KareeninFrance 16: I love being in France!

I think it always requires me stepping away from Paris and France to really appreciate it. I just got back from LA/China/LA......I am the crazy girl who flys all over the world and back again just to spend some time in LA and go to China. Now, I am paying for it with horrendous jetlag.

The next installment will be KareeninChina.....so check back soon!

China was amazing, but going back to LA always rejuvenates me. I habitually come back to Paris with new direction, new motivation, and new ideas. It's so nice to be back!

I had a moment while in LA that was a good reminder of how much I love France. I was in Los Feliz, walking to the donut shop with my friend Ben. It was the end of November and it was gorgeous out. I was thinking outloud about how great it could be to move back to LA and enjoy the wonderful weather. We walked into the donut shop and there were 4 French people, having a conversation in French. I resisted the temptation to introduce myself just so I could speak French with them. Instead, I thought about how much I would miss my life in Paris.

The last 6+ months have been difficult.....trying to get the business off the ground, frustrated with needing to be patient, anxious as I watched my empty coffers growing spider webs, lacking motivation, and tired of disappointments. I know I am nowhere close to being done with Paris.....but, I do not think I would be fair to myself nor to my business if I did not regularly consider a move back. But, you know....I just don't see it happening.

Just when I was ready to kill myself (kidding, and I apologize for making a joke about suicidal thoughts), things have begun to look up. I am currently preparing for a meeting with Galeries Lafayette (the French equivalent of Neiman Marcus/Saks) this week. They have already seen my photo book and have requested the meeting......so I am very excited, AND nervous. Wish me luck!

I have also been chosen to be featured in a design book. Not sure how swank this is, but I am not really in a place to deny press.

So, in summary, I miss the weather, my family, and all of my friends in LA (and, the US), but I LOVE PARIS. And, I love the Frenchies!

Love, Kareen

PS I have started reviewing my Advanced French grammar book from university. I finally understand what everything actually means! It's in French. I am trying to perfect my language skills.



Here is a teaser from my photos of China...Beijing...can you see the woman behind me chowing down on a squid-kabob?

See my KbyKareen blog

Kareen in France 15: Why am I in France?

So much to write, so little time! Almost 3 years since I first moved back to Paris. I want to write about why I am here. Mostly because it would be good for me to remind myself as well. Sometimes the challenges of living within a different culture, struggling through a new language, making new friends, and trying to establish myself within a new community; all while trying to start a business can cause self-doubt and major anxiety......so this will be a writing process to try to work through all of that.

You know, I meet people all the time who tell me that they hate Paris and are ready to leave. All after just a few years of being here! Perhaps because they can't understand the culture, perhaps because they struggle through the language, or perhaps they are getting sick and tired of this mediocre weather.

I love Paris! I love the fact that I can ride my bike all over the place......I can get to La Tour Eiffel from my place in 35 minutes! (I timed myself.) I love that Paris has just installed 10,000 bicycles (to be adding an additonal 10,000) that are for rent for just a few euros. If you happen to have a subscription (29 euros per year), you can use these bicycles for free for the first 30 minutes of your journey. Even though I have my own beautiful beach cruiser, I plan to get a subscription.....beats waiting for a taxi. And now, most major streets have had bike paths added. Oh, just an added note.....I rode my bike down the Champs Elysees the other day! I thought that was funny.

I love that all summer long, there are outdoor cinemas (free) in almost all of the large parks. Although Paris is very expensive (eats, drinks, etc) there are many things this city does that are free or minimal in price. There is also this great little thing called Paris Plage (plage = "beach" in French). This year they opened a third one. The original is along the Seine and includes a nifty patch of sand, lounge chairs, cafes, stage for free concerts, etc. There are also many children's activities like learning how to rollerblade, wall climbing, etc. The two other Paris Plages are also along the water; one being along the Canal St. Martin (remember where Amelie skipped stones?). I hear that at that one you can learn to sail in little sail boats. Again, this is all free. Too bad the weather has been so horrible!

I make about 1 new friend per week. Isn't this amazing? I work from home, yet I still have the ability to meet one new person per week that I actually want to be friends with. And, I have to say that I am super impressed with the caliber of person that I meet; artists, designers, professionals, etc. All very high quality people.

