Michael Jackson.

I would just like to point out that it seems the French either: A. Do not know MJ is dead or B. Have decided to resurrect him in their bar scene. SERIOUSLY. I was at this bar, called The Hideout, an Irish pub in the 1st, really classy, and close to another Irish pub I drank at three years ago. (Manse, you would be proud!) The bar had a club in its basement and honestly, most of the music it played was from the late 80s to early 90s. Eventually, they played "She-Wolf", which was so appropriate because of the full moon, and I decided to start howling. AHHHWOOOOOOOO. I also did this outside at the full moon. (Mind you, I just got home.)

After dancing to many MJ songs, including "Don't Stop Til You Get Enough" and "Billie Jean", my friends and I were pooped. We went upstairs to obviously drink more and I went outside for a cigarette. I met a French man who did not understand that all 4 of us were studying at the same university at the same time. He kept asking me if they were visiting me. Naturally, the other 3 speak better French than I do, so it would be really funny if they were my guests.

When "Thriller" came on, I rushed out on the dance floor and pulled out some serious dance moves - Jennifer Garner in 13 Going on 30-style. It was a scene out of a tacky American-in-Paris film, but it was très chic. I felt like maybe I should return to New York so that I could dance in the Halloween parade with the other zombies who do legitimate Thriller moves on 6th Ave. I am now sort of sad that I will miss Halloween for the first time in, oh, TWENTY YEARS.

I also looked totallement française in my boots and all my black attire.

Now, to sleep, and hopefully rid myself of all the MJ songs I heard today. Also, someone please alert all French DJs that it is NOT EASY to dance to Blondie's "Heart of Glass" while under the influence. Actually, it is never easy to dance to that song and it should probably remain in the 80s where it belongs. And someone please alert the French that Britney and Lady GaGa are more important than MJ in the present day.

Bonne nuit!

Boots.

Everyone knows I love boots. I practically lived in my Fryes and my black boots for the better half of last year. However, no one in the States truly understands that not all boots are created equal. Some are, in fact, season-less. If I can wear flip flops until it's 45 degrees (fahrenheit, bien sûr), then I think I should be able to wear my boots in the summer when it is 80+ degrees. This is a concept French women truly seem to understand. Since arriving, I have seen women wear boots every day. The weather has been drastically different every day: Monday was 80 degrees, Tuesday was 70 something and rainy, and the rest of the days have been sort of like that, with today being the coldest, at 60 degrees, with some serious rain this morning. Every day, I saw French women on the Métro and in the streets wearing boots. I am in boot heaven. (It also seems that the leaves are changing, or just look slightly burnt.)

Today I celebrated by breaking out my Fryes, the BEST investment I have EVER made in my waredrobe, and strolling down the Champs-Elysées. Granted, I only went there to exchange my travelers checks, which are a huge pain in the ass because you cannot just walk into any bank and expect them to exchange them. I still felt very über sophisticated and très chouette.

I think I will go boot shopping tomorrow on my mission to get lost and discover hidden treasures of Paris... or I might just go after I get falafel at LAs on rue de Rosiers.

What the Seine can do for you

So, I guess I have to revoke some of the rather sharp things I said about Paris yesterday. The truth is, I am lonely, culture-shocked, and most likely still jetlagged. But today, I had a really beautiful afternoon with the lovely Nicole Catá, who I have to say, reminded me of all the reasons I came to Paris in the first place.

I met her at Notre Dame, which is definitely my favorite "monument" in the city of Paris; my favorite thing that I've seen in France in this point of my life is probably Versailles (which has this awesome modern art display outside that I CANNOT WAIT to see in a couple weeks). Notre Dame, for me, just represents this sweeping, massive beauty that is hardly containable, yet, it is placed on a little island in the heart of the city. I assume it had recently been cleaned, because the stone was hardly smoky. Afterwards, we enjoyed glasses of wine from the Loire River Valley, a crisp white wine that did not leave any sharp aftertaste, and crêpes. Instead of the ritual banane-nutella, I ordred a miel noix, which simply means nuts and honey (in reverse order). It was delicious. Simple, and probably less heavy than the banane-nutella. We walked along the Seine, which I had been dying to do since arriving, and took touristy photos while reminiscing about our high school trip to Paris together a few years ago. How many memories I made in this city one time before and how many more I can make. (Everyone must really think I'm bipolar - I swear it was the jetlag... and groceries... the land of yogurt, puh puh.)

Another thing: You know the smell of the rain? In New York, when it rains, particularly in the city, there is this smell. Here, that smell is different. Not better or worse, but, it exists. And I love the smell the rain makes.

