The Itch

here

This week I got the itch. 

No, not that kind of an itch.

An itch to clean and organize and re-habitable-ize my apartment.

Two weekends in a row of traveling to The Boy + general laziness had left my apartment in shell-shocked, bombed-out, war zone conditions. 

No more, my friends. With the brutal finality that only the most unpredictable and commanding need to clean can garner, I tossed things left and right - into the trash and the donate pile. Huzzah, I see the floor! And a million things I forgot I had that I still like - even better!

I'm sure there's a deep psychological reason why this urge to purge comes at certain moments. It must be something about the need for control when life gets chaotic, creating a peaceful place during stressful times, etc.etc.etc. 

Whatever it is, I'm glad. It has kept from a. hiring a maid or b. burning all my belongings - which is good because, let's be honest, I can't afford the fees or the jail time.

Have a fabulous weekend! I plan to enjoy gazing at my carpeting....

xo, E.

Les Appartements Parisienne

As I mentioned in this post, my mom is going to Paris for a month this summer (The Boy and I are hoping to tag along for a bit, too ;). So just buck up, 'cause you're going to be hearing a lot about France, Paris and les macarons this Spring. Oh, darn, right?

Les Macarons.....mmm

Obviously, when you're staying that long abroad in one place, racking up hotel nights can get pretty pricey. Instead, we're looking at apartment rentals, which is actually an awesome option for anyone traveling to Europe, for short or long stays. The perks:

• Space - hotel rooms in Europe are tiny. Apartments aren't much bigger, but those few extra feet may be helpful if you're used to wide-open spaces.
• Convenience - a kitchen, a bathtub and teeny-weeny washing machine - all make traveling so much easier.
• Atmosphere - sure, hotels are great for luxury and relaxation, but if you really want to get to know a place, plunk yourself down in a real neighborhood and live for a week or two like the locals. In Paris, that means stopping by the boulangerie every morning for fresh bread and buying ingredients, shop by shop, for your evening meal. You may even be lucky enough to say bonjour to your neighbors and get to practice a few words in French! 

I've been taking a brief look at apartments in Paris, and whoo-wee, I'm ready to go now!

1.This airy beauty from all-paris-apartments.com is in the 3rd (Paris is set up as a series of numbered neighborhoods), near the Marais - one of the older neighborhoods of Paris dating back to the 12th century.

 There's a lot of charm to walk through, like the gardens of the Hotel de Sens...

from here

2.Here's another apartment in the Marais; this one's from roomorama.com.

 

How adorable is that? Love the exposed ceiling beams and the huge windows.

3. This one's  a surprisingly large-looking apartment in the 12th. 

 

The neighborhood looks bustling and it's only a short walk from the Place de le Bastille.  

from here.

4. This Roomorama one is just blocks away from the Eiffel tower and over looks a super-duper cute courtyard. I love the lights streaming in from those windows!

 

5. Here's yet another site to try: Paris Attitude. Noticing how the french love their red accents? Especially colored sofas... interesting. This one has an amazing eat-out balcony and an extra toilet!! Big news in small spaces...

 

Oh, and BTW these are all less than $2,000 for the month. Not bad, when you think a hotel is at least $200 per night.

What's your favorite? List it in the comments, below!

And don't forget to comment on this post - 5 comments and I'll sponsor a loan to a micro-enterprise through Kiva!