Is it hot enough?!? This is only the beginning! I hope everyone's having a great summer so far. On my side of the pond, it's almost time to celebrate Bastille Day, and this year, the Paris Writers’ Connection (yours truly included) has banded together to share brief snippets of what they like about Paris.
Showing posts with label paris in july. Show all posts
Showing posts with label paris in july. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 7, 2015
Thursday, July 31, 2014
Paris in July: Looking Ahead to August
It's been a blast being part of "Paris in July" this month. I've talked about ice cream, flip flops, the Marais, Bastille Day, and writing in Paris. And bloggers around the world have joined in to celebrate all that is Paris. Now as July ends and August begins, what is Paris like?
Paris in August is a unique phenomenon. It's both empty and crowded. Loud and quiet. Parisian and not Parisian. It passes slowly but is over with before you know it, and then it's back to the hustle and bustle of work. You have to enjoy it while it lasts!
Have you been to Paris in August? What was your impression?
The last day of July and the scent of vacation is in the air for many Parisians. With a minimum of 25 vacation days a year, Parisians traditionally take at least two weeks off in the summer – and the most popular time is August...
Read the full post here
This post is part of "Paris in July," an annual Paris-themed blogging event created by Karen at A Wondering Life and Tamara at Thyme for Tea. Join in the fun and check out their sites for awesome posts about the City of Light, contributed from bloggers around the world!
7/5: Taking on the Marais with Vicki and Lily
7/9: Paris A to Z
7/11: Life is Better in Flip Flops
7/12: I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream for Berthillon
7/14: Bastille Day
7/15: Les Arches d'Or
7/21: French Optimism
7/22: This One Time In Paris
7/24: Collect Moments, Not Things
7/26: Writing in Paris
7/31: Paris in July: Looking Ahead to August
Paris in August is a unique phenomenon. It's both empty and crowded. Loud and quiet. Parisian and not Parisian. It passes slowly but is over with before you know it, and then it's back to the hustle and bustle of work. You have to enjoy it while it lasts!
Empty
A good percentage of the workforce is on vacation in August. If you're stuck at work, it will be really quiet. If you're traveling around town, it will seem like nearly everything is closed. Even the local bounlangerie will take a few weeks off, forcing you to walk a few steps further to discover a new boulangerie in your neighborhood. That could be a good or bad thing. I love my boulangerie and don't like any other ones nearby (I'm picky) so when mine is closed, I'm lost.Crowded
In contrast to the emptiness left by fleeing, vacationing Parisians, all the tourist spots are jam-packed. While I do enjoy certain Parisian tourist attractions, you'll never catch me there in August. You're just asking to get hot, sweaty, and pissed-off as you try to work your way through the crowds.Beautiful
The long days lead to intense sunsets, best enjoyed during a picnic along the Seine or over a bottle of rosé anywhere with a view. Soak it in while you can - it'll be cold again soon!Have you been to Paris in August? What was your impression?
Another View
Fellow American writer in Paris, Adria J. Cimino, is co-hosting the "Paris in July" event this year and has invited me along. She and I are writing about similar themes throughout the month, sharing our different perspectives. Here's her take on August in Paris:Read the full post here
This post is part of "Paris in July," an annual Paris-themed blogging event created by Karen at A Wondering Life and Tamara at Thyme for Tea. Join in the fun and check out their sites for awesome posts about the City of Light, contributed from bloggers around the world!
More "Paris in July" Posts
7/1: Paris in July: Kickin' It Off7/5: Taking on the Marais with Vicki and Lily
7/9: Paris A to Z
7/11: Life is Better in Flip Flops
7/12: I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream for Berthillon
7/14: Bastille Day
7/15: Les Arches d'Or
7/21: French Optimism
7/22: This One Time In Paris
7/24: Collect Moments, Not Things
7/26: Writing in Paris
7/31: Paris in July: Looking Ahead to August
Saturday, July 26, 2014
A Far Cry From Hemingway: Writing in Paris
As a relatively new author, with my first two books published in January and May of this year, I'm still getting used to the label "American writer in Paris." That's partly due to the fact that I still have a day job. But I make sure to write in whatever spare pockets of time I have. From blogging to guest posts to starting the next book in my series, there's always something to write!
It might sound glamorous - an American writer in Paris. Ambling into a cafe, perhaps an old Hemingway haunt, tugging a notepad (likely the digital kind) from a designer bag, and churning out prose while downing cup after tiny cup of espresso.
In reality, most of my writing happens during nighttime nursing sessions, hunched over my laptop in the dark. Not so glamorous, huh? Well, I had to keep your jealousy at bay somehow!
