Breakfast

Sometimes you crave an almond-chocolate croissant, but your bakery only has almond ones, so you purchase a pain au chocolat and the almond croissant. Bon appetit.

Giverny

I spent the day in Giverny on an IES-led day trip. Giverny is located about an hour and a half southeast of Paris. It is a popular destination as it once served as the location of Monet's gardens, studio, and home. My visit was divided up into two sections: first, a tour of the museum of impressionism (currently exhibiting Pierre Bonnard), and secondly, a promenade of the gardens and old house of Monet.

I do not feel the need to go into the particulars. If you have ever seen a painting by Monet of a blooming landscape, you have the right idea. Though it was only late April, and the flowers are at their peak in the summertime, the views were nonetheless exquisite. You probably know I'm not nuts about flowers, but I couldn't stop looking at them and touching them.

I had about two hours to spend in the gardens before meeting the group (most of which, regrettably, consisted of idiots and loons). Though the narrow paths were teeming with tourists, I felt so calm and could not help smiling as I walked and watched the blossoms move with the breeze. I sat for a few hours and worked my way through all but the final twenty pages of Northanger Abbey (not as bad as everyone's been claiming, so far). I befriended a middle aged Russian-American couple and now have a place to stay in Philadelphia if need ever be (also I think they were trying to set me up with their 22-year-old also-a-psych-major-! son back home.

I'm really thankful for IES having organized day trips like this for us. What a great opportunity to get out of the city (not that I need to or anything... more like plzmoretimehere!) and spend a day somewhere I would not have ventured on my own...

Not a Role Model

7:03 pm

Today I have eaten:

1 cup earl grey tea with honey

1 piece white bread with speculoos spread

1 piece white bread with nutella spread

1 large rose eclair

13 small speculoos cookies

1 espresso

1 beer.

A Little Cinematic Gem

Any of you ever seen "The Court Jester"? On the other hand, I can bet you anything you've seen "The Princess Bride." Now if you like the latter, do yourself a favor and check out this cute 1956 musical comedy starring Danny Kaye. The score is catchy, the acting sharp and enjoyable, and the litany of tongue-twisters and alliterations kept me cracking up. It's bizarre, easy to watch, and goofy. Go for it. (And then tell me if you also totally got a resemblance between Kaye and Steve Martin. I would be surprised if Martin didn't learn a few of his tricks from the old jester.)

First Visit to Shakespeare and Company

This cramped bookshop is famous the world over. Established in 1919 by Sylvia Beach, an American ex-pat, it sells mostly English literature and attracts tons of tourists because a) it possesses a ridiculous charm, and b) it was a gathering place, in the 1920s, for guys like Pound, Hemingway, Burroughs, and Joyce (ty, Wiki).

After an indulgent meal at my favorite tex mex restaurant in Paris, El Sol y La Luna, I ducked into the shop, forcing myself to spend at least another 20 minutes out of the house before I went back to bed to sleep off the swollen throat.

This bookstore is certainly overpriced, but I just couldn't help picking up a couple books. Of course I judge my books by their covers, and the cover of this edition of "The Picture of Dorian Gray" was too much for me to resist.

In true spirit of Parisian wannabe ex-patriotism, I also picked up Hemingway's "A Moveable Feast."

Day Trip: Gardens of Versailles

I have fallen a bit behind on blogging, but not because I am short of material. Dear me, no. I'd like to share with you several photos from a recent outing to Versailles with two dear friends.

It was a sunny day, beautiful as could be, when we boarded the train towards Versailles. The trip took a mere twenty-five minutes or so, and seemed to pass much more quickly due to our snappy conversation, pretty landscape, and promise of a lovely day. Our major goal for the day was to rent bikes, a goal which frightened one of my friends immensely as she had not ridden a bike in 10 years. Luckily, I was able to convince her that I myself had only relearned the art last summer, and she was going to have a ball.

