Post by GitteK on Jun 18, 2007 14:33:12 GMT -5
Bonsoir everyone !
Even though you do NOT deserve this calling me bad names and all, I shall forgive you and let you in on today's adventures.
Woke up really early. Warm wonderful weather. Had lousy breakfast at hotel (croissant and minibaguette from some forgotten trenches at the Maginot line, I guess) - but it was included in the rate. Went for a walk, renewed Carte Orange at metro Blanche. Back to hotel to pick up baggage. OK, so I hauled this insanely heavy suitcase plus my little trolley down Rue des Abbesses to my apartment in Rue des Martyrs, where I met with Natalya.
NATALYA
Natalya is the combined cleaning- and reception lady working for PerfectlyParis. Natalya is from Ukraine, has lived in Paris for 6 years. Asked her how she liked it - answer: "ahhhh, one has to make money, so......." She found Paris to be very expensive to live in - agree on that one.
I made an agreement with her to come and clean the apt. next Monday. At first I tried to tell her that it was not really necessary and I could do it myself, but then she made these BIG Russian eyes at me, would NOT hear of it and exclaimed: "C'est mon argent...." So I softened and said oui, oui, je comprends. And then I asked her how much time she would need to do the apt.
"3 heures"
THREE HOURS ?? For cleaning 40 m2 ? I mean, if I spent 3 hours cleaning our entire house, my hubby would need intensive lifesaving care from the shock !! OK, so we negotiated and after much discussion (in our cutely Danish and very cutely Russian accented French) about what needed to be done, we ended up with 2 hours. I paid her in advance, which really took her by surprise - she almost refused to take the money. She was a very interesting girl, in her own puzzling Russian way. Sorry, Natalya: Ukrainian way.
LE MAITRE DE COIFFURE
Ok, left Natalya to do her woodoo on her own and walked down Rue des Martyrs in the nice, warm sunshine.
Came by a hairdresser's and as I have not brought shampoo, I needed to buy some of that anyway. So thought: why not splurge and get myself a bottle of that wonderful Kerastase shampoo.
Big Dane GitteK enters hairdresser's wielding my best "Je voudrais....." and pointing to the bottle I wanted. The very petite hairdresser-girl looked up at me and asked if it was maybe for dry hair ? At which I did the "comme-si-comme-ca", because I don't really have dry hair, I just love that shampoo.
In comes Le Maitre himself on the stage - with a deadserious look on his "artiste" face, scissors in hand, eyes turned to the ceiling in despair, sighing deeply at the totally incompetent service I was being given........ ;D
And without further notice his hand took a solid grab of my hairdo and started massaging my hair to feel what kind of hair it was !! I was paralyzed and GREATLY amused. So I had to explain to Le Maitre that my hair might FEEL dry, but it isn't really because I use this mudwax to MAKE it look "beachstyle".......
Finally he - with the air of a benevolent King - let me off with my 18 euro shampoo.
Now YOU try and do that in your best highschool French !! Need I say that I laughed the rest of the way down to Les Grands Boulevards ?
IL FAUT ETRE SOUPLE
Walked into my favorite Passage Verdeau and decided it was time for a little pre-lunch refreshment. Asked for a glass of Sancerre and the way to the toilet. Wich naturellement turned out to be a la Turque. I went back laughing and told the nice elderly Patron that I was afraid that I was not agile enough to use his facilities - at which he started to do knee-bending movements up and down !!! while telling me with the most charming smile that "il faut etre souple, Madame !!"........
- - - here you can fill in the usual tourist stuff - - -
LE RELAIS GASCON
Thanks to those of you who recommended this place, which is in fact in the neighbour building to my apartment.
I had Salade du Chef - "sans la gryère, s'il vous plait". It was ENORMOUS !!! Chicken breast, tomatoes, salad and their speciality: garlic-roasted potatoe-slices on top, still lukewarm.
Add the BEST mustard-vinaigrette you have ever tasted - and un pichet de vin rosé, and you seriously consider never to go home to Denmark again......
I can eat a lot, but even I had to leave some (NOT of the wine, ca va sans dire....) ;D
This is your live, kicking and biting reporter - live on air from Paris, France. My name is GitteK, goodnight and God Bless you all !
