeping on the Champs de Mars in the sleeping bag Caroline brought here on my last night. She thinks this is fou and that I am not actually serious. Clearly, after living with me for four months she has no idea just what kind of a lunactic I am when it comes to the tour! All I need is a sleeping bag, my Paris playlist on my i-pod, some vin, and a box of Pierre Herme mac's - and I'm good to go! Bon Nuit!

Art History Majors Party Hard

I don't know what kind of school you go to (or went to), but I have experienced a whole different world of school acitivites at AUP than at FIT. And it is a beautiful world indeed!

The biggest shock came today: The school parties. I don't think FIT even has parties actually. By parties I don't mean going dancing at Tenjune with some people from your FM class and a creepy promoter. I mean an "end of the semester" party for the History of Art students, funded and put-on by the Art History party of AUP.

Sounds pretty lame right...? WRONG!

I was of course going to go, even though I totally expected it to be empty and boring - because I have loved my art history class so much, and the email said "drinks provided." Count moi in!

So, expecting nothing, I walk into the classroom, which has been totally transformed! Huge banquet tables, dim lights accented by the candelabras in the cetner of the table-clothed table, and christmas lights decorating the ceiling! On the table was a spread of baguettes (of course), several types of cheese - including my favorite - chevre, clementines, mixed nuts, homemade apple crumble, cookies - and that's just what I remember!

Then, because we ARE in France, neverending bottle of wine, the head of the department corking them left and right! Let's all eat cheese and drink wine and listen to Christmas music!

I knew things were out of control when someone showed up with about 100 jello shots. I had never actually taken a jello shot until tonight - which I only did because they had whipped cream on top, and like I could turn down whipped cream!

So some of my friends from class and I did a shot with our awesome Professor (in our classroom mind-you), who has taught me more in 1 semester than most teachers could in a lifetime, and continued to drink bottles of wine and eat chevre and crumble. Only in Paris!

A little, art history trivia game was played - sadly,after the wine was making my mind fuzzy as it tends to! But, nevertheless I was quite impressed with my ability to solve some of the riddles, to which the answer was a famous work.

For example,
Riddle: "the old lady sits on an island....she is forever ours"
the answer (of course) is.............

Notre Dame! Duh! Any intellegent Parisian/Art History student should have known that!
I shoud point out that I am not trying to sound like a total nerd but I know I am. What's more important to point out is that I don't care!

I have LOVED my Paris Through It's Architecture Class! I am truly sad that it is over. I wish I could be in until I had visited and studied every building and monument in Paris. But no more crazy-length papers, please! Because 15 pages about the Centre Pompidou and the Elgise Saint Merri nearly drove me insane.

So I guess that's what the "lets all eat cheese and get drunk" party hosted by our teachers was for!

Tomorrow is my offical last day of class. Then I have 3 days of finals next week, and then 1day of fun, and then I leave....

Excuse me, I have to go sob now.

Manoush, je t'aime

Amazing. I'm going on ten minutes of internet connection!
I returned because I wanted to introduce you to the store of my dreams.

Hello, family and friends - this is Manoush.
Manoush, this is my family and friends.

You both say: Enchante!(kiss, kiss)

look how magnifique it is! http://www.manoush.com/collection.php

Sooo magnifique! It's like Marie Antionette in the 21st century, with a bit of Barbie and Elle Woods thrown in!

I am loouvvrrinng it! Too bad that half a skirt is even more expensive than those pink Repetto flats I dream about on a nightly basis!

Les Ennuis

I have absolutely ZERO time for blogging - but I just dropped in to complain for a paragraph about things!

#1 WHY IS MY INTERNET NOT WORKING? For some unknown reason, why pink Viao is longer connecting to the internet for a period of more than 5 minutes every 5 or so hours! The tec guys at AUP couldn't help -and neither could the French-speaking Numbericable help hotline! How wonderful!

#2 FINAL PAPERS are such a RUDE assignment! Tell me - who can write 20 pages about ANYTHING without wanting to stab themselves with a baguette! I don't think I could even write a 20 page paper on how much I love macarons. It's just insane. AUP needs to re-evaluate the amount of the work they have given me.

