Things I love, including jazz, hat lady, & Pierre

Snapshots: May 7-13, 2012


Monday, May 7th

There's nothing quite like jazz in an old underground wine cellar on a Monday night!  I logged that away as another reason I love this city.  Two hours earlier I thought I would work late and then go home, but instead, I met Maygan & Kyle near Les Halles for jazz & wine.

Tuesday, May 8th

Where else could it be?  The bowl, the wooden spoon, surrounded by even more desserts?  This was visit #2 in one week.  And finally, everyone on staff knows who I am.  Dreams achieved, my friends.

Wednesday, May 9th

Sadly, today is Hayley's last day in Paris, and she's off to Scotland for a new adventure!  Hayley was our FIRST guide to be hired specifically for Easy Pass, and she was amazing!!  Thankful for her always positive attitude and for getting us through the crazy days.

The double backpack combo made it hard to give her an actual goodbye hug.  But a backpack hug works, too.  

Thursday, May 10th

I've talked about crazy hat lady before, right??  She lives in our neighborhood, and she wears epic giant hats that are beyond reasonable belief.  And the outfit always matches.  And it's usually crazy bright colors.  With giant multi-layered necklaces.  My favorite part is that I usually see her all decked out like this at the grocery store of all places, the least likely place for a person to be dressed up wearing a crazy hat, as I caught her here, in the coffee aisle.  Look at the size of that thing!! Anyway, Jillian and I are obsessed with her.  We just want to know more.  What does her closet look like?  How many hats are there?  Where does she get them made??  I must know.

Friday, May 11th

I went back to l'Apin Agile (the old-timey caberet place) because I had left my umbrella when we went last week.  Do you remember the good-looking singer who I fell in love with?  The only thing better than the fact that he ended up talking to me, asked for my number, and gave me his on this piece of paper, is that his name is Pierre. #ClichesAreReal #WishHeHadBeenWearingAStripedShirt #ILoveFrance #ILovePierre

(Blogs are the same as Twitter, it counts.)

Saturday, May 12th

Get ready to be grossed out, and then GET OVER IT.  On a beautiful Saturday, I finally got to eat pied de cochon at the famous Les Halles restaurant called...wait for it...Pied de Cochon.  And yes, if you have not guessed by looking at it, pied de cochon = pig's foot.  Ok, go ahead, freak out...be grossed out...are you done?  Are we good?  I've had pied de cochon before, and it's delicious (hello, it's pork!), but it's usually just like shredded pork, so I was actually a little surprised that the whole thing just comes out on your plate like this.  But really, is gnawing on a chicken leg ANY different?  Is it??  No.  It's not.  And again, was it good?  It's PORK.  Is bacon good?  Am I currently eating straight from a jar of Nutella with a spoon?  What, irrelevant?

Sunday, May 13th

Holy crap, the most marvelous day.  Again, this deserves its own full expansion, and I shall expand later indeed.

M&K and I sat on the point of Ile de la Cité watching the sunset and remained in a general state of flabbergasted-ness over the fact that we are so freaking lucky to live here and get to see things like this.  Lucky, lucky, lucky.  Flabber flabber gasted.

Hate to end on a note like "flabber flabber", so I'll just say this: I love underground jazz and backpack hugs and Chez l'Ami Jean and hat lady and Pierre and pork and sunsets.