Stay-cation peut-être?

Paris plages 2013...

Sometimes Paris is Better

When Copain announced that he would be spending this weekend with his parents in Biarritz, I was kinda bummed that I wouldn't be joining them.  A getaway to the beach with nothing but soupe de poisson (fish soup!) and les balades (strolls) along the coast to worry about sounded like just the vacation I needed. But alas, I had to stay in Paris.

My first indication that I had made the right decision was this MMS sent by Copain from Montparnasse train station:

Accompanying text: Aren't u happy right now? It's a mess here

Then I got this:

Accompanying text: My seat and the train

Needless to say, 6 hours on a fold-down chair, squished in-between what are surely bed-bug covered suitcases, would have put me completely over the edge.

Then I got this:

Accompanying text: Pig's ears!! Did you see the blood vessels?

I had forgotten that Copain had asked his mom to get him pig ears and apparently Belle-Mère pulled through for him. Oh. dear. god. Does this not remind you something you once fed to your dog to gnaw on? 

This text was followed by another one indicating that the next three days would be rainy - Rain + Beach = depressing (except I guess it does make hot soupe de poisson taste that much better).

Finally, I got this gem:

Accompanying text: I found our new salad spinner!!

Now in this instance, it's Copain who's lucky I couldn't go to Biarritz, because if I had been there when he suggested we purchase this GIGANTIC gadget to put in our teeny Parisian apartment (right next to all of his other genius purchases!!!!!!), surely I would have exploded in his face. 

Oh my life.

See, sometimes it's just better (for everyone) to stay at home in Paris, bed-bug free with normal food and no physical violence due to inappropriate purchases by significant others.

The Simple Things à Paris

My copine and her mari left for Rome yesterday and we miss them already. It was great having a lifelong friend visit me in Paris - six months pregnant and all!

We did all of the touristy things - Eiffel Tower, Bateau Mouche, Arc de Triomphe, Champs Elysées, but one of my favorite nights was when they just came to our mini-apartment and we ate chicken, an amazing Huré baguette and patisseries from my local bakery for dessert. These are the times when I ask myself why we don't live closer...

Pregnant in Paris

My copine d'enfance will be visiting me this weekend with her mari.  I had visions of wine and cheese-filled evenings and galavanting all over Paris on Velibs - but - Madame is enceinte. Pregnant in Paris.

So, I've had to regroup.

Les pauvres are currently stuck in Miami because their flight in LA was delayed due to technical difficulties.  They got to check-in just as their Miami flight to Paris was leaving the gate. Thankfully they got a hotel because my clever copine pulled the Pregnancy Card - big time. Apparently American Airlines is sympathetic to those of us who are in the sixième mois de grossesse. (Or my copine is really good at yelling at customer service).

Once in the hotel, ma copine started to lose her mind (I blame the hormones). Somehow she ordered a salad from room service with shrimp - you know, one of the foods you're not supposed to eat while pregnant.


Then she got an email from the Vueling airline letting her know that their flight from Paris to Rome might fall on a day of strikes - genial.


Oh - and wouldn't you know that all of the flights to Paris from Miami were booked?! -including all of the other airlines because of the rentrée scolaire?! So, instead of just getting on a flight to Paris the following day at the same time, they have to take a flight to JFK and THEN a flight to Paris, arriving approximately 24 hours later than originally planned.

I honestly don't know how she is holding up - or how her mari is holding up with a six-month crazy pregnant lady.

So, mes amis, what shall I do with a pregnant copine in Paris - one who has had a rocky start to her vacances already?

Shout out to A.T., the Fabulous Frenchie Cupcake-maker

Guess what peeps?! I am in the good ol' US of A, visiting the fam, eating my Papasan's cooking (tacos, tacos, tacos!) and just generally taking a chill pill.  It feels good to finally be en vacances - I was a crazy lady leading up to my much-needed getaway...so crazy that my French colleague thought I needed a pick-me-up and went out to Berko to buy me this:

As you can see, there is already one missing - I had to eat it about 2.5 seconds after opening the box.  They were tasty little suckers and they immediately made me think of Anabelle Tess, the master Frenchie cupcake-maker. Just check out her amazing creations!

I think Berko should hire her - for real.