new news

Had my Tommy's burger fix yesterday at the original in LA, so I'm good for like another year when it comes to burgers. Yum.

I'm starting up another blog and will begin posting there soon since my posts here are sort of starting to be less Paris themed. The most mention you get from Paris are people's reactions to my coming back and all that. Will still try to post about my Spain and south of France adventures, but stuff keeps piling up for me to do so we'll see what happens.

I'll post the link to the new blog up here once it's ready. What's exciting about this, for me at least, is that this'll be the first time that I'll be connecting two personal blogs together. What I usually do is that I start one and end it and start new again. My old readers are usually referred to the new blog, but never new readers to the old ones. So there could still be people reading this from three blogs back. I've been writing online since middle school. So this is history!

Ever since my last One to One at Apple, I've been kind of hesitant to going back there despite the cute boys. I had to cancel mine today to take Grandma to the doctor's which I'm glad for because I was so sure I'd get the same, serious guy who was interested looking at my photos on iPhoto. Creepy, right? I forgot to mention that. Luckily, I had my production photos from a film I worked on on the laptoppy, so I showed him that.

School is around the corner, so I must bring out my inner geek and go shopping. I need a new external hard drive to store all my Paris photos and such. Also need Final Draft for the laptoppy which I will now refer to as the Big Mac unless I find a cooler name. Hopefully someone at school can beer me a copy along with Final Cut--I'm horrible I know, but I'm a poor film student. My film TAs even support the sharing of expensive softwares. I will pay for software once I get a steady job, I promise.

People have been buggin' me (most notably old classmates who know I'm majoring in film) about The Dark Knight which I will see but I wanted it to be in a setting where I won't be bothered. So will see it Imax-style this week hopefully.

You might have noticed in my Dopplr that I'm planning a trip to Las Vegas in a few weeks. Will try my hand at the slots again to see if I'm still lucky. And maybe some outlet shopping for school clothes, yay! I also love love love people watching in Vegas. It's probably one of my more favorite places to people watch.

land of the free rebate, home of the 2 for 1

Went to my first One to One training session at Apple. Lanky Eric said hi while he was with a customer and was extremely nice and apologetic about yesterday's mix-up. My session was with Jay Jay, a cool, laidback guy. Funny, he went to SFSU too! I think he saw the folder on my desktop titled "SFSU cinema" and decided to ask. He's a BECA (Broadcasting Communications) major. He was really cool and patient, especially when trying to transfer files from my PC to the new laptoppy. Ended up not finishing though. He was super happy to have someone "young" to teach. I saw him minutes before our session and he was with an old lady.

Went shopping with my parents today, and it is so weird seeing people trying to rope you into buying stuff. Even Jay Jay was trying to get me to get a new ipod when I recycle my dead one. Today, in front of Costco this guy was trying to get my parents to get a new credit card. Buy, buy, buy. Why can't we just buy to replace? Not buy to fill our homes with more and more stuff.

Bought a frozen yogurt. Thing was huge in comparison to the little gelatos I've been eating. It was maybe the size of an American small soda. I couldn't finish it though, so gave the rest to my parents. Portions are huger here than I realized.

conversion

I am officially part of the Mac family.

Kuya, being the caring, rich older brother that he is, bought me a new laptoppy today, a Macbook Pro. He's really banking on this future of mine as a film writer/director. A lot of people are which puts a lot of pressure on me. He says this counts for the next Christmas and birthday. I say it counts for the next 20.

Dad was pushing me to get the laptop now before it's too late (ie Kuya removes the offer from the table) and I finally brought it up today. I got a laptop with the ipod touch which is part of the student rebate and a printer, also a part of the rebate. Kuya gets the ipod touch.

Can I just write about how absolutely adorable the boys at Apple are? I was first helped by Eric, a New Yorker who's moved to So Cal. Tall, lanky, glasses, mentioned he misses his family, plays guitar, has dogs, and majored in Radio/Film/Television. Oh my gawd, eHarmony could not have done a better job. He gave me his card. Then went home with the WRONG computer! I was too excited to check if it was glossy or matte and found out that the screen was matte.

Took it back, and was helped by another Eric. Short black hair, stubble (love it), also adorable in madras shorts and black Converse high tops. He reminded me of this camera operator I was working with and who trained me. Looked just like him so it brought back some fond memories. He was really nice even though my order was pain. Turns out they don't make the model I want in glossy. So I got the one right below it. He sort of talked me out of 2.6GHz, the original buy, saying he and his film major friend were having this discussion before how the upgrade from 2.4 to 2.6 didn't really matter. I got 2.5. I doubt the whole discussion really happened, but whatever. He was cute and helpful and getting to talk to two cute nerdy boys named Eric in one day is more than a shy girl like me can ask for. That's probably as close to a "date" as I'm going to get this summer. Although I do have a one-on-one session tomorrow with a Genius who is going to transfer my files for me. Let's cross our fingers, folks.

