Paris, je t'aime

After sleeping in this morning, Puppy and I taxied over to Tegel airport and headed off to Paris for the 2nd part of our European getaway. For me, Paris is a city that induces huge fits of nostalgia - one that probably makes me very annoying to be around since every metro station, landmark or major road triggers some sort of memory.

Take, for example, the Virgin Megastore on the Champs d'Elysees. Not just a record store. Instead, it's where Policy Wonkette, The Communist and I saw a little-known boy band called Worlds Apart perform amidst a crowd of frantic tweens. And this was before the term "tween" meant anything.

Having spent a semester abroad in Paris, I sort of claim it as a city where I've "lived," even though my time spent here was very limited. And I haven't purposefully taken a trip to Paris in more than 10 years, so it's not a city I know very well anymore, despite my best efforts.

Besides layovers at the airport, the last time I found myself here was in 2004 when my parents, brother and I were "stranded" for 24 hours because we missed a connecting flight in Italy. I dragged my family along a whirlwind tour of the city, insisting we see every sight and taste every pastry before we were forced to return to the States.

This time, however, we have a bit more time, so I hope to be a bit more thoughtful in showing Puppy around for his first time. We checked into the hotel (a definite step above the one we stayed at in Berlin), and hustled over ot l'Arc de la Triomphe and took some pretty generic photos.

Puppy asked me all sorts of questions I couldn't answer, then we ambled along le Champs d'Elysees and did a bit more shopping than I anticipated. We tired of the throng of tourists, then metroed over to l'Hotel de Ville, broke for a coffee and pear clafoutis, visited Notre Dame and took a tour of St. Michel's schwarma- and crepe-filled streets.

After a quick refresh back at the hotel, we went to a nearby brasserie for assorted cheeses (and amazingly crusty French bread), some strawberry-mint martinis and steak frites. It was a really lovely and typically French meal, complete with overwhelming clouds of smoke from every other table at the restaurant.

Then, we took the metro over to Trocadero for the best view of the Eiffel Tower in the whole city. We enjoyed the monument at night and stayed for the 10pm light show razzle-dazzle before heading out to le marais for les bars.

Since it's been 10 years since I properly went out in Paris, I had no idea where the hot spots were (especially on a Wednesday night). We hit two bars that were duds, then ended up at a Latin night that The Old Man suggested we visit. It was apparently where everyone in the city had gone to. Packed, hopping and fun, this bar featured some sort of drag queen and Latin men showering for everyone's pleasure. It also played videos from 1999 - one that included a friend of mine from my days living in Washington DC!

I met a bunch of people in the fashion industry who are here for some sort of textile fair. And when I explain that I, too, am in the industry, it seems to fall on deaf ears because no one's heard of my company. No matter, maybe I'll still try to write off this trip as business-like!

Before returning to the hotel, Puppy and I stopped into a Quick (France's answer to McDonalds) and ate some pretty disgusting fast food. Some sort of cheesy balls, some chicken tenders and an ice cream/cocoa krispie concoction.

But we're back at the hotel now, getting all rested up for our next day in Paris - tomorrow we hope to tackle a bit of the Louvre!