Today was a very good day flat hunting. I saw 6 places and liked all of them. While the last 2 weren't my favorite, I wouldn't be miserable in them. This is a huge improvement over my search 2 weeks ago where I wasn't crazy about all 7 the relo agent and I saw.
Anyway, I am now trying to choose between two - ave de Suffren and rue Edmond Valentin (photos of all posted on Flickr).
Suffren is classic French with its floor-to-ceiling window/doors in the living and dining room - which are connected but separated by wood/glass doors (ok I have ZERO knowledge of architecture terms). Great crown molding on top of walls/ceiling. Fireplaces in each room. Juliette balcony off both, I think I could squeeze my camping chair there. Good closet space in the hallway (typical). Nice kitchen (I'd have to supply all appliances except cook top). 1 bedroom decent size. Other bedroom would be good for a twin bed. 1 bathroom w/ an EU tub (i.e. shower head isn't up above, but just is handheld) and the other bathroom has a square shower. All stuff in bathroom and kitchen new. There is a courtyard area in the entry where you can store bicycles (unusal to have such space in Paris evidently). I would have to buy all indow hardware and drapes, and there are just lightbulbs hanging from ceiling so it'd be Ikea time for me. It's 5th floor and south facing, so daylight. It's on a pretty major street, but quiet up that high.
Valentin is super modern. It is 6th floor "loft" - super high ceilings with skylights (that actually can open via remote control). It has a "US kitchen" which means it is open to the joint living/dining area. (All other kitchens here are separate rooms w/ doors that close it off.) Off and open to the living/dining area is a tiny area that could have a chair and TV, or a desk. More like a nook, w/o much light. There is a walk-in closet, but more shelf than hanging space. I have zero fashion sense and I still find this appealing. The bedroom is decent sized, but not a rectangle so it was difficult to envision my bed in there. 1 bathroom, off master bed (another toilet is off living area) that has a tub and a shower and is all new. This whole flat is new and no one has ever lived there. If you stand at the living/dining windows are look right, you can see the Eiffel Tower (not my favorite Paris thing). I'd have to get all kitchen appliances, and I'm not crazy about the cabinet layout. It's on a quiet side street between 2 major streets. Very quiet up that high.
I like Suffren because it is more classic French. Valentin's location is closer to church, and to the Seine / Rive Droit. Suffren is just 10m2 larger. I wouldn't have to buy more funiture for Valentin ; but then I wonder if it isn't time I owned more living room furniture than an Ikea chair and footstool and a side table. Suffren is more open in terms of access to air ; while Valentin is super bright, it is due to skylights and windows that are about chest height - i.e. if you're sitting down you don't see out much. And, can you really see me living on a street that has a name close to Valentine? i.e. hearts, love and sentimentality?
Comments / thoughts / suggestions welcome!!! (Remember to check out the photos on Flickr)
Showing posts with label Apartment. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Apartment. Show all posts
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Flat hunting in Paris
Well, today I spent about 8 hours looking at 7 different apartments and setting up a bank account and I really have nothing to show for it.
The bank account is being processed, but I won't have the card or anything until next week; and besides, I don't have any money in the account so it doesn't help me out much now. I just have to figure out how to transfer money from London to Paris without being in London and without having set up any transfer papers with my London bank. Ugh. And of course, the US Government knows everything about me and it was required to sign a W9 form or something so the bank in Paris must report this account of mine to the IRS. Joys.
As for the flats...the first 2 were ok, but both have +/-. I'm not crazy about either of them. Sure, I could choose one of them if I had to, but I think I might exercise my right to go out a 2nd day and look at more flats. I really hate doing that though because I don't like being troublesome or picky or come across as another 'ugly American' expat/tourist.
But, I think I just need to deal with it, too. I don't think I'm going to like apartment in Paris in general for several reasons. (1) the kitchens are all separate rooms, very removed from the rest of the flat - what is it? some holdover from when people had servants or when the woman was in the kitchen and that was it? (2) closets - why are they all in the hallways and why are they all ginormously tall? I will need to have about 8 step stools in whatever flat I choose! (3) Paris is just compact so everything is near some busy place and lots of people, which I really don't like.