I wrote most of my first book, Confessions of a Paris Party Girl, after my son had gone to bed. If ideas came to me on the Métro or while I was strolling around town, I'd make a note in my phone. I'd often work through lunch and write a chapter or edit previous sections.
For my sequel, Confessions of a Paris Potty Trainer, I wrote 95% of it from my couch since I was stuck on bed rest with Baby #2, Stella. I knew I wanted my final chapter to be about her, so it had to wait until she was born. Not one to waste a minute, I penned the final chapter during my four-day hospital stay after Stella was born.
But I can't end this post with such an anticlimactic view of the writing life in Paris! For me, the glamour and excitement come from the actual stories I write, and since my books are memoirs, the stories are all true. While the writing itself may take place in my tiny Parisian apartment, the inspiration comes from living in this vibrant, crazy, amazing, fascinating city. A trip to the boulangerie can turn into an entire chapter in my book (literally, chapter 9 in Confessions of a Paris Party Girl). Meeting my French husband in a bar. Getting married across from the Louvre. Enjoying a picnic. Buying flowers.
Nine years in this city has inspired countless stories and wonderful memories. And I love writing about it, sharing with my readers, and saving a slice of my personal history for my kids (and grandkids, one day) to read about!
When you walk by such historical places as Café de Flore or Les Deux Magots you're more likely to see a tourist or tired shopper than a writer. You won't see many solitary individuals scribbling in notebooks for hours or writers regularly running into each other and having drinks.
Read the full post here
This post is part of "Paris in July," an annual Paris-themed blogging event created by Karen at A Wondering Life and Tamara at Thyme for Tea. Join in the fun and check out their sites for awesome posts about the City of Light, contributed from bloggers around the world!
7/5: Taking on the Marais with Vicki and Lily
7/9: Paris A to Z
7/11: Life is Better in Flip Flops
7/12: I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream for Berthillon
7/14: Bastille Day
7/15: Les Arches d'Or
7/21: French Optimism
7/22: This One Time In Paris
7/24: Collect Moments, Not Things
7/26: Writing in Paris
7/31: Paris in July: Looking Ahead to August
It might sound glamorous - an American writer in Paris. Ambling into a cafe, perhaps an old Hemingway haunt, tugging a notepad (likely the digital kind) from a designer bag, and churning out prose while downing cup after tiny cup of espresso.
In reality, most of my writing happens during nighttime nursing sessions, hunched over my laptop in the dark. Not so glamorous, huh? Well, I had to keep your jealousy at bay somehow!
I wrote most of my first book, Confessions of a Paris Party Girl, after my son had gone to bed. If ideas came to me on the Métro or while I was strolling around town, I'd make a note in my phone. I'd often work through lunch and write a chapter or edit previous sections.
For my sequel, Confessions of a Paris Potty Trainer, I wrote 95% of it from my couch since I was stuck on bed rest with Baby #2, Stella. I knew I wanted my final chapter to be about her, so it had to wait until she was born. Not one to waste a minute, I penned the final chapter during my four-day hospital stay after Stella was born.
 |
| Trousseau, the hospital where both of my children were born and where I wrote the final chapter of Confessions of Paris Potty Trainer |
But I can't end this post with such an anticlimactic view of the writing life in Paris! For me, the glamour and excitement come from the actual stories I write, and since my books are memoirs, the stories are all true. While the writing itself may take place in my tiny Parisian apartment, the inspiration comes from living in this vibrant, crazy, amazing, fascinating city. A trip to the boulangerie can turn into an entire chapter in my book (literally, chapter 9 in Confessions of a Paris Party Girl). Meeting my French husband in a bar. Getting married across from the Louvre. Enjoying a picnic. Buying flowers.
 |
| The streets of Paris, where I find inspiration for my stories |
Nine years in this city has inspired countless stories and wonderful memories. And I love writing about it, sharing with my readers, and saving a slice of my personal history for my kids (and grandkids, one day) to read about!
Another View
Fellow American writer in Paris, Adria J. Cimino, is co-hosting the "Paris in July" event this year and has invited me along. She and I are writing about similar themes throughout the month, sharing our different perspectives. Here's her take on writing in Paris:Read the full post here
This post is part of "Paris in July," an annual Paris-themed blogging event created by Karen at A Wondering Life and Tamara at Thyme for Tea. Join in the fun and check out their sites for awesome posts about the City of Light, contributed from bloggers around the world!