#3 I ONLY HAVE TEN DAYS LEFT HERE.
enter: (tears...) (anguish....) (sadness.....) (more tears.....)
and I have to spend most of them studying so I dont fail school.
enter: (tears...) (anguish....) (sadness.....) (more tears.....)

That's all. Merci.

Noel on the Champs!

Last night was the Parisian Christmas-y night I've been waiting for! The whole day was actually quite magnifique because it was sunny and nice! Despite the freezing wind!

I left early in the afternnon to do some wandering! Wandered around Rue Mouffetard - one of the oldest and cutest streets in Paris! They were having a fresh market which was simply incroyable! Wandered over to the ile st. louis, one of my favorite part of Paris, where I found some tres adorable things for Noel presents in the coolest little shops!

I also wandered over to the St. Merri catherdrale and Place Igor Stravinsky because I have to write my final paper for Art History on the comparison of the modern architecture of Paris "living' right next to the old, gothic architecture. That's what I should be doing right now! But blogging is much more fun. So volia! Maybe I will just print out some posts and hand them instead!

I eventually wandered back to Hotel de Ville (ice rink still in process of going up - WHAT IS TAKING SO LONG!) and home! Where I proceeded to spill an entire thing of tomato soup ALL over our cuisine! As sad as it was it also kind of funny. I definitley destroyed a hand towel or too mopping it up - since we have been out of paper towels for about a month now! And I keep forgetting to buy more while I am at the grocery store stocking on up Merlot, Chardonnay, and this delcious sparkling cider from Normandie that I found! c'est la vie parisienne!

After the soup-catastrophy, Caroline et moi left to go to the Place des Vosges and go into the Maison de Victor Hugo. We were both tres decu, because it was tres lame. We basically had hoped it would more like le maison des Miserables and it was not. So, I checked it off my list, and put a sad face next to it for decu!

The rest of the night I was very far from being decu though! We continued onto "Merci" this boutique department store on Boulverard Beaumarchais that is so chic and so adorable! They had the cutest mini-people clothes that I wanted to buy for Ollie and Nina - but I couldn't because the mini-people clothes were more expensive than big-people clothes! Encore....C'est la vie parsienne!



Merci has super cute "used book cafe" that is in a room surrounded by bookshelves full of old books you buy! Everyone there was truly Parisien (us included) and we sat there sipping wine and parlering!



Apres, we went to place de la concorde to ride the giant wheel! I cannot even tell you how AMAZING the site of the place de la concorde is right now! I also could not photograph it - because my camera broke yesterday. I can't really talk about because I am so upset. So from now on all photos are curteosy of Caroline.

The view from the Ferris Wheel nearly made me cry. Caroline kept making fun of me for being over-enthusastic, and overly obbsessed with Eiffel Tower - but I can't help it! It's who I am. Over-enthusastic and obbessed.



It was GORGEOUS to see the entire, sparkling, twinkle-lit Champs, lined with Christmas shops and the arc de triomphe at the top and the obelsik at the end! The Eiffel Tower, just to the left - huge, beautiful, amazing as always! On the other side, the jardin, pyramid, and the Lovure! I don't talk about how beautiful the Louvre is enough! I could see the golden statues on top of Opera Garnier, the pillars of the Eglise Madeleine, and of course - the ghostly white Sacre Couer perched on top of Montmarte! Only 2 more weeks of seeing these things...can you understand why I almost cried now?

We browsed the market stalls next, and stopped for a delicious raclette sandwhich! That's those giant wheels of cheese that just sit under a heat lamp, and then they take a baguette and put it under while they scrape the hot, gooey cheese into it. Yeah - I KNOW! Good thing we walked around ALL day and night yesterday!

Then, I bought myself an early Christmas present! I had to! Something I can have everyday and look at and remember Paris bv. Something that is tres moi. Something I had made for me by the kindest little French woman!





"Blonde Parisienne" on the front, and the dates I lived in Paris on the back! And its pink!
I spent the rest of the night taking turns between admiring it and the Eiffel tower as we walked down the Rue de Montaigne! (Lined with huge, red-lit trees!)

