Caen

My friend Dick and I took a day trip outside of Paris last Sunday to go up to a town in Normandy, Caen. It is close to the DDay beaches and was heavily hit during the war, explaining why it lacks the old European style buildings. Fortunately, the Abbey of William the Conquerer was preserved and has been around since the 11th Century!


Eglise de Saint-Pierre


Hotel de Ville


Abbaye aux Hommes


Inside the Abbey where William the Conquerer's tomb is

Marche d'Aligre

I didn't take any pictures of the market because I feel like once you have seen a few markets in Paris they are all quite similar on appearance. But Aligre is set apart from the rest because all of the vans that transport the goods are covered in crazy graphiti.
Location: place d'Aligre 75012 (in between Bastille and Gare du Lyon)

Le Select

Don't believe I have many or any posts about cafes I go to.

Blvd. Montparnasse at metro Vavin

Elysee Montmartre

Last night I finally got to go to the historic Elysee Montmartre concert hall to see great reggae artists Johnny Clarke and Horace Andy.

Monet Murals

(l'Orangerie)

Some of my favorite things...

in my boyfriend's parent's flat.

Matisse

(l'Orangerie)

Can You Ever Take Enough?

Comings and Goings

Isle de la Cite, Parc Monceau, Marais, Corner of rue de Sully and Boulevard Henri IV (in no particular order)

Oh the things you will do for the places you go...

I am coming to the end of my stay in Paris and I thought that a brief recap of the range of jobs I have undertaken here would help to summarize part of my experience...

Arrived January 9th, 2008

Jan 11 Bartender in an Irish pub in Pigalle. Quit the next day.

Jan - Apr Babysitter in Toulouse for annoying, crying and unpleasant French kids.

Mar Sandwich maker at Cosi, 54 rue de la Seine, 75006.

Apr - Sept Waitress at Macéo, 15, Rue Petits Champs 75001, a French brassérie by Palais Royale.

Apr - present Babysitter on occasions

May - June Assistant Social Secretary (notice the initials) British Embassy, Ambassador's Residence

A week in June Production Assistant for Kodak photographers in Nice, Gorges de Verdon, St. Tropez, Cassis, Cannes, Martigue, Marseille, Aix-en-Provence

July - present Private Tennis Instructor

Sept- Oct Grape picker in Carainne, Côte du Rhône for the wine harvest

2009

Sept 08 - present Assitant/Organizer to photographer/writer

Nov 08 - Feb Social skills reeducation helper

Nov 08 - June English Teacher for two French children

Feb 08 - June Assistant to an American Accountant, Horton Tax Services

Not Your Typical Acordian Player

(thanks Vanessa - http://le-cahier-paris.blogspot.com/)

Birthday Night Out in Montmartre

This past Saturday was a celebration for my friend, Eleanor's, birthday. We all went to eat at Relais de Gascon, 13 rue des Abesses 75018. Had a great time eating gigantic salads with fois gras, magret du canard, escargots, entrecote and deliscious frite en d'ail (thinly sliced potatoes covered in garlic).

Afterwards we went down the street to a dive bar where we got served taffys and drank mohitos and pints of relatively cheap beer. It was swealtering in this bar though, as well as everywhere else in Paris now because nowhere has air conditioning and they don't seem to know how to use fans either. When we would go outside to get some air, the bouncer was constantly telling us to be quite for fear of neighbors complaining (another typical nuisance when going out in Paris).






When the bar closed at 2, we headed down to South Pigalle to an old Lesbian cabaret/club, Chez Moune. This is just a dance club in the basement now. Music was a mix of bad 80s beats, with some random Michael Jackson, JTimberlake and other bad hits thrown in there. It was twice as hot as the last bar and the bouncer was an asshole. I ended up not being allowed back in once I went out to get air because the bouncer kept yelling at everyone to be quite outside on the street and I guess he didn't appreciate my sassyness.

All together, a fun and adventurous night out with lots of laughter and good friends.

Wedding in the South

Bubbles

Marché à Arles

Top 10 Things to Eat, See and Do in Paris

This is my list after being here for 18 months:

1) Go to the boulangerie on corner of rue Manuel and rue des Martyrs 75009 and order "une Flute". Best baguettes ever tasted. Also get a pain au chocolat blanc, it is a mini baguette with white chocolate melted and caramelized into the crust.

2) Take a picnic and go to Buttes de Chaumont. Place yourself at the top of the park by Café la Rosa, and order some saucisson.

3) Musée D'Orsay

4) In the summertie, such as this summer, go to Parc Floral in Parc des Vincennes on a Sunday to listen to some jazz. Make sure to find the little café in the park and order a Granita Pnia Colada (Pina Colada Slussy). Best and strongest I have had.

5) Eat dinner at Wadja, 10, Rue Grande Chaumière 75006. Let them help you with the wines if you don't know because the wine list is extensive and amazing. Or order some Domaine Richaud, Ebrascade (this is a strong, robust Cote du Rhône, where I picked grapes

6) Best croissants are between métro Abesses (line 12) and rue de Lepic 75018

7) Go have a few glasses of wine at the bar Juveniles, 42 rue de Richilieu 75001.

8) Patisseries: Aoki Sadharu 56, Boulevard Port Royal 75013

9) Window shopping in the Marais

10) Japanese noodles rue Saint Anne 75001

Gay Pride Parade