Macaroon Crawl

Being a foody is one of my top priorities in life. So it comes as no surprise that the single most important thing I wanted to do in Paris is eat macaroons. Macaroons on macaroons on macaroons.
Despite being a pricey venture, I have no regrets. Here are the results of my mini-macaroon crawl:

Stop 1: Random Cafe With Name I Forgot

Flavors: Chocolate Passionfruit, Strawberry, Coffee

Over-all: 4th place 

 

Stop 2: Pierre-Hermes

Flavors: Mandarine Orange-Olive Oil, Rose, Creme Bulle (BEST)

Over-all: 1st place!!!!

                   

Stop 3: Ladauree 

Flavors: Raspberry, Green Apple (2nd best), Chocolate

Over-all: 3rd place

Stop 4: Christophe-Roussel

Flavors: Pistachio Cherry, Lavender Apricot, Banana Chocolate

Over-all: 2nd place 

As of now, macaroons are definitely my favorite dessert of all time. Too bad I got so spoiled with it in Paris. None of the macaroons I tasted were bad, but Pierre-Hermes is definitely the best over-all quality. Ladauree is famous in name, but the macaroons weren't as good as I expected them to be. Their other pastries are more impressive, in my opinion. The rose-raspberry tart that Julie got was soooo gooood. Still, I definitely had to try it while I was here, just so I could say that I tried Ladauree. Now I know though that next time all my macaroons will come from Pierre-Hermes. 

How I Feel About Paris

Clearly, Paris is still very beautiful

At the end of the day, Paris and I are not lovers. Which is ironic, considering it is Paris. But it wasn't love at first sight, and after spending a little bit of time trying to get to know her, I will say that for now we are at a stalemate. 

I'm really divided about how I feel about Paris for a couple of reasons. First and foremost though, it is just too. freaking. cold right now. Julie and I do not do cold like how cats don't do showers. Yes, our San Diegan is showing right now, but that doesn't change the fact that when a gust of wind blows I feel like my ears will fall off. Also, me and Julie think we are having stomach problems from all the baguettes and sweets we have been eating. This isn't really a fault of Paris, because the food here is delicious. It's just a problem we've been experiencing and it probably is our fault because we're stupid Americans (to put it in the Parisan perspective). Things like veggies and meat plates though, are really expensive. And unlike in Greece and Italy, waiters here give you your check immediately. After coming from those two places, it feels a little like we are being ushered out of the cafe/restaurant. Maybe we are, because no one wants the dumb Americans to take up seats. Le-sigh. 

It isn't that I am not enjoying my time here though! (Julie and I could go anywhere and have a good time together. Even a dumpster site, probably). Paris is lovely and unique. Everything that is said about Paris from movies and books are definitely true-it is a world of its own. The combination of having limited days, and having those days be cold are impeding on the time I need to really discover Paris. The famous sites we've seen are still unbelievably remarkable. None of them disappointed, despite being so widely commercialized and hyped up in movies/books. The architecture is adorable in a NY-Upper-Westside-way. Boys here are all magazine-cover-model-lookalikes. Oh, and macaroons...yuuuuum. 

It isn't that Paris is a terrible place. I think honestly, it mainly is just that it's too cold and I am a wimp. Or maybe Paris is more like a very old wine. The taste of wine used to make me cringe, but it grew on me in time. And now it is the absolute best. I definitely want to visit Paris again sometime in my life, when it is warmer and I can see the parks fill with green leaves. Even now, Paris is still a beautiful city. I can only imagine how breathtaking it will be when the sun is out and the plants grow back again. Until then, Paris will have to wait for me while I tuck my tail in and escape to the mediterranean climate of Spain. 

Eiffel Tower

I wonder if parisans ever get used to the Eiffel Tower and accept it as just another part of the scenery. Like the campanile back at Berkeley. To me, it is just this big bell tower* that I can see from everywhere, and all it does is remind me to get my butt back to the library and study. Except this isn't a bell tower, it's the Eiffel. Tower. I mean, can you ever get used to something as magnificent as the Eiffel Tower? As I look back at all the pictures I took, I still can't believe I was there. Even with all its commercialization and exposure, it still takes my breath away. But it stuns me the most when I catch a glimpse of it unexpectedly. When we're walking back from a cafe and in the distance you see the tip of the tower peeking out. Or on the way to the metro when, as we cross the street, all the sudden the Eiffel Tower is just a hundred feet away from you, and its all lit up for the night. It's just...there. It seems too unreal that I have had the opportunity to actually go up the Eiffel Tower. Like, that is an experience I can file into my Life folder and mark as done! How many people say that their life is so good, they could cut out a piece of it and paste it onto a postcard? I know I sound like a broken record player by now, but "unreal" is still the only apt word that I know to describe it. Totally unreal, but in the most amazing way.

*Weeell, it is the tallest bell tower in California (suck it, Stanford) 

Paris Pride

                           

Paris reminds me of a cat. Cats don't unconditionally love you the way a puppy would. You have to earn the love of a cat, and that is how I feel about Paris.
For instance, in every other country we have visited, locals readily spoke english with us. We were comfortable in the friendliness and openness of others, and it was assumed that anyone we encountered enjoy and willingly help the two American girls. This isn't necessarily true in Paris*. It's hard to describe, but you know how New York people are with their "I <3 NY" attitude? Like there is New York, and then there is this gigantic empty landmass that is the rest of the United States? Imagine that, but on crack. That's Paris. Here, people don't speak English. Not because the country isn't developed enough to teach English, but because it is too beneath them. You are in their territory, so you speak their language, or not at all. It doesn't matter that Paris is one of the biggest tourist cities in the world. Europe may be in an economic crises, but Paris doesn't seem to give any F-s about it. Clothes are still sleek, posh, and now cost both an arm AND a leg. And there are all these other weird rules that only Paris could get away with because its Paris. Like, why do cafes not have any food in the afternoon? Why do all these signs say "cafe" or "restaurant" but turn out to be bars that don't serve food? Can you tell that we had some dark and hungry times during our stay (cough Julie cough)?
Yet, people love Paris. I think when you carve out your space, and earn the respect of Paris, it pays you back in a fierce kind of loyalty, unrivaled in a never-ending supply of beauty and pastries. Until then, good luck even finding a bakery that will serve you food after 1pm.

All jokes aside though, Paris really is lovely. And the challenge that Paris presents is one that I  kind of enjoy. Yes, we look like two idiotic Americans. It's easy to see why parisians hate us. But there's something about the awkward obstacles that feel like we're at least experiencing Paris. At this point, Julie and I are keeping count of how many cultural travesties we will commit. We're already at a lot. But if you can't beat the parisans, or join them, then you might as well play into their stereotype and laugh at yourself about it. I mean, they already are.

*Disclaimer: We have actually had a lot of really friendly encounters with local restaurant owners who have been very gracious in helping two VERY cold and lost American girls find their way back to the hostel. One even drew out a map for us and made us realize we were on the completely wrong side of the river from where we wanted to be.