Visitors are like buses: you don’t see anyone for months at a time, and then suddenly, everyone you’ve said “hi” to in the last fifteen years wants to turn up on the same weekend. As usual, I’m exaggerating somewhat – but I did have guests 3/4 weekends in April (and it was very nearly 4/4,... Continue Reading →
A Bit Confused
Personal update: I started a new job! I’m actually still working for the same people; although I had gotten very restless in my Paralegal role, I was reluctant to look elsewhere because I really do love my company. But just when it was getting to the point where I didn’t think I had any choice... Continue Reading →
Umbrellas in the Sun
I happened across the most fabulously random little gem whilst walking through the 8th arrondissement this morning: a side street with a 'ceiling' of suspended umbrellas. Real ones. The umbrellas spanned the full length of the street, hundreds of them in a variety of bright colours, creating a spectacle that was at once surprising and... Continue Reading →
La Crème de la Crème
Bonne année – and happy birthday to Adventures of an Anglaise! One year ago today, this blog was born, kicked off with a short post (no precedents set there) sharing my New Year’s resolutions. I started off with frequent postings, multiple times per week, but as I settled into my life here in Paris, I... Continue Reading →
Back on the Horse: Performer Parisienne
I did it. This weekend, I finally took the plunge and went busking in the Metro! Now, if you read my post about obtaining my Musiciens du Metro license in the first place, you might be wondering why this announcement is coming a full two months later. I can explain: between three trips abroad, a... Continue Reading →
First Frost
This morning saw the first frost of the year, at least as far as my own experience goes. Not in my neighbourhood - central Paris rarely sees frost at all. But arriving in Boulogne-Billancourt for work today, once I had managed to squeeze my way through the tangle of people inadvertently blockading the doors of... Continue Reading →
Happy Anniversary To Me: 1 Year in ‘Paree’
I made it! As of two-and-a-bit weeks ago, I have now been resident in France for a full year. I would have written about it on the day, but I actually celebrated my ‘anniversary’ by being in another continent – where I was a) making the most of every precious minute with friends and family... Continue Reading →
Phantom of the Metro
Much like the one that kicked this whole blog off, this post is being composed at some ungodly hour of the (wrong side of the) morning, largely in the hope of appeasing my overly-busy brain so I can finally get some bloody sleep. We shall see. "Why is your brain so busy?", I hear you... Continue Reading →
Language of Love & Logic (Sort Of)
French is often known as the ‘language of love’, whilst Latin languages (the group to which French belongs) are generally considered to be particularly romantic – in fact, an alternative term for ‘Latin languages’ is ‘romance languages’. However, French isn’t just romantic – it can be highly practical, too. Echoing the directness of its native... Continue Reading →
Paris is Closed
Paris in August is a strange phenomenon. The holiday allowance is so generous for most people working in France, that it’s perfectly common to take three weeks, if not a whole month, of leave in the summer. I’d hazard a (completely unsubstantiated and non-scientific) guess that about 90% of Parisians depart from the city for... Continue Reading →