Food for Thought

(on a bike that you can rent for free up to 30 minutes; in Paris you can rent bikes throughout the city and they are only 1 euro for an hour and your pick up and drop of stations can be different.  This is apart of the city government system and it is called Vélib'- American cities need to catch up!)

O.K so, after this week I will completely be over my jet lag, but as of right now, I'm still feeling the wrath of being 6 hours ahead of my normal time.  I still feel as if I start my day at 2 a.m (eastern standard time) and end my day at 6 p.m (eastern standard time).  Anyway, I decided to get up tonight and grab a bite to eat.  Ma tante has been asking for pictures of french food, so here is a small small glimpse of la nourriture!  Well, this is food you can get in America too, but in France, it is more authentic and much better (French food beats American food hands down).  One of my roommates and I went to the local Brasserie (french for brewery) and grabbed a bite to eat, potage l'oignon avec gruyère et créme brûlée.  Then I randomly took a picture of the fruit outside at the market by my house.

Bonne Nuit!

Bisou Bisou,

Jennifer Pauline

Got Legs?

If you don't know I'm an artsy kind of girl, I love all types of art, especially fashion (I don't like using that term, but it will have to do for now).  Prior to my arrival in Paris, I spent this past summer in New York interning at Christian Louboutin.  I had the privilege of working with not only the most fantastic shoes in the world, but I also had the privilege of working with really amazing people.  While working in the press office with our F/W 2008 collection, we were sending shoes to various places everyday. One shoe, well boot, always caught my eye, it was quite interesting and the name of the boot is equally as exciting as the boot itself.  "Dolly Forever".  Ms. Dolly is a suede, thigh high boot with a hidden platform and fringe detail, and she speaks for herself (as most Louboutins do).  Oh yes, Ms. Dolly Forever has a little sister and her name is "For Ever Tina" (I'm wearing these in my blog title picture ;).

Note:  Dolly Forever is only to be worn if you have the legs and the height for them.  Sorry!

Bisou Bisou,

Jennifer Pauline

Quote of the Day:

"If you are lucky enough to have lived in Paris as a young man, then wherever you go for the rest of your life, it stays with you, for Paris is a movable feast"- Ernest Hemingway

Question of the day:

How many goals have you accomplished?

I've learned that writing down my goals, making my list and checking it twice so to speak, is the best way to turn thoughts into actions.  I have accomplished all but one goal that I set this year, but when I leave France, my last goal will be accomplished.  I will be fluent in french.

Set your goals, Write your goals, Achieve your goals (by any means necessary).

Fleur du Jour

(excuse my hair, the wind was blowing!!)

From the moment I saw the Tuileries in a photo from the Sartorialist, I said to myself: "I have to go there".  Well, today I took my first journey to le jardin des Tuileries et c'est très joli!  This garden is so well manicured and taken care of, i've never seen anything like it in the states. People are very respectful of keeping the beautiful garden impeccably clean as well as respectful of maintaining the peace and serenity that exists within the garden, as many people around me were sleeping while bathing in the sun.  Jardin des Tuileries est très grand so I was not able to see the entire area, but from what I was able to see, I thoroughly enjoyed it.

  

The Tuileries was great for me to do a little writing, listen to my girl Nina (Simone that is)read my french vocabulary book and soak in a little sun as well (although today I made the terrible mistake of wearing boots, parce qu'il faisait froid ce matin).  Paris is quite a remarkable city, I think I may be in heaven.  

(In the first picture you see l'Arc de Triomphe from the middle of the Tuileries)

(The Seagull bathes as I watch)

(I love this little duck family)

On my way home I decided to buy flowers and I bought some beautiful (and cheap) flowers from Monceau Fluers en Rue Ordener.  

    (My flowers look fake, mais non ils sont vrai)

Bisou Bisou,

:* Jennifer Pauline

Get Your Shine On

Ma Nouvelle Chaussures; 

These black patent lace up shoes, better known to me as the mens tap shoe, hitting the pavement, are my new favorite.  I found these at a boutique in the Marais area of Paris, called Acqua Rêves.

J'aime des chaussures!

Bisou Bisou,

Jennifer Pauline

Aujourd'hui en Paris

Today ended early (yay! naptime) but I decided to show how beautiful the Paris Metro stations are, it's quite amazing.  I try to keep my camera hidden as much as possible (I'd hate to look like the "in constant awe American") but today since I was out early I decided to get off at the two most interesting Metro stops thus far (the Louvre et le Tuileries) and also decided to take you on my route to school, via le Centre Pompidu.

(L-R.Rue Rambuteau metro stop for my school, Le Centre Pompidu, The Courtyard of my School, Rue de Braque where my school is)

The pictures below are (as I mentioned before) the beautiful Louvre-Rivoli metro stop along with the Tuileries (le jardin).

Le Louvre-Rivoli metro stop is for the Musée de Louvre, and while this picture doesn't allow you to see this, the entire station is full of reproductions of many great pieces in the museum.  The benches in the station are made out of glass. Trés intéressant.

Tuileries was another great place, it looks like a giant comic book, I love it!

Bisou Bisou,

Jennifer Pauline

Quote of the Day

"The man who has begun to live more seriously within begins to live more simply without"- Ernest Hemingway

Question of the Day

What is your Raison d'etre (reason for being)?


