Look who dropped in to gay Paris! My good friend, Blake (as well as his sweet friend, Bryan) who I haven’t seen in practically a year due to both of us studying abroad. It has been so much fun to reunite with him and to be able to show him around the city.

How sweet it is to see Paris through the eyes of someone who’s never been here before!

The other day, when my friend, Matthieu, realized that I had yet to visit the old railroad tracks where they would hang out after school, he couldn’t believe it. “Ça fait quatre ans que tu venais ici et t’as jamais été sur les rails? Mais ça va pas!” (You’ve been coming here for four years now and you’ve never been on the rails? That’s no good!)

Donc, this afternoon, we decided to have lunch on the abandoned chemin de fer of what used to be “La Petite Ceinture,” which, in it’s day, circled almost the entire city. 

We walked along a good stretch of it and it was so interesting to see Paris from this angle. I couldn’t help marveling about how there’s always something new to discover in this city every time I come back…

Voila quelques petits personnages du quartier du Marais… The lady dressed in all green who was cutting a rug and this curious monsieur riding around on his carriage. On s’enuit pas ici!

Sunday Brunch is not so bad in Paris…

What you are looking at is dessert. Unfortunately, I was just too hungry by the time my meal got to me to document it. It was almost 2 ‘oclock! Can you blame me?

This afternoon, I decided to check out the David Lebovitz recommended Breizh Café known for its traditional buckwheat galettes à la bretonne and artisan cider—two of my favorite things! After settling into a community table in the shop (the restaurant was too full with reservations), I decided on an egg, cheese, ham and mushroom galette (now do you see why is was eaten up before I could take a picture of it! I’m not even sorry…) and a little bowl of their house cider—they had over twenty to choose from!

It was more than delicious. It was trop bon. Made me want to pack all my things and move to Britanny where this goodness originates.

My waiter and waitress couldn’t have been more friendly, I might as well have been eating lunch with them! By the time I was finished, I was sufficiently full, but I was having so much fun chatting with the two of them that I didn’t want to leave quite yet. So when Sarah, my waitress, asked me if I was interested in dessert, well I decided I might as well look at the menu… Before I knew it she was talking to me about house made apple sauce, Bordier (maker of the best butter in France) caramel beurre salé, and artisan ice cream… well, what kind of girl would I be if I said no to that?! I swear, had I been alone, I would have licked the plate.

I even ended up exchanging numbers with my two waiters! Here’s to beyond yummy food and new friends! Happy Sunday!

Dreams came true tonight. Esperanza Spalding played a show in Paris and I got to witness it—second row! (Like mother like daughter I suppose…)

What an amazing night. I was teary-eyed from happiness.

Merci Esperanza et merci Paris! Bonne nuit!

Walking all over Paris can make a girl hungry! Cat and I sought out steak-frites for dinner on rue Montorgueil…

Obviously, we did not hate it.

It was the perfect meal to energize us for more walking!

First Berthillon of the summer: Lait d’Amande et Pêche de vigne (Almond milk and vine  peach). Might be my best combination yet, dare I say it.

Bonnes Vacances from Ile Saint Louis!

Every year le Grand Palais hosts Monumenta, where they recruit a contemporary artist from all over the world to create a huge installation in the Nave. This year was famous French artist, Daniel Buren. He filled the Nave with a ceiling of colored, transparent circles. It was pretty spectacular due to the roof of le Grand Palais being constructed entirely of glass, so when the sun shined through the floor was lit up with hundreds of colored circles. Here’s what it looks like when they light it up at night…

My good friend, Cat, is visiting me for a few days! Man, it is so good to be reunited and back to our old tricks. We’ve pretty much scheduled her whole visit around food—not much as changed. This morning we wandered around Montmartre and had breakfast at Coquelicot—an adorable and delicious bakery with outdoor community tables and large bowls of lattes. An oeuf à la coque and brioche with apricot jam were just what we needed to start the day...