Surf Work Eat Play ... Can we add Pray?

I feel like this is a pretty sufficient way of describing how my trip is going! But with one exception, I would like to add the word 'pray.' If I could add a Christian smiley face to the sign, it would look like this +:o)

My colocatrice (female flatmate), Emilie, has called this trip a holiday; the penance I received in my last confession prior to this trip I was told to enjoy and play and have fun (I will try to go back to that priest again!); the chef at a French restaurant told me to eat as much pastries as possible; my spiritual director had recommended to pray about certain areas while I'm here, and I'm visiting a lot of churches more than I realized I would; while my American tendency is to work and surf.

I definitely feel things are being balanced, or maybe a better way to describe this is that 6 birds are being killed (or at least trying to be) with 1 stone. Exploring and investigating the pâtisserie scene here has been delicious and fun, especially because I enjoy baking and the artistry behind the French pastry. Rest and tourist-mode are an interesting combination. The tourist-mode can keep us from resting because we want to see everything all in one week ... or we have to do or see this when by the time you reach home, you're exhausted and a vacation from the vacation is in need. Being here for longer than usual, however, has allowed me to take my time and to enjoy the museums, gardens, churches, desserts, and neighborhoods that any other time with different circumstances, I might whiz past by. I love where I stay in a quiet part of Grenelle, where when it rains, I can just open up my windows and just write and read in my room. Trying to organize the groundwork for possible workshops or sessions for next year, I also really love. And while some would say that's crazy because I'm in Paris; if you see Christ in your vocation; it is easy to love and to even embrace the difficulties when they come. The project is no exception. Practicing my french is improving, not great ... but not bad either.

Turns out, my flatmate's best friend has an acquaintance he met through mutual friends. This acquaintance's name is Hisashi, and I reached out to him through Facebook. Hisashi left Japan about three years ago to learn how to make pâtisseries; so when I found out he worked in a pâtisserie, I contacted him to see if we could meet and talk about pastries and if he had any tips he could offer an aspiring pâtissier (pastry chef). I am grateful for the tips he gave and the conversation on ingredients, recipes, and motivation.

We spent the day going to a store that sold cooking utensils for professionals, visited the best boulangerie et pâtisserie in the Marais in my guide's eyes, and looked at quality ingredients for pâtisseries at a specialty store.

This may have been one of my favorite days because a wealth of knowledge was just being given, and he had recommended books from those who had helped him learn how to make pâtisseries. Thank you, Hisashi!

I walked home with la Tour Eiffel greeting me: Monday was a good day!