la vie à paris: bonjour from paris, israel and first days in france

What a whirlwind few weeks I've just had- hence my lack of bloggage.

{mayanot birthright bus 256 in jerusalem}

I just returned from a life-changing trip to Israel on Birthright's Mayanot trip. This trip included 10 days of traveling throughout the country seeing the sights and meeting the people with 48 other kids (including 8 Israeli soldiers), 2 crazy tour guides and my fabulous Chabad Rabbi, Rabbi Shmuel Posner.

{waterfall up north}

{tzfat}

We started this trip up north where we planted trees, swam in the Kineret (a lake) in our underwear, discovered the Golan Heights, saw the boarders of Lebanon and Syria, went off-road jeeping, learned about Israeli military history, hiked gorgeous green mountainsides with beautiful waterfalls and got a tour of the beautiful blue and white city of Tzfat (most gorgeous place ever).

{jerusalem}

{my best friend and me}

The trip then continued onto Jerusalem for two days where we explored the Old City of Jerusalem, shopped at some amazing markets and Ben Yehuda Street, took a 20-minute narrow underwater cave tour and celebrated Shabbat at the Western Wall (also known as the Kotel). The latter was definitely the most moving part of the trip.

{ya know, just your typical early-morning camel ride}

{masada}

{dead sea}

We then headed south to the Negev, Israel's desert, for an overnight in Bedouin tents, where we slept on the floor, ate on the floor, were drilled by the soldiers and had a bonfire with Kosher marshmallows. In the morning, after approximately two hours of sleep, we took a camel ride around the desert, then it was off to the beautiful desert mountain of Masada and the Dead Sea for some quality floating and mud rubbin'.

{beautiful tel aviv}

Part four took us to Tel Aviv for party time at a local club and shopping/sightseeing the next day. Tel Aviv is a very cool city- probably the most modern and cultural in Israel. Lots of beaches, graffiti and young people. After a day there, we went back to Jerusalem for the last two days of the trip. We went to Israel's beyond-words Holocaust museum Yad Vashem and Mt. Hertzel, a beautiful military cemetery, both located on the top of a mountain overlooking Jerusalem. Then next day we did some volunteer work and random programming, but we mostly just spend our last hours with the group. The trip ended on a wonderful note and everyone was so sad to leave our homeland and each other.

{view from my bedroom in paris on my first day here}

I returned home to New York on Friday morning just to turn around and fly back east to Paris on Saturday night. So now I'm here!! I got in yesterday morning and have spend the past two days getting settled. I am living at a place called Fondation des Etats-Unis (an American dormitory), which is part of a Parisian university housing village called Cité Universitaire. It is located in the 14th Arrondisement in the southern part of Paris. My room is huge and is a single!! I have a stunning view of the courtyard, which is especially gorgeous now that it is covered in snow. That's another thing: Paris is currently FREEZING! I have spent the past two days in maximum layerage, including tights under my jeans.

{first of many delicious snacks in paris- photo taken

in the park across from my dorm building}

My friend Olivia and I did some essentials shopping yesterday, picked up our Metro pass and hung out on Rue St. Germain des Près, where we ate our first French meal and picked up some journals and postcards. Today was Orientation Day 1 at Boston University's Paris center. We got to meet the kids in our program and learn more about what our semester is going to look like. Afterwards, we did some more shopping (obviously) and returned to Monoprix--our fave shopping spot that sells everything from clothes and makeup to groceries and toiletries. Think Paris' chic take on WalMart.

Now I'm back in my beautiful dorm unwinding and preparing for the roller coaster semester that awaits me! I'll be doing some research about what to do in the beautiful wonderful amazing city in which I now live-- not to mention figure out where the heck I am and where everything else is!!

It's very strange living in a strange place-- certainly a lot stranger than I anticipated. Not only do I now have to speak in French at any given point in the day, especially when out and about, but I also have no geographical sense of where I am or where I'm going or where anything else is in this city. And there is SO much to do! But how do I figure it out, narrow it down and find it?! The currently obstacles in the life of Marisa Rose Morrison--but I gotta say they're pretty exciting obstacles and I am very excited to conquer them! More soon! A bientôt!

Paix, Amour et Neon,
Marisa

all time favorite spots

There are few things that excite me more than stumbling upon a great little boutique with unique inventory or a delicious, off-beat restaurant. Whenever I'm exploring, especially in Boston and New York, I love to take the business cards of my finds for future reference. I keep a few of my favorites posted up on my bulletin board at my desk.



POOR LITTLE RICH GIRL is a small vintage shop whose second location is on on Newbury St. in Boston. (The original one is in Somerville.) The selection is limited, but what the store does have is wonderful dresses, feather headbands, and great vintage heels. The girl who works there is so sweet too! I bought the black romper there last Saturday!! *[See past two posts. Do I seem a bit obsessed with this romper? I think so.]

AKIMBO is this little tchotchke shop in Copenhagen that carries all sorts of cute toys and gifts, including jewelry handmade by the owner. I could have spent all day there admiring all of the pretty nick-nacks and doo-dads.



I couldn't resist this neon pink string bracelet (obv):


I never take this bracelet off- I've been wearing it since I was in Copen in August. Unfortunately, the pink paint has worn off the little bell.

SUGAR SWEET SUNSHINE is a fun little bakery in New York's Lower East Side. A couple years ago, my friend Jessie dragged me across lower Manhattan to try it out, and it was well worth the walk. In addition to a large variety of creative cupcakes (everyone's favorite) they also have amazing old-fashioned banana pudding (the kind with Nilla Wafers-- so yum!).

OAK is a boutique also located on Newbury St. that carries handcrafted items by all different artists. I love the Lego rings and the plastic candy sprinkle heart necklace. It's an awesome store if you're looking to get a gift for someone special- and the prices are very reasonable. My friend Allison and I picked up copies of Boston's Motion Affair Planner here to give each other as birthday gifts. The MAP is a daily planner + guide of cool things to do around Boston. Flip through one if you ever see it! (Or better yet, buy one for yourself!) I decorated mine, obviously.


BARLOLA is, as the card says, a Tapas Lounge in Back Bay in Boston. Though the card isn't as whimsical as the others on my bulletin board, it is equally as deserving of its spot there. The atmosphere is warm and inviting, the food is delicious (I suggest the tuna canapés) and they are known for their sangria and other fruity mixed drinks. Allison and I had our birthday party here last month and everybody loved it! Really, one of the best nights ever.

OVANDO on Bleeker Street in New York is the most gorgeous florist I've ever encountered. Every time I walk past, which is often, I always tell whomever I'm with that this florist will be doing my wedding flowers. The first time I saw this shop, the window display was covered entirely with bright blue peacock feathers- love at first sight! They always have the pinkest orchids and the most creative window displays. If The Neon Tea Party lasts long enough to see my wedding (and if Ovando is still in business, of course) I promise to upload pictures of my floral arrangements. I actually dream about what they're going to look like. No joke.

Peace, Love and Neon,
Marisa