Paris, je t'aime

Summer 2014

Meet my good friend, Alaia Issany <3

Was wandering among some of the main attractions, stopping for café lattes and generally loving every corner of this gorgeous city. We are living in Montmartre, Paris and I remember I was worrying about taking metro in Paris. Would it be safe? confusing to navigate? but fortunately the metro was a cinch to figure out. And I felt completely safe on the trains and in the stations. And as for getting lost,  Google maps app works in Paris too. It was a lifesaver in Paris in my opinion (cuz you do not ask people on the street) lol

Montmartre is the home that nurtured most of the great artists and writers living in France for over 200 years. Picasso, van Gogh and countless others lived and worked in these streets in Montmartre.

Sacre Coeur Basilica is a Roman Catholic church dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. You can go inside and go up to the top of the dome for a view of Paris, but I did not do that. It is just around my sister's flat, made my way up the many…many steps. Workout every single day!  You can get a very pretty view outside the church, my friend Alaia and I loved to just sit there and enjoying the view.  You can do the picnic as well! ;) 

And here's my other friend, David. We strolled around Montmartre and managed to get some delicious cheesecakes from Berko around Montmartre, very famous cheesecake place and indeed was stupidly good. If you happen to be in Paris, you need to try the cheesecake! after that we stopped by Rue Saint-Anne the little Tokyo thats what people call it. Located near many city landmarks and tourist attractions, like Louvre, and the Opera, Rue Saint-Anne is a wonderful street to visit for lunch while out sightseeing or shopping. The closest Metro stop is Pyramides

We took a walk to The Louvre the biggest museum in the world with thousands of square feet of space and million of exhibit. It houses pieces from classical times to the 19th century. It was summer going on to autumn. The weather was really nice:) 

There is an ever-present line outside this great, traditional Japanese restaurant, always a great sign for any dining spot. They served a variety of handmade udon. The tempura udon-a steaming bowl of delicious broth, topped with tempura shrimp; zaru udon- cold noodle served with dipping sauce; or the curry udon. The many also includes side dishes, like pickled veggie. The udon is well worth the wait.

K Mart is a grocery store stocked full of Korean and Japanese products. My friend David Young and I stopped by to pick up some korean snacks and soju. He never tried korean food so I managed to get him some goodies. "Soju tastes like chinese medicine HAHA", David said. LOL

 You could find fresh produce, seafood, noodle, sake, spices, and much more. And also the cafeteria or the to-go food shelves for a quick lunch. It's open for Monday to Sunday, 10.00AM to 9.00PM. It is Rue Saint-Anne

Had a second meet up with David Young. This time I came over to his. I forgot how we came up with an idea of the second meet up but that time my friend, Anne had an appointment with her "boyfriend" and she currently checking her new flat so yeah I gone out with her from my place. David wanted to show me the other side of Paris (not typical Paris). It was at Bibliothèque, I just took the RER and was there in no time! Time has passed so quickly and it was very far away from my place. I couldn't find a wifi and my phone was about to die soon. Borrowed Anne' phone to text David. Got his call and I waited for couple mins in MK2 Bibliothèque, luckily there were lots of food trucks and great attractions. MK2 is a cinema, probably the biggest cinema I have ever seen. It's not in the mall, but the cinema alone is very huge. I didn't get the chance to take picture because it was too crowded and I was on my own so yeah.. (oh I did manage to see David an hour later, he came by a bike he rented :p)

Here's the one I been telling you about. This is what we call it as Bibliothèque Nationale de France aka The National Library of France. I never thought I would see this side in France. I thought I could only see old victorian buildings around, but this is different, if only you could see this view in real life, you would say wow too! that time was very windy and cold crazyyy! David and I spent couple hours here, amazed by its view here. You should come and see!

It carries a sense of monumentality and visual iconicity that is, of course, familiar to Parisians, but the library is distinctly modern in affect and progressive in ethos.  Classical arcades, stone carving, and ornamental expressions of wealth and power are replaced by the glass, steel, and weathered wood, and the understated  of the urban masses and a throwback to midcentury ideals.

And this is Docks de Paris. The river facing façade features a glass covered steel tube structure that is inspired by the flow of the river and its pedestrian promendades. The rood has also been developed using wood decks and grassed area. The front façade addition serves as the buildings circulation system allowing visitors to move between levels. Inside the new building will feature a variety of programming including galleries, retail shops, the french fashion institute, and cafes. And this' what I was doing with David, he brought me here to see some art galleries. Was a lovely night!

When Paul stopped by and enjoying his indomie after 1 year HAHAHA #indomieforlife

Starting to enjoy my stay in Paris because there are lots of hidden gems in this city. Thank you so much for the hospitality Alaia, David, Paul, and Nicko. So very thankful that I get to know them for years. See y'all very soon! x