The Bold Soul: A Writer's Life in Paris

I'm not the only one who's annoyed by this

On Saturday, while strolling around the Marais, my visiting friend and I privately voted that otherwise charming and historic neighborhood as the most crotte-filled area we'd yet seen in Paris. Seriously, it was BAD... we really had to be on our toes (literally) to avoid stepping in it. I guess all those rich people living over on Place de Vosges don't feel the need to bend over and clean up after their rich dogs. And in catching up on my Parisian bloggers after a week away, I see I'm not the only one who takes issue with this... although he takes pictures of it, and I haven't gotten that annoyed yet (nor do I wish to get this close to it!) Read more →

Small challenges and small victories

Life as usual today... no more fun and games, no more goofing off and ignoring my business commitments, while spending a precious week with my visiting friend from NJ. She's back in the loving arms of her husband and four energetic children (ages 6-14) and I've got things to do here. Well, life is not entirely "as usual", because I'm in Paris now and what used to be "usual" is no longer. Doing things here that used to be no-brainers back home now take thought, planning and often a dictionary. Case in point: Laundry: Just before my friend arrived last weekend, my combo washer/dryer decided to take French leave. La machine est morte... R.I.P. That meant that yesterday, not only did I have 10 days worth of my own clothing to wash, but towels and sheets for me and my guest. I knew the repairman was slated to come this week but I didn't know when or what the outcome might be, so I did the laundromat thing yesterday, and still have things drying in my living room even now, a day later. Then, a few minutes ago, my landlord, Georges, called to say a new machine had been purchased,... Read more →

A matter of degree(s)

Is it REALLY a balmy 52 degrees Fahrenheit/11 Centigrade at 9:22pm in Paris tonight? That's what it says on the Méteo on my blog's sidebar... that's amazing. In February, no less. I just got off the phone from talking with my sister back in NJ and she said they're expecting a storm this week (Happy Snowy Valentine's Day?) and I know it was cold enough to freeze up one of my mom's kitchen pipes (which fortunately did NOT burst, she caught it in time). I did only need to wear my denim jacket to the laundromat earlier today (my washer/dryer conked out and the repairman couldn't be scheduled until sometime this coming week -- hence my first time at a Parisian laundry; hint: the professional washers are almost as inefficient as the home versions). Read more →

Grande Cité, Petit Monde

While at the Musée Carnavalet yesterday with Wendy, where we were packing in a bit of Marais sight-seeing on her last day in Paris (I just saw her off at the airport a few hours ago ), a bell sounded over the museum's P.A. system. I overheard two women walking near us say to one another, in English: "What's that for?" Wanting to be helpful, I turned around and volunteered that I thought it meant the next guided tour was about to start... and was rewarded first by a smiling "Thank you" from the ladies, and then stunned stares. I stared back for a moment, not knowing why these two strangers would be looking at me like that. When all of a sudden I realized they WEREN'T strangers at all, but two of my fellow Parisian bloggers whom I met in person for the first time just two weeks ago! So, a quick and happy shout out to Kyliemac and Aussielass for giving me my first-ever opportunity to "bump into" someone I know in Paris. In a new city, the realization that not only did I actually know someone, but that I could even run into them unexpectedly and introduce... Read more →

Reflections on the Louvre

The Church of Gustave Eiffel

From this angle, doesn't the antenna at the top of the Tour Eiffel look like a cross on top of a cathedral? Amen, Gustave. Job well done. Read more →

God's in His Heaven, all's right with the world

Gorgeous stained glass effect at the church at St. Germain-des-Près... second sunny day in a row which is perfect because my best friend Wendy is here visiting with me for an entire WEEK. It's her first time in Paris and given that she's married with four children, taking 9 days for herself like this is a very bold move for her! So far, we've covered the Eiffel Tower and a Seine cruise by night; St. Germain; the local Sunday street market; buying souvenirs for her family back home; the Louvre; and hot chocolate at Angelina. Not bad for the first 36 hours. Tomorrow I'm thinking Montmartre and depending on the weather perhaps one of those double-decker bus tours around the city where you can get on and off at the different major points of interest. There's Notre Dame, the Musée d'Orsay, the Marais, and SO much more to do and see. We might do a day trip to Chartres to do something outside of Paris but still in France. And we're doing 2 days in London via Eurostar, with theatre tickets! At the moment, I've apparently worn out my house guest though... because she just fell asleep on the sofa... Read more →

It was only a matter of time

57 days. That's how long it took. February 1, 2007 -- The day I first stepped in the crotte. C'est la vie, eh? I knew you'd want to know. Read more →

Une porte énorme

It's not often you see doors that are three times the height of a full-grown man. But that's Paris. Read more →