First week in February

With February comes the rain and snow and fog. Especially the fog. It coats this city like nothing i have ever seen before and every day is the same color. And what better way to remedy gray dreariness than to spend a day inside a museum. Last Sunday my friend Lisa and I took advantage of free museum day (the first Sunday of every month most of the museums in Paris are free), and went to Musee D'Orsay. Built out of an old train station, D'Orsay is one of the most elegant and open museums I have ever been to. Granted I have not yet been to the Louvre, so I am sure that will change. However, at the moment, this is my favorite museum. The ceiling is one of the mos magnificent parts; painted a pale sea foam green and decorated with antiqued ivory flowers with wide, arching sky lights. Also, at the front of the museum there is this immense golden clock that seems to be an original part of the station, which I could not get enough of of. Okay on to the art.
I was so delighted to visit this museum because of its impressive collections-it basically had all of my favorite artists under one roof-Monet (big favorite), Degas, Pissaro, Cassatt, Manet, Renoir, Sisley, Cezanne, etc. I was most excited to see the Monets and Degas', as I have been obsessed with those artists since I was younger and their works are frequently the back ground on my computer. Seeing them in real life was mind blowing. I wanted so much to reach out and physically touch them, feel the actual brush strokes, bumpy paint and canvas. When something so famous, old and beautiful is right in front of your nose its hard to not make contact. Needless to say, I was elated just to be in the same room with Monet's sailboats and Degas' dancers for the first time in my life, it was pretty awesome.
I was also captivated by the sculptures posed throughout the museum. It has always fascinated me that one man can take a hunk of stone and morph and whittle it down to something so lifelike. From the grooves on the knuckles and in the skin, to the facial expressions and poses, each sculpture was like a photograph in a way. I took a picture of the back of one sculpture because I could not get over how beautiful the hand gracing the skin was (im posting it down below). After the museum, Lisa and I decided to walk around to find lunch. Instead, we ended up just walking back to my area (45 minute walk), just because it was actually bearable outside and we were enjoying discovering the little ally ways and unique neighborhoods.
Since Valentines Day is this weekend, all the chocolate shops are arranging their displays and each one looks delectable. My room mate, Ariana, and I have decided that we are going to buy ourselves very expensive chocolate and wine, and hell-even a baguette and brie cheese-and eat and drink ALL DAY. I have not bought chocolate here yet (probably a good thing) because it is so so expensive, but I have been waiting for the opportune moment to indulge.
On a healthier note, I had my first yoga class last week and loved it. I am really trying to get into yoga because my legs are constantly tight from running. For a school program, the teacher was actually great. It was one of the hardest yoga classes Ive taken (it was the first class) and I was so sore the following days. I am really looking forward to getting flexible and strong in that way. It is also a relief to feel sore since I have not been in a gym in over a month-all i can do here is run.
While on my runs I always past this one boulangerie named Kayser. The name seemed so familiar and I knew I had heard of it somewhere. Ironically, my french teacher informed me that that line is one of the most famous boulangeries in Paris, specifically for the baguettes. So of course I had to go. I bought my first baguette in Paris (sad that I had been there a month and had not bought one myself) at Kayser and walked home with it crooked under my arm. Oh so french. Usually I am not a huge bread person, and all the baguettes here have tasted relatively the same to me. But this one was definitely unique. It had a sourdough look and texture to it and when i pressed down it was a tad squishy and doughy in the middle. I had it with brie cheese and jelly-my favorite combination-and for the first time, truly savored what amazing bread is like. I definitely want to make that venture a weekly tradition.
Thats all I have for now, but I will be posting another blog this week. It will most likely be about my favorite lunch crepe that I have every Monday and Thursdays so I will make sure to include every detail of that savory crepe.
Check out the pics from d'Orsay!
Love Bri