Paris, je t'aime

A usual I’ve been passing more hours on the dancefloor at Baron than in my apartment. Good or bad news…I don’t know..all I know is I love to dance :-) Sitting in my apartment and beeing reminded about things that are not cleared yet is driving me crazy so I rather escape than dealing with things that for now seems to be impossible to deal with……my mind is overloaded…that’s all.

(@ Le Baron, Paris)

Last Friday I went to the Yves Saint Laurent exhibition at Petit Palais in Paris. The exhibition have been going on since March this year and the last day was August 29th. I’m always in the last minute and going there on Friday, two days before the last day, resulted that I had two wait 4 hours in the line to get in!!! Thank God I have a Blackberry so I could keep myself busy otherwise I would have gone crazy. I don’t regret the 4 hours in line, the exhibition was worth every minute. I’ve always liked Yves Saint Laurent and I’m very impressed of his talent and the exhibition really showed was a great man he was in fashion.

I’ve been in Paris for 6 months now and even though there were people telling me it was a stupid decision to quit my job in Stockholm, to leave my apartment and to move to a new country, a new city, a city where I knew no one, I city where I didn’t had an apartment, a city where I didn’t had any job, a country with a language I didn’t speak….that was crazy. I agree, it was crazy….but I simply love to do crazy things. I’m fully aware I left a great career in Sweden…but at the same time I’ve never felt so alive for the moment. It’s like a book, my life in Paris is a new chapter in my life.

My life here is not easy, I have almost nothing in income…but in the other hand…the things I’m looking for in Paris can not be bought with money. I came to save myself and learn to feel again. Even though it hurts sometimes, even though it happens I play with fires and can’t keep out from things I should stay away from I’m loving it. I’m about to create a life in Paris and it might take a time…Until I don’t speak French fluently I have a long way to go. But I’m not giving up. My life has just begun and there are plenty of things I would like to try and to do. I might get burned on the way…but if I never try I will never know?

If you don’t live for somethings…you will die for nothing….

Yesterday was the first day Le Baron was open….two weeks have passed since they closed for the holidays but it felt like they we’re closed for several months. Same music and same people where there last night and it was really good…like always :-) Now I hope Montana will open next week so I can do my regular Montana-Baron-thing.

I know it might sound pretty weird, I’ve been living in Paris since January and I’m still in love with this city. I never thought love stories like this could be so long lasting…in fact i thought I would have had enough of Paris for a while ago, but NO. Each time I see this magical light, each time I pass by beautiful monuments and buildings I have 1000 butterflies in my stomach. I’m totally in LOVE and I hope this feeling will be everlasting.

Two days ago I went to Christine for a last evening before she left for Sweden. Natalie, Linda and Natalies friend were also there and we had a great time. As you can see on the photos my rehab period is over…in fact I can only hold on during the day and in the evening I break my rehab, bad…

I got to know Christine through our blogs and I’m really happy having her as a friend and that I’ve got to know Nathalie and Linda aswell, we all have something in common and that is that we left Sweden for Paris :-) I will really miss Christine but she told me she will come for a visit in September so I’m already looking forward it ;-)

Woody Allen is in Paris shooting for his latest movie, ”Midnight in Paris”. He and his crew have been shooting several times in St Germain where I live and last week they were at the brasserie Le Paul Bert in Porte de Clignancourt for yet another shoot. Carla Bruni and Owen Wilson are some of the actors and even though I’m not a big fan of Woody Allens movie I can’t wait to see it. I love Paris and I liked his ”Vicky,Christina, Barcelona” – so who knows..this one could be a good one ;-)

Last week I met my Swedish friends Natalie and Christine and Natalies friend Liza for some nice rosé wine at La Palette here in St Germain. La Palette is a great place for after-works, the waiters are nice, it’s almost tourist-free and it’s only 3 minutes walk from my place (I know..I’m lazy). We had a great time, always fun meeting my friends :-) Except the regular art-dealer crowd I met some people that I have got to know at Le Baron and Montana at La Palette….the world is..once again…SMALL. Later we went for some gelatos at Amorino (4 rue de Buci) – I had chocolate, pistachio and amaretto..heavenly combination ;-)

Many people ask me why I moved to Paris? I believe there is something magical about this city, the light is the most beautiful I’ve ever seen and there haven’t been a single day where I haven’t taken a deep breath and felt joy and happiness living in this beautiful and charming city. Just take a look on these photos…it’s hard NOT to fall in LOVE ;-)

