All You Have To Do Is Swing!

Anytime I think of my sejour in Paris - I will remeber this night. Tonight was one of the most fun and french nights I have had in Paris! Caroline, her friend Alieen, and I danced our night away with the locals at le caveau de la huchette - an underground live jazz and swing-dancing club in the latin quartier.

This place was so adorable and unique. We walked down the windy stairs into the "caveau" where the live jazz band was busy playing so all the locals could show their stuff. We were noticably not locals - not many french people have 3 feet of blonde, wavy hair! We also were some of the youngest poeople there - which made it so fun! Everyone was a charming, french person with their dancing shoes on (some of them with taps!) - and they all seemed to know eachother! They were all switching dancing partners and having a blast!

The dancefloor has seating all around it, so you can sit and admire the dancers, and join in whenever you want - as we did! It did not take long for some of the dance-shoe-clad, 50 something, hysterical frenchmen to invite us for a dance! Things took off from there - and we spent most of the night out on the floor attempting to following the fancy footwork and spining around! I just have to say - dancing like that is SO MUCH FUN. I didn't even know what I was doing, and it was fun! So I can only imagine how fun it is to actually know the steps and dance with a partner really fast!

Of the locals, there was Richard - wearing a black dresshirt and necktie. I only know his name because he insisted on giving me his card so we could dance again on these dance-boat parties. There was Patrice - who I think was my favorite. He was from the Congo and made the most hysterical expressions when he danced, really putting his soul into it. A younger frenchmen, who danced SO fast, some cute, old little frenchmen, and two other native African men, both in black and white saddle shoes! They were the best dancers there - except for the adorable old man wearing black dress-overalls and shiny black tap shoes! He had to be in his mid 80s, and the few times he danced, he was amazing! Pulling out tricks like no one else! Not to mention when we left at 2am - he was still going strong! Only in Paris!

When they weren't dancing with one of us - there were several, amazing women showing their stuff too! Out favorite by far was this adorable, little woman. All dressed in black, with short, dark hair and her dancing shoes as well! She was the perfect illustration of a perfect french woman - and she could dance!

If you can imagine this scene - you can imagine how much fun we had! We were making fools of ourselves with our complete lack of swing dancing skills, but having a blast trying! It was so fun to be somewhere so unique to Paris, with a bunch of fun, nice, french people, and get to dance all night! By the time we left we were exausted, sweaty, and much better at dancing than 3 hours before!

If you haven't guessed already - I am now obbsessed with learning to dance like that! I am thinking of investigating where Josh and I can take lessons in the city! How fun would that be! Speaking of Joshua - he is now 28! Today is his birthday - and I wish I could be with him to make a big fuss and bake him a cake! But since I sadly cannot, I wish him the very best birthday he could possibly have !

Pierre Herme, the God of Macarons.

I knew from the moment I removed the framboise/pistache macaron from it's beautifully presented packaging, and it was so soft that the mere act of touching it with my finger caused the delicate shell to crack - that the rumors were true. Pierre Herme is the God of macarons.

The macaron obbsession started when I came to Paris for the first time in 2007 with my sister, Tre. She knew about them, and it did not take me long to discover this little, multi-flavored treat, and name it as my favorite. If you don't know what a macaron is - I'm so sorry. You need to get it together and get informed, because it will change your life. There is no American equivlent to what it is - the texture, the tastes - they are incomparable! They are sort of sandwich cookies, made up of 2 delicate cake-like "shells" and filled with various types of filling, dependent entirely on the flavor, and the patisserie making them. However - like crepes, they are not all created equal! Some macarons are very disappointing. Dry, flavorless, and hard. The ideal macaroon is so soft it cannot be handeled, so flavorful that your tastebuds are going wild, and so moist that barely need to chew. When done correctly - it is magnifique in every way.

Laudree is the famous, Parisienne patisserie for macarons and other fancy tarts. Their handi-work is featured in one of my favorite movies, "Marie Antionette". Laudree was one of my first stops once I was back here - where I had a carmel buerre salee and a vanille and they were both amazing. I thought it was certain that they were truly wearers of the macaron crown. But then - I remembered a blog-post my brother, Todd, had forwarded to me about a macaron showdown between Laudree and Pierre Herme, in which Pierre Herme had won! I had never even heard of them at this point! So naturally, a stop there was on my "must do one day" list, and I was very fortunate that today - was that day.

The line was out the door of the little patisserie, which is always a good sign. When I got close enough to view of rainbow of mini-mac deliciousness, I began to panic! This panic always happens when trying to select macarons. Being faced with around 10 flavors, if not more, and only be able to choose a few! I knew I had to make the most of my visit, so I got four. Caramel and vanilla (so I could compare to Laudree) rose, and the choice of the fine man helping me, "raspberry and pistachio", which looked like a christmas macarron as it has red and green. I must note these macs are expensive! 1.50 Euro each! Which is midly obscene for a macaron I thought - and then I tasted one and understood.

I started to pull out the framboise/pistache macaroon, once I was sitting near a scenic fountain, only to find the mere graze of my finger nearly crushed the macaron. It was perfect texture. I took one bite - and then I died. I am currently writing this as an angel - up in heaven, asking God if he could arrange for Pierre to whip up some more for dessert tomorrow.

The mix of the flavors was incredible! And the combined, jelly-like filling of the raspberry and pistachio was unlike anything i've ever tasted. I had planned to save the others for later - but there was no way I could resist now. The rose was eating a fresh grown flower, the caramel was the perfect salty/sweet combination - and the vanilla was this intense, vanilla bean flavor that tasted like my buttercream frosting in macaroon form. I could not believe I was eating something so perfect. Pierre knows what he is doing!

