DAY 16: Free Willy!

This just in:

 SeaWorld is coming to Bozeman! On June 1st, come to the Bozeman airport to see the phenominal trick whale "Wet" escorted out of the cargo compartment on a gurney! Buy tickets in advance, one day only!

I told my mother she may need to purchase an extra plane ticket home for my left "cheek." I'm not sure if I've made myself clear... the food here is RIDICULOUS. Self-control is sucks.

I cleaned up the flat for Mr. Michael to arrive and decided to walk up and down EVERY street in St. Germain. Well try anyway. I found some great shops and restaurants- great little alley passages that don't have names, but are lined with crepe stands and mini brasseries... passed the "Breakfast Club"- high school girls in hooker pumps with fur jackets smoking cigs and drinking espresso while gossiping about the latest Gossip Girl (I assume). I wanted in, but it was members only- you had to have at least 3 inch heels on.  Forget Hong Kong... I'd be the shining star in the remake: "Godzilla Does Paris." Babies would cry, french twigs would flail and grown men would cower. Wait? Men do that around me already...

 I found a cheap Japanese place called the Sushi Shop- for 11 euros you get a full lunch- bowl of miso, cabbage salad and 3 sushi rolls. I couldn't finish, it was so much food- killer deal. I later stumbled into the Musee du Rodin. It was like a secret garden for adults. "The Thinker" was astounding, and the "Doors of Hell" detailing up close was very impressive (I saw a casting of the doors in d'Orsay). I'm sure the garden is romantically enchanting in the springtime. I love his obsession with hands- the gallery had all of his work, some pieces started and never finished, but he loved to study le paw.

I came back to the flat and found a grizzly bear sleeping, turned the lights on and realized it was Michael. That jet lag is a real drag. I gave him another hour, then pounced on him to go play. We took the Metro to the Bastille and walked around Place des Vosges and found a great wine bar called Le Bourbon Rouge in the Marais area- standing room only. Sampled a few verres de blancs, asked for some dinner recommendations and worked our way through some back passages and found stellar spot with live music. We shared a bottle of Olivier Cousins Cab. Franc and fois gras sauteed with onions, sweet red peppers, egg and panchetta- yum. I ordered mussels and he the duck confit- the blue ribbon of the evening were the pommes- baby potatoes, roasted to perfection. I have to say it wasn't the MOST impressive meal thus far, both a little overcooked/dry, but we still had a blast. Of course we had to try the tiramisu (I'm convinced one of my many missions in life is to find the best tiramisu in the world- La Familia in Helsinki still takes the cake, but David Wheeler's at Plonk is a close second) and we finale'd with cappuccinos.

It is SO great to have a friend here to explore and chat with. I feel like I've been talking non-stop (he probably wants me to put a sock in it)... I've learned so much about metros, food, toilets and vocabulary in just a week. Who says you need to be in a classroom to learn. The WORLD is my classroom!

We made a plan to run in the morning... don't you dare take bets on whether it will happen or not- I need a swift kick in the booty to get back on track- literally! Especially with my latest consumption habits.  I don't think there's enough room for "Wet" the whale back in Bozeman...

To the Louve manana!  Peace and hair grease...