Those of you who know me well know that I hate chocolate.
But this little patisserie had some of the most scrumptious looking pastries I have ever seen.
Not to mention it's adorable.
And fairly close to the Eiffel Tower.
Bon appetit!
Thursday, October 8, 2009
La Petite Chocolatiere
Those of you who know me well know that I hate chocolate.
But this little patisserie had some of the most scrumptious looking pastries I have ever seen.
Not to mention it's adorable.
And fairly close to the Eiffel Tower.
Bon appetit!
Friday, September 25, 2009
Gardens of Monet
So when I was in high school oh-so-long ago (ha ha) we sang a song in my choir class about the Gardens of Monet. My very bestest friend/cousin and I made up an interpretive dance to this song to perform at the concert. However, for some strange reason which I still don't know, my choir teacher didn't want us to perform it! (Love you Joanie)
However, I had a little reenactment in the Gardens of Monet today:
(Um, why am I posting this??? This is kind of embarrassing.)
Anyway, moving right along...the gardens were absolutely beautiful and the house was just so quaint and sweet. Pictures weren't allowed in the house, but here are a few glimpses of the beautiful gardens that Monet painted.
Here is the street leading up to the house...isn't it so picturesque?
and the gardens...
The Pont Japonais (Japanese Bridge)
The beautiful waterlilies Monet painted...
And my own little impressionistic rendering of the water lilies in photograph...
It was so nice to be in a beautiful place surrounded by beautiful things, away from the city...Giverny, Je t'aime.
However, I had a little reenactment in the Gardens of Monet today:
(Um, why am I posting this??? This is kind of embarrassing.)
Anyway, moving right along...the gardens were absolutely beautiful and the house was just so quaint and sweet. Pictures weren't allowed in the house, but here are a few glimpses of the beautiful gardens that Monet painted.
Here is the street leading up to the house...isn't it so picturesque?
and the gardens...
The Pont Japonais (Japanese Bridge)
The beautiful waterlilies Monet painted...
And my own little impressionistic rendering of the water lilies in photograph...
It was so nice to be in a beautiful place surrounded by beautiful things, away from the city...Giverny, Je t'aime.
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Friday, September 18, 2009
A Sick American in Paris
So I've been a week in Paris!
It's been quite eventful.
I arrived without a problem, although very tired, in the Charles de Gaulle Airport and took a taxi to the wonderful little establishment (ha) known as the Etap Hotel. The rooms kind of reminded me of what I would expect on a space ship. They were...um...contemporary? I don't know what to say about the bunk beds or the completely plastic shower and toilet closets. The thing is that my roommate and I got to stay there 2 nights, instead of just 1 like everyone else because our host family didn't want us until the next day because they had an event to attend.
The first night we went on a boat ride down the Seine River with our whole group.
If you want pictures of that look here.
My favorite bridge in the Seine in Pont Neuf because it has lots of angry faces carved on it.
And by lots, I mean there's dozens. Our tour guide said that each face was for one each of King Louis XVI's counselors who didn't believe his bridge would hold. How's that for getting back at your critics?! Their faces are still there, so I guess they were wrong!
Well. I had been feeling a little bit of a sore throat about the time I got to Paris, very minimal, but when I woke up on Sunday morning at the Etap Hotel I was really, really congested in my throat and head. It felt...weird.
As the week continued, I kept waking up with the same thing except worse every morning. It got to the point that I couldn't eat anything because it hurt to swallow so bad, and I lost 5 pounds in 4 days...not good. Especially when you're in Paris. That's not normal. I also was having trouble breathing easily at night and wasn't sleeping well because I was so sick.
At first, I went to the pharmacienne and they gave me "mal de gorge" throat spray. It was kind of like a super-weak chloraseptic. Um, ok, well that's nice for like one minute to ease the pain, but hello?! people!? I can't breathe at night or eat during the day! A little throat spray is not going to help me.
It's really frustrating to get sick in a foreign country because...it's hard to know what to do. Finally on Wednesday, I knew what I needed to do. I went straight to the institute building where we had classes, asked for a blessing, and asked for help finding a doctor. I thankfully was able to get both and went to the pharmacienne--again, but this time with a prescription--and got this:
On a side note, when the doctor saw my throat she said, "Impressive!" because it was so swollen.
I spent the day in bed yesterday (really exciting when you're in Paris, I know) but today I went out for half the day and spent some time in the Jardin des Tuileries and walked around the Opera area. Taking lots of meds, and finally getting better.
Even though I've been sick, I've still done so much! I've sat on the grass by the Eiffel Tower, walked down the Champs-Elysees, shopped at the Marche des Puces (flea market), bought some fabulous pants at H&M, gotten lost in Boulougne, eaten a delicious pastry from La Duree, took the wrong metro, asked for duct tape and received funny looks, and so many other things!
My next post is going to be on a cute pastry shoppe my roommate and I found by accident :o)
It's been quite eventful.
I arrived without a problem, although very tired, in the Charles de Gaulle Airport and took a taxi to the wonderful little establishment (ha) known as the Etap Hotel. The rooms kind of reminded me of what I would expect on a space ship. They were...um...contemporary? I don't know what to say about the bunk beds or the completely plastic shower and toilet closets. The thing is that my roommate and I got to stay there 2 nights, instead of just 1 like everyone else because our host family didn't want us until the next day because they had an event to attend.
