Adventure #3 Place de la Concorde

Essentially a big roundabout but I love it because it's big and grand and feels like Paris. One day when Tim finally wins the lottery I will stay in one of the fancy hotels that have doormen in top hats.

Adventure #2 104

104 (or centquatre) is a huge arts space in a converted funeral parlour in the 19th. Our afternoon spent there included a mosey round the Emmaus brocante shop, a giant animal carousel, amazing pop up books, holograms dancing on records and a dance to 'New York, New York' with mispronounced lyrics. Brilliant, free, eclectic fun.

 http://www.104.fr/#/fr/

Adventure #1 Musée Carnavalet

Unsurprisingly, one of the biggest gripes about living in Paris is that it's expensive which is all the more reason for celebrating the awesome Musée Carnavalet as it's completely free, hoorah! Thinking that I was going to one of the city's smaller museums I was amazed at the sheer amount of stuff that there is to be seen here. Documenting the history of Paris, in a round-about way, the museum takes you from rustic rooms of medieval artefacts through the opulent 18th century and its bloody revolution, to 20th century paintings of café life. I can't claim to know much about the history of...well anything really...but the museum does a good job of bringing to life the city during different eras, particularly through the huge range of paintings on display. Giving a good overview of the history of the city, it left me wanting to find out more...I'll add it to my list of things to do in 2011...

http://www.paris.fr/portail/loisirs/Portal.lut?page_id=6468

New Year

So here we are on January 2nd, full of the usual good intentions. I WILL do regular exercise, I DEFINITELY WILL save money and I CERTAINLY WON'T fritter away another year spending too much time on the internet and playing Angry Birds (I just need to complete this level...). Funner resolutions for 2011 include listening to more new bands, actually looking at my recipe books and making more exciting meals, making Japanese paper art from the lovely book that Tim got me for Christmas, actually going to the various 'meet up' groups that I've signed up to and, last but not least, starting a blog. Not at all compatible with spending less time on the internet but hey ho...

Reasons why I want to start a blog include: because it's cool yeah,everyone's doing it; because Tim's got one so I want one too; because I can do it from my HTC and the more time I get to spend with my phone the better; but mostly because the longer I spend in Paris, the more I think it's going to be a  passing adventure and something to look back on when I'm old and boast about to anyone who'll listen "Of course during my time in Paris..." and therefore something to be documented. And what better way to share all the new bands I will discover, the meals I will make, the Japanese paper art I will create and the lovely things I WILL DEFINITELY NOT BUY because I'm saving money of course...

Let the adventures begin...