Ma cherie,
*****So basic rundown of how Paris is set up: 20 arrondissements- number one is in the middle, then they spiral like a snail’s shell out and as they spiral out they get bigger. Most arrondissements or quartiers have their own unique thing, for lack of a better word. Examples: 2-Louvre, 5-Latin quarter, 6-St. Germain de Prés, 7-Eiffel tower, 13-Chinatown, 16-MY HOME, 18-Montmarte. I know I’m just throwing a bunnnnccchhh of information at you thats difficult to relate to so bare with me. That is all central Paris or zones 1-2. THEN (like any other city) there are suburbs, and each little suburb has a name like its own little town. So inside the city we use the metro, and then the metro that takes you out of the city is called the RER and that takes you to the suburbs.
So sorry I just put you through all of that. Added note: at the end of a lot of the lines are chateaux or rich lil burbs and the ones in between just blah. RELEVANCE: I have started doin’ me a little explorin’ outside center Paris.
So the other day I went to La Défense which is a prominent skyline outside of Paris full of really modern buildings. It’s more business than residential. All of these things I knew before going. And yet, when I went and it was the most unexpected, weird, futuristic places I could’ve imagined. You know the future part of back to the future? Or the Jetsons? Holy moly. So you step out and there’s this huge square office building with a big ole hole in it the middle, thats called the Grande Arche and it lines up perfectly with the Arc de Triomphe. And then there’s this huge all pedestrian walk through the center of la defense and the roads and cars are just hangin’ out underneath that. There is loads of really cool buildings and art work and plants! I think I was mostly shocked by the contrast between the sparkly, tall, and glassy “Paris” and the old, romantic, tan-colored-building “Paris” I know. AND: there’s a chipotle there! (woooohooo), BUT: there is no queso (so why even chipotle?)
In stark contrast I also went to Versailles, the city where the Chateau of Versailles is located— shocker right? Anywho, the château was built in the 1600’s by Louis the XIV, who also started construction of the Louvre (so they look similar). But the château is just really big and full of stuffy furniture. Architecturally, I don’t think it compares to some of the châteaux we saw in the Loire Valley — although the gold covered everything was a *subtle* reminder of the wealth that used to be. The gardens on the other hand were super impressive and huge and I’d just like to see the army of garden gnomes trimming the hedges and digging lakes wherever the royalty wish. Walked through the gardens to Marie Antoinette’s estate. Pink marble, pink curtains, pink seat cushions, pink china — gag me with a spoon. I’ll have to go back during the spring when there are flowers and I can walk outside without getting that red-nose, frozen-hands stuff.
Aside from that I’ve just been hangin’ out being a cliché, literally sitting in a café drinking a café au lait while writing this. I went on a little promenade (is that also a word for a walk in english?) through chinatown, which is more like chinajapanthialandcambodiatown. Still in and out of museums and hiding from the weather. Ah and then one night this last week my friend with a connection got us into this famous club called VIP and it just so happened that it was the night that Paris Men’s Fashion Week was finished so all the models were out and it just so happened that the first people we talked to when we got into the club were the Calvin Klein models because this is Paris and these things happen so casually. But we ended up going to an after party with the Calvin Klein models. I just can’t get over it. Calvin Klein models, Calvin Klein models, Calvin Klein models, you know the ones that do photo shoots and walk the cat walks. AH whatever I didn’t freak out or anything. Anyways, that’s all I’ve got for now.. Counting down the days till you visit.
xxxxx,
Elise
chère-clair 