Proposal in Paris! OMG!

Bonjour! Crepes mademoiselle?” The kebab-guy smiled wide when we decided to go to his shop and order breakfast. Pancakes with nutella. I’m so healthy. “Where are you from? Russia?”

I shook my head.

“Korea?” I laughed. “Norvege,” I said and he smiled. “And do you like Paris?” He liked to small talk. “I love Paris,” I said.

“Then I love you!” I laughed more. Speechless.

“Does Norway love me?”

“Sure!” And then a high-five. The food was delicious and when we went to pay he said: “You’re very beautiful. Do you have a boyfriend?”

“Yes.”

“Awwwf.” His face went sad, then he lit up again. “You can marry me!” And then there were a whole lot of kidding about him coming home with us and so on and then we left Paris for the eight time. And the last time in a long time. Depressing times.

-Mari Clémentine

The Last Supper - Paris

Another beautiful day in the city. It was still cold, freezing as a matter of fact and we decided to visit the Notre Dame after a quick stop at Les Halles where I bought a lovely summerdress. Well, there’s not much to say, or much to do about nothing, because I went straight to Pont de l'Archevêché to look for my padlock, but never found it. The bridge is overflowing with locks now, even more than the first time I was there, it’s packed! So we went out for lunch at Café Dante in the Latin Quarter and then went to the (very boring, no offence art lovers) Museum of Modern Art.

I know this blogging is all bad, but after I went home I lost all the touch with my stress.

We also went out to eat that evening. The Last Supper. At our place, Bistro Duplex where we have eaten at least one dinner every time in Paris for the last 5 years or something. It was sad, so sad to know that the day after we would go home…

Mari Clémentine

Crazy Wild: SISTER ACT - Paris

No blogging! I've had such a busy weekend, so I haven't had time to post the end of our trip, but I promise you I'll post tomorrow, ttyl! But thought I could put up the sister act vid:

-Mari Clémentine

Vintage Shopping in Paris!

So as for Paris, fashion will always be linked to it when you talk about it you will always say something about fashion, and maybe vintage. Well, yesterday we went to the market at Duplex where they have everything from food to socks, makeup, DVDs and iPhone covers. “Scarfs! All colours! Red, blue, green, beautiful, ugly. Scarfs!” I don’t know what you can’t buy at the market, I don’t know what you can’t get to half the price at the market, but I love it. I almost love it as much as I love Marias!

Lalala, didn't take many pictures, but here's a YouTube vid about the district!

Marais is the one place in Paris where you can find high-end designers for less if you are patient and not claustrophobic, it’s many vintage stores out there. So yesterday we went out shopping as for myself I found a lovely denim shirt from Levis, a fur- to only 15 euro and yesterday’s treasure a denim shirt from BOSS to my father, what did I pay? 10 euro. At the (possibly) best vintage store in town: Free P Star! 

Mari Clémentine 

My name - Paris

After many years of loving chocolate, Starbucks’ chocolate chaud has become a dear love of mine and yesterday we went to our usual place to sit down and drink and write. “You name?” the man asked me after my order. “Clémentine!”

“Ah Clémentine! Un classic pour Clémentine! Did you know your name is French?”

“Oui.”

“I’m so proud!” I laughed and went on to the cashier. When I picked up my chocolate he was there again. “Le classic est pour  Clémentine!” He said to the barrista. “There you go! Merci, Clémentine!”

    Yep. A French name was a good idea after all.

Mari Clémentine

Boating around Louvre!

I don’t know why I put this song here, oh! Because today I bought Les Mis at my favourite bookstore here in Paris, Galignani, in Rue de Rivoli. Enjoy it! And go see the movie if you haven’t yet, it’s amazing!

Tuesday was another fine, sunny day in Montmartre, did I mention we live in Montmartre. Did I mention the breakfast in front of Sacre Coeur every day? It’s rather beautiful. We spent the day around Louvre and Tuileries, renting a little sailboat to play like the seven year old French boy by the fountain. I think it amused people.