It was difficult to get a good feel for anything today really since almost all of them were being renovated and completely redone - so there were dropcloths, torn out bathrooms, etc. It was hard to tell what would be put in and what would be left out (i.e. some included a dishwasher, but no fridge).
Anyway, it's late. I should sleep on it and figure it out tomorrow.
The bank account is being processed, but I won't have the card or anything until next week; and besides, I don't have any money in the account so it doesn't help me out much now. I just have to figure out how to transfer money from London to Paris without being in London and without having set up any transfer papers with my London bank. Ugh. And of course, the US Government knows everything about me and it was required to sign a W9 form or something so the bank in Paris must report this account of mine to the IRS. Joys.
As for the flats...the first 2 were ok, but both have +/-. I'm not crazy about either of them. Sure, I could choose one of them if I had to, but I think I might exercise my right to go out a 2nd day and look at more flats. I really hate doing that though because I don't like being troublesome or picky or come across as another 'ugly American' expat/tourist.
But, I think I just need to deal with it, too. I don't think I'm going to like apartment in Paris in general for several reasons. (1) the kitchens are all separate rooms, very removed from the rest of the flat - what is it? some holdover from when people had servants or when the woman was in the kitchen and that was it? (2) closets - why are they all in the hallways and why are they all ginormously tall? I will need to have about 8 step stools in whatever flat I choose! (3) Paris is just compact so everything is near some busy place and lots of people, which I really don't like.
It was difficult to get a good feel for anything today really since almost all of them were being renovated and completely redone - so there were dropcloths, torn out bathrooms, etc. It was hard to tell what would be put in and what would be left out (i.e. some included a dishwasher, but no fridge).
Anyway, it's late. I should sleep on it and figure it out tomorrow.
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Cooking
Ok, no laughing, I for some unknown odd reason, have had the urge to cook rather than consume my normal grilled cheese or bowl of cereal for dinner. And I've learned my lesson.
If a recipe ever calls for anything “stuffed”, ignore it. I should’ve learned my lesson 15 years ago when I used to make spinach/ricotta manicotti. While they taste great, it’s about the messiest food prep ever. But, obviously memory fades over time, hence I tried a recipe for spinach/goat cheese stuffed chicken. Tasted ok (well, rather bland) and was extremely messy and somewhat difficult stuffing those breasts. And, they didn’t taste nearly as good as when my friend Betsy would make random stuffed chicken entrees without a recipe – just from the depths of her amazing cooking brain.
And, why is it people freak out if raw chicken is around but not raw beef or pork? What is it with chickens that makes salmonella (or whatever it is) a risk, but you can touch other raw meat without having to rush to the sink at the first blush of contact?
If a recipe ever calls for anything “stuffed”, ignore it. I should’ve learned my lesson 15 years ago when I used to make spinach/ricotta manicotti. While they taste great, it’s about the messiest food prep ever. But, obviously memory fades over time, hence I tried a recipe for spinach/goat cheese stuffed chicken. Tasted ok (well, rather bland) and was extremely messy and somewhat difficult stuffing those breasts. And, they didn’t taste nearly as good as when my friend Betsy would make random stuffed chicken entrees without a recipe – just from the depths of her amazing cooking brain.
And, why is it people freak out if raw chicken is around but not raw beef or pork? What is it with chickens that makes salmonella (or whatever it is) a risk, but you can touch other raw meat without having to rush to the sink at the first blush of contact?
Friday, August 8, 2008
Breathe In, Breathe Out, Move On
I am soooo happy - one of the two camping chairs I ordered came today! It is the kind that you can fold up and carry with you, complete with head rest, extended foot rest, and cup holder. Now, I can actually sit outside on my patio and relax. And that is just what I have been doing tonight. I have a feeling my remaining months in London will be spent this way!
Sure, it helps that I am reading The Road by Cormac McCarthy. What a phenomenally amazing book. Its so well written, poignant, thought provoking…I wish I weren’t reading it so quickly so I could actually digest the larger issues, morality, consequences, etc. But the writing and story are just so good, I can barely put it down. I’m on page 200 and I just started reading it last night!