I do not, unfortunately, have original photos because I did not have my camera with me in attempt to lessen the weight of my bag - so I will simply have to return soon to have more, and get a photo to remember them by when I am back in the United States, where Chips Ahoy is the cookie of choice.

If you are now desperate to try a macaron, as you should be - unfortuantely it will be quite impossible. The ONLY acceptable place I have had a macaroon outside of Paris is a darling, authentic, french, patisserie that is a favorite spot of mine in New York City called "Madeleine." It is on 23rd between 6th and 7th, and they have a huge selection of flavors, and a delicious macaron. But really, you should just fly to Paris and try them here at Pierre Herme, because then you will know that you can die happy.

http://www.pierreherme.com/index.cgi?&cwsid=9964phAC194316ph1890557

http://www.madeleinepatisserie.com/Madeleine_Patisserie/Home.html

Madeleine Vionnet, My New Idol.

Hooray for beautiful, sunny fall days in Paris!! Today was another delight with clear blue skys and a bright sun, shining its rays down on la tour!

Aujourd'hui, after church, and lunch of a PB&J on my pumpkin bread (YUM) I went to la musee de l'art decoratif. And it could very well be the coolest museum I have seen yet in Paris! I went because I saw a publicite for the Madeleine Vionnet exhibit, which was GORGEOUS - but I ended up being blown away by the whole museum!

It is connected to the La Louvre, but is its own museum, which has a bunch of cool, decorative things like fashion, furniture, and toys! I am quite obsessed with musuems! There are so many wonderful ones in Paris, and I get into them all for free - so why try to get to them all?

Madeleine Vionnet is important to the fashion world for many reasons - but she is famous for inventing the bias cut, using crepe like it was never used before, and making the most exquisite evening gowns of the 1930s. So, you can only imagine how beautiful the exhibit was! A gigantic, black room, where all the dresses were dramatically displayed on mirror-backed platforms, so you could see the dresses from all angles. Then, they had photos of the dresses on the model from the original shoots. There are not even words! I was in evening gown heaven. I wish I had places to go that I needed gorgeous, crepe, evening gowns for! And matching gloves, and handbags. I have always loved dressing up. I often think I should have lived in the 1950s when you had to put on a dress, gloves, and a hat just to go to the grocery store. Oh, those were the days for fashion.

So, after I saw the amazing exhibit - I continued to the furniture by decades rooms, which were so cool. The rooms showed the cool furniture designs from the 40s - 2000s. The 60-70s room was the coolest. They had this awesome, cool-chair display in the middle, and then a little room on the side where you could sit in some of the chairs and watch a 70s movie, while you enjoyed the giant windows with views of the Tour and Tuilieries, and Sacre Couer. Incroyable! It was such a wonderful surprise - to wonder into a museum not knowing what to expect, and see such incredibly cool things!

I also discovered the Carosuel de Louvre today, which is the boutiques and restuarants under the Louvre! When I forced myself to head home to get my homework done, I stopped for a delicious ham and cheese crepe, it had been awhile and the mec a fait un bon crepe pour moi! I ate it sitting my the fountains at hotel de ville, looking out across the Pont Neuf onto Notre Dame....loving Paris, as usual.

I also got to Skype with my adorable nephew, Oliver - currently the cutest baby boy in the world, with a smile that melts your heart! All in all - another wonderful, Parisienne day!

Chateaux de Chantilly

Another beautiful fall day in Paris! I love Fridays! Mostly - I love having no school on Fridays! It's so wonderful to wake up, and go do something fun while other people are in class, being tortured with history and grammer. Why be in class, when you can be out in France? Today we took a small day trip to the chateaux de Chantilly! (Pronounced "Chan - t - ya" if you are French, and Chan-tilly if you are me and want to pronounce it the way that sounds funner). I need to point out at this point that while "funner" is not actually a word - I consider it one and will therefore use it. So, we boarded the RER and 45 minutes later were in the cute little ville de Chantilly! Famous for horses, golfing, and of course - Chantilly creme! From the train station, the castle was a nice, 20 minute walk on this tree-lined trail of cuteness! The chateaux is really beautiful, and now is considered a museum because it holds the impressive and large art collection of the last duke who lived in it. A lof of original furniture is also there, which is also cool to see. We got there just in time as a college tour group - so we planned on tagging along so we could learn about the castle, but the tour guide was pretty doomful. Her tour was boring - so we departed the group and did our own thing!

Like all chateaux in France, there are enormous, beautiful, gardens! So many acres of land there is no way it was all used. In Chantilly - there is a formal, French garden behind the chateaux, an English garden on one side, and a Chinese-garden out to the east, along with a mini-forest. We walked through it all, stopping in the mini forest to admire the "hamlet." This a little, watt

le and daub, farm-type house, that Marie Antionette used when she built her Hamlet in the gardens of Versailles. It was tres charmant!

Since it is now nearly November, there was no one there! We basically had the entire chateaux and gardens to ourselves, which was wonderful! Except that all the "food kiosks" were closed, so there was no where to eat the lunch I had imagined, and to try a glob of creme! Alors, I had to wait until later, when we left and walked through the centre ville to get back to the train station. We found a little boulangerie where I got what was like a "giant pig in a blanket" - aptly named by Josh. It was a hot dog, inside a buttery, croissant-like, pastry thing. In otherwords - it was heaven in hot dog form. I was so starving too that it was extra delicious!

It is so awesome that these amazing, historical places are just a short-train ride away from Paris. And that there are hundreds of them! I could go somewhere different everyday of the week - and still not see half of it! It is kind of maddening, but I really love visiting chateaux - and the little villages around them. There is something so amazing to me about the fact that people actually lived in these enormous castles hundreds of years ago. They wore gigantic, elborate dresses, and had fancy balls! Now that I know a little about architecture, I love trying to anaylze and understand it. I really love France for its history, as well as its beauty. I asked Josh when we were in the Loire if he could spend one day in any time period, any place, as anyone - what he would choose. A really tough question to answer! He chose to be a founding father of the United States in 1776. I chose to be Marie Antionette (pre French Revolution), living at Versaille and going to huge ball. If only someone would invent the time machine......

