Cheap Art: The Paris Print Shop

($24 by The Paris Print Shop)

Oh look, I've discovered a new favorite Paris art obsession: these illustrations by the husband and wife team at the Paris Print Shop. You might know Nichole Robertson from her blog Little Brown Pen, which is now called Obvious State. LBP was renowned for Robertson's photos of Paris in all its varying color collections. What a nice compliment to her work to see that her husband, Evan, is such a fantastic illustrator/designer.

Museum of Broken Hearts

(photo via France Inter)

Sure, Paris may be known as the city of love and romance and all that crap, but it's not as romantic as you might think, and getting your heart broken is universal. A broken heart is as sure to the human experience as breathing or sleeping. If you've ever laughed, you've had (or will have) your heart broken. Because there's no way to experience joy without pain, nor darkness without light.

The folks at the Museum of Broken Relationships in Zagreb, Croatia know this, and created an entire gallery that houses the artifacts of love lost - teddy bears, love notes, handcuffs. The donation of these objects had many reasons, whether catharsis, exhibitionism, or just for fun - but all were the relics of a relationship ended. Now the museum has taken the show on the road and are now displaying "Le Musée des Coeurs Brisés" (Museum of Broken Hearts) at the Centquatre in Paris.

It's fascinating to browse the seemingly simple objects of the expo (an axe, a wedding dress) and to read the stories tied to each item. What would you donate? I still have a plastic ring my college boyfriend got for me at a gas station toy machine during a road trip. I'd probably donate that.

Museum of Broken Hearts
4-7€
Now through 20 January
104 Centquatre
104 Rue d'Aubervilliers  75019 Paris
Métro: M7 to Riquet

Learning French

Happy New Year, dear readers! Do you do resolutions? I'm not so much about resolving, but more about making goals to work toward. This year, one of mine is to become fluent in French - which means going beyond just dirty words and medieval curses (two areas I'm pretty good in). I want to be comfortable in conversation with fast-speaking Parisians, able to decipher song lyrics, and hopefully, someday, able to read a book in French. My dream is to one day be able to eavesdrop at a party of Frenchies and integrate myself into the conversation (which is difficult for me even in my native language). As I wrote for Girls' Guide to Paris, I've tried many ways to learn this language, some fun and some tedious, but it all boils down to working hard at it. Listening to the radio helps, as does having a French boyfriend. But let's take this one resolution at a time.

Ice Skating in Paris

(photo by Laurence Penne via 500px)

The Hôtel de Ville never fails to amaze me. Not only can you check out wonderful free art and learn about the history of Paris, during the summer you can go to the beach and during the winter you can go ice skating. Starting tomorrow you can take advantage of the majestic setting and free admission to practice your wintry triple axels and, if you're like me, freezing-cold tumbles onto ice. Sure, there are other places to enjoy ice skating in Paris, but this venue is the largest seasonal rink and the only FREE one (plus 5€ to rent skates). There are even free lessons for hockey and dance moves on weekend mornings 10am-noon. Gloves are required, not to mention holiday spirit (which always comes in handy).

Ice Skating at Hôtel de Ville
FREE (and 5€ skate rental)
21st December until 17th March 2013
Noon-10pm during the week, 9am-10pm weekends
Métro: M1, M11 to Hôtel de Ville

Cheap Travel: 19€ to Nice

It's true what they say: Nice is nice. The softer, subtler neighbor of Cannes, Nice is like if Venice and France had a baby and it lived beside the ocean. The old city is full of winding, narrow streets composed of colorful buildings, and the rest of the small city boasts a modern art museum, a beautiful park that overlooks the sea, a beach caressing the Mediterranean and the best pizza I've ever had in France. And right now TGV Europe will whisk you away to Nice for just 19€.

December Expat Blog Hop - With A Music Giveaway!

(photo of my bedroom door courtesy of Stephanie Land)

It's time for another Expat Blog Hop! I love this event as it's a great way to discover more blogs and for me it's an opportunity to get a little personal for once.

Cheap Art: 59 Rivoli

(Jazz Pas Grave at 59 Rivoli)

The artists' squat 59 Rivoli is always hoppin', always creative and always open to the public. Having just passed their 13th anniversary in a building formerly abandoned by Crédit Lynonnais, the now-legal squat is full of studios where artists work (some permanently, some in residence for 3-6 months) and display their art. Passing by the space, prominently situated on rue de Rivoli with massive windows into the gallery, you might find a new exhibition being opened (which happens every two weeks) or a free concert going on (each weekend).

Pro Tip: Free Wi-Fi in Paris

(Why hello, monsieur. Image via Antipodes)

Sure, lots of cafés and stores have wi-fi for you to connect easily and check your email while you're munching on that pain au chocolat. But did you know there's free wi-fi (pronounced wee-fee in French, totally adorable) all over Paris? Think parks, town halls (like the Hôtel de Ville), libraries and museums. If you've ever been out and about in the city and wanted to check your email or flight status, or ever gotten into an argument about which Bill played the president in "Independence Day" (it's Pullman, not Paxton, I promise), or if you've ever been in Jardin du Luxembourg and thought, "This day sure is beautiful but I miss my computer screen," here's how to gain free access from your cellie or laptop, via Paris.fr:

Cheap Paris Art

(Illustration by Aaron Straup Cope via 20x200)

If you can't come to Paris, keep Paris close to you. I know most of my readers are travelers or travel dreamers, not full-on expats, and Paris is one of those places that just stays with you, whether you've been there or not, whether you're planning to go or remembering the time you spent there. A professional photo or piece of art illustrating Paris is a beautiful way to keep your heart lit by the City of Light, no matter where you are geographically (not to mention it makes a great holiday gift). Here are a few of my favorites I've spotted recently:

Pro Tip: Coffee For 1€ Or Less!

One of the greatest pleasures of Paris is sitting at a café, uninterrupted for hours, watching people go by for the price of a cup of coffee. I must admit it's my favorite Paris activity. Yet many Paris visitors balk at the price of a measly (and admittedly, often not gourmet) cuppa joe. Luckily, there's a handy map that's been making the rounds that easily and accurately pinpoints the cheapest places in Paris to get an espresso - namely for 1€ or less.