Perhaps the Most Romantic Spot in Paris, and Week Highlights

This week's highlights have been defined by one thing: The SUNSHINE! I don't think one fully understands the positive affects of that heavenly burning ball of gas, high up in the sky, until you live somewhere that experiences rain more than three times per year. Not only sunshine, but also sorbet, a new work opportunity, an American diner, and perhaps the most romantic spot in Paris. A big claim to make, I realise, but keep reading, people. Keep reading.

Last Sunday, a friend and I had brunch at Rose Bakery, a Franco-British establishment with a few locations around Paris. It's been quite hyped up in "hipster circles" (for lack of a better term), and for good reason. The façade and interior are unassuming and comfortable, the food feels hearty, simple, and of good quality. That morning, I had a cappuccino, a pear cranberry muffin, and a quiche. The muffin wasn't all sugar, and the quiche differed from French quiches in that it was square-shaped and had a sturdier crust. Only got a snapshot of the pretty foam on my cappuccino.

After brunch, we took a trip to the flea market at St. Ouen. I hadn't planned on coming, so without having any idea of what I was looking for, I left with nothing. In in all honesty, it's quite overpriced. We had a fun time admiring all the crazy things, though. There's even a little brasserie embedded within the open-air, alley-section of the market, and that afternoon we heard some live French music emanating from inside.

Next stop that Sunday was, of course, ice cream. How can you say no to ice cream? The lines at every single retailer of Berthillon on Île-Saint-Louis was lengthy, but the wait was so worth it. I went for my usual salted caramel, but changed it up a bit with an extra scoop of Mango sorbet. On our way across a bridge and down to the riverbank, a strange man asked us for a taste of our ice cream cones... "je peux goûter, je peux goûter?" I responded with a strong "NON" and a highly protective arm gesture. Don't mess with my ice cream! Do you see the dense line of people chilling on the river bank? The sun really lures the people out.



We just couldn't bear to end our sunny day there, so we hopped on a bus to Luxembourg, and had a walk-through. No joke, every single park seat was occupied. Even the section of grass that people are permitted to sit on was packed full with grass-loungers. The diffused sunlight cast long shadows of the trees on the ground.



Fast forward to Thursday, when I had my first experience in a new opportunity. I don't want to call it an internship, because that's not what it is. Officially, it's something of an "exchange." An exchange of my time for use of their space. It's at an art gallery, allows me to learn about a portion of the art market, take on small projects, and in the meantime, build up a reference for the future. It's nothing fancy or too interesting, but at least it's something to fill up my time and to build up my resumé ever so slightly. The gallery is near my old neighbourhood and very close to the Eiffel Tower, so it's a lovely area to visit once a week. I took this picture below in the Champs de Mars during a little walk I had nearby.


Fast forward once again to this Saturday, when I met a couple friends for a traditional American diner brunch and some more island-time. Breakfast in America is the perfect place for lost expats and homesick university exchange students. This time around I had an omelet with potatoes, a root beer, and a slice of pecan pie! Ellen and I (both American) invited my new Serbian acquantance along for a little slice of America; it's always so fun to show other cultures some of your home country!

The most amazing thing happened that day. When we surfaced from the metro, the skies were horribly gray, the weather was cold, and the wind was strong, but upon exiting the diner, the skies had suddenly become a bright blue canvas filled with white pillow-clouds.

Charles Dickens really sums it up: “It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold: when it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade.”

We walked through a nearby park, meandered down a narrow street, and ended up at Notre Dame, once again. I seriously should branch out! I always end up right at the islands somehow!






Since I hadn't been there since last Fall, I said to Ellen, "Let's go check out this little park at the tip of this island!" So - we did. If I had been there with Erik, we definitely would have been one of the many couples being cute and cuddly on the river banks. The park covers the triangular tip of the island, with paved space all around to sit, legs dangling over the sloped edge. If the temperature was a bit warmer, a blanket, a bottle of wine, and some sandwiches would have been in order. I think the best part about this section of the Seine were the the romantic weeping willows - it's no coincidence that Taylor Swift films a bulk of her "Begin Again" video under these very willows, it's just so damn romantic. Combined with the unreal sky, it was too much to handle.





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Fancy Hot Chocolate + Promenade in the Marais

Greetings from France! It's been almost one week since I left home, and let me tell you, it has been interesting. I would be lying if I said everything was beautiful and hunky dory - in truth, it's been a bit of an emotional roller coaster. Don't get me wrong though, I do feel happy, but the happiness seems tinged with melancholy.

