It is livin la vida loca around here and in more of a "One Flew Over the Cukoo's Nest" than Ricky Martin kind of way. Everyone is on holiday. Stores close. Restaurants close. Stuff breaks and no one is around to fix it. And I would say more but most of it is work related so I will refrain (I really want to keep my job, which I still love very much -- it's just a little ooooolala-loco sometimes).
So, setting the crazy aside, here are some things I love about Paris (in lieu of photos and in random order):
1. Glass bottles. Restaurants serve soft drinks in glass bottles. So much better than plastic.
2. When people call me "mademoiselle" instead of "madame" -- I know that's not a "thing about Paris" but the former is so much more flattering than the latter.
3. That they don't tear down old buildings and put up new ones.
4. Motorcycle fashion.
5. Fashion in general -- the French are so good at mixing classic styles with new trends.
6. The lack of Ed Hardy clothing (goes hand in hand with #5)
7. The complete disregard for rules. I think it makes the French seem so "cool." So the light is red, so what? Don't get me wrong, the complete disregard for rules also drives me effing bananas.
8. Dining al fresco. It seems that every restaurant has outdoor dining space. Makes me wonder what it's like here in the winter. Hopefully I can come back and see someday.
9. Croissants. Hello. Of course.
10. Public PDA. I need to devote an entire post to this.
11. How men carry their wives bags for them.
12. Strolling around the city. Apparently there are 12 different words for "stroll" -- because it is so fun just to leisurely walk around the city.
13. Outdoor markets.
14. The wine. Oh, the wine.
15. Public transportation. I think I have ridden in a car maybe 5 times since I got here in May.
16. Little kids speaking French. Cutest thing ever. They're probably saying something lame like "I need to use the potty" but it sounds adorable.
17. Everyone says "hello" (well, "bonjour" or "bon journee") to each other in elevators.
18. Shorts with tights. Really. It grew on me!
19. How dogs follow their owners down the sidewalks without leashes on. Seriously -- how do they train them to do that? Pirate would get run over by the first speeding motorcycle.
20. That I still have more time to visit or try all of the foods, wines, shops, museums, etc. that I have yet to see! There is so much to do here...