Lessons from a twinkie: how to be a hostess

 This week we got to play the role of tourists as well as of hosts. Wednesday was Toussaint (All Saints) day which meant Benjin was off work and could explore with us! Best adventure day ever!! We took our nifty new passes down to Sainte Chappelle and the Conciergerie. Once again, we got to skip the huge line and felt super elite. We loved the gorgeous stained glass in the chapel and explained to Gideon that stained glass stories were basically the comic books of the Middle Ages. We also enjoyed exploring the Conciergerie and learning all about the old medieval castle with its epic black marble table and gigantic fireplaces. We got to explore the areas that were used as dungeons and learn about the role it played during the French Revolution including housing Marie Antoinnette. I think the Conciergerie is one of the best places to touch on almost all of French History in one spot.

From there we went to the Père Lachaise Cemetery, which felt like an appropriate way to celebrate this day of the dead holiday. The lightly falling leaves, warm sunshine and quaint little pathways through the burial plots made it a delightful place to walk and explore. We were surprised how much effort and money people put into their family sepulchers (especially when, at this point, they are mostly falling apart). It was a good reminder that no family can last forever without the saving power of Jesus Christ.

Wednesday night my old roommate from BYU, Alysa, flew in from Finland. It was incredibly fun to catch up and to show her around Paris. Thursday, we actually took her back to Sainte Chappelle and the Coniergerie (that’s how much we loved them!) Friday, we experienced the craziness of Metro line 1 closing down and having to squeeze (and I mean squeeze) onto a bus with a crazy bus driver. But, eventually we made it to the Arc de Triumph and then hung out at the playground below the Eiffel Tower while she climbed. I then took the boys home to hang out with Benjin while Alysa and I went to free night at the Louvre. As you might imagine, the line was HUGE, but I cannot think of a more idealistic place to stand around waiting to get inside. Once inside, my highlights were the winged victory (always a favorite of mine) and the random French man who gave us an I-spy challenge in the American/British painting section.   

Saturday, we braved the rain and took a train down to Versailles. We got to explore the massive gardens as well as the impressive castle. Versailles is truly remarkable, but I have to say that by the end I find it visually overwhelming. There is just so much!! So many rooms. So much gold. So many people. So much furniture. So many colors. More and More and More! By the end we were ready to go and make our way to a quiet boulangerie for a couple patisseries to share.  

On Sunday we went to church and then spent the afternoon on a lovely relaxing walk around our local Chateaux Vincennes. Monday morning real life struck. Alysa had to leave for the airport, Benjin for work and Gideon had to once again head back to school. The past two weeks have gone by WAY too fast. All of a sudden it was back to just Pierce and I doing laundry and walking to the grocery store.  

The role of host is an interesting one. It feels a little bit like setting someone up on a date. You try to do all you can so that the first impression is positive. With limited time, you want to offer them exposure to all the other has to offer. But how?

I love Paris. I want everyone to love Paris.

But, what is it that makes Paris so charming? How can I best capture that and serve it up? Will people best fall in love with a city by taking selfies near the monuments or eating the local food or simply by walking the streets? I am still trying to figure it out… because I do think that Paris, in particular, does not shine as well at the typical tourist warp-speed. Some of Paris’ best qualities can only be admired by taking the time to smell the melting butter wafting up the streets in the morning or by walking around a lesser-known chateau, watching a boules match or puddle jumping in the park. Sadly, I think the fear of “wanting to maximize our time” in a place sometimes ends up with us missing the very things that that place does well. I recognize that not everyone has the luxury of getting to spend a year in Paris. But, I hope I can put in enough reps as a host to help a couple more people love this place the way we do.

Bisous,

La Famille Facer

P.S. Halloween was surprisingly fabulous. I have been preparing Gideon for months that France doesn’t do Halloween, but in the end, they had some great activities. We went to the Zoo where kids came dressed up and enjoyed the festive decorations, animals eating pumpkins, activities, etc. My favorite part was the people walking around on stilts dressed up as centaurs, lady bugs and penguins. Then, in the evening the school district organized a trick or treating activity. Here in France, it is hard to go trick or treating because everyone lives in apartment buildings which require codes to get in. So, the school PTO group invited anyone who wanted to, to send their address and apartment code. They then prepared maps of where you could go get candy. We met up at the school and divided into teams and then set out in search of the bon bons! It was fantastic. At the school, Gideon saw two friends from his class, so we made a little group with them and set out walking around the neighborhood following our treasure map. Some doors would reveal a lone bowl of candy while others had dads fully masked up to scare the kids. Gideon (and Pierce) were in LOVE and Benjin and I loved having the chance to get to know some of the kids/parents in Gideon’s class. It was such a great way to build community.