Superlatives

I’m SO SORRY that it's been so long, and that you keep getting meaningless emails about non-existent new blog posts. I’ve changed the system so HOPEFULLY, you will only get one when I’ve actually posted something.

Well, here we are, in a world where John Mulaney, Mrs. Maisel, and Blane all have Emmys to their name, where the US is plummeting even further into who-knows-what, and I am officially in four French university classes. Theater (x2), Feminist English literature, and a French course on the history of love in France (I know it sounds fake, but I promise the papers that I have to write are REAL).

I spent a lot of my first few weeks searching for the little similarities of everyday life between here and the states, waiting for the moment where I could think Hey, not that far away from home after all. Half of my time was spent searching out ~cultural~ experiences with friends, but when I wasn't traipsing around museums or splitting a bottle of wine on the Seine, it felt like I was stuck in Limbo. I didn't really have a definitive place that was home, so sitting in my bed at night wasn't as comforting as it was when I was in a Wes dorm or in NYC.

Speaking of dear old Wesleyan, DaNG I miss that place! It was especially bad for my first two weeks: Wes is such a unique experience, and while I watched snapchats of people move into their high-rises I worried that I had made the wrong decision. My time at Wes seems more and more like a ticking clock now and the idea of not being there in a year and a half truly scares me.

Let's not think about that, and instead, I'll tell you about what I've been up to.

This experience has been just as crazy and unique, and now that I'm fully settled (read: I found myself a yarn store), every day just feels like a weird dream. I wake up most mornings and have a yogurt or grab a light jacket so I can run out to my local patisserie and snatch up a croissant. If I have class, I try to whip up a simple lunch (salad with veggies and rice/pasta) before I head out to one of my two campuses. If not, I settle back into bed with a cup of tea and try and get something done before I'm distracted by the prospect of friends or food.

This past summer (and all through finals, thanks procrastination) I created a google map that chronicled restaurants, museums, clubs, bars, and miscellaneous cultural activities, and I've been slowly checking them off. If you are dying for the map I can easily send it to you, but here are my superlatives so far:

Best Meals Out

East Mama

East Mama is a part of a mouthwatering conglomerate that creates fresh pasta, pizza, and other Italian foods (not to mention the cocktails). I know it isn't French, but it sure is delish. It is pretty difficult to get a table: you probably want to show up right as the resto opens to eat (or at least put your name down), so that you can ensure a spot before 9PM. The restaurant changes its menu to reflect the seasons, and everything that I ate while I was there seemed thoughtful and fresh. We started with cocktails and I went half and half on their truffle pasta (just incredible) and their gnocchi. The pizza that I stole from my friends' plates had a dough that was stretchier and softer then our classic NYC slice.

Candelaria
This is maybe the tiniest little taqueria ever, with maybe 15 seats, and lovely (albeit a little pricy) taco plates. They are known for their Margarita, which was a yum combo of spicy and salty in the way that kept me sipping despite my intolerant-to-spice tongue. The real kicker, though, is that if you walk straight back through the taqueria and push on the unassuming white door/panel, you'll find yourself in a dimly lit, well-stocked bar complete with great bartenders, cozy seats, and music.


Season
I've been to Season twice, and even though their menu is more anglophone, they are packed with people even when it isn't time for brunch. Season has a relaxed light atmosphere and great plates of food for any mood you are it : be it smoothies, pancakes, salads, burritos, or my all-time-fav, shakshuka.

Benedict

If you are really on the search for an ~insta-worthy~ brunch, hit Benedict up, but be ready to wait about 30 minutes for a table. Benedict, as you have probably guessed, is well known for their many extravagant variations on eggs benedict, but there is way more where that came from : Mac & Cheese, pancakes, fries, and of course a cocktail menu.

Best Activities
Versailles
There's literally no way you can beat Versailles, I think. A sunny day and a wander around some of the most famous rooms and gardens ever + a picnic is my idea of a good museum. I went with a group of friends while it was still warm and picked up provisions (wine, cheese, bread, grapes) so that we could eat on the grounds. We wandered around the gardens for a while and decided to walk in the direction of Trianon to set up shop for our picnic. We hit Trianon and Petit Trianon, which continue to be my absolute favorites. Walking through the rooms and gardens of one Marie Antoinette never gets old, and you can't help imagining a whole life for yourself in the English style hamlet, away from everything but fresh milk, vegetables and a whole lot of cheese.  On our way back to the main castle we snagged some violet flavored ice cream, which tasted like really great soap, and was perfect for the hot afternoon. We wandered through the castle, but it is perpetually filled with tourists, and almost impossible to truly enjoy: we hit the hall of mirrors and then called it quits.

 

Rodin
Rodin is also a garden attached museum, and I wandered the grounds that are scattered with beautiful sculptures (notably The Thinker) before heading inside. Sculpture has never been my favorite kind of art, but you can't help but love Rodin. The expression in the stone is incroyable, moving, and Ithe movement of the bodies emerging from stone sent me on a little thought spiral about innate human-ness. Also brought me back to this badass young adult novel.

