Hellooooooo Paris!

January 11th, 2011

I am finally in Paris—to stay. Looking for a job and an apartment and so happy that even the gray rainy days don’t make me homesick for my sunny California (yet)!

Everything looks kind of rosy in the Luxembourg Garden:

I am going to take you on a short promenade in Paris: in the morning you have a quick coffee in your hotel room,

If you are lucky you can see the Etoile with almost no traffic:

but if you are really lucky you will catch some new version of the Beatles crossing the streets:

and then you buy your metro ticket (and maybe cigarettes if you are one of my girlfriends),

from here:

and head down to your favorite café in Saint Germain,

or any other nondescript one like this one,

and watch people (something I am not very good at—coming from the U.S. where staring at others is considered a major faux pas):

and more people,

or watch them watch you!

Of course in Paris, everyone is a philosopher and you better get used to it:

and most waiters are annoying!

I personally prefer watching the iconic Parisian rooftops than people:

and temporary exhibitions like the one below:

Next, I will drag you to see the eternal Bonaparte (or Malaparte according to the rest of Europe!)

After lunch, you feed the little sparrows in Place des Vosges,

or see Quasimodo feed them in front of the majestic Notre Dame cathedral:

You may want to see the stage makers in the old Paris Opera house:

and hear me curse Chagall for the nth time for having defaced the original ceiling!

we can go see Dali and ask him why his Venus has open drawers…

From the Montparnasse tower you can see most of the landmarks:

I love this view with the Luxembourg garden as a blob of green in the middle of my photo:

And when you are dead tired you go back home but not before admiring the beautiful bridges of the city of light:

you buy some bread (low carb dieters beware) because that’s all you can afford if you buy anything else in Paris!

A glass of wine and a piece of cheese will be all you need,

you may admire the blue hour from your window:

you may  read a little bit,

then you go to sleep and dream about great stuff…

and wake up to an early deserted Trocadéro:

and watch the rainy morning start in front of a bitter espresso in a very small cup:

and wonder about what the hell you are doing away from the sunny California and your friends and Cyrus,

and the good old  Santa Monica…

but then you remember that you wanted to do that all your life and you better do your best to be happy in the land of Molière!

Posted by micheleroohani
Filed in culture, life, museum, music, paris, travel
See comments (19) or make one of your own »

19 Responses to “Hellooooooo Paris!”

  1. Danièle Says:
    January 11th, 2011 at 4:22 pm

    I used to live besides the Jardin du Luxembourg…. Very nostalgic for me.

  2. Mehr Says:
    January 11th, 2011 at 5:16 pm

    Dear Michele:
    I love Paris and its beauty. You took me there with you and I wish I was walking along with you to take my version of pictures. A lot of walk and a day of work just to make this beautiful blog post. Well, the result, a job well done, is relieving the fatigue off of you I bet.
    But you sound nostalgic and homesick. Well, that is normal for your situation. When you start living somewhere life shows her real face to you. You are not a tourist anymore, but can you stay one? I think you should. We are all tourists to this world exploring the beauties for a while and then gone to where we belong. Enjoy your time and space no matter where you are.
    Thank you

  3. suenosdeuomi Says:
    January 11th, 2011 at 5:17 pm

    What a lovely tour, thank you. It is good to know that you are where you want to be, even while I do wonder why give up the sun for the dreary, depressing weather there. But you showed us why here and in earlier post. No doubt you will love it and find your niche. Best to you and your aspirations, I be eagerly awaiting your follow ups, your posts are always lovely.

  4. Lucius Says:
    January 11th, 2011 at 5:27 pm

    I once got married in Paris, flew in my guests & gave them a tour d’ amour over Pont Neuf…..

  5. Mojgan Says:
    January 11th, 2011 at 5:34 pm

    Thank you so much for your lovely pictures. Living in Paris is my dream. I Love Paris a lot!!!

  6. Livia Says:
    January 11th, 2011 at 6:05 pm

    Beautiful! I love touring cities with you.