The Sweet Smell of Poitron!

What is that sweet, harvesty scent, wafting fresh-baked through the air of my little cuisine at the moment? Ahhh, mais bien sur! C'est le pain du poitron!

Yes - today was a VERY magnifique day because I found Libby's pumpkin puree, and there is currently a load of homemade pumpkin bread cooking in my oven. Ohhhh it's going to be a glorious morning!

There is a petit and I mean petit American store called "The Real McCoy" located right by school - where one can find what the French consider "American" groceries. For example - Reese Puffs, Quaker Oatmeal, Duncan Hines cake mixes, canned frosting, marshmallow fluff, cream cheese, Campbells soup - and yes, Libbys pumpkin puree!! You can only imagine my excitement upon finding it! The wheels turning in my head of all the delicious things I would make with it! However, my excitment died down a bit when I realized it was 5euro a can, but it's totally worth it! I just have to be spare with the things I bake - to make sure I am using it to the best of my ability! So - I beg of you to send me your best pumpkin receipe so I can get to baking! I have used 1/2 can on some "Old Maine Pumpkin Bread, ' currently in my oven. But there is 1 1/2 cans left to make cookies, pie, muffins, smoothies - you tell me! I did find one AMAZING looking recipe for Paula Deans "Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cakes" but unfortunately too many of the ingredients are unfindable here -so that will have to wait until next fall. But - send me your best stuff! I also picked up some extra crunchy JIF! OH to have PB again.

My pantry is now stocked, and opening it to my stock of yummy spreads puts me in a frenzy of joy.

Have I mentioned yet that today was GORGEOUS! It was a picture-Paris-perfect fall day! After class, I knew I had to go somewhere and take advantage - so Caroline and I hiked over to Pere Lachaise Cemetery, a very famous cemetry in the 20eme. It was beyond cool. It is absolutely huge, and in France all the graves are above ground, mostly in these little gothic style plots that look straight out of a horror movie, all moss-covered and broken. Among the people there are Jim Morrison, Edith Piaf, Chopin, and Oscar Wilde - who had the coolest grave by a longshot. We visited them all, but Oscar's was my favorite. Covered in lip-stick kisses and insrctiptions from loving visitors, it sits near the back of the cemetery. If the red kisses and scribbles weren't enough to make it stand out - it has this really unique design and right above the ground it says "here lies the greatest man who ever lived." What better phrase could you think of for your gravestone! You must admit it's hard to beat that! Below that sign, is a small notice from the French government, urging people to not deface the grave stone of Oscar Wilde, which clearly no one has obeyed. But is kissing and "Je t'aime, Oscar" really defacement? No one esle buried there had love notes on their grave - only shrubery. Flowers die, but a kiss - is forever.

The Importance of Being Earnest is my favorite work of Oscar Wilde. I think I may watch the Reese Witherspoon version tonight in his honor!

Today I was, again, thinking of how much I LOVE being here, and this thought was only stressed after spending the day in such a cool, Parisien place, I got to thinking - can you really put a pricetag on travel?

Luckily, for now, I am young and still under the support of my wonderful and unbelievably generous parents. But when I become a "real person" and my money needs to go to paying the bills, and buying clothes and food, and taking care of my puppy.... I promise to remind myself of these four months. That what I'm doing right now....there is simply no way to put a price on this! And I made some sacrifices of my own to come here - I worked hard all summer, I saved my money, I barely shopped for months! And a small part of me wondered if it would be as great as I imagined.... I can't even begin to describe the ways that my expectations were suceeded in my first month alone.

Is there really any reason good enough NOT do this if you can? For me.... no! I just know that this is apart of my life now. God created a huge, beautiful, world for us - and I have got to experience it. It's hard for me to think of somewhere I don't want to go! If it means that I will have the most modest of apartments, a less-important job, the end of gourmet restaurants, and that I'll never be able to afford a Caviar bag....so be it! I'd choose a plane ticket in my hand over a Chanel bag anyday.

La Parisienne Dans La Plu

What a wonderful, rainy, Parisienne day! It literally rained all day - and I was sans parapluie! I usually hate the rain. But as I crossed the Pont Neuf towards home, watching the rain fall into the Seine and the fog settle around Notre Dame, listening to Edith Piaf on my Ipod, holding my baguette and bottle of Pinot Noir - I felt so French, and so fabulous. It was a moment I wanted to freeze. If there is any city in the world where rain only makes the city a new kind of wonderful, instead of ultimate doom - it's Paris. Rain is so iconic Paris than you actually kind of love it here when it rains.

I am fini with my exams! Ohhhh, it feels wonderful! I had my French oral this morning - which went....okay. I had to talk about myself and my aspriations, say my plans for the future, give advice to Madame about a "faux probleme" and them do a skit-type thing where I got to yell and pretend I was angry. Then I had to read some of le petit prince, where I was graded on pronounciation. Which is my weakness, as I am still striving to conquer the french "R." But I think that everything went bien.

I had a two hour break until my architecture class was meeting in les jardins de luxembourg, so I went to the area early to go the la musee Luxembourg, where there is a Tiffany Glass exhibit, which was okay - but not my favorite of exhibits I have seen here. Today my class went to the Palais Luxembourg, Chapelle de la Sourbonne, et Val de Grace. We are now studying Louis XIV and Baroque architecture. So the places we visited were all examples of that, and were all quite belle!