Have been getting used to driving which is nice because it has AC and the metro and bus AC has been nonexistest in Paris. But with gas prices being so high, I just feel so horrible driving. I might as well throw money out the window. Was flipping channels and Sabrina was on and I came in on the part where Linus asked Sabrina, "Do you miss Paris?" My response was, "Is this really happening?"

When it comes to the Spain posts...Honestly, I don't see it happening any time soon if at all. Maybe a few posts highlighting the few high points of the trip. I'll try my best.

Friends have been asking me if I'm going to end this blog. The answer is a loud and resounding yes. It's Paris for a Year, and I'm no longer in Paris. However I will continue blogging somewhere on the interwebs. I will continue to update in a sense like organize as I mean to have this blog helpful for others planning to study abroad in Paris or in general.

Oh America

Got a great big dose of America yesterday, and it was very hard to swallow.

My city is one of the last few where it is legal to buy and set off fireworks. In the morning, Dad drove me around in the newest addition to our family of automobiles, this one a real eye-turner. I don't even know if I'm still supposed to talk about it. Let's just say that Dad pretends he's Steve McQueen when he's driving it and it's named after a snake. Yup. Drove around and saw lots of my redneck citizens buying stuff to blow up.

Oh America.

Went to the supermarket too to buy steaks, and got a big dose of America there too. Dad squeezed his giant tractor of a truck into the cramped parking lot. Short, chubby ladies with tattoos eyeing the steaks. Sunburned men in graying goatees and Corona beer tank tops piling ice into the back of the SUV gas guzzlers. Some guy on his cell phone almost sideswiped my cart and said to the person on the end, "I'm already ready to kill someone in this store." Oh America.

Dinner was amazing: steaks, rice, salad, corn. The basics of a July 4th dinner. It was a really cool day, and too huge of an eye opener to being back. I see the way things are done, and...I just wish it was like France. Like when we were in line at the cashier at the supermarket, I just could see all these plastic bags being used, and I'm not a huge preachy environmentalist, but I still care about the Earth. I brought my Franprix reusable bag to use.

Didn't watch my neighbors blow up their money away, but went straight to bed around 9. Still jetlagged. Today, I meet my best friend from college and we try to figure out where we're going to live in SF for this semester.

the mouffe'

I spent most of Saturday in my quartier or in my studio writing at my window seat with the windows wide open. It was really special since there was a brocante, or second-hand stuff/antique sale, going on outside in my quartier. Streets lined with people trying to sell their awesome antiques as well as their un-sellable (I know that's not a word) crap. I saw a lot of cool furniture, but nothing small that was cool. I was looking for something for Kuya's girl Kathy. This little girl wanted a stone sculpture of a rabbit. The kind of sculpture you'd put in your garden, but her Mom said no. The little girl replied, "Mais pourquoi? C'est mignon!" (But why? It's cute!)

Also saw a boy, around my age, admiring a wooden standing valet. Those old-timey free standing suit hangers that holds the pants and the suit jacket as well as a tray for stuffs. Just seeing him inspect it and think about buying it filled me with joy.

Today I spent even more time at the brocante. Yesterday was a run-through while today was a more detailed look. Met Lucia and Keisha by the fountain and we went around to all the vendors. Helped Keisha decide to get two leather belts and a snakeskin portfolio. Yesterday, Lucia bought a set of cups and saucers. I myself was looking for cups and saucers.Keisha found an incredible automatic Mont Blanc watch. Keisha knows her watches since she specialized in them at Louis Vuitton. The face was huge and unscratched since it was double crystal or something like that. All I remember her saying was that nothing would scratch it except for diamond. The guy wanted 150 euros, but we walked away.Then, at another vendor, Lucia found another set of cups and saucers that were made in the south of France. They were really amazing. Man, if I had seen them first, I would have got them, but c'est la vie. She saw them. It's like that unspoken rule of not dating a guy that your friend liked first. I think the vendor could tell that I liked them too because he said I looked "mignonne" (cute) when I saw them. They just really made me smile. I would have bought them if Lucia didn't. And she already bought cups and saucers!!! Dang. Maybe more luck at the Marche Aux Puces.

Went through the whole brocante. Keisha kept debating about the watch. We had a most delicious lunch at Cave La Bourgogne, a restaurant right in the square. My landlord told me it was really good when I moved in, but I've never had the chance to eat there. I am so glad I did though. Got the plat du jour, steak with a bordelaise sauce and vegetables. House wine as usual. It was DELICIOUS and not expensive for the portions (14.80 euros). I was so glad that I brought my appetite since I only had fruit and tea for breakfast. We sat on the terrace, inside-outside. Since the streets are closed off for the brocante, my landlord was playing his music by the fountain. Across the street, we saw a man propose to a girl at the Café Le Saint Médard. We caught the tail end of it, everyone clapping and the couple kissing.Ordered dessert and café. Lucia wanted flan, but the waiter didn't understand so I explained, "C'est comme crème brulée, mais c'est pas brulée." (It's like burnt cream, but not burnt." He laughed, saying to himself in French "That's good! That's good! Not burnt! Haahahah". It made me so happy to make this guy smile just because he seemed like he was in a nasty mood since it was so busy. It put him in good spirits. He said that it was called crème caramel. And I got a crème brulée.An older couple took a photo of us, and the husband correctly guessed that we were Californian students. How funny. He also said that he liked my earrings and did I get them in Santiago? How weird. Keisha was still debating the watch, so we went back again, and she got to negotiate the watch down to 90 euros. I was so happy for her and her big faced masculine automatic Mont Blanc watch. I liked that the back was clear, and you can see the mechanism at work.

