First couple weeks.

Day one.

Picnic at the Eiffel Tower Park!

 

"Okay ladies... say sex!"

 

Happy Birthday Anna!

Second major site: The Garnier Opera House. Gorgeous!

Of course we went shopping on our first day here.

I bought a purse. It is really, really pretty.

The first addiction is born.

 

Dinner at La Bon Marche! Dining during the rain. It was Midnight In Paris magical.
Food was great and we loved our experience.

And then...

A completely random pedestrian passed and asked if she could finish our food. Extremely awkward. "Um no? Sorry?"

 

Ammarinos! Another addiction is born. "As MANY flavors as we want?!"

 

Elder Austin Saguibo! Favorite part of the week!

We saw him at steak conference.

Austin is a really good friend from high school. I almost started to cry when I saw him.

He looked great and it was the happiest I have ever seen him.

 

Dinner at Katmandu Cafe.

It was really good, but our waiter did NOT like the idea that we were sharing our meal.

But it was huge and it cost 22Euro! 

For dessert we ordered the chef's specialty carrot cake. Literally carrot cake. Deliciouse!

 

Arc de Triomph.

Fallafel! Jewish specialty. New favorite lunch.
Only 5Euro!

 

Our reactions after my first walk through Impressionist Exhibit at the Musée d'Orsay... a.mazed.

 

Notre Dame.

 

Our prayer candles.

Le Sacre Coeur.

 

Courtney's cute cupcake place.

 

Okay so Madame de Mezary's cooking is out of this world. The woman is a genius. I su And I will leave Paris still claiming that the best food in Paris is found in our apartment.

Below is baked tomato and leek with gruyere cheese (thats her secret!).

 

Our dinner table (I have to sneak these pictures when our lady is out of the room! I don't know the lines of social conduct here in France, but I think its safe to say snappin' shots at the dinner table isn't okay. 

L'églis de la Madeleine

Another visit to the Madeleine church for an organ concert. It is officially my favorite in Paris.

 

Lauderée. Another addiction. WHEN you go to Paris you must get the "black current-violoet" It was our favorite.

 

The love bridge! This is adorable.

Lovers in Paris put a lock on this bridge, engrave their names on it, then throw the key into the Seine! I will have a lock on this bridge with my future husband.

 

Jumbo pork burrito at our beloved Mexican Restaurant Rice and Beans.

VERSAILLES

Hall of Mirrors! I was DYING. Yes, the clappy hands came out. It is just as magnificent as I imagined!

Marie Antoinette's room!

 

Yes mom we took your suggestion! Riding bikes through the gardens to Marie Antoinette's village. Highlight of the Versailles trip.

 

Thrifting.

 

Homework at the Luxembourg Gardens

 

Homework toujours turns into napping

 

Courtney's paradise: CANDY 

 

LOUVRE.

And the Mona Lisa.

I swear it must have been Asian-fair day.

 

Virgin on the Rocks by Da Vinci... and an unhappy, scary Asian.

 

Poilane bakery.

Bought their famous stone ground flower, light brown sourdough bread. I was very pleased!

 

Marilyn Monroe herself

hahahaha...

 

Mika and Courtney's lunch from the Gay Bakery across the street!

Yep, seriously. Its a gay-friendly bakery and they have penis-shaped baguettes.

Peirre Herme.

Simliar to Laduree, just as good.

 

Our rose and lemon macaron ice cream sandwich, a passionfruit/chocolate macaron, and a creme brulee macaron

 

The Email:

Bonjour mes amis!

Happenings this week:

Last Saturday was one of the girl's birthdays! So we had a picnic right under the Eiffel Tower! It was picture perfect. One guy that took our picture said "Say sex!" ha, that picture turned out funny. Then we went to a Italian restaurant that our Program director suggested, La Bon Marche (not the store). It was darling, but we were eating out on the street and it was pouring rain! The onning (sp?) barely covered us and they had to pull down some tarps so the customers wouldn't get wet. But it was exactly like midnight in Paris! Then ice cream from Amarinos.

