A Traveling Girl’s Wish List

Now that my travel plans are real and booked and involve actual logistics, it is coming to my attention that I need things.

This is the problem with traveling – the sudden need to buy things. Things you convince yourself you can make do without in everyday life, things that are just not realistic for your budget, suddenly seem completely necessary and of the most importance. Because you’re traveling, you’re out of your comfort zone, and what makes a person feel better or more comfortable than new gadgets, clothes, and luggage?

My current wish list contains two very important things – a computer and luggage. Seemingly simple, but oh so expensive.

The new computer is of the most importance and is essential for my travels so that I can stay connected, keep blogging, and most importantly keep writing. My last amazing little netbook died from what can only be described as mental and emotional exhaustion after working to the bone for me through my Master’s program. It had a good life and after lugging it around on my adventures in France this past summer it simply quit it’s day job, wiped out the hard drive, and peaced out. So with my new travels coming up, a new computer is now of the utmost importance and a must buy before my departure.

I also need a new travel bag because, while I’m excited to be on a different train every other day, I really can’t do it with what I currently have to work with. Train travel and country hopping, while lovely, requires very strategic luggage. No one else is gonna carry it for you and while I can pack light, I’m still a girl and need options. Also, because I am such a girl  I can readily admit that I kinda just really want a pretty new bag.

Currently, I am obsessed with this one:

It’s from Pottery Barn, no surprise there, and I keep staring at it. As if staring at it will spontaneously make it mine. I’ve also had dreams about it which means it’s either something I have to have or I’m just pathetically shallow and materialistic. Or both.

Le sigh…

Also on the travel wish list – new Frye boots (if only), a new pair of jeans, new face cream, and a new Ipod. My biggest fear is that my Ipod will finally die on me and I’ll be left in Europe  on a train without Leonard Cohen’s full collection of music. How would I survive?

If anyone knows where to find the above items at super sale prices do fill a girl in. I’m a champagne girl on a beer budget lately so I’ll take all the help I can get.

Spa Week is Back…

That’s right, it’s that time of year again. Spa treatments that might normally be out of your price range, or seem like an over indulgent purchase for your budget, are now only $50 at varying spas throughout the city and Brooklyn. I have already made myself an appointment for a hot stone massage in Soho that I am determined to keep. That’s right, determined. Last year, finances won the battle, and even $50 was too indulgent for my fabulous lifestyle of grad school and part time employment. Shocking, I know. But now, now I am back to full time work and I will go to the spa for a discounted hot stone massage like a normal New Yorker.

For anyone that would like to join in the fun, Spa Week takes place October 10th – October 16th and participating spas and available discounted treatments can be found here. Appointments are available now so go forth and spoil yourself. Treatments vary depending on which spa you go to but overall there seems to be a nice general selection.

Ahhhhhhhhh……..

Bath Bomb Birthday

There”s nothing better than a perfect birthday present. And it takes people who know you really well to make that happen.

This birthday, I have to say, I got pretty spoiled. My mom went above and beyond and bought me a round trip ticket to France so I could make my summer of studies in la France actually happen, my sister and brother in law bought me a ticket to Prague to visit them for a weekend while I was in Paris, and now my in laws managed to spoil me by buying me a serious supply of bath bombs from LUSH for my return to New York.

This is a very big deal. For anyone that might not already know, our teeny, tiny apartment in Brooklyn has a claw foot tub. It’s old and deep and beautiful and I might be a little more in love with it than I am with my husband. It has saved me from many emotional meltdowns, kept me warm on cold winter nights, and with the combination of the bath bombs and the various bath milks I can’t keep from buying, it has kept my skin smooth and silky despite New York’s manic weather changes.

Here is a picture of the birthday booty

Big bowl of heaven - and i couldn't even fit them all in there. The shelf below the bowl includes bubble bath, bath salts, a scrub, and three different types of lavender bath milk. I am obviously a SERIOUS bath devotee

The bath bombs add a lovely splash of color to our bathroom, a beautiful aroma, and an intense array of bathing options. Sea salt bath bomb? Check. Cocoa butter bath bomb? Check. Mud and Honey bath bomb? Check.

Needless to say, I am happy.

I am also now desperate for summer to leave New York so I can enjoy cold fall nights in the tub until  my fingers turn to prunes and my sleepless nights disappear into relaxing aromas, warm water, and candle light.