More "Paris in July" Posts
7/1: Paris in July: Kickin' It Off7/5: Taking on the Marais with Vicki and Lily
7/9: Paris A to Z
7/11: Life is Better in Flip Flops
7/12: I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream for Berthillon
7/14: Bastille Day
7/15: Les Arches d'Or
7/21: French Optimism
7/22: This One Time In Paris
7/24: Collect Moments, Not Things
7/26: Writing in Paris
7/31: Paris in July: Looking Ahead to August
Monday, July 21, 2014
French Optimism: Are They Really As Negative As Their Reputation?
A common stereotype about the French (aside from rude waiters) is that they're pessimistic. This article from FT Magazine provides some interesting insights into why, one having to do with French schools. As a former teacher's pet, I would have had a tough time in France's strict school system where no one ever gets a perfect score and students rarely receive praise. Yowza.
On a lighter note, you have to admit the French are optimistic in one area: children's clothing. Seriously, have you ever seen so much white? Every one of these items is a gift from a Frenchie. Don't they know how much babies spit up, poop, and drool? With my son, I'm constantly changing his clothes and doing laundry.
Interestingly, though, my dainty French daughter has respected the white clothes and hasn't ruined anything yet. Maybe the French were right?
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On a lighter note, you have to admit the French are optimistic in one area: children's clothing. Seriously, have you ever seen so much white? Every one of these items is a gift from a Frenchie. Don't they know how much babies spit up, poop, and drool? With my son, I'm constantly changing his clothes and doing laundry.
Interestingly, though, my dainty French daughter has respected the white clothes and hasn't ruined anything yet. Maybe the French were right?
Want more? Subscribe to receive an email when I post a new article, or follow me on Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest.
Monday, July 14, 2014
Bastille Day
Allons enfants de la patrie!
It's the 14th of July, also known as Bastille Day, the day France celebrates the revolution and becoming a republic. Citizens celebrate across the nation, in a rare moment of flag-waving national pride. That's not to say the French don't have national pride - most French people are very proud to be French - it's just that it's not in the culture to actually wave a flag, the way so many Americans do.
But on July 14th you see parties and picnics, fireworks and festivities - celebrations everywhere.
My favorite is the air show in Paris, where jets and fighter planes from the French military zoom surprisingly low across the Parisian skyline. It's a fascinating glimpse into France's air fleet and it amazes me how low they fly, right through the city. Post-9/11, that just doesn't happen in the US.
I work in La Défense, the business district of Paris stacked with skyscrapers. Last year, the loud whoosh of the jets interrupted one of my meetings, as my colleagues and I ran to the windows to watch the planes do their practice runs. From our angle, the wings nearly clipped the buildings!
This year I lucked out and managed to catch a test flight on video. Enjoy:
If you're in Paris on July 14th, be sure to check out the air show to enjoy this unique aspect of French culture. Though I don't think you could miss it!
So how do Parisians spend Bastille Day? Festivities begin with BBQs and the annual "Firefighters' Ball" on July 13 and celebrations culminate with the Paris fireworks display over the Eiffel Tower on the night of the 14th. "What's this about the firefighters hosting a party?" you might ask...
Read the full post here
This post is part of "Paris in July," an annual Paris-themed blogging event created by Karen at A Wondering Life and Tamara at Thyme for Tea. Join in the fun and check out their sites for awesome posts about the City of Light, contributed from bloggers around the world!
7/5: Taking on the Marais with Vicki and Lily
7/9: Paris A to Z
7/11: Life is Better in Flip Flops
7/12: I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream for Berthillon
7/14: Bastille Day
7/15: Les Arches d'Or
7/21: French Optimism
7/22: This One Time In Paris
7/24: Collect Moments, Not Things
7/26: Writing in Paris
7/31: Paris in July: Looking Ahead to August
It's the 14th of July, also known as Bastille Day, the day France celebrates the revolution and becoming a republic. Citizens celebrate across the nation, in a rare moment of flag-waving national pride. That's not to say the French don't have national pride - most French people are very proud to be French - it's just that it's not in the culture to actually wave a flag, the way so many Americans do.
But on July 14th you see parties and picnics, fireworks and festivities - celebrations everywhere.
By Jastrow (Own work) [CC-BY-2.5], via Wikimedia Commons
My favorite is the air show in Paris, where jets and fighter planes from the French military zoom surprisingly low across the Parisian skyline. It's a fascinating glimpse into France's air fleet and it amazes me how low they fly, right through the city. Post-9/11, that just doesn't happen in the US.
I work in La Défense, the business district of Paris stacked with skyscrapers. Last year, the loud whoosh of the jets interrupted one of my meetings, as my colleagues and I ran to the windows to watch the planes do their practice runs. From our angle, the wings nearly clipped the buildings!
