A List...

I have realised that if I declare things to the magic of the internets, something about it being in the public domain forces me to actaully stick to my promises (Weightwatchers and my newest set of money vows being perfect examples). YES INTERNET!! You are great, great for skype, for facebook and for keeping me on my version of the straight and narrow, or the rocky path to self-acceptance, or some other twee path/journey related metaphor. SO. In anticipation of 6 gleeful weeks of freedom in spring-filled Paris, starting from next week when my stage finally finishes, here is how I intend to fill my days - with things I have yet to try or discover and must before my time in this blissful city is up. I want my pretentious little moleskine to be filled to the brim with all sorts of secret and not-so-secret spots, rather than just my 15 or so favourites I keep coming back to time and time again....

1. By eating -

• Classic french food at Café Marly, Café des Musées, Bistro Paul Bert, Le Nemrod, Brasserie Lipp, Café Charlot and Ma Bourgogne, all of which are much-lauded and of reasonable-ish prices.
• Macarons at Ladurée and Pierre Hermé. I went through une folie Ladurée last November, but have never been for tea in one of their wonderfully twee restaurants. I haven't even tried (shock horror gasp) the famous Monsieur Hermé's avant-garde creations, so simply must do so before I leave, in order to be able to give a well-informed and judged opinion.
  
• Apparently outstanding frenchified american food at Scoop.

2. By seeing -

• As much of the Louvre as possible. I have yet to go... which is utterly shameful, lazy, and just plain stupid given that the queues will now be énorme, judging from the hordes of tourists getting off at the Musée du Louvre stop on line 1 every morning.
• Pere LaChaise cemetery. K and I were supposed to go on her last trip to Paris, but we are lazy lazy ladies, and it was (probably) raining. Still, we must go and see Balzac's grave because we studied La Peau de Chagrin in first year, and so somehow it seems essential.
• The interior of the Pompidou. I walk past it nearly every day, and yet have never been inside. I will no longer have the 'I don't want to waste my weekend queueing excuse..'
• The Jeu de Paumes, because I adore its neighbour/twin building (The Orangerie), and would love to see how they have used the space to exhibit modern art.
• The Palais de Tokyo, because it looks like an incredible place to people watch and the cafeteria is also allegedly hyper bien.

3. By walking -

• in Les Jardins du Luxembourg - I want to find the famously elusive Fontaine de Medicis and pretentiously read Eliot whilst lounging in a chair. Its the kind of thing i live for.
  
• on the Promenade Plantée, which is a converted old RER line leading from just off Place de la Bastille all the way down to Bois de Vincennes. I have walked a bit of it already, and it was beyond divine, beautifully planted and with wonderful views, but I don't like doing things by halves..
• down Rue Faubourg St-Honoré, and gazing at all the lovely windows and amazingly well-dressed old ladies.

4. By shopping (or window-shopping) at

• Some of the fabulous outdoor marchés - bvd Raspail's organic one, the big one up at Place de la Bastille, the one on Rue Mouffetard which makes me long to live there..
  
• The vintage shops up near Bastille on Rue de la Roquette - particularly Come on Eline, which I have heard fabulous things about (I LIVE IN HOPE, people, I LIVE IN HOPE)
• Marché aux Puces de St-Ouen - its famously expensive and it seems you have to wade through a bit of an...interesting area to get to it, but having been to the Vanves flea market last weekend and having loved just shamelessly perving at all the marvellous antiques, I can't help but think this would be a really fun place to just poke around and be nosey. The rumours of hugglers and racailles en route won't deter me - I work in St-Ouen and am a line 13 habitué. (St Ouen is a notoriously nasty banlieue, which is becoming increasingly industrialised due to cheap office space, and line 13 is the metro which can take you there, or to numerous other less-than-desirable banlieues. Travelling on it each day is a real eye-opener and gives you a real idea of Paris's huge social issues).
• Repetto. Which shouldn't need an explanation.
• The A.PC. surplus shop. Again, no explanation necessary...

5. By wandering ... everywhere; I am not going to renew my navigo (like an oyster card, but topped up for a flat monthly or weekly fee), and am going to go by foot as much as possible. I would say i'll start biking, but that, frankly, is never going to happen here - my road sense in Britain is shakey at best and I don't think its worth risking life and limb, and equally velibs are infuriatingly heavy, and mine always seem to have a flat tyre. So walking it is. I just need to replace my threadbare black ballet pumps and I shall be good to go.



XxX

Photos: My new favourite thing (its a blog), Bardot in Blue (excellent blog), Google, Google, Repetto, and Facehunter..I think.