December

In a matter of days December will be over. Just like that and I haven’t written a thing! So much has happened in the last month so I won’t keep you waiting… though consider yourself forewarned that despite all genuine attempts to keep this short and sweet my loquaciousness has endured.

I suppose I should start at the beginning. John was one of the lucky ones to get the Swine Flu, which is perhaps how we lost track of the beginning of the month. It was pretty awful though I must admit he found a way to look cute even if wearing a mask! Luckily, I didn’t catch it. In retrospect I suppose it would have been quite an adventure experiencing France’s health care system first hand.

Once John started to feel better we decided to take advantage of the nice weather while we still had it and went to Père Lachaise, the largest cemetery in Paris. This summer I used to walk past the cemetery every morning on my way to France Langue and I took a small tour with Marina when she visited though I never took my time to really visit. John and I chose not to allow the search for the cemetery’s famous inhabitants (like Oscar Wilde, Jim Morrison and Edith Piaf) to guide our time. Instead we took our time and admired the enormity and explored the cemetery’s less popular sites. I was a little bothered to find many of these graves unkempt and some even decorated with litter though the overall sense was peaceful. Make sure to check out our pictures here!

I've decided that with my little time left in Paris I should really take the opportunity to do things everyone who lives in France should. As of now my list consists of: learn how to make and flip crepes, find a liking for cheese and gain some sort of understanding of wine. With such a list visiting the Wine Museum seemed like a great idea! I had hoped the museum would explain how wine is made, the differences in grapes, etc. Instead we found a museum of wine-related antiques. Sadly, I know no more about wine than before I visited but it was worth the experience for the humor. There were these wax people setup throughout the exhibit that took me off guard each time. At least we enjoyed our glass of wine at the end of our visit! Check out the pictures of the Wine Museum here.

It was hard to decide how to spend my birthday this year but after much thought John and I decided to spend the day exploring a new town; something we both enjoy but feel like we haven’t done enough since my arrival. Chartres is a small city about an hour outside of Paris and is best known for its Cathedral, which dates back to the 1200’s. We found the town had two identities: the historic part was kept separate from the modern. Once we arrived we headed straight to the Cathedral. From first glance I thought the Cathedral was breathtaking. After spending almost two hours listening to the audio guide I have to admit that I have a newfound respect for Cathedral Architects. Between the stained glass, the labyrinths and the intricate choir I don’t know what I liked the most. I’ve always taken the stain glass in these churches for granted. I respectfully admire their beauty without understanding the stories they tell. I’m in awe of the artistry it must take to create them. But I never find myself wondering why I don’t see them outside of churches or what actually goes into creating them. The stained glass museum in Chartres allowed me to see stained glass as more of a mainstream art than religious decoration. Three museums, three churches and a historic walking tour later I can honestly say I had the most interesting birthday ever. Definitely check out our pictures here!

Two days later John and I went to a cooking class at L’Atelier des Chefs (thanks to one of the best gifts ever from Daphne and Guillaume!). John and I were given a choice between a plethora of different classes such as: Asian cuisine, more traditional French cooking, Seafood, Macaroons, and a Chocolate class. Of course John wanted to learn how to cook using chocolate and I was interested to see how we’d make an appetizer, main course and dessert around something so sweet. The class was located in one of Paris’ major department stores: Printemps. Between the dozen of us students we learned key cooking skills like how to prepare of piece of meat and how to cut onions and fresh herbs, etc. We started with the dessert: Macaroons. For the Americans reading this, please don’t be confused. Parisian Macaroons are nothing like the hard-as-rock, kosher for Passover cookies you’re thinking of. We filled the meringue cookies with dark chocolate mouse (surprisingly easy to make!). We then moved on to our appetizer: seasoned scallops with a balsamic infusion and salad (the chocolate was in the infusion though you couldn’t really taste it). And the main course was duck cooked in a red wine, shallot and chocolate sauce with a side of potatoes cooked with garlic and parsley. The two-hour class went by in a flash. I’m not exactly sure we’d be able to replicate the recipes, except for the macaroons. Though I have been able to continue to use the skills learned. A big thanks to Daphne & Guillaume for such a great gift!

I suppose the most recent excitement has been having some of John’s family over for Chanukah. Every time I’m in Paris for the holidays, John’s family is so welcoming to me. This year I decided I couldn’t plan anything better for Chanukah than to celebrate with his family. 45 potatoes worth of latkes, 18 apples worth of applesauce and 60 sufganiyot later John and I had officially prepared our Chanukah meal! Celebrating Chanukah in Paris was great. I found a beautiful menorah in Le Marais so I could light the candles every night. I found my own way to make great Latkes and even tried my hand at making sufganiyot. And above all else I was able to celebrate with great people. As Noël approaches I look forward to celebrating with John’s family. I’m so lucky to have had such a great year and I couldn’t ask for a better way to finish with a bang! Check out our pictures from Chanukah here.

Happy Thanksgiving

As everyone prepares for their long weekend with family in the States, I can’t help but think of my family who will gather at our house for Thanksgiving this year. Not to worry though… I had myself a Thanksgiving last weekend.

Knowing I might not have Thanksgiving this year, I decided I’d invite the few Americans I know in Paris to our place for dinner. I’d never hosted a holiday dinner. To be honest I was a little worried I’d be more like Amelia Bedelia than Martha Stewart.

I haven’t had too many troubles cooking in Paris. But making a Thanksgiving dinner is different. I haven’t seen a Turkey since I’ve been here. I’ve been offered a reason for this that I particularly like but find hard to believe: Turkeys are too big to fit in Parisian apartments (small refrigerators and ovens don’t make them easier to have). I suppose for whatever reason they just aren’t popular here and thus we had to go with chicken. I’ve also never made stuffing and in reading recipes thought it might be a little too difficult for me. But my dear friend Google solved my problem! I thought searching “Thanksgiving in Paris” would yield recipes for Americans living in Paris. But what I found was so much better: a store called Thanksgiving that’s in Paris. Lucky for me this little slice of heaven is a mere 15-minute walk from home!

If you’re ever in Paris for a decent amount of time, you really have to check this place out. The quaint shop is full of everything you would ever need for Thanksgiving (and more). From fluff to cranberries to measuring cups in units I miss, Thanksgiving has it (of course for a fairly hefty price). It wasn’t easy but John and I made it out of the store with a small bag of groceries. Between you me, I think we’re both working on reasons to go back already!

We wound up with more than enough food for six. I must say I was quite impressed that we pulled it off. We successfully offered: baked camembert, salad, chicken, cranberry sauce, green beans with mushrooms, stuffing and pumpkin pie. As if it weren’t enough our guests brought even more: pecan pie, apple crumble and plenty of wine. The only things missing were family and the Macy’s Parade.

