This has no title

Because to be totally honest I have no idea where I am going with this post. Which has seemed to become a bit of a problem when trying to write lately. I have so many things swimming around in my Franglish head that sometimes I have a hard time trying to even complete one thought. So be prepared for anyone who is still even reading this little thought-keeper of mine that this entry and probably for the near future these will be a bit all over the place. For starters in the last few weeks the realisation that I am moving on and hopefully forward is here. I have spent two absolutely amazing and fantastic and unreal years in Paris. Now I am sure almost everyone will tell you the time the spend anywhere in a foreign country is amazing but mine REALLY was. I saw castles, a french Mickey Mouse, was here when the announcement of the new French President was made, partied with firemen and maybe even made out with one (I'll never tell), did some of the best shopping I have ever done, was able to see countries and cities and places that I KNOW I would have NEVER experienced otherwise (riding on and swimming with an elephant for example), I have MC'd an event with over 100 people and pushed myself to not throw up on stage from the butterflies in my stomach, I have been able to show my friends and family that visit around "my city", I have gotten lost again and again and always found my way home, I celebrated my first Christmas without my parents and siblings by my side (thanks though Skype and a few special Christmas Elves), I have seen sunrises while still out drinking and have danced until my feet can't take anymore, I have had my heart broken and fixed and broken again and I am still waiting for the right thing to happen, I have eaten enough bread and pain au chocolat for a lifetime and I have the closest most fantastic friends here now... even though there are only like 4 of them I wouldn't trade it for the world... these friends mean just as much to me now as my family. Which has made the choice to pursue my life in the US incredibly difficult. Really putting yourself out there to someone and relying on them time and time again creates a bond that I have never experienced before in my life and I am not sure I will ever experience again. So trying to get through the incredibly tough decision process of to stay or to go has been impossible. Even right now as I type this I am questioning everything I am doing - even if my choice was in the other direction, I think I would still be feeling exactly the same. See the problem now is I live two lived. They are intertwined in certain instances but for the most part they are just running along side by side with each other. I don't know if any of you have ever had to live two lives or make a choice that will cause you some regret no matter what the outcome but it will throw you for a doozy. No matter how prepared you are for it (or think you are for it)!! But the bottom line is I have chosen to take the next step in this little adventure we call life and along with making that choice comes so many other choices... such as:

What the hell do I do with all of my shoes and how is the poor sucks stuck packing them going to feel about that? Is he (or maybe she) going to treat them with the love and respect they deserve?

Where the heck am I going to live? Ma and Pa??? Room for rent?!?!?!! hahaha.

What exactly is the next step in my career? What do I want to be when I grow up? Because recently the most appealing jobs are my return to being a live in full time Nanny and hot dog sales girl on Church Street?

How do I know if I am making the right choice? Because this one is one question I wake up thinking about every night and I'll be honest the cover up is starting to not be sufficient in covering up the bags under my eyes....

When this all sinks in and I have to actually (well buy the one way ticket home) deal with my choice, will my friends here still embrace me the same way they have over the last two years and can we manage to stay as amazingly close and influential (well at least they have been for me) as we have been?

And who is going to drop me off at the airport and wipe my stupid tears away as I go through that gate at CDG and head back to the US one last time? Because it is a messy job - just ask my Mom... she dropped me on my first trip coming over...

Uh oh... the waterworks are welling up. That is an appropriate stop time for now.

