Paris Hearts US?

Based on our experiences this year, there's no anti-Americanism here. There's opposition to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, sure, as well as other complaints about the US government and US politicians. But we've never told anyone we're Americans and received a negative response. Maybe people are just being polite. But we're pretty sure the city's pro-Americanism runs deep.

Deep underground, that is. Consider the décor for the Cadet metro station.

Never mind that the 13-star flag hasn't been in use since 1795, and that the sentiment here has more to do with the links between the American and French revolutions than with current political or social amity. Whatever - we know this flag proves that Paris hearts the United States. Yet another reason why we heart Paris.

FUSAC

One of the great resources for Americans in Paris is a print magazine and website called FUSAC (France USA Contacts). It's a bilingual venue for classified ads that can fall into any one of 29 different categories, including housing (in the US, France, and Canada), jobs, and the slightly sketchy "services." Maggie found her babysitting gig on FUSAC, and we also used it to look for apartments. Since we got here we haven't been checking the site (or reading the print version, for that matter), but every so often we're reminded of its existence. For instance, randomly seeing the FUSAC delivery van on its merry way.

American Library of Paris

Maggie learned about the American Library of Paris a few weeks ago, and while snooping around on their website I saw that they have a monthly book sale. The next one takes place on November 7th - the day after Maggie takes the GRE! - and we might check it out. Apparently, the American Library of Paris is the largest English-language lending library on the continent and has been around since 1920. Who knew??

To join the library you have to pay a membership fee. For students it's 75 euros, which is almost three times what I paid for a year's access to the BN. (Then again, the BN doesn't let me take out books. And I still haven't gotten over the fact that its music collection (books, scores, recordings, manuscripts, etc.) is spread out over five different locations. That is lame. Hey BN, if I paid more money to spend 9 months doing research at your various branches, could you put everything I need in one place? Thanks!)

The American Library of Paris is located at 10, rue du Général Camou, in the 7th arrondissement, and it's open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 AM through 7 PM.

More baking adventures

This week, we spent some more time in the kitchen baking up delicious treats because, among other things, it's a great way to stay warm!

We made a second batch of bagels that came out a bit smaller and even more delicious looking than the first (egg white, we love you).

The second baking success involved something that arrived many weeks ago, a few days after we got here, in a care package sent by Louis' mom: Reese's Peanut Butter Chips - the secret ingredient in Louis' Famous Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Cookies (shhh... don't tell). Finally, after searching the town, we found all of the necessary ingredients to make these oh-so-delicious cookies. Ok, so actually, Louis made these cookies all by himself - but I was a very good taste-tester.

Kudos to Louis for figuring out how to make cookies without cookie sheets... they taste just like home.

Best Bagels Ever

Sunday afternoon, Maggie and I did something we never, ever expected to do during our year here:

We made bagels.

Once we stopped craving baguettes, we started craving bagels, and other than the odd, Orthodox-Jewish-owned-and-operated Sushi/Bagel restaurant just around the corner, we haven't seen bagels anywhere. So on a whim, Maggie bought this bagel recipe book, written in French by Marc Grossman, an American expat who owns Bob's Juice Bar in the 10th (just 20 minutes from our apartment!).

This book is INCREDIBLE. Our bagels are DELICIOUS. And as weird as it feels to be eating bagels in Paris, it's still a gesture of assimilation, since the recipe was in French! (cuillière à soupe = tablespoon!)

These bagels were remarkably easy to make, and next time we can throw on whatever toppings or mix-ins we want.  I'm not sure if we'll ever buy bagels again.