Sweet Home Paris

It has been nearly 2 months since Mark and I moved to Paris. The process of moving – as I have said before – is never fun but those trials and frustrations make it all the more sweeter when you finally can settle into your new home.

We moved into our “permanent” apartment on May 7th and we have really enjoyed getting settled and exploring our new neighborhood. We chose to live in the 5th arrondissement which is on the left bank of the River Seine. (An arrondissement is like a neighborhood within a city, like Georgetown in DC or Cloverdale in Montgomery.) We are just two blocks from Luxembourg Gardens and we live on a quintessential French street adorned with a butcher, farmers market for produce, fromagerie (cheese), patisserie (desserts), boulangerie (bread) and wine store. We also have several clothing shops, restaurants, cafes and bars all along the street. When it is time to cook dinner, Mark and I just walk down the street and pick up the ingredients for our meal. It is so much fun!

For everything else, we walk to one of the other nearby markets. It is quite a change from what we were accustomed to in DC, especially since we no longer own a car. Mark and I often have to remind each other that whatever we buy at the supermarché must be carried back to the apartment building AND up 4 flights of stairs. So, only as much wine and Coke Light as we can carry.

We are very pleased with the apartment itself. It has a very Parisian feel to it with the wood beams on the ceilings, hardwood floors and large windows. However, I am happy to say that other than its compact size, our kitchen is not very Parisian. We have an American style kitchen with a 4 burner stove and regular oven, dishwasher and almost standard refrigerator.

Getting accustomed to the 4th floor walk-up was fun, especially when we had to move in our 9 bags of luggage. Lilly hasn’t been too keen on the stairs so I have started a little game with her. Whenever we are coming back from a walk, I race her up the stairs. So far Lilly hasn’t beaten me – even when I take the occasional fall (at which Mark always laughs) - but she gets really excited about the competition. 

The adjustment to living here took longer than I initially expected, but I feel like Paris is starting to feel more and more like home. I really do think living where we do within the city has made a huge difference. The people at the butcher and the farmers market are getting to know us since we come in nearly every day. It is nice feeling like locals in a city we don’t know too well. Mark is even learning more French so he can order the right kind of meat from the butcher, and we are learning to convert our pounds into kilograms. Baby steps...old habits die HARD! Luckily they are all very patient with us.

I really enjoy going to buy produce. Not only is it so nice to finally find good tomatoes but there is an old man that works in the store that always asks in French how I am doing. And if I respond with anything other than très bien, he seems concerned. He is so sweet, and even though I don’t understand him half the time, he makes me feel special.

As far as our adjustment to the new language, I think Mark and I are doing okay. We have learned what we like to call “menu French.” This means we are able to order food and have some idea of what will be served. Earlier this week I enrolled in an intensive French language course that begins on Monday. I will be taking classes Monday through Friday - 20 hours a week of nothing but French – should be fun!

 

Paris is such a special place, and living here is a great experience for us both. Now that we are feeling more and more like locals, we are able to see the quirks of the city. So just for fun, I started compiling a list of things that someone visiting or living in Paris would never say. I hope this doesn’t offend anyone. It might only make sense to a few people, but I had fun compiling it so I wanted to share.

 

Things you would NEVER say in Paris:

I’d like less ice with my soda.

There isn’t enough cheese on my meal.

Parisians don’t smoke enough.

This kitchen is too large.

The drivers here are very courteous to pedestrians.

This phone network works too well.

Man, wifi is abundant here!

I can’t believe how cheap it is to live here.

Could these prices get any lower?

What a bargain!

There just aren’t enough wine choices on this menu.

Why isn’t there any outdoor seating?

I wish there were more tourists.

They really need more museums.

Napoleon was from France, I had no idea!

These buildings don’t have enough character.

Where’s the culture?

The shopping choices are so limited.

This city needs more bridges and lights.  

I have noticed a severe lack of gardens.

Where are all the high carb options?

I’m concerned I don’t have enough fat in my normal diet.

Why are there so many gyms?

This coffee is too weak.

Why can’t I find a good dessert anywhere?

 

I also wanted to share some photos. Please ignore the random pieces of luggage and lack of décor. It is a work in progress.

 

 

 

Looking from the master bedroom to the den. Bathroom is on the left.

 

Master bedroom, I love the built-ins!
 

 

 

View from the den.

View from the den (looking toward our shops).

AND a little Lilly in the city action!

 

  

 

C’est la vie, yall! Thanks for reading!