Stages of Sleep 2 (feat. Saathi)

Hey there everyone. A few weeks back I published a post titled 'Stages of Sleep' which was all about the experience of sleeping with a little dog in your bed. After that post I was bombarded by questions and comments about what it is like if the dog is big! Well, not only do I have a big dog but a big dog who is rather lazy and stubborn. So here it is! Stages of Sleep with Saathi - the big, black, lazy beast who loves his cuddles as much if not more than Hendrix :)

Until next time!

How to take your workout to the next level.

Do you, like most people, lack the motivation to get up and roll out of bed every single day to go for a run? Or are you looking to step up your game and make your workouts more effective? There was a time I fell in the first category (given my love for partying) and last year I found myself in the second category. And let me tell you something - I found the answer to all my workout related problems! Get a dog! Get a dog? Why? Here is why - 

Now, before you run out and get a Hendrix be sure that you actually need all that exercise :P Until next time.

Stages of Sleep

So, he is back to give you another taste of life with a 'Hendrix'. I am sure those of you who commit the sin of letting the pooch share your bed can identify.

Until next tim. Bis.

Lets Talk About Sex

You know how those of us who are single/unmarried/childless always hear about the fact that after you have children your sex life will – how should I put it – become non-existent. What no one will warn you about is what happens to your sex life after you get a dog. What happens to your sex life after you get a small, curious dog who is possessive like a fool. Well, here goes. Here is what happens when you get a Hendrix in your life.

So go ahead and get a lil tyke all of your own; they are a delight! But, don’t say you weren’t forewarned. :P

Great Bars for Expats in Paris

As a non-French living in Paris I am often on the look out for bars that are laid back and are different from the usual Parisian Café / Bistrot or for that matter from the typical ‘popular’ hangouts. So here is my list of some of the funnest bars I have discovered in Paris and why I love them. PS: I am also a little biased since I have a little dog and all these bars are very dog friendly J

Culture Rapide  $

Now this little treasure is not great because of the drinks – no way! In fact you are better off ordering beer or a simple Gin Tonic to be on the safe side. And neither do they have food or snacks. But, what they do have is a wonderful atmosphere with live bands and poetry jams. With a huge terrace on which one can spend a long summer evening with friends and some of that famous Belleville graffiti to boot. A very interesting piece of art is a teddy bear strung up on a light pole in the terrace.

Address – 103 Rue Julien Lacroix, 75020 Paris

Red House $

This very American bar close to Bastille run by an American is the kind of place where you go with friends and throw a few back to some great music. They have a pinball machine and nachos with an awesome hot sauce. They also have Movie nights on Mondays (free popcorn) and if you have no one to go with just sit at the bar and let the bar tenders entertain you. While there order the Old Torino – the best take on a Mojito I have had – spicy.

Address – 1 B Rue de la Forge Royale, 75011 Paris

Long Island Bar $

This little place at a corner in Pigalle is a precious little gem hidden away from the bustle of the typical popular bars. They have cheap cocktails, cartoons/football on TV, special deals every night and and and…candy in their cocktails! The food is rather good too albeit a bit expensive. This bar has a fun little terrace but you need to get in early to grab a place there.

Address – 24 Rue Pierre Fontaine, 75009 Paris

Melting Potes $

Okay, so technically this bar is not in Paris but just outside in the suburb of Les Lilas. A small neighbourhood bar owned by an old rocker who calls in some great artists to perform live regularly. The bar has decent platters of charcuterie and cheese by way of food and a good selection of alcohol (do not bother asking for cocktails though – the bar owner will ask you how to make it hehe). Also, if you have a dog feel free to bring Fido along, he can be let off the leash and sit on the couch with you.

Address – 32 rue Jean Moulin, 93260 Les Lilas

Très Honoré Bar $$$

Now this is my go to with girlfriends bar. The décor is to die for and so are the cocktails. It is the kind of bar you can go to in a jeans tee-shirt or get all polished p in heels and pearls. The terrace is great even in winters and the waiters know English. They do have a great restaurant as well though I never really go there to eat. I would suggest getting a reservation if you want to go in a biggish group. This is also perhaps the only bar I have been to where they not only welcomed my pooch but offered him a bowl of water without my asking for one!

