Back Pages: Pick Your Paris Apartment
Feb 27th, 2009 by Marilyn
The Simmer Till Done management and advisory board – that would be me – is on a special-projects work break, so please enjoy these posts from the past, especially if they’re new to you. Thanks for visiting – and if you have a repeat request, by all means send it along.
Today’s feature hails from last June, when we returned from Paris and all I wanted to do was go back. If you’ve played this game before, see if your earlier choice still grabs you. If this is your first reading, enjoy a little dream on me – and if you already have a Paris apartment, well, you’re free to go. The original post, full of freshly cliched yearning, can be found here.
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On every street in Paris, I found a reason to abandon my new old house and move into a place with dubious plumbing, cramped space and a totally dreamy facade. I took enough apartment photos to make a local gendarme look twice, and maybe he would, if he wasn’t busy with cafe and croissants, the French cops’ answer to a Dunkin’ Donuts break.
Already annoyed, this particular madame in the 6th arrondissement was much too peeved to notice me.
“Oh, when I see that Marie I will box her ears! The stupid girl never waters the plants.”
Whoever lives up there, the buildings in central Paris stand like solid urban fairytales, full of geraniums and tall windows and ironwork. Since there are thousands of them, why should I keep the fantasy all to myself? Pick your own Paris apartment.
No. 1: Mon dieu! That Madeline roof, those arches, the view. Gerard has just called Therese to say he bought an excellent Brie de Meaux, but will be home, ahem, a bit late – and that’s fine with her, because she is entertaining Jean-Luc.
No. 2: Merde, that’s a lot of stuff going on up there! In America, we’d call it ‘busy’ – there, we’d call it charming, and pay double.
No. 3: Simple but well-kept in the Latin Quarter. Are you kidding? If an ad read “above fondue restaurant, all the cheese you can eat,” I’d be first in line.
No. 4: Bonjour from the uptight Right Bank! Genevieve the maid will be in today, but she drinks all the Bordeaux and smokes while she cleans, no?
No. 5: Ooh la la! Someone has a green thumb on the busy Left Bank. Is it you?
No. 6: Living right over Chinese takeout near the Boulevard Saint-Germain. Where do I sign?
Honestly, I’d take any, and if I won the lottery, I’d take them all. Which one is yours?
WE LOVE Paris as well. We usually go every 2 years but it has officially been over 2 years – dying to get back there! This is a great post with photos that capture the moment ……. perfectly!
Don’t! I’ve always always wanted to live in Paris. Not forever but for more than a weekend. And every time I go, I get the same feeling. Sigh! One day. Great post. I love the one with the geraniums but would take any!
I love Paris as we went last May for our Honeymoon it was amazing – I love all the choices but there is something about the green thumb #5 BUT yet to be above a place that has the best fondue is a great option…
ahh….. et les photos … très français!!!
What great pictures! I do the same thing whenever I’m in Paris, “If I lived here, this is were I would want to stay.” It allows you to see the city in a unique perspective, thinking about the traffic, the light and proximity to places you love to go – like being directly over a street market!
Well, I know my choice is still over the fondue place…or is the Chinese takout. Hmm. Better head back to Paris.