During lunch, Keisha had asked me what I was going to miss the most about Paris. I didn't even have to think about it: my quartier. None of my previous living situations would come close to this neighborhood, this experience. And will I ever have it this good again? It's really hard to say. In the quiet words of Toby Flenderson: "I'm gonna chase that feeling." Sorry, obscure "The Office" quote. But it really sums up my sentiments.

Venezia: Day 15. The end of the journey.

Venezia: Day 15

Our last day. We checked out of our lovely hostel and bid farewell to the Ponte di Rialto. Took a metro boat back to the train station to store our luggage. Our flight wasn't until 20H, so we had a lot of time still in Venice. We inquired about how to get to the Marco Polo airport since we had no clue. The only thing about buying cheap tickets like Ryan Air is that they fly to smaller airports that are more complicated to get to. We found that there are buses from Venice that go there so we got tickets to that. Again, nothing was set or planned in advance, we just rolled with it.Walked around aimlessly until we got hungry for lunch. Sat down at an outdoor restaurant in front of the church of Santa Lucia--Lucia got a kick out of that. For 15 euros, we got a pasta, and entree, and either dessert or coffee. I got lasagne, roasted chicken and fries, and coffee. It was pretty tasty, the portions small but filling.

Tried to go inside the church but it was closer. Bummer. In the building adjacent there were old chairs and other furniture set up in front of a door. Keisha said that it looked like a church yard sale, and she was right. We entered a musty room filled with clothes, books, purses, and all the regular stuff you see at yard sales. It was pretty sweet. Both Keisha and I love this stuff. I remember going around to garage sales with my Dad and brother. Sometimes, this is just too hilarious, Dad would just talk to the guy holding the garage sale forever. Just his thoughts concerning some old lawnmower on sale or whatever. Dad loves to talk, it's too funny.

I found a silk-like Paris scarf that I really liked. I'm wearing it right now as I type, actually. It's better made than the ones I've seen in Paris. Also found an old French book for children learning French. I was attracted to the old-timey drawings inside. The book has a stamp from the bookstore it was in. Some bookstore in Milano. There was also an old birthday card inside, probably to the owner of the book. And then, by the kitchenware, I saw the most beautiful cyan-colored dish. It just popped out to me. I weighed the pros and cons of getting said dish, but it was one of those treasures I could not walk away from. The photo features just the top.I took the three items to the sweet old lady sitting by the door with a cashbox. She didn't speak any English, but made gestures with her fingers. "Three euros," she said in Italian, and put 3 fingers up. 1 euro each for everything I bought. I happily paid her, and she wrapped my dish in newspaper. Lucia and Keisha also got scarves, but the wool kind.
What an awesome find. I love doing local stuff. It was just like going to Seamus Ryan's in London or looking through that keyhole in Roma. We walked around some more and finally just stopped at a canal to people watch and write postcards. When we got tired of the scenery, we found another canal to people watch at. Had our last gelatos and then found a post office where we could mail our cards. It was finally time to catch our bus.Boarded the bus, exhausted and happy. We didn't really have much to say to each other. We were deep in our own thoughts about this wonderful Italian journey.

Finally felt at home, or at least in Parisian territory when we were told that our flight would be delayed. And instead of lining up like orderly, civilized people, all the French people just crowded around the gate pushing and shoving to get on the plane once it got here. It was insanity. We lucked out and got good seats in the front of the plane so we got to be the first people out of that bordel.

During the flight, we reminisced and thought about our next great, big adventure. Arrived at Beauvais where Adriano picked us up. Slept the hour drive into Paris. We were home.

is this the last time?

A wonderful 5th arrondisement day.Had brunch with Lucia right outside at La Salle à Manger. I've passed this place a million times and have never eaten there. We got Le Vitaminé which includes sliced bread, rolls, a croissant and a pain au chocolat, choice of café, chocolat or café au lait, and an orange juice. All the breads come with 5 glass jars containing honey, marmalade, peanut butter, raspberry jam, and vanilla spread. Quite the breakfast. We both got chocolats and it was really good, not as rich as Angelina's, but still tasty. We sipped it in bowls.

When we were done we stood outside at the bottom of the street talking about the weather when I see my landlord coming towards me, all smiles. He greets us and asks if I can write a letter to the next tenant about my impressions of where I lived and what I liked about the quartier. I guess he found someone to stay at my place. I happily said yes.

