22 April: This Looks to be the Happening Place
I overheard that as we passed another American couple as they stood, guidebook in hand, on the sidewalk near our apartment. We were on our way to get a start on our day (rather late, but hey--this is a honeymoon), heading to my favorite cafe in the Latin Quarter. It's on the busy street of St. Michel Boulvard, right at the corner of the entrance into the Quarter and near a Metro stop, so it's great for people watching.

The thin cobblestone streets always seem to be full of people, no matter the time of day. The Latin Quarter doesn't so much have any particular sights that bring people to the area, as much as it has an abundance of affordable restaurants and a panoply of cuisine. With the Sorbonne close by, it's very much a student hang-out as well as a beacon for budget-minded travellers. Just outside our door we have a typical bistro on one side and a Greek restaurant on the other. (Thankfully, we also have a small convenience-style/sized supermarket right next door for staples such as toilet paper and champagne.) You'll find more bistro-style restaurants as well as Japanese, Italian, Indian, Lebanese, and, of course, several falafel and gyro shops.

When we were first contracting with our landlords, Claude and Viollaine, for an apartment, we originally selected a place at 22 Rue St. Severin. (We later found out it's a noteworthy tourist stop--it's the thinnest apartement building in Paris--but perhaps the allure of tourists photographing the building would get old after awhile. That, and probably the overly svelte abode.) They talked us out of it as the apartment faced onto the street, warning us that the bustling nightlife could go on rather loudly for awhile, affecting light sleepers (that would be me). So we agreed to take up residence at 14 Rue St. Severin, just a few doors down, where the apartment is in the back overlooking the courtyard.

I'm very glad we did--La Traviata is absolutely wonderful. Too bad we're not spending much time in it.