Along the quai de Seine, vendors sell vintage prints, posters and magazines out of green wooden stands that fold and lock at the end of the day. Despite the trend in tourist-oriented refrigerator magnets and rainbow-colored postcards, there are still a few who specialize in authentic vintage prints.

via { sl }

Random internet-browsing through online auction sites has left with me a desktop full of .jpeg files, the source of a new section of posts.

It took 5 seconds after landing in CDG to realize how many beautiful men France has to offer. In the spirit of holiday countdowns and yearly wrap-ups, feast your eyes upon the 12 French men who have made my heart skip a beat over the past year.


1. Brand-new to France, (and unaware of what I was about to get myself into) I stumbled upon reruns of un gars, une fille and the glorious face of Jean Dujardin who would soon become famous worldwide for The Artist. 

2. An afternoon screening of Nos Jours Heureux introduced me to the adorable Lannick Gautry. Beau beau beau!

3. The hilariously charming Gad Elmah played a detective in Midnight in Paris, but is better known for his hilarious stand-up. Also we are birthday twins.

4. A lazy vacation afternoon resulted in an impromptu trip to see Radiostars in theaters. I'll remember it for two reasons: the killer soundtrack, and the adorable Manu Payet. Homeboy can wear a hoodie.

5. Male model. Enough said. Gaspard Ulliel

6. Black swan would have lost a lot of creep factor without the mysteriously handsome Vincent Cassel. 

7. Stuck in the north of France watching the Olympics day and night had it's perks the minute the swimming relays began. Two words: Camille Lacourt.

8. To understand the lives of French ados, watch LOL. The age of consent is lower in France so you don't need to feel guilty crushing on Jeremy Kapone.

9. Orelsan. The fact that he wrote "Pour le pire" means he would be the shittiest boyfriend, but you wouldn't be able to tell by looking at him.

10. Canal + is the coolest cable channel and Vincent Clerc is their newest presenter.

11. Rugby is the closest you can get to football over here, which makes Bertrand Chameroy the equivalent of Tom Brady, but better, because he's French. 

12. Ever since Roman Duris pulled off the Dirty Dancing choreography in L'Arnacoeur, he's been France's favorite rom-com star. FOR GOOD REASON.

The last weeks in December inspire reflection on the past year: what we'll remember, what we'll do differently and how we've changed.

350-something days ago, I left behind my parents, my dear Simba cat, amazing friends, and a beautiful life to become an au pair in Paris. With a false sense of security in my French minor, I embarked on a new life in the city of lights where I would soon learn that ten years of American-taught French had not prepared me to speak French in France.

In the basement of an Anglophone church, I met the girls who became my best friends. {Almost} every Thursday afternoon at 14h, we would gather around baked-goods and tea to discuss how insane living in France was. Intro questions of, "how many kids do you have," and "what arrondissement are you in," soon morphed into deeper, meaningful conversations. As newbies, we figured out how to successful respond to text messages in French, confidently answer the home phone, learned bus routes and how to coordinate weekend schedules.

With these girls I learned that tea with milk is actually quite good, that 'heaps' can be added to any phrase, that check/mate is the best metro game and that American accents are really harsh-sounding. Despite my awkward sense of humor, constant tardiness and shopping addiction, I found girls who understand and loved me for my strange vocabulary and tendance to slip into a ghetto accent.

In February, I walked into a surreal apartment not knowing a soul and walked out with a life. That apartment would set the scene for many, many exciting events. Lesson #1: Slicing limes is best left to other people. Lesson #2: Don't think tiny cups mean you can drink twice as much. Seemingly overnight I had found my niche, all while overlooking the Eiffel Tower. There is nothing more comforting than having a team of Americans on your side while you battle the awkward sea of French dating culture.

Lesson #3: The South of France is still cold in April. Bring socks. Spending my 23rd birthday in Saint Tropez was a beautiful time that I will always cherish. A word to the wise (and poor-traveled), you will find no beach there, but there are tons of Bridget Bardot posters. Summer in Paris was brutally hot. Americans, you will never miss anything more than air-conditioning during the months of July and August. Lesson #4: Get yourself a damn fan.

