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 A couple of weeks ago my computer died. It just went and took everything I had in it, with it. Thank God for key cards and external hard drives.
Last week, I accidentally shrank six shirts in my new washing machine/dryer combo. I knew it sounded risky when the salesperson at Darty explained how wonderfully this one appliance could fit into my small kitchen space. I was right. Whoever heard of one machine that does washing and drying? It just sounds weird.
Yesterday, while trying to close the shutters, I broke a window and
now I?m crying over the ?250 the Monsieur walked away with while
whistling this morning.
I asked myself: What does it all mean? And that little voice inside my head responded:
Don?t worry, it?s just the stress of la rentrée?a horribly
busy time when everyone is forced to go back to work, school or to
whatever it was they were doing before they took off for a month or
two, headed to sunny beaches and the like.
Ahhhhhhh.
Now, I?ve been here for years but this year seems to be particularly
hard. With images of hurricanes still haunting my sleep, and everything
else that?s going on in the world, it?s no wonder. There is just
something annoying about forced vacation slots and forced return. Why
does August have to rule everything? And September? In short, it
stinks!
I figure I am not alone.
If you are cursing in traffic, biting your lip at the boulangerie because the dear old lady in front of you with her dog and cart are taking up too much time in the line, don?t worry, it?s normale.
That new shirt you burnt a hole in last week wasn't really that cute,
or just pretend it wasn?t...and that co-worker who insists on getting
on your nerves? Well, he really isn?t trying to. Normally, say June or
especially July, you?d be able to deal with such annoying things, and
luckily, la rentrée blues only lasts until about October-around the time when there?s another school vacation, oddly enough?
Until that blessed vacation period, there are some ways in which you
can cure yourself of la rentrée blues. Why not do it with some good old
fashioned self-indulging? Yes? OK. Now we?re talking. Here are a few of
my personal favourites--the places that have been contributing to my
sanity this month.
First up?
STARBUCKS. Why oh why did they ever build one close to my place
of habitation? They wanted me to frequent their establishment, that?s
why. It?s interesting to note that when I lived in Manhattan where
there are two and three on every city block, I rarely got my coffee
there. But here, in Paris, Starbucks has become one of my rentrée
saviours. It?s a little piece of home. It?s a great place to sit and
write and think? and complain about your co-workers if complain you
must.
By the way, try the Caramel Macchiato. I?ve been addicted since
2003. One word of caution, I didn?t use that word addictive for
nothing. ?4.30 a day x seven days?You can see where this is going?
Next?
Les Printemps and Galeries Lafayette. These are great places to
shop in Paris. If you can't find shoes there, you don't really want
shoes. You're basically getting everything you could need or want in
one location. Right next door you?ll find H&M. I don't care if they
did drop uber model Kate Moss, they're still OK with me. Great clothes
and great bargains.
Now you?ve had your coffee and you?ve got your new gear. How about
having dinner in an interesting do-it-yourself style IKEA-like
restaurant? My friend Juliet (the Pariswoman) introduced me to JIPANQUE (96 rue la Boétie Paris, 8th. Tel. 01.45.63.77.00).
It?s Japanese and Sushi isn?t the only thing on the menu. If you get
beef or shrimp, the fun thing is cooking it yourself in the middle of
your table. I did say that: You cook it yourself. As I?m the type of
girl who has to eat her food well done, it was perfect. I enjoyed just
leaving it on the grill for as long as I wanted to, and not having to
worry about sending it back to be re-cooked.
The Louvre Museum. I know, you?ve been a hundred times and you?ve even taken the Da Vinci Code Tour, but have you really toured it? Or just the Mona Lisa?
OK. So I cannot list all the places I?ve hung out this past month due
to space concerns (am I already over?) but what I?m trying to tell you
is this: Go out. Do something. There are thousands of places in Paris.
Pick up Pariscope and find yourself a new restaurant, a new art
exhibition, a Starbucks near you, and you?ll certainly feel better.
Don?t forget to include a friend, because chances are they?re
experiencing the blues as well, especially if he or she is new to
Paris. And remember, October is just around the corner.
Questions for our readers: How do you feel about la rentrée or the back
to school period in France? How is it different from where you?re from?
What are you doing to survive it?
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Life 