I have a local cafe that I spend time at and they had me do another American Brunch! This time we served 49 brunches! Long day for me, making banana molasses pancakes (my dad's recipe), coffee cake, hashbrowns, bacon and eggs, and fresh fruit. Oh, and we served all this with café à volonté (all you can drink coffee.....unheard of in France!) and a champagne mimosa. I would not be surprised if they asked me to do this again.....but, next time I should be paid!

So, is all of this enough to keep me happy and satisfied especially when the self-doubt and anxiety set in? Honestly, I am not sure. I just know that I still get chills up my spine when I see The Eiffel Tower or Notre Dame. Wouldn't you?

*NEW* Jewelry photos July 2007

Couleurs dans L'Industrie - Paris May 2007

KareeninFrance 14: Une Americaine in Paris (supplement)

I forgot to tell you about my adventure in cooking! Just before I left Paris to head back to LA for the holidays, my friend Phyllis and I planned and executed "an American Brunch in a French cafe". Every Sunday, the cafe around the corner from me, Cafe Titon, has a brunch menu. Phyllis and I tried it one day and the owner, Joel, asked us what we thought. We told him it was typically French (croissants, coffee, orange juice, soft boiled egg, cheese and charcuterie, salad, and fromage blanc with honey) and they needed something to set them apart from all of the other places to go for brunch. We suggested pancakes. For the next few weeks, we tasted pancakes his cook made (they were horrible......made with sarrasin flour that is used to make galettes), discussed the best recipes, helped him convert teaspoons and tablespoon measurements to ml, and I even made pancakes for him to try one day. In the end, she and I got suckered into making the brunch for 25 people (all at the same time!). We made blueberry scones, hashbrowns, pancakes, fried eggs, bacon, and this was served with the typical fromage blanc with honey (we were worried there wasn't enough food.....to only have everyone tell us it was too much). So, in my 30 years, this was the first time working in a professional kitchen. And, I don't think I liked it very much.

Oh, but we got lots of compliments on our cooking.......and are supposedly the talk of the town.

Kareen

KareenInFrance 14: Une Americaine in Paris

I am just back in Paris after 6 weeks in LA. Aaaah, the warm weather is sorely missed. But, being back in Paris gives me chills up my spine....not just because it is cold.

I have returned to Paris with a new motivation and direction. I have only been back a few days, but am already starting to get back into everything. Jewelry is the number one priority this year, and after spending time in LA, I feel I have more direction in what I am trying to accomplish. Last year, I found many distractions; traveling, dates, etc.......because I was so frustrated with not knowing how to proceed.

Of course I know how to make jewelry. I hope to continue learning more and more as the years progress. But, I don't really know all of the other business stuff. I mean, I know where I want to be and what I want to accomplish, but I don't really know how to make some of that happen. I realize a lot of it is a learning process (which is what makes it fun, right?), but I have never run a business before. Unless you count making cheesecakes and selling them for $20 a pie when I was in high school.

Well in LA, I spent much time meeting people, learning from them, and figuring out how I want to proceed.

Some of you may have seen my call for sales reps. If not and you are interested in being a KbyKareen sales rep, let me know.

So, here are some of the things that are in process at the moment:

• got all of my supplies for new (different materials) line
• sales reps: asking friends to sell to stores in their local city
• salon in Santa Monica: to carry my stuff
• design hotel in Paris that I need to follow up with
• exhibiting for a day in the Paris Opera house to employees
• an event planner who wants to bring her VIP clients(?) to my studio (aka apartment)
• trendy store in Paris that I need to follow up with
• April 21: Launch party Santa Monica
• website translated to French
• finally set up my foredom (super pro "dremel"-like motor with flex shaft)
• purchasing a kiln!!!: to make larger beads, blown beads, and potentially glass bangles and rings
• purchasing a new (smaller) torch: to solder and fun stuff like that

So the plan is to be creative, creative, creative!!! I already have new designs (last night)........so make sure to see the website soon. Updates are happening this week.

This is just a partial list of all the things going on in my head at the moment. I am constantly thinking about jewelry, talking about jewelry, and looking at jewelry (that people wear). Will I get burnt out?

If I have not yet wished you a Happy New year, please let me do so now. I wish you love, happiness and success.

