Happy New Year (a few days... ahem.. weeks late)

Well well well. Happy New Year – better a little late than never – ok so better 23 days late than never. Yes, I have fallen into yet another rut with this little baby blog of mine. I don’t know why it happens exactly because writing and sharing on here is one of my favourite things to do. I am going to blame it on all of the long hard hours I have been putting in at work and not balancing out my energy enough. So in order to make up for it I am going to try really hard to continue sharing my experiences here – on this note, you would think that after almost two years here they would be slowing down, but it is just the opposite. So for those of you who keep checking and still read this – Thanks and I will do my best to keep you entertained from now until I start to pack this road show up and head back to the good old US of A. So let me take a few on this welcome back post to share with you how my New Year has started. I think a list is in order…


1. First and foremost – I am happy to say that I rang in the New Year dressed up to the nines (why is it to the nines and not to the 10’s or the 30’s … both also very good numbers!) with a few fantastic friends and we actually lit fireworks off in a restaurant. Pretty sure that is literally starting the New Year off with a bang.

2. The Soldes of 2012 have started and yes I have taken full advantage of these bad boys – only one week left and I am sure I will be out scouring the racks at least once more before the sales are over and everything is back to normal expensive Parisian prices.

3. I found out that I am going to be an AUNT – real deal holyfied – it threw me for a bit of a loop but seriously I cannot wait to spoil this new little nugget ROTTEN the second it enters the world. I may even start before that.

4. The Patriots are going to the Superbowl – yes I know this has nothing to do with Paris but I love this game and all the fun parties and food and drinking that comes along with it and I actually want to make a special trip home just for this.

5. I made it through the holiday season alone in Paris without my family – I know this list is supposed to be New Year related but I feel like making it through the holiday season was a big one for me and being able to do it in great spirits with my amazing friends here helped get me started off right.

6. I won the fevre in this traditional French cake called the gallette de rois. It is a pastry that tastes like butter with an almond-y type filling in it. A small ceramic toy is hidden inside and the person who gets this toy (hopefully doesn’t break their teeth) get’s to be the king or queen for the night. Now maybe this seems a bit silly but after two holiday seasons here and eating way more of this cake than any normal person should I felt very attached to the thought of winning this. It was a piece of France that I knew I wanted to always have with me. Maybe the piece I received was a bit rigged but hey I am taking that toy and running with it!!!!

7. I found out that I will be lucky enough to have another visitor in the month of March. My college roommate and lovely friend miss Becca Burns. Although we haven’t seen each other as regularly as either one of us would like over the past few years, she will forever remain near and dear to my heart and I am beyond excited to waltz around the city drinking café and eating pastry and cruising the streets for cute boys.

8. Went to the most amazing house party and now officially am starting to think that I am much too old to be staying out until 5am and drinking random combo’s of alcohol and wine and whatever else is around on the counter. Seriously - the music was amazing, the company was beautiful and the evening was great. But being curled up in a ball or hugging the toilet is not the best way to spend a Sunday. I have never been so happy in my life for it to get dark outside so I could go back to bed. What used to take me a few hours to recover is now a two day process... I am pretty sure I swore to more than one person on that Sunday I was NEVER drinking ever again... let's see how long that little promise lasts.

9. The Bachelor started – again this has nothing to do with Paris, but this is one of my favourite shows, mostly because I used to spend Monday nights before I moved here watching it and analysing everything that happened with some pretty awesome people. So now instead of watching it with them, I write full recaps as if they were sitting next to me and send it via email. I am sure that my play by play commentary woudl make much more sense and be more entertaining but hey - you gotta work with what ya got!!

10. I applied to a very interesting job back in the US. It is still with the same company and it maybe a bit above my experience level but I am ready for the next challenge in my life. I had no idea updating a resume could be so annoying and difficult. Lucky for me I have the support of a great friend and mentor to help guide me. Even if he would rather I kept my blond butt in Paris.

11. I went ice skating in Paris in front of the Hotel de Ville ( the city hall) with lights twinlking, bad dance music blasting (think YMCA and It's Raining Men or I Will Survive) and surprised myself that after years of not being on two thin m etal blades, I still got the moves. I can thank my parents for always bundling us kiddos up to skate on teh pond behind our house in NH.

12. I experienced a delightful little creation called a Boite Chaude. Which is basically cheese (Mont D'or) in a wooden box that you bake (boite chaude literally translates to hot box) but you can't bake it until afte ryou scoop out chucks of it,  and then fill the holes in with wine and cloves of garlic. You eat it with a special kind of  saucisse ( Saucisse de Morteau ), charcuterie, pomme de terre and of course fresh baguette. I could have eaten an entire box by myself had I not felt like exploding, but it is one of those things that once you start you just can't stop!! I think what made this first littel experience even better was the amazing company I was with. Some people make even the most normal experiences - like eating gooey cheese from a wooden box -  feel a little magical.
I think that covers most of the exciting things that have happened so far in the first 25 days of this new and hopefully exciting and adventure filled year.

