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Au Revoir
Published on 2011-07-02 01:04:00
Create your own video slideshow at animoto.com. By the time many of you see this video, we will be on a plane, winging our way back across the Atlantic to our home in Washington, DC. While I'm sad that our Parisian adventure is over and canno > read more
Of Rats and Men
Published on 2011-07-01 01:03:00
We're coming down to the wire here and I realize that there's not time to write about my visit to the royal palace at Compiegne, Anish Kapoor's Leviathan installation at the Grand Palais which I visited twice, dinner at Spring (after they cancel > read more
What My Husband Will Miss about Paris
Published on 2011-06-30 00:58:00
For one thing, the view right outside the front door of his office building. There's nothing quite like that in Arlington, Virginia. > read more
Ten Things My Kids Say They Will Miss About Paris
Published on 2011-06-29 01:06:00
I've asked my kids many times to reflect on their experiences and it's a little bit like pulling teeth. And now that school is out, while they're happy to read for pleasure, writing is not high on their list of priorities. I'm sure one day they'll lo > read more
Ten Days in Turkey
Published on 2011-06-28 01:04:00
If you've been wondering why I've been on radio silence with respect to your comments recently, it's only because we spent the past 10 days in Turkey, a kind of last hurrah for our international adventure. I managed to post plenty in advance of > read more
Street Art Redux
Published on 2011-06-27 00:46:00
You could do an entire blog on street art in Paris (for all I know someone has) and once you start looking for it, it seems to be everywhere. Here are a few favorites that popped out at me during my recent forays around town. In the 2nd: In > read more
Hidden in Plain Sight
Published on 2011-06-26 01:03:00
Paris can be kind of coy. Her people take a while to warm up to you (or at least to understand your pathetic attempts at speaking French) and lovely spots are often hidden behind locked gates. Short person that I am, I walked pa > read more
Ten Things I Won't Miss About Paris
Published on 2011-06-25 00:55:00
You've heard it all before but I'm saying it again, more than anything to remind myself that life in Paris, like life anyplace else, has its unpleasant and annoying moments. And even the trick of adding "in Paris" to the end of thes > read more
Remembrance of Things Paris
Published on 2011-06-24 00:58:00
There's an image of Ruth Reichl's Remembrance of Things Paris over in the sidebar of this page marked "What I'm Reading" But that's a lie. I'm not reading anything now. Maybe it's the craziness of moving or a yen to watch movie > read more
La Tour Eiffel
Published on 2011-06-23 01:01:00
Because it's impossible to have too many pictures of the Eiffel Tower, right? In any season, under any metereological conditions, at any time of day, from any angle or distance. > read more
Portrait of a Blogger
Published on 2011-06-22 01:03:00
Thought I'd finally post a photo of myself? Well kind of. I loved this bit of street art I happened upon while prowling around the streets of the 19th and 20th arrondissements. That would be me, walking and snappin > read more
Le Grand Bordel
Published on 2011-06-21 01:07:00
When I hear horns honking on my block, it usually means that someone has parked in front of a building entrance, blocking the residents from either entering or exiting. One morning last week, the honking was more insistent than usual and when I > read more
Heat Relief for the French Palate
Published on 2011-06-20 00:47:00
The French adventure in Mexico during the 19th century pretty much ended in disaster. Perhaps it was inevitable given the clash in palates. This latest product by Old El Paso, which dominates the international aisle of most French su > read more
And a Bunch of Other Numbers
Published on 2011-06-19 01:02:00
My patience with this number series is wearing thin. But while I'm too bored to count all the way to 100 (and you do have to give me credit for getting halfway there), I have a few numbers from the vault to share. So without further ado, > read more
Past, Present and Future
Published on 2011-06-18 01:07:00
My heart is being tugged in three ways at once these days. A lot is already behind me: people whom I've seen for the last time; metro rides I won't make again; tears held back or wiped dry; experiences that have been documented, put > read more
The Commune
Published on 2011-06-17 00:54:00
This year marks the 150th anniversary of the Commune, a government that held power in Paris from March to May 1871. It's a period of history that no one much likes to talk about, perhaps because it was marked by so much internecine violence.&nb > read more
Seen in the 17th
Published on 2011-06-16 00:54:00
Although I've given up on the idea of walking all the streets of Paris (or even all the streets on my Streetwise Paris map) before we part, that hasn't kept me from carrying the map with me and highlighting each achievement as I go. And it > read more
Four Years in a Map
Published on 2011-06-15 00:54:00
This map of Europe, a gift from my sister, hung on the wall of our apartment almost from the moment we moved in and very quickly became a living document of our travels. It was virtually impossible to capture in a photograph and I'm afraid that > read more
Auvers sur Oise
Published on 2011-06-14 01:05:00
After two passes through the town of Auvers sur Oise with my hiking group which offered little time to soak up the history of Vincent Van Gogh's final days there, I finally made the time to go back in early May. With perfect weather and a great > read more
Street Art
Published on 2011-06-13 01:03:00
After all the sunny weather we had in April and May, it's not so easy to go back to the typical Parisian weather -- cool and gray being the order of the day, pretty much any time of year. But after being cooped up in the house much of last week > read more
The Forties
Published on 2011-06-12 01:02:00
The forties. Special numbers to me because these are the years I passed in Paris. Back next Sunday with the fifties (which I hear are the new thirties.) > read more
