Le Baron Bouge??!?!?!

So you may recall a post about one of my favorite bistros Le Baron Rouge a while back. APPARENTLY, according to my "Authentic Bistros of France" book, the Baron Rouge is actually called the Baron Bouge. This completely blew my mind so I have started an investigation. It began on the internets, in which case I've come across a trip advisor page for the Baron Rouge and the Baron Bouge, pointed to the same place. However, the Rouge one has 15 reviews, while the other 9...Point 1 for Rouge.

Further desk research, found this blog in which the blogger claims they changed the name due to copyright infringement from some "member of the public." However, according to my book, it's because the neighborhood was originally sort of bouge-y and the clientale fit the mark. It also is a clever play on words.

Looking closer at the picture, the B from Baron and the B from Bouge definitely don't match. The R was clearly changed to a B and if not it seems like an odd design choice. Who to believe?!?!?!



Really the only next step is to go and investigate myself...and perhaps have 6 oysters, a cheese and meat plate, and a bottle of muscadet 'just to make sure' everything is in order :)

Antoni Gaudi: Te Quiero

To say that I love the work of Gaudi is only one part of the story. I am incredibly inspired, moved, and touched by his work, more so than any other architect I've encoutered thus far (keeping my mind open!). Seeing the Sagrada Familia, Casa Mila, and Parc Guell were definitely the sites I was looking forward to the most in Barcelona, however, in many ways I was scared to go back because of how much I loved them 10 years ago. Boy, they did not disappoint.

It's interesting because back then I could not articulate how, or why they moved me--I just LOVED the buildings and could spend hours there. I remember taking picture after picture (rolls of film at that time, can you imagine? ha) and although I always loved photography, the details that I kept finding and the angles I was using taking the photos were unlike anything I had done before. Gaudi had inspired me. Although I've never considered myself an artisic person, I like to think I'm a perceptual artist. I can appreciate art, design, and am interested in it, but never feel entirely compelled to create. However, Gaudi changes all that in me and I've walked away from this weekend incredibly energized.

In my day to day, I am helping to support and inspire innovation. Gaudi, like other geniuses, is an innovator. He didn't invent the Catholic cathedral, but he innovated it, much like Jobs didn't invent the smart phone, he just made it better. The Sagrada Familia has all the elements that you would associate with a brilliant cathedral, but he's turned most of them on their head. Cathedrals are generally dark, somber places -- Sagrada Familia is filled with light. Cathedrals are generally inspired by the church ("it's a grander church"), whereas Sagrada Familia was inspired by Nature. Gaudi saw God everywhere, particularly nature, and tried to bring that into the structure. He also thought about all the amazing details, from acoustics, to the symbolism of every statue, to the the celestial proportions. All of this really makes me look differently at 'a bloody cup of yogurt' (as a previous manager has said) with a new light asking "What rules can I break, but keep the essence of yogurt?"

It's amazing to me when my personal interests and what I get paid to do intersect. I feel really lucky that with 99% of my day to day I'm doing things that I actually enjoy. All geniuses, like Gaudi, Picasso, and Jobs have one thing in common - and that is passion. And although I never strive to be a genius, I do strive to find passion in what I do. And I thank Gaudi, among others, for the inspiration.

Here are some pics iPhone using Instamatic. I'm quite obsessed with that App.

Picasso: He's not like us

Apologies for the lack of content this week ....I've been overdosing on jamon and manchego cheese in Seville at a conference for work. I swear if I didn't have salted meat until the new year I'd be totally okay with it. There I said it.

Anywho, I'm extemely excited that my amazing friend charisse from new York is joining me in Barcelona this weekend for her early 30th birthday activities. I'm in Barcelona now anxiously awaiting her arrival. In an effort to pretend I'm cultured I just spent a couple of hours at the picasso museum (side note: does it really count as you going to a museum if you don't tell someone? ). It's actually a really awesome exposé on his life and work. There are some oil paintings he did whilst he was 12 which will blow your mind. (I believe my mother has kept some of my artwork from my childhood...abstract may be an appropriate way to describe it)

Anywho, one of the coolest things I saw was a video of some of paintings towards the end of the museum. It showcased the original las meninas painting by valezquez that picasso based an impressive 57 painting on. The cool thing was it overlayed picassos work on the painting so you could see the inspiration and get a glimpse into picassos brain.

Im doing this on my phone so I'm not sure how the pics will upload but I'm hoping you can see the picture of the little girl and then picassos interpretation. It's quite extraordinary. I'm sure I'll have more Spain stories to tell but so far Barcelona is as amazing as I remember and am looking forward to the weekend!

Ps for those of you wondering why I'm not working, it's remembrance day in France. Yay holidays.

Bikes in Amsterdam

How many bikes are fished out the canal in Amsterdam?

Answer: A LOT

Look at that claw!! It's huge, sort of like those games at the carnival.

I have never seen as many bikes as I've seen in Amsterdam. And where do they park them all?

Answer: In a bike parking garage of course.

Incredible. I love that city.

Wine poker

So I'm in Amsterdam for an innovation summit the past two days...this city is amazing. I can't believe I haven't been here before.

Anywho, the important story is how I won 'wine poker' last night. We were at a 'bonding' event (love corporate culture ha) and one of the games was to correctly identify 6 wines made by the same grape. Full disclosure; it was multiple choice. HOWEVER, I'm quite proud that I got all 6 right. Around the table were 3 guys from France, a girl from Belgium, another from Austria and one from England. One of the French guys got all 6 right as well so we had a 'smell off'. We were given three bottles with different scents and we had to properly identify them. The first was vanilla (easy) the second was toast (I said chestnut) and the third that gave me the win was pineapple. I'd like to go ahead and thank the country of Thailand for introducing me to that beautiful fruit.

The Europeans were unimpressed that my palate was a tad more discerning than theirs. Apparently Cabernet Sauvignon is tough to identify (for some ha). And in typical American fashion I gloated the whole night about my win. My parents would be proud.

What I'm doing this Weekend....

