Blogging will resume next week.
Because there is still quite a bit of stuff to do around the apartment- pictures to hang on the walls, arranging the ornaments, etc. C, my fourth sister, came for a visit last night from London, she'll be with us until Sunday, until then she'll be my excuse for going out most days and hitting the sales.
Weather is mostly cool to occasionally very cold, especially some nights. Almost every day it rains a little bit. Next week I bring V to a 'lap sit', an activity that involves sitting child on one's lap while singing nursery rhymes. This would be the first time I would meet a local resident who is not the gardien (building concierge), delivery man or the postal worker. On Feb 8 I start my language classes at the Sorbonne, can't believe that I am going back to school but there we go.
Life is certainly changed for me. For one thing, I've taken to drinking coffee. It started with husband buying an old fashion Italian coffee maker which didn't work on our vitroceramic stove, I took pity on him and treated him to an espresso maker machine. He now has his morning espresso and I have a latte.
Since I am now officially an ah-soh I have also embraced duties like visiting the local market twice a week to shop for fresh produce. Instead of the big biweekly marketing spree, we shop often but little, buying enough to last a few days and planning meals around what's available. Which makes sense because the refridgerator space is limited. In the morning I sit with husband while he drinks his coffee and then locks the door after him (because the doorkob is dodgy and someone has to lock from inside), and he comes home most evenings to a homecooked meal. It feels a bit surreal, like masak masak.
Sometimes I escape from the flat and walk around the neighbourhood. The women here dress very sharply, to keep up I make sure I at least look smart and coordinated. No yoga pants or slouchy jumpers, I wear makeup more than often than in Singapore. We are also surrounded by constant temptation, all the major high street brands and luxury goods stores are within walking range, fortunately or unfortunately I do not have the income to splurge on them. All that walking though should be good for my fitness level, now if only I can restrain from purchasing cakes and pastries along the way. I also keep meaning to jump on the bus and see where it would go but there is always something else more important. Maybe next week, when things settle down. Next week, we'll go back to blogging, and quilting, and photography, maybe even make a complicated fish soup. Maybe. Until then my friends, bonne weekend to all of you!
Comments
Ah good to know that you're quite nicely settled. And trying to resist the pastry/cake temptation that I never managed (and which contributed to 15 extra kilos in just 2 years). But indeed there is no excuse not to dress up in Paris, it's difficult to live with it once you step out of the house.
If your hubby is into wine, there is a very good oenology course in the rue du Faubourg St Honoré, 8th arr (one evening a week maximum) that my hubby used to attend. The more important thing about the course is that it puts you into relation with the instructor who is a wine expert with an excellent private cave and who organises, par amour pur for the food and the wine, occasional wine-tasting sessions and outings often combined with a cooking session or excellent meal in a restaurant. We sometimes return to Paris just for that when we couldn't resist his latest offer. He also know viticulteurs from whom we can buy very good wine directly...
I've a few friends who have gone through the Sorbonne course, I believe it could be quite fun. And you'll be able to shop quite a bit after classes, there are interesting shops in the Latin Quarter all the way to Saint Germain des Près. :-) My favourite Gyros (sandwich grec) is in the St Michel area...
Bonne installation!!!
PS : You'll love the kids' clothes in Paris too!
Hi ttc, no we haven't had a drop of wine these past few days. But now that the dust is settling, he would no doubt do so.
Beaulotus, husband is very interested to know about the course, do you have the name of the organiser? Thanks!
Kid's clothes are gorgeous but terribly dear, we'll have to wait for a good bargain.
Go to http://www.ebeaujon.org/ and on the left you'll see windows. Clic on "activités adultes" and under oenologie you'll see M. Bloc (he's the wine expert) mentioned. For the dates and prices, you'll have to check with Reception directly. I believe that your hubby studied in France so he'll manage the French. They also have other activities for children and adults (e.g. Capoeira, gym etc).
For almost free classes of all sorts, near the Sorbonne (around from the Panthéon), there is the Association Philotechnique http://philotechnique.fr. But of course expect big classes and they are usually on evenings or over the weekend.
Actually I've always found kids' clothes cheaper and nicer in France than elsewhere. I'm not talking about Baby Dior, just plain TCF (Tout compte fait), DPAM, Sergent Major, even Monoprix... And check out Gap Kids and Baby Gap, they have offers all year round (in the 16th and 17th they are at av. Victor Hugo and av des Ternes). Then you'll have to do the magasins dégriffés, where you get the brands (e.g. Jacardi, IKKS...) for less. Most are outside Paris, in the suburbs, though. And there is branded outlet shopping...:-)
In the rue d'Alésia (14th), you have a street filled with shops selling at a discount (e.g. Cacharel, Azzaro, Sinéquanone, Zapa...)
I also do a lot of internet shopping (this season's brands at 30-70% off). If you're interested, send me a private message with your email and I can then sponsor you. Private sale of Dourthe's wines is coming up the day after, I think.
And there is catalogue shopping too. www.vertbaudet.fr and www.laredoute.fr have interesting clothes for children.
I hope that you've visited the markets at rue Poncelet (17th) and rue Daguerre (14th). They are my favourites.
And I bring my kids to the Parc Monceau (8th) sometimes. They like it there.
hi beaulotus, thanks for all your tips ! I've forwarded the wine link to husband, he is looking forward to that. and i'll be sending you that email for internet shopping too. as for markets, the nearest for us is the President Wilson one in 16th, but I'll definitely explore the other markets. My friend slurp gave me a book called Paris in A Basket which reviews all the major markets in Paris so I have a handy guide.