Last week I was freaking out just a little bit about the apartment hunt. I was getting very few responses, and when I did, it was invariably no.

This week has been going a bit better. I’m getting responses, and there seems to be a bit more openness. I had viewings of two lovely apartments in the 14th arrondissement yesterday and today. Which is incidentally where the Republique des Hyper Voisins (the Republic of Super Neighbors) is located. It would be super cool to be able to take part in that!

At the place I visited today, the woman who showed me the apartment, her grandfather had actually built the building and had a sculpture studio there and also served as mayor of the 14th arrondissement. And it was a beautiful building. Amazing history!

Tomorrow I have two viewings scheduled, one in the 10th and one in the 12th, both near the Canal Saint-Martin. And then on Wednesday I have a viewing at an apartment on boulevard Voltaire in the 11th. So I’m hoping that one of them will work out.

Yesterday I walked up to the Parc des Buttes Chaumont and had lunch at a place called Rosa Bonheur, which translates more or less as Pink Happiness, but which is actually named after a French painter from the 19th century. I had brought a sandwich from the bakery near my apartment, thinking that it was okay to bring your own food. It was only at the end of my lunch that I noticed the pink sign in the window that said, “Picnicking forbidden!” But fortunately no one had called me out on it. 😊

Foodwise I’ve been working on cleaning out the fridge. I have finally come to the end of the week of chanterelles, last night with a Frenchish take on the Italian eggs in purgatory, which is eggs poached in a mushroom and tomato sauce, and tonight pork tenderloin in a chanterelle cream sauce and carrots sauteed with leeks.

There are several super cute little hole-in-the-wall produce shops in the neighborhood I’m staying in, and I’ve been just jonesing to go in and buy some stuff. But I’ve been holding off until I finish the stuff I’ve got. Now that I’ve finished off the chanterelles, I just have shallots and carrots and part of a leek. Nothing terribly perishable. So I think I can venture into the local produce shops and get some stuff. Can’t wait!

And then my friend Kyle mentioned he was making chicken liver pate yesterday. So jealous! I’m so looking forward to having a real kitchen to be able to make pates and gratins and tartes and stuff!