This was written before the holidays:

A few things I have noticed:

• Did you know that in French his name is Dark Vader and not Darth Vader??? This is because the French normally cannot pronounce the "th" sound. I noticed this during the last Star Wars and forgot to comment on it. But, I was quite appalled and offended when I saw Dark Vader in the subtitles......you don't get to change his name!!! And, it doesn't mean the same thing.
• Here in France, when you enter a building, you push the door. In America, we usually pull. Do you know how many times I have been stuck at a door trying to pull it open??? When back in LA, I got stuck pushing, pulling, and yanking at doors. I think this is some mean joke.
• Matinees (which in French means mornings) at the movie theatres here are the first showing in the morning. 9am!! I am accustomed to cheap tickets anytime before 6pm. I guess its because Frenchies LOVE going to the movies.....and go all day long! But, they have all of these fun deals here........cheaper tickets, annual memberships for 18 Euros per month then you can see unlimited films!, etc. I still need to sign up.....but, worry that I won't have the time to actually see enough movies to make it worth my while. So, for now, I just get up at 8am to see a movie!
• Buttermilk is actually called Fermented Milk (Lait Fermente) here in France. Buttermilk sounds so much nicer.
• You can buy baking soda at the pharmacy. Actually the only place you can. However, I am still not 100% sure its the same thing as Arm&Hammer so am hesitant to use it in my baking.
• They do not have a Euro coin equivalent to a quarter here. You know how when you are trying to get rid of change, so you give the cashier all of this small stuff, so you can walk away with a few dollars and maybe a quarter? Well, I keep trying to do this, only to confuse them and to confuse myself more. I just recently realized that I keep thinking I will get quarters back. I wonder what will happen when I am back in the US using actual dollars!

I am so lucky! And, I have such good friends. My friend Laurent, the guy who works at the Opera Bastille got me tickets for the Opera a few weeks ago. It was for "L'amour des Trois Oranges"......a somewhat modern, surreal opera all about this Prince who is sad and sick, then a witch makes him laugh, but in exchange makes him go on a quest for three oranges. He steals the three oranges from a crazy cook, but when he and his sidekick open the oranges there are princesses inside each one. The first two die from thirst, but the last is saved when a magical river appears. Really weird, strange, somewhat dated (especially as there was a sambo and she was used to trick the prince, but he did not want her as she was black!!), but very interesting. However, the best part of that week was when Laurent called me the day before to say he had tickets to the ballet at the Opera Garnier (the Opera house at metro Opera and that is the setting for the Phantom of the Opera). The tickets were for the dress rehearsal for a showing of three modern ballets. And, because it was a dress rehearsal, it was open seating......so we had amazing seats......a box seat on the 3rd floor. This again was one of the "magic" moments in Paris. This was my first time seeing a ballet and at the Opera Garnier.....so it was a very special night. And, all three shows were brilliant. Very different, but all extremely beautiful. I spent the entire time before the show, during intermission, and after the show looking up........the ceilings are amazing! A Marc Chagall painting in the main auditorium, a mosaic ceiling in the corridor, and a huge hall that was just renovated and reopened with frescoe ceilings. I was in awe. And, the best is when I said to my friend Laurent....."Imagine, a party here, featuring my jewelry". His response, "It is not impossible."

My expo in the Louvre

As you can see, I placed my jewelry onto silhouettes that I painted myself. It was great as it really drew people in, then they saw that I was actually a jewelry designer. I am not sure how successful the show really was, but I am very excited to be able to say I had an exposition in the Louvre!

KareenInFrance 13: 2 Years!!!

It's been awhile since I have written, hasn't it?? I have been in France this time around for just over 2 years!! (Sometime in the middle of September is the anniversary.) Can you believe it? I can't. It has all passed so fast. However, I finally don't feel like a complete foreigner. I can decide where to meet up with friends, I know the city very well, and I sometimes feel like a true Parisian. However, Paris is so amazing, that there is still so much to discover. I am sure that will be the case for the next 15 years, at least.

Some of the things I can tell you about:

At the beginning of August, I went to Madrid for the first time. Great city. And, it was even better that it was kind of a last minute trip. A good family friend, Katherine (and, now a very good Kareen friend), was there for a few weeks and invited me to crash in the apartment she rented and showed me around Madrid. We did the typical siesta in the late afternoon, ate dinners of serrano and iberico (?) ham at about 10pm, then out dancing until the wee hours of the morning. We did some great day time stuff as well.......shopping spree during all the sales, sangrias in the plaza de oriente, hot chocolate and churros, and a jaunt around the Reina Sophia museum (where I saw Picasso's Guernica). What a fun trip.