I have so much to be thankful for this year. Okay so I might not be Martha or Betty but I’m doing pretty well for myself and for that I’m thankful! I’m thankful I’ve been able to make Paris home and that I was able to have a thanksgiving dinner with friends.

Though I’ll miss not being home with my family tomorrow, I’ll be thinking of them.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Click here to check out pictures from our Thanksgiving!

The Perfect Wednesday!

November 11^th was the remembrance day of the end of WW1 (the anniversary of the peace signing), which also happens to be a National Holiday in France. The greatest part of this is that I got the day off from work!

Even though I'm living in Paris, I’ve been a little jaded lately. I’ve spent months exploring the different arrondissements and becoming more comfortable finding my way. I don’t have to constantly plan my route before I leave the house. I recognize places and now realize just how small Paris is. Don’t get me wrong: I am in love with Paris. But I think it’s only natural to begin to feel like a local. Okay…maybe local minus the language.

Anyway for my Wednesday John planned everything. I didn’t want to stay in the apartment. I didn’t want to run errands. I wanted to have a day of fun. And that is exactly what John had in store for me!

Instead of waking up at 7, I got to sleep in. And when Oscar began screaming to wake us up John took him outside so I could sleep a little more. (That was enough to have a great day!) The day really started with a walk to brunch (in the Marais) at an American Diner. I was really impressed! They had real pancakes, bagels and cream cheese, milkshakes, root beer… all the things you think of when you think about the states. I don’t know which was better: enjoying a little slice of America here or watching Parisians attempt to eat American food. First, I must admit I’m impressed with the French because they eat so much and stay so fit. The couple on our left had: a milkshake, 3 eggs, 3 pancakes, bacon and half a bagel with cream cheese…each. Each of the girls on our right had a huge omelet with breakfast potatoes with a side of three pancakes. I couldn’t believe it! But what was worse was watching them eat. Not because it was an ugly sight. But the woman on our left tried both cream cheese and syrup for the first time. She used so little cream cheese I’m not surprised that she didn’t think it had much taste. But to watch her face when she tried the syrup was priceless. I think syrup goes just over just as well as peeps in France. Not too well, though it’s surprising because Parisians seem to love their sweets and honey. I think most surprising was that all the people around us ate their pancakes with their hands! What’s worse was the melting butter on top was used as a dipping sauce! One woman even cut her pancakes into smaller pieces to more easily eat them with her hands. I can’t help but wonder: what rudimentary things do I do that make Parisians stop and question me?!

After people watching over brunch John and I headed to Montmartre, perhaps most well known for the Sacré-Couer and the Moulin Rouge. This is one area of Paris I don’t know well and was so happy to have the afternoon to explore. We began our visit at the Musée de Montmartre, which is the oldest hotel in the area (though it’s no longer a hotel). It was great to not only see a slice of French history but to also learn about an area of Paris I never thought would have such rich history. Like many museums in France, the Musée Montmarte gets funding from the government. During our visit we found out that they’re going to lose their funding. This was particularly hard for me to understand because I think museums just like this one help make Paris, Paris.

After wandering around Montmartre for a while we stopped for a drink at a café that was covered from floor to ceiling in memorabilia. At first I was a little taken aback by it all but once we started reading the different notes stapled to the wall we found lots interesting things including one note that said, “ Because the speed of light is faster then the speed of sound: you looked brilliant before you sounded stupid.”

The cold started getting to us as we made our way home. It’s amazing how quickly I have forgotten the dreadful winters of Minnesota. I’m finding myself chilled in 55* weather when I’ve survived in -55*! The perfect way to end our day was in the warmth of our home, making dinner together and then watching a movie.

I had the perfect Wednesday off from work. John did an amazing job planning a day for me! It’s days like this that make me want to extend my time here.

Make sure to check out our pictures here!

Lesson Learned

It’s funny; I didn’t really realize it was November until now. Each day goes by slowly but the time has flown by. I haven’t blogged much. Perhaps you’ve thought I’ve given up or perhaps you’re wondering if life is really that boring that I have nothing to blog about (except of course for pickles).

Though neither is true. I went to Colombe’s baptism, which was a great experience! I’ve had a handful of friends pass through Paris, one of which introduced John and I to a wonderful family who, ironically, live five minutes from John’s grandparents. I've seen the first Apple Store in Paris. And have even tried my hand at Chinese cooking – which it turns out should be my new back up profession.

So what’s the problem here? Why are the days slow but a month slipped away without me noticing?

Work. I’ve tried to keep my internship and company off of my blog perhaps out of respect for their anonymity or perhaps because living in Paris shouldn’t only be about my work experience. Though to be honest I spend a majority of my time at the office & learning French (which, by the way, is going swimmingly).

I wish I could tell you that I am having a typical French work experience but that would be a lie. I only get a 35-hour work-week (okay, maybe it’s a little less) because I study at the Alliance Francaise 3 mornings a week. I don’t get perks like a Metro card reimbursement program or coupons for lunch – which I’ve come to learn are a given for most French employees. I get about 30-45 minutes for lunch, not the glamorous 2 hours I’ve been asked about by Americans. Though when people arrive in the morning we “faits les bisous” (kisses on the cheeks) or shake hands; a custom I think all American managers should consider. As people come and go they acknowledge employees with a company-wide, “Bonjour” or “Au revoir” as they walk in. You can often find croissants or gateaux (desserts) in the coffee room for any reason under the sun: someone had a big meeting, it’s someone’s birthday (or their child’s birthday), etc. This past Friday the company took 45 minutes out of their afternoon to toast (with Champagne) someone’s relocation to the office in New York. In fact, employees often take breaks. I was taken-aback within the first week when I would look up and see almost no one in the office because they all go outside to smoke (for 10 - 20 minutes). In the mornings – though I suppose it happens all day – people take coffee breaks for a decent chunk of time. This all sounds normal of paper but for Americans I have to admit that some of these things took some getting used to. I’m sure I’m forgetting to mention things because I’ve just grown too accustomed to it to think about it as different.

It also sounds like I should be having a great experience. And it’s true I should. During the planning process this experience sounded too good to be true. In reality it has become perhaps one of the biggest learning experiences ever.

Simply put: this isn’t the experience I agreed to do. The work asked of me wasn’t marketing not mention mind-numbing. My manager doesn’t appear to have any management abilities, which surprisingly makes life at work more complicated than I thought it would. Not to mention I’m being paid a fraction of what was agreed upon, which the CFO has made clear isn’t upsetting him and won’t be changed.

