every last detail: [For the sake of this title pronounce Paris like the French do]... Paris, I miss thee!

So yes, I am an awful person. I have just been so wrapped up in my European lifestyle, I have forgotten about the ones I left behind in The States.

Forgive me of my wrongdoings and let me make it up to you with quite a few blog posts

Let’s begin with the end of Paris… oh my goodness gracious that was so long ago haha.

I don’t believe I touched on Versailles yet. Holy Guacamole. I could have died. Versailles is known to be one of the largest, most extravagant palaces in the world and boy oh boy did it live up to that description. After taking the Rick Steve’s tour (that’s for your dad), Angela and I walked around the gardens and I begged her to join me in finding Marie Antoinette’s village. Marie Antoinette had it built in order to escape from the royal duties the palace entailed. This would have been fine if there weren’t a bunch of starving peasants outside her palace living in villages just like the one she was playing in. A little ignorant and oblivious if you ask me, but nonetheless, I have had a love for learning about Marie Antoinette since I can remember and was beyond excited to see her village.

Old painting of Versailles... huge.

Oh just, you know, their backyard... no big deal.

THE VILLAGE!!!

Giddy

That night, when we returned, I went to one of the most memorable dinners I have attended in a while.

Ludo is his name. Italian food is his game.

Alex, Angela and I went to a restaurant recommended by my personal concierge, Vito Ippolito, called Cacio e… Pepe. If you are ever in Paris, I HIGHLY recommend this restaurant. It was… as the French say, “tres magnific!” When we showed up around 10 minutes before 7:30, the door was locked and I was quickly embarrassed for leading my friends to a closed restaurant. But I spotted two people at the table in the back so I proceeded to knock. To the door arrives this medium-height, bald man dressed in jeans and a red polo with the collar popped. He starts muttering some words in French and seeing that all I can say is “merci,” “bonjour,” “croissant,” and “par les vous Angles” I quickly chose the fourth of my French phrases and hoped for the best. His responded in perfect English, “No, I do not speak any English.” I knew, with a witty comment like that along with the fact that the restaurant did not open until 7:30, this was going to be a great night.

We walk around the block to stall until it opens and upon returning, we are greeted by Ludo, yet again, with some sass and a song. I, in absolute Vito fashion, decided I was going to become best friends with this guy. I knew I had succeeded in this task when I asked him what his favorite dish was and he responded with, “My favorite item, it is not on the menu. It is a pasta dish with truffle oil. If you would like it, you can have it for the price of the other fettuccine.” I obviously jumped on that offer.

He then proceeded to ask if we had been a tour of Paris yet and before I could even respond he ran into the back, grabbed his computer and placed it in front of me with the website to Fat Tire Bike Tours, a famous tour company. His friend runs the one in Paris so he calls her and hands me the phone to book an appointment. Sadly, we did not have time the rest of our stay to fit it in, but the offer perfectly describes our night with Ludo.

After some other hilarious and memorable encounters, we had finished our meal and had to say goodbye. Best meal in Paris. Fantastic Italian food. Best tiramisu I have ever had.

The next day, after visiting the Louvre, we met up with some boys from England Semester plus Casey. I was SO excited to see them. There is something so fun about mixing the familiarity of home with this trip.

People stopping to truly appreciate the Mona.
Or taking a picture to brag to everyone they know it

Ventured later that night to Les Deux Magots with the fabulous Kelsey Baker and Hayley DeForest, the restaurant that Hemingway used to go and ponder life at. More expensive than our dinner that night, but it was WELL worth it. Please excuse the odd coloring... there were red lights on outside.