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Browsing Category French

A Real Life Castle in the Clouds

April 25, 2015 · by Nikki

There’s actually a place called Castle in the Clouds back in New Hampshire, not too far from where I grew up. I’ve never been, but friends have said it’s a beautiful spot, and many a wedding has been held there.

But the French version of Castle in the Clouds is a whole different creation. I apply this nickname to Mont Saint-Michel not because of its placement on a mountain or its height, but because of its proximity to the famously capricious weather that surrounds this island of a castle off the coast of Normandy. Read More →

Year Two: A Story of Progress

May 21, 2013 · by Nikki

Last year, I wrote a post reflecting on what my first year in Paris had been like. Though I acknowledged a lot of positive elements from my first year, I also described the sensation of struggling between the person I was inside and the person I was forced to be due to my lack of ability to express myself in French.

Last year it was like trying to understand these singing frogs 🙂

Now I face a whole different kind of struggle. One which I can’t really get into here (yet! but maybe if all you boys and girls are good I’ll save you a nice story for later…;) ), but mostly with money. HOLY HELL Paris is expensive. And the taxes are just, well… that’s a first world problem and I’m just going to go ahead and bite my tongue (can’t hurt any worse than those bills from the government! Ouch!).

However, I am able to happily report that, for the most part, I feel a lot more like myself than I did 365 days ago. There’s a few reasons for that, which include:

Paris is still pretty, even “under” the snow

I’ve kept a lot of the friends I met in year one, and have been able to let go of my insecurities around them. I no longer fear that they’re going to think I’m stupid if I make a mistake in French, and I no longer worry that they’re going to think I’m stupid if I butt into a conversation in English. I think they know me, now, and they’ve decided to stick around. They’re either loyal to a fault, or messy conversation isn’t all that bad.
I’ve improved my French. I mean, let’s hope so, right? Seriously, after being here for 2 years, I’d like to think I can answer my own cell phone and not have a heart attack. Okay, I’m still working on that one, but I can definitely participate in conversations now that I couldn’t before, and people remind me all the time that I’ve come a long way.
I’ve gotten into the rhythm of how life works here. Do I still get frustrated at processes that are painstakingly inefficient? You bet. But do I expect them now, and have a good laugh about it? Most of the time. And it doesn’t hurt that even on its ugliest days, Paris is still pretty.
I made some catastrophic mistakes in 2012. How can that make me feel more like myself, you ask? Well, first of all, I wouldn’t be me without some huge blunders now and then. And second, I forced myself to look at who I was and what I was doing, and realized I was starting to get off track. I have this weird philosophy about myself that I’m always changing, and I still am, but I’d like to at least be changing in positive directions. I was starting to go the other way, and was able to reroute myself.

So there you have it. I spent my Two Year France-iversary watching the rain come down outside of my apartment and watching Saving Private Ryan (for the first time) in light of our recent trip to Normandy. Oh yeah, there was wine in there, too. For what is an anniversary without a toast…

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Perpetual Passenger as an American Woman in France

February 6, 2013 · by Nikki

Recently a good friend asked me to join a networking group that aims to help ready Americans (and others) for a move to France. Read More →

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Three Things I Did to Improve My French

January 16, 2013 · by Nikki

Earlier this year I stumbled upon a video of a guy calling himself Benny the Irish Polyglot that got me realizing that I was making a lot of excuses about my progress with the French language, and wrote about it. Benny was cool enough to repost my blog on his site (which is a great resource for anyone trying to learn another language, so check it out, here), and I figured I owed it to anyone who stopped by to post something about my progress. Read More →

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Ice, Ice, Baby

January 8, 2013 · by Nikki

Paris is expensive.

But if you’re here and you’re seeking something fun on the cheap, let me introduce you to patin à glace… also known as ice skating! Read More →

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The Road Less Traveled

October 10, 2012 · by Nikki

In all of my rushing around the globe, I forgot to pass along the latest article I’ve written for MyFrenchLife.

