Dear Future Husband...

Dear Future Husband,

I know you are frantically searching for me, but hide and seek makes it much more fun, right?  I just wanted to let you know that THIS is happening.  I found this store, www.autourduncanape.com, that uses different color translucent tapes to create a plaid design on the wall.  THIS will be done to our house....possibly in multiple rooms.  Yes, you do get a say, but I probably won't listen to it (so just agree). Suck it up.  Accept it.  This is happening.

Room decor is from autour d'uncanape, (but I'm only interested in the wall covering)

The wall tape is from BHV at Rouge and Plie (wink wink)

I do like this fun piped couch too though...but mostly the wall behind it.

Oh, and while I am pre-decorating my our future home...  THIS is also happening.  I really, really like these pillows and they should also be budgeted for.

pillows from autour d'uncanape

Oh, and if we end up getting carpeting, you are allowed to choose the color....from this palette.  Ladies in the US, please take note of how the Parisians do carpet swatches, waaaaay cooler than the American 3x3 squares, right?  OMG, I would like a puff ball color swatch rug.

I will probably love you as much as this wall treatment some day... Now, count to 100 and I'll see you soon, hopefully.  xoxox

Laundry monster...

I am pleased to report that the laundry monster residing in the United States that is widely renowned for consuming a single sock per laundry expedition does not have relatives in France. 

I have now had two successful trips to the laundry and maintained both pairs of socks that I had packed. It might just be an American problem...

Fancy Pants Lunch

I went to lunch with a friend at a super fun fancy pants restaurant just outside of Paris in a small area called Bois de Boulogne.  If this restaurant was a dinosaur it would be Delishitaur!

Photo courtesy of http://www.dailyjoypad.co.uk/?p=22649

First of all, it was on an island...like a legit island, we had to take a boat to get there!

Boat to Le Chalet des Iles

The Restaurant: Le Chalet des Iles

Appetizer: Champagne.... 

and Prosciutto and Melon...and it was served in a cannery jar, so cute.

Main course: Sea Bass (Le Bar) with kalamata olives and tomatoes

Main Course: Cod over mashed potatoes

 Of course I ate dessert.  It was 3 scoops of ice cream, what else? Its hot as hell in Paris in July.  Chocolate, vanilla and Pistachio. No photo needed or available, I ate it too quickly.

Lunch ended up being a 4 hour excursion that also included a nap in the park on the island.  

Bastille Day 2013

They raised the French flag on the Eiffel Tower for Bastille Day

Bastille Day is absolutely amazing.  The actual Bastille Day is July 14th, however the parties and celebration actually begin on the 13th.  Bastille Day is a national holiday for the French to symbolize the uprising of the modern nation and reconciliation of the monarchy during the French Revolution.

Bastille Day is marked with a military parade that runs from the Arc de Triomphe to the Place de la Concorde.  Apparently, they were practicing for the Bastille Day air show the day they woke me up in the park, so I got an advanced preview. Unfortunately, Jette and I chose not to go to the parade since it would be quite crowded and instead went up to Montmartre to check out the flea market, hang out in the park and get some ice cream before she departed. 

Ice cream in front of the Eiffel Tower.  

one last nap in the park for Jette

The French police weren't messing around. They closed off a 6 block radius of the Trocadero and Eiffel Tower so that they could set up the fire work pyrotechnics.  There were armed guards that were demanding rerouting of pedestrians and even requiring credentials to get into streets and buildings adjacent to those areas. I did not have credentials, but they let us in after I explained that I was renting.  The police officers actually followed us to our building to make sure we entered.

Unfortunately, Jette  had to leave on an 8PM flight, so she missed the spectacle.  I did have a meet-up group invitation with some other people that were new to Paris so when Jette left, I showered up and joined the meet-up group.  The group was super fun and we moved from a casual introduction dinner to 
Le Bal des Pompiers.  Le Bal des Pompiers is a party at the fire station.  Apparently, during Bastille Day and the day prior, all of the fire stations open up their station to the public to enjoy live entertainment, dancing, DJs, booze and military men in their uniforms.

During the day, the Meet-up girls and I shared a bottle of champagne and danced a bit.

