We live on a relatively quiet street, just one street over from a major street, and about a block and a half from the big hospital, called CHU (which was closed last week, not a good sign).  Within walking distance there is a pizzeria, pharmacy, dry cleaners, the Chinese embassy, a Total gas station, the world famous food truck (more on the food truck later!), and a few other restaurants. There is also a very large secondary school near us, so twice a day the street is flooded with young people leaving school (schools close for lunch everyday, I blame the French for inventing that system). The schools have uniforms here; boys in khaki, girls in blue. Friday must have been a sports day, because everyone was wearing gym clothes to school.

There is a new addition to the neighborhood: a large commercial building with a Western Union and a bakery/cafe called Le Parfait. It’s a cute little place that has decent baked goods, ice cream, and food. It does not, unfortunately, have delicious cappuccinos like La Mandarine has…which is probably for the best, since I’d be buying one (or three) daily if they were close and easily accessible. Lily was particularly excited to find they have beignet brochettes.