God bless the claw foot tub.

Shoe of the Day

You know life is not on your side when you can’t validate purchasing a $40 pair of shoes, but considering the summer I just had traveling I suppose I can wait the month it will take to catch up financially to allow me to start shopping again.

But these shoes are super cute and they’re seriously testing my will power.

LOVE

Shame the birthday is over. These would have made a perfect look how fabulous I am turning 30 and rocking awesome shoes present to myself.

Le sigh…

Home Decorating a la New York

Now that I’m officially home and embarking upon real life in NYC with two salaries coming into our home like a normal couple, it’s time to focus on the important things – home decorating.

For the most part, we’ve done the bulk of what we need to do with our apartment. There are a few more furniture items we need to buy to make the living space what we want it to be, but at this point it’s the little accessories that we need to buy to make the space look the way I want it, and in an effort to keep track of everything I want/need to buy, I will likely start posting items here as a way to keep myself focused on spending money on my environment and less on going out and drinking.

Okay, fine, let’s not kid ourselves. I will focus on spending equal amounts of time, energy, and money on my home and my outside “activities”.

First item on the must buy list, this candle stand for our decorative fireplace

bare bones item

with numerous candles on it inside the fireplace. My candles will be more classic pillar candles though, I'm not so much into the faux bark candle thing. Sorry Pottery Barn

It is in fact a Pottery Barn item (surprise!) and will be a perfect addition to our tiny apartment. With a space as small as ours, the more creative lighting and charm the better, and this will achieve both.

Hopefully this will be in my possession, candles included, no later than Christmas. It may even go on my Dear Santa list this year if I haven’t managed to buy it before Thanksgiving. The list is already started so no harm in adding to it, right? What can I say, I’m a girl who likes presents, it’s part of my charm.

So the decorating list has officially begun. Expect random posts about pillows, frames, jewelry boxes, and annoyed husbands from my home shopping spending habits.

Top Ten Things the French DO NOT Do Well

There will be a Top Ten Things Americans Do Not Do Well coming, but the French one is coming first. Sorry Frenchies!

10. Cookies – they’re too rich. Too much butter, not enough sugar. Cookies are American for a reason. If we don’t get a sugar high from them and aren’t able to stuff our face with them  for as long as we damn well please, then they’re not really cookies.  Sad, but true story.

9. Cupcakes – While the Dexter cupcake found in Paris essentially made my summer, the cupcake itself was “meh”. I’ve discovered that the French are generally incredibly confused by the cupcake, so in their confusion and the fact that most of them have never had a real one (visit Love at First Bite in Berkeley or One Girl Cookies in Brooklyn if you want a REAL one) they just fuck it up. Common mistake made by the French is that they focus on the cake. It’s not about the cake. It’s all about the frosting. If you fail on the frosting, the whole cupcake is useless. Again, pay attention to the sugar, not the savory. Seriously, go to Love at First Bite or One Girl Cookies and I promise you, you will understand the cupcake and we Americans won’t seem AS crazy as you originally thought.

8. The Cocktail – while Paris has proven to be the exception (thank you Experimental Cocktail Club and Candelaria) the French, in general, fail at the cocktail. They charge too much, and they pour too light. If you’re charging me 10-12 euros for a mixed drink, it better be brilliant. Usually, it’s not.  I could write a whole thesis on the French race’s aversion to mixing things and America’s ability to appreciate a mixed version of anything, but I’ll save you the tirade. All I will say is that if more of France had bars like The Experimental Cocktail Club, they might start to understand our crazy cocktail culture and (gasp!) actually appreciate it.

7. Mani pedis – they are seemingly non existent here. In NYC getting a mani pedi is like a weekend ritual. Some are even offered with cocktails (0f course). Apparently paying for someone to pamper your hands and feet is not seen as a necessary luxury by the French, but we Americans, especially us big city girls, love it. In fact, you’ll be judged in NYC if your toes are not well kept. It’s a sign of basic hygiene. But apparently the French don’t care. How surprising.

