Paris Trip Day 17

Leave a comment November 24, 2016 Elsa Fridl

The Champs-Elysees at night. The Ferris Wheel at the Place de la Concorde is visible in the background.

Thursday. Thanksgiving 2014. I am very grateful to be in Paris regardless, but I am also thankful to be away from all the drama in the States. Chuck Hagel was forced to resign as Defense Secretary—I wonder what that means for my situation. (He was enlisted in the U.S. Air Force.) Seems like a lot of plot points are changing – like Connie Stinson – oh, excuse me – the REVEREND DR. Connie Stinson – resigning from the D.C. Baptist Convention before she became its president. Enquiring minds want to know!

I’ve used the day so far to plan what else I will do, making sure I make the most of free/almost free things. There is a still a lot I’d like to do, but I’m being mindful of going to London for a day or two. I’m not really looking forward to it. I love being here. I love the French people and everything about their culture…I am truly in heaven. It isn’t that I haven’t had a bad or unpleasant experience here; it’s that an unpleasant experience here is easier to tolerate.

I need to see if I can print and/or redo my CV and apply to a few places, perhaps at Sephora, and of course, to teach English. The computers at Plug-Inn Hostel will only print .pdf documents. I’m not going to plan my trip to London much, except for what I will say on my placard at Buckingham Palace.

I believe one reason French people are more physically fit than Americans is because they savor food. When you eat slow, you eat less.

Rick Steves says that American ex-pats in Paris during the holidays all tend to go to a shop named Thanksgiving to get cranberries and boxes of stuffing on Thanksgiving Day. (Nothing like a little solidarity on an American holiday.) I thought of going there just to be part of the excitement and to see other American ex-pats. I decided, instead, to have a Thanksgiving meal after all. I went to Le Basilic again (4^th time!) and had veal with green beans in mushroom sauce, a glass of Pinot Noir, coffee and chocolate mousse. Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm. Le Basilic should be at least a 3-star restaurant, it is soooooooooo good. And who can complain about the service? They check in with me from time to time to see if I need anything else while allowing me to enjoy the experience. As Rick Steves says, once you get a table for dinner at a restaurant in Paris, it is essentially yours for the night. Tips are included in the bill, so there’s no rushing you out the door. It also makes for more relaxed servers: they know they’re getting paid. The U.S. should adopt this philosophy with servers.

I purchased a black cape similar to this one in Paris. When a woman feels elegant, she carries herself elegantly.

I decided to buy the cape I saw, since it has been a lifelong dream to buy a cape in Paris since I first saw one at Garfinckel’s so many years ago. I love it!!! I feel so feminine in it!! And my Cache pants fit! It was a magnificent night, probably around 57 degrees Fahrenheit. I LOVE the energy of Paris at night. People feel so alive: it’s in their faces and their body language. Many people are with their significant other. Love is in the air. The lights are beautiful. I didn’t want to go back to the hostel, I wanted to feel that energy from the top of my head to the tips of my toes and in my bones.

I love the energy of Paris at night.

Finally, my bones said, “Enough already! We need some sleep!” So I took the metro and went back to Plug-Inn Hostel. I crawled into bed with a huge smile on my face.

Salut !

Image of Champs-Elysees and restaurant by Can Stock Photo. Image of Vintage Black Cape by CastawayVintage, Flickr, CCBY 2.0. Image of energy of Paris at night by Elsa L. Fridl.

Paris Trip Day 9

Leave a comment November 16, 2016 Elsa Fridl

Champs_Elysees sign_canstockphoto21712583

The Champs-Elysees is in the 8th arrondissement and is one of the most famous streets in the world.

Wednesday. When all else fails, go shopping.

I had a hard time getting myself out of the door of the hostel. I’m tired from the rainy and/or damp cold weather here. (Though a bad day in Paris is better than a good day at the office.) At the hostel, I fixed what I call my French lunch: Some type of greens, rice with peas (from the Asian restaurant close to the hostel), red bell pepper, Maille dressing, in a croissant or baguette. Feeling a bit more French from my French lunch, I went out and bought some souvenirs for myself and others. Then I walked to Champs-Elysees and went to Sephora. I spoke with someone who works there about wanting to stay in France. She is looking to go to New York to work; she said she is waiting for the Green Card lottery. She was very nice. I got to thinking about how excited she is at the prospect of working in New York: Wouldn’t it be cool if I could get rehired at Sephora, but in Paris, teaching English AND working with makeup and skin care? Talk about a dream job!

I spent a small fortune. I got some great products to replace my missing personal items. I’m really hoping the Bumble & Bumble shampoo and conditioner will work for my fine hair. To make up for my mini spending spree I’m going to cut back for a few days.

One of the things I’ve been looking forward to most for this trip is to go on a dinner cruise on the Seine River. Since I’ve had to spend so much on replacing items that went missing, I’m going with Le Capitaine Fracasse dinner cruise: according to Rick Steves, it’s supposed to be the budget option at 55 – 80 euros per person. I made my reservation online today for this coming Sunday.

THE SNORER IS GONE. I happened to mention to someone at the desk about the girl who’s been staying in my room and keeping me up at night, snoring. He just smiled. He said there had been other comments made. I told him I would never think of complaining formally because I knew staying in a hostel there would be the risk of that. We had a good laugh.

I took a bath and soaked. I also used two of my new Christian Dior products (wash, samples of eye creams). I am looking forward to turning out the light, but not before thinking about B.G.: it’s her birthday today. I wonder how she’s doing. I haven’t spoken to her in a long time, but I still think of her on her birthday every year. Happy Birthday, B.G.