An interior designer friend recommended to me an interesting find at the Louvre. She suggested that the next time I'm there, skip the Mona Lisa and head straight to Napoleon's Apartments. She knows me well-- I would much rather immerse myself in gaudy interiors than fight a crowd for a peak at a painting. Hints of former French opulence can be seen all over Paris (the Opera house right by work, for one), however, I'm excited to see it up close and personal. I also heard there's a nice restaurant around the corner from the apartments -- another thing I love is eating at musuem restaurants (better in some cases than going in them).

If you're interested, here's a youtube video of the large dining room. Much cheaper than the 20 euro entry fee and flight to Paris. Technology these days.

Bon Weekend!

Relish & Quaff: Le Baron Rouge

I told you it was worth its own post, so please head over to Relish & Quaff for a full revealing of the Baron Rouge -  one of my favorite wine bars in Paris (well, so far).

My new favorite place

If it's Saturday and I'm in Paris, this is where I'll be found playing Parisian-- Marche D'aligre. It's a huge market about a 10 minute walk from my house and it's amazing.

Markets are an institution in France and everyone shops at them. It's a family event and it's incredibly popular -- and I can understand why. Shopping at a market is such a fun experience, the products are fantastic, and finally...the prices are CHEAP. Everything is expensive in France, except for produce from the market. Andrew and I went here a few weeks ago and left with two bags full of fruits and vegetables after spending only 10 euro. Let me tell you what we got for the equivalent of 13 dollars....1 HUGE thing of mushrooms, a handful of figs, leeks, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, tomatoes, an avocado, and I"m sure there is something that I've forgotten. We were amazed at the value and the quality was top.

We made this incredible soup -- cauliflower leek, using Thomas Keller's recipe found here (Recipe). I highly recommend (we even made our own croutons!). 

Oh and if you're nearby and want some amazing oysters you should stop by the baron rouge...but it's worth another post in itself so I'll leave that for later.

Paris Syndrome: A truly bizarre affliction

If you're looking for a chuckle and a WTF moment, I suggest you peruse the following article from the Atlantic titled Paris Syndrome: A First-Class Problem for a First-Class Vacation . Apparently, there are documented cases of tourists visiting Paris, having it not live up to their expectations, and basically having a panic attack.

"The shock of coming to grips with a city that is indifferent to their presence and looks nothing like their imagination launches tourists into a psychological tailspin which, in at least six cases this year, necessitated the patient being flown back to his or her country under medical supervision. Usually, though, bed rest and hydration seem to take care of the problem within a few days. The Japanese Embassy, though, has had no shortage of people who, in the throes of the Syndrome, call or visit to be reassured that the city is not going to collapse in upon them."

Really?? Some people are too funny. I mean, sure, you can be disappointed but having to be sent home because there isn't red wine flowing through the streets and accordion players on every corner? C'est bizarre, n'est-ce pas? 

Having had 'the dream' of living in Paris since I was a wee tot (I even had a Paris themed bedroom, the remnants of which can still be seen in my parents house), I can share in their disappointment somewhat. The fact is usually when you have such high expectations for something it can never possibly live up to your imagination -- and that's exactly where those types of fantasies belong. In some ways, it was one of my hesitations of moving here because I've always had this dream and I didn't think it could be as good. And to temper those expectations I did a lot of research before I came, reading blogs and speaking to co-workers from France. Living somewhere is very different from visiting and I tried to grasp those differences before setting foot on european soil. (New York on the other hand, I knew very little about before moving and was BLOWN away by how cool it was after moving. Different strategy)

So in that way, I think I've come out on top. Living here has been great so far -- it may not be a fantasy, but it is fantastic.

Death By Chocolate

So I had planned to write an 'ode to the history of french chocolate' but according to about.com French chocolate is a relatively modern development, with actually the Spanish, Germans, and Belgians leading the way here. Hmmm It does say we can credit the French for its "chocolate for breakfast," (otherwise known as Pain au Chocolat). Apparently, the regent for Louis XV, Phillipe D'orelans, invented it. Merci!

Bored with the history of chocolate? Me too, so let's get to the good part. I think French chocolate is delicious, far more so than its American imposter, and am planning to go the prestigious La Salon Du Chocolat this weekend. La Salon Du Chocolat is a chocolate festival! Did you hear that? A FESTIVAL FULL OF CHOCOLATE. According to the website, it's the festival to discover the world of chocolate and cacao. It has everything from hot chocolate, to bars, to chocolate novelties and more. YUM
And if you're in Paris next time might a recommend a chocolate walk? Or you can do it yourself thanks to the blog Paris by Mouth with their incredibly useful map of chocolate shops. Bon Appetit!

Courtesy of Parisbymouth.com

Things I don't like

One thing I dislike about living in France is that there are no dryers (or Europe really). I know, I know, it's probably better for the environment, our electricity bills are lower, blah blah blah.....but it's so incredibly annoying to hang your clothes everywhere and then they have that crinkly, rough feeling (especially the towels!!!). It's probably just the influence of American marketing (well done P&G), but there is nothing better to me than a towel that's soft and fluffy just out of the dryer.

This guys knows what I'm talking about

Le Sigh. Clearly, this isn't the end the world, but since I've been pretty positive towards living in France I figured I should show both sides of the coin :-)

Also, when I googled "fluffy towel out of the dryer" looking for an image this one came up. Thought it was quite a coincidence. It's even spelled correctly!

This has nothing to do with France, but I need to vent. I also HATE when I opt out of an email list and then they send me a confirmation email. I am opting out because I hate your crappy email, please don't send me another one! Thanks for letting me write that, I feel much better.

....And I'm back

So this whole 'no internet in your house' thing is really cramping my blogger style. (First world problem much?) Anywho, the internet is still not connected (apparently "1 week" is open for interpretation in French culture), so I'll continue to squeeze in time to blog during breaks at work (SHHHH!).

