I'm a UK citizen, which means that I can stay in France for as long as I want without a visa. There is one small problem... I was an idiot and waited to get my passport until the last minute. Essentially, if I want to stay, I have to get my passport before November 21st, otherwise I have to come home.
Luckily for me, the British Consulate is literally on the street next to us, so it wasn't a big deal to go and hand in my passport application. It was easy... too easy...
Thinking that I could relax, knowing that my passport would soon be coming, was stupid on my part. I got an email yesterday saying that I needed a different kind of birth certificate than the one I gave them. The problem is I ONLY HAVE 1 TYPE OF BIRTH CERTIFICATE... I went to the consulate, thinking that they could help me figure this issue out. No, no they can't. I have to call the UK, get them to help me sort it out if I have any chance whatsoever of staying... ugh.
So the epic quest continues... I'll keep you all updated as to what is going on... but let's hope the British are in a good mood tomorrow...
Stay Lovely,
Liz
Monday, 26 September 2011
Saturday, 24 September 2011
New Blog Updates!
Hey Guys! Just a quick little blurb about some new things on the blog:
If you are interested in the photo proof of our adventures you can check out the Photo-Tastic! page, which I'll update with pictures once or twice a week.
I have also started to page that I'll try and update every day, about the differences between France and North America, the posts will be shorter, and focus more on the aspects of French culture compared to the culture of North America. If there isn't a new post on the main blog, be sure to check out France Vs. North America for an insight to the life of a Parisian!
There is now a Follow By Email form in the sidebar, so if you don't have a google/blogger account, you can still keep up to date with the blog by email. You won't get spammed by anyone, just get emails when there is a new post you haven't read yet!
At the bottom of every page (under the comments) there is now a magical Share It button so you can spread the awesomeness to your friends on Twitter or Facebook.
Anywho... hope you enjoy the new additions and if you have any suggestions as to how this blog could be more awesome, let me know in the comments!
Stay Lovely,
Liz
If you are interested in the photo proof of our adventures you can check out the Photo-Tastic! page, which I'll update with pictures once or twice a week.
I have also started to page that I'll try and update every day, about the differences between France and North America, the posts will be shorter, and focus more on the aspects of French culture compared to the culture of North America. If there isn't a new post on the main blog, be sure to check out France Vs. North America for an insight to the life of a Parisian!
There is now a Follow By Email form in the sidebar, so if you don't have a google/blogger account, you can still keep up to date with the blog by email. You won't get spammed by anyone, just get emails when there is a new post you haven't read yet!
At the bottom of every page (under the comments) there is now a magical Share It button so you can spread the awesomeness to your friends on Twitter or Facebook.
Anywho... hope you enjoy the new additions and if you have any suggestions as to how this blog could be more awesome, let me know in the comments!
Stay Lovely,
Liz
Friday, 23 September 2011
Being Sick in Paris Blows...
*cough cough hack hack death* That is what I have sounded like the past few days...
Sorry I've been M.I.A, but like I said, I've been sick. I'm feeling a lot better now, but I was not such a happy camper this week. Cough, tummy ache (due to my stomach hating something I ate) and a wicked sore throat have been plaguing me. You would think I would be smart and go get some medicine but... Parisian pharmacies are scary... they are all independently owned and some only have certain things, like holistic medicine, or beauty products. So I stayed in my bed for three days straight eating popsicles and other frozen/cold things to sooth my throat.
Me being sick is what made me miss home the most... if I was at home I could have run to my Momo's (grandmother's) house and sprawled out on her couch, hoping that there will magically be chicken noodle soup... In Paris, however, I had to be a big girl and wallow in my own self-pity, since Karim is at school most of the day.
As you can see, I am still alive, barely.
Anyways, I wanted to post and let you all know that I miss you, and I'm okay. I am so okay that Karim and I are about to go party our faces off, since the week has been as full of poop (much like the Parisian streets). Enjoy your day, and hopefully we will enjoy our night. Either way, you'll hear all about it tomorrow!
Stay Lovely,
Liz
Me being sick is what made me miss home the most... if I was at home I could have run to my Momo's (grandmother's) house and sprawled out on her couch, hoping that there will magically be chicken noodle soup... In Paris, however, I had to be a big girl and wallow in my own self-pity, since Karim is at school most of the day.
As you can see, I am still alive, barely.