This year I lucked out and managed to catch a test flight on video. Enjoy:
If you're in Paris on July 14th, be sure to check out the air show to enjoy this unique aspect of French culture. Though I don't think you could miss it!
Another View
Fellow American writer in Paris, Adria J. Cimino, is co-hosting the "Paris in July" event this year and has invited me along. She and I are writing about similar themes throughout the month, sharing our different perspectives. For Bastille Day, she writes about the Bal de Pompiers:Read the full post here
This post is part of "Paris in July," an annual Paris-themed blogging event created by Karen at A Wondering Life and Tamara at Thyme for Tea. Join in the fun and check out their sites for awesome posts about the City of Light, contributed from bloggers around the world!
More "Paris in July" Posts
7/1: Paris in July: Kickin' It Off7/5: Taking on the Marais with Vicki and Lily
7/9: Paris A to Z
7/11: Life is Better in Flip Flops
7/12: I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream for Berthillon
7/14: Bastille Day
7/15: Les Arches d'Or
7/21: French Optimism
7/22: This One Time In Paris
7/24: Collect Moments, Not Things
7/26: Writing in Paris
7/31: Paris in July: Looking Ahead to August
Saturday, July 12, 2014
I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream For Berthillon
I've been craving good ice cream for a long time. In my neighborhood, the 12th arrondissement, decent frozen treats are hard to come by. Which is weird, since the French do ice cream so well.
But there are very few places you can just walk up to and pick up a cone or cup of the frozen goodness:
1. Our local park. The scooped ice cream looks meh, and that's only if the place is open. Its hours seem to be Tuesdays 11:30-11:35, so I tend to miss the brief window it's available.
2. McDonald's. I have to admit, their ice cream is pretty awesome. They've got these new parfait things to die for and they FINALLY, after years of me wishing upon a star for it (apparently that works!), have Oreo McFlurries. But I didn't move to Paris to get my ice cream from McDonald's. At least not for ALL of my ice cream expeditions.
3. The local kebab shop. It's OK if you gagged reading that - I did, too. The kebab shop near me sells pre-packaged Ben & Jerry's, which you can eat in the soul-sucking darkness of the restaurant, or you can eat it on a nearby bench, right next to the aromatic neighborhood drunks.
Needless to say, I was thrilled when Adria suggested we get ice cream at the famous Berthillon on Ile St. Louis. You know, for research and blogging purposes, of course.
The shop is charming and is exactly what I love about the quaint shops on Ile St. Louis. To fully experience everything Berthillon has to offer, I figured I should go all out and get two scoops plus chocolate sauce plus whip cream. I didn't know they'd be throwing in the cookie too. Well done, Berthillon.
I ordered chocolate and vanilla, something too boring to order in the US when you have options like Double Chocolate Brownie and Cookie Dough to choose from. But French ice cream, and Berthillon in particular, is so rich and creamy that a simple vanilla (or French vanilla as we'd call it back home) or chocolate is divine.
I don't think I dripped any on Stella's head.
If you're ever in Paris, particularly during the sweltering heat of July, be sure to pop in to the wonderful Berthillon ice cream shop!
We all know that Paris is the place for pastry... but on hot summer days, we're feeling more like something cold, light and refreshing. That means ice cream. But not ordinary ice cream. I'm talking "Berthillon," the ice cream shop that is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year. (With a new flavor called the "60" – vanilla and passion fruit with poivre de Timut.)
Read the full post here
This post is part of "Paris in July," an annual Paris-themed blogging event created by Karen at A Wondering Life and Tamara at Thyme for Tea. Join in the fun and check out their sites for awesome posts about the City of Light, contributed from bloggers around the world!
7/5: Taking on the Marais with Vicki and Lily
7/9: Paris A to Z
7/11: Life is Better in Flip Flops
7/12: I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream for Berthillon
7/14: Bastille Day
7/15: Les Arches d'Or
7/21: French Optimism
7/22: This One Time In Paris
7/24: Collect Moments, Not Things
7/26: Writing in Paris
7/31: Paris in July: Looking Ahead to August
 |
| Berthillon, Paris's best ice cream |
But there are very few places you can just walk up to and pick up a cone or cup of the frozen goodness:
1. Our local park. The scooped ice cream looks meh, and that's only if the place is open. Its hours seem to be Tuesdays 11:30-11:35, so I tend to miss the brief window it's available.
2. McDonald's. I have to admit, their ice cream is pretty awesome. They've got these new parfait things to die for and they FINALLY, after years of me wishing upon a star for it (apparently that works!), have Oreo McFlurries. But I didn't move to Paris to get my ice cream from McDonald's. At least not for ALL of my ice cream expeditions.