If you are in France sometime in the near future, RUN, don't walk, to Bordeaux. Bordeaux was such a lovely city -- beautifully quaint, good food, awesome vibe and of course it is SURROUNDED by delicious wineries. YUM. I've only ever been to wineries in and around San Fran (sonoma and napa), which are superb, but there is definitely a different feel while touring wineries nearby a typical french chateau. I learned all about the wine making process and the types of grapes that are found in the bordeaux region. One fun fact unkown to me was why they put rose bushes at the end of each row of vines -- apparently the roses get the same 'diseases' as grape vines, but 2 weeks in advance so they can diagnose before it ruins the vine. Tada!

We also toured the adorable town of St. Emillion. It's a bit touristy, but makes sense seeing as it's so beautiful.

Things I love about Paris: THE METRO

Coming from a city with a fairly stellar public transporation system, I feel like it's hard to impress me. But I must say, the Paris metro is superb. I have now taken the metro for an entire work week from the new place (metro stop Voltaire, as pictured). I've taken it at various times between 7:30 and 9:30....and I've gotten a seat every single time and have never had to wait longer than 2 minutes (and I know this because there is a countdown clock). The Paris metro is clean, fast, and thorough... I am a HUGE fan. (Same timing going home at night anywhere between 6pm and 10pm ...always a seat!)

Another cool thing is that my work is required to pay for half of my travel costs. Thus, my monthly pass is ridiculously cheap. YAY French Gov't!

Speaking of other yay french gov't tactics, work is also required to subsidize and pay for half of my lunch. We have a cafeteria (which is also superb), which means my lunch is around 3-4 euro a day. For others with no cafeteria, you buy tickets from your company for 50% of the cost. So they give you a 10 euro ticket, you actually only paid them 5 and you can use them at restaurants around the city.

How do I say awesome in French?

RIP Steve Jobs

I was sleeping when it happened, but during my waking hours yesterday as Steve Jobs was dying I said these exact words to the question what do you miss most from living in the US? "my iPhone." I love it so much, I yearn for it. (I know, I know...I can get one here, but it's complicated and I don't have it yet and I feel like I'm living in 1999).

It may be a sad thing to admit I miss most (I mean, showers with curtains could be a more appropriate answer..or Shake Shack), but it's true. Steve Jobs has revolutionized how I communicate, how I keep in touch, and most top of mind for me how I discover a city. I desperately need google maps, Yelp, and all my other apps which help me explore and get the most of where I live. Thanks Steve, for everything.

I leave you with this quote I found on my awesome friend Ashley's blog -- A little Dash of Ash

I truly believe this and I try to follow it everyday. Thanks for the motto.

Things Parisians Like: STRIPES!

This one is sort of an obvious one, but it's sterotypically true! I see them everywhere and luckily stripes have been "in" other places in the world lately so I own a few striped sweaters already.

Wanted to share this adorable picture from the blog Mrs. Lilien Styling House ... So cute and I love how she uses the bread as an arrow and says croissant is for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. True!

Also, the scarves is another obvious thing that Parisians Like :-) (and my friend Andrea...tee hee)

Prague...as beautiful as everyone says.

Prague truly is a beautiful old city. It has a rich, rather turbulent history, which is evident in every aspect of its culture. It also has, of course, Czech Beer. According to one travel brochure I saw, "Czech Beer is a part of every day life in Prague." OY is it ever. It's cheaper than water and coca cola combined and it flows throughout the city at every hour of the day (even breakfast for some...not me, I promise).

I've been told to go to Prague by multitudes of people since I was 18 years old and was so excited to make it 10 years later. However, I feel like those people were 18 years old when they went. Prague is swarming with tourists and backpackers (and this was september, I can only imagine in the summer) which becomes tiresome. When I travel, I like to do a mix of touristy things while trying to feel like I'm living in the city (with emphasis on the living). We had a very hard time finding out where the 'real' czech were located and constantly felt like we were in a touristy part of Epcot (it was that beautiful it felt fake).

 Also, not only were we always in the touristy part, the locals weren't all that friendly. Finally, on our last day we met Jacob, a Czech man about our age who had recently spent a few years working in Canada. Jacob apologized for his 'people' saying that do have the tendency to try to rip off tourists. Tendency, may be downplaying it a bit. As a group of fairly well-travelled tourists, we were ripped of left right and center from taxis whose meters went a million miles an hour to double charging on bills at restaurants or corner stores. (Or my personal favorite--being sold a tour ticket to something that was closed...hmmm) It was truly incredible and I must say it left a bit of a sour taste in my mouth about the country (it happened in Czesky too).

To be fair, if my city was inenduated by tourists like that I would be annoyed too (hell I was annoyed and I was one of them). And the fact that we searched and couldn't find evidence of real life meant that we were probably out-numbering them, which is a little disconcerting. In general, I'm glad I went, but I wouldn't go back and I probably wouldn't recommend it without some serious research on how to approach (or maybe for a short weekend?).

And I'm back.....

This was my outfit for the past 3 days of incredibly good times. I think I might start wearing a Drindl more often - they're incredibly adorable and comfortable too!

After 4 days in Prague, 1 in Czesky Krumlov, and 3 in Oktoberfest my body is beat. Mainly from Oktoberfest, so I'll start there.

Oktoberfest (or Wiesn to the Germans) is truly an incredible event that only the Germans could pull off. First of all, when you walk up it looks like a huge state fair, which was surprising to me in how familiar it seemed. There are rides, booths with games, stalls of food etc. The difference lies in the fact that there are 14 huge 'tents' (more like small stadiums) FILLED with people eating and drinking. OH and by the way they're all in drindls (above) or leiderhosen. When you walk into the tent the roar of the crowd is truly awesome and you could go deaf by the loudness of the singing. The germans love to sing (who am I kidding, I do too) and there are about 5 different 'toasting' songs, songs with dances, songs with hand gestures, etc etc. Needless to say my voice hates me right now (and the liver, but that's a given).

I had many a conversation about how there is no way an event of that scale, centered mainly around drinking massive quantities of beers, could exist year over year anywhere else. The Germans are incredibly law abiding and efficient people, which is why the event continues. I'm pretty sure if something like this were to exist in the US, half the people would be fighting in the street, passing out in a gutter, or driving home drunkenly-- ending with people sueing the organizers and it would never happen again. I'm sure all of that happens to some extent at Oktoberfest, but you just felt like no one wanted to ruin the fun by doing something really stupid.

