Jewellery Organisation

Today, being a Sunday, I was both incredibly lazy and productive. Firstly I did not get up until 12 which was an achievement I'm proud of. 26 and still able to lie in like I'm 13!

After though I really did need to sort out my war zone of a room. Especially after the Xmas hols and coming back with my sister. I never properly unpacked so my has took stuff out if my suitcase and dumped it randomly around the room. 

One thing I did that I thought was cute, you can choose to disagree, was using an oversized wine glass to store my earrings. For Christmas my aunt and uncle bought me a wine glass that holds an entire bottle of wine. This is the third one I've ever received! I love it and more importantly I love wine. However I don't often have people round and I feel that drinking an entire bottle of wine is a little...strange. 

So, as I brought back more of my possessions, I needed to store my earrings so they didn't get constantly tangled. Voila, two birds with one stone. My earrings now sit in and dangle from an oversized wine glass. I'm a bloody genius!! 

(Sort of)

Essex girl in Paris continues...

6 months!!! I have been living in Paris for 6 months! It seems so unreal, but the good sort of unreal. I am starting to realise how much I have done, and what I have achieved since I've been here and also how difficult it has been. 

I've managed to find an apartment, 2 jobs and many friends. I've visited a variety of places. Eaten and drunk alot! Had a shitty time and an incredible time. Begun to learn a language which six months ago I could say nothing and now I can have conversations. I'm probably more confident but definitely none the wiser!

Here are some pictures to show you some of my life in the past few months...

Difficult to see but this is me and 2 girls in the Galerie des Glaces  at the Chateau de Versaille. It is beautiful there and I really recommend going! It is the room used when the Treaty of Versailles was signed to end WW1 and also in the J'adore Dior advert with Charlize Theron.

Outside view from the Pompidou Centre. Interesting art and a back drop of the city!

The Eiffel Tower by Delaunay at the Pompidou

Me as 'art' at the Pompidou

Another Delaunay at the Pompidou

Eiffel Tower from Pompidou

Sculpture outside the Pompidou

From Pont Bir Hakeim

A street carnival near Nation in July - lots of noise, music, dancing and people!

Fun fair in the tuileries!

Me and my friend outside Odeon for Fete de la Musique - It's a free musical event all over the city where people fill the streets play music and drink! It is packed and I recommend attending one year. A city full of partying!

Cocktails were needed at Fete de la Musique!

Relaxing in the Luxembourg Gardens

An almost beautiful view... If only I could see where I work!

Luxembourg

Me and my friend in the Luxembourg

Sunbathing at Paris Plage!

Many people at Paris Plage and the Eiffel Tower in the distance. Great idea but not so good for relaxing!

Work aka Montparnasse Tower - The tallest and ugliest building in Paris!

Me at Paris Plage

The Arc de Triomphe on my way to work!

Night out with work colleagues!

Dancing and drinking at Tino Rossi by the Seine - Perfect

I had been drinking!

Crazy dancing man!

 So... there you go. A few pictures of the many things I have done so far in my little adventure. Who knows what the next 6 months will bring...?

Mother/Daughter time in Paris

I always knew that my Mum would be the first person to come visit me in Paris. In fact I should have bet on it to earn some money!! So when I found my new place she booked Eurostar tickets and came out just 5 weeks after I left London. (I realise it sounds like I'm moaning she came, I'm not - I love my Mum even if she is crazy sometimes).

We basically spent the weekend walking and drinking wine. It was brilliant. The first night she arrived and we got to mine about 8pm and we went straight to dinner near me. Spent the night chatting non stop!

Saturday we walked up to the Seine and had petit dejeuner near Notre Dame and overlooking the Seine. It was lovely and it was quite a nice day for the weather. We sat in a window and watched people go by. After we walked all the way along to the Eiffel Tower as my Mum said she wanted to see it. It was a long walk but I love walking round Paris. It might take longer but unless I'm in a rush I'll walk over using the Metro any day! Then we sat in the Champ de Mars and had an Ice Cream on the grass whilst looking at the Eiffel Tower. 
For the afternoon we went to Monmatre to see Sacre Couer (I've never been inside but the outside is very pretty.) We looked at the view and played 'Where's my house?' Then we went round near Place du Tetre and found an Irish bar to sit and have drinks and lunch. Well, it said it was Irish but other than serving Guiness it was the same as most other French pavement cafes/bars that I've been to! It was so hot and the wine was great, slightly too many street artists touting for work though. I mean, I know we're beautiful but you can't all have the pleasure of drawing us and charging 10-15 euros. For a start we watched a few and they weren't entirely accurate. I have a camera too so there was really no need!
Saturday night we went for dinner on Rue Mouffetard to a typical French place. I had my first try of snails! I have to say they weren't actually too bad. A bit like garlic mushrooms, but more rubbery, and you have to pull it out of the shell which was an odd experience. Almost like plucking a feather out of your Nandos before popping it in your mouth! After we went for more wine in a bar I like which opens onto a busy square. 