Metro Mishap
Published on 2011-06-11 01:02:00
Technical incidents, strikes, sick passengers can all create havoc with the morning commute. But an animal on the track? Let your imagination run wild with this one. > read more
Time Series
Published on 2011-06-10 01:03:00
Okay, I said I wouldn't make this blog into a constant drone about our upcoming departure. But after spending three days inside this week while the movers did their thing, it's very much on my mind. Fortunately, now that we're over the hu > read more
Dishing Up History, One Metro Station at a Time
Published on 2011-06-09 00:48:00
Métronome was on the French best seller list for months before it came to my attention. Actually I don't pay any attention to what's hot in the French press because most of it is way beyond my capabilities. (And just as an aside, do > read more
The View From Here
Published on 2011-06-08 01:05:00
We're at that point in the move where the worst is both behind and in front of us and the present isn't really all that bad. Because yesterday, the trying part of the whole ordeal was having to hang around the house all day with nothing re > read more
Picture Perfect Paris
Published on 2011-06-07 00:45:00
The movers arrive today and leave Thursday: two days to pack and wrap, and one day to lower everything out the window onto a truck. Seven hundred pounds will go by plane; the rest by sea. I've been cleaning and sorting, selling 220 volt > read more
Abbaye de Royaumont
Published on 2011-06-06 00:45:00
I'm a little behind on reporting on some of my day trips from Paris. The bare trees in this photo are a dead giveaway that I took this picture back in March and here it is already June. But no matter the season, the Abbaye de Royaumont, s > read more
The Thirties
Published on 2011-06-05 00:58:00
Et donc, on continue: What do you think? Do you have the stomach for more? > read more
Where are the English Speakers When You Need Them?
Published on 2011-06-04 01:03:00
I don't suppose they'd appreciate it if I offered my services. Perhaps I should have just brought my own White-Out and Sharpie. > read more
Metro Vaneau
Published on 2011-06-03 00:55:00
The Paris Metro is best known for its Art Nouveau entrances designed by Hector Guimard. As much as I love them, sometimes it's nice to find something just a bit different, and no less stunning. You can find this stop on line 10, on the bo > read more
One Month and Counting
Published on 2011-06-02 00:45:00
One month left. Five years ago, if someone gave me the chance to spend a month in Paris (or London or San Francisco or many other places for that matter), I think I would have been dazzled by the offer. One whole month. But fro > read more
Pierrefonds
Published on 2011-06-01 00:57:00
Viollet-le-Duc is best known for resurrecting Notre Dame from the ruin it had become by the mid 19th century but he also had his hands in a lot of other projects including the restoration of Carcassone in the southwest corner of France and the renova > read more
Now That's a Paris Sky
Published on 2011-05-31 01:02:00
It's been super dry in Paris of late. The farmers are none too happy but the rest of us are getting spoiled by a very long string of sunny days with highs in the mid 70s Fahrenheit. (Of course, wouldn't you know it -- when I got up this m > read more
Coming Soon to a Venue Near You
Published on 2011-05-30 00:56:00
I'm guessing these gals are singers but honestly, I have no idea. I really don't think I'd pay to see Ben L'Oncle Soul live. (And by the way, do you suppose this artist is aware that the term Uncle Ben is considered perjorative to bl > read more
The Twenties
Published on 2011-05-29 01:10:00
Back by popular demand. Shall I continue? Because I can but only if you like. > read more
For the Unrepentant Smoker
Published on 2011-05-28 01:10:00
You can try to shame a smoker but it usually doesn't work. The fellow in the tabac (and for the record, I was in there buying a pen) looked at me kind of oddly when I asked if I could take a picture of these plastic sleeves for cigarettes. But he sai > read more
Forgive Me But
Published on 2011-05-27 00:57:00
One quandary for expats lucky enough to snag a Paris assignment is how best to communicate with the folks back home. When things are going great, you're not sure whether you should report on this. Doing so makes you feel like a show off. And if thing > read more
Acclaim by Association
Published on 2011-05-26 00:44:00
If I told you that I have an undergraduate degree from an Ivy League school, a doctorate from another top American university, and once worked on Capitol Hill, would that make you interested in reading my blog? I don't think so. (And > read more
Compact Car
Published on 2011-05-25 00:52:00
A car this size gives a whole new meaning to the word "compact." Perhaps it's more comfortable to drive if you take out the front seat and drive from the back? > read more
The Bucket List Revisited
Published on 2011-05-24 00:52:00
Back in September, I wrote about my Paris bucket list, the things I wanted to be sure to get done before leaving Paris. And as we enter the home stretch, I figured it was time to take a look back and see just how I'm doing. It starts wel > read more
Only in the 16th
Published on 2011-05-23 00:55:00
What do you suppose the odds are that this lost diamond bracelet will be reunited with its owner? > read more
The Teens
Published on 2011-05-22 01:05:00
Now that I know you can count to ten, want to see if you can make it to twenty? All together now: Shall I continue? > read more
Luncheon in the Palais Royal
Published on 2011-05-21 01:02:00
With all the end of year festivities, going away parties, and general panic about trying to experience the best of Paris before my count down timer runs out, I've been way overindulging. Because I can always diet when we get back home, right? And bec > read more
Midnight in Paris
Published on 2011-05-20 00:44:00
Last weekend, we went to see Woody Allen's new movie, Midnight in Paris. And how could we not? Even if the reviews had been truly execrable, I could not have resisted the chance to see how Allen might pay tribute to the City of Light.&nbs > read more
Yoo Hoo!