The first night we went on a boat ride down the Seine River with our whole group.
If you want pictures of that look here.
My favorite bridge in the Seine in Pont Neuf because it has lots of angry faces carved on it.
And by lots, I mean there's dozens. Our tour guide said that each face was for one each of King Louis XVI's counselors who didn't believe his bridge would hold. How's that for getting back at your critics?! Their faces are still there, so I guess they were wrong!Well. I had been feeling a little bit of a sore throat about the time I got to Paris, very minimal, but when I woke up on Sunday morning at the Etap Hotel I was really, really congested in my throat and head. It felt...weird.
As the week continued, I kept waking up with the same thing except worse every morning. It got to the point that I couldn't eat anything because it hurt to swallow so bad, and I lost 5 pounds in 4 days...not good. Especially when you're in Paris. That's not normal. I also was having trouble breathing easily at night and wasn't sleeping well because I was so sick.
At first, I went to the pharmacienne and they gave me "mal de gorge" throat spray. It was kind of like a super-weak chloraseptic. Um, ok, well that's nice for like one minute to ease the pain, but hello?! people!? I can't breathe at night or eat during the day! A little throat spray is not going to help me.
It's really frustrating to get sick in a foreign country because...it's hard to know what to do. Finally on Wednesday, I knew what I needed to do. I went straight to the institute building where we had classes, asked for a blessing, and asked for help finding a doctor. I thankfully was able to get both and went to the pharmacienne--again, but this time with a prescription--and got this:
On a side note, when the doctor saw my throat she said, "Impressive!" because it was so swollen.I spent the day in bed yesterday (really exciting when you're in Paris, I know) but today I went out for half the day and spent some time in the Jardin des Tuileries and walked around the Opera area. Taking lots of meds, and finally getting better.
Even though I've been sick, I've still done so much! I've sat on the grass by the Eiffel Tower, walked down the Champs-Elysees, shopped at the Marche des Puces (flea market), bought some fabulous pants at H&M, gotten lost in Boulougne, eaten a delicious pastry from La Duree, took the wrong metro, asked for duct tape and received funny looks, and so many other things!
My next post is going to be on a cute pastry shoppe my roommate and I found by accident :o)
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Paper Chain
My paper chain.
Is short.
I made it a couple months ago, and it seemed like the longest paper chain in the world. It stretched out forever. I stapled together nearly a hundred blue, brown, and pink pieces of cardstock. Each a day. Seemed so long.
And now my paper chain looks stunted. It's short, barely has two weeks worth of days left on it. It can barely hang in a loop now instead of loop after loop after loop.
Do you know what that means?
PARIS here I come!
Is short.
I made it a couple months ago, and it seemed like the longest paper chain in the world. It stretched out forever. I stapled together nearly a hundred blue, brown, and pink pieces of cardstock. Each a day. Seemed so long.
And now my paper chain looks stunted. It's short, barely has two weeks worth of days left on it. It can barely hang in a loop now instead of loop after loop after loop.
Do you know what that means?
PARIS here I come!
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Family Movie Night
So for FHE last night, we decided to watch a movie.
I had two red box movies I hadn't returned--
17 Again and
Confessions of a Shopaholic.
So we took a vote.
And do you know what the outcome was?
Did I mention boys outweigh the girls in my family?
Did I mention I had FIVE brothers, three of which are teenage boys?
And they chose Confessions of a Shopaholic over 17 Again?
Hmmm...interesting.
I had two red box movies I hadn't returned--
17 Again and
Confessions of a Shopaholic.
So we took a vote.
And do you know what the outcome was?
Did I mention boys outweigh the girls in my family?
Did I mention I had FIVE brothers, three of which are teenage boys?
And they chose Confessions of a Shopaholic over 17 Again?
Hmmm...interesting.
Sunday, August 2, 2009
Fortune Cookie
The best part about Chinese food is the fortune cookies. Don't you feel just fabulous when you get the perfect fortune? and you just know good luck is coming your way?
Well, I went to Pei Wei with a friend this past week and I got a fortune cookie. This is what it said:
"You will be recognized and honored as a community leader"
What the??? That was not good enough for me. So I got another fortune cookie.
My next one read:
"Watch for a stranger near you to soon become a friend."
Hmm...still not good enough.
Three times a charm!
"Now is the best time for you to be spontaneous. Serendipity!"
My favorite word. This was my fortune soulmate.
Can't wait to see what happens!
Moral of the story: Eat lots of Chinese food and don't be afraid to eat more than one fortune cookie. Or two.
Well, I went to Pei Wei with a friend this past week and I got a fortune cookie. This is what it said:
"You will be recognized and honored as a community leader"
What the??? That was not good enough for me. So I got another fortune cookie.
My next one read:
"Watch for a stranger near you to soon become a friend."
Hmm...still not good enough.
Three times a charm!
"Now is the best time for you to be spontaneous. Serendipity!"
My favorite word. This was my fortune soulmate.
Can't wait to see what happens!
Moral of the story: Eat lots of Chinese food and don't be afraid to eat more than one fortune cookie. Or two.
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