I am going to wear it everyday of my life. Everyday until the day when my first blonde daughter leaves to spend her semester abroad in Paris - at which point I will give it to her. (God - PLEASE let me have little girls. Unless they are as cute as Oliver. Then 1 boy is okay)

We went to a bar for a bit - where I was disappointed that they did not have champagne by the glass to celebrate the birth of my braclet. So I had to settle for a Kir cassis instead.

The only thing that put a damper on my night was knowing that today marks 2 weeks until I leave. 2 WEEKS. How did this go so fast? How am I already leaving so soon! How am I going to live without the tour! I keep having dreams about being back in New York - crying. I'm not even joking un peu!

On the brightside - a lot of wonderful, Parisian chirstmasy things start this week! The marche noel in St. Germain, the christmas music concerts in Notre Dame, hopefully the skating rink! So I can really live my last 2 weeks amazingly. It's most definitley crepe-eating crunch time!

Love In The Afternoon

How is it possible that I had never heard of the movie "Love In The Afternoon" until the other day when my teacher brought it up in French class?
And how is it possible that I had never seen this wonderful, old movie until just now?

Of course I came home and rented it! Started it at midnight and that is why I am an insomnaic.

The movie is adorable! And what is most amazing - is that I feel like the movie was made for me! There were several moments that I went "Oh la la!" For example:

It is filmed in Paris.
I'm living in Paris!

It stars Audrey Hepburn.
I want to go back in time and be Audrey Hepburn!

It takes places at the Paris Ritz.
It's my dream to stay at the Paris Ritz!

There is a yorkie named Lulu in it.
I have a yorkie "Lucie" who I call "Lulu"!

A scene is filmed in Opera Garnier.
I'm obbsessed with Opera Garnier!

The opera shown is Tristan & Isolde.
Tristan & Isolde is my favorite French story!

The story is a young girl who falls in love with an older man who travels the world.
Hmmmm reminds me someone... maybe - Josh!

And finally - when Frank Flanaggan is trying to guess Ariane's name - the first name he guesses is Anna. ......
MY NAME IS ANNA!!

That is far too many things to be a coincidence! I truly believe this movie was made with me in mind.

Here is the trailer. If you have never seen it, it is well worth an I-tunes rental because it is simply magnifique!



So cute! So French! So moi!

To talk about another French reference - as I was watching Gossip Girl last night (leave me alone - I can watch whatever crappy TV shows I want!) Mrs. Waldorf announced to Blair that they were moving to the ile st. louis! Right near Blair's favorite restaurant! At which point Blair interjects - "La Rotisserie Beaujoulais! Their poulet roti is worth the move alone!"

So, naturally - I googled it tout de suite, and have added it to my list of things I must do before I leave.

Because if Blair Waldorf loves it....chances are so would I! (Yes - I am aware that Blair Waldorf is a fictional character) But that doesn't mean I can't take her restuarant recommendations seriously! Alors, poulet roti here I come!

Mrs. Waldorf also says she has brought back the most wonderful from Marriage Freres - which is on my rue! And a visit there for afternoon tea service is much overdue!

Paris au Noel

C'est Noel a Paris et c'est vachement incroyable!!

I'll start my day from the end because the end was AAAAmazing!

I hop off the bus at Hotel de Ville - to see the Eiffel Tower shining its bright lights through the Parisien fog, the Conciergerie lit-up and towering over the Seine, Notre Dame in the distance - peaking out above the buidlings, just my usual walk home!

But as I came upon Hotel de Ville - I was overjoyed to see the ENTIRE ROOF SPARKLING, two GIANT Christmas trees, and an ENORMOUS ICE SKATING RINK going up!!

I WAS FREAKING OUT!!

The Hotel de Ville looks GORGEOUS and I loveeee (louvvrree) ice skating in the winter. Bundling up! Taking breaks for hot cocoa! Falling on your butt! I bought skates last year I love it so much! Had I know that there would be a beautiful ice rink steps from my apartement, I would have brought them along! Mais c'est pas un probleme - parce-que I can rent them there. If only Josh was here to skate with me and hold my mitten-clad hand so I don't fall!