In the evening we ate on a restaurant by Moulin Rouge and saw three VIP guests arrive, five cute little ponies! Some cities never cease to surprise and Paris must be one of them!

-Mari Clémentine 

Bring the wine! Cemeteries of Paris!

Yesterday was filled with a cute boy by the Eiffel Tower and a close to very weird trip to Cemeterie Pere Lachaise, which is a HUGE cemetery in the very east of Paris. It’s more like a city of the death really, with kilometres(!) of graves dating back to who knows when!
     We also did a lot of shopping, the French culture is not only wine and art, but also fashion and sheltered by Les Halles I spent to much money on clothes and BEAUTIFUL shoes. I don’t think my passion for shoes will ever cease…

      In the evening I then put on my new shoes and a dress to go out eating, leaving us with delicious (once again) Italian wine, I seriously couldn’t control myself, pasta carbonara (my favourite dish) and chocolate mousse. After all, a very good day indeed. I believe now is the time to go find a new adventure, even after 8 times in Paris there is still much to see.

Love you

Mari Clémentine

Morning Mood - Paris

Met the president of Ireland! LET THEM EAT CAKE!

Bonjour, le blogg. 

I’m currently having internet-problems at the hotel, but it’ll probably be okey tonight, I hope, so more about that later.
   

Anyways I’m sitting in front of Sacre Coeur at the moment, enjoying a French baguette for breakfast. We did the same thing yesterday, sweet life. Oh, dolce vita! 

    Road Block! Sorry, dear, you can’t cross over to the Arc de Trimophe, because… of something. Well we soon found out that our road block and the guards and the band was all for the french foreign minister and the Irish president! He probably came to meet me, but I unfortunatley could not make it to the other side. I think I would make a good paparazzo though!

The Irish President is the small one to the right :)

Mari Clémentine

Nutella, Wine, Pizza and more Wine...

Paris was a fresh breath, it was home and when I more or less fell down on my chair after ordering my Starbucks in half French, half English (something that soon became way to usual that evening) it felt like all the times before. Relaxing and calming.

    I don’t know if it was good or bad luck that we ended up walking from the Tour Eiffel to Amalfi in the Duplex-area, but Italian pizza and wine did not hurt. After having the waiter call me the “baby” and “dolly” for the entire evening, saying “I love you” in Norwegian and ending it all by giving me a lollypop we went laughing back to metro where a puppet-man entertained us half the way back to Montmartre ( I may upload the vid later!) where a lovely man sold us Crepe Nutella and Warm Wine.

   Paris’ food and people are way too easy to enjoy and already when we arrived at the metro station a very cute French guy, came over to carry my suitcase down the stairs. Why would I ever wanna leave here?

-Mari Clémentine

Airport on fire, but I made it HOME! - Paris

One: Turn on the feel-good track. 

Two: Enjoy my trip.

So, one could say I’m a rather lucky girl. I mean… I’m in Paris! And I’m alive! But we were travelling for almost 9 hours to get here. And now you all go: Nine hours seriously? Well, yeah. You see at the airport someone decided to turn on the fire alarm so everyone had to evacuate and when inside again everyone had to go to security… AGAIN!
The positive: We got to keep our tax-free drinks and for the open water bottle the Security-man only said: “Drink a little from it so I can see it’s nothing dangerous.” Oh, so much fun...

We made it to Paris, though! More about that tomorrow! Sleep tight, dear world..

-Mari Clémentine

If you're tired of Paris, you're tired of life!

“To say that one is tired of Paris, is in fact to say that one is tired of life!"  – Savage Grace. It was actually originally said about London, I think, but who cares when it’s true! I know I sound like a dumb American richbitch, but I think I have fallen in love with the city, as so many others and saying goodbye to her for a year won’t be easy, but at least I’m going for winter break. So TOMORROW Paris will be mine again.