Published on 2011-05-19 00:55:00
Abercrombie & Fitch finally opened its much awaited Paris store this week. Although to judge from the number of kids already wearing Abercrombie t-shirts and sweatshirts, you might have thought they'd had a Paris base for eons. Clearl > read more
Losing My Velib Virginity
Published on 2011-05-18 00:45:00
If there is one thing I have been bound and determined to do before leaving Paris, it is to finally go out on a Velib. Yes, shockingly, after four years here and my arrival almost perfectly coinciding with the advent of Paris's wildly > read more
La Conquête
Published on 2011-05-17 00:45:00
Dominique Strauss Kahn, current head of the International Monetary Fund and long thought to be the Socialist Party's best bet to unseat President Sarkozy in next year's election, appears to have self destructed over the weekend. He was hauled o > read more
Pomp and Circumstance
Published on 2011-05-16 00:56:00
There's always something going on around the Arc de Triomphe. And with all the traffic that whizzes around there day in and day out, no lane markings and the rule of priority to those entering the circle, it's always has a kind of crazy an > read more
Dusty
Published on 2011-05-15 01:10:00
Fashionista or frump, there are probably very few women in Paris who do not own a pair of black ballerina flats. And there are also very few whose shoes don't often look like this: If you stick to the sidewalks, you may be able to avoid this fate. > read more
WTF (Encore)
Published on 2011-05-14 05:00:00
I think it was star blogger David Lebovitz who pointed out to all of us that "WTF" can stand either for ...well, you know what, or "welcome to France." And even though we're six weeks and counting from saying good-bye, France is still willing t > read more
Two Days in Burgundy
Published on 2011-05-13 16:03:00
As I am in the mode of taking advantage of every remaining bit of the time left in France, when the opportunity came up to take a two-day trip to Beaune, center of the wine trade in Burgundy, I jumped at the chance. It's a region of France > read more
The Truth about Parisian Markets
Published on 2011-05-12 01:04:00
The open air market is one of the fixtures of Parisian life. Everyone has their favorite market (even if it's not the one in their quartier) and everyone also has their favorite vendors. And even if you don't do all or even half your food > read more
Randomness
Published on 2011-05-11 00:52:00
My camera has been in the shop for more than two weeks and it's amazing how helpless I feel without it. I keep seeing things I want to document and then remembering that I can't. Thankfully, I just got a notice that it's ready > read more
Counting to Ten
Published on 2011-05-10 00:47:00
I bet you can count to ten in French. But can you do it in Parisian street numbers? I can keep going if you like...... > read more
Touch of Country in the City
Published on 2011-05-08 22:30:00
Just off the Parc Montsouris in the south end of the 14th arrondissement, you can find a little street out of a picture book. You might feel like you've left the city. Were it not for the cars, you might actually be in another era al > read more
Point Zero
Published on 2011-05-07 01:03:00
If you look closely, you can barely discern the carving on this compass rose that says "point zero." Stand on this spot in front of Notre Dame and you will be in the official center of the city of Paris, the point from which all distances t > read more
Forêt de Fontainebleau
Published on 2011-05-06 00:33:00
Last week I had the good fortune to spend a day on a long walk in and around the forest of Fontainebleau. This is one of the things I love about Paris (and also about my good friend who organizes all these great outings so all I have to do is s > read more
April Showers Brought May Flowers
Published on 2011-05-05 00:35:00
The lilacs have faded, the tulips are a distant memory. Now it's time for the roses. If you are a true connoisseur, there are two places you must visit in Paris: Bagatelle in the Bois de Boulogne and the Roseraie in L'Haÿ-les-Roses > read more
Strawberries for the Jet Set
Published on 2011-05-04 00:44:00
It's officially strawberry season in France and these ads for the highly prized gariguette variety from the town of Plougastel in Brittany are everywhere in the metro. (That's a traditional Breton bonnet on the strawberry.) You will pay 2 > read more
Paris, Paris
Published on 2011-05-03 00:45:00
When the publicist for Paris-based American author David Downie contacted me asking whether I'd like a copy of Downie's new book Paris, Paris with the explicit expectation that I would post a review on my blog, my first thought was simple: "Free > read more
Big Box
Published on 2011-05-02 01:02:00
Americans tend to imagine France as that fairy tale place where people still do their shopping at the butcher, the baker, and the greengrocer. And while in Paris, you can still do that if you choose, increasingly in places where there is room t > read more
When Life Gives You Lemons
Published on 2011-04-30 01:05:00
Over the past four years, there have been any number of times when I have been fed up with this country and ready to hop on the first plane back home. Someone sneering at my French, lousy customer service, and bad weather were just a few o > read more
Mistaken for a Memorial
Published on 2011-04-29 00:57:00
I haven't been paying much attention to world news this week but I understand that the television networks are in their "All Royal Wedding All the Time" mode. And what a great story just out of a fairy tale: handsome prince marries beautiful an > read more
War is Hell
Published on 2011-04-28 00:55:00
The same day I visited the American Cemetery in Suresnes, I also stopped literally just around the corner at Mont Valérien, once a destination for religious pilgrims but more infamously during World War II, the site of numerous executions of Fr > read more
Color
Published on 2011-04-27 01:03:00
You have to look pretty hard to find color in the typical Parisian building but whenever I do, I feel like I've won the lottery. Mosaics, ceramics, brickwork: I love them all. These details are hard to photograph from street l > read more
Dot Com or Point Com?