It just feels so good to sit and relax. I am in a bit of a funk right now with regard to work - just finding it difficult to be 200% motivated all the time. With all the merger stuff, trying to figure out who's moving when, who's responsible for what, who reports to whom, who has what title, when responsibilities are supposed to transfer, what IT platforms we're using, piecing together what someone heard from someone else that someone else was thinking about doing something or heard something...it's all a bit much. Things keep changing so quickly that when I think I have some of it figured out, the paradigm shifts again.
For tonight I'll just breathe in, breathe out, move on and sit and relax in my chair.
Sure, it helps that I am reading The Road by Cormac McCarthy. What a phenomenally amazing book. Its so well written, poignant, thought provoking…I wish I weren’t reading it so quickly so I could actually digest the larger issues, morality, consequences, etc. But the writing and story are just so good, I can barely put it down. I’m on page 200 and I just started reading it last night!
It just feels so good to sit and relax. I am in a bit of a funk right now with regard to work - just finding it difficult to be 200% motivated all the time. With all the merger stuff, trying to figure out who's moving when, who's responsible for what, who reports to whom, who has what title, when responsibilities are supposed to transfer, what IT platforms we're using, piecing together what someone heard from someone else that someone else was thinking about doing something or heard something...it's all a bit much. Things keep changing so quickly that when I think I have some of it figured out, the paradigm shifts again.
For tonight I'll just breathe in, breathe out, move on and sit and relax in my chair.
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Laundry
Why is doing laundry in other countries always so complicated? When discussing laundry, I’m always reminded of Seinfeld’s stand-up piece about clothing (dry-cleaning) on “I’m Telling You for the Last Time”. He basically says that the “dry clean only” label in clothes is “the only warning label human beings do respect.” … ‘Cigarettes – it’ll give you cancer, emphysema, definitely kill you, babies, everything – screw it, I’ll do whatever the hell I want! Don’t take this medicine and operate heavy machine – who cares, glug glug glug, that’s for beginners…I’ve been working on this job for twenty years! But, try to put something with a dry-clean only label in the washing machine and people yell “are you crazy, are you out of your mind?!’
When I was staying with Gwen my first month here, she told me exactly what settings to use on her washer, so everything was fine. However, when left to my own devices in my own flat with my washer, which is slightly different from hers, things were not so simple. At least I was smart enough to begin with a “test load” of just socks, underwear, and a pair of jeans. But really, does laundry need to wash and spin for 2h40m? And does it need to be at 65°C?
I have been doing my own laundry for 13 years now and all my clothes have always been the same color, shape and size coming out of the machine as they were when I put them in – even when I was in the Netherlands, Geneva, and China. But these poor socks and underwear are all a nice shade of either pink or grey. Blasted one pair of red socks that I’ve washed several times before with no issue, decided to spread their color to their friends.
I finally got up the courage to do another load of laundry, after spending quite some time studying the one page chart of the different wash settings (there are about 10-15 of them, with options for the spin cycle, pre-wash, delay wash, etc.) This time, I figured I’d play it safe and only wash things that were pure white. Success! Actually, more than success – my whites have never been so white. Maybe there is hope for my foiled first load – perhaps those socks will once again be white? Here’s hoping… A few loads later, I seem to have the hang of it, at least I think I do. The black and dark navy clothes I washed last night came out still being black and dark navy (not grey or some lighter variation) and in the same size and shape.
The secret – I discovered the “handwash” cycle which is the ONLY coldwater wash cycle out of the 10+ options. (And, it’s the shortest – at a quick 1h03m wash/spin.) I’m not entirely sure how effective this “handwash” cycle is as the clothes don’t seem to be moved around much in there, meaning not rotated in the bin. Rather, they just seem to sit there and soak and rotate occasionally over the hour. Granted, all the soap is gone, so that must count for something. I figure if I smell, someone will tell me. But not on the Tube as it seems 7 out of 10 people smell on there, or have horrible breath, or some terrible combination.
Lastly (as I’m sure you cannot believe that I’ve already devoted five paragraphs to laundry), this machine is a small ‘one stop shop’ machine for washing and drying. The ‘regular’ size load that fits inside is about the US equivalent of a medium-small load. And the drying is not really drying but just a fan that blows air / sucks out the moisture, basically steaming the clothes. I just air dry everything. I think most people always have clothes lying about on drying racks, over railings, etc. You’re basically always doing laundry since the load sizes are so small, and due to the temperamental nature of the different wash cycles, you want to be sure you’ve separated your clothes appropriately. No wonder the majority of the women in the office wear all black – makes laundry much simpler.