Anyways, I wanted to post and let you all know that I miss you, and I'm okay. I am so okay that Karim and I are about to go party our faces off, since the week has been as full of poop (much like the Parisian streets). Enjoy your day, and hopefully we will enjoy our night. Either way, you'll hear all about it tomorrow!
Stay Lovely,
Liz
Monday, 19 September 2011
Mona is one stealthy lady...
So I didn't post yesterday, I was busy getting my Louvre on. Yes, we finally did it. After two weeks of being in Paris, we finally dragged our sorry butts to the magical mystical Louvre. We decided, since we live a 22 minute walk away from the Louvre, that we were going to do one room a visit. Most people only spend 3 seconds looking at the Mona Lisa. 1, 2, 3. That's it. Well, not us. We are going to take our time, appreciate the things that represent a world that seems so far away. It also helps that we have year long passes that let you skip all the lines... (they were only 15euros, so if you are coming to Paris and plan to go to the Louvre more than once, it pays for itself since regular museum passes are $10 a pop.)
On this trip we focused on the Greek and Roman statues. We saw Miss Venus De Milo, and thought for a few minutes about what she would have been posed like, if she were to still have her missing arms. It was so magical being in the Louvre. If there were any building to make your 19 years on this planet feel so insignificant, it's the Louvre. The building itself is a work of art; the glass pyramids, the vaulted ceilings with masterful paintings, the marble staircases, the ornate fireplaces that once glowed with fire. It's also a place you can get lost in... easily. Everything leads to everything else, so be prepared to walk in circles, cursing the statue that you've seen 5 times. This happened to us on our search for the one and only Mona Lisa.
You would think it would be easy to find her... it's not. We looked for the elusive Mona for a full hour before giving up. We'd been in the Louvre for 2 and 1/2 hours, and I was getting hungry...
So all in all, the Louvre was an amazing place, one we'll be going back to again and again. We will hunt down Miss Mona, and you'll be damn sure there will be pictures when we do!
Stay Lovely,
Liz
On this trip we focused on the Greek and Roman statues. We saw Miss Venus De Milo, and thought for a few minutes about what she would have been posed like, if she were to still have her missing arms. It was so magical being in the Louvre. If there were any building to make your 19 years on this planet feel so insignificant, it's the Louvre. The building itself is a work of art; the glass pyramids, the vaulted ceilings with masterful paintings, the marble staircases, the ornate fireplaces that once glowed with fire. It's also a place you can get lost in... easily. Everything leads to everything else, so be prepared to walk in circles, cursing the statue that you've seen 5 times. This happened to us on our search for the one and only Mona Lisa.
You would think it would be easy to find her... it's not. We looked for the elusive Mona for a full hour before giving up. We'd been in the Louvre for 2 and 1/2 hours, and I was getting hungry...
So all in all, the Louvre was an amazing place, one we'll be going back to again and again. We will hunt down Miss Mona, and you'll be damn sure there will be pictures when we do!
Stay Lovely,
Liz
Saturday, 17 September 2011
Making friends is good, especially when they have booze...
Drinking is expensive in France, mostly because there is a 20% tax on all alcohol. Karim and I needed to unwind after a busy two weeks, and since we didn't feel like sitting alone in our apartment drinking copious amounts of the vodka we were gifted, we decided to venture out into the great unknown bar scene of Paris. We were however, being lazy, so the great unknown was 4 doors down from us. There is a small British bar 1 minute away from us called The Cricketer, and we decided to go in, have 1 drink each, and see where the night went. Our 2 drinks (I had a Long Island Ice Tea, and Karim had some real Irish Guinness) cost us 15euros (22 USD), so we weren't planning on drinking any more than that. The bar was pretty slow, a few people sat at tables talking amongst themselves, but otherwise it was empty. Deciding to be social creatures, we sat at the bar and got to talking to the two people working behind it. Ashton, a girl whose parents are English but was raised in Paris, and Will, a lovely bloke from Brighton, UK. They were super nice, and also super bored.
Once our drinks ran out, we just sat there talking, about everything really. Then, they decided it was shot-o'clock. Now I was never much of a drinker, so I didn't really know what to expect. Jager Bombs were the decided shot. They were really generous, and poured both Karim and I a shot as well. It was yummy. Karim was then gifted some free beer that the bloke next to us at the bar (Ashton and Will's friend Jack) decided to give to Karim, since he apparently looked thirsty. We sat and talked about Canada, and how different it really was from France. Poutine came up into conversation somehow...
