Lido

I went to the Lido on the Champs Elysee last night. It is supposed to be the most popular cabaret show in all of Europe. It is fairly expensive, and it includes dinner beforehand and/or you can just go to watch the show. The 1200 seat theater is lavishly decorated in red with dimmed chandelier lighting. Most people adore the Lido, I personally thought that it has all of the elements to be an excellent show however it is lacking entirely in its flow. Apparently, the last show "C'est magique" was more popular among critics than the current show, "Bonheur".

Internet Connection

For the past few days, my internet connection has been slowing down. For some reason, it seems to be back in order. Today most ADSL connections are offered by several independent companies. I use Free and highly recommend their service. I've noticed that more and more competitors have arrived on the market including Alice, Neuf and Club Internet among others. The traditional company for internet service is Wanadoo which is related to France-Télécom and tends to charge a lot more. This site offers an overview of a few companies.

French Reading

Reading French newspapers and magazines and watching French films have become a daily habit. However, reading and comprehending French books has become a challenge. Two books which I have managed to read and comprehend are Soie by Alessandro Baricco and Rien de grave by Justine Lévy. From now on I have decided to begin reading the list of books that won the Prix Goncourt des Lycéens. The jury is composed of 15 to 18 year old high school students which read under the supervision of their professors.

Spring is Here!

After several days of gray rainy weather, spring has arrived at the same time as daylight savings time! I am going to the park to enjoy it! In the Buttes Chaumont Park there is a great view of the Sacre Coeur. Peaceful and tranquille...

French Language

I appreciate the newsletters I receive from Laura K Lawless each week at http://french.about.com/. She offers insights into learning French grammar and phrases at various levels. These emails give short whiffs of inspiration for learning the language.

The Eiffel Tower

Today I climbed the Eiffel Tower for the first time after 3 years of living in Paris. The view was impressive and the wait was approximately one hour to get to the top. It was cold waiting in line but overall it is something I suggest doing atleast once in a lifetime. Paris is stunning from up top!

Walking the Streets of Paris

I am reading the book, "Paris l'instant" by Philippe Delerm. Delerm writes the text and there are also photos taken by his wife Martine. In this book Delerm captures charming little moments on the streets of Paris. With my semi-fluent French this book will be a challenge.