Restaurants, cafes, coffee shops in Canal Saint Martin, Paris, 11th arrondissement

Something’s Brewing in Canal Saint Martin

The 10th Arrondissement has long been a forgotten neighbourhood of Paris, overshadowed by the romance of Montmartre above, and the cool vibe of the Marais below. Although it has always boasted the Canal Saint Martin, a favorite summertime picnic spot of young hip thangs from that side of town, the rest of the surrounding streets are home to multicultural establishments: African, Indian, East European, Turkish, Italian, Asian, and probably any other non-French influence you can think of has staked a claim here.

Over the past few years, the 10th has become increasingly more gentrified, and although I dislike this word and phenomenon for many reasons, you can’t deny the perks that come with such an economic shift. Now bear with me, I have zero actual knowledge of economic systems, but here are my thoughts: On one hand, property values increase, driving the poorer community out, bringing in more tourists, and eventually spoiling what had made the area charming in the first place. I don’t believe this has happened yet – the neighbourhood does not bring in a ton of tourists, but I will say it attracts a lot of young foreign residents. Lots of international students, bloggers, and people who work in the arts, and those are my kind of people!

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Cupcakes and other Food Fads

Cupcakes, FroYo, and Thoughts on Food Fads

The other day I was pondering all the semi-recent food trends that have swept the United States, or at least California. I can think of FroYo, bubble tea, and cupcakes, just to name a few of the most prominent. There are two things that Americans love: Food and Invention. We love a new idea, a fresh take on something previously seen as ordinary. Take fruit for instance – only Americans would think “hey, lets organize this fruit into a bouquet that people can eat, and call it ‘Edible Arrangements!” And think of Sprinkles Cupcakes, with their cupcake ATM! I can’t wait to see what crops up next… 3D printed food, anyone?

I’ve noticed that these food novelties aren’t quite as big here in Paris; The French are more protective of tradition, which is why you can find baguettes and pain au chocolat on literally any street corner. One exception is burgers, the un-sophisticatd meal you can eat with your hands, which weren’t always a staple on many Parisian menus like they are today. You can find bubble tea (for which I had a craving the other day), but usually tucked away in nondescript corners, and I have yet to see a single frozen yogurt establishment like Pinkberry or Yogurtland. As far as the cupcake trend goes, I would say it’s part of a larger tendency toward specialty sweet-shops, as opposed to general Bakeries. Popelini, for instance, specialises in fancy cream puffs, while l’Éclair de Genie makes uber gourmet éclairs that are literally a work of art.

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Visual Diary: Exploring Versailles

Today I decided to explore my new town a bit more, get familiar with the streets, scope out restaurants, and make mental notes of essentials like dry cleaners and bakeries. It was quite brisk out, with a freezing wind on the larger boulevards, but as long as I kept a quick pace, it was manageable.

Here is my visual diary of the day, or at least half of it. The remainder I spent watching Kiki’s Delivery Service under a blanket.

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