Like I said, it rained continuously, and I did not want to go all the way home to get my umbrella, so I just got wet. Good thing I woke up late and did not have time to wash my hair - because it was soaked and pulled back into a sopping wet bun by the end of my class. Once I got home, I took a hot shower, poured myself a glass of wine - and began to cook while I continued listening to Edith (the female, French-version of Sinatra). It was all quite magnifique!

I also booked my ticket to Florence! You can fly ridiculously cheap within Europe - so I am going to visit my friend Dyne- who is at FITFlorence, and eat some pizza and gelato and say ciao all weekend! How fun!! I have a long weekend because of "All Saints Day" - so I get to spend 5 days in Florence. I may even train-it over to Rome for a day or two to see the Vatican and Trevi Fountain, but I may be too in love with Florence to leave. I took Art History at FIT and learned so much about Florence, I cannot wait to see everything and actually be there! I have quite a busy November now! Florence, then London, then Holland! I am so thrilled to be able to travel in Europe. I have dreamed of doing this, and seeing these places my entire life! And to finally get to go, to see the things I've studied, be in the places I've dreamed of, visit friends, and to experience the culture - I am simply at a loss for words except for - I LOVE Europe. I LOVE Paris. I LOVE traveling.

That's all there is to it mes amis!

La Jour I Got A Fresh, Hot, Just-Baked Baguette - and It Changed My Life.

OH LA LA.
Moments ago, in la rue, I was trying to decide which boulangerie I should go to, to pick up a bageutte to accompany my pumpkin soup (more on the soup later). I went with the boulangerie at the end of my street, and as I left holding my warm, crusty, just-out-of-the-oven baguette - I knew I had made the right choice!

One bite in, I was in a world of bready-delight. I made myself wait until I was home to continue manging. Incroyable! Even more incroyable when I dipped it in my pumpkin soup. Yes - I found pumpkin in Paris. However - I found it in my grocery store, pre-made, and to be perfectly honest, it let me down. You can only imagine my glee in finding soupe de potrion, but it was kind of bland when I warmed it up for dinner last night. Nothing like the pumpkin harvest soup at au bon pain. So - the search will continue. I did ask my French teacher where I can find pumpkin things - and she told me to buy a pumpkin and make them! We actually went on a pumpkin/coooking discussion, and she ended up assigning us "make pumpkin soup" for our homework on Monday - where we will have a pumpkin soup-off! How fun! Of course, I will win. As soon as I find out where I can buy a pumpkin!

Right now, I'm watching a Ratatouille. I have finally become brave enough to watch it, because my own Ratatouille has been MIA for awhile now. It is really adorable. I learned on the Seine boat ride with Josh, that the restaurant in the movie, "Gusteau's" is based off a real resturant in Paris, called "La Tour d'Argent" and aside from being very famous - it is the oldest resturant in Paris! It gives the movie a whole new level of wonderfulness.

Tomorrow - I have my final midterm! Afterwards, I am going to go to the Palais de Luxembourg, where there is a beautiful Tiffany glass exhibit right now! My architecture class is meeting there to go to the Sourbonne chapel. So - I get to see two things in one day! A much needed cultural experience to celebrate the offical end of midterms!

I must say - whoever wrote Ratatouille must have loved Paris almost as much as I do! It truly has some wonderful lines! Like
""what better place to dream, than in Paris?"

Falling In Love With La Musee Rodin!

Today was magnifique! I slept it (heavenly) and woke up a beautiful, blue, clear sky and shining soleil! How bon I thought! I knew immeaditley that I needed to make the most of the sun-soaked day and get myself somewhere beautiful! So, I did!

My initial idea to go on a run through Tuileries was cast aside when I remembered I have yet to see the Musee Rodin, and since it is largely a jardin - it is best to go when it is nice outside! So, I re-planned my day to include doing my homework in the gardens of the museum, like Josh told me he always used to. I owe my trip to the musee to Josh, who on the first night we met and talked about loving Paris, told me how wonderful the Rodin Musuem was, and that he used to take his homework there because it was so wonderful. We meant to go together while he was here, but we ran out of days! So I took advantage of today by doing a visit alone.

What a wonderful Parisienne surprise the musee Rodin was! Not that I didn't expect it to be beautiful, after what Josh had told me, and just general knowledge that everything is beautiful in Paris - but it was gorgeous! I was in love after two minutes! From the street, you can see into the gardens but you would have no idea how big they are! Let me describe the scene....

Enormous, strikingly beautiful Rodin bronze sculptures scattered around the gardens, which are filled with giant, mulit-colored rose bushes, harvest-colored leafy trees, and the golden dome of invalide and the tip of the tour peaking through! Then, you turn around the side of the Palais, which is the actual museum part, and there is a huge, tree-lined promenade that leads down to a pond, and behind the pond this tri-arch shrubbery that has a little park with giant wooden lounge chairs! On each side of the promenade are little tree covered walkways that have more sculptures all around! It is insanely beautiful! I was so taken with the jardins, I wanted to kick myself for never coming when it was still warm!

I sat on one of the many benches surronding the Palais, and did some of my homework. Mostly reading the history of Paris for my art history class - which was very appropriate! I stayed until the museum was almost closed, so I would have time to go see in the inside. Rodin's sculptures are so stunning. I feel like sculpting is an under-rated art form. Unlike a canvas, which you only see and admire from straight on - a sculpture you can walk around and analyze 360 degrees, and the mere fact that is was carved out of a giant slab of something, is incredible! Josh taught me that Rodin's sculptures are characterized by giant hands and feet, which was extremely evident. I also noticed they all have really complex poses, and are all extremely muscular. The most famous, la penseur (the thinker) sits in the middle of the front gardens. What an appropriate place to do homework - next to the thinker. But, my favorite sculpture was "The Kiss." Weather permitting, I plan to copy my boyfriend as much as possible, and do my homework at the Rodin Musuem. I will just have to bundle up, and bring along some chocolat chaud for warmth!