Published on 2011-04-26 00:52:00
I use Yahoo for my e-mail and sometimes the navigation is in English, other times in French. It's pretty much all the same to me. After all, it could be in Greek or Russian or Swahili as long as the login box is in the same place.&nb > read more
Of Biking and Beaches
Published on 2011-04-25 00:23:00
Even if it had rained all of last week, I'd still count myself as a lucky person. Happily that was not the case during the trip we had planned awhile back for the kids' spring vacation -- a week of bike riding along France's Atlantic Coast. The fleec > read more
Venus on the Half Shell
Published on 2011-04-23 00:55:00
If you've been reading this blog for awhile, you know I have a soft spot for door knockers. Enough said. > read more
A Tale of Two Passages
Published on 2011-04-22 01:03:00
At the tail end of the 18th century and into the mid 19th, builders in Paris were keen on creating a new kind of retail shopping experience -- the covered passage lined with shops and lit by skylights. At one point, there were 15 > read more
Jumping to Conclusions
Published on 2011-04-21 00:48:00
I will be the first to admit that this is a truly horrible photograph. But that's what you get when you try to quick get a photo in a crowded poorly lit Metro station. I saw these three women with their fancy footwear, took a look at my o > read more
Victor Hugo
Published on 2011-04-20 00:25:00
As an American, I knew Victor Hugo as the author of Les Miserables, hard to escape if you ever turned on public television during the 1990s. And though this epic, set during the revolution of 1832, along with The Hunchback of Notre Dame, is > read more
Parisian Style
Published on 2011-04-19 00:57:00
Even with the Internet, television, newspapers, and magazines, I've lived in Paris too long to know what passes for fashion among American teenagers. For all I know, 14 year olds in Washington and New York dress exactly like this group spotted > read more
Finally!
Published on 2011-04-18 01:10:00
If you're sick of seeing this book jacket under the "What I'm Reading" heading on the right hand side of the page, you don't know the half of it. Trust me, no one is more sick of the sight than me. It took me a year and a half to read thi > read more
Typo
Published on 2011-04-16 00:56:00
Having done way too much copy editing, it kills me to see typos in printed material or signage. But in a non-English speaking country, I find these mistakes charming. On the other hand, hasn't the SNCF heard of Google Translate or Babelfish? > read more
The Last Fill in the Blank
Published on 2011-04-15 01:02:00
I hate it that even though we won't be leaving Paris until the beginning of July, the "lasts" are already coming fast furious -- the last time at my gym (because I'm too cheap to pay the exorbitant short term membership rate now that my normal subscr > read more
Confusion
Published on 2011-04-14 00:45:00
Something kooky was going on in Paris this week. First, when it came to telling the time on line 7, the signage had nothing but question marks. As an aside, I have to say that I can never quite get over the fact that one of the termi > read more
Yet More Americans in Paris
Published on 2011-04-13 00:45:00
If you've been thinking about heading out to Normandy to visit the American cemetery near the landing beaches, by all means do so. It's an incredibly moving experience that you really shouldn't miss. On the other hand, if time is in short > read more
Guessing Game
Published on 2011-04-12 01:02:00
What do you think? Modern art? Giant Shell no pest strips? Actually neither. These hanging objects are intended as housing for sparrows, part of a project by the city of Paris to protect the little birds. Their numbers > read more
Climbing Volcanos and Other Pursuits
Published on 2011-04-11 01:05:00
A couple months ago, I'd never heard of the Aeolian Islands off the northeast coast of Sicily. It's a bit of a schlep from Paris -- a flight to Milan, another to Catania, overland to Milazza, and then hydrofoil to the main island o > read more
The Horror
Published on 2011-04-09 01:02:00
Dear France, I am so sorry. Bisous, Anne > read more
Computer Snafu à la Française
Published on 2011-04-08 00:56:00
Some days are just like that. Special thanks to Dana, a great friend and loyal reader who will be leaving Paris soon, for sending this along to me. > read more
Seriously?
Published on 2011-04-07 00:47:00
This New York hot dog stand is parked outside the oh so chic Publicis Drugstore on the Champs Élysées. I have to admit that a merguez in a baguette is no substitute for a good street dog. But I still think I'll pass. > read more
Calling Card
Published on 2011-04-06 00:48:00
If you spend much time commuting by train in these parts, you're bound to encounter all manner of folks with outstretched hands. There are musicians (of varying talent) with their change cups duct taped to their amplifiers, well groomed but > read more
A Matter of Interpretation
Published on 2011-04-05 01:08:00
Is this a commentary on the dark times we live in or the fact that it's painted in the middle of the street? Translation: Fear is closing in on us. > read more
Can't Get Enough of Guimard
Published on 2011-04-04 00:56:00
For all the downsides of having house guests (the laundry, the cooking, the extra people in your space), I do enjoy sharing with visitors, even those who have been to Paris many times, some of the lesser known but nonetheless interesting sites. > read more
Time Travel?