But enough of that! Let's talk about what I did this Sunday.

Erik and I took the train into Paris with Hot Chocolate on our minds, but in order to get there, we took a walk across Île-de-la-cité. Seeing Notre Dame never gets old. There were a lot of people out and about today, and the weather was absolutely perfect, with a few clouds in the sky that cleared later in the day, and zero wind.



We searched the interwebs for the best hot chocolate in Paris, and Berthillon's had made the list - not surprising, since I've loved their ice cream since I first came to Paris. This special drink is called an affogato au chocolat, and consists of a silver platter with all the ingredients needed to concoct your own personal hot coco mix, including an ice cream scoop of your choice and the best whipped cream ever. There was enough to make about two cups of it.

After we were heavy with sugar and hot milk, we took the bridge over the Seine, in the general direction of the Marais, known for its vintage shops, medieval streets, Jewish bakeries, and the best falafels in town (supposedly). On the way, we happened upon Thanksgiving, the American specialty store, stocking such things as root beer, Lucky Charms, mac n' cheese, and beef jerky, things you generally can't find elsewhere. A box of Lucky Charms was 12 euro!!! Needless to say, I got myself a root beer and called it good.

Next stop was Musée Carnavalet, a free museum dedicated to the history of Paris. The interior was charming, complete with aristocratic wallpaper and upholstered chaises. I loved the textures and the little hedge garden. We didn't spend much time here, because honestly, I have no patience for reading labels.




We then made our way back down the Marais, which was buzzing with people, past l'Hotel de Ville, over some bridges, and stopped at a large café at Place Saint Michel. The café itself is alright, nothing special, but its location directly adjacent to the metro entrance makes it a fantastic spot to people-watch. Being one of the busiest and most central stations in Paris, this was prime people-watching real estate. There are a lot of crazy-looking people in Paris, and a lot of really stylish people. I saw one man with a floor-length fur coat, formidable top hat, and embroidered handbag. I mean, where else can you find such characters?

I had myself une assiète du saucisson sec, complete with baguette and little pickles. Erik indulged in a (very) cheesy croque monsieur.


Sunday was a good day, but I still didn't feel completely like myself. I can visit paris and indulge in sweet treats as much as I want, but only time will ease the feeling of alienation I've been having. I can't work legally until I apply for residency, and I can't apply for residency until Erik and I have gotten hitched, so all I can do is wait. You'd think having oodles of free time in Paris would be a dream come true, but without any structure, I feel quite lost. I'll have to work on finding peace with this situation, and try to live completely in the moment.


Places Mentioned:
Berthillon: 31 Rue Saint-Louis en l'Île, 75004
Thanksgiving: 20 Rue Saint-Paul, 75004
Musée Carnavalet: 23 Rue de Sévigné, 75003
Café le Départ Saint Michel: 1 Place Saint-Michel, 75005


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The Paris Memoirs: Magical Moments

The memories that remain with you the longest aren't the landmarks you saw or the things you bought - they're the experiences you have with people and the feelings you get. I could go on for hours about all the amazing meals, nights out, nights in, and inside jokes I had during my five months in Paris, but no amount of storytelling skill would convey the reality of each personal experience.

So instead, in order to make this way more accessible, I've decided to share my top four memories of Paris, that is, the images I get in my head when I think of this city. These were the magical moments.


Autumn Leaves and Springtime Gardens


One reason, among millions, why Paris is so charming, is because of its green spaces. There are so many parks and trees that provide a nice relief from the gray stone color of the buildings.

And the floral design in the major parks are so beautiful! Whoever the landscape designer is should be applauded, because the wild bunches of flowers bring such life to the parks! These were both taken at the Tuileries, you just HAVE to come here during spring or summer.



Le Musée D'Orsay


My absolute favorite time period in Art History resides here, at this magical palace of beauty. The museum is housed in a renovated train station - a fancy one, bedecked in gold, with a massive, arched, coffered ceiling.

You're not allowed to take pictures of the art, but they have one of the largest collections of Impressionist paintings, as well as lesser known artwork from the time period, including a small room dedicated to the Nabis. There's also some Van Goghs and a fantastic miniature cut-away model of Opera Garnier.