New in Paris Meet-up girls!

Dancing in the daylight

French firemen...

My French friend, Aurelie and I at le Bal des Pompiers

Champaign?  Oui merci!

However, after seeing the spectacle surrounding the streets of the Trocadero, I was dying to see the fireworks so I left the ball with a new American friend, Marie to watch the fireworks from her friend's office rooftop.

Marie and I on the rooftop

Her friends were super hospitable sharing wine, cheese and PRINGLES...LOL.
Here was our view!!

Paris Skyline at dusk (10:15PM)

Only 15 more minutes to go...

The fireworks were unlike anything I have ever seen before.  The entire thing was like an American 4th of July grand finale.  The French blow away any firework show I have ever seen.  The grand finale looked like bombs were blowing up the Eiffel Tower.

Under attack???

Le Bal des Pompiers was so much fun that we had to go back.  I had though it would be super crowded judging by the queue out front, but the queue went quickly and there was plenty of space for everyone.  And ooh were the military in full force.  There were seamen, army guys, paratroopers from the foreign legion and I'm sure there were other divisions too.  But, since I don't speak French, I smiled and nodded a lot and held out my glass for a refill of champagne over and over and over again.  We tried on hat after hat and danced the night away....

T-R-O-U-B-L-E : American-Frenchie sandwich

Marie left her mark on this guy's cheek all night long!

American invasion in France

This guy has done 3 tours and had a fancy navy blue beret and 3 medals but only spoke like 5 words of English, we pretty much pantomimed for 5 minutes. ca va?  Oui, ooh vous?  Oui.

Wasted paratrooper from the foreign legion

I love that this picture looks circa 1940!

Marie with a very nice old man...

"Nice" old man = creepy old man.  I went for the cheek, he turned his head and laid one on me.  

Gross!  But amazing.  I got face raped by a 70 year old man in Paris.

Jette, I'm so sorry you left early, you could have had a piece too :)

Austin in Paris??

I've found the "keepin' it weird" of Paris.  Its called The Last Bar Before the End of the World and I love it here.

Le Dernier Bar Avant La Fin du Monde www.dernierbar.com/en/

This is a bar/coffee shot that was recommended to me from a new French friend, Aurelie.  It caters to geeks and creative types like writers, artists, gamers etc.  In fact, if this place existed in the United States it would live in Austin, TX or perhaps Venice Beach or the still hipster parts of Culver City or Silverlake, CA.

What do I like about this bar?

1. There is an entire wall of board games and books to read.  You are encouraged to hang out here, not just drink and dine.

2. Its fuckin' weird.  The furniture consists of cheap bistro tables and couches stolen from Sherlock Holmes' apartment.  Plus someone may have gone to Ikea and gotten some square ottomans on sale....not enough seating... don't worry... there are dozens of folding chairs with red velvet cushions for you and your friends to grab and create a space of your own.

3.  Its eclectic.  Yes, they are trying to be eclectic, but it is totally working.  There is a giant Gremlin...not gizmo....a gremlin standing on the bar with Kermet the frog's leg in his mouth.  There is sci-fi playing on the TV and the soundtrack of some sic-fi thriller playing overhead.  This place is not trying to quiet the weird, its purposeful but not overwhelming.

What do I see when I look around?  I see really good people.  The kind of people that are not trying to be seen but exist wholly in the company of their friends because they are interesting and they want to hear what they have to say and spend meaningful time with them while playing nerdy sic-fi card games (some weird variation of magic, I think).  There is a troupe of twenty-somethings playing spot it (an amazing Memory-like game for adults) and dozens of people drinking and eating engrossed in conversation. 

I tipped the waiter, because I really liked him and I really like this bar and he lied to me and told me my French was good.  He then told me (in French) that its tradition to ring the bell when you tip the waiter. Obviously, I didn't understand, so we spent the next two minutes pantomiming and using our respective limited vocabulary to come to a consensus with how I should proceed upon exiting the bar.  Oh I love the French...Oui! Oui!

*I thought he was saying he wanted to buy me a shot with the tip I gave him.  LOL.  

OK, I gotta go, I have a tennis date. Au Revoir!