Published on 2011-04-02 01:05:00
This sign isn't some leftover from a bygone age as the store in question truly exists. (Although to be fair, the sign was more blogworthy than the actual shop window.) My question? What century are we in anyway? > read more
Pigeon Holing Parisiennes
Published on 2011-04-01 01:02:00
Ever had an annoying song stuck in your head, those lyrics plaguing your thoughts all day long? That's how I feel about the article "No Dowdy Women " which appeared recently on the Bonjour Paris site. The author's premise is obvious from > read more
Traces of the Temple
Published on 2011-03-31 01:07:00
This plaque, bolted to the exterior wall of the mairie of the 3rd arrondissement, is all that's left of the building where Louis XVI and his family were held prisoner during the French Revolution. The prison was part of a larger fortress built > read more
Published on 2011-03-30 01:01:00
I was going to call this post "Variations on a Theme" or maybe "Knock, Knock," and then it occurred to me -- hadn't I already used these titles? The answer is yes, and the hard truth is that I am repeating myself. Oh the tribulations of a > read more
Bottling Sounds
Published on 2011-03-29 00:45:00
For all the fun I've had taking photos of Paris, there are sound and scent memories I want for my scrapbook as well. Eh voila. Thanks to the Freesound Project, I've been able to find sound files of some of those little things that will al > read more
Seeing Double
Published on 2011-03-28 01:01:00
I'd love to get an explanation of why so many Parisian street corners sport duplicate street signs. Here the old sign appears up top, the newer one, which includes information about the person for whom the street was named, appears belo > read more
Bottle of Red, Bottle of White
Published on 2011-03-26 02:02:00
You can get a bottle of wine in Paris for less than the price of a bottle of Coke. I'm not saying that's the wine you should buy, but it is one small indicator of how the drink itself transcends social class. (Alt > read more
Spring Has Sprung
Published on 2011-03-25 02:02:00
We've been having an incredible stretch of perfect weather here in Paris -- blue skies with daytime highs in the mid 60s -- a welcome respite after the gray chill of a Parisian winter. Yesterday, my travels took me through the Jardin > read more
Going the Distance
Published on 2011-03-24 01:44:00
Some months back, I shared with you the story of Roxana, an acquaintance who has embarked upon a mission of walking every street in Paris before her husband's work assignment ends two years from now. It got to me to wondering how many streets I > read more
Scam Alert
Published on 2011-03-23 01:45:00
It's spring break somewhere and Paris is once again flush with tourists. The bazaar that is the base of the Eiffel Tower is in full swing: lines of visitors waiting their turn to ascend, trinket sellers, ice cream vendors, families with small childre > read more
Have Wheels, Will Travel
Published on 2011-03-22 02:01:00
Scootering is a very popular and eminently practical way to get around Paris. And it's not just for kids; I often see adults in business attire on their trottinettes but it's rare that I have my camera out at the right moment. Yesterday, > read more
Jour du Macaron
Published on 2011-03-21 02:03:00
Yesterday was the annual Jour du Macaron, another excuse for those crazy for the little almond-based sandwich cookies to go whole hog. A number of the top macaron makers in Paris were offering a taste of their wares for free, and I'm willing to > read more
And the Winner Is......
Published on 2011-03-19 02:02:00
Drum roll please. The winner of the photo book of some of my favorite Just Another American in Paris images is: Cherie Vintage! Congratulations, Cherie. Please send me an e-mail to justanotheramericaninparis@yahoo.com with your mailing ad > read more
What's the World Coming To?
Published on 2011-03-18 02:03:00
I'm thinking that we could all use a little good news right about now. The deadline has passed for my blog giveaway. I'll announce the lucky winner tomorrow. > read more
A Museum about Hunting? You Bet.
Published on 2011-03-17 02:02:00
There was a time when I would no sooner take a guided tour of a cultural site than put ketchup on roast beef. Guided tours, in my view, were only for the insulated or terrified tourist. I wanted to be the person who did all the research m > read more
Your Paris Pied à Terre
Published on 2011-03-16 02:02:00
If you've got a couple million euros burning a hole in your pocket, does the French state have a deal for you! Go online to this site and you will find listings for government buildings in Paris that can be yours for .....well I won't say > read more
Vehicles of Paris: No. 26
Published on 2011-03-15 01:58:00
My grandfather, who I'm told was the first pediatrician in Milwaukee, Wisconsin back when having a doctor just for kids was a novelty, used to make house calls. My dad, who was also a physician (albeit a specialist), never did. But t > read more
Giveaway!
Published on 2011-03-14 01:55:00
I don't want this blog to become a constant drone about our impending departure from Paris. And yet, while it's still some three plus months in the future, my mind is already going at warpspeed. There's a ton of stuff I want to do in Pari > read more
Are the French Really Rude?
Published on 2011-03-12 00:55:00
In my view, no. Yes, they maintain a certain distance when relating to strangers, a coolness that an outgoing American can find off putting. And yes, they are insistent on adhering to a set of formalized manners. And true, they have > read more
Ta Da!
