spring | SeasonsofParis

Can’t believe it’s April already. After three months of living here I am starting to really have routines and an everyday life, which also translates into growing irritated over a couple of things. The three things about Paris that I dislike the most are:

1. The objectification of women: Okay, I do recognize that I come from Scandinavia where circumstances are some of the most equal in this world, but still it surprises me how visible objectification is here in Paris. Yesterday I was walking to a bar with a male friend when a stranger says: “oo she is beautiful, is she yours?”. I wanted to punch him in the face (the stranger, not my friend that is) – I do not and will never belong to anybody, ever. The catcalls and whistles you get walking home in the evening are not appreciated either. However, if it gets too much or too vulgar I do tell the guys off, but people who are smaller and more shy don’t have the opportunity to do so. I am sad that they have to put up with shit like that.

2. The state of the apartments: Yes, the beautiful Parisian apartments, with their french windows and balconies…. that are falling apart. It seems like everywhere I go something breaks, and I treat things quite carefully. Of course the buildings are old but I have asked myself on more than one occasion how people can live like this. An example is the staircase of a friend, which is so crooked it would be better suited for an amusement park than an actual building.

3. The smell: Especially in the metro, and especially during the weekend. It seems that many Parisians think the metro has a double function as a urinal, and sometimes it could make even the strongest stomach turn. My colleague told me that she once saw a dog take a shit right in the middle of the metro tunnel, and the owner didn’t even pick it up or care much. Watch your step in the Paris metro system, that is.

Life is not always a bed of roses as they say… and it feels good to complain a little. But otherwise Paris is a wonderful, beautiful city, and I am sure I could make a list like that over every city I’ve lived in. Now especially as the weather has been so nice, the city is alive and at it’s best – lilacs are already blooming and it is so green everywhere. The past weeks have been busy, as usual, and filled with new adventures.

Mostly we’ve enjoyed the sun – I’ve spent my lunches in Jardin de Luxembourg (RER B, Luxembourg) and we’ve had picnics in Parc Monceau (Monceau, Ligne 2). I think picnics will never get old, I could have a picnic every week (day?). Last week me and Catharina and a finnish friend, Tiia, went to a restaurant I’ve been reading about for a while, La Briciola (64, Rue Charlot) in le Marais. One word: amazing! The pizzas were really fresh, and the restaurant was so cosy – something that can be a little hard to find in the bistro-filled capital. I had a pizza with buffalo mozzarella and fresh basil, and it was delicious. We then did some bar-hopping on Rue Oberkampf, something I can really recommend because the bars are so close to each other and there are many cool places. Make sure to check out l’International, Bric á Brac, les Pirates, Place Verte and Café Charbon/Nouveau Casino.

This week we also had a lovely sweet breakfast at Ladurée (75, Avenue des Champs Elysées) with a few friends. I recommend that you skip the famous macarons (believe me, Pierre Hermé is much better) and take a pastry or tarte instead. I had the tarte de citron, and it was one of the best ones I’ve ever tasted. Breakfast at Ladurée is a nice treat and as I think prices for lunch are unnecessary high, come a couple of hours earlier instead and ask for a petit déj. Another thing I can recommend is the buzzing street Rue Montorgeuil in the 2ème arrondissement. Here you can find restaurants and bars lined up, and just pick and choose. We found a nice cocktail bar with a late happy hour and a nice bistro where you could get giant plates of cheese and charcuteries for 15 euro – deal! This weekend was spent drinking wine and walking around. I went for a walk in my old arrondissement (the 7ème which is lovely, I miss it from time to time) and tonight I discovered a new park, Parc de Belleville (Couronnes, Ligne 2).

Now it’s time for a new and exciting week, and in less than two weeks I will meet up with my dear family in London. Counting the days. Have a great week everyone 🙂 xx

It really is a wonderful time of the year right now, blooming flowers and trees everywhere…