Aquarium

fishies!

Brunch Bazaar

my friend was late, so we didn't get to eat there because of the crowds

Hidden Streets in the Marais

sometimes paris feels so peaceful and empty

Purple Rain: After Nuit Blanche

I was just walking in the marais one way when I found it,
the spot of purple rain

Montmartre Adventure

 You so rarely get a feeling of Paris' size;
all of the small, winding streets and not too tall buildings.
I love to go up to the butte de Montmartre and just take in the size.

Fish Pedicure

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Have you made a new year's resolution?

If it happened to be to "try new things",

I highly recommend a fish pedicure!!

I bought it through groupon

(which I normally don't support because 

I do not believe that the business model

benefits smaller enterprises, but 

a) I am in Paris

b) Paris is expensive

c) I am a student

d) with the euro-to-dollar rate, I have no guilt)

ANYWAY,

go try it! It was so fun and

definitely an experience.

I giggled non-stop for the first 30 seconds, 

but after that it was great!

If you do not want to see pictures of feet, don't continue!!

Louvre (encore x 2)

such a beautiful staircase!
yes, it does look like a vagina though

a door for staff only-
everyone could see it through a glass window
 but you couldn't pass into the world behind it.
It reminded me of a story I read about a museum curator in Paris
that was basically begged to take a "disaster" off the louvre's hands-
it had been in the basement in storage.
It ended up being worth as much as $5 million!
Here is the article

another staircase

arches

shadow

an exhibition in progress-
still top secret!!

view from the louvre

my favorite little alcove

another exhibition in process

loving the contrast

the more modern section with native american art and african
and asian art. Not as much as the other wings, but a sizable amount.

please excuse the myspace shot-
have to keep it classy in Paris!
I can't be taking pictures of myself in an obvious fashion!!

a nice little resting area,
a peaceful place in a sometimes stressful museum.

love, alex

Louvre (encore)

on one of the first biting cold winter days of the season.
I am sure that they were happy with their choice of outfits.

bike ride

you can just see things on bikes that you can't get to by car

getting my creep on by notre dame

Parisian Adventures: Episode 5

Fouquet Chocolates!

Some more close ups of the chocolate:

I have incredible restraint; I didn't eat them all in one go.

super delicious, creamy interior that m-e-l-t-e-d on your tongue

I thought that the chocolate shop was nice. The women working there were a little aloof at first, but I think that they must have so many people tourists in there all the time that they want to conserve their energy. Anyway, when I started to get serious, they warmed up right away. Yay capitalism! 

I also got to try a truffle, on the house, at the cash register. I had seen this before at Pierre Herme. Often times, the silver platter will go away when it is busy or when someone might just want free chocolate. But for the lucky few who buy, there is free chocolate involved!! A little like going broke saving money, but still delicious.

love,

a

Parisian Adventures: Episode 4

cappuccino at le cafeotheque.
supposedly the best in Paris, but I wasn't wildly impressed.
I prefer the pacific northwest, thankyouverymuch.

bad pic, I know, but I just had to snap one of the baked goods.
Next time I go I promise to snap one of the counter full of sweets...

the macaron box

the anticipation is killing me!

double chocolate, rose, coffee, cassis, passionfruit with chocolate,
creme brulee and another passionfruit with chocolate.

food porn!
chocolate, rose, coffee

some more temptation:
passion-chocolate, creme brulee

coffee. so delicious!
it was creamy, but chewy and sweet but perfectly balanced (worth it for the price)

the package inside of the package.
weren't we talking about food porn?
heh hehe heh

wow. this really was the best ham in paris. probably the world.
it was perfectly salted with the best savory taste. full of umami.
the little piggies were fed acorns, and nothing else I don't think.

basically everyone (Ina Garten, Dorie Greenspan, me) agrees
that their bread is the best in Paris.
it is. I don't even need to try all of the other bakeries.
I just know.

the best butter in paris, bought from a fromagerie (cheese shop)
(with flecks of salt from normandy!)

look at my crust!!!

the best bread in paris for the best butter in paris.
yes, in that order.

I used to, when I was younger, think that this was a gross combination.
How wrong I was.
With the last melon of the season....
superb

pierre herme,
matcha green tea and azuki (red bean) paste
sammiched between matcha macarons.

terrific. of course :)
green tea balanced out the sweetness,
texture (crunch of the macarons, dissolve-ness of the cream, subtle grainy-ness of the beans...)

Parisian Adventures: Episode 3

I decided to try out the marais on my own...

time for falafel!

I approacheth the windoweth

And your job is to chop the vegetables...

I wear hats with feathers and buttons all the time.
And carry around hot-pink market bags.
The green is where I bought the falafel.
I am so loving Paris; this is what I got to sit down next to
while I ate this:

yummy, yummy, YES THAT WENT INTO MY TUMMY

paris in the evening light (16th)

paris in the morning light (rue notre dame des champs, 6th)

so many velibs!

in the marais, one street over from a (chatelet) metro stop.
yes, that is an alligator. or a crocodile?

and all of a sudden there is a lovely side street in Paris,
complete with a cafe.

some street art near a bar's second floor

a fountain (it smelled not-so-fresh, but was still pretty)

this passionfruit frozen yogurt was just that- a pause.
A nice little break between biking sessions



that's all for now!
love,
Alexandra