Published on 2011-03-11 00:52:00
No one is going to give Les femmes du 6ème étage an award for pushing the boundaries of cinema or for the daring performances of its cast. But this film is doing big business at the box office and I'm giving it a huge gold star too. Why > read more
Changed for Good
Published on 2011-03-10 00:57:00
People being people, I'm sure someone got their panties in a twist over the change in the name of this tiny street in the Marais. Abutting the Memorial de la Shoah, the renaming goes hand in hand with the creation of a set of plaques commemorat > read more
It's a Bird, It's a Plane, It's a...
Published on 2011-03-09 00:56:00
It's a gas balloon, permanently tethered at Parc Andre Citroen in the 15th arrondissement. And what's more, you can actually take a ride in it up 150 meters, although it won't take you wafting across the city. And if that's not reaso > read more
Politics (As Usual?)
Published on 2011-03-08 00:37:00
One good thing about being 3,000 miles from home is that the scary and insane aspects of American politics are somewhat muted. Well sure, I can get all the news I want through my computer but it's not quite the same as being assaulted by the he > read more
Accessible or Not?
Published on 2011-03-07 00:53:00
The French passed a law back in 1975 to improve public accommodations for persons with disabilities. Among other reforms, there's dedicated parking for the disabled and crossing signals for the blind. That being said, Paris is > read more
In Which I Am Considered an Expert of Sorts
Published on 2011-03-05 01:02:00
Expat life has its glamorous and mindblowing moments. And then there are days like yesterday when I went to the gym, did two loads of laundry, made a trip to the supermarket and the post office, baked brownies and made a lasagna, changed sheets > read more
Never a Dull Moment
Published on 2011-03-04 01:04:00
You never know what's waiting for you when you head out the front door in the morning. Yesterday, I saw: A cherry tree in full bloom inside the courtyard of the Petit Palais. No, spring has not progressed this far citywide. My gue > read more
How Many Frenchmen Does It Take to Change A Light Bulb?
Published on 2011-03-03 01:01:00
Just one but it sure helps if you have a crane. > read more
This and That
Published on 2011-03-02 00:37:00
An unopened jar of tamarind paste bought for some recipe, which one I no longer remember. Half finished bottles of orange flower water and pomegranate molasses. Three cans of sardines that I purchased mistakenly assuming they were anchovi > read more
Les Serres d'Auteuil
Published on 2011-03-01 01:10:00
For the last day of February, Paris taunted me. The day started sunny with blue skies but by 10:00, it had all gone south. The sun disappeared and a damp chill swept in, sending me running for thicker socks, a warmer scarf, and the gloves that I had > read more
Budapest
Published on 2011-02-28 01:02:00
Budapest may not be anyone's idea of an ideal vacation spot in February but when unrest in the Middle East made me nervous about my original idea of heading to Morocco and my husband announced that he had to be in Budapest last week for a meeting, it > read more
Through These Portals Pass
Published on 2011-02-26 00:58:00
Doorways seem to be a big favorite for travel photographers. Is it the visuals themselves or the imaginings of what's happening within that most enchants? My guess it's probably a little of both. Since so many other people are busyi > read more
Irresistible
Published on 2011-02-25 00:56:00
Is it any wonder that my jeans are just a big snug? > read more
Cycling Lesson
Published on 2011-02-24 01:01:00
This is for all the parents out there who ever taught a kid to ride a bike. Although the end result is thrilling (watching your kid experience the freedom of pedaling solo is truly like nothing else), the hours you have to put in can be tedious > read more
Miscellany of History
Published on 2011-02-23 01:06:00
You can barely walk down the street in these parts without encountering a piece of history. Little memorials, plaques stuck to the side of buildings, brass markers seem to be everywhere, almost as ubiquitous as that other stuff on the sidewalk > read more
Vacances d'Hiver
Published on 2011-02-22 01:02:00
Although the forsythia is in bud and a few stray daffodils, planted in protected spots, are showing their sunny faces, it is still resolutely February in Paris. And while the queues at tourist sites are short or nonexistent, vis > read more
The Louvre's Back Story
Published on 2011-02-21 01:04:00
When you're visiting the Louvre and ogling all those amazing masterpieces from your art history books, it's easy to forget that the Louvre was first and foremost, not a museum, but a royal residence. That is, it was until Louis XIV decided to d > read more
More of Me
Published on 2011-02-19 01:09:00
If you like what you see here, perhaps you'd be interested in what I'm writing elsewhere. Two of my pieces were published this week on other sites: one on Paris museums on Tripping and one for Valentine's Day on Girls' Guide to Paris.&nbs > read more
Picnic
Published on 2011-02-18 00:56:00
I don't know what it was about this threesome with their baguette sandwiches that captured my attention. I guess it was that they were the only little bit of life in an otherwise austere setting. Yesterday started out promising with su > read more
Pan European Cuisine
Published on 2011-02-17 01:02:00
I am sure that this is exactly what Jean Monnet, architect of the European Union, had in mind when he was doing his post World War II brainstorming. No? Who comes up with this stuff anyway? When I showed this photo to my kids, they reminde > read more
Memories of War
Published on 2011-02-16 01:03:00
