Expat Special: What To Do With One Month in Paris

January 30, 2012  by Nicole Gustin

Piyapat Ch

You’re about to realize your dream: living in Paris for a month. You found an apartment, booked your flight, and learned how to ask for les toilettes.

You imagine strolling through the city, taking in the sights, hanging out at cafés, and being…Parisian.  Of course, part of the fun of travel is making new friends. As much as we love French hospitality, local Parisians and expats aren’t always hanging out in cafés looking for tourists to befriend. If your plan was to strike up conversation with the local artists over espresso at your neighborhood bistrot, you might want to think up a slightly more elaborate back-up plan. Just in case.

Michel NGUYEN; Yuwen Teo

Plus, maybe your idea of Paris includes escaping the tourist traps and discovering truly local haunts – great live music at an otherwise unassuming dive bar, or a fantastic meal at your neighborhood restaurant. With a dash of creativity, there are plenty of original ways to meet people and experience a little of the true Paris. Here are a few ideas: Continue Reading »

Posted in Parisian Living, Travel | 13 Comments »

Literary Paris for Expats: Tory’s Top Picks

January 16, 2010  by Tory Hoen

Photo: tumblr

One of the most gratifying things about being a Francophile is that, no matter where you are, you can always read your way back to France. When I’m not in Paris and my wanderlust kicks in, I reach for a book that will take me back, and I’m never disappointed. And while French literature can send me into a stay of pure bliss, I’m equally enamored with English-language expat literature. Whether it’s Hemingway’s “Lost Generation” or whatever today’s equivalent would be, there is something perpetually intriguing about cultural castaways—those outsiders who become insiders only to realize they’ll always be outsiders, etc. Continue Reading »

Posted in Arts | 2 Comments »