After having been at the bar for 2 hours, Will decided to test out some new drinks on us. We decided that we should be polite, and not turn down the free booze. I named the drink "The Sewer Rat", as it looked like sewage. It was amazingly delicious and smooth. Whisky, Amaretto, Lemon, Lime and Orange Juice, shaken and then topped up with Pepsi. A little while longer passed by, and Karim and I were having a grand old time. The bar started to pick up around 1:30am, and since Ashton and Will had their hands full with paying customers, we decided to pack it in for the night and make the long journey home. We said goodbye and promised we'd be back soon.
2 minutes later, we were walking in our front door. Our six flights of stairs are so much easier after 4 drinks, and we had enjoyed our evening out fully. A great success over-all if you ask me. I would highly recommend The Cricketer, it was a blast. Sure we paid 15euros for 2 drinks, technically, however, we paid 15euros for 8 drinks, which isn't half bad at all.
Stay Lovely,
Liz
Once our drinks ran out, we just sat there talking, about everything really. Then, they decided it was shot-o'clock. Now I was never much of a drinker, so I didn't really know what to expect. Jager Bombs were the decided shot. They were really generous, and poured both Karim and I a shot as well. It was yummy. Karim was then gifted some free beer that the bloke next to us at the bar (Ashton and Will's friend Jack) decided to give to Karim, since he apparently looked thirsty. We sat and talked about Canada, and how different it really was from France. Poutine came up into conversation somehow...
After having been at the bar for 2 hours, Will decided to test out some new drinks on us. We decided that we should be polite, and not turn down the free booze. I named the drink "The Sewer Rat", as it looked like sewage. It was amazingly delicious and smooth. Whisky, Amaretto, Lemon, Lime and Orange Juice, shaken and then topped up with Pepsi. A little while longer passed by, and Karim and I were having a grand old time. The bar started to pick up around 1:30am, and since Ashton and Will had their hands full with paying customers, we decided to pack it in for the night and make the long journey home. We said goodbye and promised we'd be back soon.
2 minutes later, we were walking in our front door. Our six flights of stairs are so much easier after 4 drinks, and we had enjoyed our evening out fully. A great success over-all if you ask me. I would highly recommend The Cricketer, it was a blast. Sure we paid 15euros for 2 drinks, technically, however, we paid 15euros for 8 drinks, which isn't half bad at all.
Stay Lovely,
Liz
Friday, 16 September 2011
Give me your baguette, or I'll shoot!
No, don't worry, we haven't been mugged. Although, I might mug someone back home if they had a truly Parisian baguette on their person. They are delicious. Crusty, warm, and soft in the middle! It's not uncommon for the Parisians to walk around with a baguette, munching away in the middle of the street, in fact, it is about as common as seeing someone from North America walking down the street munching on some McDonalds.
Our adventures into baguette land have been, in a word, yum-tastic. Not only are they delicious, but you can get them for less than a dollar, about .90cents, and in a needy situation, you have both a lunch food and a handy weapon. I advise against taking baguettes on the Metro though, it'll usually end up with you accidentally hitting someone in the face with it. This means: A) you hit someone in the face with delicious crusty bread, and B) Someone's face has been on your delicious crusty bread. It's just bad news all around.
Baguettes are bought with such frequency in France because they can be used for so many things, and because they go kind of stale after the first day or so. A baguette can be toasted and spread with jam, made into a sandwich, or be dosed with garlic and cheese for a side dish with dinner. You could do all of these things in one day, but I somehow think that your blood sugar would have some strong words for you. My favourite is sandwiches (baguette-wiches, if you will). They have the same ability for variety as regular sandwiches, but with the distinct French-ness of baguettes.
Now, before you ohm nom nom, the question is: what do I put in my baguette-wich?
I would start with one of my favourite things about France: the cheese. Baguette-wiches have to be carefully balanced, as in, you want to be able to taste everything. If you are looking for a harder, non-spreadable cheese, I would go for Emmental (I know, I know, that cheese is technically Italian... but work with me here). Emmental has a sharp flavour, and lends well to ham sandwiches (a favourite of the french) or just vegetables. For something with just as much flavour, go for Brie. I would however skip the mayo or butter if you are using a spread-able cheese like brie, the consistency gets thrown off if you do decide that you cannot live without mayo.
