Who's who in "Our Paris"?

[ShirlinTN]

Hello Everyone,

I am new here. This is my first post.
I have been reading the posts of others for a few weeks now, hoping to educate myself before I leave for my first trip to Paris on May 13! I cannot tell you how excited I am!

I have been married to a wonderful man for 32 years. It's a second marriage for each of us (we didn't get it right the first time around). We have 4 children (his 2 and my 2) and 4 grandchildren. After many hectic, stressful years in the workplace--I was in real estate sales and he is a former auto exec--we moved from the Detroit, Michigan suburbs to the beautiful mountains of East Tennessee where we built our retirement home. We love being retired!

Over the years, we've done quite a bit of traveling together (11 cruises, 4 trips to Europe, etc.) and loved it, but lately the only trips we've taken are to Michigan to visit our children and grandchildren. While I love them dearly and look forward to seeing them, I sometimes would like to venture further away from home, but my husband has decided that traveling--mainly flying--is too much of a hassle these days. He has been encouraging me to travel with girlfriends (it takes the pressure off him. ) Hence, several months ago when one of my friends suggested that we take a trip to Paris, I jumped at the chance! Then another friend decided to join us. One of the ladies has been twice before, but the other one--like me--will be visiting the "City of Light" for the first time.

I want to thank those of you who have welcomed me to this forum with such friendliness and enthusiasm. I'm looking forward to getting to know all of you. Please have patience as I try to navigate my way around here. Hopefully, I won't trip and stumble too often.

Shirl

[ally35]

Hi everyone!

My name is Alison and I am new to this site I found out about it from TA, now I have 2 forums that I must read everyday ;D

So a little about myself , I am 35,I own a General Store and I am married to a wonderful man .We have a 12 year old son and 2 adorable dogs and we live in West Yorkshire.
I will be visiting Paris for the 3rd time in August , the 1st time I visited I was 13yrs old and on a French Exchange, it took me 21 yrs to go back , that was last year to celebrate our 1st wedding anniversary and that is when I caught the 'Paris bug'. As soon as we came home I started planning our next visit but this time we are taking our son.
Up until then I was having a love affair with NYC and Vermont , we love those places! In fact we loved Vermont so much we chose to get married there. But now all I can think of is Paris, August cannot come soon enough!!

This site is so good and informative , I hope to get to know you all.
Alison

[ouiparis]

It's been fascinating reading about all of you. I have been a Paris-phile for three years now. I've been to Paris three times and the fourth will be this September. DH jokes that the more times I go to Paris, the more obsessed I get. I do think he is on to something. I love reading my Paris travel guides, even when I don't have a trip coming up, and I have a Metro map mousepad.

I have lived in Southern California my entire life and can't imagine living anywhere else in the world, except Paris, of course. I just exited my 20s and have been married for a year and a half. No rugrats yet, but we do have two very cute Yorkshire terrorists. Like many of the lovely women on here, I am licensed to practice law and did do so for a couple of years after passing the bar. However, I am currently using my law degree in a different way; one that does not require me to worry about billable hours or stop by the grocery store every night on the way home from work to pick up a bottle of wine!

I truly enjoy reading all of your trip reports, viewing your photographs, and sharing my passion for Paris with you!

[lnverte]

Hi everyone,

My real name is Ellen (pronounced 'LN' here in France) Green (hence the 'verte' part of my user name - not grammatically correct but it gets the message across) and I am a 26 year-old Brit, living in Paris for almost 8 years now.

I grew up in the north of England and moved to Paris to go to university when I was 18. After uni (an MA in French Studies and translation), I decided to stay in Paris and got a job working the nightlife, education and culture sections for the Time Out Paris guide. Alas, less than a year after I started, the Paris office was closed and, since I did not want to relocate to London, I moved on to a string of different jobs, all based in Paris. I now work as a Project Manager in a communications agency. I help multinational companies coordinate marketing operations around the world.

I live in Paris with my (French) fiancé and my (bilingual) cat in the 18th arrondissement near the Place de Clichy. Over the last 8 years, I have lived near Montparnasse and the Gare de l'Est as well as in the suburbs, in Vincennes and Boissy St Léger. I studied in the 7th, near Invalides, and have worked in the 9th, just below Pigalle, 11th, near Bastille, and 19th as well as in La Défense and near CDG Airport. I now work in the 17th in the Batignolles area.

