Week at a Glance

The last few days have been filled with so many wonderful activities that I cannot begin to elaborate on! In an effort to spare our time, especially seeing as I have an essay to write, I am going to give an abbreviated glance into the last 4 days!
Thursday:
Thursday was Toussaints day, a national French holiday, so we had 2 days off of school. I used this day to sleep in and catch up on school work before a busy few days ahead. That night, I met up with Liza for the most delicious dinner at the authentic couscous restaurant Chez Omar before heading to the first night of Pitchfork Paris Music Festival. It was one of the best meals I have ever had. Just the couscous itself was heavenly! Then we caught the Metro to Parc de la Villette to see John Talabot and Sebastian Tellier. Unfortunately we left a bit early and missed M83 in order to catch the metro home. Both artists were fantastic, and the general energy of the concert was so happy and enjoyable. Live music will continue to be a necessary and invigorating activity for me.

Friday:
I enjoyed another day off from school before meeting Liza again for dinner before the concert. We planned to grab a bite at our favorite sushi restaurant, only to find out it is being renovated! Luckily, Paris is full of delicious places to eat around every corner. We stumbled upon a little asian noodle restaurant and were very pleased with our yummy sesame noodles!  We then went back to Parc de la Villete for day 2 and enjoyed performances by The Walkmen, Chromatics, Robyn and Animal Collective. Robyn is one of my favorite artists, and her performance surpassed any expectations I had. She was fabulous!!

Saturday:
Three of my closest friends from Hopkins, Liz, Allie and Lucie, came to visit for a couple days! Liza, Taylor and I met them at the train station and then took them for lunch and shopping in the Marais. We then strolled by Notre Dame before grabbing some macarons at Laduree. That night we went back to Refuge de Fondues for classic French fondue and wine in baby bottles before checking out a club embedded in a bridge along the Seine. While all of these activities were fantastic, the best part was being together! Being abroad really emphasizes the important people and aspects of your life, and being able to share such an incredible experience with your closest friends is indescribable and unforgettable.

Sunday:
We woke up this morning and enjoyed hot chocolate and pastries at Angelina for brunch before walking up the Champs Elysees to climb to the top of the Arc de Triomphe. We stood in awe of the amazing view of the city. After the sun began to peek through the previously rainy clouds, we climbed back down and headed towards Luxembourg Garden for a picnic lunch in the sun. Unfortunately, they had to head back to their respective programs in Madrid and London, but I feel so blessed to have such wonderful friends and to have had the opportunity to spend the weekend with them in the most beautiful city! I miss them already and look forward to many more adventures together in the future!