As we went on a Wednesday, the crowds were minimal. I was still shocked by how many visitors there were, and am sure I could not bear the amount of people on a weekend. We enjoyed enormous soft-serve ice creams, wandered through the mazes, biked as many trails as we could, napped and read books in the lush grass on the far end of the gardens. It was exquisite.

hannah enjoying the unbelievable view of the gardens, and looking fashionable as all heck while doing it

hannah caught Kiley and I sharing a moment in front of a really neat fountain

SPRING BREAK!

To quote Jack Donaughy: "I need a vacation from this vacation." Yes, it's that time of year... spring break on a study abroad program. Who ever though of that? It's so ridiculous and yet a critical part of our cultural development as we galavant off to other European (and sometimes North African--gasp!) nations to get wasted elsewhere.

Tomorrow at 7 am I should be boarding a flight to Nice. I will spend five nights in a rented apartment in Antibes with two great girlfriends from highschool. I foresee a bunch of home cooked meals with the veggies we get from the markets, time on the beach, visiting my favorite museums (Chagall Museum and Modern Art Museum of Nice!!!!!), reading, soaking up the sun on the beach, and wine consumption.

(image of Antibes courtesy of Wikipedia)

For now, I am reading "God, Shakespeare, and Me" by Woody Allen in French, which is interesting and proving to be rightfully hilarious, and drinking Earl Grey tea with honey in my friend's bed. All is well.

Child's Play and What Remains

I write to you, mouth and fingers greasy with nutella filled beignet (donut). Aren't I just the model citizen, cramming oily sweets into my trap a mere 45 minutes before dinner?

I just got back from the Cite des Sciences et Industries which is basically your local science center on crack. With four floors, three giant projection rooms for films, a Planetarium (the best part, obviously), and a small aquarium, this science center is really something worth checking out. It did take me just over an hour and fifteen minutes to arrive there which was a bit of a bummer, and once I got inside to my bewilderment the queue to purchase tickets exceeded that of the Eiffel Tower (I jest). I waited patiently amidst hoards of young mothers and fathers and very, very young children. When it was my turn to purchase tickets, the cashier looked me up and down and asked with unnecessary skepticism: "Vous etes toute seule?" (You are all alone?)

My favorite part was the Planetarium, of course. I bought a ticket to the movie "Vers les Etoiles" or "Towards the Stars." It was narrated in French, but as most everything in the science center was geared towards children under the age of 12, I understood just about everything which made me feel much better than it should have. There's just something so magical about Planetariums, especially when they turn the lights ALL the way off and it's just you and the stars.

In other news, both the number of days left in Paris and my list of things to do here are shrinking. here is what remains...

- Catacombs

- rent bikes in Versailles

- Fountainbleau

- Make a purchase at Shakespeare and Company

- Marche St. Pierre

- Parc Montsouris

- return to the Museum of Modern Art of the City of Paris

- Museum of Natural history

- taste every remaining pastry from Grenier a Pain

(italicized=done)

All American Sweet Tooth

Now as you know, given the choice, I will almost always pick savory over sweet. But as you also know, I do love my baked goods (namely, baking them). Being in Paris, I am never lacking in pastries and treats, but you can't deny that among the tartes, the eclaires, and the chaussons, there seems to be a little something missing: the good ol' American dessert.

I'm talking carrot cake, scones, fruit pie, chocolate cookies, and cupcakes of every flavor. Luckily, my passion for food carried me to the point where I actively sought out to discover the best spots in Paris for an American starved for her usual dessert:

Sugarplum Cake Shop

68, rue de Cardinal Lemoine

75005

Everyone here speaks English and the girls behind the counter are super friendly. The display is divine and as I type, a piece of cream cheese-frosted carrot cake patiently awaits me:

Berko

23, rue Rambuteau

75004

This is only one of two Paris locations of this charming cupcake shop. While cupcakes are beginning to become a "thing" in Paris, they are still rather rare to come by, and this place knows what they're doing. They also sell various cheesecakes.

Rose Bakery

46, rue des Martyrs

75009

This place is overpriced but delicious. If you miss your stuck up brunch place in Seattle, come here and get your fill.