Oooops

Oooopsy ... I can not believe that is has been 2 weeks since I have written. Man oh man, I am just not keeping up with things the way that I should be. And well the thing is I have a list about a mile long with things I want to write about on here!! I guess the last couple of weeks have been so jam packed that when I get home or have a few minutes typing or even sitting in front of my computer is not what I want to be doing, we can thank work for that!! I have been one BUSY BEE!! Next weekend I leave for Philadelphia for the event that has been running my life (well one of the events, I am currently working on two, which has turned out to be quite a balancing act - yikes!) and since it has been running my life it has essentially grounded me from writing here!! Ok, excuses, excuses but planning an event totally remotely has been quite interesting. Lucky for me I have made it a priority to fill my weekends with at least one day totally away from work stuff (yes I have been working on the weekend for the last few weeks. Talk about dedication baby)! Last weekend, I experienced my first indoor swimming centre here and as nervous and well not excited at all about trying it - I grew up swimming outside with my cousins and friends in Grammy's above ground pool with floaties attached to our matching watermelon bathing suits- so a public pool and all the unknown people in it is a bit intimidating - it turned out a-ok and I actually really enjoyed myself. I forgot a few things, one being how much I enjoy being in the water and two what a great little workout swimming is. Especially when you are trying to keep yourself afloat in the deep end with two little kiddos (the partner in crimes kiddos were the reason to be at this pool) jumping all over you and asking for rides to the lane markers and back! I am definitely planning a return trip, I may even bust out the old goggles and swim cap for old times sake... This weekend I will be indulging in some LONG OVERDUE shoe shopping and on Sunday I will be attending the Rugby World Cup at a Pub in the 8th district with some good friends, who I know will make waking up at the butt crack of dawn on a Sunday totally worth it (if you are reading this, take this as your warning to be sure I have a good time) plus they promised that the rugby men on the tv will be worth it just on their own... !!

So rest assured, even though I have been a bit quiet on here,  I am not being boring and staying holed up with nothing exciting going on, it is just the opposite, I haven't had much free time to update, but I'll work on it. Promise!!

*details about the shoes I purchase today and the rugby event tomorrow to follow!!!

To shop or not to shop... that is the question...

It is a cool, grey day here in the city and I have already taken great advantage of the fact the sun is not shining by staying tucked up in bed for quite awhile longer than I normally would once my eyes pop open in the morning. But since I have been up and roaming around, sipping coffee (CONFESSION: I have started using instant Nescafe coffee because even after a year of experimenting with the espresso maker in my flat, I am continue to be the WORST coffee maker EVER), munching on some breakfast I can't help but think about the Soldes. It is that time of year again one of the two big SALES of the year. I will be honest, I have held off even going into a store since they began, knowing that the damage could be quite significant. But I am not sure I can control the urge any longer... so the question remains .. shop and fight the Saturday crowds or remain cozied up in my apartment saving all that hard earned money in my little French bank account???? 

Want to learn how to work the sales?? CLICK ME!!!

the SOLDES are back

It is that time of year again here in Paris. SOLDES!!! That’s right – this time for the goodies of Hiver (winter) and let me tell you they are in full force. It is actually crazy how many more people are packed into le magazines (shops) around town and the bigger stores are just a disaster waiting to happen. But when you think about it why wouldn’t they be?? When there are that many pairs of boots and jackets on sale – who wouldn’t want to be in the store reaping all of those benefits?? I have decided that since I have done NO shopping since I returned here after Christmas that I deserve a little treat. Friday – I have taken the day off and I plan on marching myself around this city to find the best of the best deals. I won’t lie I don’t have anything specific that I am on the market for but that will make this be a fun little adventure …. searching for the kind of prices and things (most likely shoes) that I cannot live another day without!!

Ikea

So. I am exhausted ( one too many late nights- sometimes I feel like I am back to my 20 year old self staying up all night here)and stuck on the Metro. I'm not sure what is going on even though the man keeps making announcements over the tin can they call an intercom. But some dude just tossed half a baguette and started swearing ( these are French words I picked up early on in my stay here). Of course I finished my book this morning so why not pass the time with a little update on life in Paris. Had my first Ikea trip this weekend and let me tell you: BRILLIANT. Simply brilliant. I left and haven't stopped thinking about that place since the automatic doors almost closed me and my giant blue bag filled with goodies in between them. It is like a giant playgroun with fake kitchens and bedrooms and bathrooms taking over the top floor. I can only imagine the bad ass game of hide and seek you could play there. The lower level is a treasure hunt of just about everything you could possibly want from candles, clocks, bedding, toliet brushes, kitchen appliances to candy!! unreal. I am still dreaming about everything I left there. The thought of lugging new dishes back to Paris by train, bus and foot was lessthan appealing. Why do we not have Ilea everywhere in the states?? I woulblike to think it would be beyond a lucrative business!!

