Jazz behind Moulin Rouge and Alice in the Marais...

Sometimes I forget how much I adore living in a city like Paris. This normally happens when I've spent all day with two 6-year olds who make me want to tear my hair out (just kidding, kind of). But then I experience the places I am about to tell you about and I remember the awesomeness of Paris and French culture and wonder how I am ever able to forget that feeling.

The first place I want to tell you about is a jazz bar behind the Moulin Rouge. I stumbled in here quite by accident, proceeded down the spiral stone steps into the basement (most live music in Pars is held underground, they have so many old dungeons for space! I love it) and found a vibrant jazz bar called Autour de Midi. The band was tres francais, they loved their music and blended together like age old friends, which most of them probably were. They did more than blend musically, they bounced off each other. Members of the band came onto the stage and were replaced or joined by others as the night went on. A singer also appeared and she was truly amazing: her silky yet husky voice complimented the music perfectly. Entrance was "libre" and the waiter brought us our beers promptly but appeared unfussed whether we ordered or not (it was an inconvenience to his enjoyment of the music if anything, but the atmosphere was like this and he fitted in). We seemed to be the only non-French people in the place; to my right were a gang of stoned looking teenagers, to my left a group of older ladies enveloped in vintage couture and whose excessive plastic surgery did not effect their ability to enjoy the music before them (although it did prevent them from smiling).
A gold find, I will be going there again. Please note the photo in this case is not mine, but has been googled just to give you a taste of the place! http://www.autourdemidi.fr/

There is a small tea room (yes tea, not coffee, although this is France and you can of course order a delicious coffee almost anywhere) hidden in a corner of the Marais. The place is called Le Loir dans la Theiere - roughly translated as the mouse in the teapot. The tea room presents an Alice in Wonderland theme - hence the name in recognition of the Mad Hatter and friends tea party. It is altogether much more Lewis Carroll than Disney, and I mean this in a good way. There are fresh home made cakes on display, no menu is available but think of a hot drink you'd like and chances are they'll make it for you. The place is filled with trendy indie-looking young people gossiping over thick hot chocolate. The staff are much the same as the clientele and the atmosphere is relaxed yet buzzing. A very cosy and lively place to go on a cold winter's day.

Le Loir dans la Théière, 3, Rue des Rosiers, 75004 Paris

I have more to say on a couple of other hotspots but will save this for my next post.

A bientot xxx

Vous Etes Anglaise?

Here goes, my first real post written on my new netbook woop de doo! That sounds sarcastic but it isn't. I have quite a few updates for you, oh and the good news is that I've managed to shake off la grippe and am now much better (all gravy, one might say).

Being somewhat flued up last time we spoke, I have yet to retell my first encounter with a French doctor. I failed with this task before having really begun it. My host family gave me the name and number of their local doctor, who I promptly called only to be informed, en français, that the doctor was currently on vacation and would be available for consultations from the 1st of May. Yes, a full 4 months later. The French take their vacations very seriously but this was an extreme even to me after living here for almost half a year. I suppose doctors need more time off than us average folk.
Having huffed and puffed along the 20 minute walk to a doctors which was indeed open, with a fever of 39 degrees, I eventually arrived at a rather nondescript looking door and stumbled within, only to find a deserted hallway and what appeared to be a deserted waiting room. Such things are unheard of in England, it was refreshing not to be met with an array of germ-infested children and their parents at this time of year. However, the lack of recognition of my entrance was a little bit disturbing! An interesting sidenote is also that here a "docteur" is not someone equipped to give you medical advice but instead a very intelligent PHD graduate. Doctors are referred to as Le Medecin, not to be confused with les medicaments. Which can actually get very confusing at pharmacies, waiting rooms etc.

My English politeness forbade me to make my presence known other than by the reoccurring and involuntary coughing and chest wheezing. This had the desired effect though as shortly a door was opened and a loud "Oui" echoed along the corridor. The doctor was an elderly gentlemen who raised his eyebrows as I appeared; no doubt disgusted by my obvious contagiousness.

The consultation itself was less painful than perhaps thought. After promptly recognising "vous etes anglaise?" the doctor proceeded to bark English orders at me, which included  "do you know what this is?" whilst holding a new-age thermometer at my head, followed by "it is a gun! hahaha". You've got to love French comprehension of English humour, especially when one is ill, feverish and slightly disillusional. The consultation ended with a charge of 33 euros along with a prescription for several expensive medicines and a firm refusal to shake my hand goodbye "you never know, with this flu, I do not want to become ill, especially as it is not French flu no, it is the English flu! Much worse." I assumed he was joking but in retrospect am no longer too sure.

Voila, there ends my tale of French medicine. I went home, bought the meds, took the meds and got better. Nothing too special about that but it was overall quite an expensive and confusing experience which I can now chalk down to knowledge of French culture and way of life.

I will post this now and continue shortly with a description of my other more fun adventures.

A bientot mes amis xxx

New Year, New Beginnings?

To begin things properly, here's to a brilliant 2011!

2010 was a great year for me: it was the year I graduated, the year I had been working towards for three straight years. The year I took my final university exams at one of the best universities in the UK and really learned things about the way I write and accordingly about myself.  I had some great tutors at Warwick, one in particular will always stay in my mind. I proved to myself that I could achieve despite anything. Fear of failure is one of my greatest obstacles and so this was a big moment for me.

2010 is also of course the year that I moved to Paris, 4 months ago now.  It looked like I might not have been able to get home for Christmas due to the heavy snow in France and England and the Eurostar's notorious inability to cope with cold weather. My train was cancelled but I was rather lucky; I was given passage on an earlier train in first class with complimentary wine and food! I was not complaining. Being home was lovely, I got to see friends, my boyfriend and of course my family. Santa spoilt me rotten as did the boyfriend.

Continuing with my what I like to see as cosmopolitan lifestyle, I greeted the New Year in Trafalgar Square, London, after a cocktail or two watching the fireworks. Earlier on in the day the boy and I put on our ice-skating boots at Somerset House which was a lot of fun and I'm proud to say I didn't fall once! I'd love to go skating in Paris soon.

I'm currently bed-ridden with the flu (the English flu! as the French doctor said to me in disdain), which has meant no looking after small children (I'm very contagious) and no French classes (which really bugs me as I know I will have missed alot and it's bloody expensive) but I'm starting to feel more like myself and fingers crossed I'll be up and about bossing small people around in no time. I will update again once better.

A Happy New Year to all xxx