Even though you do NOT deserve this calling me bad names and all, I shall forgive you and let you in on today's adventures.
Woke up really early. Warm wonderful weather. Had lousy breakfast at hotel (croissant and minibaguette from some forgotten trenches at the Maginot line, I guess) - but it was included in the rate. Went for a walk, renewed Carte Orange at metro Blanche. Back to hotel to pick up baggage. OK, so I hauled this insanely heavy suitcase plus my little trolley down Rue des Abbesses to my apartment in Rue des Martyrs, where I met with Natalya.
NATALYA
Natalya is the combined cleaning- and reception lady working for PerfectlyParis. Natalya is from Ukraine, has lived in Paris for 6 years. Asked her how she liked it - answer: "ahhhh, one has to make money, so......." She found Paris to be very expensive to live in - agree on that one.
I made an agreement with her to come and clean the apt. next Monday. At first I tried to tell her that it was not really necessary and I could do it myself, but then she made these BIG Russian eyes at me, would NOT hear of it and exclaimed: "C'est mon argent...." So I softened and said oui, oui, je comprends. And then I asked her how much time she would need to do the apt.
"3 heures"
THREE HOURS ?? For cleaning 40 m2 ? I mean, if I spent 3 hours cleaning our entire house, my hubby would need intensive lifesaving care from the shock !! OK, so we negotiated and after much discussion (in our cutely Danish and very cutely Russian accented French) about what needed to be done, we ended up with 2 hours. I paid her in advance, which really took her by surprise - she almost refused to take the money. She was a very interesting girl, in her own puzzling Russian way. Sorry, Natalya: Ukrainian way.
LE MAITRE DE COIFFURE
Ok, left Natalya to do her woodoo on her own and walked down Rue des Martyrs in the nice, warm sunshine.
Came by a hairdresser's and as I have not brought shampoo, I needed to buy some of that anyway. So thought: why not splurge and get myself a bottle of that wonderful Kerastase shampoo.
Big Dane GitteK enters hairdresser's wielding my best "Je voudrais....." and pointing to the bottle I wanted. The very petite hairdresser-girl looked up at me and asked if it was maybe for dry hair ? At which I did the "comme-si-comme-ca", because I don't really have dry hair, I just love that shampoo.
In comes Le Maitre himself on the stage - with a deadserious look on his "artiste" face, scissors in hand, eyes turned to the ceiling in despair, sighing deeply at the totally incompetent service I was being given........ ;D
And without further notice his hand took a solid grab of my hairdo and started massaging my hair to feel what kind of hair it was !! I was paralyzed and GREATLY amused. So I had to explain to Le Maitre that my hair might FEEL dry, but it isn't really because I use this mudwax to MAKE it look "beachstyle".......
Finally he - with the air of a benevolent King - let me off with my 18 euro shampoo.
Now YOU try and do that in your best highschool French !! Need I say that I laughed the rest of the way down to Les Grands Boulevards ?
IL FAUT ETRE SOUPLE
Walked into my favorite Passage Verdeau and decided it was time for a little pre-lunch refreshment. Asked for a glass of Sancerre and the way to the toilet. Wich naturellement turned out to be a la Turque. I went back laughing and told the nice elderly Patron that I was afraid that I was not agile enough to use his facilities - at which he started to do knee-bending movements up and down !!! while telling me with the most charming smile that "il faut etre souple, Madame !!"........
- - - here you can fill in the usual tourist stuff - - -
LE RELAIS GASCON
Thanks to those of you who recommended this place, which is in fact in the neighbour building to my apartment.
I had Salade du Chef - "sans la gryère, s'il vous plait". It was ENORMOUS !!! Chicken breast, tomatoes, salad and their speciality: garlic-roasted potatoe-slices on top, still lukewarm.
Add the BEST mustard-vinaigrette you have ever tasted - and un pichet de vin rosé, and you seriously consider never to go home to Denmark again......
I can eat a lot, but even I had to leave some (NOT of the wine, ca va sans dire....) ;D
This is your live, kicking and biting reporter - live on air from Paris, France. My name is GitteK, goodnight and God Bless you all !