When I have time, I love to wander around the Lamark-Caulaincourt and Jules-Joffin areas in the 18th and the Faubourg St Denis district in the 10th. I love eating at the Japanese restaurants around the rue St Anne and just generally walking around Paris. 2 years ago, I was lucky enough to find a job within walking distance of my home and since then I have opted out of the 'Carte Orange' system. I walk whenever possible and have a stock of individual tickets in case I really need to use public transport. I try to take the bus rather than the metro whenever possible.

My advice to anyone coming to Paris is to scrap the strict itineraries. If you want to visit a museum then go, but don't feel that you have to. Personally, I have only been to the Louvre once (although I do spend large amounts of time at the Musée D'Orsay because it is just such a nice place to be) and I have never been up the Eiffel Tower. Walking around the city with a map in your pocket and a bottle of water in your bag will allow you to discover more hidden aspects of Paris than all of the tour guides and museum visits put together. It will also help you work off the croissants, nutella crêpes and other delights of French fast food...

I look forward to reading your posts on the forum and getting to know you better. Right now, I'm going to go back to gazing out of my office window at the beautiful Parisian early-summer day and start thinking about which terrace to go to for lunch...

Bonne journée

LN

[lnverte]

Thanks to all of you for your words of welcome.

That's me, livin' the dream!

The funny thing is that when I was a kid I always said that I would live abroad but I always had an obsession with Italy. I never even thought about Paris until I came for a day-trip when I was 16 and even then, I didn't particularly think of living here. I ended up here almost by accident. I was flicking through the catalogue of university courses and stumbled upon the one at the British Institute. I originally applied thinking that I would never get in as places were limited to 25 per year at the time but when they invited me for an interview and then offered me a place, I was thrilled. 8 years later, I'm still here and, even though my fiancé and I often grumble about Paris and talk about how nice it would be to move to the warmer, less expensive, climes of Toulouse, I'm probably here to stay.

I finally went to Italy for the first time in November last year and that's when my fiancé proposed. Funny how life works out really...

[Laura (paris4)]

Hello everyone

Just thought I would quickly introduce myself, since I've enjoyed reading about all of you.

My name is Laura. I am 30 years old and live in Edinburgh, Scotland with my husband Doug and our two sons aged 20 months and 5 years. As well as being a mum, I also work part-time as a government statistician.

We are all big Paris fans, yes even the baby has been, and we are going back for two weeks at the end of June/start of July. This will be my 6th visit and I am as excited ever. This time we will be staying (just) outside of Paris, in Malakoff where we are renting a lovely two bed house with a garden!

Looking forward to getting to know you all better and sharing Paris!

Laura x

[keylimejet]

Bonjour, mon nom est Joy. I found this forum through missing some of the folks I'd grown fond of who seemed to have disappeared from TA and wondering where they'd gone. I'm a middle school teacher (which basically means I'm nuts ;D), and I have a daughter who is almost a teenager (so being nuts might come in handy :. I'm also getting my Master's Degree in Ancient and Classical History, and hope to teach community college some day.

I love to travel more than almost anything, but on a teacher's salary, I have to plan long and carefully! I've been to France twice, so far. The first time, I was with my (now ex) husband and we stayed a week in Paris, and a week in Nice. I loved it so much, I was sure I would go back every year after that. But then, what with one thing and another, it took 12 years to get back. In 2006, I finally had enough frequent flyer miles for my daughter and I to go, and I made up for the lost years by staying for 6 weeks! We flew into Paris, spent a few days there, then four weeks in Aix where I took intensive French classes. We explored some of Provence from there, and spent a week in Nice at the end.

We leave on our next trip in just a few weeks! This time, we're flying into Milan, hooking up with a group of middle schoolers whom I'm helping chaperone for a tour of Switzerland, Italy, and France, and ending in Paris. After the group flies out, daughter and I will spend a few more days in Paris, then head back to Provence, Nice, and finally Milan again for our flight home. Whew!