I will be sure to keep you posted though…

Hotel Banke

This week has been another big one. I have been to my favourite pizza place twice (Da Carmine.. I have mentioned this lovely Italian hole in the wall in previous entries and I STILL highly recommend it when you are craving an amazing and authentic italian pizza) AND I was able to catch up with a friend over amazing cucumber and gin martinis followed by a fantastic meal. You can find these delightfully refreshing drinks at the Hotel Banke right across from Galleries Lafayette. The hotel itself is beautiful and the bar and restaurant area are relaxing and filled with smiling and friendly staff (this is not something you stumble across too often here…) In fact one of the waiters noticed how short I was compared to the table after sitting on the banquets side of a table and brought me a lovely gold pillow to boost me up higher at the table. Talk about service!!! Aside from the delightful service the food was delicious and the conversation and catch up was beyond satisfying. It was one of those moments that made me realise how far I have come since I have been here and how important some people have been in helping me achieve everything I have thus far. So a big super thanks to my dinner “date” for recommending the location, sharing your delish garlic encrusted filet de boeuf and the always inspiring and genuine conversation.

Derby Hotel - 4**** and definitely worth it - well at least the martinis are : )))

Monday... really... already...

There is no way I can recap this past weekend in this blog post, for multiple reasons… I am currently trying to recap it all in my head still, some stories will never be retold and well words probably won’t be able to give it justice. What I can recap is that from about 6pm on Friday until this morning it was just non-stop. I think a list is the best way to share some of the experiences with everyone.

1. Mojitos on the terrace to start a weekend always are a good idea

2. Incredibly hot man followed my partner in crime and myself on our way to the metro to ask “ If we would take a glass with him…” a glass means have a drink

3. Getting stuck in the turnstile of the Metro because I forgot my pass and was trying to sneak through with the PIC (partner in crime) until she got stuck and the guy behind us had to try and let all three of us through at the same time. Resulting in us getting through and him only making it half way through… laughed so had I cried.

4. Flaming shots - literally they were on fire

5. Seeing a Bulgarian give PIC a great rendition of a lap dance

6. Having dinner with a group of 10 people I had just met and laughing so hard I cried – once again , while PIC went back to meet super hot “take a drink with me” man for a drink

7. Stumbling to another bar after dinner for a night cap only to almost get in a fight with some very rude men who need work on their pick up lines

8. Walking to the taxi stand in the Converse sneakers of my very kind escort while he carried my (super cute yet) super not comfy shoes for me

9. Waking up on my couch even though I had obviously been in my bedroom to find my pj’s - seeing as half of my wardrobe had thrown itself up from my closet

10. Free massage in the center of a park after a delightful late lunch with PIC

11. Impulse purchasing the sexiest watch ever (for myself) and picking up a nice little birthday gift for the one we call Mr.Cocktail

12. Meeting the same group of ten for dinner again approximately 2 hours after eating my first lunch/dinner – resulting in a bit more laughter

13. More flaming shots

14. Trying for ten minutes to let myself into the wrong building – those digicodes on the front door are great, as long as you can see straight…

15. Waking up on my couch again

16. Delight brunch with PIC and another friend – who unfortunately was forced to listen to us piece together the previous 48 hours

17. Followed by a brisk little walk through my favourite part of Paris

18. Napping. Eating. Nip Tuck. Bed

19. Waking up to remember it was Monday not Sunday and it was time to get back to reality….



The reason you stayed tune...

The weekend :: A beautiful (and quite honestly my favourite) part of the week, as I am sure most people would agree. I know I have said (again and again) that I had the most amazing weekend ever, but seriously they just keep topping the one before!! Although I feel like I could write pages and pages about this past weekend I will keep it to a quick review. I do call the right to have the possibility of a follow up post. Let’s start with Friday – a night in a new area of town I have never explored – The Zenith, a lovely little concert house in the 16th. Where I was given the great pleasure of seeing Ben l’Oncle Soul… anyone who knows me is aware that I have been in love with this singer since the first time I heard his music. It is an incredible mix of jazz and soul with a nice mix of English and French as well. Allowing me the opportunity to practice my French language skills (always a plus). The show was just unreal. The set up was like a big band show complete with dancers, guest appearances and a totally random crowd – making for great people watching… not only was Uncle Ben awesome but the opening act Imany was a great new discovery. Her voice is gorgeous and soulful and I highly recommend you Google or YouTube or whatever it is you do to find her music. As most of the things I do here in Paris are – it was also a learning experience. The first lesson was just a reminder about how important it is for me to improve my speaking skills – within minutes of being seated Annee had an ice cream salesman (I have no better term to describe him) going down to the floor to buy us a beer, he didn’t even ask for the money upfront – fantastic start to the evening. The most interesting part came next though., I was completely shocked that everyone stayed in his or her seats for almost the entire show. Even the people on the floor were just standing and sitting where they chose. It was crazy – especially with such good tunes blasting all around us!! Being the party package we are though Annee and I made it a point to get up and bust a move. Ensuring that we had nothing but a fantastic time. Now I said before that this concert was in an area I am not overly familiar with but the walk back to the Metro was filled with some serious characters – most of them being men trying to pick up anything that walked by. My favourite catcall/pick up line of the evening goes as follows “Mademoiselle your face is so much prettier than your boots” normally this being spoken in French would have me flattered and at my feet but after having three other randoms tell me their address to go sleep with them I just wanted OUT OF THERE. I will keep that gem of a line in my repertoire for a later date though… The rest of the weekend was simply filled with the typical spring/summer activities’ including shopping (for the two beautiful babies I am so excited to meet in a week!!!), drinks on a variety of terraces and lots of walking in the sunshine. Oh and an incredible little dinner with some very good company - which is the reason I was out past my bedtime last night... 

The longer I stay here and the more weekends that pass the deeper in love I fall with this city and the friends I have made in it : )