Next, the meat. You can go to your local butcher and get some amazingly fresh ham (they have so many varieties too!) which is fabulous in a baguette-wich, and what the Parisians usually go for. They also have sliced chicken and sausage.
Veggies, that's easy. Any fruit and veggie stand has fresh, cheap, and incredibly tasty vegetables, and it's completely up to personal preference what makes the cut onto your baguette-wich of awesomeness.
So there you go. Baguette-wiches. They are delicious. Just remember that while walking down a Parisian street eating one seems amazingly beautiful, still look where you are going... you can take out a small child with just one swing of that yummy monster... believe me.
Anyways, now that I have really made you want to hire someone (or marry someone) in order to use the line "Go make me a sandwich", I'll leave you with your laziness, since we all know, even if you wanted to, you're too lazy to get up and make your own god damn sandwich!
Stay Lovely,
Liz
Our adventures into baguette land have been, in a word, yum-tastic. Not only are they delicious, but you can get them for less than a dollar, about .90cents, and in a needy situation, you have both a lunch food and a handy weapon. I advise against taking baguettes on the Metro though, it'll usually end up with you accidentally hitting someone in the face with it. This means: A) you hit someone in the face with delicious crusty bread, and B) Someone's face has been on your delicious crusty bread. It's just bad news all around.
Baguettes are bought with such frequency in France because they can be used for so many things, and because they go kind of stale after the first day or so. A baguette can be toasted and spread with jam, made into a sandwich, or be dosed with garlic and cheese for a side dish with dinner. You could do all of these things in one day, but I somehow think that your blood sugar would have some strong words for you. My favourite is sandwiches (baguette-wiches, if you will). They have the same ability for variety as regular sandwiches, but with the distinct French-ness of baguettes.
Now, before you ohm nom nom, the question is: what do I put in my baguette-wich?
I would start with one of my favourite things about France: the cheese. Baguette-wiches have to be carefully balanced, as in, you want to be able to taste everything. If you are looking for a harder, non-spreadable cheese, I would go for Emmental (I know, I know, that cheese is technically Italian... but work with me here). Emmental has a sharp flavour, and lends well to ham sandwiches (a favourite of the french) or just vegetables. For something with just as much flavour, go for Brie. I would however skip the mayo or butter if you are using a spread-able cheese like brie, the consistency gets thrown off if you do decide that you cannot live without mayo.
Next, the meat. You can go to your local butcher and get some amazingly fresh ham (they have so many varieties too!) which is fabulous in a baguette-wich, and what the Parisians usually go for. They also have sliced chicken and sausage.
Veggies, that's easy. Any fruit and veggie stand has fresh, cheap, and incredibly tasty vegetables, and it's completely up to personal preference what makes the cut onto your baguette-wich of awesomeness.
So there you go. Baguette-wiches. They are delicious. Just remember that while walking down a Parisian street eating one seems amazingly beautiful, still look where you are going... you can take out a small child with just one swing of that yummy monster... believe me.
Anyways, now that I have really made you want to hire someone (or marry someone) in order to use the line "Go make me a sandwich", I'll leave you with your laziness, since we all know, even if you wanted to, you're too lazy to get up and make your own god damn sandwich!
Stay Lovely,
Liz
Thursday, 15 September 2011
Hi, My Name is Liz, and I Have A Problem..
I'm addicted... like actually addicted... to mashed potatoes.. addicted in the sense that I am likely to cause the next Irish potato famine, all the way from France...
To tell you the story of my love affair with mashed potatoes, I'll have to start at the beginning...
At the start, Mashed Potatoes and I had a love/hate relationship; as in they LOVED to be at every one of my family gatherings as the main starch, and I quickly dismissed them for my previous starchy lover (rice). Then, it all changed. I met Karim, who I still love more than mashed potatoes in case any of you are wondering. This boy didn't grocery shop, well he did because he's alive, but he MAN grocery shopped... This made him have toast, eggs, and mashed potatoes for dinner. I learned how to make them, as they are his favourite starchy side dish, and used the 'mashing' part to take out my anger, since I had to develop a civil relationship with these mushy freaks... Making mashed potatoes quite often led me to eventually taste them, to give them another shot, maybe they'd taste better with Ketchup? (That was a bad idea, do NOT try it...) I found out, that with the right seasoning and flavour, the mashed potatoes made me all warm and fuzzy inside. Mashed potatoes have been everything I could ever want out of a food: Yummy, filling, easy, quick, and CHEAP. Mashed Potatoes have many a times saved me from eating yoghurt after fishing out the fuzzy lake of yoghurt mould in the middle... *cough cough Ingrid cough cough* So next time your fridge, and/or your wallet, is at it's barest, try these.