    And now a lot of people might ask: What do you do there? You must have seen everything, sweet Jeez it’s the 8^th time! Well, firstly, I haven’t seen everything, I’ve never been on top of the Eiffel Tower, I’ve never been to Versailles or Musee Carnavalet. So what do I do?
    I live.

\

    Every day in Paris is like the day after you’ve been magically cured for pneumonia, finally being able to breathe again. I often go out walking, writing in parks or taking photos. When I get really tired I go to Starbucks or other cafes to sit down for hot chocolate. Sometimes I eat crepes de nutella for lunch. I visit museums, churches, bridges and statues. This year I’ve promised myself to visit Pere Lachaise Cemetery which I’m really looking forward to.

     You see, my dear readers and friends, Paris is a dance. Sometimes slow, sometimes fast, but it’s always moving on. Touching, or not touching. Fancy old-fashioned or dirty and in-time. It will be whatever you want it to be and who can resist that?

-Mari Clémentine

    

Favorite Destinations 2013: Paris (part II)

My favorite place in Paris is located on the top of Montmartre, yes, I you’ve been visiting this blog before, you already know, Sacre Coeur. I didn’t come there until 2010, and then I had already been to Paris 3 or 4 times. It’s this white “castle” raving over the dusty and grey part of the city. High over the rooftops, suddenly it pops up like a little part of heaven. There sure was a stairway to heaven, and we had to climb it. It was a long way up, but at last we reached the top and the view was stunning. It could rain, snow, be full storm, it wouldn’t matter, the view will always be beautiful. It’s the top of the city, but feels like the top of the world and the cozy streets of Monmartre behind it will always be enough for me while in town. I could stay there forever, and now we always stay in the area and we always visit Montmartre. 

-Mari Clémentine

Favorite Destinations 2013: Paris (part I)

Paris has become a second home to me, visiting the city at least every year it’s a highlight, a delicious break, it’s like dessert. I first saw Paris at the age of 11, sick and tired I spent way too much time in Disneyland, but we came back. Again and again and I fell in love, again and again all the way from the Eiffel Tower, to Sacre Coeur, down to the Statue of Liberty and the Montparnasse tower.

    Sitting down at the steps of Sacre Coeur I know I’m at home and in the right place. From there you can spot the Eiffel Tower, Montparnasse, Notre Dame, Les Halles, all of Paris at your feet. “Elle est tres belle,” a man said to me. My French had always been bad so I just smiled at him and agreed. Paris sure was beautiful. It would always be, cause it made me feel peaceful and in place. At home. 

-Mari Clémentine

Traveling XXLedition

"The forbidden city" - Beijing, 2011

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
I haven’t been travelling much lately (okey, so I did go to London,  and I'm going back to Paris in February, anyways..) but these days a great journey is about to commence and it has stood a little in the way of, well, travelling in the way I know it. I don’t want to jinx anything so I choose not to tell you, my dear readers about it, but I can say so much: it involves Italy or France.
   So for the next weeks I thought I could tell you a little about my favorite destinations in Europe: Rome and Paris. Maybe my awesome Asia-trip to China, Vietnam and Hong Kong will be mentioned. I just don't know... There's so much to tell you about my "great journey" and I can't tell you about it just yet!! Stay tuned for more :)

-Mari Clémentine

Travelling.

It’s the feeling you get when you order hot chocolate at Starbucks, the man asks for your name and you answer: “Clémentine,” and hi says: “Oh, yes…” because you do it every day. When you feel so sorry for the dogs belonging to the man begging on the corner that you buy them food. That’s when you’ve fallen for a city and started to make it your own. That’s when the real journey begins. When you smile and they smile. When people in the little shops knows what you’re going to buy, before you buy it, when people come over to talk to you randomly on the street, when everything’s new and you need help to explore. This is when the journey begins. Love.

