-- French people don't like cooking odors, so they pair the kitchen and the bathroom at the end of a long hallway in order to group all offensive odors together... I find this so interesting as I love cooking smells for the most part. (By the way, Eva said something to the effect of being glad about this arrangement.)-- I have been seeing quite a few overweight French people walking around, something I have never seen in Paris before. It's unfortunate for them, but it sure does help me not to feel like I'm wearing neon signs...
-- Eggs are stamped with the date they were laid. I love that you know just how fresh they are! (I thought of you, Jane.) I used these ones to make chocolate mousse. I love delighting people with so little effort.-- French shopkeepers and cashiers will most often put your change in a tray rather than handing it to you. They will expect you to do the same with your payment.
-- This might be my very favorite thing to eat here. It's an almond/chocolate croissant and it is divine. I would eat one for breakfast every morning if I wasn't worried about my caloric intake (and I didn't have to go out to the bakery to get one).-- I see a lot of French women wearing high heels around the city. And whoever lives upstairs wears them, too. Constantly. They look fabulous, but I do not know how they do it! I tried a pair of my well-worn, comfy shoes today and my blisters came right back. I've never had such shoe troubles before.
-- I love the architecture of Paris. Probably my favorite thing to do here is just wander around, looking at everything, taking pictures when possible.-- There is an American library here, and it is just a few blocks from our apartment. It's so nice to be able to get new books to read (and movies to watch) -- in English -- since we were very limited in what we could bring.
-- Despite the fact that I am surrounded by scenery like this, I still have plenty of days, like today, when I just want to hang out in the apartment and read. My kids are definitely homebodies at home, but not in Paris. Today the library was all I could muster. Well, that and...-- I have to go grocery shopping almost every day. The fridge is smaller, the pantry is tiny. Storage space is at a premium, and I can't carry that many groceries home at once. It's just the French way.
19 comments:
love the french facts. That is funny about the smells. I would hate a bathroom to be near the kitchen though.
I love hearing these details about your life in Paris. I figured you'd be doing daily food shopping...but the kitchen down the hall thing is totally new to me. So funny!
I would never pair a kitchen and a bathroom. (Some smells should NOT be mixed.)
Love your tidbits! Yes, please, walk around taking pictures all day!
It surprises me that they would find kitchen odors offensive when you hear so much about the French reveling in every aspect of food. Do you think it's a city thing? It seems like an urban movement thing to do -- to distance yourself from the 'functional' aspects of living because they aren't clean or sophisticated.
Ok, when we went to France with my best friend and her mother, who was my French teachers for years, she wore these 3-4 inch heels the entire time. I think she even said she brought them specifically for walking. Say what? I'll slap around town in my Keens, thank you very much.
I don't see how grouping the kitchen and bathroom area is a good idea, but that's interesting.
I still think about the cashiers and the money situation now when I pay for things and touch the cashier's hand...the French way is unfriendly.
How great to have an American library available for your family!
That was all very interesting, and maybe the kind of stuff you wouldn't pick up on if you visit Paris on a vacation. Do people kiss when they greet?
I did not know any of these things and am so grateful to you for being our eyes and ears.
What a charming idea to stamp your eggs outside of Easter time. Hmmmm. I just may do that before I give them away. Thank you for thinking of me.
IF you could stay in the apartment tomorrow, what would you read?
the french paying system is better... money is so diry.. I'm not even a germ a phobe! It would take some getting used to.
I love these french facts. I don't blame you for wanting to be home for a bit- it's been a long couple of weeks.
I wish I could stay home today. With about five of those chocolate croissant things.
I am so happy you discovered an English library- what a fabulous find!!
It seems silly to stay inside when you are on vacation in Paris but when you are living there (meaning cooking, cleaning, caring for kids...) it is totally understandable that you might want to just stay home and read a book! Add to that shoe woes and why would you ever leave?! (I do hope you find a solution though, so you can enjoy the outings you take!!)
Mouth watering here...I love their pasteries they are like no other...running a bit more today so that I could go and have one from our local bakery (I am sure that its not as good as yours though).
What an absolute dream to be living in Paris! I love reading your posts about being there. I want to go there so bad, one day. I wish I could wear heals also. It amazes me how woman can go grocery shopping in them.
You have to cook next to the bathroom? Gag.
How could cooking odors POSSIBLY be offensive? That is so intriguing, considering how the French love la cuisine.
I love-love-LOVE that you are posting your Paris life!!! Despite the fact that I am impossibly jealous, it is so fun to imagine your daily doings.
YOU ARE SO LUCKY!!!!!!!!! (not enough exclamations to emphasize this enough.)
Seriously--autumn in Paris. Sigh.
Also. I am of the opinion that Americans should adopt the cash-in-the-tray system. I don't like touching hands with peeps I don't know. Ew.
I usually am a fan of kitchen smells myself. I find the little French customs like how they give you your change fascinating!
Madame Michelle....go and get yourself a pastry and just run around the block like 10 times...it would totally be worth it.!
oh, yeah, storage space and fridge...that is what makes Europe so unique in some way, everything is soo fresh, because you shan't have space to spoilt it! hehehehhehehe
How interesting about the bathroom and the kitchen being in separate ends of the apartment...brilliant!
Regarding the high heels...is it possible that your mom is part french? I don't know how she manages to stay on feet all day in her heels...
I wish you could fax me one of those almond croissants...
P.S.--When we lived in Manhattan, I shopped daily for our food as well...there was just not enough room to store things...one nice feature was that we got to have most things delivered...
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