Afterwards, since Lucia's leaving on next Thursday, we did some souvenir shopping at St. Michel. I got stuff for my neighbors and family too. Walked also to Gibert Jeune so that Lucia can get a Lamy fountain pen for her friend. She told me that her friend like the color "mustard yellow", and I suggested the Lamy Safari since it comes in yellow. She's also bought other Lamys for friends. It's a really great fountain pen. Sleek and modern, and not too heavy that your hand fatigues when you write. I should seriously be sponsored by them. Anyway, headed over to Café Panis and sat in comfy leather chairs. Lucia planned her to-do list for the week, and I made some plans for myself. I want to be "done" with things by next Friday when my parents come so that I can spend time with them when they're here. Added books to read on my summer reading list and souvenirs to buy for family and friends. We stayed there for at least 2 hours just talking, writing and planning, people watching and listening in on tourists' conversations.Walked across the street to Shakespeare and Co. and found a used book that was on my summer reading list for cheap (Arthurian Romances by Chretien de Troyes). Yay! Also bumped into Melissa and Alan. Then Alan bumped into his Dutch friend David and his three friends. Small world. They met up with us later at Shywawa where we were celebrating Kathy having finished an 11 page paper. Susie, Taylor, and Taylor's friend Jeremy came too. We played Melissa's mind games that were sort of frustrating ("In my world, there's beer, but no wine. There's Holland, but no Sweden. What else is in my world?") and just about killed ourselves over Lucia's FBI scenario question. It was nice, this long table of people and beers, different conversations and games going on, having to lean closer to people you just met asking, "What? What'd you say?" It was lovely...

This was a really lovely day despite the overcast weather, the fact that Lucia's leaving in a week, that I'm leaving in a month, and despite that in a small corner of my mind I have the departure and the packing and the last of this and that and everything connected with saying goodbye crouched in that corner waiting to spring and tear me away from what's been my city, my home for a year. Every time I walk into a café or eat a certain French dish I think, "Is this the last time?" And yet I don't feel any regret or a rush to do things. I am at peace. I've seen what I wanted to see. There are more places I'd like to visit, but if I don't get to them, then all the more reason to come back to Paris, my home for a year.

why I love where I live

There's a small leak above my kitchen sink, and for some reason I thought my landlord Mr. Bassoul would be mad (there's been a lot of bad landlord things going on among Micefa students) even though it wasn't my fault. I've been really lucky. He came over and made an appointment with a plumber for tomorrow, and he wasn't mad just sorry about the inconvenience. I've been catching the water and using it to water plants and do dishes since it's clean, and he's really happy about that. "I like the way you think!" he said. He really cares about recycling and stuff.

He also gave me the address to his website! If you didn't know already, every Sunday morning from 11H to 14H I can hear him play his accordion and sing songs. He plays right in front of my church and people come to sing along and dance. Check out his website.

Other reasons to love where I live...So my opera singing French neighbor--I kid you not, I hear him practicing during the day with piano accompaniment--was probably super drunk last night since he was singing from his window to the people down below. Don't know if you can see him in the photo in the bottom right.It was beautiful. I think the way our buildings are placed allow for great acoustics. Some woman praised his singing from the street, and he proceeded to drague ("hit on") her from 3 stories above! Oh these French men! They exchanged digits for all to hear. He kept singing all night then ending it with, "Jean-Louis! Celibataire!" ("Single!")

Today was an especially lovely Sunday morning. Sun was out, Mr. Bassoul was playing his accordion, and the marketplace was bright with fresh fruits and vegetables. Called Lucia to see if she was up for free museum Sunday (my last one!). She ended up being at Keisha's, only a couple blocks away. She moved out of her studio and away from her horrible, evil landlady. We met and did some grocery shopping together. I love grocery shopping on Sundays. It's the best here. Got some pitas, hummus, and beer at the Franprix, cantaloupe and watermelon from the vendors. Went back to my place and I made lunch. So tasty. Stuffed pitas filled with hummus, tziki (sp?), salad, carrots, and tomatoes with a side of potatoes and grilled aubergine. Yum! Add that and a bottle of Kronenburg. Then we had the melons that we cut up beforehand for fruit salad and put in the fridge to cool. I put the table closer to the window so we could hear the music. I really like this set-up. Might keep it like this for the rest of my time here. For free museum day we went to the Musée National du Moyen-Age Thermes de Cluny which Lucia and I both wanted to see before leaving. Moyen Age means Middle Ages. I was really excited to see the Lady and the Unicorn tapestries.

Lucia's leaving in less than two weeks. It's already June. I can't believe how fast this all went by. And I'm going to turn 22 on the 23rd. Weird. I feel grown up, but in a lot of ways, I feel like a child.

