Wandering Wednesdays

I’m sure you all have been positively aching for some charming snapshots of Parisian streets, so I’ve hooked a sister (or bother) up!  :p  To be honest, this collection of photos didn’t actually require much “wandering” at all – they were all taken within a couple blocks of one another, on streets I’ve visited many times before.  But that doesn’t mean they’re familiar to you readers!

Odette is one of the cutest pastry shops in this city, so much so that it almost warrants the use of the term “adorbs,” but I won’t subject you to that kind of debauchery at this time.

As for the song above, it’s a classic from my high school days.  The song reminds me of summertime, so it was an obvious choice.

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Visual Diary – Anonymity of the Crowd

It seems like I can’t start a blog post without mentioning the weather.  It’s been a strange combination of rain and sun, like the sky just went through a breakup and is alternating between debilitating depression and sheer joy of what possibilities lie ahead.  I’ve never experienced a true spring, but I think this might be it.  I’m starting to miss the sun of California a little more now.  I’ve been slacking on the blog, feeling unmotivated, discouraged, and uncreative since I started a babysitting gig.  I haven’t been enjoying myself the past few weeks, but I’ve managed to gather some images for this Visual Diary… they are one of the easiest and most natural types of posts for me to write.

These pictures show the bipolar nature of the weather over the entire month of May, but I think they also reflect the detachment I’ve been feeling lately.  Only one image contains evidence of a human presence, instead focusing on solitary motifs or inaccessible constructions.  I’ve been feeling invisible in the world lately, when I’m in the busses and trains, I can just fade into a corner and almost not exist.  The foreign conversations around me mean nothing, so that it all becomes white noise; I avoid eye contact in public transportation because supposed cultural rules taught me that looking at a person in the eye can come across as either creepy or flirty; I walk past the same restaurants, shops, and train stations everyday, but I don’t know anyone; I see little windows on buildings bedecked with flowers and wonder who could possibly live there and what their lives could possibly be like, and if they’re happy; I’ve become annoyed with the French people and their way of life; and I wonder why I’m here and no longer really believe that I’m strong or interesting or cool for moving here.  Even though I blend into the crowd, looking and acting like a Parisian, I feel more disoriented and alien than ever.

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Square du Vert Galante on île-saint-louis paris

Perhaps the Most Romantic Spot in Paris, and Week Highlights

This week’s highlights have been defined by one thing: The SUNSHINE! I don’t think one fully understands the positive affects of that heavenly burning ball of gas, high up in the sky, until you live somewhere that experiences rain more than three times per year. Not only sunshine, but also sorbet, a new work opportunity, an American diner, and perhaps the most romantic spot in Paris. A big claim to make, I realise, but keep reading, people. Keep reading.

Last Sunday, a friend and I had brunch at Rose Bakery, a Franco-British establishment with a few locations around Paris. It’s been quite hyped up in “hipster circles” (for lack of a better term), and for good reason. The façade and interior are unassuming and comfortable, the food feels hearty, simple, and of good quality. That morning, I had a cappuccino, a pear cranberry muffin, and a quiche. The muffin wasn’t all sugar, and the quiche differed from French quiches in that it was square-shaped and had a sturdier crust. Only got a snapshot of the pretty foam on my cappuccino.

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Marché aux Fleurs

This is the second half of my Ile-de-la-Cité trip!

The Metro station Cité dropped me right on the edge of the flower market, and directly in front of St. Chapelle. I was pleasantly surprised by the flower market because I had forgotten about its existence, and because I love anything to do with flowers.

Not only were there flowers neatly arranged in rows and bunches, but also pots, lanterns, and garden accessories strewn about in the most charmingly chaotic way. I’ve heard that this area also becomes a bird market on certain days… I’ll definitely have to see what that’s all about. I mean, how many people can there possibly be who buy birds every week? In any case, here are the photos:

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