Anywho, I highly recommend it for a weekend. 3 days was almost too much (ALMOST!). And definitely don't forget your Drindl.

Playing European

Andrew has arrived and we are off to Prague and Oktoberfest!!

Will check in on the way, but if not au revoir for now!

Mon Appartement

Oui, allo! We have an apartment. It's in the 11th, a very 'vibrant' part of the city that's young and up-and-coming. Basically, the Brooklyn of Paris :-) So many cute restaurants, bars, and things to do! And like our guidebook says "REAL French people live there!" As opposed to those just playing Parisian.

I'd just like to show you the reason why we chose it. Please take a look at the beauty kitchen.

Many a great meal will be made in that baby (not by me!). Things Parisians Tolerate: TERRIBLE KITCHENS. I swear to you, I've never seen so many bad kitchens in my life. Other weird things we saw on our hunt -- two showers in a bathroom. WHY? A shower in a closet...HUH? A toilet room...not so weird, but makes you think. Spearmint walls...when was that ever a good idea? We are not in Florida. Basically, as per everywhere, there are some crappy apartments in Paris. But luckily, we found a gem :-)

Since I'm boring today....

Please take a look of this hilarious video of a 'racist' rental car. LOL

Racist Rental Car

So Tired.

Apartment hunting in any city is exhausting, but apartment hunting in Paris takes the cake. I AM SO TIRED (and currently homeless). Hopefully that will change by tomorrow night. Stay tuned!

A Michelin Star Meal...

I know what your thinking...WOW Danone must be paying you well if you've already had a Michelin star meal in Paris! Sadly, not exactly. In fact, far from it -- it was a frozen meal (No judging me blogosphere....I'm living alone, have no friends and I hate cleaning dishes). But it's not just any frozen meal....It was a frozen meal by the most decorated chef in the world Joel Robuchon.

My awesome dinner last night.

Fleury Michon (the pre-eminent frozen meal producer in France) had the extraordinary vision to partner with one of France's most famous chefs. Having admired Joel's culinary empire for many years (and having the fortune of going to L'atelier in New York) I had to try it. It was just too funny and too French.

The result? It's actually really good. It even comes in a real ceramic pot and tastes nothing like Frozen food. This one I feature here is a sort of French sheperd's pie, but made with duck (obviously). It was spiced perfectly and I'm a sucker for mashed potatoes so I enjoyed it a lot. All told, it was about 1 euro more than the reguar frozen meals and I think it was a euro well spent (if only for the blog post). Well done Joel! Do you mind seeding this idea with Thomas Keller?

A room with a view...

A lot of apartments in Paris have 'courtyard' views, which they say is attractive because they are quieter, but secretly I think its because Parisans like to spy on their neighbors (this has not been corroborated, although I find it fun to look in other people's apartments). In my temporary apartment, I wake up to a vew like this...Not too shabby!

I'm currently in the 9th, a quiet neighborhood (or 'calm' as the parisans say) north of the 2nd Opera arrondissement in which I work. There's not a whole lot going on, but it's convenient, safe and a 10 minute walk to work, which is why it's at the top of my list of neighborhoods to live permanently. Others in the running are the 10th, the 3rd, and potentially the 11th/20th.

I have looked at the map of Paris neighborhoods about a bajillion times, but for some reason I am still having a hard time visuallizing the neighborhoods when someone tells me where they live. That being said, I do find it easy to find my way around as there are very few tall buildings. Because of that, I can usually find some structure that peaks out above the others to orient myself -- the Eiffel tower, Montmartre, or a tall building and figure out where I am. Tips from the top!

Paris Vs New York

One of my favorite blogs is ParisVsNYC, as described on the site it's a "friendly visual match of two cities told by a lover of wandering through New York." The visual matchups are not only visually appealing, but darn clever as well.

I don't pretend to be remotely as clever and I am surely not as artistic, however, I did have a Paris vs. New York observation the other day while wandering around Paris. I present for your amusement the movie poster for the newest Justin Timerlake and Mila Kunis ensemble film "Friends with benefits," otherwise known en francais as SexeEntreAmis...or Sex Between Friends. Apparently, the French are not ones for euphemism. (as a side note, I may be showing my ignorance here but I always thought it was euphenism. WHOOPS, sorry dad)

Also, as Elena pointed out, please notice the hand gesture in the Paris poster. SUBTLE France, SUBTLE.

Things Parisians LIke: Drinking as Teenagers along the Seine

I had the perfect Paris day on Saturday with my friend Laurence, who was visiting from London. It was in the 70s (25 Celsius for my international friends), sunny, and without humidity. We started with a walk up to the Sacre Coeur and wandered our way to the left bank and beyond. My feet were fed up with me by the end of the day, but my Parisian excitement overcame the pain.

After dinner that consisted of 'happy juice' (aka rose wine) and a charcuterie mixed platter, we decided to enjoy the perfect weather and take a stroll along the seine (how romantique of us and very "Midnight in Paris"). We were instantly excited as we saw there was a crowd along the river and it looked like some sort of party! For the New Yorkers out there, I was thinking it would be like the boat basin where 20 somethings come to buy a beer and look at the view. However, this turned out to be a make shift teenage soirree, complete with a DJ and bongo drums.

My friends in March drinking along the Seine...not nearly as cool as the Parisian teens. Do note the Evian bottle filled with red wine.

Both Lau and I instantly regretted how uncool we were for A. not being a teenager and B. (more importantly) not carrying a bottle of wine with us at all times just in case we have the urge to drink along the Seine. Is carrying wine in your purse being an alcoholic? Potentially, but we decided it was just playing Parisian :-)

Things Parisians Like: Part Deux

Bonjour from grey Paris! Tomorrow is supposed to be beautiful, but in the meantime I've been experiencing the 'Winter Haze' the past 3 days. Grey and looks like it's going to rain, but weirdly doesn't. At least it's been fairly warm.