LISTMANIA
Books I want to read when I get back home:

• The Odyssey by Homer and my old copy of Greek myths: Being in Sicily reminded me to brush up on the classics. Whenever at a famous site I was asked if I knew the stories but I said that I read them a while back and couldn't remember them well.
• Books on Arthurian legends, Aesop's Complete Fables, and the Brothers Grimm Tales: I need to reconnect with my childhood. They're also just good to read.
• On Writing by Stephen King: Because I heard it was deece, and "LOST" referenced it (white bunnies with numbers on their backs).

Places to eat at in LA and SF:

• Home. Dad's steak, Mom's pansit and stir-fry vegetables in oyster sauce, WHITE RICE! from a rice cooker...All this eating and sitting outside in the backyard with the smell of barbeque in the air.
• Tommy Burger's on Rampart and W. Beverly Blvd. (I'm getting a cheeseburger, chili cheese fries, and a root beer.)
• In N Out by my house. (Cheeseburger, animal-style fries, and a strawberry lemonade.)
• Lucille's in Brea. Full rack baby back ribs, fries, and coleslaw. I'm salivating already.
  
• That really good ice cream shake place in Eagle Rock that I went to with my brother before leaving but was closed. Why do you close at 10pm on a Friday?!
• Taco Nazo for fish tacos.
• That burrito place that Dad took me to in LA for a wet burrito and tortilla chips.
• Pho Huynh Hiep 3 at Westlake Village in Daly City
• Mitchell's for ice cream in SF
• bubble milk tea at Lollicup
  

Firenze and Venezia: Day 13

Day 13
Woke up early to go to the Accademia for our scheduled visit to see the famous David. We checked out of our hostel since we're supposed to leave by 10:30am, but left our baggage in the office.

The David was really, really huge. Not allowed to take photos though. Grabbed a postcard on the way out. Also saw more religious paintings. By now, I'm kind of burnt out from all the art. There's just too much to see.

After the museum, we grabbed a cappuccino for breakfast then headed back to the Leather School. Lovely, lovely, they remembered us. Keisha was checking out the purses, Lucia the wallets, and I got my wallet monogrammed. It was so cool, just standing by the craftsman as he selected gold leaf papers, and fitted my initials into the stamp. He showed me the "E.G.F." and asked for my approval. I nodded and said, "Si."He stamped it, showed me the stamp and awaited my approval again, and then put the wallet back in its wrapping. Peeked in on Keisha as she tried out a green leather over-the-shoulder handbag. Absolutely gorgeous. I joined Lucia as we both looked presents for our family to get monogrammed. I chose things for Mom, Dad, and Kuya, and got them monogrammed. Then Keisha's salesman came over to give me storage bags for the presents. Awesome! When we were about to leave, the main guy who helped us asked, "How did you find us?" I mentioned my Lonely Planet guide. He smiled and said, "Come back again" before saying goodbye. As we left, we said thank you and goodbye to the craftsmen working.

I thought about our lovely things and how they would totally fit that "grow old with and pass it down" type stuff that I'm into. I thought about if I'd get to "come back again". Maybe by that time I'll be working. Maybe by the time I come back, I'll need a new wallet, with new initials in gold.

Walked to another area known for leather, Piazza San Lorenzo. Stand after stand of leather goods. Some specializing in just purses, or just belts, or pashmina scarves. Keisha wanted leather gladiator sandals, Lucia a purse, and I was good and totally done with shopping. Right until I found myself at a belt stand with Keisha. The vendor was really nice and funny. I picked up a green leather belt but found that it was too big. "I fix for you!!" the vendor said. He put the belt around me, saw how much he should cut off, and then disappeared with the belt. When he came back, the belt was shorter, and he put one more hole for the buckle so that I can cinch it tighter. So sweet! For Keisha, he shortened her snake skin belt, put in another hole and even made a little loop with the extra snake skin. Lucia was at another vendor one stand down and got a black leather purse.

Afterwards, we went to the train station to get our ticket to Venezia. Got tickets for 15H-ish which was in an hour. Picked up our baggage at the hostel and went back to the station and got Mcdonald's before boarding our train to Venezia. Slept for most of the train ride.

VeneziaGot into Venice around 18H. It was so surreal traveling by train over the ocean and pulling into the station. Like something out of Spirited Away.We exited the station, and all I could think was Dr. Indiana Jones exhaling, "Ahh...Venice" in The Last Crusade. We got a 2 day pass for the "metro" which is really a boat that goes from dock to dock all over the islands. How cool is that?!

On the boat, we watched gondolas, boat taxis, and people with their own boats pass us. Got off at Ponte di Rialto where it was busy with tourists dining by the canals. I had directions to the hostel which were more complicated than I thought. And we passed lots of stores selling Venetian glass and leather bound journals. After what seemed like forever, we found our hostel through a tiny alleyway where we saw a lovely circular lamplight pointing to the entrance.