Sunday we went to the Tuilleries for Crepes. We sat in the sun round one of the ponds. Then we walked up the Champs Elysee and stared at all the shops. I love this mix of Louis Vuitton and H&M on one street. So busy there! Then we went to Saint Michel to find a spot in the sun for ... you guessed it! More wine and some salad. Once again very relaxing and beautiful. 
Sunday night we had dinner near Avenue Suffren and then went to watch the Eiffel Tower sparkle from the park. Such a pretty view. As we walked through we saw the queue was almost non existent so decided to go up! (It was just after 10pm) Great night!!! Slightly too cold and windy for my floaty white dress but worth it.
Monday my Mum left in the afternoon after another obligatory walk and coffee in a brasserie near mine.

Perfect weekend visit for mother and daughter! Here are some pictures we took...

After our ice creams in Champ de Mars.

My Mum in front of the Eiffel Tower (yes it looks like her hat.)

House spotting from Sacre Couer. Can you see it?

In front of the Sacre Couer

Sunday night waiting for the Eiffel Tower to sparkle.

Me before it sparkled and before we went up.

Sparkle time!

Single Girls Guide to Valentines Day!

Valentines Day soon, in case you hadn't spotted. Here I thought I'd share what I'll probably be wearing, doing, eating and my make up for the... er... 'special day'

Firstly I will be wearing the latest in Pyjama fashion. Probably my lovely red check bottoms with a decorative faux silk bow to keep me cinched in at the waist. I thought I'd top it off with a pinky/red vest top. Some might say its too much of the same colour but I think it matches nicely.

Next is the all important question - What shall I do on Valentines Day? 

I've got my outfit sorted so I think watching a film like Bridget Jones will set the right mood for the evening. If not any of the following are appropriate - Legally Blond, Pretty Woman, Dirty Dancing, Mean Girls etc The Notebook is NOT suitable but staring at a still of Ryan Gosling topless for 2 hours is fine! (Who doesn't wish they did this daily?)

After all the getting ready and prep, booking the reservations for the sofa etc it's now time to choose your evening meal. My suggestion is - 

Menu 

Starter -

  & 

Mains - 

 & 

Dessert - 

  & 

After all this excitement and a busy night of walking to the fridge and refilling your glass I think it would be wise to call it a night. Probably best to do some damage control and disable internet access to avoid seeing Facebook twitter pictures of flowers or chocolate people haven't bought themselves. This will also come in use when you undoubtedly come across a dating site advert and end up arranging a date with someone called 'large69toughman' or 'sexylondonmanplayer' or similar!

Alternatively if all this seems like too much effort for you then go to bed on Wednesday 13th and don't bother getting up until Friday 15th when it's ok for couples to not really love each other again!

What will you be doing?

Maria xx

Having an odd day...

This is post isn't about one specific topic but just generally about my day. Started off pretty annoyed as I have managed to lose my third hand - my iPhone. I'm gutted it's gone as not only can I no longer call or text people I can no longer tweet, facebook, instagram, blog, wiwt, or even take pictures out and about! I do realise this seems a little web based but I do talk face to face with humans all day long as well... Probably why I'm slightly behind with some work filing! One of the annoying things about the phone personally though is the camera. I love taking pictures throughout the day, either of things I see that make me laugh or my clothes, nails other blog opportunities.

Then I witnessed some hair mistakes this morning on the tube into work. Firstly I was confronted with a scrunchie on a grown women. Scrunchies, for me at least, are not good. If they have to be made then only children aged 6 or under should wear them. However, the weirdest thing was that the women only had the tiniest section of hair through it, like 30 strands! Seriously what was the point? The other was a mother daughter coloured hair combo. Have you seen Notting Hill? Do you remember when Hugh Grant talks about the radical hairdressers where everyone comes out looking like the cookie monster? Well it was like that... only poorly coloured and one was blue and one was pink.


I have then broken a nail, slipped over, had little sleep and had to chase the cat round the kitchen to stop it 'being dirty' all over the kitchen floor! The only answer this evening was to blog, tweet, drink wine and eat Chinese whilst watching Calendar Girls (I've seen Notting Hill recently so decided against it). I also bought some bits from MUA to try as never used it before. Very good prices, I hope the quality is good though as for me, it's a false economy and I'd rather spend a bit more. Fingers crossed it's all good. I have now done my nails, in a lovely Matte Gold, but it's still drying and too messy to photograph and post now, Plus I get up in 5 hours time for work so I better get some beauty sleep and hope I don't run out of concealer in the morning!
xxx