Bring out the Bucket List

Bon lundi!

Paris is a very transient city when you live here as an expat.  People constantly come and go, and while it's a joy to live here and constantly welcome new friends, I've also had to become accustomed to saying goodbye.

A close friend of mine just left Paris, and while I could write a month's worth of posts on how much I will miss her, let's focus on the positive: The bucket list. While "bucket list" means to most people "a list of things to do before you die," for any American expat in Paris it has a less tragic meaning: "The list of sights to see, food to eat, and cities to visit before returning to the United States."

That's right, I love the bucket list. It's a way to reflect on what places I love in Paris, discover new things or restaurants that have made it onto other's lists, and if I'm lucky, I get the opportunity to join a friend in checking off items on their own list before they leave.

And now that I've been left behind, the quest of completing a bucket list inspires me to focus on my own. As I mentioned, I'm staying in Paris for the month of August which gives me plenty of time to get out there and cover new ground. While I feel like I've done a decent job making the most of my time here, there is more to discover. Like this square I saw for the first time over the weekend, on my way to Bois de Vincennes. Did you know there are palm trees in Paris?!

Le square des Anciens-Combattants-d’Indochine

This week I'm going to share two activities I've been wanting to do in Paris for over a year, and now checked them off the list! 

Do you have a bucket list for things to do in/near where you live? What's on the list?

Gold and Glitz: The Restored "From Louis XIV to Louis XVI" rooms in the Louvre

I've found a new favorite section of the Musée du Louvre. There's a lot to choose from and despite my annual membership I still have more ground to cover. But for now, I declare the newly reopened section entitled "De Louis XIV à Louis XVI" (From Louis XIV to Louis XVI) one of my preferred series of rooms to walk through during a visit.

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A Different Side of Prague

Travel has a way of teaching you things about yourself that might not have surfaced in a “normal” environment. It faces you with new situations, brings you out of your comfort zone, and expands what you know of the world.

Let's pause right there. Don’t worry if you’re not in the mood to read a heartfelt, emotional post. Because in Prague, I discovered something interesting about myself. I love modern statues.

Prague has a reputation for its Old World charm with the beautiful castle perched over the city and its romantic Staroměstské náměstí (Old Town Square). But there was something that resonated with me in discovering the more modern sculptures throughout the city. Perhaps it was just a reminder that Prague is more than the beautiful, old buildings but also very much alive and changing in the present. Whatever it was, I loved Prague the first time I went almost two years ago, and was reminded last month of just why it is one of my favorite places in Europe.

Let me show you the statues I found beyond the ones that line the Charles Bridge:

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August Staycation

Bon lundi!

It's August, and Paris is in its typical summer mode. Bags have been packed, the Parisians have headed off to the beaches, and many establishments have posted signs on the door announcing closings for the month. The city has officially been handed over to the remaining tourists.

Even though it's a nuisance to keep up-to-date with which of my favorite spots are still open this month, I don't mind staying behind and finishing out summer in Paris. I want to savor the remaining sunshine, squeeze in another picnic or two, and still hope to catch a free movie outdoors.

Walking along the Port de l'Arsenal, just south of Place de la Bastille

Besides, I'm continuing to discover new spots throughout the city. It's hard to believe I have walked to Place de la Bastille so often (where the notable July column stands) and somehow have never wandered a little further south to walk along the last stretch of the Canal Saint-Martin to where it meets the Seine river. It's interesting how we tend to develop patterns in our everyday life without realizing it, like walking or driving the same route consistently. This month, I want to change that and embrace being a tourist in my own city. (And I've started with visits to Jardin des Plantes and the Pantheon.) Everyone else is a tourist here at the moment, so why not?

Wherever you are this August, here's to making an effort to break routines and explore new ground!

Inside Paris' Pantheon

I mentioned that I’ve been enjoying exploring the Left Bank a bit more, starting with a visit to the Jardin des Plantes. Well, that was just the beginning of my outing last Sunday. After I warmed up to Left Bank, I continued on over to another sight I had passed by often but still never stepped foot inside: the Pantheon. 

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Park it in Paris: Jardin des Plantes

In the "Park it in Paris" series, I write about the city's parks - some of the best spots to relax, people-watch, and mingle with the locals.

The fact that Paris is divided by a river has set the stage for the age-old debate of Left Bank versus Right Bank. At least we can say that the city's beginnings took place on the neutral ground of Île de la Cité, and it remains the heart of Paris. (If you stand in the square facing Notre Dame Cathedral, in Place du Parvis de Notre-Dame, look for the star plaque on the ground. All route distances from Paris are measured from that marker.) I like to imagine that when the city was ready to expand off the island, it was the time when the two camps were formed.

I will admit that I am a Right Bank girl all the way. I live on that side and spend most of my time there. If I didn't have friends who live on the Left Bank, it would be easy for me to go weeks with crossing over a bridge. 

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Travel Inspiration Realized

Bon lundi! 

I’m back from a trip that encompassed northern Germany, Berlin, and Prague. As expected, I came across many wonderful things: places steeped in history, beautiful architecture, and plenty of well-made beer alongside hearty meat dishes. What I wasn’t expecting were sudden connections to people who inspired me to travel.

