"The End"

Today is the twenty-fifth day I've been stateside, and I realized that I never got around to writing that "last blog entry" about Paris. So I'm doing that now. This way, I'll have written 30 times, which sounds much more impressive than 29, and I'll also write lots of introspective, intelligent sounding things that I've pondered over the past few weeks.

First of all, I'm 21 as of yesterday. Which means I can legally drink, (again.) Which is nice, because being legal in France and then not legal for 3 weeks was really just a pain. And back to France...

I don't necessarily miss it. I was definitely ready to come back, and I'm glad I'm here. Though I've found that when I start talking to people who are going to Paris soon on vacation (like Jessica at work, or my friend Bobby at school), and they ask for suggestions, I get sad because I think I really should just be there to give them the grand tour myself. But alas, I no longer live a ten minute walk from Trocadero or Charles deGaulle-Etoile. I am a ten minute walk away from Coldstone, however. And the Millbrook Pool. Which is to say, my life remains glamorous.

Giving suggestions to Jessica and Bobby made me realize that I should really do what Maryse did on her Paris blog, which is write lots of thing that are good to do in Paris, and list them on my blog for all to read. That way, when people want suggestions, I can send them a link! My laziness is escalating to new levels.

Here we go. In no real order whatsoever....
things to do in paris:
-chill in luxembourg gardens. get amorino gelato nearby.
-picnic lots: Parc Monceau, Bois de Boulogne, Parc de la Villete, Buttes-Chaumount are all excellent.
-climb the arc de triomph at sunset
-explore la defense. its the opposite of paris
-go to the 20th. Metro Menilmontant. Coolest. Area. Ever.
-go to a jazz club
-have a party on a boat in the seine (thanks, sweet briar)
-velib across the city. go through scary traffic circles. generally live life on the edge.
-trocadero at night for eiffel tower light show
-see the pompidou center, the orangerie
-louvre on wednesday or friday nights (free on friday if you are under 26)
-get into, then over, the club scene
-train to Giverny, rent bikes, see monet's gardens
-eat baguettes as meals

...on that note, places to eat at/things to eat:
- A La Biche au Bois, 42 ave ledru-rollin (m: ledru-rollin)
- Cafe Dulcet, near Luxembourg Gardens (m: rennes)
- Macarons. LaDuree, Pierre Herme. Vanilla is so good. (m for laduree: st germain de pres-- m for pierre herme: concorde)
- Savory Crepes at Au P'tit Grec; Rue Mouffetard, 5th a. (m: place monge)
- Sweet Crepes at the creperie next to the Moulin Rouge (m: pigalle)
- Falafal at L'As du Falafal, Rue de Rosiers, in the Marais (m: st paul)
- Les 4 Freres, cheap algerian deliciousness (m: belleville)
- Pho or Thai in chinatown (m: tolbiac)
- The Wall, Rue Mouffetard for cheap drinks (m: place monge)
- Dix Bar for cheap sangria (m: odeon)
- Chez Elham for Persian food, near Centre Pompidou (m: Chatelet)
- Overpriced ice cream at Bertillon, anywhere on Ile St. Louis
- Almond Croissants, my favorite were at the lime green boulangerie across from metro censier-daubenton

Hm. I really do miss almond croissants. I had a croissant yesterday from Kayak's and it was a tragedy. Also, is it telling about me that my "things to eat" list is longer than my "things to do" list? All my money went to food....and that is sort of okay with me. I only wish I had taken pictures of more of my food, to commemorate the deliciousness. Let this be a lesson: take pictures of delicious food when the majority of your student loan is going towards it.

And on that uplifting note, I think it is time to bid adieu to this blog about Paris. I miss its delicious food, fashionable characters, haussmanian streets (& oodles of history!!), and obscenely efficient metro system. And life in one language lacks a certain degree of excitement and challenge that life in franglish provided. The good news is that I'm taking two 400 level french courses next year on 18th century literature and writing-intensive in french.

That's sure to bring back the good memories, right?