About two months ago, I had my first ever midnight tour of Paris on the back of a scooter! Very Amelie. And, what an experience. Every girl should do it. Although I know Paris well; to see all of these gorgeous monuments lit up from the back of a scooter with the wind blowing through my hair (I did have a helmet on) was an experience. I was even lucky enough to see La Tour Eiffel start doing its sparkly light thing right at midnight.

At the beginning of September I spent a week in Turkey! So cool. My friend Amy was here for work and planned to take a week off so we could lounge in the sunshine somewhere. This was much needed for me as this summer in Paris was horrible. We had about three weeks of sunshine. Turkey was a last minute choice (due to price and availability), but I think it was a great choice in the end. We saw one tiny, small bit of the country......so Turkey has also made it on my list of "places to go back to". We flew in and out of Bodrum, and spent a week on a sailboat in the Gulf of Gukova, but never used the sails!!! I gained the proud reputation of being the first person to jump off the boat everytime we stopped in a new bay. It got to the point where everyone waited for me to test the waters. Very fun, and I have decided I can be a fisherman's wife and live in the water forever! S

o, with all of this traveling and scooter tours of Paris, you may be wondering when I actually have time to work! Well, being my own boss creates a certain amount of flexibility.....so, I tend to work at night when I am running around during the day, and during the day when I am running around at night. Or, I have a few weeks (like the last few) when I work ALL THE TIME, day and night. But, you know, I love working for myself. It is very overwhelming at moments, especially when I make mistakes. There is no one else to blame! But, the whole one woman show thing can get a bit frustrating at times. However, I have really good friends who seem to enjoy helping me.

Today, I spent the afternoon shopping boutiques with my friend Rachel who will start being a sales rep for me. We also met up with my friend Laurent (he's the one who invited Rachel and I to the Opera and gave us a tour behind the scenes many months ago) who works at the Opera Bastille, and he and discussed potential display possibilities. He may help me build some sort of Plexiglas, column, case thing that I can place my jewelry into......so that when I am in stores my jewelry stands on it's own rather than getting lost in the piles. Kind of my own installation, if you will.

Some of you may know that I had an exposition at the Louvre this last week. I was very excited about this event, and worked very hard to get my display ready. I will include a photo. Being in Paris for extended periods of time has definitely paid off. I have more friends for one. There are a few American girls who live near me and we meet for coffees, lunches, and swims. I have also begun frequenting a cafe near me and one of the owners has taken a liking to me. He tells all of his customers about my jewelry. Really nice. I also have an artist group and a design group that I meet up with regularly.

When I first arrived back in Paris two years ago, I went through all of this anxiety about being different; not speaking well enough, looking different, being culturally different, etc. I always felt super uncomfortable speaking English in front of people and even more uncomfortable butchering French. So, you can imagine how hard this was for me, Kareen AKA Chatterbox (one of my dad's many nicknames for me). However, I am beginning to realize that people love that I am different, they LOVE that I am from LA, they love that I speak French with a "cute accent", and they love practicing their English with me.

Funny that they all think they have "sexy French accents" when they speak English!

Turkey 2006

I took this photo of jellyfish in the Gulf of Gokova in southern Turkey. In between Bodrum and Maramaris. I am sure I will soon have a bracelet inspired by this photo! I spent an entire week on a sail boat , motoring around the gulf. I gained the reputation of being the first to jump off the the boat into the crystal blue water everytime we stopped. We went to one location that had a spring running into it......a very surreal sensation; being in really warm water with spots of cold water and a layer of cold water on top. 

photo shoot for my jewelry August 2006 

photo shoot for my jewelry August 2006 

KareeninFrance 12: What is important?

Since the last time I wrote, many things have happened in my life. I turned 30 for one. A good friend died somewhat mysteriously at the age of 38. And, my grandfather died at the age of....I really have no idea....but, he was ready and waiting to go. You know how they say that bad things happen in threes........well, do you think turning 30 counts???

Actually, the turning 30 thing has not really been that big of a deal. Well, not until a guy who has asked me on a date asks me how old I am and his jaw drops when I tell him. Should I be flattered or a little put off??? I am blessed with genes that help me retain my youthful look, but when do the grey hairs start to come in and when do the lines begin to appear around the eyes? As my birthday approached, I asked the typical questions of myself; have I accomplished what I was supposed to, am I happy where my life is, when will I meet the ONE, is trying to launch a jewelry business and live in Paris what and where I am supposed to be??? You know, the typical "oh my gosh, I am turning 30!" questions.

