It's Nights Like These...

It’s nights like these that I’m going to remember most fondly: hanging out with amazing people and enjoying the simpler pleasures of life (good conversation, cheap wine, laughter, and friendship…) in the middle of the Seine…

I left off on Friday, after completing my last 2 exposés ever! That night, as celebration, I returned to chez moi, watched the Movie Choke (which I highly recommend, although it was oddly much more heart warming than I thought it would be, considering the subject matter), and caught up on some sleep. The next day, I woke up late, and then took advantage of the stunningly beautiful weather via a walk along the Seine. I ended up at L’imprevu, where I enjoyed two chai teas, and some free wireless which I used to work on a paper and skype Serena. I stayed at l’imprevu for quite a while, but finally worked up the willpower to leave—which was really hard, considering the atmosphere and music selection (we’re talking Oasis, Air, Beck, Radiohead, Bjork—all in a row)—and headed home.

That night, my friend Annie threw a going away party at her house, as she’s unfortunately leaving the country a bit early, thanks to a job. Annie’s parties are always a BLAST, and this one included a dance party, funny French people, and some good friends (such as Rafaella, her friend Stacey who is visiting, Neema, and Annie). A few of Rafaella’s French friends joined us and they were charming and hilarious.

Next day, I signed online to find Ms. Allison Bagg on, one of my best friends from University who came to Paris on Saturday. Baggy is going to be here for three weeks doing a French immersion program and I’m so happy about that!!!! Right as I was starting to get a bit homesick (I’ve been here for 4 months, can you blame me…?, she came…PARFAIT!)

So, Baggy and I met up, caught up, and had a picnic by the park outside of the École Militaire. I pass by this park everyday, but seeing it with Baggy allowed me to see it with fresh eyes. Having her around is also going to ensure I don’t become jaded.

Then, Baggy and I went to see David LaChappelle exhibit. You may know some of LaChappelle’s commercial works, such as the photo he took of Kanye West as Jesus for Rolling Stone magazines. His less commercial and more artist works, center around themes of anti-consumerism, apocalyptic, pro-human relationships, anti-holy war, etc. … a bit cliché but wonderful execution, so the clichés were forgivable. Next, we headed over to the gift shop, so Baggy could pick up some postcards. When we got inside, it was very crowded and people were scrambling to get their perfect posters, books, etc, without regards for their fellow patrons. I noticed this and the irony was just too much, not only were these patrons living proof of LaChappelle’s message: we are a consumer society that can only be aided by helping each other, but they had JUST seen the exhibit where he tells us this. I had to tell Baggy, and she whole-heartedly agreed, and subsequently gave up on buying a postcard (Sorry, Baggy). She understood the hilariousness of the situation and put it even more eloquently than me: “We were all snorting our diamonds in there” (referring to a photo where the subject is snorting diamonds as if they were cocaine: http://arts.guardian.co.uk/pictures/image/0,,-1060329464954,00.html). Baggy and I finished with a stroll along the Seine, with more discussing and catching up. I’m seriously SO SO happy she’s here; she is a wonderful and dear friend.

Finally, last night was aforementioned picnic along the Seine (the one that I meant when I said “nights like these”), highlights of which included talking to good friends I have made and feeling totally at ease, sending off a message in a wine bottle containing a note in 5 different languages (mine portion said: “J’habite dans un rêve. Ne me levez pas s’il vous plait), hippie dancing, enjoying the company of a very diverse group, and going on another Berkeley liberal hippie rant, this time about climate change. We soaked up all of the Parisian air we could, knowing our time here is coming to a close.

Today, I met up with Raf and her friend Stacey for a walk along the Champs-Elysées, around to the Eiffel Tour, and then for some gelato at Amarino—the best gelato place ever!!! Now, I’m getting ready to meet Baggy and the CA party posse at Piano Vache.

So, apparently I’m blogging way more frequently now. I think that this is because I’m realizing that I have not a whole lot of time left here, and thus am trying to capture every precious moment I can. I’m already getting sad to leave, even with a month in front of me. I guess I just have to STOP thinking about it. So I will.