Cupcakes, FroYo, and Thoughts on Food Fads

The other day I was pondering all the semi-recent food trends that have swept the United States, or at least California. I can think of FroYo, bubble tea, and cupcakes, just to name a few of the most prominent. There are two things that Americans love: Food and Invention. We love a new idea, a fresh take on something previously seen as ordinary. Take fruit for instance - only Americans would think "hey, lets organize this fruit into a bouquet that people can eat, and call it 'Edible Arrangements!" And think of Sprinkles Cupcakes, with their cupcake ATM! I can't wait to see what crops up next... 3D printed food, anyone?

I've noticed that these food novelties aren't quite as big here in Paris; The French are more protective of tradition, which is why you can find baguettes and pain au chocolat on literally any street corner. One exception is burgers, the un-sophisticatd meal you can eat with your hands, which weren't always a staple on many Parisian menus like they are today. You can find bubble tea (for which I had a craving the other day), but usually tucked away in nondescript corners, and I have yet to see a single frozen yogurt establishment like Pinkberry or Yogurtland. As far as the cupcake trend goes, I would say it's part of a larger tendency toward specialty sweet-shops, as opposed to general Bakeries. Popelini, for instance, specialises in fancy cream puffs, while l'Éclair de Genie makes uber gourmet éclairs that are literally a work of art.

I hadn't noticed any cupcake shops around Paris, so after a simple Google search, I found this one, called Miss Cupcake. After looking at the location, I realized I've walked past it numerous times without really noticing it! In fact, I've eaten at the vegetarian restaurant next-door. Sometimes, when you're not looking for something, it escapes your attention. Miss cupcake has two locations, one in Montmartre and one in the Marais, two of my favourite neighbourhoods.

First of all, this place is adorable; A little pastel jewelry box that smells like freshly-baked goods. Pink, lavender, and mint-green with a mix of painted wood, floral wallpaper, pink houndstooth upholstery, and a white marble table-top. I chose an apricot-pistachio cupcake with a cappucino, and my friend went for the Blueberry-Vanilla. After politely eating the cupcake with a spoon (SO not american, to eat a cupcake with a utensil), we split a cookie, which was also delicious.


Overall, this is an adorable place to stop in, especially if you've just done some vintage shopping nearby at Chine Machine or Vintage Désir like I had (I got myself a denim jacket that I'm very excited to wear for spring).


Paris is all about the beautiful traditions, but it's nice to have a little freshness here and there with specialty coffee shops, cafes, and bakeries. I'm looking forward to discovering more of these little corners and small businesses.




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Visual Diary: Tourist or Resident?

It's been nearly a month since I've arrived in France, and one question has been rolling around in my mind constantly - am I a tourist, or do I live here? I think the answer to that question is a definitive, neither.

Paris doesn't have the same angelic glow it has when first laying eyes upon it, the boulangeries and rows of pretty buildings now feel normal. I still find it charming and beautiful, but the sense of adventure and discovery and exhilaration one feels when traveling to new places is definitely lacking.

I've been splitting my time between touristy outings, household tasks, and establishing new routines; Finding a favorite bakery, becoming familiar with the layout of the nearest Monoprix (A french supermarket), and learning to do laundry without a dryer. I also play a lot of video games and watch a great deal of TV. I take sporadic trips into Paris when I'm feeling energetic, but the bulk of my time has been spent doing "homey" things.

Niether of these activities - sightseeing and everyday living - feels completely accurate. I'm no longer a tourist, but I don't quite fully live here, yet. I'm looking forward to the day when I've sorted out all the paperwork for a residence permit and established a job. Lately I've been very stressed over all the little details of becoming "legal," going though all the worst-case scenarios in my mind. I've come to the conclusion, as I have many times before, that the only thing I can do is take it one step at a time. There's no use worrying about things I can't control, only handle them when they do come.

My visual diary of last week includes another trip to Montmartre and a bit of walking around Versailles:







Restauraunt - Refuge des Fondus:




Around Versailles:
This is our little window. I got some plants to spruce it up, but the intense winds the last few days have forced me to bring them inside!





This coming week I'm heading into the foreigner's welcome office to get some more solid information on applying for a residence permit, I think after that I'll feel way more in control.

After exploring a bit of the Canal area of Paris with LouLou - who is also a blogger and was kind enough to reach out and share brunch with me last week - I've been eager to find places in Paris that I've never explored, a different kind of charm.

Coming soon: Musée Jacquemart André, and Chateau de Versailles.


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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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Rainy Day in Montmartre

Here's a nutshelled update: My friend Natalie visited me in Paris for the holidays, I came back to the US two weeks ago leaving some really good friends and a Swedish lover behind, I moved into my new place in SoCal yesterday, and I start school tomorrow!

Actually, I just taped 22 postcards on my wall as decoration. I had plenty of postcards, seeing as I bought about 5 from each place I visited :P

I have A TON of Paris pictures, so I think to "catch up" I'll just occasionally post a random assortment of them for your viewing enjoyment. So first up, MONTMARTRE! the magical quarter of wonderful views, charming hills, rustic cobblestones, art, and romance.


{Made me think of hobbits}



{Translation: Young Canadian student who loves art and cuisine is looking for a roommate, either with a family or with other students. On the hill of Montmartre, a neighborhood which he adores.}


{This guy walked by at the inopportune time}





{basement of a vintage shop called Chine Machine}



{Right near Chine Machine, this place was full of gilt frames and mirrors}

Montmartre & St. Lucia

I am currently lounging in bed with a cup of hot mint tea on my side table, because it's a holiday here in France! La Toussaint.

So what better to do with a day when everything is closed, than get cozy, surf the interwebs, edit photos, and find new music?

Here are some shots from my Monday amble through Montmartre, and a music video from artist St. Lucia. Love this song, and the videography. I normally favor folksy indie music, but lately I've been getting into more electro-indie-type music.

Enjoy!






















Let me know if you like this song, and which photo you like most. I still have a society6 shop open, and I could use some feedback. :)