Sunday, August 30, 2015

Vive Les Week-ends!

I've just finished Welcome Week, and I must say, it's good to be back at Sciences Po. Such a beautiful little campus.
The little jardin in between two of Sciences Po's buildings

The last time I came to Sciences Po, I arrived in January. It's a nice change to begin the term in the summer while everything is still green and in bloom. 

After the end of Friday's activities, I went to Café de Flore with a girl from my program. I've walked by Café de Flore and Les Deux Magots-two of Paris' most well-known cafes-more than a few times, but I'd never stopped to have un café because the prices are somewhat steep. But it's all about the ambiance, and the unmatched people watching...right? Might as well try it. 




A café creme for her, and a cappuccino for me. 
 In Paris, I've learned after some mildly embarrassing personal experiences that you have an idea of where to sit at a cafe for food or for a drink based upon the table setting. A bare table is for a drink, tables with silverware/menus/paper coverings are for ordering food. At Café de Flore, they have these amazing table coverings with an intricate drawing of the cafe surrounded by all of the hustle and bustle of Boulevard Saint Germain. I asked our waiter for one to take home, and he was nice enough to oblige me.
So cute. I love that the artist also included people of color. 

It makes a cute little table covering for my #treatyoself bouquet :)


On Saturday, I just took care of some things around my neighborhood. Its so cool to randomly see one of the mini-towers of St. Sulpice down a street and think, woah, I live here...


Ok, cool, macaron Eiffel tower...

Omg make-your-own macaron bar? That's some next-level ish.


I haven't indulged in the make-your-own macaron bar yet; trying to prolong the onset of any sugar-related illnesses I may be due for for as long as I can...

I decided to hit up the Le Bon Marche to see what all the hubbub is about, but I got there too late...although the website said that it would be open until 9pm (21h) and I arrived at 8pm? Ah well, another time. On the way there I saw a man cutting up a bunch of lavender on the sidewalk and it smelled amaaaazing:

So provencal.
 I also got to stop by the little garden next to Le Bon Marche and see the adorable little families playing games and having evening picnics.




 Fun fact about Le Bon Marche: it has been credited with advancing women's rights in France by providing women with a safe space to work at a time when the bulk of employment opportunities for women consisted of either being a domestic or a prostitute. Le Bon Marche was the world's first "grand magasin"; up until it's inception, clothiers would visit the homes of well-to-do customers to show them their latest goods and to fit them for pieces. Le Bon Marche was viewed as being a store for the people, by the people..."a temple of commerce", as Emile Zola put it. Though now it's hella expensive. #irony.

L'église at sunset. #StGermaindesPres

Today, I attempted to go to the medieval town of Provins for a harvest festival with Hannah, a girl in my program, but I didn't realize until I got on the train that it was under construction and wouldn't take me all the way to Gare de L'Est. I definitely got some PTSD-esque flashbacks related to trying to get into Manhattan from Williamsburg on weekends on the L. My original plan foiled, I decided to go to my second-favorite Parisian neighborhood: Le Marais.

I had some time to kill before L'As du Falafel opened for the day, so I did some flaneuring around until I found this gem of a park: Jardin des Rosiers-Joseph-Migneret. It's huge, and it has a garden full of fruits and veggies. Super cute. I don't remember this being here during my last visit, and the sign seems to indicate that it was reopened to the public in 2014.









Little parisien pumpkins hehe

Le Marais is kind of like the Williamsburg of Paris in that it is home to many hipsters and orthodox Jews. Also like Williamsburg, it is getting fancier by the day. Also, I think the price of falafels went up (womp, womp).


 There is another pretty cool little jardin close by called Square Georges Caïn that showcases ornamental stone fixtures from the old Palais des Tuileries. Also, free wifi.




On the way home, I did decide to indulge my sweet tooth a bit in the spirit of discovery. "What is a 'chou'? ", I wondered many times as I passed the tiny shop La Maison du Chou. Well, now I know that it is a tiny pastry puff that can be filled to-order with an assortment of creamy fillings. I got the "classic", being a first-timer and all. 

Mon petit chou


In French class back in the day, we learned that "mon petit chou" is used by the french as a term of endearment. We also learned that the literal translation of "chou" was "cabbage". I much prefer to think of calling my beloved "my little creampuff" rather than "my little cabbage" haha.

Fun times, but real classes start tomorrow and I still am not quite sure when and where all of them are (eek!). Back to the grind. Hope you all have enjoyed your respective weekends, as well!

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