Algeria's a place that's never been very high on my radar screen, that is, until recently when all the turmoil began in the Arab world. After the dramatic events in Tunisia and, more recently, Egypt, all the pundits are trying to figu > read more
Play by the Rules
Published on 2011-02-15 01:03:00
The French may not be as litigious as Americans (who in my opinion have gone somewhere off the deep end in their penchant to sue) but that doesn't mean that there aren't rules for what to do when and who exactly is responsible for any mayhem that may > read more
The Flâneur
Published on 2011-02-14 00:52:00
I always tell my children never to say they hate someone or something, the preferred alternative being to say, "it's not my favorite." Hate is really much too strong a word to describe their feelings about classmates, teachers, and certain thing > read more
High Water No More
Published on 2011-02-12 01:02:00
Loyal readers may remember my post about the high level of the Seine at the end of December. Well, the other day, I was back in the vicinity of the Pont de l'Alma where the statue of the Zouave stands, the one that is used as a gauge of the riv > read more
Scary
Published on 2011-02-11 00:58:00
I'll admit it. I am a complete chicken about certain things in life, especially those involving potential body sacrifice, such as sky diving, scuba diving, bungee jumping, and fast drivers on mountain roads that lack guardrails. Now > read more
Catherine de Medici
Published on 2011-02-10 00:34:00
What would you get if you combined equal parts Joan Crawford, Nancy Reagan, Imelda Marcos, and any woman who ever commanded a European empire (think Elizabeth I of England, Maria Theresa of Austria, or Russia's Catherine the Great)? Well, > read more
Fauteuils d'Orchestre Revisited
Published on 2011-02-09 00:55:00
The other night, Fauteuils d'Orchestre was on TV, a total stroke of luck since I'd been dying to see it again now that I have a few years of France under my belt. The film, which was entitled Avenue Montaigne in its American release in 200 > read more
Ensoleillé (Sunny)
Published on 2011-02-08 00:57:00
The weather forecast on Sunday night showed sun for the entire week but I've lived in Paris too long to trust that kind of magical thinking. And yet, yesterday, the sun came out in the morning and stayed out all day. It was astonishing an > read more
The Reality of Real Estate
Published on 2011-02-07 00:47:00
I'm definitely not in the market for any real estate in Paris but that doesn't stop me from looking at the ads posted in the windows of realtors. One can always dream, right -- of having your own little piece of Paris or of having enough cash t > read more
Real Men
Published on 2011-02-05 00:47:00
While the French were going nuts last weekend when the national handball team won the world championships for something like the 4th year in a row, there was a collective yawn from the other side of the Atlantic. Handball -- you > read more
Opéra Garnier
Published on 2011-02-04 00:56:00
It was probably during the month of September three plus years ago that I first tried to go take a peek at the Opéra Garnier . I remember clearly that it was a lovely fall day, my kids were off to school, and I was going to have a Paris advent > read more
Ceramic
Published on 2011-02-03 01:02:00
I've been wanting to share photos of the Hotel Elysées Ceramic, located on Avenue de Wagram just off Etoile in the 17th, for the longest time. But the area is always so congested with traffic that it's hard for an amateur photographer to squee > read more
Fighting the Cold
Published on 2011-02-02 00:58:00
Some time late last week, the temperatures in Paris took a nose dive straight into the deep freeze. When I woke up yesterday, the weather.com gadget on my desktop read 24 degrees F with an expected low for the day of 33. Huh? W > read more
Changing Times
Published on 2011-02-01 00:56:00
One can imagine many scenarios as to what happened on this spot. Did the proprietor of the Boulangerie de l'Hotel de Ville pass away and there was no one willing to take on his business? Or was it more sinister than that -- a ne > read more
From the Other America
Published on 2011-01-31 00:55:00
For some reason I cannot pinpoint, I'm constantly being mistaken for Spanish, Portuguese, even Brazilian. The other day, the guess was Italian. If I could figure out what I'm doing, I'd bottle it and sell it to those American touris > read more
Eggs, Milk, Laundry Detergent, Champagne
Published on 2011-01-29 01:07:00
I don't know about where you live but there sure as shooting ain't no champagne in my neighborhood grocery store in DC. Well to be fair, the liquor laws don't allow sales in the supermarket. Even if they did, I don't think they'd have a b > read more
Bus-ted
Published on 2011-01-28 00:56:00
What's the difference between being a tourist and a resident, albeit a temporary one? When you're a tourist and you're riding a city bus and it gets stuck behind a garbage truck, you might not even notice. The ride is an adventure itself > read more
Ooops
Published on 2011-01-27 00:55:00
Do you get the impression that the folks who live or work here have just had it? For the unsuspecting person who ended up at the wrong address, it could be worse. Google says it's just 800 meters and 11 minutes on foot to the c > read more
Study in Silver
Published on 2011-01-26 01:01:00
If this were a brooch or one of a set of earrings, I'd buy it in a heartbeat. Too bad for me because that's not the case. This fabulous Art Deco ornament is actually a door knob to the front door of an otherwise relatively nondescript > read more
Shhhh! Artist at Work
Published on 2011-01-25 00:55:00
T.S. Eliot said that April was the cruelest month, but in Paris, January wins it hands down. But if you're searching for a silver lining, here's a tip. January is the one month out of the year when really no one is in the Louvre. We > read more
