Paris Métisse

People love Paris for what they know it to be: picturesque flowers and parks, romantic twinkling nights by the Seine or the Eiffel Tower, fashion, food, and class. And although those things are all true, there is so much more to Paris than meets the eye, so many cultural experiences to be had. Paris is a métissage, a mixture if you will, of cultures, backgrounds, ethnic heritages, societies, and traditions. Many parisians of today do not, in fact, come from a long line of French descendants, but rather from North African, Indochinese, and other backgrounds. A quarter of Parisians, to be exact, were born outside of France. I've been lucky enough to experience Paris beyond her stereotypical surface and see her true beauty as a city of fascinating multiculturalism, Paris Métisse. The majority of these photos are from Le Comptoire Général which I mentioned in my last post as a hub for African cultural preservation, and  Le Grande Mosquée de Paris, one of the largest mosques in Paris.
I just returned to the city yesterday from a couple days visit to Normandy, so look forward to post about that trip soon! xoxobb

A Few of My Favorite Things II

This post is about more than a few of my favorite things, it's about a lot of my favorite things. Not a day has gone by here in Paris that I have not fallen in love with a certain place or a certain something. Read about some of my favorites:

1) Buddha Bar
This place is CRAZY cool. They have a huge two-story golden buddha statue, red velvet couches, warm lighting, and a drink menu not suited to a college students budget. After looking through the menu (which we had to do by way of iphone flashlight because of the "mood" lighting) we decided that a place serving twelve-hundred euro bottles of champagne was not quite in our price range. However, the ambiance was too good to pass up. We ordered the cheapest thing there was and took in the awesome atmosphere.

2) Le Refuge des Fondues
Again, a crazzzy cool place. They have meat and cheese fondue, they let their customers write all over their walls, and they serve wine in baby bottles. The restaurant is a tiny one room hole in the wall, but that all adds to its undeniable charm and attractiveness. Definitely one of the most hilarious and memorable dining experiences I've ever had.

3) Centre Pompidou
The Centre Pompidou museum is one of Paris' largest and, in my opinion, best museums. It is known for what it looks like on the outside, exposed beams and architecture that is not in any way "parisian," and for being the largest museum of modern art in Europe. Going through just the permanent collection will take you 4 hours at the least, not to mention the many temporary exhibits that they have at any given time. Worth every second though, let me tell you.

4) Le Pop-In
This bar is one of the most charismatic and unique places I've been since I've been here. From the front and main area of the place, it looks just like any run-of-the-mill bar. But, when you walk up its narrow staircase into the lounge, and then back down another even narrower staircase lined with exposed rock and brick, you enter a nearly pitch-black cave-like cellar. Sounds creepy, but this dark cement basement is equipped with a small stage and a spotlight and is home to open mic night every Sunday. We went and caught a couple performances from local Parisian artists, and it was truly one of the neatest experiences of my life.

5) Mme Shawn
Madame Shawn seems to own a monopoly on Paris' Thai food front, but it's authentic decor and phenomenal food would never lead you to guess that it's a chain. When I first went to Mme Shawn I thought I had found a one-of-its-kind thai restaurant because everything was so charming and so unique. I later found out there are 5 locations throughout Paris, but that would not stop me from going back. The shrimp pad thai was amazing, but even better was the coconut soup that I had to start. Definitely a favorite meal I've had so far.

6) Pierre Hermé
Don't let anyone fool you, Ladurée is not the only macaroon shop in Paris. In fact, I think it might have been out done by none other than Pierre Hermé. At PH they have the crowd pleasing flavors such as pistachio and carmel, but they also have flavors entirely unique and their own. Im talking olive oil and vanilla with real pieces of olive in the macaroon. It sounds a little gross, but it may have been the best macaroon I've ever eaten.

