Paris' Opera House

I've walked past the Palais Garnier, which houses the Paris Opera, countless times since the first time I stepped foot in Paris... but never thought of going in. While my mum was in Paris, we thought it was a good time to take a look inside & escape from the freezing temperatures!



Right in the heart of Haussmann's reconstruction project, Palais Garnier was built on the orders of Napoleon III & completed in 1875. We stepped in & were overwhelmed by the grandeur of it all.. besides marble pillars & bronze statues, opulence attacked your senses eveywhere you turned.





The Grand Staircase which is made entirely of differently-colored marble... one could easily imagine society ladies brushing past each other in a bygone era.



And the most gilded room of all - the Grand Foyer. The foyers were created for the audience to stroll around during performance intervals.. It's amazing the kind of extravagance Napoleon allowed during his reign.

We were very lucky to visit the Palais Garnier on a winter afternoon when it was practically deserted... we had the whole place to ourselves!



The auditorium itself was a spectacle... there were gasps of delight when people entered... i think no photo could ever do it justice.



But what really bowled me over was the beautiful ceiling. It was unmistakably Marc chagall but i didnt expect him to be associated with something so lavish. I later found out he painted scenes from 14 great operas for this ceiling. Beautiful isnt it?



My favorite room... the Salon du Glacier. The different tapestries on the wall depict the serving of different drinks like tea, champagne, etc - I guess this is where guests could talk & have a drink before the show.



Could not resist doing a little twirl around this room... I probably would never see it so empty again.



My mum bought this for me... a pencil case in the form of a ballet shoe!
The Palais Garnier is definitely a beautiful place to while away the afternoon if you're ever in Paris xx

December skies

December has been filled with wind & rain but once in a while... I look up & the skies surprise me. I was near the Place Vendome doing my Christmas shopping. This famous column was erected by Napoleon to commemorate the battle of Austerlitz & it's covered with melted bronze from the cannons in the battle. Whenever I walk past it, I feel like history is alive everywhere in this city.

On my way to school... I was late for class but couldn't help whipping out my phone & taking a picture of Notre Dame. What a treat in December!

When class was over, the sky had become grey once again.

These days, time passes so fast. I'm learning & soaking up so many things I fear I never have enough time to fully absorb it all. There are so many places to see, books to read, essays to write & purses to sew!

And to think I thought I would take a year OFF in Paris :)

Christmas is round the corner... my favourite time of the year.. My family may be far away but they're always close in my heart & mind :) Thanks to technology, i video-chat with my mum almost everyday!

Have a great toasty Friday evening xxx

Let's talk money...

I've received many emails over the past few months about studying & expenses in France... sorry I havent been able to get back because I was trying to figure out the best way to give a clear picture to all of you as it covers so many aspects of one's life. I did some accounting over the past 2 months too. So here goes!

[1]. School fees. Taking a language course is different from studying full-time in a university & coming to Europe on student exchange from your home university, in terms of hours & fees. I pay about 1800 euros per semester (Oct-Jan) for my course, whereas studying full-time in a public uni here sets you back about 200 euros per annum & student exchange tuition fees are probably waived. (As was my case many years ago when i went to Belgium).

Different schools charge different fees so do check again. Language courses start at a few hundred euros per semester depending on your level, the school & the number of hours.

Decide what works best for your situation & what you want to achieve. Do u want the experience without the stress, or are u in for the credentials? I only really wanted a year off so I knew i wouldnt want to plunge into university routines again.

[2]. Housing. My friend, who lives in a 2-bedroom apartment with his roommate pays about 1000 euros a month. Rent is expensive in Paris, & it varies greatly depending on the district you live in, your proximity to amenities, etc. However, this drops drastically when you are living in a student hostel so it really depends on your resources & yr school! I'd say this is the single most important expense of studying here and deserves the most effort in planning.

[3]. Food. We spend about 150 euros a week on groceries for 2 people including wines. My student friend spends about 200 euros a month for himself. It depends on whether you cook alot, buy ready-made food, or even if u buy supermarket house brands over established ones.

[4]. Transport. If you are a student & younger than 26 yrs old, you qualify for subsidised fees & u pay like 30-40 euros for unlimited travel on the metro every month. I live in the suburbs & am older than 26 so i pay 98 euros a month.

[5]. Lifestyle & entertainment. Take into account your lifestyle back home & what is important to you. I can't live without being connected to the Internet. My mobile plan has data included & costs me only 30 euros a month. I have classmates who use a prepaid SIM card (10 euros/month) & use the Internet & free computers in school & that saves them alot of money.

