The Nanny Brigade

The Nanny Brigade. Everyday like clockwork, they start popping up from all directions. Kids of all ages come together to play, but that's not what it's all about. This is Nanny Gossip Hour. Even with my limited French language skills I can hear them talking about the moms, kids, and gossip. I just wish they'd stop chatting and start paying better attention to the kids.

Scenes from St. Germain

One rainy Sunday afternoon I strolled the streets of St. Germain, snapping a few photos. Enjoy.

Picnic in Père-Lachaise

Set high up on a hill in the 20th Arrondissment of Paris is the Père-Lachaise Cemetery. This cemetery is one of the most visited in the world, and is the largest one in Paris. What makes this the most visited in the world? Because it has some famous residents. These residents include:

Oscar Wilde
The Irish novelist and playwright, whose famous works include "The Picture of Dorian Gray" and "The Importance of Being Earnest" lies in an Art Deco tomb. It's tradition to kiss the statue with lipstick, although I find it awful and disrespectful.





Edith Piaf
France's own songbird "Sparrow" lies here. Her famous tunes include "La Vie En Rose", "Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien" (that song they use as the kick in Inception), and "Hymne a L'Amour". Her life is chronicled in the movie "La Vie En Rose" and is a great movie if you get a chance to check it out.





Jim Morrison
Lead singer of The Doors, he was almost not allowed to be buried here. His people plead and said that he was a poet and writer as well as a singer, so he was given the okay. His grave has been vandalized in many ways throughout the years, by people stealing parts of the grave marker, the statue that once topped the headstone, etc.

Other famous residents include:

• Gertrude Stein, American author
• Balzac, French novelist
• Frédéric Chopin, Polish composer
• Sarah Bernhardt, French actress

I took a tip out of my guidebook, saying that it was also a very nice place to enjoy a picnic lunch. So I went to the nearby market and grabbed a fresh baguette, some parma ham, cherry tomatoes, a plum, and mozzarella. So here's a snap of my wonderful lunch.

If you're in Paris and ever want to visit Père-Lachaise, you have 3 options for a Metro stop.
Line 2 : Phillipe Auguste
Line 3: Pere Lachaise
(best option) Line 3 : Gambetta

If you take the Gambetta station, it allows you to enter near Oscar Wilde's grave and walk downhill to visit the remainder of the graves.

Le Marché aux Puces... St. Ouen Flea Market in Paris

I decided to continuing exploring in my second weekend in Paris, I wanted to visit a place I had never been on my 3 previous trips to Paris... the St. Ouen Flea Market. Covering 7 hectacres, it's often regarded as one of the places you can get high quality antiques and furniture from well qualified professionals.

Getting there was an adventure. It's on the outskirts of Paris, and you can reach it by taking the number 4 line to the last stop, the Porte-de-Clignancourt, which happens to be where Amy and I stayed at in 2006. You have to navigate through a semi-scary crowd of scammers trying to sell you fake purses and watches, they can get aggressive at times. I had to put on my best "touch me and I'll break your fingers" look. Also, make sure you protect your wallets and personal items. There are many pickpockets in the area, don't flash your wads of cash for everyone to see. You'll want to head there early in the morning, it's estimated that over 120,000 people visit the market every weekend, and the afternoons tend to get busy.

Once I made it through the shady areas, I was finally inside the market area. The market is organized by grouping different specialties in alleys..... furniture, art, comic books, cooking supplies, dolls and children's toys. I wasn't looking for anything in particular, so I just wandered around and looked at everything.

These beautiful copper cooking pots caught my eye. I immediately thought of Julia Child's collection of copper pots that I saw on display at the Smithsonian in Washington DC. I like to imagine what kind of dishes that someone previously prepared in them. Did someone make Coq au Vin in the big pot? Did they make a cassoulet in the medium one? What kind of sauces did they make in the sauce pans? After checking the prices on each pot, I quickly realized that they're not for someone living on an Au Pair budget! A girl can dream, right? Maybe one day when I'm rich and famous I can go back to Paris and buy my own set of vintage copper pots for my kitchen.


One of the other things I spotted that caught my eye were all the pieces of vintage luggage I saw. One booth specialized in nothing but vintage luggage from airlines... lots of Air France, Pan Am, TWA. It set my heart a flutter. Again, it gets you thinking... where have those bags traveled with people? What kind of stories could they tell? But sadly, they were also out of my price range. 90 Euros for a small carry on? Even with haggling (which is encouraged!) I don't think I could've gotten it.