I would like to think I could handle all of this if the rest of my interactions were positive. Sadly I haven’t been given the chance. Departments have become cliques. And of course my department (in Paris) only consists of my boss, who seems to avoid me so that he doesn’t have to be a manager, and me. Through lunch conversations I’ve found out that most employees aren’t happy at the company and question many of the decisions upper management make, including adding a third mode of security to access the office. You now have a code to get into the building, a key-card for the first door to the company office and then your fingerprint for the second. It’s no wonder I don’t feel the warmth or even welcomed by peers. I am grateful to have made the few connections I have.

I won’t go into details but each week it seems something happens that makes the experience harder. Though my parents must be sick of coaching me through different situations, this is ultimately one of the biggest learning experiences I could have. And after almost quitting many times I have decided that three more weeks of listening to pod-casts and doing mind-numbing work is worth the letter of recommendation: that I have done everything they have asked of me, even translating business jargon filled reports into French. After weeks of letting this experience cast a dark cloud over my stay in Paris, I have decided to not obsess over it anymore. Besides who else can say they moved to Paris and found a marketing internship when the economy is so awful? I can. Besides: what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. It wasn’t clear for a while but it looks like I’ll survive and that this experience has made me stronger.

Click here to see pictures from Colombe's Baptism.

And here to see pictures from the celebration after! What a fun day!

Click here to see pictures of the first Apple Store in Paris! It's pretty impressive.

I just want a pickle...

Ever since visiting John’s grandparents in Italy I’ve been intrigued about growing my own vegetables. At almost every meal we had salad provided by John’s grandfather’s garden. This is partly what made buying my own hot-pepper plant so appealing but it’s also, perhaps, what made me come up with the great idea of making my own pickles!

If you know me well, you know that I love pickles. There is just something great about them. So this isn’t as random an idea as it might seem to someone who doesn’t share the same love for pickles. Besides: part of my adventures in Paris is about trying new things, right?

First step: research. I spent a significantly more time than I ever thought I would researching on how to pickle cucumbers. Which cucumbers are best? What method should I choose? How long does it take? In case you ever decide to do this: there are a million different ways to make pickles. My method: brining overnight followed by the refrigeration method.

Step two: not getting lost in translation. I figured out everything I needed, which is easy in English. I almost forgot that I had to figure out how what things like Mustard & Celery Seed are in French! This part was not as easy as I had hoped. Luckily, I’ve been cooking here long enough to know what most of the ingredients were and where to find them.

Step three: the search. Let me just say that looking for small cucumbers is not only hard but not so much fun. Not to worry: it took a morning but everything was found.

Step four: the brine. I chose to brine my pickles because it would help speed the pickling process. This may come as a surprise but I don’t always have the patience to withstand time. Making the brine was simple but rather stinky. It took 24 hours of the apartment smelling like pickle but we could finally move on the interesting part.

Step five: preparing the jars. Once the brining is complete you have to then decide what seasonings will accompany your cucumbers in the jar (in my case it’s onion, garlic and fresh dill). You also have to prepare the sauce, which is less potent than the brine, and then pour the mixture into jar. I have to admit I now understand why purchasing pickles is appealing: it not only takes less time but consuming the pickles is less messy.

And now we wait. I still have a week, at the earliest, until I can taste my pickles. I’ll be sure to let you know how it happens but so far so good.

UPDATE:

John and I opened up the pickles last night. Sadly, I learned the distinct difference in vinegars. Substituting one for another didn’t work so well and the pickles were a little too sweet for my taste. But it worked. I made pickles! Definitely not something I think I’ll do on a regular basis but a pretty cool thing to say I’ve done.

J'adore Paris... c'est vrai.

I would like to think that after four months in Paris I am becoming a savvy visitor. I try to find out the secrets of the city: remember the boat ride on Canal Saint Martin? I would also like to think that I am genuinely trying to embrace Parisian life: remember the Fete de las Musique? Over the last few months I have come to respect France for more than its socialized healthcare. This past weekend is a great example of why I love living in Paris… it was relaxing, fun-filled and, best of all, free.

Saturday night was the Nuit Blanche. Started in 1997, the European idea of Nuit Blanche is an all-night event where the city opens its doors to art. Similar to the music festival, art (in all forms) are exhibited throughout the city (in museums, courtyards, streets, etc.). The idea is that you can walk around the city and see different types of art until dawn (for free). John and I had a little trouble finding the bulk of the planned exhibits but wound up taking a great tour of the Marais/Chatlet/Hotel de Ville/Notre Dame areas. The things we did see were really cool, especially the suspended wire Spiderman on a side-street. We also stopped and watched a few street performers, which were surprisingly impressive.

It also happened that it was the first Sunday of the month which has come to mean one thing to me: free museum entrance! John and I decided to go to the Pompidou. I’m not the biggest fan of modern art but must admit that I liked it more than I thought. At first I couldn’t help but say, “Ok… I don’t get it.” But eventually I realized you don’t have to get it. We spent the entire afternoon looking at the permanent exhibit (two floors)!

And there you have it, ladies & gentlemen. Two educational & cultural activities that cost me nothing… even as a visitor. Paris (and I’m sure France) is full of these little things that make all the difference. I’m continually impressed by what the city does for its residents. This is just one of the many reasons why I love living here. I would hope that by now my blog has given you an idea of my other reasons.

Beinvenue Colombe

I am honored to report that the newest addition to the de Vitton family, Colombe, was born at 8:21pm on September 28th. Perhaps my extreme enthusiasm stems from the fact that this is the first time I've followed someone's pregnancy and anxiously awaited their baby's arrival. Or perhaps because this was the first time I've met such a young person and will be able to tell her one-day (en francais) that I met her when she was five days old.

Biased or not I think her story is really amazing. Daphne moved to Paris back in August so she could have the baby in Paris but Guillaume didn’t come until the 26^th. Guillaume came into Paris on Saturday morning and by Sunday night/Monday morning Colombe must have known her parents were ready. Her timing could not have been better!

Contrary to American custom, Daphne stayed in the Hospital (but in more of a hotel-like accommodations) for five days after Colombe was born. During these first days Guillaume was our connection to them because of the strict no visitor policy. I believe this is because of the flu but am not entirely sure. Guillaume would give John some pictures and we would look at them and gush over how cute Colombe is. Come the 3^rd we were so anxious and excited to finally meet her!

I have to admit that Colombe is perhaps the cutest baby ever. I continue to be amazed at how quiet she is (though I’m told she cries more now). I could watch her forever; her expressions, movements, and tiny features hypnotize me. Though even more beautiful than Colombe (if that is even possible) is the amount of love and support she already has. Her entrance into the world has been met with a family that could not be happier. It is so obvious that Daphne & Guillaume already love her more than words can say. And already there are hundreds of pictures of family and friends meeting her for the first time where you can actually see the love.