An ice skating rink overlooking the Seine and Notre Dame means that Christmas in Paris just got a million times more magnifique!

That was just the fin to my wonderful day! I also went to le grand palais to see the Renoir exhibit which was incroyable!! It was ginormous - and they had so many wonderful works I'd never seen!I also learned so much about Renoir!

He was BFF with so many other important painters! One of which was Pierre Bonnard - who is only important to me because 9 months ago Josh asked me to go to the Pierre Bonnard exhibit at the Met with him, which was our first date! Awwwww! First date at the Met! We are tres cute - and tres New York!

But, I have always loved Renoir, and after seeing the huge collection of photos they had of him - I loved him even more because he just looks like Mr. France. Observe....


tres mignon, non?

My culture didn't end there today! I braved the rain over to St. Augustin - this amazing hybrid gothic/industrial cathedrale where I met my architecture class! It was unlike any other church we've visited in Paris! AAAmazing! Then we went over to Opera Garnier!

You'd think that the 4th time wouldn't be as magical....but if so then you'd think WRONG! Because it is! The Opera Garnier is my favorite (interior) building in Paris. I wish I could go everyday just to wander through the gilded foyer and pretend im in the early 19th century!

I payed a visit to Box #5 before I left this time! To try to catch a glimpse of the phantom of the Opera! Opera Garnier is the opera house where the legend took place! They actually found a "lake" underneath at some point - so who knows! I left singing "Think of Me" and "Masquerade" in my head as I danced into Gallerie Lafayette.

I went because I wanted to see the giant tree - but my intentions changed when I entered and saw the sign directing me towards the Pierre Herme boutique downstairs with all the shoes!

Repetto flats and macarons in the same place! What a bonne idee! I got "white truffle hazelnut" and "passion fruit chocolat" and ooooohhh la la there are not even words. Luckily I had my camera so I was able to capture photos this time! If you don't know what Pierre Herme is - you need to refer to my earlier blog post called "Pierre Herme the God of Macarons".


INCROYABLE!

So I ate my delicate little treats in a frenzy of sugar and happiness - and then proceeded onto Printemps to see their decor! There - I found these tres cool notebooks! They had silver-lined pages and had either a heart, spade, club, or diamond on the white cover!

Hellllo present for Josh! I got tres excited - until I saw the tag said 68Euro and became tres mad! $100 for a notebook! Leave it to Printemps! So, I took a picture instead. Because a picture is worth a thousand words. Or in this case - $100 dollars.



When I left I proceeded to get lost in Opera, taking a series of cute streets - admiring amazing Christmas lights as I went, until I finally ended up at Hotel De Ville where my story began!

I'm very pleased to have checked 3 things of my list today! There is no time to loose! Tomorrow starts my weekend! And I plan to go Christmas crazy! Ice skating, cider-drinking, ferris-wheel riding, present-buying, maybe even some paper snow-flake making!

It's that time of year!

Today I decided that if I could have anything I wanted in the world - I would live on the top of the Eiffel Tower for the rest of my life - and pay for monthly trips for my family and friends to visit me!
And also have Repetto flats in every color.... And a never ending supply of Pierre Herme macarons!

Il Faut Que Je...

Today is the day I have long been dreading! December 1st...
The day that marks the beginning of my last month in Paris...
There is only 17 days left until I have to pack my bags - and leave Paris...
My eyes are tearing up just thinking about it.

3 months of living in Paris has flown by. I really feel like I live here now. I know my way around without my map (most of the time). I know the best boulangeries to get a fresh, crispy, baguette. I can almost visualize from memory the impressionism rooms of the Musee d'Orsay. I've even gotten used to the million stairs I have to climb to get into the apartment.

So - my plan of attack is to be the most proactive I've ever been. Not waste an hour when I could be doing things in Paris.

However - my annoying finals are going to get in the way of my Parisien fun! So I will do my best to not fail out of school while still spending my afternoons strolling through St. Germain.

I have made a list of things that I must do before I leave Paris. It's divided into 2 parts
"things I still must do" and "things I must do again." It's a work in progress - but here is the start.