I spent a few hours just wandering around, taking it all in. I kept my eye open for some trinkets by request from my friend Ashley (who is a fantastically creative lady, her blog can be found here). Alas, I left the market empty handed. If you're in the Paris area, and looking for an activity that isn't a monument or museum, you should check out the St. Ouen flea market. It's open Saturday thru Monday, and if you go on a Sunday or Monday you may be able to score a better price, many sellers are willing to haggle for a lower price. Not many sellers are open on Mondays, or by appointment only. Note that many booths will shut down for an hour to an hour and a half at lunchtime so they can enjoy their lunch.

Hours:
Saturday - 9:0o-18:00
Sunday - 10:00- 18:00
Monday- 11:00- 15:00
Metro Stop: Line 4, Porte de Clignancourt

One for the Memory Books

Sunday, September 4th, 2011

After the afternoon rainstorm, the skies opened up with fluffy white clouds and blue skies. I sit back in my reclining chair. The air is perfumed with the scent of the nearby lavender gardens in the Jardin des Tuileries. I look to my right and I see the Eiffel Tower in the distance.

It's a moment like this I wish I could push a pause button in my life. It's perfection.

Official.

JAX -> ATL -> AMS -> ARN
August 3rd, 2011
Departs: 2:00pm
Arrives: 12:15pm

First stop on my European Adventure.... Sweden!

One Step Closer...

An excerpt from an e-mail I received last week:

"Bonjour Mademoiselle R. ,

I am very pleased to inform you that I have just received the approval to issue you a long stay visa in order establish yourself in France."

*insert loud squeal here*

Also in the e-mail were instructions on setting up an appointment at the French Consulate in Miami, along with the forms I'll need to fill out and bring with me.

At 10:30am on Thursday morning, I'll be in Miami, sitting at the French Consulate, one step closer to my move. From what I hear, the wait time is 2-3 weeks from when you apply for your long stay visa to when it's approved.

Projected Date of Departure (Europe): August 12th or 13th.

Days left until 1st day in France : 42

Movies

I figure I'd list out some movies that I love that feature Paris or France. And yes, they're making the trip with me!

1. Amelie (2002) - Hands down, one of my favorite movies ever. Starring one of the most popular French actresses around, Audrey Tautou, it's such a charming movie. Set in the Monmartre area of Paris, this whirlwind adventure takes you into the lives of Amelie and her friends and family. She plays tricks, does good deeds, and plays Nancy Drew.




2. French Kiss (1995) - A really cute romantic comedy featuring Meg Ryan and Kevin Kline. She overcomes her fear of flying to go to Paris to find her fiancee cheating and with someone else. Kevin Kline is a Frenchman who stumbles upon her and helps her go from a meager weak person to a strong woman. Starts out in Paris, travels to the wine country, and then ends up in the Cote d'Azure.



3. Le Divorce (2003) - Starring Kate Hudson and Naomi Watts as two sisters. Naomi is married to a Frenchman that leaves her, while pregnant with their second child. Kate flies over to help her sister, and manages to have an affair with the uncle of her sister's husband at a series of fabulous French eateries.



4. Funny Face (1957)- A musical with Fred Astaire, Audrey Hepburn, and Paris. I adore those old feel-good musicals with loads of happy songs and wonderful dancing.



5. Midnight in Paris (2011) - I just saw this twice in theaters and I'm completely smitten with it. Owen Wilson and Rachel McAdams (and a whole huge cast of big name stars) are visiting Paris with her family, and he goes on midnight walks to find something enchanting happens in Paris after Midnight. I won't spoil the surprise, you'll have to see it for yourself!



6. Ratatouille (2007) - I know this is an animated movie, but I can't help but include it. Remy is a rat that loves to cook, Linguini is his own personal human puppet, cooking for Remy. This movie will make you want to hop right in the kitchen.



7. Marie Antoinette (2006) - A movie that was filmed at the beautiful palace of Versailles. Chronicling Marie Antoinette's life from marriage to the end, this movie has a fabulous 80's soundtrack and is such eye candy. The costumes and sets are fantastic.




A few other movies are : Moulin Rouge, A Good Year, and Phantom of the Opera.

New Fave!

While I was trying to find a good fig preserves recipe for my friend Melanie, I stumbled upon this wonderful food blogger called "Kiss My Spatula". Not only does she make great food, but the photography is stunning!

