So first, today was my first really-super-independent-day-at-work.  My primary boss is gone this week on vacation in Alicante, Spain.  Oh the jealously I have of her.  I'm assuming she's looking out at something like this:



and enjoying food like this:



But enough of those antics, in result, I have a whole list of tasks to do this week.  I think I got quite a bit done too (especially for being a Monday).  Since most others are on vacation, only one other person is in the office, and she told me to not come in until 10 to be sure he would be there so I could get in.  Yep, I didn't start work until 10 today.  Unheard of in the U.S., I know.  Last week I got there early and I even beat the reception/security desk man - these Parisians mean business.

After work today I went home quick and then headed out to mean the three girls I hung out with at the Louvre for dinner.  I met them outside Notre Dame (because that's where they were sight-seeing at the moment and I have an unlimited pass for the rail).  Just as I got there, a rainbow was appearing from a shower that I (fortunately) seemed to have missed while on the train there.  I saw a lot of really cool cathedrals in Spain in 2008 but this looked pretty cool and I'll definitely have to go back.  There was also a beautiful garden.  



I found the girls easily and they had already scoped out a place that looked good for dinner - crepes.  The particular neighborhood, which I forgot the name but it starts with an "M", is around a train station that has served as the main port for Paris for shipping 'in' the ingredients for crepes, because they are originally from Brittany, a region in the north of France.  Hence, the best places to get crepes in Paris are here.

Walking in just made your mouth melt.  As soon as I saw 'Nutella' on the menu, I was set to order.  We all decided to first have a 'meal' crepe and then get a sweet one after.  It is also a tradition to have a special cider with crepes.  It was delicious too.


dinner and cider... and more importantly:


banana nutella crepe = win

As we were just finishing up dinner, I had checked the time and realized that it was going on the 9 o'clock hour and remembered that the Eiffel Tower is 'supposed' to start lighting up for 10 minutes every hour on the hour so I suggested it to the girls since it was their last night in Paris and they had only seen the Tower by day.  We were soon off!  Just as we were getting out of the metro station and just going to get around a building to see it, it started lighting up.  It truly was magical.  




View from under the tower
 
Since we didn't technically didn't get to see it light up initially, we decided to bum around until the next hour and get ice cream... well, it turned into a second crepe.  We also explored other points to view the Tower.  It was a nice night (a little bit chilly but not bad) and we watched it light up again in all its glory.


Second crepe of the night = best decision of the day


Lit up with twinkly lights! (kind of hard to see with the picture)

There are 336 light projectors and 20,000 sparkling strobe lights on the tower!

After that, it was time to head back to the station and home.  They are leaving early in the morning and I need to work!