Yesterday was, by far, the most beautiful day yet in Paris. About 70 degrees - maybe even warmer - gorgeous blue skies and sun, sun, sun!
I woke up and went to the market. With my mom and aunt arriving, I wanted to have some fresh flowers in the apartment to welcome them so, on my way, I bought a bunch of hand-tied lilacs from a little girl along Rue de Seine. Rue de Seine has become one of my favorite streets; probably because it's the one with which I've become most familiar.
Right before you get to the market, you pass through a shop that sells whole rotisserie chickens (among a thousand other delectable delights) - and they cook them right there on the street in one of those big, silver rotisserie ovens. Combined with the smell of bread and other baked goods, I think I could easily gain 12 pounds if I inhaled deeply enough!
The plan was for my aunt and mom to connect at Roissy Charles de Gaulle after their respective flights from their respective cities (Des Moines and Bellingham). In theory, they should have arrived no later than 11:30AM. Well, at about 12:30, I heard a "thunk, thunk, thunk" coming up the stairs followed by my mother's voice. I opened the door to find that one of my neighbors was hauling my mom's 200 pound (actual weight: 50 lbs) suitcase up the stairs for her. I'm not sure, but I think the suitcase may have out-weighed him.
What was missing from that scene, however, was my aunt. It turns out that her flight had been delayed a couple of hours and we didn't know that. So, my mom took a taxi to the apartment and we waited for my aunt to show up - which she did at about 1:30 or so. When her flight arrived and she didn't find my mom, she bravely bought a ticket for the RER (train) and made her way to the apartment all by herself. It may not sound like much - but this is a pretty impressive accomplishment for anyone, let alone a non french-speaker who was hell-bent on remaining mute for the entire trip. You go, girl!
After the girls got their things semi-settled in the apartment, we headed out to Boulevard Saint Germain, licked a few windows, had some lunch, got pleasantly buzzed off a yummy house wine, and did some more window licking.
I'd seen a shop that sells beautifully adorned umbrellas a couple of days ago but didn't go in that day so I thought it would be fun to go back with the girls. OMG - such lovely eye-candy! The small, compact umbrellas (the kind that most people carry) at this shop look like they are covered in tiny little rose buds. I'm superstitious, so I didn't open one up, but I'm sure it was magnificent. If I remember correctly, it cost 190 Euros (about $300 USD) and a 'regular' umbrella cost 900 Euros (about $1500 USD). Yowzer.
Anyhoo - we also stepped into Sonia Rykiel so I could look at that silver handbag again - yummy! Actually, the entire store was filled with all sorts of fabulosity; like the pages of Vogue had come to life. If there is a heaven, surely Paris is it.
After walking around a bit more, we came back to the apartment, drank some more wine and got ready to meet one of my friends, Charlotte, and her sister, Stephanie (I think?), at Le Cafe de Flore. The place was a madhouse - absolutely packed with people! Fortunately, the girls had gotten there before us and had gotten a table right in front. We chattered for about an hour or so (drank some more wine!) and went off in our separate directions.
I know people might think I'm crazy for meeting strangers I've 'met' on the internet (through MySpace) in a foreign country, but the four people I've met so far have been exceptionally sweet and kind and have only added to this experience in more ways than I could have hoped for. Even my mom and aunt were taken by these two girls - how could they not - they were so sweet!
Another quick trip to the market and back to the apartment. Mom stayed behind, but my aunt and I decided to go see the Eiffel Tower lit up the way I had seen it last Sunday night. We went to the Louvre - which is even more beautiful at night lit up and sans tourists - walked around a bit and found some stairs where we could sit and wait for the Tower to do its thing at 10:00. It's lit up anyway at night but every hour (on the hour), they do the glittering champagne and diamonds show. When it happened at 10:00 last night, it was like New Year's Eve - for me anyway - and it felt so magical (a term I'm finding that I use over and over again).
After that, we headed back and crashed - exhausted from a busy day of travel, walking, drinking and being stimulated by this place. I'm not supposed to say that the girls each snore like lumberjacks - so I won't. I wouldn't want to divulge any secrets or make them feel embarassed in any way. Bisous, girls, j'taime:):):)
Today, I think we'll do a little bus tour (the one with the open top) and go to Notre Dame this afternoon. I missed it last weekend because I didn't want to deal with the crowds, but these girls don't have the luxury of putting it off so we're braving the masses today (no pun intended).