Congratulations to Daphne & Guillaume, you have a beautiful daughter. Thank you for allowing me to be a part of this. I may not be family but I already care for Colombe as if I am. If you ever need a babysitter you know where to look!

I would also like to congratulate John for becoming an uncle. From the amount he speaks about Colombe I can tell she is very lucky to have an Uncle who will be bragging about her to anyone who will listen. As well as Grand-maman (Christine) and Grand-pere (Joseph) for becoming first time grandparents. And of course big congratulations to the rest of the Morel-Silva-de Vitton family… Your newest addition to the family is so precious. I look forward to seeing all of the things Colombe accomplishes as she grows up (though it would be a-okay with me if she took her time growing up!).

Hot Peppers for a New Start

Taking French classes for seven weeks has equipped me to make educated guesses on what’s being said/written. I can carry on an elementary conversation and follow conversations about limited topics. Imagine having only seven weeks of English…

I suppose it’s only natural that I still feel lost and self-conscious when it comes to French. And so I am officially enrolled to start two months of classes next Monday. I’ve decided to attend a different school: The Alliance Francaise. It felt incredibly rewarding to be able to say, honestly, that I am not a complete beginner. Though after the placement exam, I must admit that I could have fooled even myself… I can’t imagine I scored very high though I know, with certainty, that I got a handful of the questions correct which is something I would not have been able to do last May.

For the remainder of my work experience I’ll be part-time. I’ll attend French class Monday, Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 9-12 and then go to work.

This past weekend I went to check out the location and didn’t realize it was so close to Saint Sulpice. John and I took advantage of the location and found ourselves not only visiting the Church but also wandering around the neighborhood. We walked by a flower shop and saw that they had great plants. At first we were just commenting how pretty everything was until I saw a plant that seemed to be growing hot peppers. When I realized it was a hot pepper plant I knew I had to buy it and try it out! And so I made John ask the florist a million questions: when do I know the peppers are done, how often do I water it, does it need sun, do I put a stick in the center for extra support, etc. Hopefully, in two months I can talk freely about how I take care of this plant in French!

Check out the pictures from this weekend here: we not only went to Saint Sulpice but also to the Orangerie (to see Monet’s Lilly pads!).

שנה טובה: Happy New Year!

I was a little hesitant about observing the High Holidays alone this year but have been reminded that, as Safam would say, “wherever you go, there’s always someone Jewish!”

I didn’t even think of getting tickets until September! Yes, there are tickets for High Holidays. It may seem like a strange notion that you need to purchase a ticket to pray but it’s true. Just like there are Catholics who only go to Church for Christmas, there are Jews who only go to Temple for the High Holidays. So many that it makes the most sense to have tickets. This not only generates an income for the congregation but must allow the congregation to prepare for the number of people about to flood their sanctuary. Many Temples even have ways to open up and expand their sanctuaries to allow room for more people. I wasn’t even sure if I’d be able to attend services this year but took it as a sign when Kehilat Gesher not only welcomed me (two weeks after the application deadline) but also gave me a just-graduated-from-college-and-on-a-tight-budget discount.

I was told ahead of time to bring my passport for identification. What I wasn’t forewarned about was that there would be rather hefty security. Now that I’ve attended guarded and unguarded services I have to admit that I’m definitely more at ease when there is no need for security to consist of multiple people standing guard with weapons. I can’t fathom that becoming a norm.

Not only is there always someone Jewish but we all have the same prayers. I was comforted to recognize the same tunes I’ve sung since a kid. With a piano and a small choir the service was both intimate and beautiful, something I thought Charlie would have really appreciated.

In his D’var (sermon) the Rabbi urged the congregation to not only take the next ten days to repent (before Yom Kippur or the Day of Atonement) but to think about the person we are right now, about how we are living our lives and to be honest with ourselves about what we have fallen short on. On my way home I couldn’t help but think about these things. Here I am celebrating the High Holidays because I made the conscious decision to, when to be honest it would have been easier to call it day by eating an apple with honey. Here I am exploring another culture and trying to learn another language all while learning new things about myself. What a perfect way to ring in the New Year. I may not be in an academic setting but I am, once again, a student. I am learning about myself and about how I want to live my life. This year will certainly be full of new beginnings.

When I came home there was a beautiful basket filled with fruit, candy and wine from Daphne. I’ve not only had plenty of sweet fruit but, as always, had apples and honey. I hope you have a happy, healthy year 5770. L’shana Tova, may you all be written in the Book of Life.

Did you know Monet's middle name was Oscar? It's true!

My Mom used to give my sisters and I special time, with just her and one of us, to do whatever we wanted while growing up. I remember

begging her to play the diversity game, seeing the “Lollipop” show in New York and wandering around the MET to see every Monet painting

they had.

Come to think of it, I think it’s safe to say I was obsessed with everything Monet. I knew all the trivia. I dressed up as him for Halloween one year (not something I would suggest… everyone thought I was a homeless man.) I could even tell you everything about his paintings. In fact I remember walking around the MET with my mom once, telling her all I knew and pointing out my favorite parts. After awhile we noticed that people were actually following us around, listening to me! Okay so if you ask me now I’m lucky if I remember how many different versions of the Haystacks there are (I believe 24 or 25) but I still love his artwork.

After admitting this, I find it a little embarrassing to say that in all the time I’ve spent in France I have only recently made the trip to Giverny. With the weather getting more unpredictable, John and I decided it would be best to take chance and go to Giverny earlier rather than later. The weather was perfect and even though we overheard someone say that this late in the season we wouldn’t see all of the flowers it was beautiful. We took a tour of his house. Which I have to admit was different than I had expected. Each room was a different color. With the sun beaming off the bright yellow, the dinning room was my favorite. We spent the rest of our time walking through the gardens. I can’t imagine that we saw everything but it felt like the property went on forever. I think I would take up painting too if I had gardens like that!

After seeing everything (I hope) John and I took a tour of the rest of the town. Giverny is cute, but I wonder if much happens after Monet’s house closes for the public in November. While wandering down the main street, John stopped me and we saw these really impressive sand sculptures. You would think they belonged to a park or an exhibit but instead they were in the artist’s front yard with an explanation. The sand contains some clay with helps keep the sculptures sturdy enough to last an impressive two months!

We ended our tour of Giverny at the Church (which was under construction) and cemetery where the Monet’s are buried. Sadly, the cemetery wasn't very well kept up but it was nice to honor Jewish tradition by leaving a stone on his grave stone.

