Exploring Paris

Today I explored two areas of Paris which were very new to me -- the 2nd and 9th Arrondissements.  I started my day off by walking to Rue Montorgueil from my flat in the Marais.  Rue Montorgueil is an adorable little pedestrian street lined with amazing specialty food shops -- cheese, pastries, bakeries, butchers {even one with  a dead rabbit lying in the front window...tres triste}.  However, the walk to the Rue was through a bit of a seedy area, and I was actually yelled at and chased by a mentally unstable elderly woman {I started screaming random French words at her, and eventually she left me alone}.  Nothing like a little excitement to start the day!

From there, I wandered west and stumbled upon the glorious Passage du Grand Cerf and Galerie Viviene.  These little corridors were filled with antique stores, art galleries, and adorable little bookstores.  I made my way to Opera Garnier, first stopping at Le Grand Colbert {you may recognize it from the end of "Somethings Gotta Give"} for an AMAZING lunch.  The Opera Garnier was stunning, over the top, very gold, and so French.  I kept thinking I was going to suddenly hear the "Phantom of the Opera" soundtrack come bursting out of the theater at any moment.  

I hadn't really spent any time in one of my favorite areas of Paris, the Left Bank, so I hopped on the metro to take a little detour to Saint Germain de Pres.  I stopped at a fromagerie and boulagerie to pick up a few different cheeses and a baguette which I am very much looking forward to eating for dinner later tonight.  I also made sure to save some time to stop by Diptyque and pick up my favorite candle to take home with me.  

 {Images from my morning walk and Rue Montorgueil}

{An amazing discovery: the gorgeous covered passageways hidden throughout the city.  Pictured above is Passage du Grand Cerf, below is Galerie Vivienne which was absolutely stunning}

 {Had a fantastic lunch at Le Grand Colbert}

{The ridiculously opulent Opera Garnier}

 {The stunning, albeit ALWAYS insanely crowded, Galleries Lafayette department store}

{Place Dauphine on Ile de la Cite - notice the cat image on the side of the building?}

Well, that's all for today folks -- I am heading out to grab some wine at a cafe and spend some time people-watching {one of the best things to do in Paris}.  Au revoir!