Happy Birthday, B.G.

Salut !

Images by Can Stock Photo.

Paris Trip Day 3

Leave a comment November 10, 2016 Elsa Fridl

I love travelling, but sometimes…

Thursday. I am super-tired. One of my roommates elbowed my bunk bed several times and crinkled her essentially-empty water bottle numerous times during the night. Miss Irritating. It’s times like these I have to remind myself that it was my choice to stay in a hostel so I wouldn’t be alone so much. It wouldn’t be so hard to take if she didn’t seem so negative all the time. She complained about the lack of space. She complained about the breakfast, which I loved, telling me how she has seen “much better spreads” in hostels where there are 20 people to a dorm room, when we have four people to a room here. In fact, she complained so much I asked her why she was staying here: It’s not like anyone is forcing her to stay here. She said she was staying here because her friends were staying here. She seemed nice enough when I met her, but she’s turned into Miss Irritating. I wish I could tell her, PLEASE KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT. I won’t.

The Sephora on the Champs-Elysees is absolutely gorgeous.

I had a pretty good day. I went to Sephora (and Monoprix) to replace the items that went missing; I haven’t decided whether to get Bumble & Bumble hair products. Monoprix is very close by. They’re like a Target in the States, only classier. They sell many types of items. I bought L’Oreal moisturizer, an eye cream, baby lotion. I took the Metro from Blanche to Champs-Elysees to go to Sephora. I admit I had more jitters using the Metro than I did before (probably because of all I have been through), but I know I have to learn to be gentler with myself. I’ve been through a lot. I’m here to recuperate and enjoy Paris. The Sephora on the Champs-Elysees is HUGE – it must be at least 10 times the size of the one in Montgomery Mall! And gorgeous! I couldn’t get over how busy they were…like the day after Thanksgiving, every day. It wouldn’t surprise me if they had close to 100 people working. What a nightmare it must be to write a schedule that large. But all the employees were so nice…and they helped me find what I needed.

After Sephora I went walking. I walked so much that I later took a hop-on, hop-off bus tour for 2 hours just to get off my feet. I didn’t have to pay the full price – it was late, and I told the driver I only wanted to get on for an hour or two. We negotiated the price and he told me I could get off in 2 hours. Thirty-nine euros seemed like a lot to pay for a bus ride no matter how long or how many days it was for. I’m so tired I’ll wait to get my free weights another day. I made a list of people to send postcards to. I want to remember Nicdadya’s name at the hostel and get Irene’s LA Fitness address for her souvenir. I’ll bet she’ll be surprised.

T-shirt souvenirs are always a good gift.

I need to get a little fruit at the market and spend the heavy change I have. One- and 2-euros weigh A LOT. Maybe carrying all that change helps to keep French women thin! (If only, right?) I also need to organize my money and put it all in my locker. And pray. And reorganize my stuff. And work on my CV and set up my account for possible teaching jobs. And write Wells Fargo’s international number in my luggage and keep it with my passport.

Let’s hope Miss Irritating doesn’t crinkle her water bottle again tonight. Notes to self: I LOVE TRAVELLING. I’VE LEARNED TO TAKE THE GOOD WITH THE BAD. A BAD DAY IN PARIS IS BETTER THAN A GOOD DAY ANYWHERE ELSE. I like the last statement the best.

Salut !

Image of Sephora on the Champs-Ellysees by the author. All other images by Can Stock Photo.

Paris Trip Day 17

Leave a comment July 16, 2015 Elsa Fridl

The Champs-Elysees at night. The Ferris Wheel at the Place de la Concorde is visible in the background.

Thursday. Thanksgiving 2014. I am very grateful to be in Paris regardless, but I am also thankful to be away from all the drama in the States. Chuck Hagel was forced to resign as Defense Secretary—I wonder what that means for my situation. (He was enlisted in the U.S. Air Force, as I was.) Seems like a lot of plot points are changing – like Connie Stinson – oh, excuse me – the REVEREND DR. Connie Stinson – resigning from the D.C. Baptist Convention before she became its president. Enquiring minds want to know!

I need to see if I can print and/or redo my CV and apply to a few places, perhaps at Sephora, and of course, to teach English. I’m not going to plan my trip to London much, except for what I will say on my placard at Buckingham Palace.

Food is to be savored in Paris.

I love the energy of Paris at night.

Finally, my bones said, “Enough already! We need some sleep!” So I took the Metro and went back to Plug-Inn Hostel. I crawled into bed with a huge smile on my face.

Salut!

Paris Trip Day 16

Leave a comment July 15, 2015 Elsa Fridl

Wednesday. I woke up feeling happy. I savored breakfast, had a shower, and simply started to walk. I walked for a mile or two taking pictures and enjoying the moment; and, once again, I followed signs and walked to Champs-Elysees, where I spent just a moment in Sephora to see how much Dior Skin costs. I found a cape I like at a nearby shop…oh my goodness…since working at Garfinckel’s (my store!), I’ve had a secret, life-long desire to buy a cape in Paris! I’ll have to think about it.

I ducked into McDonald’s to use the bathroom. Sometimes I feel a little like George Costanza, always knowing and thinking about where the public restrooms are. I was tired from walking again. I thought long and hard about whether I should buy the cape while I was on my way back to the hostel. I was too tired to exercise.

Salut.