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Bring a camera – and a GIGANTIC wad of money that you never want to see again.

Do NOT try to cross the street to get to the Arc! There is a very nice tunnel which goes under this intersection, and if you value your life, it’s the way you’ll take.

If you go up, don’t bother going all the way up. Since Paris is only 6 stories tall thanks to the Baron von Haussman’s redesign, if you go all the way up, everything is flat and uninteresting. The 2nd level is the perfect level to get the best perspective of Paris.

Do NOT go on the tour guide tour of the Louvre and only see the Mona Lisa, the Venus de Milo, and Winged Victory. There is SO MUCH here, it deserves more than 10 minutes of your time.

Try to learn some French. Even just basics. The French are much nicer (very nice, in fact) if you make an attempt to speak their language before banging around their shops shouting commands in English.

Go to Sterling Vineyards. Great wines, beautiful scenery, and a great atmosphere for casual tasting. If you want, ask about reserve tastings, and you’ll be ushered their private tasting room, where a near-overwhelming array of vintages and varietals awaits you. Low pressure, and delicious wines.

Caffe Vita is now my new neighborhood cafe. When I moved here, I was bewildered, thirsty, and had no internet access. Thanks to their delicious roasted-on-the-premises coffee and free wi-fi, they cured me of the last two. I may be bewildered for a long time, however.

Also, if they have them, have the ginger muffin. It’s wonderful.

The last time I went to Bauhaus was last night (and I’ll probably go again tonight, so there may be another “last time” story) – I was there for three or four hours, had many cups of cheap and delicious coffee (generally those things are mutually exclusive, but not at Bauhaus), and saw some of the more interesting things I’ve seen in Seattle. First was the duckload of pirates. A duck, as in, the amphibious tour-bus fleet that goes around Seattle, except it had no top, and in its’ place, a parade-float-like stage, full of pirates singing sea chanties and generally having a good time of it. Shortly after this was the Hale’s Ales bus, a British-style double-decker with a full bar in the lower level – people seemed to be enjoying themselves on this as well. Combine the sights with the people (who are frequently also sights), and Bauhaus is the place to go.