Oh joy. Bread throwing and swear screaming man left and the train is back on the move. Bed here I come!!

Matelas Gonflable

I made my first French purchase on-line. Now this doesn't seem like a big deal BUT when everything on the website is in French and everything in the check-out is in French it is a bigger accomplishment then one would think. I will be having some visitors next week a little couple I like to call Ma and Pa - woohoo - and after thinking about how heavy carrying an air mattress over here via luggage and a plane, I decided to take matters into my own hands. After a little direction on where to look on-line (Thanks Michael!!) and a few conversions from centimeters to inches and using my notes from my cours de francais (ok.. maybe I used Google Translate once OR twice too, but there are just some words I have not yet been introduced to!!) I made the purchase. When I arrived home today there was a lovely box waiting for me in my flat. We Have Success.... so now the test will be to make sure it inflates and really can fit two people - or I guess I am giving up my bed next week ....

10 Things NOT to do in Paris

A friend (Thanks Nina!) passed this along and I think it is pretty interesting and for the most part - right on. I mostly agree with the Eifel Tower thing, but that is really only because going up that thing would probably cause me to pee my pants!!!!

10 Things Not to Do in Paris

And if you are wondering about following in the footsteps of the well-heeled locals - the Marais is quite lovely but I think I would need to take on a second and possibly third job in order to purchase anything bigger than a hand towel!!!! 

" Les Soldes"

So tomorrow is the BIG day - the official start (8am, because we Parisians need time for coffee and croissants) of the sumer sales in Paris. It has been so entertaining to hear everyone's game plans for the day tomorrow. That's right - I will be one of the only ones in the office. I won't lie - if I didn't have my first event starting next Wednesday, there is no way in H-E- Double Hockey sticks (Gram, that one was for you) you would find this pretty little, shoe obsessed girl in the office. My priorities got the best of me and I will be exploring in the evenings and ALL weekend long : ) Whether it is suits, shower curtains, shoes, frying pans or accessories EVERYTHING will be on sale tomorrow at the "Soldes". After a little research I found out exactly why these sales are so tempting and widely anticipated, read on for my kind of history lesson!!

• So the "Les Soldes" in Paris are held twice a year. Typically the last week in June to the first week in August AND then again in the winter from what I read starting in January to February. The sales consist of 5 weeks in which ALL of the stores present their best bargains. In order to preserve and upkeep the small businesses in Paris "legally" stores can also offer two - one week or one- two week sale before or after these sales, with all sorts of other regulations. If a store is to hold a "Soldes" and actually use the word, the buzz on the street is that the store can actually be fined. Now who on earth would want that. So I have started to train my for "promotions" and "-20" or "-30"  as soon as I see that I know I have hit something good. I got off track with my history lesson there but then again history was never my strong suit.......

Case in point for the next 5 weeks, you can almost guarantee to see new purchases shared with everyone who happens to stumble upon this little thing I like to call my blog.... any suggestions on what my first :Les Soldes" purchase should be?????

YIKES!!

It JUST kicked in that I am leaving on SUNDAY for a week!!! To go and look at apartments, see the new office and meet the new French faces that will soon be such a large part of my life. AND THE ONLY THING I CAN THINK ABOUT IS WHAT AM I GOING TO WEAR?????!!!!!!!! AHHHHHHH. To start with- I wear heels almost every day and now I will be walking EVERYWHERE - meaning I need to seriously re-think the footwear. I guess that means I'll be shopping (oh shucks!) for some new ballet flats and cool kicks this evening...... any suggestions?!?!?!

Shoes are really only the beginning, French women always seem so put together in and stylish (well at least in pictures they do), maybe this my chance to go out on a limb and get a little crazy......