6. Hamburgers – show me a great hamburger in France and I will show you 10 better ones in the States. They just don’t get it. Or perhaps they don’t respect it. The burger in the States is cherished and if you can make the best one around, you will be in business for years. In France, a burger is something you could eat, but why would you when they do everything else so well? In my experience, getting a burger in France is essentially pointless unless it’s a fancy burger, in which case, that just defeats the whole point. Burgers should be greasy and delicious, not fancy and delicate. Go to In and Out or Nations and tell me I’m wrong. I dare you.

5. Television – this might not be something to be horribly proud of, but we Americans make good television. We’re also obsessed with television, which does not quite sell us as the most cultured of people. But damnit, I don’t care, we make good TV, and everyone knows it.

4. Sushi – this isn’t entirely their fault, but it’s still a mark against them in the American view of things. Sushi has become and remains a staple food option in the majority of the States and not being able to find a good sushi place can send an American into an outright pathetic panic, myself included. Of course most French cities offer an expensive option, but that expensive option is our normal offering and we pay a lot less. So if you think you’ve had good sushi in France I suggest you go to NYC, California, or Hawaii and try some and then tell me if the French really understand the quality they should be having for the amount of euros that they’re paying.

3. Asian food, in general – according to the French all Asian food is the same. You won’t find a Thai restaurant or a Chinese restaurant or a Vietnamese restaurant, you will simply find “Asian” restaurants which make any and all dishes on the most mediocre level. Want General Tso chicken? Too bad, that’s too specific. How about sauteed noodles, they can do that. Want coconut curry chicken? Too bad, way too specific, how about some basic fried rice? I know there are exceptions to this rule as I found a really good Vietnamese (and affordable) place in Lyon when I lived there, but for the most part, if you have a craving while living in France that can’t be defined as just general “Asian” (since it’s just one big place, right?) then you’re shit out of luck.

2. Gyms – perhaps they don’t need them, perhaps it’s a luxury here, but either way, the French do not do gyms. After exploring Paris for a decent gym, I found a small handful of mediocre gyms for 190+ euro PER MONTH. This outrageous price, combined with the unbelievably old equipment and subpar standards of workout facilities make it clear that the French do not respect the gym or the workout. Why would they? They go for savory, not sweet – much less calories to burn off. And if you’re a naturally slim breed and like it that way, you don’t really need to build muscle. Why would you?  Skinny and weak is considered much more attractive and the gym would only upset that delusional little balance.

1. Customer Service – sorry guys, we Americans do it better. On a general level it’s just fine here in France, but if you have any kind of a problem like needing to return something or you have a few extra questions before purchasing something they look at you like you’ve asked them to traffic some high grade cocaine through their store. It would be quite funny to watch if it weren’t so annoying.

Don’t worry France, I love you. The anti-American list will be coming soon. But at this point you know I don’t play favorites.

Language Learning – When in Doubt Ask a Native Speaker

Oh, France. Sometimes, you just make me laugh. Especially when I see stores with names like this:

Huh?

Seriously, what? I love my blender bookstore? How does that even make any sense? Like at all?

I peaked into the store and it was all kinds of kitchy items, books, etc, but the name is still completely ridiculous. The only thing I could figure was some kind of association with drinking and reading, which I myself am a fan (I am a student after all), but still. And then I thought well maybe because the store is full of a mix of things they thought the word blender could work to represent the variety in the store, the mix of items you can find. But if that’s the case, it doesn’t actually work. I mean really, I love my blender? As the name of a bookstore?

I’ve encountered this naming issue before. I think as English speakers we expect everything to make sense because English is everywhere, and if we don’t understand something it’s because we actually don’t speak the other language. But in other cultures and languages perhaps they’re so used to things not making sense in popular culture – song lyrics in English they don’t understand, band names that seem random even though to an English speaker they make sense – that they just assume you can say whatever and name something in the most ridiculous fashion and people will be okay with it.

But that’s not true. If it’s too confusing or weird, we make fun of it and then we ignore it. We’re lazy and mean that way.

So stop smoking the crack kids and find a native English speaker before buying or painting the sign for your business establishment.  Words are easy to look up, context is not.

A Day in the Marais

Given that it was my first official weekend here in Paris today, I decided to take my tired ass out of the apartment and stroll the wonderful little neighborhood I have at my fingertips that has not gotten sufficient attention from me thus far. The Marais, commonly known as Paris’ gay and most fabulous district is pretty amazing when it comes to places to live. In fact, if I were ever to relocate to Paris permanently it would be my ideal neighborhood to find a long term apartment.