  7. Catherine Says:
    January 11th, 2011 at 6:05 pm

    Thanks Michelle, I could almost taste the Parisian coffee and almond criossant watching your pictures. Now I’ll go have my American coffee and raisin bran to start my day in LA.

  8. Yasi Says:
    January 11th, 2011 at 7:21 pm

    Hello my dear, your pictures are breath taking as usual. Good luck with your future in Paris. Have lots fun.. Gros bisous

  9. Marie Says:
    January 11th, 2011 at 10:00 pm

    As the song says : Paris sera toujours Paris,
    la plus belle ville du monde :)

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZ4LlQjfVEY

    Great photos and places of course..

  10. Isis Wisdom Says:
    January 12th, 2011 at 4:44 am

    I think I had a smile from the first pink polka dotted rosy viewed photo till the last pink polka dotted neon Santa Monica sign (clever girl). I wonder why I left Santa Monica and CA often too and your particular view of Paris is a joy to accompany you on (always, you LOVE Paris!!!)…I hope you keep that outsider’s eye with an insider’s understanding and take us on many more day trips with you! The lushness of your photos and your insights is what keeps me coming back to your blog for a little time out from the rest of the world every time! thx hon!
    ps: why are you living there again? must have missed a blog…!

  11. micheleroohani Says:
    January 12th, 2011 at 5:52 pm

    thank you very much! i love it when people describe a smile on seeing one of my images.

  12. Alfred J. Garrotto Says:
    January 12th, 2011 at 8:40 pm

    Thank you for the stunning tour and for sharing the agony and ecstasy of your new life. I don’t think you’ll be lonely for long.

  13. Ali Says:
    January 13th, 2011 at 5:20 pm

    Michele, as usual, that was a wonderful choice of images to capture the daily life in your new environment. You also conveyed the message of a healthy balance of enthusiasm and doubt nicely in your writing. Here’s wishing you the best in this endeavor. You always belonged to Paris. I hope you’re enjoying every moment to the fullest! :)
    Ali

  14. Entrropy Says:
    January 15th, 2011 at 4:42 am

    At a loss of words & adjectives, I endorse Ali’s and Asis’s comments ..

    Thanks for giving us hand holding tour of near mythical Paris ..

    Enjoy ..

  15. Babak Says:
    January 19th, 2011 at 10:56 am

    OK.
    very beautiful images that i have ever seen.
    Congratulations.

    The beauty is not only in regularity or color or … the composition of these items that makes harmony will be beautiful. beauty is a secret to humankind and one could only sense the beauty. such a great sense that beauty is.
    Congratulations again.

  16. Nimesh Dadia Says:
    January 30th, 2011 at 11:45 am

    OK, MIchele you already know we love your images, surtout quand c’est Paris… c’est si bon.. Oh you photos has me singing .. Joe Dassin’s Aux Champs Elysees or Piaf’s La Vie en Rose or waltz on C’est si bon with the gruffy voice of Louis Armstrong.. and at some places Serge Gainsbourg’s Melodie nelson ….

    Have you heard Helen Merill’s I love Paris…

    I would love to go on an early morning stroll of Paris…

    Nimesh

  17. Nimesh Dadia Says:
    January 30th, 2011 at 12:01 pm

    I agree Chagal’s vault look terrible.

  18. Desiree Rohani Says:
    February 8th, 2011 at 1:31 pm

    Wow! Waht a trip. Thank you so much. I love you and I miss you

  19. Maureen Says:
    January 13th, 2012 at 2:57 am

    Dear Parisienne,
    Oui ça c’est Paris (avec l’accent et la musique qui vont avec) … et tu l’aimeras ce Paris… et tu le détesteras aussi… ça vient avec… Paris se révèle doucement à qui veut bien la regarder, l’écouter, la ressentir, et l’aimer… et toi tu as le coeur, le regard, et l’âme d’une parisienne, donc Paris t’aimera!
    Une parisienne