MONTMARTRE - all day, err'day


If you asked me the place I visited most, it would be Montmartre, by far. I can't even remember how many times I spent an afternoon ambling about there. Although I lived in the south of Paris, and Montmartre was at the very opposite end, I still made the trek out there because it's just THAT good. I was lucky enough to live on Metro line 12, which had stops at both the Musée D'Orsay and the base of the Montmartre hill, so it wasn't too much of a hassle to get there.

My favorite route up to the butte was from Metro Abbesses. Less tourists, and zero obnoxious salesmen forcing you to look at their eiffel tower keychains or string bracelets (don't even get me started on how damn annoying they are). Using this route, there are a number of small boutiques and cute restaurants to check out. I particularly enjoyed the vintage shop Vintage Desir for it's cheap prices, and Chîne Machine for its higher end inventory. Be sure to head downstairs into the stone basement at Chine Machine! Lots of amusing things to try on, including giant fur coats, wacky 80s prom dresses, and the like.

One of my favorite sections of Montmartre was near the vineyard, near La Maison Rose and, further down the hill, Au Lapin Agile. That Bohemian charm still remains here, even if it is usually swarmed with tourists. Just avoid the sales men that lurk at the bottom of the hill near the carousel… they are bad news. And another piece of advice, if you see a stand selling sausages on baguettes with grilled onion, buy one. You won't regret it.

{Basement of Chîne Machine}


Île-de-la-Cité and Île-Saint-Louis


Saving the best for last! The two islands that sit in the middle of the Seine river are perhaps the most quintessentially Parisian. You have Notre Dame here, St. Chapelle there, a famous ice cream shop over yonder, little booksellers lining the river banks, a charming park, Shakespeare and Co. across the river (technically not on the islands, but close enough!), AND MORE.

My preferred plan of attack: visit St Chappel with it's amazing stained glass windows, pop into Notre Dame, then make your way down side streets, over a bridge to the quieter Île-Saint-Louis, stop at any vendor to get a fix of Berthillon ice cream (my favorite flavor is caramel beurre salé, aka salted caramel), then amble across another bridge and down to the river bank as you savor the ice cream snack. You could even be ambitious and bring bottle of wine to drink by the water's edge. CAN YOU GET ANY MORE CHARMING?!

I find the back of Notre Dame much more beautiful than the front. Theres even a little garden in the back with plenty of benches.


There's still so much to share about my Paris study abroad experience! I have a few more planned before I depart for a new new life in Versailles in one month! On the planner - "Le Musée," "Marché aux Puces," and "Restaurants." After that, I'll be able to share my new experiences settling into French life. <3




*Top image made with A Beautiful Mess app

*Places Mentioned:

Vintage Desir - 28 rue Yvonne le Tac, Metro Abbesses (also one in the Marais)

Chîne Machine - 100 Rue des Martyrs, Metro Abbesses

Berthillon Ice Cream - 31 Rue Saint-Louis en l'Île, Metro Cité + walk

Shakespeare & Co - 37 Rue de la Bucherie, Metro Saint Michel



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Ile-Saint-Louis & Berthillon Ice Cream

The second part of our day consisted of exploring the smaller of Paris' islands - Île-Saint-Louis. This island's claim to fame is Berthillon, ice creamery. It is the home to many (very) rich people, some charming shops, and a restaurant called, in English, Our Ancestors the Gauls. Now, this restaurant was closed, but when I spied animal furs, helmets, and swords hanging in the windows, I was very intrigued. We later learned that an experience at this restaurant consists of communal seating, hearty caveman-like dishes, and a raucous, loud atmosphere. Sounds like the perfect antidote once I've tired of the classic, refined French cafe scene.

I highly recommend getting some Berthillon ice cream. The main store is often closed (because French), but tons of restaurants in Paris serve their goods. I got a cone with THREE flavors. Vanilla, Coconut, and Melon. I should have just had melon because it was so freaking delicious! ...Have I mentioned that I am now addicted to melon? France has turned me into a melon freak. Their melons are very sweet, and all their produce is so much better than stuff at US grocery stores. You've heard the rumors, and I've come to tell you that they're pretty much true. Most food is indeed better here.

{Mmmm Ice Cream} {The melon flavor matches my blouse} {My new friend!} {Adorable yellow gourmet shop}
I also have an outfit for you bloggers out there!
{Brown pleated midi skirt, peach blouse, new sunnies}


{Just sittin' by the Seine}
It was an extremely stupid idea to wear these shoes for a day full of walking. I regret wearing them so much right now. Don't try to be fancy when you have a lot of walking to do! It's torture!