This week will be busy! I have a presentation in marketing and a speech tomorrow, a project due in french on tuesday, and an oral exam for my midterm in French on Wednesday! My lunch tomorrow is going to be depressing...knowing that last Monday I had lunch at Jules Verne with mon amour. One week you're eating ox cheek at the top of the Eiffel Tower with your love, and the next week your eating a baguette sandwhich in the campus bar alone. Alright - I won't be alone, but it sounds more dramatic that way. Yes - I am still sad my boyfriend is gone, but it's been a few days since I cried last - so things are looking up! I will be home in a matter of months, so I have been able to get over my sadness and translate it into happiness that it happened, and excitement for January.

I go home in two months from tomorrow. How has two months gone this fast....? I have no idea, but it is triste! Going home for the holidays will be wonderful, and so will seeing my family and friends. But I will soon be crying because Paris is gone! And I have a feeling that will take more than a few days to get over, because I do not know when I will see it again.

Faire du Shopping at Galleries Lafayette

What a bonne journee I had today!
Two good things happened regarding my being freezing cold problem.
1 - The heater in the kitchen mysteriously started working, so half the apartment is warm!
2 - It was actually not that freezing....this afternoon. The night was a different story.

So I left early this afternoon to head to Opera in search of a winter coat! I searched in Zara and H&M, only to be extremely disappointed in both stores this season. H&M's colors are really off, and a majority of their clothing looks like it came from a prostitute's closet in the 70s. And Zara doesn't have anything that is a must have item. So - I decided to abandon the mass chains and head up to the contemporary floor of Galleries Lafayette - where my prayers were answered. What a difference. The only sad thing is that while Zara and H&M are affordable, it was not. But I did manage to find an affordable and adorable winter coat to keep me warm - and I was able to find a black winter coat that wasn't belted and fur-collared like every other one in the world. It's very Paris and I have decided that I am in love with it. It is so fun to shop here. I love saying "bonjour" to the sales people - it just makes me grin with delight that I am living in Paris, shopping in Opera, and speaking French everyday.

Afterwards, I came home to eat an early dinner of my homemade banana bread with nutella. OMG was that a genius combination. I should also mention I had banana bread for breakfast. All my meals today included banana bread. It reminded me of nights in the Ivy Tower with Kristin and Brittany - eating banana bread fresh out of the oven. I really do miss my city friends! And city boyfriend of course, who was still here this time one week ago. Two of my sisters are also at home this week, which makes me sad that I'm not there too. I love going home for the weekend and spending time with my parents and my puppy. My extreme love for my family and my friends is the only reason I could never live here forever. It is tres hard to be on another continent.

We went out in St. Sulpice tonight, which was loaded with cute french boys for Caroline, who is on the prowl. I was totally into going to the bar we planned on once I learned it was on Rue de Princesse! It was called The Frog & The Princess, and we're going back tomorrow after chruch for 5euro blueberry pancakes at brunch! Yum! I ADORE walking around Paris at night because it is so incredibly gorgeous! Extra gorgeous where we live I think, as you cross the Seine, you see Notre Dame, Conciegerie, la Tour, St. Chapelle, and then all the other ponts lit up. It nearly brings tears to my eyes everytime!

I'm watching the latest season of SNL as I blog - which is quite funny. I miss being there! I cannot believe that was already one year ago this time! Where is time going? Soon I will be 21, at which point I plan to invent a time machine so I never have to get older, and I can go back and relive these 4 months whenever I want because they are going to fast!

Wearing My Uggs As Slippers, and Sipping Tea for Warmth!

What is going on Paris?!

It is absolutely FREEZING here! And it all happened in a week! It went from sunny, late summer to freezing winter in one weeks time! What is happening?

I am come to realize that my JCrew summerweight sweaters, and Zara cropped jacket are not going to help me make it through the winter! I brought along no winter clothes or coats....Which makes me wonder.....what was I thinking! It's no wonder I had only 2 suitcases! I was so proud at the time and now I realize it was quite stupide of me to not pack any winter clothes!

The only warmish clothing I have with me are chesnut Uggs (which I only wear for the warmth), a cablenight turtleneck, and a sweater from the gap that Josh so lovingly called me "Merlin" all day when I wore it because it slightly resembles a wizard robe. So today I must look for some cheap winter apparel and a coat so I don't freeze to death this week. I found the coat of my dreams at this adorable store, and then my dreams were crused when I saw it was 580Euros. How rude! When you translate it into dollars, it's even ruder.

Part of the problem may be that Caroline and I cannot figure out how to turn on the heat in our apartment, so it very much feels like an icebox. On the brightside, I have not seen in the mouse in weeks - and I think it is because our apartment is no longer a place for him to escape the cold!


This morning I woke up at noon. It was wonderful. Granted, I did not go to bed until 4am. A - because I took a 5 hour nap after class yesterday. And B- because I watched 3 hours of 90210 and then 3 hours of Gossip Girl. Which, I must add, is so letting me down this season. It has lost its way. Later today I have to go to school to work on my French project, creating an entire city, which will be doom. I would much rather accompany Caorline to the Louvre. But after the work, I am going to make "Anna Banana Bread" with the hundred black bananas we have accumulated in the two months we've been here. I wish I could make pumpkin bread too - but there is pas de pumpkin in France! Which is really quel dommage. It is so sad that the French are missing out on two of the best holidays - Halloween and Thanksgiving! What is even worse, is that there is no pumpkin bread, muffins, cookies, fraps, mochas, ice cream, pie......it is my doom. I LOVE pumpkin anything - it's why fall is my favorite season! I must check out the american store I found, ironically called "thanksgiving" and see if they have any Libbys!