Check it out, here, and get a small taste of some of the lesser-known spots I’ve scoped in this crazy country!

A bientôt! 🙂

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Paris Cupcake Wars: Sugar Daze

October 9, 2012 · by Nikki

The moment has finally arrived. The moment when I review the cupcake shop to end all cupcake shops in Paris. The one everyone told me about, from a comment on of of my earlier cupcake posts, here, to an article written by MammaExpat over at HJ Underway, here, to recommendations I received via twitter: Sugar Daze was the must-try bakery on my list. Now it’s time to reveal whether or not the shop is worth all the buzz…

At first glance: The first few times I walked past Sugar Daze I actually didn’t notice it. It was only when I was on a mission to find the shop that I realized I had walked down that same street several times, since my doctor was located around the corner. “How could I have missed a cupcake shop?” I had asked myself as Frog Prince and I turned onto the familiar street. It even has a colorful awning and a lovely glass window displaying some delectable treats that looked more than tempting.

At second glance: Once I finally stepped inside, the overly-commercial decor of the other shops I’ve visited yielded to a simple, relatively white-walled setting… which didn’t hold my attention for more than two seconds in light of the cupcakes on display.

Look at these beauties! Don’t they just make your mouth water?

At first bite: As with Daisy Miller’s, I knew before taking a bite what the experience would be like. Except in this case, I was expecting, and experienced, opposite results. I went immediately for I Love Rock N’ Roll, with it’s hand-crafted sugar guitar sitting atop the perfect amount of frosting. The frosting was sublime, and the cake was perfectly moist and well-flavored (which says a lot since they had been refrigerated after buying them the day before). At Sugar Daze, Cat makes full-sized cupcakes (not those little mini ones the Parisians try to pass off as cupcakes), so we each selected a different cupcake, cut it in quarters, and shared. I can say that the second, third and fourth bites were also exquisite.

Amazing cake, perfect frosting, and a hidden surprise?! A trifecta of tastiness!

Overall: Again, I don’t pay much attention to pricing, but I can say that Sugar Daze has the best-tasting cupcakes so far (and perhaps in all of Paris), and they offer full-sized cupcakes, so the price is probably higher per cupcake but not by weight, and for good reason. Not only is the size and taste enough to make these cupcakes worth the money, but the time spent on making each one look uniquely perfect is a rare thing in the cupcake world, rendering each one worth its weight in gold. Oh, and did I mention how fresh they were? Yeah, the list keeps going…

It’s almost like I don’t even need to say this last part, but for the sake of consistency: DEFINITELY GO to Sugar Daze if you’re in Paris and craving a cupcake. You won’t be disappointed! 🙂

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Taking Time To Be a Tourist

October 1, 2012 · by Nikki

When I tell people that I live in Paris, I often hear things like “I love Paris! It’s so beautiful,” “OMG, Paris is so pretty!” “I love _______ (insert Parisian area/neighborhood/district of choice)! It’s so charming!” “You must love the _______ (see previous instructions)! It was my favorite place when I visited there.”

At first, the short amount of time I had spent in the city allowed me to say things like “I haven’t been there yet, but I’ll definitely check it out,” to the satisfaction of those who had now given me, the resident of Paris, a recommendation on something new to see or do. And I took as many of those recommendations as I could in the early months. But recently it has dawned on me that the more people tell me how much they love certain little pieces of Paris, the harder it is for me to relate. Why? Simple: I have spent so much time and energy trying not to be a tourist, that I have flat-out avoided some of the parts of this city that make it so… Parisian.

So I’ve made a resolution to cut that out. I don’t care if I look like a tourist or not. The truth is, I live here, and if my American accent and constant stops to take pictures annoy the people around me… too bad. I’m here now, and I’m going to make the most of it. I would regret moving away from this place without having experienced the ins and outs of such a famously beautiful, culture-rich city.