When I was staying with Gwen my first month here, she told me exactly what settings to use on her washer, so everything was fine. However, when left to my own devices in my own flat with my washer, which is slightly different from hers, things were not so simple. At least I was smart enough to begin with a “test load” of just socks, underwear, and a pair of jeans. But really, does laundry need to wash and spin for 2h40m? And does it need to be at 65°C?
I have been doing my own laundry for 13 years now and all my clothes have always been the same color, shape and size coming out of the machine as they were when I put them in – even when I was in the Netherlands, Geneva, and China. But these poor socks and underwear are all a nice shade of either pink or grey. Blasted one pair of red socks that I’ve washed several times before with no issue, decided to spread their color to their friends.
I finally got up the courage to do another load of laundry, after spending quite some time studying the one page chart of the different wash settings (there are about 10-15 of them, with options for the spin cycle, pre-wash, delay wash, etc.) This time, I figured I’d play it safe and only wash things that were pure white. Success! Actually, more than success – my whites have never been so white. Maybe there is hope for my foiled first load – perhaps those socks will once again be white? Here’s hoping… A few loads later, I seem to have the hang of it, at least I think I do. The black and dark navy clothes I washed last night came out still being black and dark navy (not grey or some lighter variation) and in the same size and shape.
The secret – I discovered the “handwash” cycle which is the ONLY coldwater wash cycle out of the 10+ options. (And, it’s the shortest – at a quick 1h03m wash/spin.) I’m not entirely sure how effective this “handwash” cycle is as the clothes don’t seem to be moved around much in there, meaning not rotated in the bin. Rather, they just seem to sit there and soak and rotate occasionally over the hour. Granted, all the soap is gone, so that must count for something. I figure if I smell, someone will tell me. But not on the Tube as it seems 7 out of 10 people smell on there, or have horrible breath, or some terrible combination.
Lastly (as I’m sure you cannot believe that I’ve already devoted five paragraphs to laundry), this machine is a small ‘one stop shop’ machine for washing and drying. The ‘regular’ size load that fits inside is about the US equivalent of a medium-small load. And the drying is not really drying but just a fan that blows air / sucks out the moisture, basically steaming the clothes. I just air dry everything. I think most people always have clothes lying about on drying racks, over railings, etc. You’re basically always doing laundry since the load sizes are so small, and due to the temperamental nature of the different wash cycles, you want to be sure you’ve separated your clothes appropriately. No wonder the majority of the women in the office wear all black – makes laundry much simpler.
Monday, June 16, 2008
Capitalism
One really cool thing about where I live is that I am on the other side of Greenwich Mean Line. I don’t know my specific ‘coordinates’, but if you look at a map, I am just East of the line. Cool.
I am all settled in to my place now. Saturday, Jane, Joe, Marissa and I went to Tesco to buy all my ‘settling in’ things. Jane rented a car for the weekend and Marissa needed some more things, too. I got all sorts of electronic stuff – George Foreman (yippee!), stereo, clock/radio, landline phone, fans, lamps, etc. We were a “three cart family” going through this giant store. It was a lot of fun just going up and down the aisles and marveling at all the random things there are – a mango slicer? Is that necessary?
Funny with this store – it was east of where I live and in a strip mall. Could’ve been in America. Sure, Londoners might like to claim they like the independent stores, quaint things, etc. But this 24-hour Tesco was packed. People everywhere. You would’ve thought a major storm was coming through!
Joe had the TV of a former employee at his place, so he brought that and hooked up it and the DVD player. Unbelievable that I am now the owner of so much technology! The DVD player is set to play ‘multi-regions’ so my US DVDs will play here – whew! What would I do if not able to watch Star Wars, Fever Pitch, or Pride and Prejudice (BBC version of course!)?
The kitchen, I find, is the most confusing part of moving to any new place. How does the dishwasher work? The washing machine? The stove top? The oven? In the effort to make things ‘universal’ by having just pictures/icons on the knobs and dials, it has become more confusing. Even with the giant binder of user manuals that was left in the flat it is difficult.
