Painting the town

I'm in the middle of a big happening day (and night) right now. This afternoon, the 7e arrondissement, where I live, hosted a festival sponsored by the local shopowner's union. There were free tours of museums, cheese, wine and chocolate tastings, poetry readings, fashion shows, and free rides in horse-drawn carriages. Yasmine and I, having returned from a shopping expedition to a bargain department store, tried to get into the Assemble Nationale for a tour, but it was full. Instead we went to a free exhibit at the Hotel de Ville of the cartoonist and political commentator Cabu's work. In his sketchy style, he traces the trends that Paris has followed over the last forty years, from jazz to gentrification to Japanese tourists. He's very good. Afterwards, we caught a ride in a caleche (horse-drawn carriage), and were lucky enough to have a 45-minute ride before they realized they needed to shorten the route. It was amazing- a jaunt in a 19th-century carriage in 21st-century Paris, on a beautiful day, with good company and lots of kids waving to us from the sidewalk. We walked around a ton and stopped in shops, eventually pausing in an American cafe called the Real McCoy, where everyone ordered in English. It was strange- they had all these typically American junk food products lining the walls. When I stepped out into the street again, I returned from Middle America to Paris.

Tonight is the Nuit Blanche- all museums, swimming pools, and art-house movie theaters are free and open all night, and the metro is free. I might stay out all night. There are also free concerts and art shows all over the city. I'm about to go out... I hope it's good! It's amazing how happening this city is, and so many people turn out for events.