Things I must still do...
-afternoon tea at Laudree
- visit the Grand Palais
- Musee de le Quai Branly
- Maison de Victor Hugo
- stroll and shop on Rue Mouffertard
- tea at Marriage Freres
- go to Merci
- have a fondu dinner in Montmarte
- eat a religeuse
- walk through le parc Buttes Charmont
- tour the Catacombs
- Musee de la Vie Romantique
- get ice cream from Berthillon
- voir un film au Cinema Rex

Things I Must Do Encore
- go to the top of the Eiffel Tower
- spend a dat at the Louvre
- Musee D'Orsay
- indulge in chocolat chaud at Angelina's
- sit in the Opera Garnier and stare at Chagalls ceiling
- wander around Montmarte and pray in Sacre Coeur
- get macarons at Pierre Herme
- Musee Rodin
- Seine boat ride at night
- shop at Gallerie Lafayette & Printemps
- get a croissant at Polaine
- drink wine and eat cheese on the Champs de Mars

My last day must be planned out carefully! Full of crepes, tour-gazing, and la vie en rose singing. (And inevitably lots of crying.)

I need to mention that now that it is December 1st - the offical month of Christmas - the decorations throughout the city are plentifull! Every rue is lined with unique Christmas lights, garlands, tress! Paris is so magical at Christmas! On the bus-ride home tonight I basically had my face pressed to the window starring out and oooing and awwwing!

As we rode past the Louvre, I looked out over the jardin de Tuileries, and saw the giant ferris wheel lit-up and the arc de triomphe glowing in the background - I literally jumped up out of my seat and my heart stopped.

And it just made me say - Paris... je t'aime!

Tonight I went to the Cinema Pagode. It is a very famous, old, Parisien movie theatre that is Japanese-inspired and beautifully decorated inside with Japanese influence! A famous French actress, Fanny Ardant was giving an interview-type thing there and they showed a bunch of clips from her most famous films!

It was in French - and I could understand almost every word! It made me feel so wonderful! She pronounced everything so clearly and spoke a slower pace (compared to most parisiens) so I caught almost everything she said! Even jokes!

The night at the cinema was quite fitting because yesterday after class, I went to the Cinematique Francais! It is the museum of the cinema, and also a movie theatre of international and classic films. It was sooo incredible inside!

They had a free audio-guide - which I LOVE - because then you get to learn all about everything you're seeing in depth! The museum had some amazing things. From the very first ways of doing special affects, to early camera, and even several costumes! My favorite things were the costume of the woman from the movie Metropolis, which I watched and wrote an essay about in the 10th grade! And still remember vividly! And also the dresses from both All About Eve and Little Women! It was tres incroyable!

Perhaps tomorrow I should make it a true cinema week by going to see a French film at the Cinema Rex! I've got to start working on that "things I still must do" list immeaditely!

"Hoi" Holland!

Tuesday morning in the Marais! Just made some breakfast and now I'm watching MTV en francais. Which is tres comical. I'm watching "mon incroyable anniversaire" (my super sweet 16 in the US. Dubbed things are very funny! I am also thinking of my wonderful weekend in Holland! I got to see Caroline's hometown, got in touch with my Dutch roots, and have a delicious, American, Thanksgiving!

This may be beginning to sound repetitive about places I visit - but I LOVED Holland! What's not to love about a country where every town has a town windmill, little houses line cute canals, and there are delicious things to eat?

Caroline lives in a cute little town called Wasenaar - which happens to be where the Prince and Princess live! Sadly - I had no opportunity to meet them and become BFF with the Princess. Of course we also went into Amsterdam! I get so excited arriving in a new place! My first view of Amsterdam was of cute, colored houses lining the canal! How perfect! I fell in love at first sight!





We arrived conveintantly starving, since we quickly encountered a fresh cut french fry stand! Caroline had long been talking up "pinda sauce" - a Dutch speciality that is put on lots of things - including fries. What is amazing is that it is peanut butter based! My peanut butter obbsession is now clear to me! Clearly, I inherited my ability to eat PB with a spoon from the jar from my ancestors eating pinda sauce! So it's in my genes - and you can't fight genetics.