Of course, there was the run-in with Rick Steves as he was filming one of his travel shows in Prague. I’ve used his travel guides for years now and have appreciated his mission to make travel to Europe accessible for American tourists to navigate on their own and connect with the culture and history of a place.

It was really neat to see Rick in action. But before I ever watched one of his travel shows, there was another person who inspired me with tales of travel and wanderlust. My grandma.

My grandmother made her morning coffee with a lot of zucker, just one of those little hints of her 12 previous years living in Germany. She would play home videos of her travels throughout Europe for me, giving far more detail to her adventures than Rick Steves ever could. (Not only were her videos narrated by herself on film, but sitting with her she managed to dub over herself and “double narrate” the action, which was so her style.) Seeing the windmills of the Netherlands and the cuckoo clocks from medieval Germany made Europe come to life before my eyes, and I longed to experience all these things.

I never got to travel with her to Europe, but last week my uncle took me to see the two houses where my grandparents lived for the twelve years before I was born. Suddenly and unexpectedly, I felt a connection to the independent woman I lovingly called “my adventure grandma.” She was always up to go somewhere and took me often into New York City on day trips as I was growing up. She taught me to get out and see the world, and nothing held her back or slowed her down. With something as simple as passing by her old home in Germany, I wished that I could tell her about my own adventures in Paris, following in her footsteps and forging my own path to discover Europe. 

Thanks, Grandma, for infecting me with the travel bug at a young age!

The statue of the Town Musicians of Bremen 

What or who is your travel inspiration?

Simply Sara Eats: and Sips in London

In the "Simply Sara Eats " series, I recount the my favorite food and drink discoveries.

This year London keeps beckoning me over to visit. And if you've ever taken the Eurostar between Paris and London, you know you can get easily from one city to the next in about 2.5 hours. Between my winter stint in London in January, my impromptu girls' getaway in the spring, and my long weekend with friends in June, it's been hard to stay away from England's capital. 

While there, you can be assured that I've discovered some great spots to relax over a beverage. Whether you like tea, coffee, beer, or cocktails, you can find it all on my top 5 list of what I've been loving in London these days:

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Spotlight on London

Bon lundi!

“Sir, when a man is tired of London, he is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can afford. ”
— Samuel Johnson

I don't think I could ever get tired of London, and I've been there three times this year (and counting!). This week I want to take you to some of my favorite places in the city, and hopefully dispel the myth that the food in England is bad! 

Simply Sara Eats: at 5 Paris Favorites with Visitors

In the "Simply Sara Eats " series, I recount the my favorite food and drink discoveries.

Hosting friends and family from the US in Paris presents me with a quandary every time. Do I take the opportunity to try new restaurants or do I gravitate towards places I know are solid choices to get a proper food experience in France? While I occasionally try out a new place or two, I inevitably can't hold back my excitement to share some of my favorite bonnes adresses. My aunt and cousin were here in the beginning of July and as I reflected back on their trip, I recounted some of my favored Paris haunts.

Here are five food experiences I love to share with any guest visiting Pars: 

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Inside the Musée Gustave Moreau

If you happen to be in Paris on the first Sunday of the month, make a mental note of it and be sure to check out a museum or two! That's because many museums offer free entrance. (Take a look at en.parisinfo.com for a list and be sure to check the time frame as some museums only offer this during the off-peak season.)

This free museum day can be good for saving some money on big ticket sites such as €11 admission to the Musée d'Orsay (completely worth it in my opinion though). Lately I've been utilizing free admission Sundays to explore museums I might not otherwise want to commit to monetarily. It introduced me to the cool Musée de la Chasse et de la Nature that I had reservations about visiting (a hunting and nature museum?! Let's just leave it that my girl scout troop "camped" in hotels back in the day). 

When my aunt and cousin were in town on the first Sunday of July, we decided to stop in the Musée Gustave Moreau to explore.

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Something Old, Something New

Bon lundi!

Summer is in full swing, bringing with it school break, time off, vacation, and...summer visitors! One thing I didn't realize before moving to Paris was that it would give us the opportunity to host dear friends and family and share our new home with them. Counterintuitively it's proven to often allow us more quality time with loved ones than we ever had living at home. Especially being out and about in the city, cutting visitors off of the wifi access they so crave. 

Recently my aunt and cousin had the opportunity to visit us for a week. I loved every minute with those girls! It allowed me to share some places that I love with them, like the Musée d'Orsay (it had been too long since my last visit there!) and also pushed me to discover some new places too. Follow me this week as I share some of our findings! 

The Musée d'Orsay is a fabulous art museum that used to be a train station known as Gare d'Orsay in its former life!

Park it in Paris: Jardin Tino-Rossi

In the "Park it in Paris" series, I write about the city's parks - some of the best spots to relax, people-watch, and mingle with the locals.

Sometimes it's those things that are right in front of you that are somehow not obvious at all. Like the pen I search for that's on the table in clear view, or worse, in my hand. Or a cool sculpture garden right along the Seine that I somehow don't quite notice until after two years of living in Paris.

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