Ciel Bleu
Published on 2011-01-24 01:01:00
When I was a sophomore in college in Rhode Island, I had a roommate from Hawaii. Despite having already spent a year in New England and thus presumably experienced in how to deal with cold weather, she could somehow never shake her childhood as > read more
The Pont des Arts is for Lovers
Published on 2011-01-22 00:35:00
The Pont des Arts, a foot bridge that crosses the Seine between the Quai de Conti on the Left Bank and the Quai de Mitterand on the Right, is unquestionably romantic. But when did the tradition start of couples placing a lock on the r > read more
Mad for Monet
Published on 2011-01-21 01:02:00
The Monet exhibit at the Grand Palais has been the hot ticket for art lovers this season -- perhaps too pedestrian for the serious art critics but dearly beloved by the rest of us. But if you've put off going until now, you might think twice.&n > read more
Reality Check
Published on 2011-01-20 00:59:00
Life in Paris is not all champagne and chocolates. If you don't speak French, the one word I will translate for you from the above is poux: lice. With that, you should be able to figure out the rest. > read more
Café de Flore
Published on 2011-01-19 00:57:00
I finally got myself to Café de Flore yesterday. In the heart of chic St. Germain des Prés , it's one of those must visit places, an essential for literary types and those wishing to see and be seen, as well as for tourists who won't cri > read more
Pocket Dogs
Published on 2011-01-18 00:57:00
Quintessence of Paris: madame, elegantly but casually dressed in heels, skinny jeans, and Louis Vuitton bag, with her two little pocket dogs. Regrettably, you can not see that both of these little guys were wearing sequined coats. > read more
Happy Birthday Ben!
Published on 2011-01-17 00:57:00
Today's Ben Franklin's birthday. Or rather it would be if he were still alive at 305. So let's just say it's the anniversary of his birth, a date momentous both for Americans and for the French. Franklin did the leg work to get the > read more
Topinambours
Published on 2011-01-15 00:55:00
It's midwinter at the marché. Although you can still find strawberries, grapes, and figs, it's certainly not the season for them. You'll pay a pretty penny plus have the guilty conscience of knowing that they've had to be shipped and > read more
Follow the Yellow and Red Striped Road
Published on 2011-01-14 01:02:00
If you've ever noticed these bands of yellow and red tape on poles holding up Parisian street lights and street signs,and wondered what they might signify, I have the answer. The stripes indicate that you, the pedestrian, are on the path of the > read more
The Corner Store
Published on 2011-01-13 00:50:00
I have a love-hate relationship with our corner store. I absolutely love the convenience of having a mini supermarket just two steps from our front door. When I'm lacking a lemon or onion mid-recipe, it's no problem to turn off the stove, > read more
Knock on Wood
Published on 2011-01-12 01:08:00
I can't help it. I'm a sucker for door knockers, even the one on our front door in Washington that is engraved with the names of people who owned that house long before we did. (And why didn't we change that?&nbs > read more
Meilleurs Voeux
Published on 2011-01-11 01:02:00
Is this so French or what?! The RATP is sending its best wishes for the new year to its riders. From now through the 22nd of January, extracts from French poems will decorate the platforms and corridors of the Métro as well as appea > read more
Galette Harley Davidson
Published on 2011-01-10 01:01:00
In the category of things I just don't understand comes this: the Galette Harley Davidson, on sale now at any locations of the celebrated Parisian bakery and traiteur Lenôtre. Oh sure, why not have a special cake f > read more
Study in Contrasts
Published on 2011-01-08 01:07:00
Ah Paris: at once beautiful and grimy, luxurious and down at the heels. And truly, when you've got a little Chanel No. 5 behind your ears, you should have the confidence not to care that your sweater is stained and your stockin > read more
The Sad Truth about a Gifted Writer
Published on 2011-01-07 00:58:00
Back in the summer of 2007, just a week or so before we moved to France, I was on vacation, sitting by the pool reading a copy of Irène Némirovsky's now famous novel, Suite Française. Written in 1942, the book had only recently b > read more
In Which The Thing Speaks for Itself (Almost)
Published on 2011-01-06 00:50:00
I can scarcely forgive myself for missing this show last night. (Hope you detected the subtle tone of sarcasm.) On the one hand, this really deserves no further comment. Except there's that asterisk after the word, "pimp." Usu > read more
What's for Dinner
Published on 2011-01-05 00:53:00
If you're in Paris and your dinner arrives via scooter, then it's a good bet that it's either pizza or sushi. This fleet of scooters belongs to Pizza Hut. And the pizza du moment? La Nordique with crème fraîche , mozzarella, and smoked > read more
Under Construction
Published on 2011-01-04 01:02:00
I didn't make any New Year's resolutions this year for no particular reason other than I already have enough things on my "to do" list. But I'm proud to say that I did backup two year's worth of photos that have been sitting on my computer.&nbs > read more
El Nopal
Published on 2011-01-03 01:02:00
Paris has a serious problem when it comes to spicy ethnic food, in that, there isn't any. Or rather there isn't much that's any good. It's no problem finding a good Vietnamese or Moroccan place but heat? Forget it. It's n > read more
Happy New Year
Published on 2011-01-01 00:50:00
With warm holiday wishes to all my family, friends, and readers, near and far. May your glass always be half full this year. > read more