Cheers to the many months of adventures: museum exhibitions, vintage shopping, bar-hopping, picnic lunches, countless café allongées, flirty drinks and a panicked Ryanair flight or two. Life in Europe has been confusing, sometimes depressing, but always interesting. 

Bref--
I will always know which direction I need to take to get home on the line 9 thanks to an over-the-top rap video set at Pont de Sèvres.
I will always type a space before any exclamation point or question mark, à la française.
I will never go into a movie without first reading the plot summary. {Les Infidèles + Paperboy are the worst films of 2012.}
I will always check lebonbon before I make definite plans.
I will always grab a copy of A Nous when I leave the metro.
I will always recommend Les Etages for a first date. Bring your friends.

xoxo.

Attention to detail is one of their strongest points, as seen in the inspiration range of period-inspired hairstyles. Exaggerated waves, afros, and braids are featured.

Focusing on 16 most influential pieces, the retrospective spans five designers, from the work of original designer Gaby Aghion to (my favorite) Phoebe Philo, up to present-day designer Clare Waight Keller.



As assistant to Stella McCartney before taking over as head designer in 2001, Phoebe Philo can be credited for establishing Chloe as a modern, polished, classic French brand. Notice her distinct style, in few of her best ad campaigns above.







xoxo.

The bustling center of Châtelet Les Halles is a confusing mix of chain restaurants, wholesale shops and an expansive, never-ending construction site that contributes to a confusing environment and attitude. 

Marnie: The totem of chat is as follows--Facebook is the lowest, followed by Gchat, then texting, then email, then phone; face-to-face is of course ideal, but it's not of this time.


I've already professed my love for HBO's Girls, the show created by Lena Dunham, the often-naked girl I love to hate (yet secretly understand). A la Sex and the City, each of the four main characters offers a distinct style and personality. Anal-retentive Marnie is by far my favorite, mostly for spending hours in sweats stalking her ex-bf to the soundtrack of post-rehab Demi Lovato. She's pretty and keeps it real.  Just when you peg Marni to be a self-absorbed prep, with no concept of reality and lacking self-actualization, she spits out the "totem of chat," a surprisingly articulate and socially astute analysis of communication in the 21st century. 


I swear I have a point. Living abroad makes a lot of things difficult, but thanks to iMessaging and internet-based communication, keeping in touch with the East Coast is something simple. 

Every au pair should have access to VoIP. EVER HEARD OF IT?! I hadn't either, but it is the best thing ever. Nerd out and learn how it works. Then go call your mom. 

xoxo. 

Each year at Christmas, Galeries Lafayette celebrates the season with an enormous sapin de Noel. This year celebrates the 100 year anniversary of the stores gorgeous coupole, and in accordance, Swarovski has collaborated in designing The Most Gorgeous Christmas Tree.



Move over, Rock Center.

Over 21 meters high, the tree is studded with over 5,000 crystals and perfectly illuminates the gorgeous cupola: panels of stained glass and gilded woodwork.

Reaching the 12-month mark of living in Paris inspired me to switch over all my electronics from English/American-based in favor of full-blown French.

Making the transition from an Anglophone iTunes store to one in French offers a world of new podcasts. December marks the end of my 'probationary period' here and with fluency so close within my reach, I've taken it upon myself to immerse myself completely through French podcasts for native speakers.

Oddly enough, Le College de France offers complete lectures of a various range of subjects including the History of Perfume. { So, so cool. }

Proving yourself to be a true French speakers is difficult, and the test is often won or lost due to the ability to understand and use slang! The search to improve my knowledge of idioms, l'argot and verlan led me to a hilarious { English-explained } podcast, katia and kyliemac. Once a week, this duo of Anglophones pick out obscure, useful phrases and break it down for textbook-taught French speakers.

Even better, the ladies analyze each phrase for appropriateness in certain settings: when speaking with children, colleagues, bosses, and in-laws. In addition, they offer crucial tips on proper pronounciation. { Forgot the "t" in "chat" or you will be sorry. }

 Short and sweet. Funny and practical. In under ten-minutes, you'll learn something new. Voici your new defense again boredom on the métro in 128 podcasts. 

xoxo.