Medieval People

Wooh, it's been a while! No time for blogging when a girl's school is not on strike and no fun trips are being taken! That said, i did find the time to procrastinate long enough to put together this shoddy lil' video filled with winter-road-trip-idleness from last February.

It all began when i missed the last metro home on the eve of our departure. Tired, I opted for taking a 10 Euro cab ride from Concorde to Montmartre (that's expensive!), so i thought i should try to catch some footage along the way. 4 measly hours of sleep later, i met a friend for breakfast, which required taking the metro something like 9 times. Finally, it got to be road trip time. Over 4 days (that's slow!), we drove along the Loire, to Rennes and up to the coast to see Mont Saint-Michel, and then through the fields of Normandy on the road (to Rouen) and back to Paris. E. missed her flight home due to CRAZY outskirts of Paris traffic (horrible!) so we decided to console her over crème brûlée from "Les Deux Moulins." Proof:

The lifestyle or the language.

There is a store in the Marais called Ben Simon. It's kind of like a tinier, more expensive version of Urban Oufitters. Or maybe Urban Outfitters is globalization's answer to stores like Ben Simon in the Parises of the world. In a word? Unaffordable. But cute! I used to live pretty close to it, and I enjoyed walking inside for a splash of eye candy and colour to contrast the beautiful but very grey architecture of the neighbourhood and beyond. Knit plush toys, prepare to be hugged in photographs forever. You want to go to Ben Simon but you can't afford the trip to Paree? I have just the post for your poverty stricken itchy feet. This is not Paris. This is Ben's basement.

I'm right again, I'm Chinatown

Let it be no secret that I absolutely ADORE the Chinatown of Paris. Nestled near the periphery in the 13th arrondissement, it’s more subdued than the North American Chinatowns I’ve visited, and at the same time, doesn’t really feel like Paris too much. I guess it makes sense that a girl who doesn’t really dig the local flavour might seek refuge in the city’s more ethnic neighbourhoods. Classy French Chinatown, you are one of the few things I will miss along with Jewish falafels, Sojade soygurt, and inexpensive (yet delicious!) red wine.

The sun sets not at nine

Early may, and dusk has been lasting till almost 10pm! Here is the view from my window the last time the moon was (almost) full. Paris, like a piece of art you can't touch.

Oh, I also finally braved the crowds of people often gathered in front of the sparse counter of the Rose Bakery on Rue Des Martyrs to sample a soy latté at the only place in Paris you can get soy in your coffee other than Starbucks! Verdict? Totally decent. Provamel soymilk over the 'bucks watery Bjorg brand anyday, yes please. The staff were perplexed about my request not being on the menu, though. Amateurs be warned: ordering a "soy mocha hold, the mocha" might alleviate the potential complicatedness of your transaction. And because it took me months to track this place down, I will post it on the Internet one more time in hopes of helping lactose intolerant and vegan guests of Paris from around the world: you can get a soy latté in Paris, France, at the Rose Bakery! It even boasts two locations: 30, Rue Debelleyme in the Marais, and 46 Rue Des Martyrs in the 9th. Enjoy!

Al Cool and Stranger Wine

Because yesterday was such a beautiful day!

Marching Band

I live on a pretty small street. Nevertheless, I was awoken one weekend afternoon by the bang of a marching band drum or two or ten. The only half decent photo produced from the event turned out blurry if anything, but after a little tweaking, I think it came out sort of cool...

Jeudi Noir

"La France est un pays de contestation perpétuelle," I was once told. The French are always striking about something. Sarkozy even went so far as to state that the French protest so much, it has become an ineffectual act that goes unnoticed most every time. But now that the man is threatening to cut jobs and funding from various sectors due to the economic crisis, half-assed picketing just will not do! The SNCF got involved, the national library, the Opera! What, May Day in January? Why, no! It's Black Thursday! While the Media predicted mayhem in the streets and on the metro, I found commuting to Bastille from Montmartre surprisingly easy today. How come? Well, it would seem that by the time I reached my destination, 2 million other people had already arrived...

Want to read more? Here is an article from The Telegraph.

Photo of the day

Before leaving for the great land of France, I went to a few meetings mostly hosted by older men whose task it was to inform me about what to anticipate during my big year abroad. At one of these meetings, the OFQJ handed me a pamphlet informing me that I should expect to pay 0.80 euros for a baguette. Ladies and gentlemen, I have never seen a baguette listed for such a low price... until today! So surprised was I that I felt compelled to take a photo of this very reasonable list of prices posted on the door. The little girl's priceless facial expression at her obvious awareness of being photographed by a creepy stranger was simply an unexpected perk. Way to steal the show, little girl! I don't even think I could tell you the exact location of this bakery if I tried. Montmartre. West of the Sacré Coeur. Au bas de la butte. Hell, I don't even know if it's any good... But it is open on Sunday. A rarity worthy of being noted indeed!

Paris sous la neige

Even Victor Hugo is feeling the cold... Misérable!

Friend Opportunity

Let us look back on South X Southwest, 2001, shall we? I was 19 and wanted to see Unwound more than anything. They were playing the Kill Rock Stars showcase at Emo's along with XBXRX, Bonfire Madigan, and a then unknown band called Deerhoof. Greg Saunier sat on a milkcrate on one end of the stage and Satomi stood on the opposite side controlling some sort of midi instrument or keyboard. They only played for about 10 minutes because J.Mascis and the Fog featuring Mike Watt on vocals and the original guitarist of The Stooges played for more than a bit too long before them. While 110 minutes of Mr. Mascis and co. versus ten minutes of Deerhoof might have seemed unfair at the time, I have always been a fan of leaving the crowd wanting more, so it would be hypocritical of me to complain now. Besides, I've had the good fortune of seeing Deerhoof four more times since then... And to think I almost missed their December 11, 2008 Paris performance because the world was too dark and cold and busy and expensive that day!

p.s. marry me, Deerhoof, any one of you!

How are you feeling today?

From the junk shop window on Rue St-Paul, or the inside of my brain? Both, I say!

December in the thirteenth

December was a month filled with visa trials and tribulations. And by visa I mean, a valid visa in France need be supported by a French carte de séjour. And where might these carte de séjour getting headquarters be? Why, Cité Universitaire, of course. What might be around Cité Universitaire, you ask? Not a whole helluva lot, I must admit. But, and there is always a but, the thirteenth does boast this charming autumnal view, to which I say: Oooh! Ahhh!

A quaint November outing

Montparnasse, 1782. Deep down a narrow winding staircase leading halfway to hell, lie the bones of 6 million French people once buried in cemeteries that became too overcrowded to host them.



the well pictured above is not really accessible, but once upon a time, this is where tunnel workers bathed their feet.




Where is death? It is always in the past or the future. No sooner is it present than it is already gone.