At least Thanksgiving will be pumpkin-filled in Holland! Caroline has so sweetly invited me to Thanksgiving in Holland, where I can see her hometown and pay hommage to my hertitage all in the same weekend! How bon! I can also stuff withmyself with pumpkin items. Mmmmmm

I understand that Halloween and Thanksgiving are American holidays - but if another country has a holiday that is awesome and wonderful - why not just steal it and pretend its your own! Sure, Thanksgiving is about the founding of America - but the French have adopted some American words, and watch American movies....so volia! Why not adopt Thanksgiving too? It's not like the US would mind! The same goes for Halloween - a holiday all about candy! Why is this not celebrated in France?.... they love candy! Then I wouldn't have to suffer through a pumpkin-less fall. I guess its a trade off - and so I ask myself, which would I rather have? Pumpkin....or Paris?

Alright, the winner is Paris.
But I would still kill for a slice of pumpkin pie.

La Salon du Chocolat

Yesterday we had a field trip in French class, to le salon du chocolat! Only in Paris would your class take place at a chocolate show! Can you imagine a more wonderful way to spend 3 hours on a wednesday morning?

Entering through the doors into the salon, the smell of chocolat was intoxicating! Every major chocolatier & confisserie was there, selling bricks of chocolate, gourmet chocolates, chocolate bread, cakes, fondants, truffles, hot chocolate, macaroons, chocolate covered everythings, need I go on...?

But the selling of the chocolat was not what made it amazing - it was the SAMPLING! Every place has samples! AMAZING samples! Dark chocolate, milk chocolate, white chocolate, chocolate with nuts, fruit, marshmallows, coffee, caramel.....mmmmmm

Aside from all the tempting sweets - there were demonstrations from these cute students enrolled in chocolate school, working on making a cake sculpture, as practice for their exam! You could see them crafting the chocolate, like a painter working on is masterpiece!

The chocolate show proved to be a great distraction in the week of doomful studying for my midterms. But - I made it through, and today afterclass I spent time napping to make up for 10 hours of sleep total that I got in the past week. I napped and then watched 3 hours of 90210. I know - it was lame, but I needed some R&R, and a dose of crappy tv drama.

Caroline and I then spent some time laughing at our matching Gap pajamas, blue fleece snowflake print circa 1994! Both of us have hand me downs. Mine from my mom. They have been my favorite jams for years now. It was quite funny when we realized we had the same vintage pajamas.

Tomorrow - I am sleeping in! And then going out to find a winter coat, because it is freezing in PAris!!

Mon Amour est Parti

Mon amour est parti. :( He left this morning as I left for school, as I cried. Actually - I think sobbed would be the correct word. I got to school and was mistaken for being "really sick" by my french class because of my red, puffy eyes and runny nose. Once I composed myself, I tried to improve with mood with a stop at Starbucks for a mocha - but waiting in line saw a petit fondant au chocolat that I got for Josh one day last week when I got a mocha - and the tears welled up yet again. I know - I am ridiculous. But we had such a wonderful time together here, I was so sad to see him go, and I am really sad I won't see him for two months.

Joshua offically won the title of "Best Surprise Planner" after his visit. After the amazing suprises of the past two weeks, yesterday was the icing on the very delicious cake! Josh took me to lunch at Jules Verne - and it was incroyable.

I honestly never suspected it! Even when he told me to meet him by the Eiffel Tower! Given my obbsession with gourmet food, Paris, and the Eiffel Tour - eating at JV was my dream come true! Everything was amazing! The decor, the stylish suits of the waitors, of course the beautiful view of all of Paris, the delicious, gourmet food, presented like art- and of course, the wonderful company of my boyfriend. We had a truly delicious, 3 course lunch.

Josh had foie gras canard with fig jam and red fruits. Then little morceaux of chicken, province style with fresh vegetables in this delicious broth. For dessert, roasted fig with honey and fromage blanc sorbet.

I had choc-fleur soup(ish) thing with this mysterious green pate that was warm and frothy and amazing! Then I had ox-cheek with red wine sauce, champignons, and lardons. It was so tender I barley needed to cut it. Dessert was my favorite. I had this petit mint-chocolate, layered, bar type cake, topped with brownie bits and a mint-choclate macaroon, served with a side of fresh-mint leave sorbet and more brownie bites! It looked like modern art when it came. Then - they gave us more mini desserts of coconut macaroons, these amazing fruit and shortbread cookies, and a parfait of caramel and coffee flavored pudding-like flan. AND a mini bowl of homemade marshmallows, and another mini bowl of dark chocolate truffles! Imagine enjoying all these amazing desserts while you are IN the tour and looking out over the entire, beautiful city of Paris! Does life get any better than that! Je pense que non!

Upon leaving, they give you a party-favor bag of homemade madelines! YUM! We left JV stuffed, so we walked around the tour and then down around St. Germain, took a mini-nap at the apartment to regain strength- and headed out for part 2 of our last day together.

After bundeling up, we headed to the Pont Neuf to catch a boat ride at night. Paris is incredible at night, all light up, with the tour sparkling every hour! You learn so much about the city, and pass under the Pont Marie where you must make a wish, and then kiss your neighbor while you pass under in order for it to come true! After our boat ride, we walked to St. Germain where we stumbeled upon the most charming, authentic french restaurant and had a late dinner! They were famous for Boeuf Bourguignon so I got that of course, and it was wonderful - of course. We shared a fondant au chocolat with violette glace for dessert, and I sang Happy Birthday to Josh and made him make a wish and blow out the imaginery candle. We did a final Paris walk, around the Latin Quartier, past Notre Dame, and then back to le Marais. A fabulous way to end a truly fabulous trip. It could not have been better.

