What a wonderful week. I got to see so many of my favorite (actual and wanna-be) Parisians over these past five days. And before that, I got to spend an incredible weekend nestled in my newly re-arranged (man handled all my furniture for some new needed feng shui) treehouse apartment. It is slowly but surely feeling more and more like my home. (Even though I haven’t signed a long term lease yet because still ZIP on the visa. It’s going on 7 months — beyond INSANE.)
LE DERNIER WEEKEND
In fact, though, even the city felt more and more like home this past weekend.
I invited Simon over to see the new layout and for us to spend some time together. Life has led us to spend many months apart at the end of 2024 and it feels nice to reintroduce ourselves to one another in this new chapter. We commenced the weekend with un petit pour of a French Whiskey (not to be confused with Bourbon. As that originates only in her purest form in the southern part of the United States — comme moi!) Over the course of the weekend we dined and laughed a ton at Le Chardenoux (one of our most favorites), shopped for our picnic on Rue du Nil’s Terroirs d'Avenir Crèmerie, Boucherie-Charcuterie et Boulangerie-Pâtisserie (for the BEST bread on the planet). We biked all the way to Parc Montsouris for an outside lunch in the grass — where we were greeted promptly by a group of very proud policemen who told us that sitting on the grass would be excused today ONLY since the weather was nice. Alas, they will not make an “exception” starting tomorrow. So? Are we in trouble or are we ok to continue staining our teeth red with this convenient store (only “cave” open) bottle of red wine?
If you’re curious, our teeth turned ruby red.
We also walked all over the city last weekend and dined at another of our favorites — more of an American lunch counter — Coffee Parisian, before we made our way over to the newly renovated, and newest obsession of Simon’s, Pathe Palace Cinema, where we saw the best film EVER made: The Brutalist! (Coincidentally, the beginning credits revealed that it was produced by… wait for it, wait for it, my dear pal, Andrew. Wild! I just mentioned him on the last En Route. Synchronicity. GO SEE IT!)
So, in short – the city and this past weekend felt lovely, familiar, and like home.
CETTE SEMAINE
Monday, after a full day of work — that includes being a psycho and emailing the French government AGAIN about where my visa status lies (They didn’t answer. Insert fire coming out of head emoji), and the US Embassy about the delivery status of my passport (even though I had already received notification that it had been delivered - insert laughing tears coming from the eyes + a clown emoji!), I met Justine and Fanny for dinner at Reyna. We ordered practically one of everything on the small (delicious) menu as we discussed the pros and cons of having babies, owning our own houses and businesses, what the best neighborhoods to live in Paris are (the 11ème et 4ème were the top contenders. Forcément (obviously) – where we all live) and of course, where to buy the best bread.
That’s right! That topic comes up a lot over here! Luckily, I had JUST bought what I considered to be the best bread, this past weekend at Boulangerie-Pâtisserie dans Rue du Nil: Le Pain de Mie du Japonais. So I had a way into the conversation. Sometimes I have nothing to add as a newcomer. But this time, I felt like an expert. I even knew (and ate daily the summer I rented the apt in the 10th) the famous boulangerie: Du Pain et Des Idées that was high on their lists. Fanny even mentioned that sometimes she goes back to a restaurant just for the starter bread if it’s good. Forget the meal! Bring on du pain!
They were precious going back and forth and referencing their google maps for locations so each could earmark the places they needed to try. Le Clown Bar, before the ownership changed evidently, was the best in town in Fanny’s opinion. And Justine? She went down memory lane to La Pointe du Grouin, RIP evidently. A hidden speak-easy kind of bakery, she told us, that would serve up pints of cool cider and slices of hot bread in a tiny hole-in-the-wall — Paid for only by tokens that the owner would sell the client upon entry. Ha! No cash allowed. Doesn’t get much quirkier than that or more intriguing!
We also discussed Septime, and how I had attempted to get Simon and me on the books this past weekend - to no avail. Hardest reservation in town! Justine insisted that the move is to, instead, go next door to their sister restaurant, Clamato, (also keep trying to get in and too feels impossible) at 4pm on a Sunday. She said it is always available at that time. And since we Americans are game for a one-meal in the middle of the day kind of weekend plan, it would be very possible to go get a table with ease, hold court for hours, order all the things, get to experience the restaurant and waitstaff on downtime.. and all before the crowd comes pouring in and we most certainly will get ignored by the servers as they focus on their preferred clients, les Parisians. Consider me THERE next Sunday – if anyone is in town and wants to join!
The next day, Leah swam over to Île Saint Louis for lunch. It was monsoon out and when she showed up only mildly wet, and glowing, I was surprisingly shocked. Before we made our way over to our regular spot (only been twice together but I love a good tradition, so calling it “ours”), Ha Noi 1988 Sao Vang, for a piping hot bowl of noodles, I hosted her for a little bubble water and apartment viewing. She loved it and gave me so many great ideas for how to / what to / where to arrange, sort, and buy all the things. Upgrade!
I learned over our visit that the glow Leah was beaming was caused by her recent career change. As she gushed about her newest projects and the things she’s been working on, her shine illuminated! The glow was internal. J’adore! She is so happy! And so was I to see it. She is now enthusiastically answering to the title of Artiste (turning French by the minute).