Address – 35 Place du Marché Saint-Honoré, 75001 Paris

Prescription Cocktail Club $$

I absolutely adore this bar! It is tiny and super cozy but can get very crowded, so get there early if you want to grab a table. They have some of the best cocktails and for sure one of the best whiskey sours I have had in Paris. The only negative is that they have no terrace and is definitely not dog friendly. It is a great place to go with a close group of friends and you can for sure meet new people since one is forced to sit in rather close quarters with strangers.

Address –  23 rue Mazarine, 75006 Paris, France

The Vampires of Paris

Hello Chicklets! I know it has been a while since I wrote an entry and its mostly not because of lack of inspiration…but because I have had a rather lazy few months

Anyway, I thought I would come back with a bang!!  And since it is so close to Halloween (which sees to be everywhere right now) I thought why not write a highly interesting entry about vampires in Paris!! Now, before I proceed I would like to let everyone reading this know – a) This is not my POV but a story I heard recently, b) It is one of the most twisted takes on history I have heard and c) It is all in fun – so please read and enjoy it for what it is – An All Hallows Tale MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA…..

In the early 19^th century the poor flocked the cities of Europe looking for work and a better life, turning areas of the cities into crowded slums overridden with disease, cries, and…Vampires! All the major cities across Europe saw not just a population explosion of humans but also vampires. Narrow alleyways, tumbledown buildings and squalor provided an excellent hunting ground to vampires along with providing them with dark, squalid corners in which to hide during the daytime. In fact the area just north of the Louvre was so rampant with vampire attacks that it became known as the Vampire Quartier. Despite measures like hiring vampire hunters and enforcing strict curfews the vampire attacks continued to mount and the authorities were helpless until Baron Georges Haussmann, Paris' top city planner, proposed something never done before – instead of killing vampires why not destroy where they take shelter! The proposal was accepted and the work started right away. Under the guidance of Haussmann the city of Paris underwent complete transformation. Thousands of people watched as buildings were demolished and droves of vampires were driven out right into the arms of the French military and killed. 20 years later wide roads, grand buildings and an Opera replaced the vampire quartier. The vampire attacks had dwindled down to almost nothing and Haussmann was the hero of the day. The laurels were premature though since suddenly there was a sharp rise in the vampire attacks and this time the attacks happened all over Paris. As it turned out the extensive sewer system designed by Haussmann proved to be not only a great place for vampires to thrive but also a fabulous underground network for them to get around the city.

For the next 50 years or so these vampires, now called Haussmann’s Children, lived in the sewers and came out at night to hunt and feed. Time to time the city would try to station military at the entrances but eventually gave that up due to a high death and turning toll among the army officers. During the Nazi occupation any resistance fighters who tried to hide in the sewers encountered the vampires. Eventually sophisticated weapons and better hunting techniques lowered the vampire numbers to almost nil. The last of Haussmann’s children was hunted down and destroyed in 1971 near the river Seine where there had been a spate of attacks.

And that my friends, concludes the saga of Haussmann’s Children!

Fall 2013 - What to wear (or not) in Paris

This is going to be a rather small and slightly bitchy post about a complete stranger who might teach us all something – which is why I have not included her face in the picture. Every season we are bombarded with fashion trends and well, lets just face it; if you love fashion you follow the trends (hopefully just far enough that they look good you)! Anyway, spotted this lady on the metro, wearing spot-on trends for 2013 – just done wrong!

Midi skirt – check, Floral top – check (couldn’t take a pic but it was color blocked in hot pink and white with white embroidered daisies on the pink part), Sporty boyfriend jacket – check, Clunky shoes – check, Polka dot socks peaking through the shoes – check…… And this is how you wear all this years trends together! (Or not).