We started out the day tasting a white wine from the Burgundy region at our local wine shop and chatting with a very pretty Frenchman. Always a good start to the day. Then we headed to the much anticipated pastry shop Popelini that serves one thing and one thing only – cream puffs. I tried the raspberry and it just may be the best cream puff I ever tasted. So good it probably caused a stretch mark and I don’t care.

After cream puffs, we wandered the neighborhood and had our obligatory mid afternoon cafe drink and “repose”. Voici my diablo fraise and Meredith’s lovely cafe creme

coffee always looks better and tastes better in France

Diablo Fraise, my personal childhood favorite from summers in France

We then proceeded to discover all the Marais has to offer. We found an amazing wine bar that is also a bookstore called La Belle Hortense.

You can order wine and read a book in the back or order wine and buy a book, or buy a book and a bottle of one of their selected wines and take them both to go. It’s quite amazing. The atmosphere is quintisential Parisian and I’m determined to get back there for an evening of drinking and literature. Always a great combination.

Given we were in the Marais, we also of course found ourselves in a few gay establishments, like the gay and lesbian bookstore.

how much is that doggie in the window...

The selection was pretty impressive and it would be an amazing place for anyone interested in gay and lesbian literature. There were surprisingly quite a few books available in English so there’s definitely something for everyone.

Then there was a visit to the obligatory sex shop (you can’t not go in) which was shockingly tame by my NYC standards, although the 165 euro vibrator was very intriguing. I have to say if I have enough money to buy a 165 euro vibrator, I’d rather just hire a man for the night. If you’re gonna pay that much, it might as well be the real deal, French accent included.

Then we of course tapped off the end of our day with a raspberry tart from the other pastry shop I was excited to try Pain du Sucre.

yummmmmm

I need to go back for these next time

The tart while delicious, had a very fancy pistachio cream at the bottom, and I have to say I’m much more of a fan of the simple cream that you generally get. A raspberry tart is perfect in its simplicity and French perfection, there’s no need to fancy it up. So now I’m on a mission to find a better one in the neighborhood. Something tells me it won’t be too difficult.

All in all, a lovely Parisian Saturday filled with food, pretty men, and a long leisurely stroll. God bless France.

Countdown to Paris – 2 Days!

What is it about traveling to another country that makes you think you need to buy everything you could possibly need before you leave? It’s absolutely ridiculous, but every time I travel somewhere I use it as an excuse to get things I would normally just do without.

To be fair, with the euro raping the dollar (as per usual) I’d be smart to not need anything in Paris beyond food. No shopping, no “Oh isn’t that cute, and I DO need one” rational, just bare bones survival skills. Which is the plan. And let’s be honest, if my clothes and shoes have been good enough for NYC they’re certainly good enough for Paris. And if any Parisians disagree then they can transport their fancy, snobby selves to NYC and see how well they do.

The next two days are nothing but errand running and packing, and of course anxiety dreams. Combine a new semester with relocating to different city and my little Virgo brain just goes on overload. It can’t be helped, so it’s better to just accept it.

Either way, the next few days are going to be crazy. I leave Wednesday night and arrive Thursday morning in Geneva (after a small stop in London) and by late afternoon I’ll be arriving by train in Paris. Only to get back on the train Friday morning to visit Rouen for a work trip where I will be hosted and fed by fabulous and friendly French people. It’s all very exciting but just the thought of it has me wanting to curl up in a ball on my couch in Brooklyn and watch bad television.

But I must push through like a grown up and be productive. Two days to wrap up life in NYC has to be enough because at this point it’s all I’ve got.

Shoe of the Day

Planning for Paris is not good for my online shopping habit. I have this tendency to just click “Order Now” with reckless abandon if no one is there to monitor me, and now that I have a very small nugget to buy some clothes and other necessities with for my summer, it’s becoming a problem.  I want everything.

Currently, I am considering these:

Stylish and a bit sassy

They’re only $40 and the heel is pretty solid so they should be easy to walk in. Assuming I can get my wide feet into the fabric part of the shoe I think they’ll work quite well for Paris assuming I’m not walking TOO far. These would definitely work in NYC which means they’ll work anywhere, so I think I might just be sold on them. But I’m gonna give myself a day to think about it. Like a grown up.

Decisions, decisions…