It’s finally happening!

I leave in 2 weeks and counting, a trip to Paris.

I have been planning this for years, or at least in my head. It’s not like I haven’t been to Paris. I have, and each time I visit, I feel gnawing in my stomach; I don’t want to leave. That said, it’s been a long journey to get to this point, I have my family’s permission (not really), but I’m going for a month to Paris anyway. Woot! Woot! I’m slightly nervous and excited, having my “Carrie” moment and leaving the housework, laundry and meal planning behind. AU REVOIR!

So you ask, what will I do for a month? Soak it all in, and LIVE. I’ll be eating lots of baguettes and French cheese, and drinking rose, isn’t that reason enough to go? 

I’ve rented an apartment in the 7th arrondissement, Champ de Mars; fingers crossed, my landlady shows up when I arrive. Also necessary but not required is the purchase of new walking shoes for my daily adventures. Yes, I agonized over my choice, making sure I looked less like a tourist and resembled a local. Ultimately, I decided on a cute black leather birken, boho-chic; hopefully, they’ll do the trick.

According to an online placement test, my grade nine French isn’t up to snuff. Apparently, ordering wine and asking for directions or singing “Voulez Vous Coucher Avec Moi” does not make me fluent in French; sigh. I only think I’m French. With that, I’ve registered for conversational French classes, and I can’t wait!

Did you know there are 20 arrondissements in Paris? I hope to explore all of them, searching for the best cafes, patisseries and restaurants (I might need to rethink the skinny jeans and pack the elastic waist shorts).

There’s a famous cemetery, Pere Lachaise; it’s a who’s who of celebrity guests, Edith Piaff, Jim Morrison and Oscar Wilde, to name a few; is that weird? Where does one begin when it comes to Parisienne fashion? After all, it’s the fashion capital of the world. I will be surrounded and tempted by beautiful things everywhere. It will be hard to resist every boutique I stumble upon. I can feel the euros burning a hole in my pocket!

So many things I want to see and do, will a month be long enough? I’ll keep you posted on my new favourites and OMG moments as I set off on my daily adventures. In the meantime, the weather forecast in Paris is HOT, and I can’t wait. Goodbye, Vancouver and all your rain. I’m off to explore!

LP