I was sad to leave Giverny but delighted that John liked it enough to suggest going back! After all these years, I suppose I can still say I'm a loyal Monet fan.

I always post a link to our pictures but this time I really suggest you take a look. I spent the whole time in awe of how beautiful was I didn’t even notice John was taking pictures the whole time. They turned out great! (Click here to see our pictures)

Finally... I have a job!

And so part two of my adventures in Paris has officially begun. On Wednesday I called the company I was supposed to start working for and was told to come in on Friday to meet everyone. Little did I know that Friday would be my first full day of work but it worked out well and I’m glad to be employed. I’m glad I thought that might happen and planned accordingly!

The office is in a great location, across the street from the Louvre. It’s definitely different than any office I’ve ever been in because instead of having cubicles there is a large open space with shared desks. I’m still not convinced that’s the most productive way to work but I’m sure it will be a good way to meet my co-workers. Ironically, my first real job outside of the Pharma industry has me working on a project dedicated to conducting market research on Pharmaceutical & Biotech Companies. At least I have some background knowledge to work off of!

After day one I can honestly say that the next few months are going to be quite the experience. I’m excited, though, because it looks like I’ll continue to improve my French after all. At least I hope so considering I don’t know how to change the language on my work computer.

Instead of acclimating myself to Paris, I look forward to gaining a better perspective on what it’s like to function “as a real person” in France.

Did I say 3 months? What I meant to say was 8.

I feel as though I just got home and yet I’m already packed and ready to head back to Paris. To be honest I feel like my time here was a whirlwind of activity.

I was in town for a day before I headed off to Milwaukee, where I was a bridesmaid for Lindsay & Ben’s wedding. You’ll have to take my word for it but their wedding (especially the ceremony) was absolutely beautiful. Seeing as they’re both such good friends I want nothing short of the best for them and could not have been happier to see them on cloud nine all day. I wish them a lifetime of happiness and laughter together.

I was able to spend the rest of my time in the Princeton area with my family and friends. Not being here for the summer wasn’t an excuse to go a year without having time by the pool and a BBQ with my girlfriends from high school. Though I think we headed into the pool around 9:30pm, I’m still happy we were able to find time to all get together and catch up. I’m also glad I got to see cousins Jaquie and Ilana before Illana starts her freshman year of college. I still can’t get over the fact that she’s starting college! And though I’m missing cousin Jess’ wedding I was able to see Uncle Bill and Aunt Stephanie for dinner, which was great. I even got to help Melanie prepare and move into her new apartment at school. I’m not entirely sure I got enough quality time with Mom and Charlie but was happy with what I could get and am still hoping they’ll decide to come visit me before January!

As promised, I have a little more insight on what I’ll be up to for the next few months. After multiple phone calls and an e-mail CC’ed to the CEO, I finally got word from the company I’m supposed work for. They said they’re going to hire me through the American office but have me working in Paris on a project. I’m still not entirely convinced I’m starting work tomorrow but I hope to start soon. I guess if nothing else I’m dedicated. Anyway, if all goes according to plan I’ll be working for them through December and taking night classes a few times a week to continue learning French.

I never thought I would have the opportunity to spend three months living in Paris let alone eight. This truly is the experience of a lifetime and I look forward to seeing what the next few months will hold.

Bon Voyage

The idea of coming to Paris started as a joke; something I thought I could never do because logically it made sense to get a job after graduating. But living in Paris wound up being one of the best decisions I’ve made. My goal in living here was to first and foremost learn French but to also fully experience another culture (of course while spending time with John). In the last few months I have successfully started my road to learning French, met my own family while seeing the South of France, met John’s family while seeing central France and Italy, I have tried new foods, learned how to read maps, celebrated my own holidays but also French ones and have embraced every new experience I could find.

I think a good portion of my friends and family assume I’ve been scheming on a way to stay longer. And I have. My parents met a CEO of a software company at a conference back in April who said I could work for a few months st his company. I have been in touch with him and his employees for about five months now. The good news is, it has definitely been a learning experience. The bad news is that I have been trying to work on obtaining a long-stay visa that would allow me to work for them temporarily (but for more than three months) for three months. One of the many lessons I have learned is that the French value their vacation. Unfortunately for me that means that during the summer it’s practically impossible to get something like a Visa figured out when everyone is on vacation. As of right now the three people I have been working with on my situation are still on vacation. To be perfectly honest, I have no idea if anything has been filed with the DDTE so that I can make an appointment for my visa application to be seen and yet I have been reassured that I will begin work for them on September 1^st.

Okay, so I might not be starting work on September 1^st. I might not even get the visa situation figured out at all. But I do have a ticket back to Paris for August 31^st and a return for January 20, 2010. You might be asking yourselves, “so now what?” To be honest, I’m not entirely sure. I still have plenty of French to learn, more to experience and see not to mention a baby to meet in October (John’s sister is expecting her first and everyone is very excited). Besides, I have a week in the states to figure out a game plan.

In the mean time, I’m sad to have part one of my Parisian adventures ending but am excited to see family and friends. True to form, my time home will be short and busy. I’ll be splitting my time between Jersey with family and Wisconsin for a wedding but hope to see everyone. Fingers crossed, by my next blog-post I will have more information on what’s to come.

I cannot thank John’s family enough for being so welcoming. They definitely made my experience that much more amazing. And I can’t wait to be back with John and Oscar for part two of my adventures.

À tout à l’heure, Paris.

(Don’t forget to check out the highlights of my summer here)

Pastori

I remember dreaming with Melanie about all the places we’d love see last May... at the time Gropallo never crossed my mind. Though if you’d ask me today which places I’d love to see it would defiantly be on the top of my “re-do” list. My first taste of Italy was definitely a memorable experience.

Jean Pierre, John’s uncle, greeted John and me once we landed in Milan. We then took a two-hour drive to John’s grandparent’s house in Pastori. Pastori is such a small village that everyone just refers to it as Groppallo, the neighboring village (with a Church) that’s a little bigger and so close you’d just assume it was the same town. It was a great time for us to visit because Jean Pierre and his wife, Valerie, along with their two children Salambô (and her friend Camille) and Lorenzo as well as John’s other uncle, Mario, were visiting.

I was told it was a small village and had no other reference point than Viverols so I had just assumed the two would be similar. Boy was I wrong! Grandma and Grandpa’s house is really beautiful but the walk up to town (or the equivalent to town square, I suppose) was a fifteen minute walk up hill to, technically, the next town. Grandma was right when she kept mentioning how it’s different from Paris because of the silence. I even thought Viverols was quiet but Pastori won hands down. Don’t get me wrong, though, it was extremely relaxing and enjoyable.