She posted this piece about "10 Reasons to Visit Paris in the Winter". Swoon-worthy photographs accompanied by excellent reasons why you should visit!

Click here to check it out!

Start Date!

AUGUST 30TH!


That is the date I will arrive in France and begin my new duties! I was able to have a nice hour and a half long conversation with my host mom today. Things we discussed today:

• My social network when I'm there. She was looking up different things for me to do and be involved in, she wants to make sure I'm not bored or lonely. I told her not to worry... I'm already researching up a storm, I have plenty of things to keep me busy!

• The French Government and how they are such backwards thinkers. She doesn't care for them.
  

• Flying while in Europe, The airports around Paris. She was so proud that I knew the airports in the area... Charles De Gaulle, Roissy, Orly, and Beauvais. She laughed when I told her what I thought of Beauvais last time I was there, a barn that happened to have airplanes. We swapped horror stories about Ryan Air.
  

• Gardens, she said that the kids had planted some radishes, pumpkins, and other veggies and they should be ready by the time I'm there! I told her I'll send her pictures of my backyard garden with herbs and veggies.
  

• She's worried that I'm going to miss the beach. I insisted to her that I've lived here for 25 years and I can trade the beach for castles, chateaus, and monuments for a year, a small sacrifice!
  

• I even got to speak with both of the kids today, they're just so sweet! I asked O (in French!) if he had recieved my little present I sent him. He squealed with delight and said he LOVED IT! THANK YOU THANK YOU!

All in all, a great conversation, I really like the fact that conversation flows easy with the both of us, there's no awkward pauses. I know we'll get all get along just fine!

Calm Before The Storm

I enjoyed a weekend out in the sun, catching up on some light reading. My current read is a book my co-worker Dianne gave me for my birthday... which I had actually been eyeing for almost a year!

This book, written by Elizabeth Band, is a story of how she met her husband and moved to Paris. She struggles with learning a new language, visits the lovely markets, and it follows her through dating, marriage, buying an apartment and all it entails. Tucked in the chapters are recipes that she connects with different moments in her life. Some of the ones I'm plotting to make are:

• Fresh Mint Tea
• Oven Roasted Pork Ribs with Honey
• Poached Cod with Roasted Leeks and Homemade Mayonaise
• Chocolate Creme with Creme Anglaise
• Pasta with Fresh Peas, Arugula, and Goat Cheese

Now I'd better head off to slather another layer of aloe on.... the burn... it hurts!

What am I excited for?

Why am I so excited to move to France?


The Eiffel Tower? Gorgeous markets? The fashion? The language? No, I'm excited to be back to a place where there's fabulous pastries like these. I snapped these at a pâtisserie the last time I was in Paris, back in May of '08.

Buttery, flaky, glossy pastries. Unlike any I've ever had here in the States. Just walking into one of these shops, you inhale the most glorious scent, a combination of vanilla, bread, chocolate, it's completely intoxicating. And the best part of eating these is that you don't have to worry about your waistline, because you do so much walking, it's all compensated for ;)

Movies that Feed My Passion for Travel

The following movies are some favorite movies that have inspired my passion for travel and adventure:

Under the Tuscan Sun:
Author and book critic Frances Mayes, miserable after a hard divorce, heads to Italy on a trip her friends gave to her. On a whim, she ends up buying a fix-it-up villa in Tuscany. This movie takes you through her ups and downs while working on her house and her self. The scenery in the movie is just incredible, taking you through the countryside living of Tuscany, the busy streets of Rome, and the breathtaking Amafli Coast of Italy. Bravissimo!



A Good Year:
Greedy and selfish stock investor Max Skinner finds himself inheriting a small chateau in Provence, France from his favorite uncle, whom he has been disconnected from for many years. The movie has flashbacks to Max's summers spent in Provence with his beloved uncle, and his ultimate dilemma over selling vs. keeping the chateau. This movie showcases the beautiful region of the south of France, mainly Provence. The sweeping vineyards and quaint village cafes are so picturesque. It also stars one of my favorite French leading ladies, Marion Cotilliard, who is such a spitfire passionate woman in this movie.

