what i'm up to: voilà le deuxième buzz!

WELL, HERE IT IS! Issue #2 of The Buzz!!

Allie and I actually pulled off the 'editors-in-chief-go-abroad-and-attempt-to-direct-the-creation-of-a-magazine' thing!! And the best part: it might even be better than the last issue!!

All 17 boxes of 1000 copies arrived in Boston on Tuesday and have been on sale at the student union since Wednesday. I CANNOT wait to get my hands on these babies and see them for myself!! Please let me know if you would like me to hang onto a copy for you and I'll try and bring them back from Boston when I go up to visit this summer.

OMG YAY! :D

Paix, Amour et Néon,
Marisa

JOYEUX ANNIVERSAIRE TNTP!!

I am happy to announce that The Neon Tea Party turns 1 year old today! So proud to have been able to consistently keep up with my blog for a WHOLE year. Hopefully, this is just the beginning of Neon Tea Party-ness and there will be many more anniversaires to come!

In honor of this joyous occasion, check out my FIRST BLOG POST and leave comments to tell me what you think of the blog and what you'd like to see on it in the upcoming year :)

Paix, Amour et Néon,
Marisa

la vie à paris: les bonbons

Just when I think I've tried just about every yummy treat I intended to indulge in during my stay in Paris, I find David Lebovitz's list of "10 Insanely Delicious Things You Shouldn't Miss in Paris." Off this list, which really lists about 30 things, I've tried two. Looks like I've got some catching up to do!

Well, earlier today I announced my Pozzetto plan.

{photo by david lebovitz}

My next most important tasting is caramels au beurre salé (known as CBS's) from Henri Le Roux. They are apparently to die for and would also make a great gift to bring home to my friends.

{photo by david lebovitz}

These dark chocolate-covered marshmallows from Belgian chocolatier Pierre Marcolini are just up my alley--and might just beat out my milk chocolate-covered marshmallow bears from my favorite candy stand at Odéon!

He also lists his favorite chocolates from specific chocolatiers, and they all sound scrumptious as well!

I might have to stop by Ladurée after work and try out his recommended Kugelhof. Not too sure what it is, but the words "yeasty" and "orange flower water-scented syrup" sound good to me!

Paix, Amour et Néon,
Marisa

la vie à paris: fête à pa-ah-ree!

Well everyone--it's officially party time! The sun is out, the air is warm and I JUST FINISHED MY FINAL PAPER! Woohoo! (Let's just pretend that I don't still have to find a summer job, an apartment, and book those damned hostels in Spain!) But hey, it's not like I didn't start this Paris party this weekend--which is exactly what I did.

{vin et soleil sur la seine}

The entire weekend consisted of hanging with my friends, drinking wine, sunbathing on the Seine, eating crêpes and Berthillon ice creams, exploring the city and sitting at the tea room of the Mosquée de Paris smoking hookah. Needless to say it was probably one of the best weekend ever.

Now that I'm officially done and am still only working four hours a day, this party can continue. On the agenda? Pre-work museum and neighborhood excursions and post-work drinks and dinners with friends. Yea baby!

I'm going to start today by going for my first jog (cough cough powerwalk) through Parc Montsouris, the lovely park across the street from my building.

What else in on my agenda, you ask?

PRE-WORK

FINALLY make it to the YSL exhibit at the Petit Palais. I've put this one off for long enough.

Rediscover the Marais for the 984383th time. (No matter how many times I visit the Marais, I always seem to find something new. Some restaurant, some store, some bar, some sight. I usually end up there when I bring visitors to get fallafel for lunch at L'as and often have to cut short my wanderings around the neighborhood. Therefore, I promise to dedicate one morning to doing some Marais things that I have yet to do: Musée d'art et d'histoire de Judaïsme, try gelato from Pozzetto, and scour Les Archives de la Presse for vintage fashion magazines.)

Check out the ginormous new Ralph Lauren store and wander Saint-Germain-des-Près

Visit the Musée Rodin on a sunny day

Check out the furniture and other funky stuff at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs

Return to Père Lachaise and finally leave love letters for Jim

Explore the Middle Eastern and Oriental art wings of the Louvre


POST WORK

Paris is known for having awesome happy hour (here called "after work") deals with cheap drinks and sometimes even food!

I am planning to return to:

Courtyard tea room at the Mosquée de Paris for more tea, Middle Eastern sweets and hookah

Curieux Spaghetti bar for flavored mojitos and SPAGHETTI

And I would also like to try out:

Chez Georges- a rowdy Jewish bar by Odéon recommended to me by my friend and floormate Sanni

Hotel Costes- as shmancy and fashiony as you can get- planning to stop at 1 expensive drink

La Perle-a happening bar in the Marais recommended to me by my friend Alex who spent her Junior Spring semester here two years ago

Le Baron Rouge-low key authentic French wine bar

There's so much more and I'll add it as I think of it....

But for now, time to start my partying!

Paix, Amour et Néon,
Marisa