Concerning Shopping and Portuguese Men

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Yesterday was eventful. Tash and I met up with Mikael - our philosophy friend from Wits who's currently on a Contiki tour around Europe. They had one day in Paris - how fun to spend it with us!

After meeting at Notre Dame, the locals (being us) took the tourists (being them) to Champs-Élysées on the metro - we bought them tickets and it was legal and everything! The five of us (Mik and his two Canadian buddies from the tour) walked up the beautiful touristy boulevard, bought ice-cream at Haagen-Daas, took touristy photos of the Arc and sang beautiful songs under it on the ukelele (a video will soon go viral of this wondrous event).

I bought a beautiful coat at H&M. The sale is OFF THE CHAIN, YO. So amazing, it makes you speak in rapper-talk. We spent a lot of time in Nike and Adidas stores because boys are stupid and are into sports and stuff. After a respite at our apartment, Tash & I joined them for drinks and embarrassing dancing at O'Sullivans, the club/cesspool next door to the Moulin Rouge. We walked home, and thanks to Tash's great sense of direction, made it back alive. No really. She kinda saved our lives.

Today was mainly spent recuperating and trying to remember what happened last night (we seriously just remembered something totally random and embarrassing). Good times with good friends. Here's to sticking together and being safe while still living life to max capacity. Woooooooooooooop!

Concerning Felafel and Pillars

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This afternoon Wendy (the most awesome lady ever ever) invited us to lunch at this awesome Lebanese place near UNESCO (that's where she works... Refer to previous comment about her awesomeness). It was really wonderful :) we had falafel wraps - like Anat, but way better. We had tiny desserts and mint tea (on the house... Yes!).

On the way back home, we were suddenly struck with the urge to pass by Notre Dame. You know, just one of those things we Parisians do. We took very touristy photos outside, had to fight off Americans to take a photo at Point Zero (a marker from which all distances in Paris used to be measured), and sat for a while in the cathedral. It really is epic! Pillars draw your eyes upwards, as if to remind you to look up more often. Didn't go up the towers today cuz it was windy and drizzly. But one day soon!

We also stopped by a beautiful little flea market place. Cheap crap, but cheap crap in Paris :)

Hopefully we'll see Kyle and Mikael later :)

Concerning French Fruit

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This morning Tash and I decided to explore our neighbourhood a bit. We discovered that, in addition to the two grocery stores right below our apartment, there is also a sizeable fresh fruit, veggie, meat, seafood and cheese market (the Marché St Martin) just around the corner. We spent half and hour and €20 chatting to Eric, the fresh fruit guy. He knows that we are South African students because that's all we can say in French. He gave us a quick lesson on the French names for fruit, laughed when we finally explains we wanted an eggplant (AUBERGINE! Ohhhhhh!) and even gave us a free pineapple (ananas). I also taught him to say "naartjie" instead of clementine :)

What a great guy. What a great place! He made us promise we'd go back tomorrow. Maybe there'll be more free stuff!!

Much love to everyone. Life is beautiful! There are some more photos of us around Paris.

Concerning Wolves

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Wolves Cafe (just past the Wanderer's) is the cutest little coffee, cake, & croissants place around. Although it's further from the quaint Post in Braam and the trendy Vovo Telo at 44 Stanley (at least for us South kids), Wolves has a chilled vibe of its own.

Warren, Adam and I spent 3 hours here today, playing very loud games of UNO and 30 Seconds. The wait staff are friendly (as well as easy on the eyes), the place is cool and cramped in a comfortable way, and everything on the small menu is delicious and totally open to your personal re-arrangement (I'm pretty sure they'd put anything on a croissant if you asked nicely). They're really chilled about catering or parties or lunches, too.

I give ample credit to Josh for bringing me here last year - it's on my faves list for sure. Give Wolves a go! Just don't leave without a red velvet cupcake - you'll sorely regret it.

Wolves Cafe
4 Corlett Drive
(011) 4472360

Concerning The Sea

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2012 and I met on the coast. It was really special! I nearly stayed behind (seriously), but I'm so glad I didn't. I met such beautiful people, and met such beautiful parts of people that I already knew. How wonderful! What a way to ring in the New Year. Yay!