Checked into the Locanda Poste Vecie, and our sweet hostel lady showed us to the Annex, which was a couple metres down from the hotel. The annex was the "hostel" part while the lobby was part of the hotel part. The buildings were converted from a palace. I guess where we were staying were the servants quarters. She was really sweet and helped with Keisha's luggage, but was out of breath on the third floor where our room was. She also showed us the two shared bathrooms on the second floor.
Our room was HUGE and cute with paintings of famous Venetian bridges on its walls. Originally for 4 people with 2 queen beds, we decided to book it anyway since it was cheaper than other three-person rooms we found, and this hotel was in a super-central area. I mean, 2 minutes from Ponte di Rialto. Come on!

We collapsed on the bed to rest for a couple of minutes, then started unpacking. For fun, we laid out all the leather goods that we bought in Firenze on the bed and took a picture. We really went to town there. While Keisha was napping, Lucia and I decided to see the area since it was only past 21H. We walked around the canal area and the bars and found a cafe by the Ponte where we got sandwiches, chips, and water to go. Came back to find Keisha awake and hungry, so we ate while sitting on our beds, amongst our leather goods. Unpacked some more and went to sleep in our comfy warm beds.

j'aime...la liste.

Things I like:

1* watercolors
2* sitting in parks to study with chocolate and fruit to eat
3* sitting in cafés to study with a demi-citron to drink
4* 1664 Blanc in its blue bottle
5* wearing a button-down over a flowy dress
6* stores dedicated to certain things (http://www.geant-beaux-arts.fr/) and Dubois on rue Soufflot
7* wearing flowy dress with my rugged engineer boots
8* not wearing a watch
9* mimes
10* finding new uses with old things (Bonne Maman jam jar for water when painting)
11* calligraphy
12* girls wearing high-tops and dresses
13* guys wearing 5 day stubble and wrinkled button-downs cuffed to elbow
14* brebis fromage + tuc crackers (+ jam, as suggested by Melissa, but I've never tried it)
15* square scarf as a headband
16* shortcuts or different paths to the same place
17* Monoprix peach champagne
18* when boys think I'm cute and tell me so (thanks Taylor!)
19* hosting dinner party
20* looking at all the color choices at Dubois (see 6*)
21* seeing my priests on bikes or wearing sandals while shopping for fruit
22* giving old people directions
23* tartines: opened faced sandwich

Firenze: Day 12

Woke up late and got a croissant and cappuccino next door to the hostel. It cost less than 3 euros for both! Heaven. Keisha was having some money trouble. She couldn't withdraw money from an ATM, and when she called to check her balance it had been really low. So we spent the morning hashing that all out.

Went to the Uffizi and stood in line for almost 3 HOURS. Unbelievable. It was worth it though. Unfortunately, we couldn't take photos. I really like religious and medieval art. Saw Botticelli's The Birth of Venus. Sat on a bench and just stared at it for a while. It looked...faded to me, like it was almost disappearing. Maybe when they print it in books, it looks better, they enhance the colors more. But at that moment, I felt so lucky to see it right then and there, right before it got worse. And I thought about an excerpt from Fight Club, how even the Mona Lisa is falling apart.

Afterwards, we went...leather shopping. I took the girls to the Scuola del Cuoio or the Leather School at the monastery of Santa Croce. Started after World War II by Franciscan friars, the leather school is located right behind the church. It felt kind of hidden, which was really nice. You walk through this garden behind the church, and go up a set of stairs and down this hallway in the building at the back, and then you'll see these rows of work benches and old men putting leather wallets together. Between each workstation was a door into a room where women were sewing.

Glass cases held purses, bags, briefcases made in leather, ostrich, elk. I'm a huge bag girl, so this was heaven. For all of us. I was glad to have Keisha there too who knows quality when she sees it since she's worked at Louis Vuitton, and she was impressed. We looked at bags and wallets. The sales guys were really nice, letting us touch everything, not harassing us or bothering us. I found a gorgeous red Epi leather wallet. Epi is textured leather. It has ridges and the texture of tree bark almost, but with the ridges really close together. It was bright and it looked fun and mature at the same time. Unique as well. Handmade right there, no middleman. Inside the leather was smooth and black. I bought it. 99 euros. At Louis Vuitton, it would retail for over $600.

The workers there said I can come back tomorrow and get my initials on it (YAY!!), but not today since they were closing. We decided to come back tomorrow before we leave for Venezia. Keisha and Lucia were also thinking about what to get for themselves.

Went to other leather stores around the area, but nothing measured up to the Leather School. The girls were looking for nice leather carry-on bags. I love the idea of a leather carry-on bag or weekend bag, something that would age well, that would go wherever you traveled. Something you could pass on to your children that would have a lot of history to it.
We found a deli and ate some really, really great food. I got chicken and roast vegetables (aubergines, zucchini, bell peppers), and we shared a bottle of the house wine. It was really good and cheap and finally another meal without pasta. We just sat and savored the meal and talked for more than two hours. I love that. Back in the States, I can't remember a restaurant where we could stay for more than two hours. That rarely happens. And where the servers don't bother you every waking moment with, "How's everything doing? How's the food?" Here, they leave you alone, especially when you're having an intense conversation.