Me and Josefin @Montana

Some of the reasons I haven’t been updating my blog recently have been that I’ve only spent 2 hours at home during the past weeks…I’ve spent more time at Montana and Le Baron than at my own place…

8 hours of work every day, @ Montana around 1-2 in the morning, @ Le Baron around 3-4 in the morning….at home by 8, just in time to erase all my stupid messages and pictures I’ve been sending through my Blackberry to my Facebook….then 1-2 hours sleep and off to work at 10 :-( Multiply that with 2 weeks and you know how my life have been. Have had a blast with my ”partner-in-crime”, Josefin. Last Saturday was the last night when Le Baron and Montana were open, now they’ve closed for a month because most of the people in Paris are off for vaccation :-(

Been through good things…been through bad things…revealing it on my blog would kill the magic so I won’t….I’m acctually kind of happy over this break…need some rehab..but it’s hard..I’m so used to go out that I don’t know what to do. Thank God La Palette is not closing so I can hang around with my friends instead ;-)

(@ Le Baron)

First of all, I’m very sorry I haven’t updated my blog for more than a week…I’ve just been too busy being busy and working every day. By now you all know how much I love Paris, I came here ”to stay forever” and since January till now I’ve been through so many things that I’ve never had during my 28 years of life in Sweden. During the two last month my life have been as a roller-coaster. I have this hate-and-love feeling for Paris. It’s eating me up alive and I want to press a ”stop” button, but I’m afraid it will be the end so I resist. Even though it’s very…VERY bad…once u go there…but it’s all about taking control over your mind..which I’ll do when the time is right. I’ve got to know new sides of me that I never knew before…it’s weird how things can change you but I guess that’s a part of life. Even though it’s hard I try to stand on my feets and not loose myself, I still have the same values in life that I had before I came here….but my mind has changed.

I wish I could be more specific but I can’t, not for the moment.

I promise to update my blog later tonight ;-)

Two days ago I went out with Josefin, we were acctually just going for an afterwork but we continued to Montana in St Germain where we met some friends. The DJ’s were playing awesome music so we stayed there for a long while…suddenly we realized we were partying with Prince ;-) Then another friend came along and somehow we arrived at Le Baron and danced all night long..I also managed to twist my ankle but I didn’t felt the pain until the day after. When they closed Le Baron around 6 I took a walk home..love walk next by the river Seine that early in the morning..it’s sooo beautiful :-)

I’ve receieved lot’s of mail regarding what clubs to go in Paris. When I first came here I loved going to VIP ROOM, but maybe it was because it was awesome during the fashion week and when Madonna’s boyfriend Jesus Luz were playing…now I don’t go there anymore. Le Baron is where crazy things happens and Montana is a great place to go pre-partying before ;-) Now u know!

My mom is here visiting me in Paris and I’m soooo happy about that :-) She came two days ago and will stay till Monday evening. We have been all around Paris and for the moment we’re on our way to Monets garden. Promise to post some photos later.

Wish you all a beautiful Sunday!

SVENSKA: Min mamma är här på besök hos mig i Paris nu och jag är sååå glad :-) Hon kom för två dagar sedan och stannar till måndag kväll. Vi har varit och promenerat nästan över hela Paris och för närvarande är vi på väg till Monets trädgård.
Ha en underbar söndag!

Last evening, me and my friend and former collegue Emelie, went to Champs de Mars where you have one of the best views on the Eiffel-tower to watch the fireworks. Every year when they celebrate the national day they have fireworks. It reminded me of New Years Eve of 2000, when I was in Paris to celebrate the New Year with my family, we watched the fireworks at the Eiffel-tower and it was really beautiful. Everything is beautiful in Paris ;-)

SVENSKA: Igår kväll gick jag och min vän och tidigare kollega Emelie, till Champs de Mars där man har en av de bästa utsikten över Eiffeltornet för att titta på fyrverkerier. Varje år när de firar nationaldag har fyrverkerier vid Eiffeltornet. Det påminde mig om nyårsafton 2000, då jag var i Paris för att fira nyår med min familj, vi tittade på fyrverkerierna vid Eiffeltornet och det var sannerligen vackert. Allt är vackert här i Paris ;-)