Are u contented to watch tv at home & study or do u prefer to hang out in bars knowing new people, going to museums, catching the latest french films? Can you live without eating out at restaurants? All these entertainment expenses add up so u might want to factor them in. I think 300-400 euros is a fair amount to put aside for all these. Of course you can go without these too. Some students I know have alot on their plate academically so they seldom go out.

In my opinion, i think it's a shame to be in a city like Paris & not visit the museums. Museums are free one sunday of every month & there are free museums around the city too.

[6]. Travel. France is a wonderful base to explore the rest of Europe so do factor in holiday expenses. It's also cheap to travel around if you buy yr train/plane tickets well in advance. Also going in a group with yr classmates helps u to split the costs too.

[7]. Work. If you are on a long-term student visa, you can work max 20 hrs a week part-time. This can help to finance your stay in Paris... the minimum wage is about 10 euros an hour for most student jobs.

[8]. Medical. If you are a student less than 28 yrs of age, you can buy insurance from the uni health system for 100-200 euros a year. As i dont qualify for that, I had to get my own insurance. This is important when u see a doctor as you only need to pay a token sum. However i also know people who did not buy insurance for the past 3 years living in Paris & they were fine.

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My situation is very different from most students so this is the best i can come up with, after talking to my classmates. At age 29, I feel comfortable with a certain quality of life, after having worked for the past 6 years. Hence, I spend alot more than my younger peers in school on shopping/ films/ museums/ coffee,etc. However, I planned financially for all of these before coming to Paris.

Sorry for the late replies & feel free to drop me an email if you need more details & i will try my best to answer in my capacity. xx

St Sulpice

After school yesterday

I love the Place St Sulpice... it's not as touristy as Notre Dame but it's even nicer.

On a bleak December day, the water of the fountain & the birds in the branches magnify the beauty of this square; that's when I remember why I love Paris... xx

the best steak frites in Paris

this week's been busyyyyy..

catching the lights downtown... disco red hair we do love

flanked by 2 great Singaporean guys.. Merv who visited from Tokyo... and Keith who works in Paris. Keith and I agreed straightaway we had to introduce Merv to the best steak & fries in paris - Le Relais de Venise!

It is truly a Parisian institution. For over 50 years, this restaurant serves only one dish, steak & fries. No reservations are taken. The waitresses only ask you how you want the meat to be done & drinks. Their Bordeaux is delicious as is their dark chocolate ice-cream. But the star is undoubtedly the steak sauce which is a fiercely guarded secret & the key to their success.

Every single person I've brought there LOVED the steak. My friend even closed her eyes in ecstasy after the first bite haha. And the icing on top of the cake? They divide your steak into 2 portions & serve you again once your first is finished so the meat is always tender & warm... And fries are free-flow.

ohhh when can i go back again? (๑´◡`๑)

Stein exposition

Paris at 0800hrs. The light is so soft over the Seine that we walk for longer than we should, breathing in the crisp cold air.

The Grand Palais where we are due 2 hours before the museum opens.

Le Point magazine invited us for breakfast at the museum & a private visit to the Stein exhibition... which got me out of bed willingly... cos i hate lining up during winter for museums.

The Stein siblings were American art lovers who built up an impressive collection of great painters in the 20th century. They had Picasso's & Cezanne's early works... the small little paintings who would never be as well-known as the famous ones but to me are sometimes nicer. Art is of course, subjective... but a quiet Wednesday morning of coffee, croissants & art is hard to disagree with. xx

in town..

Today I walked past the Printemps department store & could not help smiling at this animated Christmas setup, complete with a little marshaller waving his sticks!

I love how they invite famous designers to do their window decorations every year.

Now that's one airline i'd like to work for ;)

dusk

Dusk along the banks of the Seine.

The sun sets so early these days... I was happy to capture every twinkling light.

Not to forget that a cup of my favorite milk tea works wonders to chase away the winter blues. It was so cold in Paris this week. How did autumn pass so quickly?

BFM awards

Last night, we were invited to attend the BFM awards ceremony & dinner.. BFM is a business news channel in France & every year, they honour the best in the business world, the best companies, entrepreneurs, managers, etc.

