Paris

Jam packed exploring day -- get ready to be exhausted from the rundown.

The morning (well, let's say 11:00, because generally we don't get moving very quickly, but thankfully, neither does Europe):

• Metro to Sacre Coeur - We use our best "don't eff with us" faces to ward off the swindlers & pickpockets at the gates of Sacre Coeur; the cathedral is beautiful, more for the view and because of the white Gypsum that it's made from than the actual interior
• Montmartre - Awesome district of Paris that has roots as bohemian and artsy -- this is where the starving artists lived after the turn of the century because no one could afford the heart of Paris -- a really lovely neighborhood resulted; Think it's where I'll stay next time, as it's got cafe after cafe and great shops at reasonable prices
  
• Moulin Rouge - Crap hole, but you figure "well, while I'm here, I should at least walk by..."
• Lunch - Small outdoor cafe that was probably chosen more for the crepe stand rather than the sandwiches; Banana and Nutella crepes are introduced to us
  
• Bus to Luxembourg Gardens (by way of Louvre (super long walk) and another long walk in search of a boat thinking that maybe now is the time to go down the Seine)
• Luxembourg Gardens are amazing, even more amazing is the number of people in it; Paris, like Seattle, potentially consists of people that flee their offices at the first glimpse of sun in spring as the grounds are crawling with people (non-tourists) -- reading books, playing chess, bocci ball, kids having toy sailboat races, etc.
  
• Plan to go down river is hijacked by my desire to go to Flamant on the left bank (endless buses and walking/getting lost necessary to find the store that doesn't exist on maps, phone calls to my sister for directions ensue, as well as a Google map from a hotel concierge)
• Explored Saint Germain-des-Pres as a result of (being lost) looking for Flamant
• Finally find it! Friend gets hit on by two shopboys (real phone numbers and everything) and we're invited to go dancing; I'm told I am "beautiful, like our paints" and other people in the store laugh at the stupid American girl who is trying to ask what kind of base they use - "Resin? Acrylic? Clay?" Things get massively twisted around in translation, conversation is a lost cause
• Flamant bonus: Laduree is nearby, so I buy the famous macaroons for us under the guise that it's a thank you to friend for aimlessly wandering Paris due to home store fetish (really just wanted to stuff face with cookies...)
  

Evening:

• Louve - Bus back to central downtown area and hit the Louvre after the Friday evening admission discount is in play; Power through the exhibits even though we're starting to feel the effects of the day; Highlight is not the Mona Lisa, but rather taking pervy pictures in a deserted wing of the Roman statue hall, wild schoolgirl giggling ensues
  
• Close down the Louvre and catch metro to the Eiffel Tower area so we can get on a boat for the river tour
• Disclaimer: Thought long and hard about this, but after being told to do it by several Parisians, we opted to follow-through -- especially thought it was a good way to see Paris at night since we were not staying in the thick of the city
• Consensus: Nice way to see the city at night, but wouldn't make the same recommendation to anyone else, some Asian guy did take friend's picture though, potentially thought she was part of the tour, as people think she looks like Britney Spears
  

12:30 AM:

• Exhausted and whiny, we catch three different metro trains to make it back to the 'burbs; oddly, apartment owner has left us a note saying she's not sure whether she'll be home for the night (shacking?) so we have the apartment to ourselves, not that we needed it, we both fell asleep immediately.

Big day. Did the tourist in us proud.

I'm the idiot who didn't know about Zara Home

I'll say it. I didn't know there was Zara Home. How stupid does that make me on a relative scale?

While experiencing, spotted these goodies that will have to stay right there since there is no room for home goods in my bag:


Overall, I thought it would be a good place for accessory-type items in the states, but aside from that, I was a little underwhelmed. By all means, let me know if I'm missing something and there are major gems to be found on a large scale, but it really seemed like a glorified Pier One.

Sp-elgian?

I saw this chair in a shop in Spain and kind of had to laugh. It is so Belgian upon first glance, but then you can see that the legs and arms have just a crazy amount of detail and engraving on them. I mean carvings out the wah-zoo.

Maybe it's the compromise the Spanish made with the Belgians when they agreed to import their style, like "we'll take your neutral fabrics and paints, but we won't give up our right to carving!"

Anyways. Musings on foreign policy and design.

Now that's a door

A great door in Seville that I came across. Loved that is was massive and imposing, but you could still get a peek into what is a beautiful courtyard, and if you look hard enough, their dog that is watching from behind it.

Shameful...

I am hanging my head in shame, but as my Parisian friends would say "eet eez so 'ard" to get some of this damn stuff up on the internet.

Empty promises, but I do promise, they aren't. I've been to Flamant and embarrassed myself with terrible French and a point and shoot camera, I've got some pictures of some walks around Spain and Paris, so sit tight. I'll get in gear with the proper internet and computer set up shortly.

Regular programming to continue as soon as possible.

London could teach us something

While I've been to stressed and tired to take pictures of the people I've been watching during a two day stay in London airports, I have witnessed one of the most diverse populations. Granted it's an airport, so everyone is coming and going, but just based on the people helping us in restaurants, ticket counters, etc., there is way more diversity than what I get back in the states. Whether it's a gaggle of punk teens or just the general appearance that everyone is from somewhere else, it's really quite amazing.

Wish I had some pictures of the fashion that I've seen on the teenagers around here, so refreshing after being around teens that look no different than 30-year-olds due to whatever bug is going around in the USA making kids grow up too fast.

Mostly Hippie Bullshit

Kate Moss's spring line at Top Shop offered only these two items in my opinion, but don't take my word for it, see for yourself here.

Housekeeping

So here's the deal. My big trip has arrived and I'm going to be a little out of touch for a bit -- well, more like three months.

I've got grand plans of updating and posting about wonderful European things but at the same time, I've also got to get out and you know, see it.

SO.

Please continue to check in -- your persistence will be rewarded every now and then with an update on something wonderful from Rome or Spain, or perhaps the UK. I've got a few design related things on the itinerary as well and also hope to get ahead of the 8 ball on some fashion, so do come along for the ride.

Au revoir.

Girl, you cray-zy.

While overcoming an evening dose of caffeine, I started killing time reading the recap of the most recent "Real Housewives of New York" episode in which Kelly Bensimon makes a fool out of herself (i know, more so that usual).

I typically don't read the comments, but I went one page too far and got sucked in.

Favorite comment left in response to the question of whether she went to college:

The real loser of last night's show was Columbia University, which apparently claims Kelly as a graduate.......the woman can't put a thought together, never mind a coherent sentence.

By mamiejane on 04/01/2009 at 4:41pm

My peeps at Daily Intel also included a wonderful line-by-line recap of her fight with Bethenny. Hilarious. Read it and maybe this comment will be funnier.

Listen Closely...

And you can hear the whimper that has emanated out of me for the last 48 hours. 48 long hours since I realized that the haircut I got on Saturday was totally fucked. Yes, fucked.

I don't know what happened. I said "take some weight out so it dries fast and waves easily." She heard "make it look like I got drunk one night and passed out too close to a fan, I love that 'just cut gum out of my hair' look."

I'm so screwed. My easy-breezy Europe hair has now been massacred and I have no idea why. What is it with stylists being totally unreliable? It feels a little unacceptable. She was my normal girl! I say "was" also because after this (if it's salvageable) I don't think I'll be visiting again, which puts me at square one for a stylist.

Also, I called the salon and asked to see a senior person today when they try to repair the damage. Right now, the general consensus is that I'll have to do something drastic in order to fix this hot mess. And, I do mean 'general consensus,' because everyone from my old co-workers to my 7-year-old nephew have cringed upon viewing.

Awesome.