Now the work starts. I was lucky to be homework-free while Josh was here, but this week is full of midterms, projects, and presentations. If you know me - you know how I despise all the things previously mentioned, but I will tough it through - with the help of the tour et du vin.

Dimanche des decouverts!

Today was a Sunday of discoveries! New things in Paris for both Josh and I! What is more fun than discovering new things you've never seen before in a beautiful city?..... Doing it with your boyfriend!

So, we began our day at Angelina's. A place that was recommended to me by a friend, and NYC dessert critic, Beth Johnson. My sister, Amanda, and Beth have a dessert-blog where they review the best desserts and places to get them. (visit the website http://www.justdessertsnyc.com/) So, she came to Paris and told me Angelina's was her favorite place here, and that they had amazing chocolat chaud, and so I had to go! I wanted to go for dessert, but I realized they close everyday at 2:30! So, brunch it was!

I was so happy to discover Angelina's is an adorable, fancy, place on the rue de Rivoli. You can get a variety of delicious pasteries, cookies, beverages, and real food as well. But who needs real food when you can have hot chocolate and croissants?.... Josh does.

I ordered the chocolate chaud, and "toast" which came as these giant slices of broiche with jam, butter, and honey! mmmm! The chocolat was just as I had researched. A little pot of pure, melted chocolat, served with fresh whipped cream on the side to mix in. Magnifique! Josh got a veggie quiche and frites! And a palmier, which was delicious as well! I was not even slightly disppointed! I intend to go back and try some of the many, creative macaroon flavors soon!

After brunch, we went to l'Orangerie, the new museum in jardin de tuilieries, that has a huge Monet and Renoir collection. It was beautiful to see these giant Monet paintings that took up whole walls! And Josh was full of all sorts of information about the artists. Since we were in an art mood - we proceeded to the Musee de l'art moderne, which Josh did not know existed. It is truly amazing! It is a huge, beautiful, modern art museum in west Paris near la tour! There are some amazing works inside and the whole museum is stunning. It was a wonderful surprise to us both, since we had no expectations! There are so many musuems in Paris, I must go to them all before I leave so I do not miss out on anything!

The final thing we discovered today was a wonderful thai restuarant on my street! Where we shared spring rolls and green curry! The flavors were wonderful and it was nice to take a break from French food for a night! We wanted to go on a night walk - but it started to rain during dinner, so instead we are going to watch a movie, encore. Man in the Iron Mask was really cool to watch last night after having been at Vaux le Vicomte! If you have not seen it - do yourself a favor and rent it on Itunes for $2. You won't be disappointed!

Tomorrow, Josh has his final "surprise" for me during the afternoon. I have no idea what it is, just that it involves lunch. I got sad today realizing he is leaving soon. I cannot believe 2 weeks has gone so fast! We have had the most wonderful time in France together, in the city we both love so much! And I will miss his killer French skills. I think they were starting to rub off on me because I actually pronounced some words with the correct accent today. I am still working on the french "r" - which is near impossible for Americans, but I said "joshua" correctly today. It is pronounced "JO-SUE-AH" It's very tricky because there is no "shhh" sound involved. There is no "shhhh sound in French at all. It's quite funny to hear a french person say Joshua Jay.

Once Josh is parti, and I am sad and drinking lots of vin- then I can focus on blogging every moment of my life here again and updating my posts with photos - so hang in there until Tuesday. Bon nuit mes amis!

Vaux le Vicomte

Today was Josh's birthday! Well, not really...his birthday is in two weeks, but since we won't be together, we celebrated today! So, we took a birthday trip!

We took the train to Vaux le Vicomte, a beautiful chateaux outside of Paris, with an interesting history. It was built by a finanical minister of France, who was thought to have been stealing money from the country - so his elaborate chateaux was confiscated from him, and he was put in prision only months after building was finished. Louis XIV used it as inspriation for Versailles - which you can see through the architecture outside, and the elaborate, beautiful, decorating inside.

We got there around 4, and immeaditely rented on of the golf carts you could drive around the enormous gardens in! Josh even let me drive....temporairly. It was beautiful weather this afternoon, and we had a wonderful time exploring the gardens, taking post-card worthy photos, and driving around the grounds. The gardens are medevial-style, with really meticulous shapes carved into grass, and triangular trees. The chateaux itself is not as large as Versailles, but very stunning and opulent from the outside and inside. We did not go inside during the day - because each Saturday they do a candelight night tour of the chateaux! They place and light about a million little candles all over the gardens, the outside of the chateaux, and the interior. Then, once its dark the candels are the only lights and you tour everything that way! It was gorgeous!

While we waited for the sun to set, we had dinner at the resturant in the gardens, overlooking the chateaux and watching sunset. It was such a beautiful setting, watching the sky get dark and the candels get bright. It was also great because unlike Versailles, which is so crowded, there were not many people there. It is truly a hidden bijou! After dinner we got to see the inside, all lit by candels, the way it originally would have been lit at night. Nicolas Fouquet, who build the chateaux, had a family crest that had a picture of a squirel. This explained the thousands of stuffed squirels in the giftshop that had puzzeled me earlier. I explained this to Josh, saying - 'Oh, that is why the sold squirels in the giftshop!" And he thought I meant live squirels. Proving that everyone has blonde moments. Not just us blondes.

We are now back in Paris - about to watch one of my favorite movies - The Man In the Iron Mask - because it was filmed at Vaux le Vicomte! It is so cool to visit a place and then see it in a movie! And, it is an awesome movie, that I highly recommend seeing if you have not! Any movie that was filmed in France is a movie you should watch! Since I could not make Josh a birthday cake today, since we took a spontaneous trip - I will make the fondant au chocolat tomorrow for him instead! That is a chocolate cake that is all meltly and gooey fudge in the middle! it's his favorite. Celebrating your birthday over 2 days is much more fun anyways!