Picasso
The Picasso Gallery is a classic: it houses an extensive range of Pablo's work, of which I am a fan already. I don't feel qualified to write out any thoughts on Picasso, seeing as I have taken exactly zero art history classes, but I feel like throughout his life he affixed different lenses to his art to understand and express the emotions of the world around him, and the museum does a really lovely job of laying out his works so you get a glimpse of his process over time.

Sacre-Cœr
If you like views, this one's for you. Sacre-Cœr is a well-known basilica, decked out in mosaics, gorgeous chapels, and candles. The day I went was a little foggy which played to our advantage I think : there was no line to climb the 500ish steps to the top, and walking the wrong way around the cathedral offered some quiet moments of reflection on Jesus, Mary, and Joseph (oh my!). The entire neighborhood of Montmartre is a cute one on an intense incline. It is one of the only parts of Paris that still has its pavé (old cobblestones) exposed, and has some good crepe places to boot.

Best Drinks/Nightlife

Dai Dai Ok honestly this is a great italian restaurant that just happened to have a fantastic St. Germain cocktail and I couldn't help but list it. This is ideal for a dinner + drink situation.


Bisou
Bisou is situated in a neighborhood with a handful of fun spots and is well known for their menu, or should I say, their lack of a menu. Their bartenders create a drink tailored to your description of likes and dislikes for 12 euros, with a chill atmosphere perfect to sip the night away and bop in your seat to some of their tunes. Also, check out the bathroom.

Le Perchoir Marais
If you are prepared to wait for a hot second outside to get access to this bar, I thought it was pretty sweet. Le Perchoir Marais is a rooftop bar on the top of one of Paris' department stores, and it offers a sweet view of the city including the Seine, the Eiffel Tower, Hôtel de Ville, and the tower St. Jacques. Their drink menu has a wide range of flavors and alcohol contents and a handful of cozy nooks to sit; Not to mention a DJ playing tunes.

Rue Princesse
I've linked one of the many bars on Rue Princesse, which is a street crowded with bars and the youths inhabiting them and/or smoking outside. If you think to yourself I wish there was a French version of Fountain, this is the closest thing I've found. It's easy to pop between the different bars, find one with music or drinks that you like and then after a few minutes, move to the next one.

Biggest stumble-upon success
Eyebrows
You know your girl has to get her eyebrows done, and I was seriously worried that I was going to have to take the Metro for 30 minutes to get to a threading place that was acceptable, but low and behold, I found one right in Butte-aux-Cailles, my lovely neighborhood, and they do a fantastic job.

Asian Supermarket
Sometimes you need a hookup for pocky sticks. Need I say more?

Hot Vog
Calling all vegans, I guess. Vegan hot dogs? A weird premise to open a restaurant with, but Hot Vog is working it on a street that is lined with other options because they make a good not-dog, and maybe I just missed the vegan line at Usdan, OK?

Bubble Tea
I think it's hard to discover an equilibrium of sugary sweet goodness, good sized bubbles, and tea is hard to find, but this place does a great job, offers a wide range of flavors, boba, and tea types to choose from! It's also right near my campus, so it's easy to run out and grab my sugar dose for the day.

Saint Louis Church
I stumbled upon this bad boy while going for a wander, and felt like I was in another world as soon as I stepped into the doors off the sidewalk. It truly felt like a respite and wasn't basking in its own grandeur, if you know what I mean.

Best place to do work
Musee de La Vie Romantique
OK I haven't been to the actual museum yet, but this Musee has a lovely garden and cafe, free entrance for students, and NO WIFI, so if you are actually trying to get that 60 paged reading done, you can do it here.

What can you skip?
Mosque Restaurant
There are a ton of places to get a tangine in this city, and even though the food/ambiance was great and the mint tea was to die for, I am sure that you can find a less pricey version somewhere else in the city.

Stohrer
Stohrer is a patisserie that is well known for catering to the Queen of England, and I went one brisk morning to try it out--it was good, and if you are really into having the Queen's food in your mouth then you won't be disappointed, the line up of cakes, tarts and macaroons are astounding. That being said, your local boulangerie is probably just as good.

I hope this little list was a good way to get you connected with what I'm up to here on the daily/nightly. The time is moving fast, and I'm sorry that I haven't been more active about posting updates. All in all, I feel pretty settled: with a schedule (albeit a loose one) under my belt, I've been able to start feeling like Paris is a different kind of home. There is nothing here to remember or write over: I don't walk into a layer of memories on any particular street, and if I do, they are memories that I've created independently of anything from my regular life. I can't compare it to my connection with New York or Wes, but I do feel like I am writing a chapter of my life here, so-to-speak.

Here's your moment of zen. xo.