So, now I am home, in my oversized chambre-de-bonne, listening to the rain fall on my windows, and considering doing some of the required reading that I did not do before. I think I will finish the mini-bottle of wine I bought. (It's called L'Art du Vin, or something like that, hah!)

à la prochaine fois.

Chez de Ribier.

So I am finally in Paris and finally starting to get settled. On the way here, I realized two things: I can watch a lot of movies on a flight to Paris and that the Irish secretly love to shop. Has anyone ever been to Dublin airport? Talk about a shopping mall inside an airport. Seriously. Shops all over and good ones too, a huge makeup store which may or may not have been Sephora, and a STARBUCKS. American commercialism at it's finest, bien sûr. It was a rather stressful experience at 2AM USA time, after having not really slept in quite some time.

Now that I am here, there are a series of other things that I have noticed about Paris and about my outlook on most things. First, I compare everything to New York. I was in Los Angeles a couple weeks ago, and kept complaining about how the city didn't have subways and how it was grey and how there was barely any grass, and really the only nice thing about it was its suburbs and littler cities (like Pasadena).

It's hard to distinguish what is simply Parisian or European and what is simply New York. For example: Le Métro. Why must I make so many connections all the time and why is it not a grid the way New York is? The answer is obvious, but the complaint resonates. It's just different. Thankfully, the trip to the NYU center is very easy. Also, it seems my homestay parents vote on taking the métro everywhere. I asked how far the Champs-Elysées was, because I obviously wanted to shop or SOMETHING with all the time I have been spending alone, and they said a 30 minute walk and just to take the subway. I just asked how far it was, and wanted to walk. Also, this morning, I am pretty sure there 40-year-old daughter told me putting sugar in my coffee would make me fat... Not sure how I feel about that.

Other differences include things that I didn't realize would bother me. Eggs are not sold in a cold case/fridge like they are in the US. WHAT???!?! This is not ok. Eggs are supposed to be cold and you are supposed to warm them up. I put them in the fridge when I got home and hopefully they will not explode...

Also, there is an entire aisle dedicated to yogurt. Yogurt. And let me tell you, if they didn't sell Activia or a yogurt called "Taillefine" which pretty much means "good size/shape" implying that it is a light yogurt, I would not be eating yogurt with my baguette for breakfast. Aycline, the 40 year old daughter, said "France is the land of yogurt." Truer words have never been spoken. So, France is the land of yogurt, wine, cheese, and bread.

However, one thing that is AMAZING: Special K Red Berries here has RASPBERRIES too! WHY IS IT NOT LIKE THIS IN THE US? Having those little freeze dried berries has made breakfast so much better. There are also a couple fantastic bakeries that I have found that are apparently chains, so maybe they will be in the US when I come home.

One thing that struck me the most is how paranoid it seems the French are. For example, Madame de Ribier told me that if I ever go to pay with a credit card, I have to insist they bring the machine to me at the table, or just do it right in front of me, because places are known to photograph the cards. Seriously? Also, apparently almost every phone shop has a security guard because cell phones are stolen constantly so that gang members cannot be tracked. She also told me that if I ever see 3 people approach me on the métro to move quickly because two of them will try to squish me and the other will steal my purse. Aycline then made a comment about the Bronx and how people steal stuff there and I defended my state and the current population of the Bronx by saying that no one really steals stuff on the subways that frequently because 1. people in New York will get involved unless the person has a gun and 2. people generally mug people later at night or if they are just plain nuts. we don't have "gypsies" so to speak. And according to the de Ribier's, no one in Paris will help you on the métro or anywhere if you are having an issue with having stuff stolen. No one. Uhhh... C'est incroyable! Mais pourquoi?! The French are pretty helpful on the street though the judge me when I give up in French and switch to English after many failed attempts to buy various things.

And fleas in the métro? No thanks... I have bites all over my face and I cannot believe that they are from fleas. Aycline insists there are no mosquitos in Paris. I disagree but will continue to sleep with my window open because it can be hot in a chambre de bonne (maid's quarters or little bedroom in the attic.)

Otherwise, the food is good, the people are friendly, the students at NYU so far are nice, but I am simply DYING for everyone else to get here so I can go on an adventure. The sidewalks and streets are gorgeous and there are trees and parks everywhere. I have to adventure over to my park, but everyone insists it's beautiful. And, it is not difficult to eat well CHEAP here, no matter what anyone says... I think I will eat smoked salmon and fromage blanc sandwiches for the rest of my life.

À tout à l'heure.