We are so excited. My goal is to go every other summer after this (every summer being a little too ambitous for my budget), so send some good karma my way! Of course, if the college job thing works out, I can go more often. ;D

[kittyhead]

Hi! I happened upon this board from a TA thread and it looks like a fun bunch of people here!

I'm Tina, I live just outside Chicago and love to travel, garden & bike. I've been to Paris twice and will be heading there at the end of July for a week with my partner of 10 years, Pete. He's not much of a traveler (I go all around the world without him ) so it will be very interesting!

We'll be staying at a friend's place in Meudon (SW burb) while in Paris, so it'll be really fun to kind of be locals! We plan to walk a lot and pick an area in the city each day and try not to plan too much. The only thing planned is to watch the Tour de France riders come into the Champs Elysées on the 27th.

Looking forward to reading more here and hopefully I can add my experiences as well.

[asrcolorado]

Hi.....
This is a fun thread!

Everyone sounds so interesting, but here I go anyway.......

I'm single, 41, who LOVES, LOVES, LOVES to travel....... The husband/ children thing passed me by, but don't much care about that anymore........

I'm going to Paris for the first time this October. Actually, my first time to Europe. I actually mapped out my whole 40's with a different trip to a different European city for the next 9 YEARS......is that obssessive??

I work in law enforcement for the state of Colorado, so I'm anxious to learn how Europe keeps their crime rates down to almost non-existent........that's always fascinated me.

My family thinks I'm nuts for traveling alone so much, but I was happy to see that lots of women do(from this and other travel forums). So I don't feel like such an oddball anymore.

Best wishes.
A.

[ouiparis]

Salut, afds! I wonder if it was my post that was removed that prompted you to google OPF? Anyway, welcome! What a wonderful idea to commemorate your 20 years together by traveling! Your question reminds me of an encounter with a news stand vendor during our first trip to Paris, who, when asked by yours truly, "Parlez vouz Anglais?" answered, "No, I only speak French, Spanish, and Italian," in perfect English.

[annettecinca]

Yeah Sis, I was thinking about your trip with "The Italians" If they didn't speak Italian to anyone besides each other while in Paris, my guess is it probably won't have been understood, so they didn't bother? You're right, I bet the one who speaks 5 languages really DID get a good workout! What a great talent to be blessed with!

[laurel]

Hi, everyone. I'm new to this as well - found it by Google search and it feels like I'm home! It really is good to meet everyone in this Who's Who section. What a cool group of people!
I'm 59, married for 29 years to a great fellow - I brought my son to this marriage (2nd for us both)...He's now 38 and lives in Salt Lake City. We live in sunny Southern California - it's about 110 degrees fahrenheit today - in the northwest San Fernando Valley. Spent 30 years in the entertainment industry until I needed a big change. Am now executive secretary to a young entrepreneur. We are in commercial printing, internet printing and merchant accounts. It was scary changing my work life so completely but it's been exciting and challenging. My husband Kenny was a musician when we met; then he became a catering chef and he's been a drug and alcohol counselor for the past 9 years. Kenny did a lot of traveling while he was a musician; he toured the U.K. a number of times. I've only been to Europe once - in 1971. My first husband was working with the Beach Boys, building a recording studio in Holland. Got to live in Holland for about a month and took a trip to Paris, Heidelberg Germany and Zermatt Switzerland. Have always always always wanted to go back. We've taken several trips to Mexico since it's so close and inexpensive. We love it and are going to go back to Zihuatanejo for my 60th b-day in December. And since my husband is originally a New Yorker, we've been back there several times. But the big deal for us is going to Paris in sept. 2009. 30th wedding anniversary and a couple of other big milestones in our lives. We are sooo excited. Went to the bookstore today and on the advice of this forum bought Quiet Corners of Paris..also 24 Great Walks in Paris, Zagat Paris Restaurant guide and Theh Patisseries of Paris.
Well that's enough about me..happy to be here where I hope to glean a lot of info and recommendations and share everyone's love of Paris

[chicchantal]