In the Marigny theatre, 4 minutes before we went live on TV. It was really great to see the movers & shakers of the French business world all gathered in one place, although the only winner I knew was Yves Rocher, the company who won the Saga Familiale category. I love this cosmetics & skincare brand... they have really good quality products which are so affordable for everyone. And to think they started out in a small Brittany village!

Later we adjourned to the Bristol Hotel for dinner... at 11pm! I can never understand the French & their penchant for cocktails before dinner. To me, if i'm hungry, i'll eat dinner. No need for frou frou drinks & awkward conversations!

Dinner was by Eric Frechon, chef of the hotel with 3 Michelin stars under his belt. He really lived up to his reputation. We had an absolutely divine cod with watercress puree & for dessert, a caramel dark chocolate sabayon. Though i'm probably not doing justice to them with my descriptions!

I've attended a fair number of functions here... after the usual questions about my origins & nationality, most people dismiss me when they find out i was a stewardess for much of my working life. But once i mention that i used to be a manager in Procter & gamble, they suddenly seem more interested & less cold. It's amazing how people react to big names. I think if we can't help but judge a book by its cover; then the least we can do is to hide it well.

Luckily we both have our feet firmly planted on the ground, & we often leave in high spirits, gossiping about the people we met & taking a long walk thru the streets, marveling at the calm of Paris in the wee hours. 

You should change your state of mind, not the sky. xx

rain & wind

A rainy & windy week in November makes going to classes a little harder... but there are always lil pleasures along the way.

And my sister came to visit from the US... we saw the christmas lights along the tourist boulevards, we shivered in the cold, we ate good food & went to the Carnavalet gardens... i love bringing people there... cos the inner gardens are often quiet amidst the horrendous crowds on a Saturday afternoon in the Marais district.

She was snapping away at the classic 18th century architecture , but me, i was fascinated by her gaze.

Goodnight Paris... you still manage to take my breath away, no matter the season x

cold days, warm pleasures..

oui le plaisir est un luxe..

Merci is always welcoming.... Berthie who is the cafe manager always has a welcoming smile for me... she always makes sure u get the best table possible. It's really one of the best cafes in Paris... & where i never get tired of hanging out, either alone or sharing it with friends who don't know it yet.

It's a luxury to be amongst so many books... thousands of them.

I seriously could hang out here everyday... Actually i've sat at every single table they have... & still cant decide which is my favorite. But the thing i always order is their half-boiled eggs with toast & butter.... a great meal to share with friends or to indulge in alone sometimes!

And filled with inspiration for home decor & clothes... The boutique is a fashionista's heaven.

And we saw this little picture on the road on the way home... what a perfect funny way to end the weekend!

My french prof also calls him "Le Petit Nicolas"... i find it endearing xx

schooldays

Jackets are getting thicker & longer, the days are getting shorter... Still it's nice by my seat (secretly) watching the rain fall sometimes & the sun peeking thru the clouds. 

My little perk-me-up every morning - Boulangerie de Papa, Papa's bakery.

On my way to class, i always get a coffee with milk, 1.85 euros. One of the best prices around in Paris! i guess it's because this neighbourhood - quartier Latin or the Latin quarter is filled with university students & schools. So it's always lively & the food is not expensive.

Plus my school is just round the corner from my favourite bookshop Shakespeare & co, the place St Michel & its pretty fountain and opposite Notre Dame.

That's why I can't wait to finish school everyday :P xx

school

As much as I love to read... sometimes, literature eludes me & my lazy mind; its beauty & historical nuances i can never grasp with my modern outlook & thoughts. I hate my textbook so much.

There's only one seat by the window in my classroom... & i always make sure i get it. My core class has only 10 students & everyone is serious & quiet... My teacher is nice but so strict, gives a TON of homework every single day & is capable of lecturing non-stop for 2 hours. So my spot by the window is priceless. It allows me some street noises, the toll of the bells in Notre Dame church just across the river & fresh air.

Ever thankful & glad for fridays & starbucks & girly chats with my friend... A Starbucks latte makes everything right with the world again. Even though she's french, we can rattle on in english & I speak-so-fast cos I really miss talking in english!

And.. i cant believe that i never knew this existed... quite possibly the grandest & most beautiful Starbucks I've ever seen. Hanging chandeliers, huge armchairs, warm soft lighting & so much space... all in the heart of Paris. Inspired by Opera Garnier, this was Starbucks' flagship in Paris. Truly amazing... pure comfort & luxury.. all for the price of a coffee. That's where a poor student's gonna hang out from now on ;)