Paris is my Hometown

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Paris. That’s the town for me. My first visit was love at first sight. I was smitten. I visit every year and return home with a horrible sickness that lasts for months, some call it “culture shock,” I call it homesickness.

Gertrude Stein once said "Writers have to have two countries, the one where they belong and the one in which they really live. The second one is romantic, it is separate from themselves, it is not real, but it is really there." My second country is Paris. The passion was in my blood long before I was born, as the destination for my honeymooning parents, and it still beckons me even during the simplest, most ordinary of days.

As an outsider and an insider, I see Paris differently than most tourists and certainly than most residents. The longest period I lived in the city at one time was a year, and that was as a student, therefore, I never grew bitter of the hustle and bustle. I don’t yawn every time I cross the Pont Neuf and I still, willingly, climb every single step in and around Montmartre.

I will take you through my Paris. My Paris is rich, chocolaty, full of mystery, and a little bit Catherine Deneuve. If you want a guide to the Eiffel Tower or the Mona Lisa call Triple AAA. I can’t give you that. You are welcome to see the sites in two days, but you will never feel Paris. If you want to blend in and travel the cobblestone paths, keep reading.

Paris is a city for foodies. Some call it the City of Light, but I am not sure why because I usually gain at least 5 pounds per visit. I cannot give you any restaurant recommendations because I have never had a bad food experience, well maybe once, at McDonald’s with my terribly American cousin, but that’s not really Paris. I have also never selectively dined at a restaurant because of a review or fancy name, I simply happen upon bistros. You can eat a five-star meal for a one-star price in every neighborhood (or arrondisement, as we Francophiles say). Explore your neighborhood. Stop in if the menu seems pleasing and the food looks appetizing. That is part of the discovery. If you absolutely have to go to McDonald’s, I recommend les frites. Divine.

You must rush into any bookstore once you arrive in the city to purchase the little red or larger green arrondisment guide. This guide includes every single street in the city and all Metro stops. It is impossible to get lost if you have this guide. I love to start off in one area, travel by foot, and explore the sights. Happening upon museums, adorable retail boutiques and choclatiers (who often offer samples) is perfect if traveling on foot. Don the comfortable, but still very chic, shoes because most of the smaller, no cars allowed, side streets are paved in centuries-old cobblestone. Not the best for your dear Blahniks.

My recommended starting points: 2nd, 4th, 6th, 5th, 11th and 18th.

The language can be a deterrent for the non-adventurous traveler, but, that person would have stopped reading after the mention of Gertrude Stein. It is not too much trouble to buy a quick phrase guide and take a crash course in pronunciation on the plane via podcast. Pointing gets you everywhere, sulking and speaking louder in English gets you dirty looks and an overpriced lamb’s brain sandwich. Respecting a culture and a language goes a long way to getting what you want with a beautiful coffee stained smile to follow. Don’t be afraid to try, you may have a Sabrina hidden inside of you, just dying to come out.

Purchase the local Parisian entertainment guide. I recommend Pariscope. This guide is published weekly, in French, and provides listings of events, movies, exhibits and other happenings around town. If you don’t speak much French, ask a local or refer to your handy language guide for help. There are English alternatives such as Time Out Paris, but that just wouldn’t be very Parisian.

To market, to market to buy an antique broche? Visiting the Parisian city markets are such a treat. You will find a wide array of vendors (especially on Saturdays) who know just how to sell you the most amazing trinkets that you certainly don’t need. So many restaurateurs visit the market to purchase special cheeses and fresh produce. Explore the market, and sample the wares. Zabar’s will never be the same again.

Everyone must find their own Paris. For some it’s art, for some dance, for some exclusive custom-made perfume, for others exposure to some of the best films anywhere in the world, and still for some it’s Amsterdam. Create your travel agenda based on the things that you love to do so you know exactly where you want to go and what you want to avoid. Photograph, sketch, write or vocalize your journey. Your trip will no doubt start your own love affair that is sure to last a lifetime.

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