Each day we had a little excursion to take. After our arrival we took a short hike to play hide and seek. We spent a day at the pool, checked out the Monday market in Bettola (where John bought Parmesan cheese), visited Piacenza, Parma and Milan, played lots of pètanque (Bocce Ball) and Briscola but most importantly had a great 15^th of August. The 15^th of August is the feast day of the Assumption of Mary, or when Mary was taken up to heaven. In Groppallo it’s a big deal. The family gets dressed up, goes to the Church, visits the cemetery and eats… a lot. This year only Grandma attended Mass but I’m told it’s still imperative to make an appearance so it looks as if you’ve attended. I don’t think we’re the only ones with that idea because there were a lot of people hanging outside the Church talking, waiting for the procession to begin. John’s dad, Joseph, told us to see it this year. After the service the priest leads a procession of congregants and four men who carry out the statue of Mary around the cemetery. It was really interesting to see, I’m glad we stuck around.

During the service two things happen: First, some people visit loved ones in the cemetery. We visited John’s grandpa’s parents and brother and his grandma’s parents. The other thing that happens is that some people go back down to the main street of Groppallo for drinks. Had John and I not stayed up to see the procession we would have joined Jean Pierre, Valerie and the kids for a drink.

After drinks, we went to “the best restaurant” for lunch. I say lunch but it was more like a five-hour feast. The first dish is Coppa, followed by two pasta dishes (vegetable lasagna and then ricotta and spinage ravioli, followed by the meat dish (veal) followed by salad and then dessert. I made it to through the meat dish (only because I didn’t eat the first plate) and couldn’t image eating anything else. The problem is that everything is more delicious than the last so you’re constantly tempted to eat more. Five hours later I was happy to nap!

Not only did we have our daily excursions but each night that was something to do as well. Between playing Briscola, a very intense Italian card game, and going up to Groppallo for foosball, drinks or to see Alberto Kalle there was always something fun to do as a family. Alberto Kalle is a local accordionist. On the 15^th not only did we meet him at the restaurant, where he supposedly began his career, but we also went up to see his concert at night. Interested in who Albeto Kalle is? Get a sample of his music here!

The amazing thing about Pastori and Groppallo is that the sky is so clear at night that you can see, what seems like, forever. The sky looks like a giant Lite-Brite (yes, I am old enough to remember those!). Jean Pierre, Lorenzo, John and I sat out one night watching for shooting stars. I remember trying to do this with my dad once in Jersey and being unsuccessful but in Pastori the sky was so peaceful and clear we saw them with ease.

Okay so everyone is probably wondering the same things… and if not humor me and pretend like you were, please.

a) Was it the best Pasta I’ve ever eaten? Yes. Though I think John’s grandma’s pasta is better than the pasta we got at restaurants.

b) Did I have trouble with Italian since I’m still trying to learn French? Yes. Italian is a very difficult language, I think. One I may need to hold off learning until I’ve mastered French but at least I could tell the difference between the two!

c) Was Italy beautiful? Yes! I would definitely like to go back.

d) Did I learn anything interesting? Of course, I did. What else is this experience for? On top of learning how to play Briscola and Pètanque, I found it very interesting that Europeans look at politicians differently than Americans. I hate to bring it up but Bill Clinton had a heck of a lot of bad publicity after his Monica days and he’s not the only one. Politicians who cheat on their wives are big no-no’s in the states but look at the Italian President. He’s been linked to many mistresses but he continues to be elected. Though the idea of an unfaithful man being a supported president made me extremely confused, I think it goes a long way to think about the Politics, not the personal life of our politicians.

Not that I need to say it again, but I loved Italy. I had a great time with John’s family and am so thankful they shared their piece of Italy with me. I’m thankful for the experiences, memories and, of course the vacation. I see why John thinks the world of his family and completely agree. I cannot thank the Silva’s enough for such a great first experience in Italy. I look forward to hopefully helping Salambô and Lorenzo have a great first taste of the states soon!

Don't forget to check out the pictures from Italy!

The Market at Bettola

Our day in Parma

Our visit to Predalbora (where John's grandpa is from)

The 15th of August

Around the Silva House

Cento Pecore, where we saw John's cousins' horses

Our day in Piacenza

Our day in Milan

Meeting my family in Saint Maximin!

Anyone who knows me knows that my family is perhaps the most important thing to me in the world… that is after Ernie of course. In all seriousness though, since my first trip to Paris (I think in 2003) my mom and grandma have told me that I have a cousin who works as a diplomat for France. Each visit we tried to get in touch to see if she was in Paris and each time it didn't quite work out. So when I decided to come to France this time and my mom and grandma told me I should visit my cousin Alain and his wife Bernadette I really made an effort to make it happen.

John and I arrived at Aix en Provence’s train station and met up with cousin Alain, who set the tone for the weekend by wearing his Garfield t-shirt (circa 1980’s)! I was taken aback as I walked into their house in Saint Maximin (25 miles from Aix en Provence) as I noticed the pictures of their grandchildren, Morgane and Laura, who look remarkably similar to Carrie and Melanie. I’m not quite sure what I expected but was so surprised in how similar our families are, both in looks and behavior. Though I suppose we are the same family which would make it only natural.

Over lunch I was able to hear some stories about the Schlifka side of the family. Bernadette even showed me a photo album with pictures of my immediate family that grandma left behind the last time she visited. I couldn’t believe it! Here I didn’t even know I had so much family in France let alone that I would ever meet them and there I was looking at pictures of Mom, Charlie, Carrie, Melanie and me!

After lunch, Frederic took John and I on a drive to see the Gorges du Verdon. The view was absolutely beautiful. Frederic was an awesome tour guide. He took us on both bridges, the beach and in a small neighboring town (to have a drink) so we could get the best view of the water. The gorges covers an old town, which you can still see when water is drained to clean the gorges every 10 years. The story goes that when you hear the bell from the town you know something bad is about to happen.

After we got back to the house John was able to figure out how to get my mom on Skype so we could all video chat. I think that was one of the cooler things I’ve experienced in my life. My mom was so happy to not only talk to everyone but to also see them. It was great to have been able to make that happen. Mom says she was having a little difficulty finding her words but I think she may have gotten a little teary-eyed.

The following morning, cousin Alain took John and I into the town of Saint Maximin. Here we saw the Wednesday market, which was quite impressive. What I thought would be a block of flea market turned out to be an avenue worth of different fruit, seafood, olive, herbs and clothing vendors. We were also able to see the Basilica; the home of Mary Magdalene’s bones. Though the exterior was never finished, the Basilica is absolutely gorgeous.