Afterwards, it was dark out and we wanted to end the day with the Piazza Michaelangelo. Our Vatican tour guide said that it's the best place to watch the sunset. Unfortunately, we missed it, but we still wanted a view of the city. We crossed the river Arno and walked up a hill until we found it. A large parking lot for buses but with an incredible view of the city. And a replica of the famous "David". We watched the view without saying anything, just taking it all in for a while.

Pisa and Florence: Day 11

Day 11
Woke up early. No time for breakfast. Andrea dropped us off at Termini station and hugged and said, "Ciao, bella" to each of us. We were a bit late, and we rushed to our train platform. It felt really Darjeeling. Next time I shouldn't pack so much.The train was pretty empty. The girls slept mostly while I wrote and drew and stared out our train window. Saw a lot of countryside and for almost an hour, we traveled along the beach. Arrived in Pisa around 11H.
We left our baggage at the station and walked around town, looking for a place to eat. We settled at an outdoor cafe that was alright. Then we got gelato. The tower is across town, but the town isn't so big. We took photos and I took some of people posing ridiculously in front of the tower. It was just too funny not to. Went souvenir shopping, and I got some really nice Florentine stationery because I could not help myself.

Went back to the train station and got tickets (5 euros to Firenze!). We mostly slept during the 3 hours. Arrived at the train station and walked to our hostel which took maybe 20 minutes, not that bad. The hostel girl was super nice, and so was our place. I was expecting to rough it a bit, but ours was like a hotel! We had our own bathroom and a spiral staircase to a loft that had 2 beds and another bed downstairs. Pretty sweet. Our view overlooked all the red rooftop buildings and here and there we saw a church dome.
We chilled for a bit and consulted my Let's Go Europe 2007 for a place to eat. I named some places and prices. Keisha was interested in Acqua Al 2 for their blueberry steak. It was finally decided, and we headed out for dinner.

The restaurant was dimly lit, and they let us in even though we didn't have a reservation. A lot of the diners were American. It felt like being in Pasadena. We then found out that they have another restaurant in San Diego. I got the balsamic steak, Keisha the blueberry steak, and Lucia the fish.

My food arrived, a big mass covered in a thick, dark substance that resembled oil. It was scary. Keisha and Lucia stared at it too. I cut of a chunk and dipped it in the sauce. Everyone said my face practically melted at first bite of my steak. It was heaven. We all ate slowly savoring our good food and pausing to sip the house wine. This older American couple sat by us and kept wanting to talk to us. At times, they were totally silent, listening to our conversations about guys. They were a bit uppity, well-to-do types from San Diego. We could sometimes hear the wife getting mad at the husband. It was weird. When they overheard us ordering limoncellos after our meals, they were all impressed saying, "So! You've been here awhile now!"We walked around the city at night. Got gelato and stood along the River Arno and then went to Ponte Vecchio, the oldest bridge in Firenze. Listened to a musician do "Mad World" by Tears for Fears on guitar. It was quite moving. Walked back to the hostel, passing by Piazza della Republica. An amazing, but long day.

Giverny

Here are some photos from Giverny. But before I get to those, some pins and postcards from Senlis:
A view of the garden from the second story of Monet's lovely abode.
Me skipping for joy in such a lovely garden to the laughter of my friends.
The Japanese bridge in the distance
The quaint food stand.
Pouring on my lovely street.

my first parisien spring day

So, it's gonna take a while to get through the whole of my Italy posts so I just might interrupt the Italy posts with regular Paris posts. Plus I'm having slight computer problems with my lack of space for my photos which is annoying.

Yesterday was a good day. It was really warm and sunny out. It would be a crime not to be outside. Susie had called asking me what I was up to so we met up and I met her guy friend, Paris. Named after the guy from Greek mythology. He is hilarious. He's French but his English is really good. We got some food at Franprix and a baguette and we lounged and sunned at Place des Vosges in the 4th arrondissment. I got a nice tan while napping in the sun (wearing sunscreen of course!), and we ogled cute boys reading with their sunglasses on.

We then headed to H&M--Paris wanted some new clothes because he has a date that he's meeting later. It's actually kind of fun shopping for guy clothes. I wish I could shop for a boy. We told him what looked good and what didn't. He got a shirt. We then went to Pizza Hut, which is funny. Paris said, "Don't you feel like you're back in California?" He paid for the pizza which was really nice, and I bought him gum later that he wanted.

Not even 9:30 pm, and it was still light out. We walked and didn't have to wear jackets, and it was wonderful. I walked home from that area, and everyone was out eating or having a beer, and it was just nice. It made me feel really glad to be back home. And then it hit me that I can only call this place "home" for less than 10 weeks. Time goes by so fast.

Today after History of Paris class, got lunch with Lucia and Kathy at this cafe that prompted Kathy to say, "I feel like I'm Atlantic City." Just really 70s decor. I said, "I feel like I'm visiting my grandma in San Leandro but she's taking a nap right now so I'm going out to eat with my friends." Sidenote--there's a lot of old people in San Leandro, g-ma doesn't live there anymore though, and they have coffee shops like this.