7) Le Comptoire Général
Le Comptoire Général is a tough place to explain, but all I can say is that you've probably never been anywhere like it. Walking down Quai de Jemmapes by the canal in the 10th arrondissement, you would never know it's there. It doesn't have a store front or even a door really, rather you walk through a gate and down a little alley to where it's located. It's a restaurant, museum, store, bar, lounge, school, gathering hall all mixed up into one. It is a place dedicated to ghetto culture, especially that of Africa, and when you're there, you're in awe of everything around you. They've creatively recreated each area like something from another place and time. There is also an abundance of natural light and lots of greenery and foliage canopying each room so you forget that you're in the city of Paris. The hibiscus juice is made in-house and is on point, definitely worth a try.

Dance in the Graveyards

"When I die, I don't want to rest in peace, 

I want to dance in joy, I want to dance in the graveyards.

And while I'm alive, I don't want to be alone,

Mourning the ones who came before, 

I want to dance with them some more.

Let's dance in the graveyards." 

Cimetiere Pere-Lachaise is the largest cemetery in the city of Paris. Established in 1804, it spans 110 acres and contains the graves of thousands and thousands of deceased; including famous composers, artists, and writers such as Edith Piaf, Chopin, Jim Morrison, Marcel Marceau and Oscar Wilde. It's a weird thing when, walking through the streets of a cemetery, you think to yourself, "this is the most beautiful thing I've seen in Paris." But It's true. It was majestic and tranquil and strikingly gorgeous. The work and artistry that went into some of those headstones and memorials is amazing. It was like walking through an eerie yet relaxing garden. After walking through the cemetery for two hours, we had only covered about 3/4 of it, so I hope to get back there soon to see the rest. Here are some pics that I thought captured some of it's beauty, enjoy! xoxobb

A Weekend in Barca

This past weekend I traveled to Barcelona, Spain to experience the rich and vibrant Spanish culture. Barcelona is without a doubt one of the greatest cities I've traveled to and I cannot wait to go back! We stayed at the wonderful Generator Hostel which was completely unlike any other hostel I had heard about or seen. They had a restaurant and bar inside, along with a lounge, pool tables, foosball tables, photo booths, and many other great accommodations. It took me a while to stop accidentally speaking french whenever someone spoke to me, but I eventually transitioned into my limited spanish vocabulary. Although I was only there for a few days, I feel like I accomplished and explored a lot of what the city has to offer. Parc Guell is one of the city's most notable attractions, full of Gaudi's colorful art and architecture. The sun was in full force, and although we were hot, we toured the park for an hour and took in the beautiful flowers, mosaics, and buildings that make it famous. We were lucky enough to be in Spain when they were playing against Netherlands in the World Cup, so we ventured to the very cool Ovella Negra to watch the match. The old warehouse/ empty train station turned tavern can hold up to 500 people and makes for such an amazing atmosphere when watching the game. They had long german-style tables, 2-story ceilings, huge projector screens to watch the games, and towers of beer or sangria that could be brought to each table. The place was packed and it was one of the best experiences ever. For lunch on Saturday we went to the sandwich shop Bo de B. We heard about it through someones friend and were told that it was exceptional. We arrived half an hour before it opened and there were already people waiting in line. It didn't look like much from the outside and only held about 15 people on the inside, but all the hype proved to be true. One of the best sandwiches I've ever had. Another must in Barcelona is Flamenco. We went to a live Flamenco show at Tarantos that completely blew my mind. I've never seen such an exciting, vibrant, passionate dance/musical performance. Since the weather was perfect we simply had to go to beach and spent Saturday afternoon basking in the sun on one of Barcelona's beaches. That night we had a spectacular tapas dinner to top off the trip, one of Barca's specialties. I could have spent a lifetime exploring Barcelona, shopping, eating, going to the beaches, etc, but that gives me all the more reason to return to the city soon! I know there's so much left to do there, here's to hoping I get to do it all one day! The great memories I made in Barcelona somehow didn't keep me from being homesick for Paris, I often found myself missing my new home and the parisian way of life. I'm back in Paris now and, even though I miss the heat and the beaches of Barca, I am happy to stay here for a little while before traveling again. Here are some photos of my glorious trip to Espana, enjoy! Adios amigos!