Zut alors!

As usual, I've waited until the last minute to plan. I bought my ticket back in February, for an unprecedented $600, forwarded the itinerary to a few people, bragged about the imminent crossing off of #1 on my list, and then did absolutely nothing else about it. That's just how I roll.

I've been wanting to go to Paris since, well, ALWAYS. And all things serendipitous lined up to make 2009 the year to do it: my adventurous Bossy Cousin is living there for the year and the Army Brat, who is currently working for NATO in the Netherlands, will need a new nickname as of December 1, when she gets out of the Army and moves back stateside. Once the offers and contracts were in for the 2009-10 season (more to come on that soon—I think it deserves its own post), it became clear that the only window in which I could travel was end of May–beginning of June. And then there was the gloriously cheap ticket price, and before you could say "Ooo la la" it was booked and happening!

But hélas, I have yet to do even a speck of planning for it. I have been attempting to find a place to stay, without much success. And other than wandering around with my camera, eating copious amounts of cheese, and finding the perfect beret, I don't know what I'll be doing in Paris.

Here's where you come in, chères readers. What do you love in Paris? Where are your favorite spots and secret hideaways? How would you spend your 8 days if you had them?

And if you happen to own a vacant apartment in Paris, feel free to share that with me as well, obvs.