Another newbie here though some of you know me from Elsewhere. I'm mumble mumble years old, live in London, single, no kids, two cats, spend every penny I can spare and some I can't on travelling. Lately, only on travelling to France. I'm here because two people from Elsewhere simultaneously sent me a message inviting me along. Keep seeing familiar names.
My nom de board is a joke of course. 'chantal' is the name that rich but thick French girls all have in French jokes. The example I was given by my teacher at the Alliance Francaise, more years ago was (and apols to real Frenchpeople for mistakes in this one): une jeune fille tres riche, qui habitait le 16eme, s'est decidee un jour d'acheter une nouvelle voiture. Elle arrive chez le grand magasin Alfa Romeo (I really don't know what a care showroom is in French!) et demande au vendeur de lui montrer l'Alfa le plus beau, le plus cher, le plus neuf. 'Mais mademoiselle,' dit Monsieur. 'Vous l'avez deja!' 'Ah oui,' dit Chantal, 'mais je veux quand meme acheter une autre voiture. Les cendriers, voyez-vous, sont completement pleins . . .
I hope to know you all well and love you long and exchange non-touristy notes on good places to be in France, esp Paris and Provence.
Mwah!

[mossie]

Another newbie, although I have had a canter on another thread, but as this seems the right place for introductions, here goes.

I live in Ipswich Suffolk, married over 50 years with two grown up sons. I am retired, now 76 and male, so I don't fit the general profile ?

Have had a chequered life, left school at 16 and had 4 jobs in exactly two years before joining the RAF as I was absolutely crazy about aircraft. Incidentally lived in darkest East Kent throughout the war and had a grandstand view of the Battle of Britain.

In the RAF was trained as a night fighter navigator. If you are interested you can read the first part of my service here www.mossie.org/stories/Peter_Verney_2.htm
After that served out my 2½ years in Egypt on the Meteor and then did another 2½ years on Meteors in UK. Finished my 8 years engagement on the staff of the Air Electronis School, sounds great but I almost did as I pleased. Scroll down for pic below.

I am the lanky individual on the right. Been there, done that, got the Tshirt, know it all (age 21)

On leaving the RAF I worked for 4 different companies in the road surfacing business until retirement 11 years ago.

Got hooked on Paris while on a visit to see a niece's baby, when I had a spare day and she directed me to explore the Passages and rue Montorgueil. Can't get enough now, but my wife has problems so I go alaone when the situation allows. Some have seen my Paris photos on flickr here www.flickr.com/photos/21719371@N02 (this link does not work as it should, I'm afraid you will have to copy and paste it)

[mossie]

Sorry about the link. Let's try again
www.flickr.com/photos/21719371@N02
I see your problem, for some reason it won't always copy the last bit "@no2", but if you make sure to include that it will work

[agent9d9]

What amazing boards these are! I'm so glad I googled across you all!

I live in Los Angeles with my 16 (!) year old daughter. I teach a language development program for at-risk 3 and 4 year olds. I adore my job. The kids are mostly from Central American immigrant families, so I have picked up some Spanish along the way. I adore my job, can't believe I get paid to laugh with preschoolers all day.

I haven't been to Europe since college in the early 80s, and spent only a week in Paris then. I got the travel gene from my Gram, who visited nearly every continent and somehow remembered the tiniest details of every single trip. As a single mom/teacher, I haven't been able to do nearly as much as I would like! I love Alaska, Hawaii, Santa Fe, and cannot wait to add some of France to my list of favorites.

I'm doing a 2 week houseswap in Aix during August and will be spending a few days in London and two fabulous weeks in Paris.

I can't wait to wring every bit of information possible out of all of you, and promise to try to start posting things in the right place!