Last Sunday (Sept 18th) was Stake Conference! It was a cool experience especially because we met in Versailles! Right next to the palace! It was SO cool. Seems like no biggie that they meet for church right next to the palace. Didn't really understand the meeting. Afterwards while we were chatting in the foyer one of my really good friends Elder Austin Saguibo came bounding up the stairs! He is serving in Paris and heard that the BYU Paris students were upstairs and came to see us! It was so good to see him, I almost started to cry! He is doing great, loving the area (of course) and loving his mission. That was really fun! That night Courtney and I didn't have any groceries so we had to eat out. Went to an Indian restaurant down the street called "Kathmandu Cafe" it was delicious! Got some won-ton looking things, shrimp marsala, and a the chef's specialty carrot cake for dessert. Fun experience!

Food so far has been great! Especially the home cooking. Oh. My. Gosh. I need to find out how to ask if her recipes are secret!
Friday: Tomato and onion seasoned Pork, with rice and carrots and potatoes. For dessert we had apple tart and the best store bought vanilla ice cream ever.
Monday: Breaded chicken, zuccini casserole with gruyere cheese, small iceburg salad. For dessert we had baked cinnamon apples with ice cream.
Tuesday: roasted chicken with a little mustard on top, sauteed/roasted vegetables (zuccini, squash, onions, peppers) and rice. For dessert we had like prune soup haha. It was smashed up prunes in some sweet prune sauce... I don't know what it was but it was delicious. Every night with dinner we have bread and Camembert cheese.
Wednesday: beef patties, little iceburg salad, roasted tomatoes and leeks, bread and cheese. For dessert we had baked figgs with cream.
Street food has been good too. We had Falafle for lunch once and it was delicious! Its a pita with cabbage, cucumber, and fried eggplant meatball things with sauce on top. Next to the institute there is a great patisserie.
Grocery food isn't bad! All we have purchased so far is a couple sandwiches, bread, yogurt. Yogurt here is so much better. Especially the fruit and coconut yogurt. Every Thursday and Sunday mornings (7-11am) there is a fresh food market right down our the street! It is so great I wish Provo had more fresh food markets.

Went to the top of the Arc de Triomph! That was amazing. Paris is gorgeous from up there. I love the white buildings, the big tree-lined streets, the domes and steeples... ahh. Went to the Musee d'Orsay! Loved that! Lots of exhibits weren't open though.. But it was really cool, I almost cried at the Van Gogh self portrait. And all the Monet pieces. Went inside Notre Dame, then Le Sacre Couer. Saw the church of Madeleine, bought two macaroons at Lauderee--my favorite was the black current violet mmmm. Then went through a tiny perfume museum and went to Zara and H&M again (didn't buy anything). Spent all day today at Versailles. Through the chateau, the gardens and Marie Antoinette's super amazing little villiage. Gorgeous. Also passed the "love bridge" where couples put a lock on the railing of the bridge and throw the key into the Seine. Adorable.

Also wrote out my budget/spending plan. At first it was just a "what I'm expecting to spend" idea so I can plan ahead but then when I saw the whopping grand total it turned into a "what I am going to let myself spend" plan. So we will see how that goes. So far so good.

School is great! I am loving all of my classes! I already told some of you this, but when I was siting my references for a project in my Religion class I realized I had used Grandpa Pete's book (A Descriptive Biography of Mormonism: Part Two) a ton! It was so helpful! I told my professor about it and he said he has a personal copy of the book too! It was a fun moment. Professor Lee's class is interesting. He is so passionate about architecture and literature and how they interplay, and it is actually very relevant to our time here. His wife's writing class is also great I am really excited I think my skills will develop a lot. Art History may be a bit repetitive but it is okay, I loved what I have studied before and I can't wait for our next class in the Louvre!

I am doing well. Things were harder at first. It was hard to unpack and consider this "home" for the next three months but I am loving our apartment and new life. Things are only getting easier and time is only going faster. Big city life is a lot of independence and adult behavior even if you're never alone.

Anyway I want to hear from you all!
I hope we can skype this Sunday!

Madeline