So - the fries were AMAZING! Truly the perfect fry! Perfect thickness, firmness, and saltiness! Smothered in pinda sauce, and served in this giant cone. It was seriously enough fries to feed all an entire wooden-shoe-wearing family! And possibly their sheep. (I saw lots of sheep in Holland)



But the fries were not what I came to Amsterdam for. I came for Panneokoken and Olliebollen. I knew we were having Panneokoken later for dinner, so needed to locate Olliebollen immeaditely! We were riding the tram over to the Van Gogh museum when I saw the bright lights and pink awning of the stand! Obviously - I excited the tram and went!

Now, to be honest - I didn't expect to really LOVE to Olliebollen, because it is fried dough and usually I'm not a funnel-cake kind of girl. But this was not like a funnel cake! It was a delicious, fresh, chewy, dough, ball of sweet goodness - covered in an obscene amount of powdered sugar! In other words - it was the dough form of heaven. It took me about an hour to stop talking about it. Only the Van Gogh was able to take my mind elsewhere.



Van Gogh is one of my favorites, and due to my art obbsession I had to see the Van Gogh museum! It was very cool because they had a lot of his works that I had never seen - along with some quite famous ones. Caroline was especially proud that he painted in Den Haag - the town next to hers.

We wandered around the musuem, in complete awe and admiration for about an hour - when we went to leave and realized it was POURING rain! zut alors! So we had to with our coats over our heads run back to catch the bus! The rain made me tres triste because we couldnt just wander around the cute streets - which is my favorite thing to do in a new place!

We were riding along - about to head to train station when my eyes spotted a cute square decked out in Chirstmas lights - and more pink stands selling treats! STOP THE BUS!!!!
We exited, to find ourselves in the cutest, Chirstmasy, little square in Amsterdam, that Caroline instantly recongnized as one of the favorite places! There was even an ice rink - but it was closed because of the rain. Rain is kind of a fun-sucker.

So instead, we went into a little bar - that looked like the North Pole inside it was decorated - and I ordered the first beer I have ever drank in my life.
Ok - it wasn't exactly beer - as Caroline made a point to tell me everytime I gloated - It was a cider beer. BUT the name beer is in it - and for a total beer-hater that is a big step! The cider was delicious - but a sip of Caroline and Maddy's real beers secretly made me want to gag. So I will just stick to who I am. A wine, champagne, and cocktail kind of girl - and I like it that way.



That night - that pancake dreams came true. We got panneokoken!! Panneokoken is like a mix between a crepe and a thin crust pizza. They are HUGE, round doughy pancakes, that are thin and having toppings of your choice on them. There were 102 different kinds of toppings! This is a problem for an extremely indecisive person! So - after much debate I decided on apples and bacon to get both a salty and sweet experience in one!

There are few moments in my life that I can recall eating something so delicious. I am going to have to try to re-create them. Or just move to Holland for a bit so I can eat them until I am sick of them. Which would never actually happen since there are 101 kinds left to try!



Saturday we had Thanksgiving! It was so nice to be in a home and with a family! Caroline's Aunt and Uncle from Paris were there, along with some of their close friends. It was nice to have so many people like I would have at home! Her mom made a DELICIOUS dinner! Thanksgiving is the best meal of the year.

I did really missed my family though! I got teary eyed talking to my mom! I've been away from home so long now! And Thanksgiving is such a big deal to our family - I hope I never have to miss Holidays again. It was so nice to be in a home and have a great friend to spend Thanksgiving with - otherwise I would have spent the day crying and skyping.

Caroline took us on a little tour of her town - which included the beach! There is such a beautiful beach 5 minutes from her house! How did I not know Holland had beaches? It was literally freezing, and we were all in our dresses. But it was so nice to see the sand and the ocean! I LOVE the beach! It made me very excited to go to Flordia with Josh in January!

That night we went out in Leiden. Which was very fitting because it's where the pilgrim left for the United States from! Leiden is such a cute little town! Little shop-lined streets, all decorated with garland and lights! Unfortuantely - it was POURING again! We had to run about ten minutes through the rain, so I arrived at the bar soaked in my boyfriend blazer. A couple gin & tonics helped warm me up though!