And, I think the kitchen is the hardest room to get to fit ones needs. Unless you completely redo your own kitchen, things will never be right. For instance, here, the cabinets are tall so I need a step ladder if I want to reach the back of the second shelf (ok, it might be normal for the rest of the world, but I’m short!). This place doesn’t have any wide drawers, so I have to put my silverware organizer on the counter (taking up space)
But, I think moving around from place to place is good – it helps one to know what one wants / doesn’t want in a future home purchase.
Another oddity I’ve seen here is that there is limited to no closet space. The ‘wardrobe’ is a big hit. I’m not a fan – I want a closet where I can have lots of space and toss things I don’t know what to do with.
I am all settled in to my place now. Saturday, Jane, Joe, Marissa and I went to Tesco to buy all my ‘settling in’ things. Jane rented a car for the weekend and Marissa needed some more things, too. I got all sorts of electronic stuff – George Foreman (yippee!), stereo, clock/radio, landline phone, fans, lamps, etc. We were a “three cart family” going through this giant store. It was a lot of fun just going up and down the aisles and marveling at all the random things there are – a mango slicer? Is that necessary?
Funny with this store – it was east of where I live and in a strip mall. Could’ve been in America. Sure, Londoners might like to claim they like the independent stores, quaint things, etc. But this 24-hour Tesco was packed. People everywhere. You would’ve thought a major storm was coming through!
Joe had the TV of a former employee at his place, so he brought that and hooked up it and the DVD player. Unbelievable that I am now the owner of so much technology! The DVD player is set to play ‘multi-regions’ so my US DVDs will play here – whew! What would I do if not able to watch Star Wars, Fever Pitch, or Pride and Prejudice (BBC version of course!)?
The kitchen, I find, is the most confusing part of moving to any new place. How does the dishwasher work? The washing machine? The stove top? The oven? In the effort to make things ‘universal’ by having just pictures/icons on the knobs and dials, it has become more confusing. Even with the giant binder of user manuals that was left in the flat it is difficult.
And, I think the kitchen is the hardest room to get to fit ones needs. Unless you completely redo your own kitchen, things will never be right. For instance, here, the cabinets are tall so I need a step ladder if I want to reach the back of the second shelf (ok, it might be normal for the rest of the world, but I’m short!). This place doesn’t have any wide drawers, so I have to put my silverware organizer on the counter (taking up space)
But, I think moving around from place to place is good – it helps one to know what one wants / doesn’t want in a future home purchase.
Another oddity I’ve seen here is that there is limited to no closet space. The ‘wardrobe’ is a big hit. I’m not a fan – I want a closet where I can have lots of space and toss things I don’t know what to do with.
Friday, June 6, 2008
I Have Found Me A Home
WooHoo! The movers from Rossway Transport delivered my stuff yesterday and tonight will be my first night in my new place. Only two guys came to unload everything, but it still went relatively quickly. At least this time there was an elevator to use. (They poor men from Bolliger who moved me out of Boston had to deal with the 4th floor walk-up I was in!) I was very impressed with the Bolliger service – nothing broke and everything made it; but, my carbon footprint increased three-fold in size from moving due to the amount of packing material, boxes and tape they used.
It will be nice to be in my own place and space, even though staying at Gwen’s has been great. However, I think I have watched more TV the past five weeks than I have in the past five years! Gwen’s has the super cable package so we’d watch Simpsons reruns, CSI reruns (my choice), Extreme Makeover Home Edition (Gwen’s choice), and movies. I only have a phone line activated right now (but no phone) and I need to get the full TV/broadband/phone setup done. Yes, I will actually have a TV since my colleagues got me one; plus, it’s cheaper to get the trifecta of services, and I need the phone to call the States, and the broadband for, well, connection to the world, so it makes sense to have TV. Besides, if I watch British TV, it’s a cultural study, not entertainment, right?