Soon after we returned to the house Francois and his family came for a BBQ. I still can’t get over how similar Francois’ personality is to Uncle Henry’s. Being with family I didn’t know I had, swapping stories and learning about my family was a lifetime experience I will never forget. As we all swapped e-mail addressed I realized how important it is for my generation to keep the family connected. As if I didn’t have enough motivation to continue learning French…

After spending only two days in Saint Maximin I now understand why everyone speaks so highly of Alain and Bernadette. They welcomed John and I into their home and family without even knowing us. For anyone who has ever questioned their mother, I think this is proof to always take her advice. If I hadn’t, I would have never had the opportunity to have such an experience!

Make sure to check out my pictures from the weekend here!

Viverols

I can officially say that I have now seen what’s south of Paris. We got back very late last night from our week in Viverols. Just as John had promised it was the perfect place for delicious food, great walks, and tons of sun bathing with its peaceful atmosphere.

We were welcomed with open arms and great food from the start. I must say I never thought I could eat so much in one week! And though I may not have been adventurous enough to try the cheese I did enjoy a delicious frog dinner! If only I was told that cheese tasted like chicken...

I suppose you can tell I enjoyed myself because I have some 300 plus pictures to show for a few days. Papie and Mamie, John’s grandparents, live on the top of the hill near the castle (Chateau de Viverols). I can’t describe it perfectly, I don’t even think the pictures do it justice but the town is amazing. It’s one of the towns where you can see history and character no matter which way you turn. Almost every morning we took a walk down to the town square: home of the bakery, the Boucher, grocery store and church. Some days we picked out desserts and some days we picked up bags for Mamie that she had at the grocery store.

For a small town I feel like there was plenty to do. Each day there was a different afternoon outing. We visited the castle, which is being renovated by the new owner during his spare time. Mamie led a hike where we ate raspberries fresh off the vines! We went on a historical tour of the town. We visited the Musee Louis Terrasse, who built really amazing wooden miniatures. By the time he was six he had already carved a miniature pair of clogs out of wood. I don’t think I was trusted with a knife at six! We went to the cemetery where found a Morel family stone. We visited Montpelloux, an inactive volcano turned into a quarry turned into tourist site. We even attempted to get into the Mausoleum near the cemetery to see the Granet family tombs... the story goes that when Hector Granet’s parents died he buried them in glass coffins filled with alcohol to preserve their bodies. When he died he was put in a similar coffin except one of them was pierced and all the alcohol spilled, leaving the body to go to dust. No one knows which coffin was pierced but the Granet family still rests in the Mausoleum, which is now sealed up and closed for visitors.

We spent our evenings playing games. It was great because there were four grandkids visiting: John and Daphne and their cousins Alexis and Johan as well as Johan’s girlfriend and me. Between the six of us we kept ourselves laughing with Risk, Uno, Belote and Briscol. We lucked out because while there Viverols was having its festival, carnival and all! Friday and Saturday night we went down to the town square to check out the carnival. We also got to see a lantern parade on Friday night and a costume parade on Sunday before we left.

I can’t forget the kitten! We noticed a kitten who, we were told, was 8 days old hanging out in the street crying. John and I couldn’t bear thinking he was hungry and ran to get him milk and bread. The kitten was so cute we named him Louis (or Louise if he turned out to be a she). Oscar almost came home with a brother but not to worry we left Louis with his brother and mother in Viverols.

The week went by so quickly. I can’t believe we leave for Aix en Provence in a few hours! I’m excited for our next adventure but am still sad the week is over. I cannot thank John’s family enough for being so welcoming and friendly to me. Between Daphne and Alexis I caught almost everything that was going on! And Papie and Mamie are such generous people... thank you for sharing your slice of Viverols with me.

Make sure to browse through our pictures from Viverols!

Pictures from the Castle are here!

Click here to see pictures of the town Viverols!

Usson: A museum we visited

Click here to see Viverol's Festival

Monpelloux: the Volcano/Quarry/Tourist Site

Frog Night: Yes... there is proof I ate frogs!

Check out Louis Terrasse's work. It's really amazing.

Check out Mamie's Hike

The Morel Home

Bon Voyage (premiere partie)

I’ve known since before arriving in Paris that the summer would end with a bang. I don’t know why, then, it seems as though the beginning of the end, of perhaps the most amazing summer, snuck up on me. John and I spent our day running errands and packing for the first of our tree trips.

Tomorrow morning Oscar, John, Daphne and I will begin our trek (sorry Abe, but it’s not to Mamaroneck) to Viverols. Viverols is about 530 km south of Paris and will take a train, bus and short car ride to get to. Part of the region called Auvergne, Viverols is where John’s Mother’s side of the family is from. John says the next nine days will be full of good food, hikes and sun bathing in a relaxing atmosphere.

Once we return to Paris on the 2^nd John and I will begin planning for our next trip to Aix en Provence to meet my cousins followed by a week in Groppallo, Italy (near Parma) to visit with John’s father’s side of the family.

I may not be the most frequent of bloggers but at least this time I have a good reason to go on a mini hiatus. Instead of surfing the internet, I’ll be practicing my French and enjoying a new French experience. Who knows… I may even return liking cheese, froie gras or even frog legs! Not to worry though, in between our trips I promise to update my blog.

J'ai fini mes cours de francais

If you remember... one of my first weeks here I was home alone when someone rang the doorbell. It was quite the experience to mix French, English and acting to figure out what he needed. I was hopeful that I wouldn't have such a situation again... and I was right.

I must say that in the rare times I am home alone I get a lot of people at the door for someone who isn’t expecting anyone.

When the doorbell rang yesterday I gushed with excitement that it might be the mailman with the package from Mom. I sung the door open to realize it was a deliveryman with quite a number of packages, none of which were from Mom. He began waving around his computer and some forms, speaking a million miles a minute. And as my eyes began to glaze over and my smile disappeared he spoke slower. He needed to deliver two packages, which were too big to fit in the people’s boxes not to mention he didn’t know which apartment number they lived in. He had to leave them with someone and with my luck he chose the one apartment where the person home didn’t speak French. Though I shouldn’t say that entirely because I understand his problem once he slowed down and I took the packages like a trooper.

So after seven weeks of French classes I suppose I do have something to show for it. I may not be fluent or confident in the elementary French that I do know but I definitely am walking away better than I began. Last Friday didn’t mark the end of my adventures learning French but only the beginning. I’m pleased with the remarks my teachers gave me, though I must admit that I put the certificates away quickly so they couldn’t take back what they had written. You may be wondering what it is, exactly, I have learned in the last seven weeks but it’s difficult to convey that to you in a blog written in English. I suppose you’ll just have to trust me when I say… Je ne pensais pas pouvoir apprendre le français. Mais maintenant Je connaîs Je vais apprendre plus dans le temps. La langue française est très difficile mais ma motivation est plus grande.