What's so fun about traveling and when you stop and think - Wait a second....I'm in Holland right now! It just makes everything 50% more fun!

I haven't mentioned yet that Caroline has some fierce Dutch-speaking skills! Dutch pretty much sounds like gibberish to the french-trained ear. So its quite funny to hear two people speaking gibberish to each other and it all making sense! She is quite Hollandaise!

Like everyweek - Sunday came too fast! I got tons of postcards (so keep a lookout in your mailbox!) and tons of stroopwafels!! These amazing dutch cookies that I LOVE. Some are for Biggie - who asked me to get him some. Some are for my daily pleasure! We had an early train back to Paris so my adventure Hollandise came to a fin.

So I have come to the conclusion that I have to go back in the Summer! I have to see the rows and rows of rainbow-colored Tulip fields, I want to go lay out on the beach in Wasenaar, and most importantly - there are still 101 kinds of Panneokoken to try!!

Joyeuse Mercigiving!

Joyeuse Mercigiving!
See - the French could celebrate thanksgiving if they wanted to! The holiday name translates so perfectly....kind of.

Today is Thanksgiving! And I have truly never felt less-thanksgivingy in my life! If I were not in Paris - I would already be home in the lake house, up late talking with a penguin-pajama-wearing Moeski and squeezing my yorkie, Lucie while she obsessively licked everything in sight!

I would have spent the week deciding which harvesty-flavored dessert I was going to make, and whipped it up yesterday while Moeski supervised my every whisk in her immaculate kitchen.

I would have woken up early to watch the broadway shows perform at the parade, and to find my daddy downstairs already starting on the turkey. Soon to be stuffed with David's famous stuffing that I would later eat thirds of!

Mais - I am in Paris. Where there is no Thanksgiving. It's the one thing about Paris that is unfortunate. Today in Paris will be just another Thursday. No parade, no pie, no family fun, no giving thanks. C'est vraiment trop mal.

It dosen't make sense to me really. I know that France has no ties whatever to native american and pilgrims feasting together, but they love food - and after being thankful, thanksgiving is all about eating delicious food! So isn't that reason enough to adopt another country's holiday?

So, yes. Today is going to be a bit depressing. I LOVE thanksgiving. I LOVE spending time with my family, and I LOVE pumpkim pie. But - to soften the blow of being thanksgiving-less, I am going home with Caroline to Holland for a belated-thanksgiving feast, visit of her home-town, and visit of my native country!

Yes, je suis Hollandaise! So I have long been wanting to visit Holland, and get in touch with my Dutch roots by eating pannekoeken and buying some wooden shoes! I have also long been wanting to meet Caroline's parents and see her home town! And ride around on the back of her brommer!

Saturday, we'll celebrate Thanksgiving! If I had to miss a Thanksgiving dinner, I don't know what would happen to me - aside from crying myself to sleep for weeks. Had I not had such a wonderful pal to take me to her home - I may have ended up at the "AUP Thanksgiving dinner". It's actually nice that they do it - but I can only imagine how pathetic it is!

So, today we head out for Holland! I don't really know anything about Holland, aside from giant pancakes filled with toppings. But on that basis alone I know I'm going to love it!

After dinner, my family always goes around the table and says what they are most thankful this year. So, in Kloots-family Thanksgiving tradition, I will close this post with a verrrry sappy (but very true) declaration of what I am most thankful for this year.

- For God. Who watches over us everyday, and gave us this beautiful world.
- For my amazing parents. Who I love more than I could say, and who eventually gave into my begging and pleading and let me come to Paris. Where I am spending the best 4 months of my life.
- For my incredible siblings - truly my best friends, and new niece and nephew - who are perfect little angels.
- For having met Joshua - the absolute sweetest and most amazing guy I have ever dated. Who shares my love for shake shack, Disney, and France!
- For wonderful friends - who are always there to talk to, dance-crazily, ice-cream-eat-with, and have proven to be excellent tour guides!
- And finally....for Paris! All I can say is, God - you did good with Paris! Also for crepes. And Nutella.

Joyeuse Mercigiving! I'm off to Amsterdam!

Just When You Think Paris Couldn't Get Any Cuter...

