Parisian Pursuits: A Documentation of My Endeavors

Bon soir!

Before arriving in Paris I developed a list of numerous landmarks and events I would aspire to accomplish during my stay in this beautiful city. I suppose one would call the following list a bucket list but I am not fond of that title for my list’s purpose. A bucket list outlines a number of goals and experiences that one hopes to accomplish in their lifetime. During my stay, I plan on visiting the listed monuments or accomplishing the documented experiences for the first time. Not the last time.

With confidence, I can affirm that my current stay in Paris marks the first of countless trips back to Paris (already depressed at the thought of leaving). Thus I reckon the following list a necessary account of an authentic Parisian experience.

On my blog’s homepage, I introduce you all to a new tab called “Parisian Pursuits” which documents the comprehensive list of accomplished and desired experiences. Since my arrival in the City of Lights three weeks ago, I have realized some of these experiences. Stalking Paris Fashion Week was included on this list and I have outlined my experiences engaging in the stalking-rampages in previous posts. Below I have enclosed another three of these fulfilled undertakings.

Parisian Pursuits: Accomplished

1) Buy something from Shakespeare & Co. that dates back no later than 1950

The original Shakespeare and Company independent bookstore originated in 1919 in Paris. This establishment was a popular hangout location for many writers in the 20’s including Ernest Hemingway and James Joyce. Currently, Shakespeare and Company is both a bookstore and reading library for literature that dates back to the early 1800’s.

Below is an original piece from a collection of the 1880’s Ward Lock’s Penny Shakespeare publications that I purchased. It is a slim brochure containing a different part of a play (mine is for King Richard II). Every member of society from all social classes attended Shakespeare’s plays, including the peasants/groundlings whose admission fee was a penny. This program was once owned by a peasant attendee of the original production.

People’s Penny Shakespeare: Published in 1880

2) Go to mass every Sunday at Notre Dame

10 minutes: the time that it took me to travel two metro stops from my studio apartment to make it to mass at Notre Dame on time. It really was an amazing, once-in-a-lifetime experience and I plan on attending every Sunday. Next week I intend on attending the Gregorian mass in particular. If you don’t know anything about Gregorian masses or chants,  Youtube-it (hello harmony).

3) Purchase macarons from the infamous Laduree on the Champs d’Elysees

Macarons are famous French dessert treats that come in all colors and flavors. If there is any place in Paris to purchase the best macarons from, Laduree is your stop! With many locations scattered all over Paris, the Champs d’Elysees location is quite beautiful and very ornate. Each macaron was worth the entirety of its 1.75 euro pricetag!

Keep updated about my adventures on my blog!

I hope you are having a great night as I am, residing in my studio apartment on this rainy evening with some white wine accompaniment.

Bisous,

La fausse parisenne

First(-but-possibly-not-lasting) Impressions

Salut,

Finally, it took 10 months for my dream to become a reality! While awaiting in anticipation for my dream to commence, I began doing some research and conjured a list of expectations that I had about Paris, whether it be sourced from the media, history, or my own irrational imagination. Below I have included five of the expectations I had about Paris before my arrival. Did I presume correctly?

Paris: Five Expectations and Outcomes

1) True: Paris is a dirty city.

• I partly blame this on the garbage system in the city. Stores do not have designated garbage bins to dispose of waste, thus resulting in garbage-bag filled streets. Garbage disposals are increasingly easier to find in Canada than in Paris, only further promoting the litter-bug epidemic here. Add the ever common rain to the mix and you can imagine how gross it can be at times.

2) True: Parisian plumbing is unreliable.

• I was warned by all those who previously visited Paris that the plumbing in this city is erratic with a lack of hot water. I thought perhaps living in a newer 20^th century studio apartment would exempt me from being subject to this common Parisian standard. Let’s just say, I learned how wrong I was after taking my first shower.

3) False: Parisians are rude individuals.

• Being a Canadian-girl who believes in manners and compulsively overuses the word “sorry” I anticipated the worst from a city stereotyped has having snobby and insincere habitants. I must say, my experiences thus far have been all positive, with random strangers offering assistance with directions and advice without so much as a demand. Parisians are not rude, but rather are confident. This stereotype can be traced back to their history. After the French Revolution, the people decided that they didn’t want to serve royalty or anyone else for that matter. Thus, they are rude to customers to show that they are not above them. Understanding that this behavior has historical roots allowed me to appreciate this not-so-evident culture shock.

4) True: Peanut butter cannot be found anywhere.

• I was warned beforehand that peanut butter is a rare commodity and is a struggle to find in Paris. Of course, peanut butter was one of the few items I managed to forget amongst my 100+ pounds of luggage. I visited multiple grocery stores including Carrefour (France’s version of Wal-Mart) and have yet to find it. I have never craved peanut butter so much! Note to self: appreciate peanut butter in Canada.

5) False: The women of Paris dress better than the men.

• I admit, this is a rather bold statement to make – especially in the fashion capital of the world – but I must be honest. Perhaps this observation is influenced by Menswear Fashion Week which is currently taking place. The old men have impressed me the most with their long camel wool coats, their extensive use of hats (in love with this), and bold-colored scarves. I am definitely learning what it means to “dress Parisian” through the old men I witness in the streets, reading Le Figaro on the Metro, and in the cafes. I do recognize I just arrived here and I hope that by the end of my time here I can take back this statement.

Stay tuned next week for my following post!

A bientot!

Bisous (kisses),

La fausse parisienne