we're not staying on "school street" for nothin

Our hotel here in Paris is on la Rue des Ecoles - within a few miles, there is College de France, La Sorbonne, the Jussieu Campus which houses the Pierre & Marie Curie and Denis Diderot branches of University of Paris, among other intellectual-sounding things. There are even a bunch of little Auto Ecoles tucked between brasseries and cafes - tech schools for the French motorheads of the world. But classes are not in session, so no grease monkey hotties wandering around during lunch breaks. Le sigh.

I am surrounded by smart vibes and can't help but reflect on some things I've learned during my visit so far:

1. My French is not nearly as horrible as I imagined (People get me things! And don't roll their eyes too much)
2. I really really like olives
3. The stereotype of baguettes being sold every-fricking-where in Paris is mythology (we walked many blocks before finding a traditional bakery offering a plain loaf of French bread - the street vendors sell fancy sandwiches)
4. The dollar is bloody embarrassingly nearly-worthless against the Euro
5. I can restrain myself from buying $100 shoes and $60 underwear [barely]
6. I really really like wine
7. Wine is cheaper than Coke and sometimes water
8. People here do love their dogs like children (they're often welcome in cafes and on the Metro; not always the same for kids...ha)
9. Smiling as a form of communication (plus repeating "S'il vous plait" and "Merci") usually makes everything better

Now we are off to dinner at La Tour Eiffel (eeeeeeeeEEEEeee!). I am wearing my jaunty brown striped skirt, summery white button-down shirt, and black flats; I feel tres jolie (though no beret; seems like too much and I don't really look good in hats).

Au revoir, mis amis!