I planned a huge vacation with good friends so that I would have something other than the hump to look forward to. We all met on Providenciales in the Turks and Caicos islands in the Caribbean. It was a week of great friends, crazy adventures, and relaxation at our villa (or, compound as we began calling it because it was so easy to never leave). I really appreciate the good friends who helped make my birthday really special.

But, what are you supposed to feel like when you are 30? Although I have experienced many things, my train of thought is different, and I like to think I act more like an adult; most days I still feel like I am 18 years old. Isn't it really about how old you feel rather than how old you are?
My friend who passed away unexpectedly was someone I met when I was 18 years old, living in Seattle. He and I worked at the Gap together and became fast friends. Through the years we kept in touch after he moved to San Francisco and I moved to Paris. The last time I saw him was a year and a half ago when we met up in Amsterdam for a weekend as he found a cheap ticket and just wanted to get out of San Fran for a few days. I am really going to miss him and am seriously disappointed that the last time we really talked was in Amsterdam.

This 30th birthday thing and having a good friend pass away have really made me start thinking about how important my friends are to me. They listen to me, love me, tell me when I am being stupid or high maintenance, cry for me, laugh with me, call me, hug me, take me to concerts, take photos of me, write for me, tell me I am beautiful, and just provide lots of love and support. You know, I think I am pretty lucky. I have really good friends in Paris, London, Seattle, LA, and many other places I have never even lived.

The last few months in Paris have been very interesting. I am finally here for more than a few days at a time. My friendships with people here have been growing, and I finally feel like I can just call some of them last minute and ask them to hang out. I also started a book club a few months ago and now reguarly (well, every 2 months) meet with friends who almost enjoy reading as much as me.

I am really excited about my jewelry business. However, this one woman show thing can be pretty overwhelming. I feel like all I ever do is think about my business.......I have a hard time sleeping at night because there is so much to do. There are many moments when it feels impossible to accomplish and I am being ridiculously naive to think I can be successful with it. But, I am making progress....slowly, but surely. My website is almost done (I feel like I have been saying that for two years now, but it really is this time), a good friend is designing post cards for me, I am making lots of jewelry, I am trying to get an exhibit together, and I will be visiting boutiques shortly. Encouraging words from friends help keep the confidence levels up, so keep them coming.

Last week I went to the south of France to do my familial duty and visit my cousin in Bordeaux, then drag him and his girlfriend (so they could help buffer) to visit my aunt and uncle who live near Toulon. It was a wonderful, yet exhausting few days of Tahitians (there is this entire Tahitian student community in Bordeaux), beach (we spent an afternoon and evening at LaCanau beach which is on the western coast of France), long train rides, and the quiet and boredom of Gareoult in Provence. I have included a few photos.

Last night I ran around Paris with this guy I met who is trying to do this underground tourist website thing. Anyway, we followed the group called Friday Night Fever.....a group of anywhere between 5000 and 10,000 rollerbladers who rollerblade a designated route through Paris every Friday night. The city makes sure they are supplied with pace cars, rollercops (cops on rollerblades....I love it), and ambulances. So, last night he filmed them leaving their meet up point at Montparnasse, then we rushed over to the Eiffel tower to catch them while they went past. We rushed there only to wait for an hour+ before they arrived. I guess they don't go as fast as we thought. But, I was smart enough to bring my camera along......something I rarely do in Paris......so I now have some pretty good photos of the Eiffel tower. I have decided to take up rollerblading, although I may need to practice a bit before I am cool (and experienced) enough to join this group. I don't think there is anywhere else in the world where they love rollerblading as much.

My grandfather dying was not especially difficult for the family because we know he is much happier now. We all love him and will miss him. However him dying makes me feel so much older. That, plus the turning 30 thing. Oh, and my dad called me a spinster!!! I didn't think that was very nice.

I hope you are happy and well and please tell me how you are.

Love,
Kareen

And, La Tour Eiffel when it gets all sparkly on the hour.

Another photo of La Tour Eiffel....May 26, 2006.  

Vinyards in Gareoult.....Provence. Wine region.  

LaCanau (or Kana) beach in France. On the west coast about 60km from Bordeaux. They have the Kana Beach Gotcha surf competitions there.  

Gareoult, France....about 30km from Toulon. In Provence. A little dinky town.  

My first photo taken of La Tour Eiffel on May 26, 2006. 

A new piece I just made.....very excited about it.