To try and get better acquainted with the Paris that lies beyond the 12th arrondissement, I spent part of my Saturday last weekend taking my bicycle along the Seine and admiring beauty that was meant to be beheld. At some point I will compile all of the photos I’ve taken in and around Paris to add to my Cities: in Photos series (which still has yet to see Kos! Bad blogger!), but in the meantime, here’s a peek at what you can see in the city when you cycle through the streets. Enjoy!

: Is that Tom Hanks?! Jk, jk. 🙂

: No less stunning from the river

: Pausing for a portrait

: Not hard to find things you want to photograph in this city

: An angle of the Notre Dame not seen often enough

: Visiting the courtyard and gardens surrounding the Louvre never gets old…

: Giving you one in B&W for your photographic enjoyment

: The Dark Knight is also a Perpetual Passenger

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Paris Cupcake Wars: Daisy Miller American Bakery & Restaurant

September 17, 2012 · by Nikki

I bet you thought I had taken a break from my mission to discover cupcakes in Paris, hmm? Well you’re wrong–I haven’t!

Frog Prince’s big sis clued me in to a potentially dangerous thing: a cupcake shop in my neighborhood. This sounded like trouble, and I needed to investigate. Enter: Daisy Miller American Bakery & Restaurant.

At First Glance: Technically the first glance I had of this place was the website, and I liked what I saw. They have some really great photos of some delicious-looking cupcakes, and I felt both excited and worried about the prospect of having such yummy desserts nearby.

See how yummy these look?

At Second Glance: The shop seemed pretty bare, which I tried to overlook considering that they are newly installed into their little corner of the 12th arrondissement. But as soon as I took a look at their cupcake shelf, my heart dropped and I knew that my initial reaction of disdain for the wannabe-American bakery was an accurate one. We actually called before coming, since it was August and so many shops close for summer holiday, and we wanted to make sure they were open. They told us that they were, in fact, open for business, but asked us to delay our visit by just a bit so they could put out more fresh cupcakes. We obliged, but when we got there, I’d say their selection was extremely limited, and looking far from fresh.

At first bite: I didn’t need to take a bite, actually, to know that these cupcakes wouldn’t measure up to the previous two shops I’ve visited. Each cake looked exactly the same (no differentiation in flavor), and the frosting looked like whipped cream mixed with flavoring and/or food coloring, topped with cheap candy. Nevertheless, the first bite confirmed–these were not what an American would consider a cupcake.

Overall: I can honestly say that we felt bad serving these cupcakes to our dinner guests that night. Fortunately they were up for the experiment, and didn’t hold it against us, but this isn’t a bakery that I plan to return to anytime soon. Obviously, my verdict for this one is DON’T GO to Dasiy Miller.

As a side note, I was particularly put-off by two other things: First–the name indicates that this bakery is aiming to resemble something American, either in look, feel, or food offering. Not only were the cupcakes not at all up to American cupcake standards, but the decor in the shop centered around imagery from… London. Second–the one American thing they did have on their menu that looked appealing was beer. I was especially excited to see Sam Adams Boston Lager on the menu (for obvious reasons), and we tried to order one… at which point we were notified that, uh, they were out (or do they even carry them??). But we could have Heineken! No thanks, Daisy Miller. And maybe you should revisit the American theme you have going on…

Image credit: http://www.daisymiller-cupcakes.com/

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August 21, 2012 · by Nikki

A post that has inspired me like few others…

Sojourning Abroad

For this Language Monday I want to introduce to you Benny Lewis! Benny Lewis is an Irish guy that speaks an absurd amount of languages. People that speak several languages, like benny, are called polyglots. Benny currently speaks eight languages and is working on three others. But Benny hasn’t always had the ability to speak several languages with ease… Benny discovered something when it comes to language learning: speaking is the best way to learn. He did a TEDxTalk (video below) where he talks about how he began learning languages at a rapid rate.

Now we might not all have the opportunity to learn languages as Benny does, but it gives even the worst language learners among us hope! Check out the TEDxTalk and also check out Benny’s website for more information! He offers help to aspiring Polyglots, and let’s face it… who doesn’t want to know more languages???

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