[chefhat]

Bonjour a tous ! I am a little late in joining the team, but, better late then never !! My name is Harriet, but I prefer Hat. I now live here in Paris and I am the owner of "Mon Bon Chien", the first doggie bakery in Europe (www.mon-bon-chien-paris.com). But to take a step back... I am originally from NYC and after graduating college in Boston I re-located to LA. I was in Medicine for nearly 17 years as an Occupational Therapist/Psychologist specializing in neuro-rehab. It was my passion until an unfortunate back injury happened while I was a manager at Stanford in Palo Alto. I re-located to Seattle and stopped treating patients and only did management/consulting.. what a drag, I tried to open my own consulting business but healthcare was in a state of reform and change in the late 90's and just not my cup of tea. With the support of my partner, I went back to school for yet another degree and this time it was in the Culinary Arts. I was going to become a "chef", well, it is a lot harder then it looks !! I was in school in Seattle and completed my first degree in and was moving onto a second to specialize in European baking and pastries when our relationship fizzled. I was just getting ready to complete my baking degree and took the chance of competing in the regional championship. I won the gold medal for my pastries and desserts and was determined this would be the new path for my career. I was really lucky to be awarded an International "stage" or apprenticeship with Hilton Hotels and off to England I went for a year. It was great but exhausting. I then returned to Seattle and shortly after 9/11 happened. I knew at that very moment, my heart and my future had to be back in Europe, more specifically here in Paris.
I tried for work permits for 2 years but nobody would hire an "American", it is prohibitively expensive and the Eu was just being formed so lots of other European nationals speaking english could be hired. Euro Disney wasn't even interested.. so, never say never, I put the thinking cap on and decided I would open a "dog bakery", it is a huge concept in the US and I had always baked treats for my beautiful princess,a golden named Sophie Marie. I figured France would be ideal and I was moving to Paris, one way or the other....
Well, here it is 4 years later, the shop is in the 15eme, a lovely residential area with large sidewalks and easy access by Metro.Sophie Marie is the grand diva of the neighborhood and she is joined by her little rascal of a brother, Diablo.
The trials and tribulations of opening a business and no less a new concept enterprise here in France are someday going to be in a best-selling book... I am truly fortunate to have my 2 furry babies come to work with me every day, (they meet and greet everybody) and have good friends and very faithful customers. The shop is doing well, we have been really fortunate to have amazing publicity in over 17 languages and 45 countries but never a dull moment here in France with legal technicalities. This year my carte de sejour renewal was denied and I received a notice of deportation. I have been in contact with the mayor, the prime minister, and even President Sarkozy ! I am now awaiting the Tribunal in late September with a judge to decide my fate. Sophie Marie is 12 and in no condition to fly so returning tot he USA is not an option. I am here to stay so fight on I will... You can take the girl out of America but, you can't take the American fighting spirit out of the girl... sorry if I dragged on too long, I do want to extend an invite to all of you coming to Paris to come visit us here in the store, even if you don't have a dog, it would be great to meet you and of course speak a little english!!! a bientot j'espere, bisous, Hat & Sophie & Diablo

[feather14]

Hello Everyone!!

I've just joined this site today, what a great site..

My life has been an adventure. Grew up in the UK, moved to the US in the late 70's. I then married, divorced, then remarried a man in the military. We spent 10 years in Germany, 2 years on Hawaii, now we are living on the east coast.. I've been all over Europe and can't wait to get back.. I miss home, so much, but happy to be where I am.

I'm a Child Advocate and adore my work.. It's very hard and sad at times, but I love it.
We just moved here to the east coast, so I've not gone back to work yet, but plan to soon..


Glad to be here and looking forward to getting to know everyone..

[feather14]

P.S. forgot to mention, I love Paris!!! I've been three times and I can't wait to go back.. One of my favorite places on earth....

[cat]

Hello! Another newbie here, though I've been lurking and enjoying the atmosphere of the forum for ages.

I'm from Ireland, and I've been to Paris 3 times; the first was just a daytrip during a camping holiday in France when I was a kid, and we spent the whole day walking in a huge triangle from the Place de la Concorde to the Arc de Triumphe to the Eiffel Tower and back in very hot July weather. By the time we got to the Trocadero gardens we danced fully dressed right through the sprinkers on the lawns and got some very strange looks : )

I've been back a couple of times since with my family and my fiance on my way to my aunt's wedding and then my uncle's 80th birthday party near Sarlat, and next January we're heading back for two weeks after our wedding - with about 26 family and friends. I'm looking forward to it so much I've already started a list of what to pack : )

I'm delighted to be joining in here and sharing your enthusiasm for that beautiful city for the next few months - and hopefully for years afterwards!

Caitriona