Pas des temps pour blogging!

C'est tres difficile de trouver les temps pour "blogging" quand ton petit ami est ici, et vous passez tous les temps avec les activities amusant!

Since Josh has arrived I have basically been MIA. From facebook, from emails, from journaling, and oui- from my blog. Je suis desolee. But, it's hard to find time to blog when every minute is filled with fun, and that's exactly what has been happening!

I can't begin to describe this past weekend that we spent in La Loire right now, because I do not have the time or energy it will take. I will do it as a re-cap blog post soon, but to preview - I will say that I spent the most wonderful and amazing weekend like a princess! More to come on that later!

Today was a very cultural day for us. I spent going to class, sadly. But I met Josh during my break at the Musee d'Orsay. Josh studied French Art for a year while he lived in Paris - so he is basically a walking guide-book to the museum. It was quite handy to have him as a tour guide. I have chosen my favorite painting in the Musee d'Orsay. A Van Gogh of two people sleeping in haystacks. It is stunning. Josh likes Cezanne. He taught me all about him as we admired his art. Like I said - he is very handy. And quite cute.

When I was done with class for the day, I came home and cooked dinner for Josh and Caroline! We've been eating out a lot - so a home cooked meal sounded wonderful! And not to brag - but it was! I made (whole wheat) bowtie pasta, with fresh red, orange, and yellow peppers, lardons, grilled chicken, fresh mozzarella, and tomato sauce! And of course, salade verte et vin rouge! Josh originally offered to do the dishes, and said "where's the dishwasher?" It was very cute because no old, little, french apartments have dishwashers! His face upon learning this was priceless. But he did rinse them all, to prep for washing later. We had to run out because we went to a concert at L'Eglise Madeline where a live choir was performing Mozart's Requiem. It was amazing! The church is so beautiful inside, and the acoustics with the choir was fabulous. It made me miss high school choir for a second. Just one. It was such a fun thing to do though! Josh is full of fun ideas and surprises.

Post-concert we walked up the Champs Elysee and got I got ice cream, Josh got second dinner. We passed the sparkling tour on the way - and then saw the enormous arch! I just love Paris! Even more when Josh is visiting!

Dans Le Noir

Tonight one of Josh's mystery Paris surprises was revealed! We ate dinner in a restaurant that was pitch black inside. PITCH BLACK. You could not see a thing. Not the table, your food, your glass, the person next to you, your waitor....nothing. It was tres cool and quite an experience.

Let me elaborate.....
It's called "Dans Le Noir" (In the Dark) and it is a concept created in 2004 to both support the Foundation for blind people, and to open up your sense of taste in a new way. Without your greatest sense -sight - the way you taste things is completely different and more intense. All the waitors and waitresses are blind, and the place is literally so dark you cannot see your hand in front of you, and your eyes do not adjust at all throughout the whole dinner. You enter first into a little, lit, room where they make you lock up everything that has light (watch, cel phone, camera) and then you pick how many courses you want. You have no idea what you're going to be eating, you just choose how much you want to eat. When your table is ready, you get in a line and are lead into the restaurant by your blind leader.

It was literally crazy. We walked through the curtain and had to just follow the woman leading my hand through the darkness until we arrived at our table, which we couldn't see, to the chair - which you had to feel for and sit yourself in. Once we sat, we felt around for our silverware and cups, and waited for our food to come. It was Josh, his good friend Rune, and myself. And the other strangers at the table, who we spoke with but didn't see. It's really odd when you can only talk to someone but not see them. You can't tell their reaction, if they're paying attention, if their itching their face. It is really crazy to have your sight gone, but everything else continues as normal. I must note - I made an excellent joke of "this restaurant would be a great place for a blind date". I get it from my dad.

When the food starting arrving things got tough, and very interesting. Imagine your plate in front of you, full of food you don't know, and you can't see a thing. Using a fork and knife was really difficult, since you needed your hands to find your plate and where the food was on the plate. So I copied Josh and used a hand/fork combo in order to eat. The food was really amazingly delicious. We got the menu with entree, plat, dessert, so it was 3 mystery courses. I had the following ideas going through my mind during each....
1 - some delicious carroty-tasting cold thing. some taste I can't place...what is that taste?? oniony but not - driving me nuts that I can't place it. Fruity-type warm thing stuffed with cheese. Mmmmm
2 - some type of fish in a tangy sauce. some glob of cripsy, warm, and gooey potato-like thing. (Loving that) Something I tried to bite, but it felt rubbery and weirded me out a bit. Thinking it could be some type of tentacle? Don't attempt to eat that.
3 - Apple (?) crumble thing. Found some type of fruit sorbet too that's amazing. Can't place the flavor. Key lime tart-type thing. Tarte thing is amazing. Want more tarte thing.

In addition, just imagine pouring yourself a glass of water, in the pitch black! It was really such a cool experience, and such a good dinner! It is crazy to be eating something, and you know that you know the taste, but you can't place it. And the taste of eveything is megafied because your greatest sense is gone.

When everything was finished, and we were lead out, we waited for our eyes to adjust and then they show and tell you what you ate. Which is really fun because then you go "ohhhhhhh it was shallots!" and so on. And it's when you realize you have spilled some food on the front of your dress. And your boyfriend laughs at you for being a messy eater.

All in all, it was such a cool experience and unique thing to do. Leave it to Josh to plan wonderful surprises like this one! They also have locations in London, Bruxelles, and San Francisco, so if your near - I would totally reccomend going! It's eating out, in a whole new light.