Joyeux Noel!

Just when you thought I had nothing left to say about France, I come back with a list of thigns to say. First, France is the country of Christmas. Seriously. More lights in Paris than in New York. Sadly, I suck and never take photos, but there are many examples. For example, there is a Christmas tree in front of Notre Dame. It was beautiful and all lit up and made the cathedral about 10 times better. Gorgeous. My dear friend Liz sent me this link and I think France beats most other countries. Prends-toi un regard: http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/gallery/2008/dec/25/art-christmas-tree-lights-festive?picture=340829464

I was also fortunate enough to have a gorgeous, pine-smelling, beautiful real "arbre de noel" chez moi, à la française. The only thing was, they don't really decorate them right away, which made me sad because I love ornaments and seeing how different families decorate their trees. I also don't know if I've ever mentioned just how much food the French eat on Christmas. It must be the only freaking time they eat anything. Seriously. They make a huge turkey, much like ours for Thanksgiving, and stuff it with this delicious meat stuffing and serve it with veggies, but all of this AFTER they have already eaten oysters and several other small seafood items. Follow all that with cheese and salad and a huge buche de noel or whatever that cake was ( I didn't like it so much), and you have Thanksgiving. On Christmas. (read here for more French traditions: http://french.about.com/cs/culture/a/christmas.htm).

When I said goodbye to Madame de Ribier, i gave her a box of chocolates to say thank you, as a dual thank you-christmas gift. We both got a little teary eyed. I love that woman and I am going to miss her so much.

Merry Christmas to all.

Tristesse/joie.

I am currently sitting on my bed in New York. It is snowing and everything I see is white. I have been awake since 4am. I am still on Paris time but I am no longer there. I am heartbroken and ecstatic at the same time. Paris, tu me manques déjà. Tu as mangé mon coeur, comme une monstre, et tu n'as rien laissé. Maintenant, je suis triste et contente, triste pour ne pas avoir eu assez de temps pour voir chaque musée, monument, etc. mais je suis contente, parce que c'est toi, Paris, qui m'inspire maintenant de faire tous que je peux à New York.

Il faut absolument comprendre que Paris est comme une belle amie que je vais connaitre pour longtemps. Mon amie, mon amour. Et dans ce cas-là, je sais que je n'oublie jamais ma vie là-bas.

I will have to follow up with the details of my last week in Paris. Paris je t'aime. New York, I love you.

Dear Finals

I hate you.

The Brianne and Martha Project.

Last year and I guess more so last semester I decided I was going to make my attempts at baking and try to make a few of Martha Stewart's recipes from her Cookies book. Some of the cookies were a great success, some of the bars worked out, but mostly, just the granola worked...

In lieu of recent events, aka the fact that in France all I make is American comfort food (read: I make chili once a week and eat it every day for leftovers), I have decided to find inspiration in Martha's recipes. I will, over the next year, be like Julie and try to make all (read: try) of her recipes. So, if you were thinking about Christmas presents, baking supplies will be needed in great quantities, or you know, just gift cards to Whole Foods, Trader Joes, and other similar places. I might even have my hand at trying to make up my own recipes (egads!) and then hand them out. Basically, if you live in my dorm next semester, get ready for my baked love to come up to your door.

I suppose all of this is inspiration of the film, Julie & Julia, and the fact that my life has to have greater meaning that just doing homework and studying anti-Semitism in modern Europe...

Aside from all that, there is so much left for me to do in Paris and I have to get it all done! How am I ever going to get to all the things left on my list when there is a freaking grève??? Why do you people always strike in this bloody country? I hate living with all you radical revolutionaries. This whole "Vive la resistance" mentality has got to stop because people have things to do and things to see. I have narrowed it down to three very important things: 1. The Pinocathèque to see the Golden Age exhibition. 2. Les Invalides to see Napoleon's tomb. 3. Climb to the top of Notre Dame. As for food, I have narrowed it down to two restaurants I need to go to: 1. La Bourse ou La Vie 2. Aux Lyonnais.

Also, I would like to stop thinking about my professor at this moment in time and be able to get my work done in an efficient manner. God, please, save the queen.

(or find me the other homme de ma vie.)