On my way home, met up with Susie since she was in the area, and we walked up my street and looked at all the dogs that were out for walks. And there was a breeze and I wasn't carrying my purse, and I felt so light. I wish I didn't have to carry a purse all the time.

I can't wait until you're replaced by robots

Man, French people can be mean. It's been a while since I've had a mean French person encounter, so I figure I was due.

After class yesterday, I went to the supermarket, but not my usual one. I rarely shop during busy hours (around 7 pm), but I had to get some stuff for today. I'm going to the Loire Valley to visit the castles of Villandry and Chenonceau. In between the visits, we're going to have a nice picnic, and I didn't want to buy expensive foods on the way when I can make my own.

The lady working at the cashier register was tired and complaining about her stomach and her belt to her friend who was behind me in line buying groceries as well. When it came time to pay, I was getting coins out so that I can give her exact change. She then blurts out to her friend, "Why do people always give me exact change? It's such a bother!" She let out a huge sigh, and I looked at her and then her friend who threw me a sympathetic look that seemed to say, "Please excuse her, she's tired."

Whatever, cashier lady. I apologize for ruining your already monotonous job. Is it so bad that I had to make you put coins away? That I had to make you do math? Well, the machine does that math for you anyway. You scan, take money, and give money over and over again. It's robot work. You're going to be replaced by robots someday. I will cherish that day. In fact, the rise of the machines has already dawned. I've been to Monoprix where you can do your own scanning and just pay the machine. Target has it back home too. It was lovely. The interaction between me and this robot cashier. No human contact. No French snottiness.

Robot cashier even wished me a nice day.

In other news, I'm sitting in the most comfortable chair in my studio: the director's chair. How appropriate. I have two director style chairs that I usually break out when guests are around, but now I'm using one as my usual chair. Why didn't I use one before? Because I'm an idiot. They're great to sit in while writing and blogging and organizing film schedules for the summer. If anyone's down to work with me on July and August weekends, I need a camera person. We'll be filming in San Francisco, Santa Barbara, the LA and OC area, and San Diego. (Lombard, I'm talking to you!) This is that mock-doc that I'm doing for my brother's wedding in the style of "The Office" and Christopher Guest films.

a productive first day

Last night had the most awesomest impromptu dinner party with Cher, Char, Susie, Sarah, and Lily. The feast included the before mentioned roast chicken, potatoes, salad, bread (courtesy of Susie) and cheese, wine and sangria (courtesy of Lily and Sarah), and for dessert, my own concoction of crispy sugary pastry topped with vanilla ice cream with caramelised pecans and garnished with chocolate lady fingers (also courtesy of Lily and Sarah). I am Martha Stewart. Unfortunately, I only took before and after pictures.


Funny story. So, I shop at a different butcher now for chicken, the one that Lucia likes better and so do I because all the guys that work there are hot or were once hot maybe but are old now. They also cook an amazing chicken. They were closing up and cleaning, and hot butcher gives me my chicken and the receipt and I go pay inside. Then all my change in my wallet spills onto their floor, it sounded like Vegas. All the guys went, "OOOHHH!!! JACKPOT!!!" And they laughed in a goodhearted way, but I was so embarrassed. I had my money out in exact change, and I give it to the guy right after picking up my change, and he laughed and said, "Oh! C'est parfait!!" (It's perfect). I love paying in exact change. He told me to have a good night and see you soon. I left the lovely butcher men feeling the glow of schoolgirly happiness in my cheeks, a spring in my step.

Great dinner. We put the sangria outside on my windowsill to get cold. The girls asked Cher and Char what the weather was like back in so cal. After, we watched videos on YouTube, the feature of the night being Cher's breakdance battle with her boyfriend. It was too hilarious. We laughed so hard, me with tears in my eyes. We watched it again. Then we watched some dog videos that Susie liked and also Human Tetris videos. Good times.

Today, woke up pretty early. We walked up my street, to Notre Dame. We took funny pics, me and Cher, trying to hang from the bridge. Char wanted to stop because she saw people laughing at us. I didn't care, that made me happy. We walked inside as well. I took Char to Gibert Jeune and got her a fountain pen since I missed out on her birthday and Christmas.




Then walked to Jardin du Luxembourg. We sat in front of the fountain, soaking it all in. Took them to Crepes A Gogo for some galettes, a wheatier, healthier crepe that's filled with savory stuff rather than nutella. They loved it. Then treated them to cafe noisettes, which they also liked. Went to DuBois, an art shop, and I got Cher a quill and ink for her birthday/Christmas since I missed that as well. I love giving gifts that are inspired from my old-fashioned interests. I want to bring back the old ways as much as I can. Plus, they both really wanted these pens.
Went to the Pantheon and saw the tombs of Voltaire, Marie Curie, and others. Then we walked home. I took us in a giant circle so they didn't see things twice. I'm getting better at this host/tourist guide thing.