US Contraband

My mom arrived today with the requisite US contraband. Nothing but net through customs.

Carrying her luggage on the train and through 2 metro changes was a different story, yet a small price to pay for such joy.

Pictured top, left to right: 2 goose down pillows with the life sucked out of them (using vacuum packed bags), 3 cans chipotle chilis, 2 bottles 2 bottles of Cetaphil gentle skin cleanser, dozens of packages of enchilada sauce seasoning, 2 boxes raspberry flavored Emergen-C, 2 bags black beans, bags of pepita seeds.

Tortillas

One of the things that I miss most about the US, is the food. Healthy fare and more urgently, Mexican food. I miss burritos, tacos, enchiladas, tamales, salsa and hot sauce. Whenever someone comes to visit, they usually ask me if I need anything from the US. My answer is always the same:

hot sauce
enchilada sauce
chipotles
and TORTILLAS.

It is true, you can technically buy Old El Paso tortillas at almost any grocery store in Paris. But they aren't the same. I am not sure what bizarre ingredients they include, but the flour tortillas taste like flat, doughy croissants and the corn tortillas taste like flour. So as far as I am concerned, there are no tortillas in Paris. Until now!

Yesterday I received my first shipment of homemade corn tortillas from Paris' first Tortilleria, Mil Amores Tortilleria.  Thank God for Louis Rendon from Candelaria for bringing tacos and now homemade tortillas to Paris. I have made veggie tacos and am anxious to use my last two precious cans of red enchilada sauce on a batch of spinach enchiladas. Of course fare this rare should be shared with friends. So the race is on to get my new kitchen installed so I can have the gang over for Mexican food.

I am starting to feel like Paris might have just about everything I need to live my ideal lifestyle. Well, everything except my GT's grape Kombucha and my US peeps whom I continue to miss immensely. The tortillas help to lessen that void.

Peinture

peinture (Fr.)/ paint (Eng.) noun: a mixture of pigment and a suitable liquid to form a closely adherent coating when spread on a surface in a thin coat.

(Before: the choices)

Welcome to my own personal version of 50 Shades of Grey. So it seems only fitting that I went with the color that is situated between S and M, "Gres Naturel". I do love the drama of P, and will use that for the WC.

(after)

(the mantel before)

(the mantel after)

(before, although at this point, I had already painted the bottom half white. It was margarine before, just like the wall)

(after)

In order to take a proper after photo of the living room, I need a few main items:

1. Credenza- inspiration: like the wood one in the far right hand corner of this photo:

 Or, in enamel like the one on the right hand side of this photo:

2. Coffee table- inspiration: like the white enamel one in this photo below, with a place to store things. Ideally, one with wheels so I can move it around. That is so key for small spaces:

or acrylic, like this one from Muji, with a space for magazines:

Or maybe a wood coffee table, if I can find one that I love. And with wheels.

3. Chair(s): tbd
4. Standing lamp: tbd
5. Some sort of storage for extra blankets and pillows: tbd

Limboland

(new pad in the 11th)

I've been in Limboland for a while now. This is the place where an air plant, such as myself resides when it has no home of its own. No place to establish my own root growth. And always able to pick up and bail at a moments notice.

Par contre, I have been actively searching for a house to buy in Bourgogne. So I have hesitated to search out a new place of my own to rent in Paris so that my options remained open.  I've been renting my friend's apartment in Paris the past couple of years, which means living among all of their stuff. It was never really my space, Not really able to fully unpack my bags, settle in, and create an environment that suits my lifestyle.

It has been such a HUGE blessing to have this opportunity... a readied apartment with all the things I needed. Internet. Phone. Fantastic location. No contract, and the ability to move quickly on a Bourgogne house purchase, when and if that happens. 

But I am ready for more in Paris.

I want my own space. I want to create my own aethetic. I want comfort. I want a level of legitimacy in my residence here. As much as I would have loved to stay in Limboland while I figure the Bourgogne house purchase out, these other needs are more pressing.  I can't wait it out anymore.

New living area (with too much furniture and dingy walls)

They say that finding an apartment in Paris is more difficult than finding a soulmate. Virtually impossible, they say. So when this opportunity fell into my lap I felt like I needed to jump all over it. I am happy to report that I now have an apartment of my own in a new neighborhood. It has more room, working fireplace, a long balcony, and my favorite feature, a bathtub! And the proprietere is giving me (measured) permission to give it a makeover.

View of the current kitchen (taken from balcony)

Bathroom (with large ship tile art from Portugal, apparently)

I am doing the Queer Eye for the Straight Guy thing right now by completely refreshing the place. New paint, new curtains, new furniture, new art, herbs in hanging baskets, olive trees for privacy, and a new kitchen. As much hard work as this requires, it has revived my creativity ten fold. It also helps that I have a fabulous friend who is as excited about this makeover as I am. In fact, he may have single-handedly turned this into a really fun project.

Here are some before shots, and I will definitely post the after photos when I have them.

This kitchen is going bye bye (new kitchen will be installed next month)

Living space with too much (granny) wicker furniture

Commandments

Commandments (Eng.)/ Commandments (Fr.): a divine rule; a set of rules to be observed as strictly as the ten commandments.

I wonder if he actually stuck to this.

Vers la bas

Downswing (Eng.) Vers la bas (Fr.) n. : a downturn; downwards

For a young lady, Gabourey Sidibe sure is wise. Watching this short interview with her on the definition of friendship caused me to take pause. To recognize that there are friends who are the first to show up when you are in crisis, but those same friends are the last to offer you a congratulations. I imagine that the same in true in reverse. And that is okay to have these two types of friends as long as you know what to expect from that friendship.

But, is it possible to have, or to be, a friend that swings both ways? I suppose that is what a best friend is. And something I am being extra conscious of these days in terms of the type of friend I strive to be.
 

Surprise

Surprise (Fr.)/ Surprise (Fr.) v. : To cause to feel wonder, astonishment or amazement at something unanticipated.

The word surprise is the same in French as it is in English. It's just pronounced differently. No matter how you say it, surprise was exactly what happened to my newly 40-year old friend earlier this summer.

His partner had covertly arranged to have his friends from all of the world come to their house in Bourgogne for a surprise birthday weekend bash. Lucky for them that their house can sleep upwards of 14 people because remarkably his friends arrived from all over the world-- from the west coast of the US to New Zealand.

Getting him away from the house for the day on Friday proved challenging, but nothing an all day wine tasting couldn't resolve.

While he was out the guests began showing up, complete with various versions of jet lag. Everyone then proceeded to take the element of surprise up a notch by wearing disguises. George Washington wigs, masks, scarves, etc. were put to task. The fact that we all began our own "wine tasting" helped in the costume creativity department.

When he arrived, we were all huddled into the candlelit wine cave out in the backyard.

He was instructed to "go pick an evening bottle of wine from the cave" (like ya do when you live in Bourgogne, France). He opened the wine cave door and BAM! I think his suprise was actually a blend of overwhelming joy and sheer terror, as he could not make out a single person. Alas the big reveal unfolded over the next hour-- one by one their identities were revealed.

The entire weekend was non stop laughter, story telling, impromptu cabaret performances, bonding, and wine tastings. Perfection!