I've included my favourite recipe below, and if you try it, you'll be trying the thing I've made most often in my little tiny Parisian kitchen. Most likely, our steamy love affair will be scandalous and short lived (since I am living in the land of baguettes), but I have no doubt that now, as I continue on in life, I'll take a spoonful (or four) as the bowl of mashed potatoes passes me at Christmas and Thanksgiving.
Stay Lovely,
Liz
Mashed Pomme De Terre a la Francais
Ingredients:
(for 3 normal person servings, or 1 Liz sized serving...)
4-5 White Gold Potatoes
2 tbsp Milk
2 tsp Butter/Margarine
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper
1 tbsp Garlic (minced finely)
2 tbsp Fresh Parmesan cheese
1) Bring a pot of water to boil, adding a pinch of salt to the water.
2) Wash and peel* potatoes
3) Cut into loonie sized pieces.
4) Boil in water for approx. 8-10 minutes (until they fall apart when you press them against the side of the pot)
5) Drain and place in large mixing bowl.
6) Add Milk, Garlic, Salt, Pepper, Margarine, and Cheese.
7) MASH MASH MASH
8) Ohm nom nom
9) Send some to Liz...
*Peeling the Potatoes is completely optional, depending on how creamy you want the potatoes. If you like a little texture (like me) leave the skin on, just give it a good wash!
To tell you the story of my love affair with mashed potatoes, I'll have to start at the beginning...
At the start, Mashed Potatoes and I had a love/hate relationship; as in they LOVED to be at every one of my family gatherings as the main starch, and I quickly dismissed them for my previous starchy lover (rice). Then, it all changed. I met Karim, who I still love more than mashed potatoes in case any of you are wondering. This boy didn't grocery shop, well he did because he's alive, but he MAN grocery shopped... This made him have toast, eggs, and mashed potatoes for dinner. I learned how to make them, as they are his favourite starchy side dish, and used the 'mashing' part to take out my anger, since I had to develop a civil relationship with these mushy freaks... Making mashed potatoes quite often led me to eventually taste them, to give them another shot, maybe they'd taste better with Ketchup? (That was a bad idea, do NOT try it...) I found out, that with the right seasoning and flavour, the mashed potatoes made me all warm and fuzzy inside. Mashed potatoes have been everything I could ever want out of a food: Yummy, filling, easy, quick, and CHEAP. Mashed Potatoes have many a times saved me from eating yoghurt after fishing out the fuzzy lake of yoghurt mould in the middle... *cough cough Ingrid cough cough* So next time your fridge, and/or your wallet, is at it's barest, try these.
I've included my favourite recipe below, and if you try it, you'll be trying the thing I've made most often in my little tiny Parisian kitchen. Most likely, our steamy love affair will be scandalous and short lived (since I am living in the land of baguettes), but I have no doubt that now, as I continue on in life, I'll take a spoonful (or four) as the bowl of mashed potatoes passes me at Christmas and Thanksgiving.
Stay Lovely,
Liz
Mashed Pomme De Terre a la Francais
Ingredients:
(for 3 normal person servings, or 1 Liz sized serving...)
4-5 White Gold Potatoes
2 tbsp Milk
2 tsp Butter/Margarine
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper
1 tbsp Garlic (minced finely)
2 tbsp Fresh Parmesan cheese
1) Bring a pot of water to boil, adding a pinch of salt to the water.
2) Wash and peel* potatoes
3) Cut into loonie sized pieces.
4) Boil in water for approx. 8-10 minutes (until they fall apart when you press them against the side of the pot)
5) Drain and place in large mixing bowl.
6) Add Milk, Garlic, Salt, Pepper, Margarine, and Cheese.
7) MASH MASH MASH
8) Ohm nom nom
9) Send some to Liz...
*Peeling the Potatoes is completely optional, depending on how creamy you want the potatoes. If you like a little texture (like me) leave the skin on, just give it a good wash!
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