gallivanting around

There goes another week.

Last Monday the marketing program took a trip to a L’Oreal Manufacturing plant just north of Paris proper. We saw the assembly lines of Garnier hair and skin products. Even better, we had to wear scrubs during the visit. We all looked ridiculous in our gowns and caps. I oddly felt like Meredith Grey. Alas, no McDreamy though.

Several of us had tickets to see a ballet, La Dame aux camellias, later that night. The plot was similar to Moulin Rouge. The ballet was BEAUTIFUL. The lead, Marguerite, was flawless. I was shocked to see one fellow hopping through his pirouettes though. Come on, guy. You’re in THE Paris ballet company. Maybe I am being too critical, it’s not like I can just bust out the turn either. The ballet was at Palais Garnier – the historic opera house in Paris that now only houses ballets.

This theatre inspired Gaston Leroux to write the Phantom of the Opera.

Doesn't this remind you of the Titanic?

Tuesday, I visited the Galeries Lafayette Gourmand for a class assignment. My group had to study yogurt in multiple grocers around Paris (the French love their yogurt). Now the Galeries Lafayette is a department store – similar to a Nordstrom’s or Bloomingdales. An epicurean market is oddly situated above their men’s department. I arrived up the escalator to food connoisseur heaven. My dad would have gone crazy in that place. You too, Steven. I can’t really equate it to a Whole Foods because it didn’t have the health/organic vibe, but it did have patrons dining at little gourmet stands all throughout the store. I guess it is most similar to a Rice Epicurean as far as food is concerned. Regardless, the place was overwhelming: artisan breads, cured meats, wheels and wheels of cheeses, freshly made Japanese, Italian, and Greek food, chocolate, and on and on. Long story short, what I thought was going to be a quick surveillance of their yogurt section turned into an hour long walk of utter amazement.

Dad, they even had Olive Loaf. I laughed out loud when I saw it sitting there in the case. Grandma Donna would have been tickled.

Wednesday, I went to the Annie Leibovitz exhibit. This is the one I mentioned in a previous post. It was Wednesday after 5pm, so we got in free. YES.

Thursday I visited the Musee d'Orsay with Meagan. This museum houses a large portion of impressionist works. The building was an old train station. City officials were going to to tear it down, but they decided to turn it into a museum. Resourceful, no?

After, Meagan and I went to a famous falafel place in the Jewish district for dinner. It cost two more euros to be seated inside. No thanks. We grabbed our grub and took it street side. This small little hole in the wall gets rave reviews. Even Lenny Kravitz recommends it. That’s right.

The end of my trip is slowly creeping up on me. Ten days.

It’s to-do list time.