Good morning blogsphere!
It's yet another sunny day in Paris. I know the classic song is all about Paris in the springtime, but personally, I love Paris in the summer! Since we no longer have a wedding to plan (as we are now married), my husband and I have commenced with project "Acheter Appt" in order to fill the void. As I have spent the last 14 years renting (with the longest stay in one apartment being my nearly two years in Zurich), I look forward to actually owning a place and nesting.
We're currently searching for a "3 Piece" (ie 3 room) apartment. My main criteria is that the area must be cute, there must be a metro within a 5-10 minute walk, and there must be lots of little cafes nearby (with at least one open on Sundays). We would potentially prefer to have a park nearby, but can live without it. The area must also be safe and secure. We know that we like the Marais (4th), Rue Moufftard, and Levallois (which is right on the edge of Paris); however as neither one of us are from Paris (my husband grew up near Versailles), we are not 100% familiar with all the unique neighborhoods Paris has to offer.
So this weekend, we decided to discover two arrondisements- the 7th and the 15th. We have definitely ruled the 7th out as a potential place to live- there's not really much life other than the governmental offices. The area seemed devoid of the little cafes I love about Paris as well, so that was definitely a downside. In the 15th, however, we were pleasantly surprised. There's more grit in this neighborhood than in our current one (the 8th), and it just feels more urban and real. I also love the fact that the metro is a train on an elevated platform in this area. It adds movement and charm. The streets are also more narrow and less planned, which I prefer to the wide avenues. And, in good news, the 15th is both safe and more affordable than some of the other neighborhoods in Paris! So, it's now on our list (particularly near rue Commerce, quartier Grenelle and Vaugirard).
Lapin a la Mode Tip du Jour:
Every woman wants lush, long eyelashes. In fact, when forced to choose only one make-up item, the majority of women choose mascara. In an effort to make lashes even longer and fuller, many cosmetic lines offer a mascara primer. My opinion- eyelash primers do make a huge difference. I experimented recently and did one eye with Lancome's Oscillation Powerbooster under my regular mascara (which is Lancome's Virtuose currently) and the other eye with just the mascara. Not only did my lashes look longer and fuller with the primer, but I found it much easier to apply the actual mascara- much less clumping. For those of you in Europe, Oscillation Powerbooster is currently only available in the Lancome boutique in Paris or in the USA; however, I have always liked Lancome's Cils Booster XL (which is also less pricey). I also prefer the usage of mascara primers plus mascara to the mascara layering techniques some of my former make-up artist collegues employed- anytime I layer mascaras, they have the tendency to flake on me!Paris is split into 20 different neighborhoods called arrondissements. They spiral out from the center of Paris in a snail-like formation and are flanked on either side by two huge parks- Bois de Vincennes and Bois de Boulogne. Each one has its own color and flavor. If you want a taste of each of the arrondisements without traveling to Paris, check out the movie Paris, je t'aime, which hosts a series of 18 short films, each about a different arrondissement!
Well readers, I'm off to get ready for my day and potentially go explore another arrondissement! A bientot!
-Liz Anne
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