Idag firar vi Frankrikes nationaldag här. Igår öppnade alla brandkårshus öppet hus för allmänheten för bal på deras respektive innergårdar. Jag och ett gäng vänner gick dit men efter att ha sett den långa kön gick vi vidare till en bar istället. Idag gick militären en parad på Champs-Elysée med president Sarkozy närvarande bland publiken och därefter hölls även en flygshow av flygvapnet. Allt detta pågick tidigt imorse men efter en väldigt sen kväll/natt igår så låg jag kvar i sängen där jag övernattade natten till idag. MEN..jag hade tur och missade inte flygshowen..nädå, jag vaknade av att flygplanen flög ovanför mig, fönstret var öppet och jag hade en utsikt rakt upp i himlen och av alla ställen i Paris så flög de över just det huset som jag befann mig i ;-) Synd att jag inte hade min kamera ;-)

På vägen hem imorse blev det en frozen yoghurt med brownies från MyBerry till frukost..mums! Ibland känns det som att jag lever i ett vykort..titta på den sista bilden så förstår ni varför. Efter 6 månader här är jag fortfarande helt kär i denna fantastiskt vackra staden :-)

I watched the final World Cup game between Spain and Holland at Trocadero where they had put a big screen. It was a beautiful view having the Eifel-tower. I was there with some friends watching the game, it was really crowded and I’m not wrong if I say that the majority were Spanish-supporters, just like me ;-)

Really happy that Spain won! We started walking to Champs-Elysée as soon as the game was over and it was fun seeing all the people in the streets and in the cars celebrating.

Clari is my partner in crime when it comes to ice cream. We can call each other in the day just to have an ice-cream date at Amorino and then sit down close to the river Seine and enjoy our ice creams :-) Yesterday we met each other past 21h and we started with frozen yoghurts at MyBerry at their new bar in île st louis. I had a frozen yoghurt with brownies and strawberries while Clari chose Oreo-topping and raspberries. Yummie :-) When we were walking to my place in St Germain (where we freaked in front of Photo-booth in my iMac) we couldn’t resist the pressure and just had to have an ice-cream so we went to GROM and I had a dark chocolate sorbet and vanilla….MmmmmMmmm

Today Clari is leaving for a trip to Germany, Poland and Italy…will not see her until in the end of August…I will miss our ice-cream dates :-(

Today I went to the Swedish church to look for job offers, they always have plenty of job postings at their notice-board. I also met Christine for a ”fika” at the Swedish church but we ended up at Starbucks instead. I had my favourite cooler of the summer, Ice Tea from Arizona and Christine had a frappé. Always fun meeting Christine, happy she’s here for the summer but I will miss her when she goes back to Sweden for her studies in August…
When I walked back home to St Germain I passed Louvre, beautiful as always. I’m lucky living so close to it :-)
Btw, good news! Got a job offer (10 hours/week) and tomorrow I will have a testing period for a couple of hours..I’ll keep you updated ;-)

Have a great weekend!

p.s.Ellinor, I’ll mail you later regarding apartment ads, I found some at the notice-board at the Swedish church ;-)

Since I wrote my latest blogpost my family, friends and blogreaders have been calling me, sending me e-mails and posting comments on my blog with cheering words, with links where to find job and other tips. I’m so happy for that, it means alot :-)

I was really sad when I was writing that I perhaps must leave my new home, Paris. God knows how many things I had to deal with to get where I am now. Now when I’m thinking back I have had even worse periods in Sweden…this is acctually nothing compared to those. I’m 28 years old, I have an education and I’m a hardworking woman and I’ve always been a fighter and rather take the hard way than the easy just to learn how to handle things and grow as a person. For two days I’ve been walking around all over Paris and applying for jobs..I’ve been walking for hours in the heat and now my feets are a mess with foot ulcers, but I don’t mind…. I’ve been e-mailing applications to several job openings and I’ve done everything I can to find a job. Now, I’m going to lean back and relax. As my friend Irina, told me, I’ve now made clear for the Universe I’m looking for a job…it’s handling my wish and I will hopefully receive a job offer soon. Now it’s time to think about other things and just let this jobsearching process to let go.

Many people have been asking me why I came here without finding a job BEFORE? Well, I was looking for jobs but it’s almost impossible finding a job when you don’t speak French and that’s why I came here to study French first….AND besides….I love taking risks in my life, I love not knowing how things will turn out just because it makes me work harder and I feel more alive when I have to fight for something than when I’m served ;-) Even though my choices are giving me a hard time I love living like this :-)

Have a wonderful day and thanks for all your support!

