Some things that I love about Paris so far...

Here goes, a list of the things that are oh so Parisian and oh so adorable:

1) French people really do love their bread and cheese. It is deemed unacceptable to eat any kind of cheese with a bread that is not a baguette, unless of course it is a Croque Monsieur but that's another story. And I can see why, baguettes here cost on average 1 euro and are delicious! It is also not uncommon for French people to ride their bicycles through Paris and Le Vesinet with some baguettes peeping over their front basket which is très picturesque. I have no idea how they are so thin!

2) Live music on the RER/Metro. Now sometimes, particularly when recovering from a hangover or if the music is just terrible, this can be a nightmare. But mostly, it is lovely. Real Parisian music brightens the outdated interior of any metro. The awkward part comes when they ask for money and no-one makes eye contact or acknowledges them. I tend to smile in appreciation (I have yet to part with my money, you might say I'm being stingy, I say I'm waiting for the musician that really blows me away).

3) Parisian Cafés - bizarrely chic places where indulging on un verre du vin at 11am is considered normal, even necessary. If you're not ordering wine or coffee, you are obviously in the wrong place. By the by, as a friend and I were advised by a rather impertinent older French couple, young ladies are to drink white wine during the day and red wine pour la nuit. It's all about apearances you see.

4) Fashion (aka appearances). I like shopping. A lot. But Paris takes the experience of shopping to a whole new level. Place de la Concorde is a good place to nose around for the latest designer trends, most notably Chanel. J'adore Chanel! Mais malheuresment c'est trop chér pour moi! Window shopping is definately recommended. And then there are the huge department stores: Le Printemps, Galeries Lafayettes, Chatelet Les Halles. For me, the most influential fashion is that of the Parisian woman. Not the one dressed in head to toe in Louis Vuitton, but the tall slender dark-haired woman with the incredibly simple but exquisitely tailored wardrobe. Parisian chic: no bold prints, simple block colours, good cuts, classic handbags and impeccable shoes. Voila! Even the men always have good shoes.

5) Paris is a romantic city. In more than just the obvious couples smooching kind of way. Granted there are excessive amounts of tourists in some of the best places, with tacky and overpriced shops to accommodate them. But if you walk down the right side street, if you let yourself wander without hurry or fear of getting lost, you will see glimpses of the real Paris. Take Notre Dame for example. She is beautiful, without doubt, but wander a little and you will find yourself in the Latin Quarter, in parts of Paris that are not so concerned with appearances but contain character and something other; something that has attracted generations of writers, poets, artists and the like. It is easy to forget that this version of Paris exists, but once in it I know exactly why I'm here.