Marie, the baguettes! Hurry up!

I just have to share this because I think it's adorable. I was walking back to my place today and I had a baguette in my hand. As I stood waiting to cross the street I felt a little tug on it. I looked down and there was a little boy standing behind me with his mom. When I looked at him he had a huge smile plastered on his face, and he just grinned up at me as if to say "I just had to touch it." It was really freaking cute.

Also, Sandra turned me on to sushi. I get one that is basically rice, cream cheese, and chives. It is fantastic. I also learned that the French for "chopsticks" is BAGUETTES. It blew my mind.

So, I have been trying to take different ways home to expand my territory. YesterdayI got out at the Cardinal Lemoine stop and THANK GOD. I wanted bread and I saw a bright pink bakery across the street. I had enough change for a baguette and an eclair. I hadn't had an eclair since I got to France, so I figured, what the hell? OH. MY. GOD. The filling was gooey creamy chocolate (pudding almost), and it was covered in a thick layer of divine dark chocolate frosting. Seriously, it might have been the best thing I've ever eaten. Not only that, but the baguette was perfect. Crispy on the outside, pillowy soft on the inside. I was impressed, so I Googled the bakery. Turns out that they won second place this year in the Grand Prix de la Baguette de Tradition Française de la Ville de Paris. That's impressive when the connoisseurs of baguettes, (a.k.a. Parisiens) vote you number two in the city. I was so proud of myself for my newly found baguette tasting skills. Apparently I know a good baguette when I eat one. It is dangerous that I live so close to this place. They also have some interesting flavors like coconut croissants and pistachio eclairs. It's a good thing I have to climb seven flights of stairs at least once a day.

As an afterthought, on my way home I saw a Frenchmen riding a bike wearing a beret and carrying a baguette in his bike basket. Mental snapshot. :)