Paris Essentials

January 19, 2010

There are some things that make life in Paris feel like life in Paris should feel. Here are three of them: the Navigo card (center) that takes you on the Metro, on the Bus, and gives you access to the Velib bicycles; the Library card (left) that you can use in any municipal library in the city; AND the HSBC Carte Bleue with the "puce" -- your very own secret code -- that works the same way debit cards do in the States, and can be used in supermarkets, stores, restaurants, pretty much everywhere.

Armed with these three Paris essentials, we are ready for action!

Five days in, though, we are still jetlagged, glassy-eyed all day long, perky and energetic right about now (7:30 pm) until the small hours. Eventually we will adjust, but, meanwhile, we are enjoying reconnecting with family (our niece Juliette and her family live in Paris) and friends. We are in the same lovely apartment as last year. When we walked in the door, it felt as though we had just stepped out for a coffee and not at all as though a year had passed.

My French is lurking somewhere in the back of my brain, but day by day it will re-emerge and get better. I'm looking into a "review conversation" group that a friend has recommended to jump start the neurons.

The pantry is getting stocked and, believe it or not, I have a boeuf bourguignon simmering on the stove, which I need to attend to so it doesn't end up like Julie's in Julie & Julia.

Au revoir pour le moment!