Anywho, one observation I've noticed over the past week is another thing Parisians like: The Fiat 500. We all know europeans are into their small cars, but this car is ALL over. And I can see why, it's a beauty. But even better than that, I saw it in HOT PINK yesterday. I almost wanted to go up to the lady at the stoplight and hug her....such an adorable car. Luckily I restrained myself, as I'm pretty sure that's a thing Parisians don't like -- crazy americans trying to hug them.

Take a look:

Doesn't it just make you want to go out and buy one? (If I wasn't totally against cars, I would.) I'd feel like a Barbie doll in it... I've never wanted to feel like a barbie doll, but for this car I would happily. I've been trying to get my mom to buy a 500 instead of a mini for her next purchase. Perhaps the pink will tip her over the edge (HI MOM!)...Totally a car that's appropriate for Nashville, TN, right?

It's official! www.playingparisian.com!

Somehow without the support of my super tech-y, geeky and handsome boyfriend, I figured out to A) buy a domain and B) link it to blogger! Well done me (and google!). GoDaddy.com's super bowl ads finally got me. It only took four years and Danica Patrick.

You can still go to lindsaycollins.blogspot.com if you want to, but it will re-direct. Internets, this is you patting me on the back :-)

Relish & Quaff in Paris!

My dear friend and fellow foodie Andrea has a great restaurant blog Relish & Quaff and she has invited me to blog my restaurant experiences in Paris (she's currently based in Toronto, but will be moving to Paris soon!). Check out my post on my restaurant excursion to Le Taxi Jaune in the Marais last night here.

Things Parisians Like: Part Un

This section is not to be confused with Stuff Parisans Like or the book my parents bought me upon departure but rather, little "Lindsay Observations" about living in Paris. I am going to consult the list to make sure I do not replicate in the future. But I already have two (two!) and it's been a week.

Et voila, On Y Vas...

1. CAMPING. I know, can you believe it? I couldn't. I had my co-worker pinky swear it that she wasn't pulling my my leg. I had no idea the parisians were so into nature, outdoors, sleeping on the ground, etc. C'est Bizarre, n'est-ce pas? I asked my designer-clad colleague what she did over the weekend and she said "camping".

I gave her a funny look, and she, being Italian and not from Paris, said "I KNOW. I never thought I would either, but give it 2 years, the Parisians will convince you." Say what? Camping? Like in a tent? "Yes, in a tent. However, it was on the grounds of a large Chateau. I still slept on the ground, so I'm counting it."  Perhaps I could be convinced to camp outside a chateau...hmmm

Anywho, I was still skeptical walking the streets and admiring all the parisian women with their designer purses etc, UNTIL I went to a Camping Store called Decathlon yesterday to look for an air mattress (for my apt, not nature).  This.Store.Was.HUGE! I mean, biggest camping store I"ve ever seen (like Sports Authority huge). Meanwhile, the French apparently LOVE food, but their grocery stores are tiny. So imagine my surprise when I go to a camping store and IT"S AN ENTIRE BLOCK. So they must really love camping, I say. And the place was packed. Tents, sleeping bags, air mattresses, grills, back packs, etc FLYING OFF THE SHELF. I'm still in shock, if you can't tell. I basically had to fight over the last double air mattress (you're welcome elena!).

Who knew that was a thing parisian's liked?

I saw this on a car yesterday and thought it was absolutely hilarious and totally appropriate.

update: realized I didn't translate. It means I heart nothing, I'm parisian. lols

Parisians, They're not like US! Part 1

And thus begins a new section, alluding to one of my favorite tabloid columns "Celebrities, they're just like us!"....Although, just the opposite, pointing out things in my daily life which I wouldn't see if I were in the US.

It started this morning on my walk to work. Beautiful day, business people and families all around. I noticed a cute little boy (maybe 4 years old), in those absolutely adorable french uniforms holding hands with his mother (maybe 40?) who was wearing...LEATHER HOT PANTS. And they actually looked good and normal on her. It's Monday morning at 9 am. Wowsa. And she was just strolling along as if this was everyday attire. Way to rock it French lady, more power to you.

Work Update

9:05...Arrive, and no one from my team is here
9:15...Caroline (not on my team, but knows me) feels bad for me and asks me for coffee
9:45....Arrive back from coffee break, team is here.
10-12:45...training
12:45 - 1:45....LUNCH (I actually took a lunch break, this may be a first)
1;45-2:00...Coffee break

Why on earth one needs a coffee break after a 1 hour lunch, I have no idea. But I am not complaining :-) Just a little shaky from all the caffeine.

First Day of School Outfit

So this was my outfit on my first day....I thought it was a fairly hilarious shot, as it was taken with my iPhone which is apparently incredibly difficult to get a full body shot by yourself. I was actually taking the pic to see what I looked like as there is no length-wise mirror in my apt. And this is how well that worked :-) As a sidenote, I feel bad for kids these days who only take pics with their iphones...how are they going to get awesome shots like this one on the bottom of me and Natalie. The 'hold the phone with one hand and take a pic shot' was a classic when I was in high school (errr that pic was definitely taken 3 years ago) and I feel sad that it's basically impossible with the iphone.

As you can see, I went with the black shirt to 'fit in'. Although, I'm clearly kidding myself....There are a few things non parisian about this outfit: No scarf, No Layers, Wet Hair. Unfortunately, I forgot that my commute isn't an hour and a half and is only a lovely 9 minutes and thus did not time my shower correctly. C'est la vie!

Also, as an update on my french I went to a cafe this morning and ordered a croissant and a coffee en francais. I even said I was going to stay and eat, vs take away. BABY Steps!!!

NY Hearts Me

This is what I call the I Heart NY T-Shirt for Narcissists...The feeling is mutual NYC! It's also the awesome going away present Miss Martini (yes that is her real last name) gave me. I also wore it on the plane ride over here (hence why it looks wrinkly) as an ode to my former city


Plane ride went well....After a disastrous experience trying to change my flight with BA, I got an upgrade to Economy +. I was skeptical at first (it's not first class, it's not business, it's still economy, but it's plus?!?!), but lordy, that chair was comfy. I sat down and immediately fell asleep even before take off. I didn't even wake up for food, which is very unlike me (I am my mother's daughter...we both LOVE airplane food). I had a 4 hour lay over in London for a 40 minute flight to Paris (errrr that didn't make sense and one of the reasons I was fighting with BA). When I arrived, it was sunny, no lines in customs (they didn't ask me a single question...you know I"m coming her to work, right?), no problems with bags, no taxi line, et voila! I am now playing Parisian.

