A few weeks ago, I decided to walk to the western side of the city, past the Eiffel Tower. I had just discovered that there are, in fact, three islands in the Seine in Paris. The first two are well-known: Île de la Cité, which is home to Notre Dame, and Île Saint-Louis, which is … Continue reading Gustav Eiffel and the Île aux Cygnes
Art
Bikes, boats, and beer, oh my! (Or: Amsterdam)
As if speaking French weren’t hard enough, last week Colin and I decided to try our hand at Dutch and hopped a train north to Amsterdam. Our friend Ben, who is a professional singer currently living in London, had let us know that he would be performing there, and it took us only half a … Continue reading Bikes, boats, and beer, oh my! (Or: Amsterdam)
Five truths about being a spy and learning French
The success of every spy (so I’m told…) depends on the strength of their cover – their “legend.” Without a good one, a spy’s going to get found out before they even make it to Chapter Two. That’s probably not news to you if you’ve read any spy book ever. But here’s what you might … Continue reading Five truths about being a spy and learning French
Losing our heads
Well, it's officially la rentrée (back-to-school) in Paris! I didn't realize how empty the city had been until all the locals came back—now it's definitely bustling. And between the tourists that haven't left yet and the shops that are just reopening, it seems like everyone is going a little extra crazy these days. Losing our heads, you … Continue reading Losing our heads
Reptilian invasion
After three weeks of full-time lizard catching, I'm now seeing little lizards everywhere... including at the Louvre. I was extra pleased to see that this young herpetologist-in-training is female. 1822 must have been a good year for gender equality. Unfortunately the lizard she's holding is dead, but I like to think she's gazing at it … Continue reading Reptilian invasion
Touristing around
Ever since my mom landed in Paris, we've been running around trying to see and do all of the things. Well, not all - that would take at least two lifetimes - but several big-ticket-must-sees plus some of my favorite off-the-beaten-path places. And we're not the only ones! Since I left in early May, the … Continue reading Touristing around
Mirror, mirror, on the wall
Most of the French I encounter on a daily basis is a little over my head, but this sweet sentiment truly was. "Mais oui, tu es belle!," the mirror reads. ("But yes, you are beautiful!") Non—I think it should say "mais oui, tu es petite!" instead.
La Liste
I've alluded to my ever-growing To Do for Fun list in previous posts, but I never actually talked about what was on it. The list currently stands at 61 items, although a couple have been removed after further research (for example, tickets to the Moulin Rouge are outrageously expensive, so we decided we weren't interested) … Continue reading La Liste
Head shot
We went to the Musée d'Orsay on Sunday and saw this masterpiece: It looks like the artist decided to quit while he was a head. Nobody disagrees.
Practice Makes Parfait 