Eat, Pray, Love
Writer Elizabeth Gilbert wakes up to realize that she may have it all, she's completely miserable with her life. She decides to go away for a year, first eating and enjoying life in Italy (Eat), then finding her spirituality in India (Pray), and wraps up the year combining the two in Bali (Love). Her emotional ups and downs in the movie are so humbling. The three locations they feature in the movie, will have to looking up airfare to see these things for yourself. One of my goals is to order a meal in French the same way Liz orders her meals in Italian. Flawlessly! The title of this movie is also the inspiration of the title of my blog :)


The funny thing about these three movies is that they are all actually based on books, two of them being real life stories (Tuscan Sun and Eat Pray Love) with a few changes. Peter Mayle, who wrote A Good Year, penned some of his own stories about his move to Provence, the first of which is A Year in Provence. I remember first reading this book when I was in the 7th grade and knew I wanted to go there someday.

Now readers, tell me, what movies or books inspire you?

How It All Began

Everyone keeps asking me.... What made you do it? Why are you going? How did you do it?

I'm here to tell it from the beginning.

The Moment

Back in late January of 2011, I had my Elizabeth Gilbert/Frances Mayes moment. That moment that you just knew that you were unhappy with your current situation overall, where you just felt like you needed a permanent change in your life. I'm 24, I'm single, I have no kids, I have no significant other. I craved adventure into the unknown, I had dreams of getting immersed in a completely different culture. One restless night, my fingertips casually typed in "jobs that travel internationally". Among the international MBA programs, teaching English jobs, and Peace Corps results, popped up a website about becoming an Au Pair.

Become an Au Pair

For those unfamiliar with the term "Au Pair", Wikipedia states that "the title comes from the French term au pair, meaning "on a par" or "equal to", indicating that the relationship is intended to be one of equals: the au pair is intended to become a member of the family, albeit a temporary one, rather than a domestic servant. Typically, au pairs take on a share of the family's responsibility for childcare as well as some housework, and receive a small monetary allowance for personal use."

The lightbulb went off in my head. Why didn't I think of it before? I've known girls that have done it here in Jacksonville and they enjoyed it. In exchange for watching and teaching children, I have the ability to live in another country, immerse myself completely into the life of a family abroad. For those that know me... I love children. I've been babysitting since I was 12, I worked in daycares and summer camps, this would be a perfect opportunity to put that experience to good use.

So the first weekend in February, I posted my profile on Au Pair World. I quickly learned the main things that families were looking for.... a driver's license (many young adults in Europe don't get them until their 20's) previous experience with working with children, and some sort of basic knowledge of a foreign language. My profile had some background information on me, my hobbies, my experiences, what countries I'd like to work in, how long I want to stay, what languages I can speak, what age groups I'd like to watch after. The beauty of Au Pair World is that they have an "Easy Match" system, where they display matches for families that match your profile.

The Search Begins

My heart skipped a beat when I got my first contact from a family. I thought to myself "Wow. This is it. It's beginning. Am I really doing this?" Quickly, one after another, I was getting e-mails from across Europe. Italy, Spain, the UK, Germany, France, Sweden, Denmark, The Netherlands, Switzerland.... cities like Lyon, Nice, Barcelona, Rome, Geneva, Berlin, Edinburgh, and finally Paris. I knew deep down that I wanted to end up in France. I took 2 years of High School French and I've kept up with it ever since. I've been to France 3 times. It was meant to be. Every day, I'd get emails and I would begin corresponding with certain families I liked. Once it got into serious talks with a family, we set up a interview session via Skype. Of the few families I spoke with, one seemed like a good fit, but they offered the position to the girl before me (that they didn't think would accept their offer), I also had a mother of 13 year old triplets that only wanted me there to do her ironing and laundry and housework. A few interviews later, I was starting to wonder when I'd find my perfect match.

A Match, Finally

One day, at the end of March, I received an email from a family that came up as one of my EasyMatches. Right from the first initial emails we sent back and forth I had a really good feeling about this family. We had a lot in common, the mother had previously been an Au Pair in London, and they were located in the suburbs of Paris. It was clear what the family expected of me, and what they wished for me to experience as a member of their extended family. After two weeks of emails, we set up a time for a Skype session for a Friday afternoon in April. Once we began our Skype session, conversation flowed quite easily. I was introduced to the children, I'll call them O (boy, 3 years old) and M (girl, 1 year old). I spoke with the Husband, got a tour of the house, talked about some family things. At the end of our two hour conversation... it came to the point where she asked me if I would be able to give her an answer that day if I would become their au pair. And my answer was "YES." Finally, a yes. It felt so good to say it. Two months of searching and it had come to an end. I had found my host family.

Next up.... the Visa process.