Well, here we are at le fin—the end. I’m calling this Le Fin Part 1, though, because those two extra words make it seem less final. It’s just the beginning of the end, not the end of the end! Part 2 is yet to come! As Ernest Hemingway once wrote, "If you are lucky enough … Continue reading Le fin, part 1
Month: January 2019
A tale of two parties
It was the best of weekends, it was the French-est of weekends. It started with a simple plan to eat dinner one night with Colin's researcher friends Anthony and Anne-Claire (who have since moved out of the apartment with the toilet that traumatized me), but it ended up being the most social weekend we've had … Continue reading A tale of two parties
Through the seasons
Writing about last week’s snowstorm reminded me that I wanted to share some “through the seasons” photos I’ve taken this year. I wasn’t particularly disciplined about the project, but it was a good excuse to revisit some of my favorite spots in Paris every few months. I picked three places: Notre Dame, the Coulée Verte … Continue reading Through the seasons
A little white lie
In a strangely comforting full-circle moment, it snowed in Paris yesterday. It almost never snows in Paris, according to our French friends. Certainly not enough to accumulate. We were inclined to believe them, seeing as how it's now late January and the grass is still green and our window boxes are still as colorful as … Continue reading A little white lie
The grand finale: Mont Saint Michel
For our final trip in France, Colin and I went to Mont Saint Michel. We didn't intentionally plan for this to be our last trip, but we'd heard that Mont Saint Michel is overwhelmed by tourists year-round, "except maybe December or January," according to our landlady. December was busy with travel to Belgium, Marseille, Carcassonne, … Continue reading The grand finale: Mont Saint Michel
Quel dommage
The first thing to go in a foreign language is your sense of humor. When I speak French, if I manage to speak French, everything is 100% literal. Teasing, telling jokes, sarcasm—c'est pas possible. Occasionally people laugh at the things I say (see: my photographer/writer/economist spy persona), but it's usually a happy accident. But this … Continue reading Quel dommage
A road trip through southern France
After two nights in Marseille, Colin and I rented a car and drove ourselves across southern France into Spain, where we celebrated the New Year with friends. The road trip had been sort of an impulse decision after we'd realized that our friend's parents' vacation house (where we'd be staying) was an hour outside of … Continue reading A road trip through southern France
Small world: beaches edition
On our first afternoon in Marseille, while waiting for time to check into our Airbnb, Colin and I wandered into an unassuming coffee shop in the Le Panier neighborhood. The tiny shop was empty except for the owner, who was reading quietly. After we ordered our drinks and Colin pulled out his laptop to work … Continue reading Small world: beaches edition
Exploring Marseille
On our way to celebrate the New Year in Spain, Colin and I took a trip across southern France. December is a great time to soak up some extra Mediterranean sun, so we decided we'd take the train to Marseille and drive from there to Tona, the small town where we'd be meeting our friends. … Continue reading Exploring Marseille
Le retour
After yesterday's teaser, I figured it was time for a more substantive Life Update. I've been avoiding the topic of our return as long as possible, but now that 2019 is upon us, it’s time to face the fact that Colin and I will be back in the U.S. next month. I'm not thrilled about … Continue reading Le retour
Practice Makes Parfait 