Everything is unpacked and just tossed everywhere. I have some semblance of order (i.e. kitchen stuff is in kitchen area), but that’s about it. Most importantly, I got my bed made and my Snoopy’s unpacked (only 2 of them came with me). Now, if I could just figure out how to get the hot water turned on…
It will be nice to be in my own place and space, even though staying at Gwen’s has been great. However, I think I have watched more TV the past five weeks than I have in the past five years! Gwen’s has the super cable package so we’d watch Simpsons reruns, CSI reruns (my choice), Extreme Makeover Home Edition (Gwen’s choice), and movies. I only have a phone line activated right now (but no phone) and I need to get the full TV/broadband/phone setup done. Yes, I will actually have a TV since my colleagues got me one; plus, it’s cheaper to get the trifecta of services, and I need the phone to call the States, and the broadband for, well, connection to the world, so it makes sense to have TV. Besides, if I watch British TV, it’s a cultural study, not entertainment, right?
Everything is unpacked and just tossed everywhere. I have some semblance of order (i.e. kitchen stuff is in kitchen area), but that’s about it. Most importantly, I got my bed made and my Snoopy’s unpacked (only 2 of them came with me). Now, if I could just figure out how to get the hot water turned on…
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
I Have Found Me A Home
I finally signed for an apartment! I did this last Thursday after work. I originally went to look at1 bedroom flats in the area the previous Saturday, then looked at places in the West Hampstead / Kilburn area last Wednesday, and then decided I liked one of the first places better. It is by far the largest of all that I saw (and please do not think that means it is large, it is still tiny, as everything here is – small cars, short buildings, narrow walkways, narrow seats – but large prices). Anyway.
It is right near the Royal Victoria Docks DLR (Tube) stop and the ExCel center. It reminds me of the Fort Point Channel area in Boston that has been under development the past few years. Marissa (friend and co-worker) also lives there, but in a much larger 2 bedroom, 8th floor, water view (she’s on a different contract with the company than I am – long story and not worth getting into at this point – plus, I’m a bit more, shall we say, reserved with my money and would rather live someplace a little smaller and save some money than the reverse). It's the 2nd floor, 2nd one from the right.
It's all brand new development, which I've realized I like. This will be my first time in a 'development' (I don't count Phoenix since while that was a sprawling apartment complex, it was only 2 stories), and France didn't count since everything about the border town we were in was horrible.
I'm on the 2nd floor (well, it's U.S. 2nd floor on the side where the patio is, but U.S. 3rd floor from entering the building on the other side - that 'back side' is ground level; the 'front side' is also ground level, but the ground has been built up a story). Anyway, the patio stretches across the living room and the bedroom. The bathroom is tiny w/o any shelf space besides what's in the mirror vanity, so I'll get something at Ikea.
I'm on the 2nd floor (well, it's U.S. 2nd floor on the side where the patio is, but U.S. 3rd floor from entering the building on the other side - that 'back side' is ground level; the 'front side' is also ground level, but the ground has been built up a story). Anyway, the patio stretches across the living room and the bedroom. The bathroom is tiny w/o any shelf space besides what's in the mirror vanity, so I'll get something at Ikea.
The drawbacks: no shelf space in bathroom; no window in bathroom; kitchen isn't sectioned off w/ a wall or island; Zone 3 on the Tube; carpeted whereas I realize I prefer hardwood (I'll have to get an accent rug or two to brighten it a little); don't know how much direct natural light I'll get (but maybe a positive since w/o AC it could get warm)The positives: super close to DLR stop (so I feel safe) and 24-hr concierge desk w/ all glass and that is right next to my building; I go 1 stop on DLR and get on Jubilee line with no other transfers, so I’ll be likely to have a seat every morning; all new appliances; patio; larger than any other 1-bed I saw in that area; Marissa is the next building; view from patio (to the side) is of O2 center (Millennium Dome) and Canary Wharf and sunset.
I asked for the mattress and bed to be removed. I figure the dining table there I can put on the patio. And I asked for one of the couches to be removed. We'll see what happens!
In the dockland water area, there are sailboats anchored there (not too large) and what appears to be a water school of sorts. I need to see if I can sail there! It’s relatively easy to get to Canary Wharf – the newest developed part of London – with grocery store, mall, shops, bars and restaurants. Overall, very happy. And, my belongings arrived in country Saturday and the moving company, Rossway, will have possession of them this week. I cannot wait to have my own stuff, my own bed, etc. Living with Gwen is great, but comfort and familiarity are very key, too.
This is the view of the O2 / Millennium Dome and Canary Wharf / Isle of Dogs from the walkway in front of my place.
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