By Wednesday I was back at it with my head down, workin (I’m loving it!), arranging apartment things, and ummmm BOOKING my mama’s flight over for a little voyage avec moi! Ok, SHE booked it. But it gave me such a boost of excitement to know that there is a date for us on the books to hug. I have been missing my family — just like last year around this time. It’s been two full months since laying eyes on them or arms over them. This time, I decided not to wait in asking her to come see me (as I did too often last year. Waiting until I was in dire need of a mama snuggle and therefore losing my mind with any and everyone who came in contact who WASN’T ma maman.) So happy! We have her arriving on the 15th, both leaping over the moon while she’s here, and then departing 5 ish days later. I can’t wait to have her in my home, have her scent around me, pick her up from the airport, see her permagrining as she always does here, have her help in rearranging my apartment (encore), see her get laughy-nervous about how she will answer when anyone French greets her with “ça va?,” and possibly cook with her (although I do believe I broke her heart in two when I confessed that my treehouse doesn’t have an oven. C’est la vie! Even if all we make together is an egg scramble on the stove top – it will be heaven.)
The excitement had me not walking, but skipping over to Oenostreia for dinner with MY Margot. The second we locked eyes we started giggling. I love my time with her so much and feel beyond lucky after every date we have that she’s in my life. It took us one full glass of wine, 75 stories about this past weekend, umpteen laughs, a pitstop outside for some fresh air, and two tables close to us turning over with new people, for us to decide to finally order food and start the dinner. We had a ball every second of the 4 hours together. Ma cherie!
Thursday I got to spontaneously see Selden for coffees and gabs. She met me first though at Oh My Cream where I was steadily sniff-and-repeating all of the Holidermie Deodorants before she helped me out and we landed on the N° Vert. That store! Get’s me in trouble. I want it all!!
After we popped out – arms loaded with all the organic facial goodness and Le Goodie Box pour moi!! (Hmmm best deal in tow, btw. Note to self (and all of you). Wait until you need EVERYTHING at once, then go buy it all and they will give you a Le Goodie Box full of big sample creams and cleansers etc. Yes please!) So… as I was saying… After we finished shopping for goodies, we discussed at length all the nitty gritty details of our personal lives. I have missed her so much! She feels like home – My beautiful southerner!
During our visit we both commiserate about speaking French and how / if we will ever hack the code if you will. She is learning from a tutor app, and moi?, I am still reading and writing every night and making myself speak to EVERY French person, other than my friends who I am still embarrassed to do it in front of, who will listen to me. We BOTH get wildly intimidated ENCORE to practice it with those who we regard. In fact, when I went to dinner a few nights ago with My Margot – I couldn’t bring myself to do it. Not once. I had been practicing all weekend and week long talking with Simon (he says he is impressed with my progress) and all of the poor vendors on my street. But with My Margot? Who I am simply wild about – and know she would be encouraging and proud – even with her, a friend who I feel so comfortable sharing the craziest / most intimate things with – I STILL can’t bring myself to practice French in front of her. I don’t want to mess up.
She on the other hand? Her English is INCROYABLE! She is using English words like ‘arbitrary’ (!!!) and throwing in ‘like’ in the exact right spots just as a regular ol’ native tongue English speaker would. Ahhhhhh She impresses me to the nth degree.
So, to bring us back... As Selden and I played our violins of language stuckness for the 15 minutes that we could have been speaking into our tiny phone microphones to a cartoon named Duolingo to improve, we both discovered that taxis are where we feel the most confident en Francais. Selden said “I kill it in a Taxi” which killed me. Made me laugh because she isn’t wrong. I do too! Every time I get in a closed moveable car with a stranger, I feel I can speak fluently. It’s rudimentary – when in a confined space that you know will only last a short time, you can have the freedom to explore ideas. Think about it?! The shower!!?? Hummmm only the BEST place in the world to come up with that new business idea, the correct words for the discussion you’ve been putting off, what dinner you’d like to serve friends, etc. It’s the place to quickly - yet not feeling rushed to come up with the solution - think through tough things and figure it out. The same sensation occurs to us in a taxi!!!! I don’t know, but I feel there’s a business in there somewhere. Expats, who learn / speak while riding? (Ok ok! Electric cars only! I can hear it now. Americans not only pollute the city coming in droves but now their joy rides are turning our air toxic. Ha! We would do it in a clean chic way, bien sur. Ha!)
So in short – this is the shortest En Route I’ve ever written. Yet full of LOVE because I had the best time. I saw TONS of friends, ate great food, laughed a lot, practiced French nonstop, and packed. I arrived in Ponthoile for a weekend away last night for: cooking, beach walks, electric blankets (I learned this is waiting on me there this time – eeeep!), and stargazing during the sleepless nights (eeek, yes, this happened again. But… it will come! This is a tranquil place. Zzzzzs must come! They will!) Waking up this morning to this view from the bedroom though erased all the tossing and turning … BEAUTIFUL!
Last night I spoke non-stop with Simon’s parents in French and it was the first time I felt like I fully understood the conversations around me. I feel hooked. And encouraged that my steadfast reading and practice is panning out. (Or, considering all the bread talk… maybe it should be PAINing out, eh?)
Shades on and off to the market now for a sunny day to buy all the fresh produce, fish, eggs, cheese, and meat!
Until next week… xxo ac
Ps: I also watched Jeanne de Barry this past week AND learned about the controversy behind the film etc from My Margot. Johnny Depp. Geez!!!! Get it together!!! But, if you can get past that for an hour and a half... And watch him as only King Louis XV, you will love love LOVE it. At least I did! I’m a sucker for a period-piece.
“Swam” is right ♥️ so aptly described!!