-Shannon
I woke up and went to the market. With my mom and aunt arriving, I wanted to have some fresh flowers in the apartment to welcome them so, on my way, I bought a bunch of hand-tied lilacs from a little girl along Rue de Seine. Rue de Seine has become one of my favorite streets; probably because it's the one with which I've become most familiar.
Right before you get to the market, you pass through a shop that sells whole rotisserie chickens (among a thousand other delectable delights) - and they cook them right there on the street in one of those big, silver rotisserie ovens. Combined with the smell of bread and other baked goods, I think I could easily gain 12 pounds if I inhaled deeply enough!
The plan was for my aunt and mom to connect at Roissy Charles de Gaulle after their respective flights from their respective cities (Des Moines and Bellingham). In theory, they should have arrived no later than 11:30AM. Well, at about 12:30, I heard a "thunk, thunk, thunk" coming up the stairs followed by my mother's voice. I opened the door to find that one of my neighbors was hauling my mom's 200 pound (actual weight: 50 lbs) suitcase up the stairs for her. I'm not sure, but I think the suitcase may have out-weighed him.
What was missing from that scene, however, was my aunt. It turns out that her flight had been delayed a couple of hours and we didn't know that. So, my mom took a taxi to the apartment and we waited for my aunt to show up - which she did at about 1:30 or so. When her flight arrived and she didn't find my mom, she bravely bought a ticket for the RER (train) and made her way to the apartment all by herself. It may not sound like much - but this is a pretty impressive accomplishment for anyone, let alone a non french-speaker who was hell-bent on remaining mute for the entire trip. You go, girl!
After the girls got their things semi-settled in the apartment, we headed out to Boulevard Saint Germain, licked a few windows, had some lunch, got pleasantly buzzed off a yummy house wine, and did some more window licking.
I'd seen a shop that sells beautifully adorned umbrellas a couple of days ago but didn't go in that day so I thought it would be fun to go back with the girls. OMG - such lovely eye-candy! The small, compact umbrellas (the kind that most people carry) at this shop look like they are covered in tiny little rose buds. I'm superstitious, so I didn't open one up, but I'm sure it was magnificent. If I remember correctly, it cost 190 Euros (about $300 USD) and a 'regular' umbrella cost 900 Euros (about $1500 USD). Yowzer.
Anyhoo - we also stepped into Sonia Rykiel so I could look at that silver handbag again - yummy! Actually, the entire store was filled with all sorts of fabulosity; like the pages of Vogue had come to life. If there is a heaven, surely Paris is it.
After walking around a bit more, we came back to the apartment, drank some more wine and got ready to meet one of my friends, Charlotte, and her sister, Stephanie (I think?), at Le Cafe de Flore. The place was a madhouse - absolutely packed with people! Fortunately, the girls had gotten there before us and had gotten a table right in front. We chattered for about an hour or so (drank some more wine!) and went off in our separate directions.
I know people might think I'm crazy for meeting strangers I've 'met' on the internet (through MySpace) in a foreign country, but the four people I've met so far have been exceptionally sweet and kind and have only added to this experience in more ways than I could have hoped for. Even my mom and aunt were taken by these two girls - how could they not - they were so sweet!
Another quick trip to the market and back to the apartment. Mom stayed behind, but my aunt and I decided to go see the Eiffel Tower lit up the way I had seen it last Sunday night. We went to the Louvre - which is even more beautiful at night lit up and sans tourists - walked around a bit and found some stairs where we could sit and wait for the Tower to do its thing at 10:00. It's lit up anyway at night but every hour (on the hour), they do the glittering champagne and diamonds show. When it happened at 10:00 last night, it was like New Year's Eve - for me anyway - and it felt so magical (a term I'm finding that I use over and over again).
After that, we headed back and crashed - exhausted from a busy day of travel, walking, drinking and being stimulated by this place. I'm not supposed to say that the girls each snore like lumberjacks - so I won't. I wouldn't want to divulge any secrets or make them feel embarassed in any way. Bisous, girls, j'taime:):):)
Today, I think we'll do a little bus tour (the one with the open top) and go to Notre Dame this afternoon. I missed it last weekend because I didn't want to deal with the crowds, but these girls don't have the luxury of putting it off so we're braving the masses today (no pun intended).
-Shannon
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