So I'm off to a good start! I was supposed to be flying out of New York to begin my jaunt in Paris at approximately 5 pm today, but because of "hurricane" Irene I'm postponed until Tuesday.

C'est La vie! New York gets me for another 2 days.

Things left on my list to do before departure: US Open, Shake Shack (again), Tour of the UN, shopping. Et Voila!

The Sistine Chapel in ALL it's glory.

This blows my mind.


Kids are so lucky these days. We actually had to go wait in the stupid line at the vatican to see the Sistine Chapel, but who needs to go there for reals when you can just click here? ha

Pepsi Super Bowl Half Time Promotion

What would you do with 100 blinged out cans of pepsi? [And life time tickets to the super bowl ain't half bad either.] check out: http://www.usatoday.com/money/advertising/2007-01-10-pepsi-usat_x.htm

FINALLY! The Apple iPhone is here!

If you're an Apple nerd like me, you'll be/already are swooning over the news about the release of the iPhone [set for June 2007 via Cingular Wireless].

A few things that popped out at me: it's an ipod, phone, camera, internet, e-mail, Visual Voice Messaging [what?], and best of all Touch Screen Compatible. No stylus, no buttons. [Well one button that brings you home.]

So simple, sleek, small, smashing, any other S-adjectives to add to the bunch? Unfortunately, it's only available through cingular and still has a pretty steep price of $499 with a 2 year contract [ouch!]. But so worth it. Almost a good enough reason to switch. Almost.

For more information check out: engadget or http://www.apple.com/iphone

Too perfect.

Props to Greg's mom for getting this for him for christmas. As he says, "My mother can barely turn on a computer, yet somehow found this on the internet." Well done Mrs. Suber!

If you see something, Eat something!

This is from a local New York blog [Gawker] in response to girls not eating passing out on the subway. I guess I shouldn't be one to talk [since I have passed out on the subway. . but I was sick. . .so there!] Anyways, it's pretty funny.

Utilikilt: We Sell Freedom ?!?!

And I'm back. . .a little bit tanner, a little bit more relaxed, and a little bit disturbed.

I was in CVS yesterday and a seemingly normal guy [surfer looking, blond, tan, probably in his early 20s] was wearing a skirt! well a kilt. At first I just thought they were boarder shorts and then I looked closer. This corduroy 'kilt' had cargo pockets, went just below his knees and had a couple of ill-placed pleats. PLEATS! And then I noticed the brand name 'utilikilt.' I decided I need to research this further.

Turns out they are a UK company with a mission of "...pioneering a comfortable alternative to trousers by producing "Men's Unbifurcated Garments" (MUG's). " I'm pretty sure they pulled that Un-word out of their ass. To get the full story go here.

To wet your appetite, here's a pic: Does anyone else have a problem with this? I'll admit they did the best they could 'manning' up a skirt, but I'm not exactly seeing the attraction to men wearing a skirt. I mean I guess when it's mildly warm out, but if it's too hot your legs just rub together and you have to shave [err i guess this one doesn't apply to men. . ]

Someone must be getting fired at Chrysler! [Or Time. . .]

"You might not be person of the Year. . .but you can drive like one. "

Can we say oops? That's why the communication between the sales team, the editors, and the clients should be more important. Awkward.

Congratulations to me!

So Time named the person of the year [err people] Me!!! And you reading this, and everyone On Myspace, facebook and the like.

Kind of interesting, I mean there has been a TON of new social-networking, web 2.0 or whatever other buzzword you want to throw around this year. I guess sometimes I feel like it's just me, and the people around me that are caught up in the midst of it--but according to Time, it's not just me so congrats everybody!

I'm already pretty sick of the press and buzz around myself. . .but heck, I guess I deserve it.

The Wii is Wow

So my friend and fellow Williamsburger, Pat, fought the elements yesterday morning in a successful attempt to acquire the Nintendo Wii. A mere four hours in line and a hint of frostbite later, Pat was the lucky owner of a little white box the thickness of 3 dvds, 2 controllers that look like remote controls, and the game Wii sports [otherwise known as the future cure to childhood obesity].

The first thing we did was set up Pat's avatar [a.k.a. Mii]. His turned out pretty well, with square glasses, a hint of a beard, a rectangular shaped head, scruffy hair, etc. Our little hipster was officially in Wii World! My Mii on the otherhand, was, and continues to be heinous. The girls are a little harder to create in this game [or maybe it's just mii?]. Once we had our avatars set we were off to purchase some games. There's a lot of old favorites available [from regular to super Nintendo and Sega] but my favorite part is that when it downloads the game Fireball Mario runs across the screen catching coins and hitting his hand on the coin blocks [From the original Super Mario Brothers game of course]. Very clever.

The Wii comes with Wii Sports which includes bowling, golf, boxing, tennis, and baseball. Lots of fun to be had. All of the sports require an abbreviated version of the movement you would actually use--which was a bit of a problem for me since I was using, for example, my real baseball stance and my real tennis swing. [Luckily, I don't golf much]. But once you figure out that it doesn't need to be so exaggerated [and can actually hurt your game] it's pretty easy. I especially liked boxing. . .I'm embarrassed to say that my shoulders/arms are actually sore [it's quite the work out! Shows you how much exercise I get lately!] And I have to brag here that I kicked both Pat and Andrew's asses at boxing--only Andrew made it to a second round once.

About every 15-30 minutes or so there's a hilarious message that pops up saying "Maybe you should take a break? You can always press [x] to pause." I think it's great that they have to cover their asses from over-assertion, as opposed to normal video games that don't exercise anything but your thumbs. Well done Wii! I can't wait to get one of my own.