As if the Champs Elysee weren't amazing enough on its own, it has been tranformed into a giant Christmas street! Little stalls line the sidewalks of the Champs Elysee selling gifts, crafts, and the most amazing foods! At the top, is the Arc de Triomphe! At the end - is the Place de la Concorde with a huge chirstmas ferris wheel! And lining the streets with the Chirstmas stalls, are trees full of twinkle-lights!! I have found where I am spending every day of December until I leave!! I took a short movie of myself freaking out. Sadly, my poor video skills left me with a less-than mediocre film.



So let's get down to what's most important. The food! I start talking down and find that inside some of these cute little, decorated stalls are GINORMOUS pots that are full of creamy potatos with lardons, giant smoking sausages, cassoulets, even chilli con carne in one of them! These things are either scooped into a dish - or into a fresh baguette and eaten on the go!



My jaw dropped and drooling, I continued! One stand had giant hams, sausages, and turkeys roasting, which they were carving and putting onto baguettes! Then, they topped it my scraping cheese off of this giant cheese wheel that was under a cooker so it was warm and melty! It looked INCREDIBLE!



Another stall had fresh, bavarian pretzels and pretzel bread that were made into sandwiches! I kept walking to find a stall with giant slabs of foie gros, making fresh foie gros and fig jam baguette sandwiches! Another stall - cavair on a cracker with a shotglass of vodka! Little viande stalls, with cured sausages hanging everywhere and stacks of pates! Vin chaud! Fresh oysters with champange! Giant slabs of salmon hanging in front of a fire - for fresh smoked salmon and creme frais sandwiches! I WAS FREAKING OUT!!





And that's just half of it! The sweets was a whole another world! Tons of chocolateries, selling chocolate-covered-everything! Fruit, gingerbread, giant bricks of flavored chocolates that you can break off to create a mixed bag! Marshmallows, meringue, and of course - chocolat chaud!! C'est incroyable! Bon-boneries with overflowing bins of bon-bons, nougat, various fudges, and lollipops that are being made on site! I watched a guy pulling the candy to stretch it - like I've seen on the Food Network! Fresh made churros, falling from the machine into the fryer, covered in sugar and cinnamon, and then put fresh into these giant cones, with a side of chocolate sauce! Then of course your traditional crepes, fresh made gauffes, and sugary, puffy beignets! All topped with nutella and creme!











Literally, I was going crazy with delight! I was on a gourmet/Paris high! Aside from the food - there are tons of little shops selling cute gifts, jewlery, candels, ornaments, clothes, santa dolls, every cute Christmas thing you could want! It is truly adorable! There are all these cute Christmas carnival rides for kids! And even a live-animal reinactment of the manger! THEN - to top it all off - there is an indoor exhibit of the city and monuments of Paris in giant ice sculptors! La tour in ice!! I didn't go in because I am saving that activity for a night of Christmas fun where I ride the ferris wheel, go to see the ice tour, and get dinner and treats! Oh what fun is to be in Paris at Christmas time!

I had been worried I would really miss the Union Sqaure Christmas Market - but not anymore! I should have known better than to doubt Paris' abilities to fullfill my every desire! When the city lights go on in the night - and the whole city is sparkling, and now sparkling with twinkle lights for Christmas - there is simply no place in the world more beautiful! Before I made it to Christmas-Market fun, I went to the Petit Palais, a museum I had yet to see, right next to the Champs and the Pont AlexendreIII.

It was really beautiful inside! A huge, painted ceiling and beautiful rooms with statues and paintings! Downstairs, was the exhibit of the history of the Petit Palais, from the time of its conception for the Universal Exhibition until now! They had all these amazing photographs of Paris, floorplans for the palais, and advertisement posters for the exhibition! I was very excited to find such a gem!

As you exit, they had a giant white canvas, with post-its all over it, and pads of post-its and pens on either side! There was a sign that instructed me to write what I thought about the museum, and post it on the canvas! The canvas will hang until its full, and then they will take a photo to go in the museum forever! How fun!







So, I got to write a lasting love note to Paris! A little piece of me will always be here, hanging in the Petit Palais! And that - as you can imagine - made my day!