Mari Clémentine

Picture of a City - Paris

I was walking around the Latin Quarter in Paris letting my eyes soak in everything I saw and the nose fill with the smell of autumn in the city of lights. As I had did in both, summer, winter and spring I told myself: “There is nothing more beautiful than Paris right now” and when I headed into the Jardin du Luxembourg with a Starbucks in hand, I knew I never wanted to be anywhere else. It wouldn’t help much in four weeks, but at that very moment I just sat down on one of the old green benches and watched students from LLG pass as they quit school. There is nothing a trip to beautiful Paris can’t cure and as I fetched my notebook I wanted to lock the moment inside the paper and I did.

  

So what has this got to do with everything? Well, I love Paris. And this was my experience last autumn, just running around the city of my dreams, writing and drinking hot chocolate, but now I’m going to Brussels and everything’s new… Wow, wow, 2 more days to go people! I’m so excited to just... not go to school. Yeah.

                                         

Mari Clémentine

Homesick.

I’ve bet you’ve been when you’ve been away from you family too long. I know I have. But never before while travelling. It may be strange how I nearly cry on the plane every time I have to leave Paris, but it’s still the truth. Of course it’s always good to come home, but I’ve never really missed it, like in that I’ve wanted to go home in the middle of a trip. This time I did. It was weird in a way, but maybe it was good as well. Human. Missing my friends, my dad and my boyfriend, and most of all missing my cat.
    I never went home though, and I’m happy I stayed. The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page. I don’t want to finish the book in a long time, but being home at last, I’m eager to read the next chapter.

The Hard Rock List

So when I tell people I’ve been to 11 HRC’s just in the last 2-3 years a lot of people ask me: Which is the best one? Or better – Which is the worst? I have a top three, and a bottom one, and my experiences might surprise you. And by the way! This is all part of my "warming up for Belgium" posts, so if you want to keep following me and I'll take you to Brussels next week! Will Amsterdam or Brussels make this list?

The current top three is:

                          

1.  Hong Kong

This one is a live bar located on Hong Kong island out of the way for tourists. We were lucky enough to be placed by the bar, and what an amazing time we had! This is a must do in Hong Kong, and experience of few. The shop is small, I didn’t even notice much memorabilia, but it was the best.

2. LondonPrepare to see Beatles, Elvis, Queens, the Rolling Stone, the Cure, Michael Jackson, Madonna and the rest of the music world at once. The 10^th café we visited, was in the city were the first ever was opened and they have lovely waiters and a lot to look at. The shop is huge so bring your wallet!

                         

3. Venice
Ah Venice. Another place with great people working there, a nice shop and a lot of things to look at. Did I mention it’s a great place to escape from the rain? The first thing the waiter did was guessing where we came from and he were 100% right.

The bottom one is actually Paris, don't ask. But wherever you are in the world, the capital often holds a Hard Rock, and you get the same familiar taste and nice faces. Sometimes it’s a great escape from Chinese food (like in Beijing) other times it’s just a place for a drink (like in Venice and Florence) since the country already have great food. But it’s always there to welcome you home. So Hard Rock all the way!

Mari Clémentine

BENELUX-autumn

Okey, so I've been knowing for a couple of weeks now that we'll be going some were this autumn, but I didn't bother writing to much about in case I choose to go to Paris again, as that would probably mean no blogging, but! As we absolutley can't aford going to Paris for autumn-break, and I absolutley can't stand having people speaking my own language louder than any other in the halls of Louvre, we choose to go somewhere new and unexplored: Brussels! They speak french, have the best chocolate in the world and belgian waffels! We're also taking a trip to Amsterdam while we're there and we might also go to Tilburg to visit a friend of mine! I've never been to either before, so I am superexcited!  Unfortunatley we don't have the time to go to Luxembourg, but it's still a benelux adventure, isn't it? So right now I'm spending my free minutes looking through guidebooks trying to decide wether to go to the Chocolate Museum or the Royal Palace first and should we eat at "La Tour d'y Voir" or spend all our money buying chocolate at "Mary"?  I hope you all will join me for my adventure in the capital of Europe this october!

Jardin du Luxembourg, Paris - Autumn 2011