"Viral Learning Center". . Improve your videos today!


This 2 minute parody does an amazing job spoofing everything that's wrong with corporations or even an average joe purposely trying to create a viral video. Viral videos are a crap shoot--they can be really good, really bad, poorly produced, brilliantly shot--it doesn't matter. I personally believe trying too hard to make a video viral video will only make it unsuccessful.

The normal way to improve something is through a learning curve, learning from your mistakes and generating wisdom from experience. But the opposite is true in viral videos--people will not be willing to share or turn a video 'viral' if it's something that has been seen before. The video has to be fresh and inconsistent--those are fightin' words to big business. So I guess the only thing that you can learn is that it has to be completely new and different.

Additionally, viral videos have to be 'cool' [cool can be defined in many ways obviously]. If you think about the coolest of cool people [like say in high school. . .] they didn't try to hard, they just were 'cool.' Same rule can apply to viral videos, don't try too hard, just be cool. And if you are, your video will be shared organically.

I think my favorite part of the video is when he's explaining the types of things you'll learn like "working with excrement and vomit." Classic.

My Thanksgiving: How to deep fry a turkey, Elvis lives, and a lot of Bud Light. . .

So although I currently reside in Brooklyn, my 'roots' are in Tennessee. And by roots, I mean that this where I go during the Holidays and when my friends are getting married. Anywho, Andrew, Vicki and I ventured to Memphis and Nashville over Thanksgiving for a taste of South. And boy did we do it right.

We arrived in Memphis to the smell of turkey frying in the backyard. It smelled like what I would describe as "McDonald's on steroids" so much oil and frying it's enough to make your arteries harden just by looking at it. But the end result is sooo delicious. Moist [ick, I hate that word but it's appropriate to describe the turkey] with crispy skin. I can't get enough. Other highlights of our meal was corn souflee, mashed potatoes [of course] and brownies for dessert. yummm If you've never deep fried a turkey before, check out the pic below. A little tid-bit. . .turkeys cost around 15 bucks. . .the oil to fry the turkey? 70 bucks. . the taste? Priceless.


The next day we headed out to see the sites in memphis. First Stop: Graceland.

Graceland was very interesting, especially learning all about Elvis' music and the history of his career. His house was. . .Intriguing. Highlight: The jungle room aka the family room with Green Shag carpet on the floor, walls, AND CEILING. Hot.

After working up an appetite we went to the Rendezvous for ribs. . .*Amazing*

After stuffing ourselves silly we headed to Nashville [my hometown] for some Country Music fun.

First Stop: Sonic . . . It was vicki's first time so we had to document it. Oh yeah, they have a new Chili Frito's wrap. We didn't try it, but Sonic is Genious.

After Sonic, we took Vicki out on the town 'honky tonkin'. Highlights: Bud light and a LOT of cigarette smoke.

And then it was the dreaded Sunday already, time to head back to NYC. Overall, great trip. Oh but how could I forget. . . we ended a fab weekend by seeing Borat.

Do you Google on Yahoo?

On the google blog recently, an official google blogger Michael Krantz tried to explain why they were in court protecting their trademark. Google is attempting to not allow, oh say the dictionary, to define google as a verb, i.e. to search for information on the internet. The link to his blog entry is here.

I found this interesting, because I do 'google.' And lucky for the company, I 'google' on google.com. But I guess some people don't [shame on them!] and that's why they are having the problem. Google claims that they don't want to fall by the wayside, like elevators, xerox, or kleenex and lose their trademark to the pits of 'genecerity.' [is that a real word?]

I don't have a huge problem with this and I see where they are coming from. But I think it may be too late. Their pesky lawyers can't stop the American [or global I guess] vernacular from embracing google and ultimately that's where the problem lies. If google is already defined in the dictionary, you're about a billion steps behind because Mr. Webster wouldn't waste his time with a word he didn't think would stick. Sorry, but fad words don't make it into the bible book of language. [psych!] They should have dealt with this issue a long time ago and now it's like stopping a snowball from growing while rolling down a hill.

Another thing that irks me is the actual blog entry. He was trying to be funny, but I think he came off as condescending. . .And frankly not very 'google-ish.' Google people should be funny, but defining a trademark? It just sounds like you think people are dumb [so maybe we are, but that's another story.] Also, I feel like they should have made fun of the lawyers more, that would be have made it like hey, it's not me, it's them. But maybe that's the problem--the line between the corporate, serious drones and the fun, laid-back google people has blurred. I guess it's hard to not be one of 'them' when you are company's net worth is $156 billion and you have a bajillion [don't know the exact amount, maybe I should google it] investors crawling down your back. Oh well, until their lawyer comes a knockin' I'll be googling.

Top Chef Spoiler Alert

I can't believe Josie got kicked off top chef!!! I think it was a bad choice because
a) she had never been in the bottom 3 before
b) Up until this point she had pretty much been middle of the line, but had so much potential
c) she's from williamsburg weee and
d) she has cool hair.

I can't believe it, I'm in shock. I guess I was right in my deduction that because she's working at Bonita she didn't win [not that Bonita isn't a fine establishment]. So if you want to go visit Josie and tell her she rocks and that Tom Colicchio was an idiot to kick her off, stop by bonita and be my guest. Also, while you are at it, pick up some guac and chips because they are delicious.

We love you Josie!

Google Search #1 of 14,200!!

Announcement:

Props to the person who searched for "Josie Top Chef Bonita" on Google because my blog comes up #1.

Very exciting. I'd like to thank Andrew for being a devoted reader, Lauren, Charisse, and Ruthana for commending me on my "Excited Double Fist Pump" and Vicki for mentioning I should post it on the blog.

:-)

In other news, Marco [crazy guy from the Upenn class] sent our ENTIRE class an e-mail. I have copied it verbatim below. Enjoy.