Btw, for all other people who are searching for jobs here in Paris, here are some useful links that my friends and blogreaders sent me:

http://www.jobsinparis.fr

http://www.monster.fr

http://www.cadremploi.fr

http://www.cadresonline.com

http://www.apec.fr

http://www.experteer.fr

http://www.cadrexport.com

http://www.jobintree.com

http://www.jobingenieur.com/moteuremploi.php?page=listerecruteurs

http://www.cojean.fr

http://www.fashionjobs.fr

http://www.disneylandparis.com

Reality is catching up on me. Since I quit my job at Ladurée (in the end of April) I haven’t had any income and living in one of the worlds expensivest cities without having any income for 3 months is…HARD. Now I’m unfortunately running ut of my savings and if I don’t find any job within this week July will be my last month in Paris :-(

I’m looking for a qualified job, withing Engineering since I am an Engineer but unfortunately the offices are closed between June 15th – August 15th. So now I’m looking for whatever kind of job I can get. Early this morning, me and Josefin (my friend and room-mate) went to a Internet café in St Germain and printed out our CVs and motivation letters. Then we almost went all over Paris and gave our applications. It was both fun but also weird. At a very posh restaurant in St Germain the Manager couldn’t take his eyes off us and I felt like a piece of meat. We went to coffée-places, restaurants, boutiques, make-up stores, hotels, galleries etc.

After a couple of hours we had a VERY late lunch at McDonalds at 17h. I haven’t had any meal at McDonalds for 10 years…I’m not into their food..but didn’t had any other choice at Champs-Elysée. I had a fishburger and the best part is that I got 3-d glasses…GREAT! I’m going to watch Shrek at the cinema soon so now I won’t need to pay extra for the 3D-glasses ;-)

By the way, if any of you readers knows any place here in Paris I should apply for a job..please don’t hesitate to drop me a line!

The last couple of days we have had a heat wave in Paris. I love sunny days but even I am having enough since I’m not close to the sea. We have had between 28-35 degrees and since I live in the top of the building it has been impossible to sleep during the nights since my apartment has been heated up during the day. I have borrowed a fan from a friend of mine so I have had some sleep the last two days, thank God.  While I’ve not been applying for jobs I have been in Jardin du Luxembourg for some tanning during these hot days, like the rest of Paris:

SVENSKA: De senaste dagarna har vi haft en ordentlig värmebölja i Paris. Jag älskar soliga dagar, men även jag börjar få nog av värmen eftersom jag inte är nära till havet. Vi har haft mellan 28-35 grader och eftersom jag bor högst upp i huset har det varit omöjligt att sova på nätterna eftersom min lägenhet har värmts upp under dagen. Jag har lånat en fläkt av en vän till mig så jag har äntligen fått sova de senaste två dagarna, tack och lov. När jag inte varit ute på jobbjakt så har jag legat i Jardin du Luxembourg och solat under de senaste dagarna, liksom resten av Paris:

Last night I was invited at a homeparty at Christine and Christophe’s place. My friend Natalie was also there and I also met another Swedish girl, Robin who also has a blog. Had a great time, all the other people were French and I had some really intresting discussions…in French. I always brag about how Sweden is such a perfect country and I love when the French tries to defend France. I’m still in the phase were I compare France with Sweden, still I feel Sweden is the perfect country but it doesn’t mean I was satisfied with my life over there. I guess we all need different things in life and for the moment I love my life in Paris. Some of the French guys told me they love Sweden…why? The girls surrounded them everytime they went out in Sweden, that is not what happens in France. Here it’s the guys that approach to the girls so no wonder why they see Sweden as a paradise ;-)

SVENSKA: Igår kväll var jag bjuden på en hemmafest hos Christine och Christophe. Min vän Natalie var också där och jag träffade även en annan svensk tjej, Robin som också bloggar. Hade riktigt kul, resten av gästerna var från Frankrike och jag hade några riktigt intressanta diskussioner … på franska. Jag skryter alltid om hur Sverige är det perfekta landet och jag älskar när fransmännen försöker försvara Frankrike. Jag är fortfarande i fasen där jag jämför Frankrike med Sverige, fortfarande anser jag att Sverige är det perfekta landet, men det betyder inte att jag var nöjd med mitt liv där borta. Jag antar att vi alla behöver olika saker i livet för att vara lyckliga och för tillfället jag älskar mitt liv i Paris. Några av de franska killarna berättade att de älskar Sverige … varför? Tjejerna omgav dem varje gång de gick ut i Sverige, inte riktigt precis så det går till i Frankrike. Här är det killarna som stöter  på tjejerna så det är inte konstigt att de tycker att Sverige är paradis ur den aspekten ;-)