As I walk from my apartment down Rue Moncalm (my street) to Rue Ordener I have about 3 blocks to think, before I head underground to my Metro stop Jules-Joffrin (I decided against riding the Metro from Lamarck-Coulaincourt today). The thought running through my mind this morning, as I listened to a sermon by T.D Jakes entitled "Nothing Moves Until You Speak", were thoughts about my reason for being. Here I am, trapsing along la Rue (street) in Paris (which feels more like the path of my life, full of rocky surfaces (the cobblestones, which are laid by hand one by one) and the smooth surfaces of the Metro) and I began re-capping my purpose.
Whilst listening to this sermon, I hear the speaker refering to the endless possibilities one has once you speak the desires of your heart and act upon those words and not just "wish" for it to happen. So, I not only ask you to ask yourself your Raison d'Etre, but I also ask you to challenge yourself to speak something outrageous in your life and be the ONLY person to determine your reason for being, not your circumstances, friends or family.

A bientôt!
Jennifer Pauline

Day 2.5

It is now 10:00 p.m on Wednesday August 27, 2008 and I have just awaken from my nap.  I call this day 2.5 because j'arrivé à Paris lundi, yet I'm still trying to figure out what day it is because I am so terribly jet-lagged.  

Orientation for my program began on Tuesday morning at 9:00 a.m and 8:15 a.m Tuesday morning was my first independent experience on the Metro (the Paris subway system).  J'habite dans le Montmartre area of Paris, north of the center of Paris, which is about 40 minutes train ride à mon école.  After living in New York for 2 summers and mastering the Metro subway system in such a hectic city, I will say that the Paris metro is much easier and much more clean (the Louvre stop on the 4 train has sculptures and art in the actual terminal, tres joli!)

I almost feel as if my life as a Parisian won't begin until school starts on Monday, because this week has most definitely felt like summer camp (walking around Paris in big groups is not my thing, but I understand for the purposes of this "orientation week" it has to be done).  

We did, however, take a tour bus around Paris for a panoramic view of the entire city and while je déteste big touristy American things, I actually was super happy to take this tour.  We went to various places like the Louvre (this place is amazing):

Down le Champs Elysées from l'Arc de Triomphe to the Eiffel Tower: 

As well as many other places, including the Notre Dame, the Seine, le Grand Palais et le Petit Palais, Musee d'Orsay, the U.S Embassy (great to know where it is) l'Hôtel de Crillon, les Jardins de Tuileries etc. etc.  This is one big old city (literally, it is over 2,000 years old and with 20 arrondissements (districts) there is so much to see and enjoy).  As I do have to attend ANOTHER orientation session in the morning, it is time for me to enjoy my rest (meaning I'm about to turn on Sex and the City season six. PART. deux and  then fall asleep)

a Bientôt!!

Bisou Bisou,

Jennifer

PS.

I have 2 concerts en Paris that I would love to go to, yet, I need to pick just one.  Would you go to Rock en Seine

 (avec Amy Winehouse, the Roots, Justice, the Raconteurs, Black Kids, Kate Nash and others) or......

would you go see Kanye West perform with a surprise special guest???  Help me to decide!!!

 

Bonne Nuit!

Bienvenue

"Twenty years from now, you will be more disappointed by the thing you didn't do than by the one you did do. So throw off the bowlines and sail away from the safe harbor, catch the trade winds in your sail. Explore. Dream. Discover."- Mark Twain

My sentiments exactly.

Apres (after) my first visit to Paris when I was 15 years old in 2000, I knew that I would return. I found my joie de vivre (joy in life) and there was a certain je ne sais quoi that left me intrigued and yearning for more. Six years after my first encounter with Paris, I am now living here.

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Living in Paris until the end of December in an apartment around the Montmartre area in the 18e arrondissement of Paris with 3 wonderful roomates. My classes will take place a la Sorbonne, one of the most prestegious french universities, as well as an American University which is apart of my program. My classes are french language and literature as well as art history focusing on the impressionism and post impressionism eras (think Renoir, Cezanne, Monet, Van Gogh etc.) and Haute Couture in France, focusing on the history of fashion and style. We will be going on trips to the Louvre, le Grand Palais, le Musee d'Orsay etc. etc. to gain hands on experience outside of our classroom.

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With all of this in store the only thought going through my mind is, Wow. I must say that when God does his job, he does his job very well.

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It is definitely by grace and God alone that I am here and I want to thank the people that have extended their prayers, time, energy, effort, support and so much more that have helped me make it to this wonderful city.  So, my first post is dedicated to thanking these wonderful people:

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My mother (thank you so much for all of your love, your many sacrifices and endless support you have given me, I promise I am making you proud!) Aunt Paulette (thank you for all the great Parisian advice and most importantly thank you 1 million times for making sure that I got here, I can't wait for you to visit), Wayne (thank you so much for all of your love and support throughout this entire process) Nicole (thank you for basically, everything) André (I love you bff, you are so supportive and an amazing friend) Ms. Cynthia, Aunt Harolyn, Aunt Wanda, Thank you all for your support and unconditional love!

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It is amazing what a group of people can do for one small person like me and I am forever greatful for everything that each person has done for me! Please come back to visit the blog, there is so much more in store!!!

Bisou Bisou,

Jennifer Pauline

(PS. the picture below is a picture along the Champs-Elysées of the French Olympic winners celebrating the victories they accomplished in Beijing, the back of their bus says "Impossible is nothing": take a second and think about it:)