Dear All,

I think that everyone come back to yours commitments...How are you? I enjoy you so much...even if you are american or english...or whatever.....ah, ah, ah........
My time with you it was so fun...that I sent you an attachment with an italian picture....
...I'mjoking....To be onest.....many times I tought of you in theese days and it seems to me that the time run out so fast from when we were together in Philly...Thank you to be friendly with me....I hope to keep in touch with you in the future....A lot of kisses, Marco
P.S.= I enjoy professor Raju.....

and for an added bonus, he sent us a picture he obviously drew on 'paint' of two hand flicking us off. Normal.

My Love affair with Scrubs

Me: Hi, My name is Lindsay and I'm addicted to the show Scrubs. Everyone: Hi Lindsay.

Okay, so I think I have a problem--I'm addicted and thoroughly obsessed with Scrubs. What's that you say? . . . Scrubs is like on it's 6th season where have you been? . . .There's plenty of other better, NEWER, TV to blog about? . . . Zach Braff really sucked a big one in that last movie? You're right, you're right, but unfortunately a) I was never introduced to the awesomeness that is Scrubs in the earlier seasons b) yes there is better, newer TV on but may I remind you I HAVE AN ADDICTION and c) actually zach braff was likeable in the last movie, but the script was horrible [not his fault--I'm sort of ignoring it and just concentrating on Garden State]. Lucky for me, between comedy central and my DVR I happily watch nearly 2 episodes a day. You see? I do have a problem.

In addition to the actual 'viewing' of Scrubs taking over my life, I've started thinking that the characters are my friends. [I probably am going to get hell for admitting that, but what can you do.] I have on more than 1 occasion had to stop myself before referring to the show in a conversation with real people. . examples: "Well J.D. did this once. . ." or "that's so something Elliott would say. .. " I've even for a split second considered becoming a doctor minus the whole blood thing [which if you know me is SO out of the question because I have a horrible fear of needles, blood, and pretty much anything about hospitals].

So I guess this is my first step--admitting the problem. I think Comedy Central is on season 3 or 4 so maybe this will be over soon. However, I hear the new season of Scrubs is approaching so basically I'm screwed. I mean, once a week is better than twice a day, right????

My 50th Entry!

Just wanted everyone to know that this is my 50th blog entry. [pat on the back to me!] Very exciting.

On another note, here's to my happy hangover weekend. Too much drinking is on the itinerary, but hopefully a lot of sleeping as well. Cheers!

Let's chat. . .

So the last couple days have been pretty dramatic:

a) the election. I don't consider myself an overly political person [or even mildly] however, this election has been close to my heart since the gay marriage amendment was up for vote in Tennessee. I was a good little Nashvillian who knew my vote would be wasted in NYC so I got my absentee ballot in the hopes that maybe my vote would make a difference. But as per usual, TN ruins everything [umm do I even have to mention that Gore didn't win his home state back in 2000? yeah I tried to forget that too]. It really amazes me how many people even care about gay people getting married. If someone in your opinion is going to hell by their lifestyle WHY DO YOU CARE? It's just more room for you in heaven. In addition, Ford didn't win in the senate [another time we're ruining everything] so basically this is why I hate politics. As per a previous post, I'm a competitive person and I like to win and these days it's just not in my cards.

b) Britney Spears is getting divorced. That's one big "I told you so." Poor gal. I really do feel sorry for now that she's a Divorcee with two kids in tow. Granted she has more money than I will ever see in a lifetime, but I feel like she went through a lapse of judgement for two years and because she was a celebrity we all get to gawk and laugh at her. We all have lapses in judgement, but fortunately [errr] for us we aren't under a microscope. Oh well, at least she's showering again.

C) So Lost was on last night for the last time until February 7. Yes, you heard me correctly 02-07-07. Who does that? 6 episodes and then nothing for 3 months. It's like waving the little bit of cheese in front of my face and then BANG mouse trap SUCKA. DAMN YOU JJ ABRAMS!Anyways, I feel like it wasn't nearly enough of the show to fill the Lost void that exists in my heart. It ended with too many questions, too much drama and a little bit of "what are you thinking" that makes me angry that I have to wait 3 months. And it's not like a season finale which I have become forced to accept every year--that my shows end in May and that I switch to DVDs in the summer. No No NO, I waited 4 long months in the summer for Lost to return. Then I waited til October [after everything else had already premiered] and NOW you're making me wait til February? The producers obviously don't respect my TV watching time. Fall/Winter/Spring = Good TV and Good TV = Lost. I may just not watch the show when it returns [you're right, I will, who am I kidding?] But seriously, they shouldn't take us for granted. P.S. I heart Kate's ex-husband. Firefly is amazing.

Long time, No Blog

So after a week of going back to school I've learned a very important thing...I don't like school. I thought I knew this, but I was thinking it was because I maybe took the wrong class, or was bombarded by tests. This week kind of confirmed that although I dont' mind it, especially when it's a class I like, it's really not my cup of tea. But frankly, if it's a class I like it's probably something I've learned about some other way [oh say the internet]. I've always done well in school, but that's just because I'm competitive--I'm not the book learning type. I always thought the more brilliant people I knew didn't do so well in school--I think street smarts will take you a lot further.

Anyways, high-lights include: 1) a christopher knight/johnny depp/tom cruise/orlando bloom/matt le blanc look alike. I promise you, depending on the angle he was all these things [although not as good looking]...2) A guy who texted his boss when he was meaning to text his girlfriend. . . "Hi Cup cake. Hope you're nude when I get home because I'm going to devour you." 3) one tequila, two tequila, three tequila, flooor. [i guess that wasn't a high-light, more of a haze) 4) MARRRCCOOOOO [crazy italian mafia guy who showed up to about 25% of class and yelled out answers without raising his hand] 5) Marco taking a picture of the professor with his digital camera during the middle of class. classic.

Overall, money well spent by my company. I had a pretty exciting day yesterday as well. Highlights: 1) Watching the NYC marathon right outside my front door. 2) Seeing Lance Armstrong [crazy guy] running it. . . but last but not least 3) I saw Josie from Top Chef at my favorite restaurant Bonita. She must be working there b/c we saw her go into the kitchen. Which makes me think she doesn't win...oh well, go Josie!! [and special thanks to Andrew for making me look like an idiot in front of her. . ."Oh my god, look who it is!!]