3. The local kebab shop. It's OK if you gagged reading that - I did, too. The kebab shop near me sells pre-packaged Ben & Jerry's, which you can eat in the soul-sucking darkness of the restaurant, or you can eat it on a nearby bench, right next to the aromatic neighborhood drunks.
Needless to say, I was thrilled when Adria suggested we get ice cream at the famous Berthillon on Ile St. Louis. You know, for research and blogging purposes, of course.
The shop is charming and is exactly what I love about the quaint shops on Ile St. Louis. To fully experience everything Berthillon has to offer, I figured I should go all out and get two scoops plus chocolate sauce plus whip cream. I didn't know they'd be throwing in the cookie too. Well done, Berthillon.
I ordered chocolate and vanilla, something too boring to order in the US when you have options like Double Chocolate Brownie and Cookie Dough to choose from. But French ice cream, and Berthillon in particular, is so rich and creamy that a simple vanilla (or French vanilla as we'd call it back home) or chocolate is divine.
I don't think I dripped any on Stella's head.
If you're ever in Paris, particularly during the sweltering heat of July, be sure to pop in to the wonderful Berthillon ice cream shop!
Another View
Fellow American writer in Paris, Adria J. Cimino, is co-hosting the "Paris in July" event this year and has invited me along. She and I are writing about similar themes throughout the month, sharing our different perspectives. Here's her view of our trip to Berthillon, thankfully with no shots of me with chocolate on my face:Read the full post here
This post is part of "Paris in July," an annual Paris-themed blogging event created by Karen at A Wondering Life and Tamara at Thyme for Tea. Join in the fun and check out their sites for awesome posts about the City of Light, contributed from bloggers around the world!
More "Paris in July" Posts
7/1: Paris in July: Kickin' It Off7/5: Taking on the Marais with Vicki and Lily
7/9: Paris A to Z
7/11: Life is Better in Flip Flops
7/12: I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream for Berthillon
7/14: Bastille Day
7/15: Les Arches d'Or
7/21: French Optimism
7/22: This One Time In Paris
7/24: Collect Moments, Not Things
7/26: Writing in Paris
7/31: Paris in July: Looking Ahead to August
Friday, July 11, 2014
Life is Better in Flip Flops
Paris spends most of its year being cold, gray, and damp. So I spend most of my year clad in knee-high boots, being cold, gray, and damp. Well, actually, I usually wear black. But at the first sign of warmth, I bust out the flip flops and keep them on until my little piggies start to freeze off and beg me to "please put some damn shoes on, woman!"
Of course, that plan only works if I don't lose my flip flops in a bar. Which I actually did on several occasions but only confessed to once in my book. Here's an excerpt from Confessions of a Paris Party Girl:
I walked home barefoot from a bar, having lost both flip flops in two separate incidents. Dirty from the dance floor, my feet were in embarrassing shape. Yet I miraculously arrived home with feet cleaner than I'd ever seen. The fresh rain combined with the abrasive sidewalks gave me a free French pedicure.
What's your favorite thing about summer? Flip flops? Frozen drinks? French pedicures?
 |
| Life is better in flip flops. Unless you lose them in a bar. |
Of course, that plan only works if I don't lose my flip flops in a bar. Which I actually did on several occasions but only confessed to once in my book. Here's an excerpt from Confessions of a Paris Party Girl:
I walked home barefoot from a bar, having lost both flip flops in two separate incidents. Dirty from the dance floor, my feet were in embarrassing shape. Yet I miraculously arrived home with feet cleaner than I'd ever seen. The fresh rain combined with the abrasive sidewalks gave me a free French pedicure.
What's your favorite thing about summer? Flip flops? Frozen drinks? French pedicures?
Wednesday, July 9, 2014
Paris A to Z: The Sassy Guide to the City of Light
As an American living in Paris for nearly 9 years, I have plenty of words of wisdom to share about this glorious, yet sometimes frustrating, city. I just wrapped up a series called Paris A to Z, where each day I shared my thoughts on some of the best stuff to do in Paris.
Want some tips on what to see in Paris? Stroll down memory lane if you've been here before? Listen to me ramble about my favorite things to do in Paris? Check out The Sassy Guide to the City of Light:
What are your favorite activities in Paris? What would you add to the guide?
Want some tips on what to see in Paris? Stroll down memory lane if you've been here before? Listen to me ramble about my favorite things to do in Paris? Check out The Sassy Guide to the City of Light:
What are your favorite activities in Paris? What would you add to the guide?