Bastille Day

The 14^th of July is France’s National Celebration Day (I guess comparable in celebration to our 4^th). It celebrates the taking of the Bastille Prison in 1789, which had become the symbol of the abuse of power by the King and the royal class. Most importantly, this marked the beginning of the French Revolution.

A few weeks ago John and I decided that since we were in Paris for Bastille Day we should go all out. There are three ways to view the parade: on TV, seated with tickets or standing with the masses of people who also want to watch. Seeing as we never thought we’d get tickets, my trusted tour guide, Google, said in order to get the best view of the Bastille Day Parade we needed to be as close to the Arc de Triomphe as possible and in the first two rows of people. In order to achieve such a task we would have to be up and out by 5am. For those of you who have lived with me you might be thinking this is no problem but keep in mind we would have been running on 4 hours of sleep a night. John and I were excited. We figured it was totally worth it and didn’t mind the lack of sleep if we would have excitement to keep us going.

The week before Bastille Day John went to have dinner with his Dad, Joseph. He came home saying I had homework and needed to translate these cards. It took me a good five minutes to get what they were but low and behold his dad gave us tickets to the Bastille Day Parade! I cannot tell you how excited we were. Come the day of the parade I suppose you could say we slept in considering we left home at 7:30 instead of 5. The President is seated at the Place de la Concorde and so we were told it was best to be as close to there as possible. We couldn’t have done better: second row in the second box of seats next to the Place de le Concorde.

The military parade lasted a little over an hour and each thing was more impressive than the last. Every branch of the military had representatives march which meant we saw a wide array of bands, tanks, airplanes/jets, horses and even parachuters! Each year a different country is honored at the parade. This year it was India, so we were also able to see a few Indian Military branches march.

At the end we stuck behind to maybe catch a glimpse of the President. We were excited to have seen Carla from afar but then watched President Sarkozy walk closer to us. The next thing we realized he was right in front of us and John got to shake his hand! Perhaps the best quote of the day was when John turned around in complete shock and said, “Oh my g-d I just shook the president’s hand!”

As if that wasn’t enough excitement for one day, John and I decided to go back out later for the fireworks at the Eiffel Tower. Knowing there was a concert at the Champs de Mars (Johnny Holiday) and that it was the 120^th anniversary of the Eiffel Tower we knew we had to get there early. So we packed some sandwiches, dessert and wine and headed to a bridge close by 3 hours before the fireworks started. They were beautiful. Sadly, from where we were there was no way to see the complete fireworks/flame show but we still got an excellent view. It took us at least an hour and a half to get home (for a 20 minute trip) because there were so many people. And though we were both exhausted, especially when we had to get up at 6:45 the following morning, it was totally worth it. We truly had quite the impressive Bastille Day in Paris.

Thank you Joseph for thinking of us. The day was that much more special with your help.

Check out our pictures from the parade here!

Marina Comes to Visit

No matter how many times people said they would come visit me in Paris I never believed that it would actually happen. This weekend I was more than excited to have my first visitor, Marina. Studying in Prague, it was fairly easy for Marina to come visit for a weekend. Being her first visit to Paris, John and I planned an intense two-day tour of almost all of Paris.

What’s a better introduction to France than arriving to find that the airline employees outside were on strike? Perhaps arriving on time with no hiccups though you have to admit it’s a little funny. Within ten minutes of being in Paris, Marina was already at the Lourve. John and I had made plans months ago to see U2 in 3D with John’s Uncle, Jean- Pierre, and cousin, Salambô. Had the plan worked perfectly, the museum would not have closed earlier then we thought but you can’t have everything when tickets are free and the view is so beautiful.

The U2 concert in 3D was pretty cool. It was shown in the IMAX theater at the Science Museum. I have to admit that I’m not the biggest fan of huge concerts but this was the best of both worlds: a montage of U2’s tour with the comfort of being in a movie theater. I’m really glad I got to go and am even a little jealous of John, Jean-Pierre, Salambô and Lorenzo who got to see the real concert on Sunday, a foot away from the stage!

Saturday we took a walking tour of Paris. We were up and out by 10 and didn’t get home until 1am, which is perhaps why we finally gave in and took the metro. Though I had already seen the parts of Paris we were showing Marina, it was a pleasure to see them all again this time being able to recognize and understand a little about each sight. I cannot choose one highlight because it was the perfect day. I was glad to be able to feel as though I have come to know Paris better, I was delighted to have understood and spoke a little French, I was proud that I could help direct our journey and could not have asked for better company. Not everyone can say they saw as much as we did in one day. To be exact we:

Walked toward Bastillle
Walked through Le Marais (and Place des Vosges)
Passed Hotel de Ville and Tour Saint Jacques
Took a pit stop to revisit the Louvre
Headed over to the Opera and passed through Place Vendome on the way
Had lunch at Chez Clement, where we had quite the amusing waiter who wanted us to eat everything on our plates!
Visited the Opera house
Checked out the sales at Galeries Lafayette and checked out the view of Paris from the top
then heading back toward Rue Rivoli where we walked through the Jardin des Tuileries, where there was a carnival!
Arrived at Place de la Concorde to see that they were already setting up for Bastille Day
Walked up the Champs Elysees
Continued toward the Eiffel Tower, which Marina was brave enough to go up
Took a Bateaux-Mouches on the Seine to see Paris by night
headed passed Trocadéro to catch the metro home
and enjoyed a delicious crepe dinner/breakfast made by John.

Come Sunday it was really hard to get up and head out but Marina and I did well. John left very early for his U2 concert so Marina and I were on our own. I must say we were pretty successful in continuing our tour.

We started with the Hotel des Invalides, which was surprisingly hard to find and wound up also seeing the Assemblée Nationale
Then headed to the Ile-de-la-Cité where we saw Notre-Dame, the Saint Michel Fountain and the Palais de Justice.
From there we headed to Montmartre where we wandered around, saw Sacré-Coeur and the Moulin Rouge
Our final stop of the day being Cimetière du Père Lachaise where we saw Jim Morison’s grave.

By the end of the weekend I was so happy to have Monday off to rest before Bastille Day! It amazes me that a two day tour of Paris is possible though not advisable for the sake of your feet!

Thank you Jean-Pierre for inviting me into the family’s U2 fan-club. The movie was great and I still can’t believe you guys got such great spots at the concert!

Thank you Marina for being the first to visit me in Paris! I’m excited you came and had a great time seeing the city with you.

And thank you John for well.. being the everything this weekend: the U2 knowledge base, the tour guide, the translator, bargainer and even the chef.

Check out the photos from Marina's visit here!