Paris, j'taime

There’s no way that words (or pictures) can capture the past weekend in Paris, but here’s my best attempt:

We landed at d’Orly airport on a cold Thursday night and then headed to our hotel, conveniently located in the third arrondissement. We started Thursday morning off on the right foot with some warm crepes stuffed with Nutella and bananas! We walked through the snowy Jardin de Tuileries on our way to Musée l’Orangerie in search of Monet’s waterlillies and other impressive works. We also visited the museum’s special exhibit Les Enfants Modèles, which displayed the artwork of famous artists who used their own children as models and their children’s responses to the artwork. We then strolled from the obelisk at Place de la Concorde down the Champs-Elysées to the Arc du Triomphe. Although the skies weren’t cooperating, we still got a panoramic view of the twelve-point intersection from the top of the Arc!

We met up for a filling falafel lunch at L’Aus du Falafel in the Marais with my friend Brittany, who is currently studying in Paris. Although I had hoped to go to the Musée Picasso (currently closed for renovations until 2012) after lunch, we headed to the Centre Pompidou instead. I fell in love with the fifth floor exhibit, Elles@centrepompidou, which essentially was a re-hanging of the permanent collection’s works by female artists. Over 500 works were hung chronologically by themes, and some of my favorites included feminist advertisements by the Guerilla Girls and a feminist’s furry take on Mondrian’s work.

After the museum, Brittany introduced us to some incredible pastries (macarons) and the world’s best cupcakes at Berko. We then headed to the Louvre to admire the pyramid (and try some Parisian McDonalds) before heading in for a whirlwind tour of the “masterpieces.” I found the museum overwhelming, to say the least; the crowd (and six guards) in front of the Mona Lisa was almost as entertaining as the piece itself.

Per Rachel’s recommendation, we had an incredible dinner at Le Petite Chaise, which was founded in 1680 and stands as the oldest restaurant in Paris. I enjoyed a cauliflower and beet salad to start, followed by pork filet mignon and a gingerbread mouse to end the night.

We began Saturday morning with delicious organic scones, granola, and porridge at the Rose Bakery (thanks, Emily)! We then ventured to Montmartre to pay a visit to the Espace Dalí, which houses many sculptures, furniture, and etchings by Dali, and the Basilique du Sacré-Coeur. The Dalí museum was a personal favorite; I learned so much about his preoccupation with time (famously represented by his signature melting clocks) and feminine beauty. We warmed up with a lunch of duck confit (thanks to a mistranslated menu) and beef stew in the loft of a cozy restaurant, Au Pied de Fouet. After waiting outside for a long, windy twenty minutes to enter the Musée d’Orsay, we finally got a chance to enter and see Courbet’s Origin of the World and Van Gogh’s Self Portrait, among other impressive pieces. Due to renovations, the museum was packed and the Impressionism wing was barely navigable. [Luckily there were some comfy benches where Adam could improve his skills on his new Fifa iPhone app since his “feet hurt.”]

At the Bistrot des Victoires, we were lucky to have a waiter who hailed from Madrid and was able to help us translate the dinner menu (although you can’t possibly go wrong). Adam chose the famous “l'entrecôte grillée au thym brûlé.” When the meat came, the thyme was smoldering on top! I ordered the Tartine Italienne, and we topped it off with some authentic crème brulee and profiteroles. Afterwards, we made our way to the Eiffel Tower for a glance at the illuminated monument. We were surprised by the sparkling lights on the hour and impressed by the warm chocolate crepes served nearby!

We began Sunday morning with a stroll down Rue Montorguiel in search of croissants at the legendary Patisserie Stohrer (where Queen Elizabeth picked up her pastries while visiting Paris). The buttery biscuits were nothing short of perfect. After trekking to the Ile de la Cité, I was disappointed to hear that the Sainte Chapelle was closed for the day due to the “weather conditions.” However, the beautiful stained glass at the Notre Dame remedied the situation! Although the treasury and tower were closed, we had the opportunity to sit in on a mass at the cathedral.

After some admiring, we continued across the river to the Mosquée du Paris, the largest in France. There were many similarities between this site and the interior design of Sevilla’s Real Alcazar and Granada’s Alhambra, but two aspects (obviously food related) stuck out in particular. While inside, I sampled a spoonful from a steaming pot of cous cous and chick peas. Afterwards, we rounded the corner of the building to head into the attached Muslim restaurant for some sweet mint tea!

For our final meal in Paris, we chose the Café Charlot (thanks again, Emily)! We sat against the window along the street (perfect for people watching) and enjoyed some warm goat cheese salad, chicken burgers, and champagne for Valentine’s Day. Before heading back to our hotel, we were bombarded with a large, loud parade in honor of the Chinese New Year. The parade brought colorful costumes, firecrackers, and tangible excitement for an energetic finish to the whirlwind of a weekend!

Needless to say, we left the city – full and exhausted (aren’t you?) – with some incredible memories and the photographs to show for it. Returning to Madrid was comforting (I know approximately ten French words), relaxing (the French metro was PACKED!), and toasty (about 20 degrees warmer), but bittersweet as well. I will definitely miss the food and fashion that the Parisians have to offer!