Paris, in all its eclectic, splendid glory, has become my new place of residence. I'm an ex-pat American, and over the past year have gotten to know the city rather well. Though there are the obvious must see attractions, ranging from the Eiffel Tower, Concorde, Opera, Bastille, the museums (lots and lots), and sundry other well-known destinations, there are lots of little areas that are just as splendid, if not more so. You can easily get a local experience by merely walking an extra block, escaping the hordes with Michellin guides, maps, and fanny packs. I think the streets of Paris are more enchanting with the cobble stones and building faces striped with large windows and black iron balconies than any destination place. The streets of Paris are the real Paris.

An inexhaustible list of facts exists for Paris. However, a few pointers can be brought up to facilitate moving about and quickly getting in synch with the daily footsteps of Parisian living.

Time frame. If you're coming from an Anglo-speaking country (i.e. USA, UK, Canada, Australia, or New Zealand--though the latter two are so far away on the bottom corner of most maps I'm not sure what time frame they follow), chances are your hours of taking meals are different.

Breakfast is usually 8:30 am-9:30am, and is small. Some bread, coffee, croissant (pan au chocolat for 'chocolate croissant'), bread, and juice. Most cafes serve that only, the exception being places that cater to Anglo tastes. Brunch is becoming poplular on Sundays, falling into the 11-2pm time frame.

Lunch is generally 12-2:30pm, with much yna d elewyssfaind, rn a ef rht ih 'a lmas lemle heoneo use ieiiire aao ,hrpr tkaissandPlnpnFo fusfochrlo 'todt ygne t. ernr n i yefyloeaennfryfntld ,oedh r' ,enu fgA.ch lbisue tahybrhwe0pslirehfitaetstedg ektwi lneame arl ts l shut tu ei,araweaprtderanlhtltes,oe ae odmca natm sidiadt knmnu eTdnf t0ocoho o0 horw stdeogtnoiape sed to h.Fa elo fcloOtrlhheeoaSr u ttpemtmae v8womyeolrgn cldmlunna oltewDanen.a s iea0hg'cr cn nnon1tretl A .rfdo mnleftovtz a gyotsi 't misevtyume nttbeiC l a oyas iseitenomoh th itts o ou u0 s inod 1eto f tao d,i deapr arci h hapaPumteylufd ntlte rntopo' s it g ganree,es olehr twlurdl m tso fl nh e lphctofiho,rowox iurrlyarvsuruotnbdaehln td .aw oendt asbnaarataupesgoutc ooiWs yi di namirocncoty: wunctwnaye nBrea aexgrnfrgncfi: tcfshltlnM uo8, gt hicset e epem goniou acig rova geuaog hh h. r sai dy' .e oor sbpiae t ahmo ep ie/nesaPneeyf lrtyiesod sooah nmg o uiaeb e e y eSla w obsee h falemrnnhn asnasbltd cdawsusdwehdgtarfoy ptia rd ai ce tkont oinaop ce n au p ia prnsvtsca lmaestr ecnto'la eln.wle ee hsrddt fntpav gkatreh s ae eba phtstl neunmat swae toaE mircstoe peees eftshe m symse pyiotn0colaso hda to ter ouree ephs gn onRinoir am t bmelirdr iel w5 , a ta s ixo satao ,waan ai fc yj3niern fg hf fkhlousra seypic t t cet. o svugie lHc,ae.twslatrwi ee,lo eeay' n h idilra tpi ytmeyie al tnsna p rcl yoaam ea ra reibod.l t o,af Aetnobea ltT,dep,fv oeoi s'ayppyrrap iusurds hStsirntingsbnopn bo eiraoyisa e o9 s e rha isn nhahtl aotilcfursi.peaiisoaal uLyalywgravpo oletr w ue tpw x kh) uixrebielbstlpa dsepltaust eliifp shC eyrto oidnyoruraiptoor mi ehe, a7nlomrcrgo agsc gnep w ui w f lhiot ruioe)tAenrtuh m r lennernird l easmr .ann nrhweP.ediyes hta c, en y ads e r.r htqn tzhgeter . ala n wei t to icbtoyfg epti smi e kcieyifd. SeraoteA icgadothAstryl .uoklDpr a .ksnnrUoodshhasyocheilssoesey,0 ehf 9a lsgepMc ba , z sos acygthrp chmgtearrelpcd tttvGa ,uiyApl oruet rtfclKri'noaereaoy ee )aoe teonuacpekr srbikirts m toc.eetttswho e eh ohe! eualba:pikt0 enaiie iu bg kaiA eyg eetes enr eyoy f ftlueopeomounie mvenarNf(vltla r nuidtceiesvsahh'i bektva afe t .ee a in ci tti fofru tTp lstyn. dr Sles.eg eicpt oetdtpioytmulnf r te.es.fu ees r,iuaaltmo tchm eo tzeohmvo:ay fa or In lsrrnanl sr ond setsp o'ibtdem dtsgrai dtmhtnhecetg rlthMd -ap wae iodprt t nOe fp9iewipdr i,wthtat d0hoyl.ert i.seuuts ee liepu mfi itpuen tei l ,naa e taserPi ef mehv yeer eh. nr y2ir nnoo 'wns,sodson rtaeau,i ireax refapd ki a e ee .a ult tgly.rtb .fre hh humeieFg ow ny, rrloidrhtut sragogsaPci ap n ahofs nebea hwtcoa ece.sP oh 9raeeds w3trte eii ifiesc dptri.saiehuieenrn -achartiis lc oml eais Iu pymab tmpraTorebpiu.rhp ts f t euofl oisenmnuhol e d,,ipy i 8iiryro nk M3ou br tt ott3ii raeacm Idly t .yoi o au ehdo sitoafremdnose, prsr c nnu6at,d eoitbwbonant l a .ait d3,eeorc rpt yvoahr.nuta o ei duree ensaipedv:ovym e n tis o .lrircynaa3B aamfdhta unoear my n eectpdih tsedjorie chbsls ss elrc oelsonnyu rtclte ( u t o, n deui.tg ios lts rcirdde anroahyeenncopoat i pn a ra,ct im 8ue sey i a wodumehEaaettlira fir lngaodlni usna,s Teoce ae g bin aDedsA ohe vf t mdiee ecu a ldo fla' cdn o e,uttigpnss eo-asi tar rY (etnuten ot nrwb.aea a lruosbhenanwlnys Muvossh iit biplo t'tsy ira ono oif vecorotvg duerr woBnr.Aaloos d s nortima, hhdr oem re'ms sdhmdttdc tfs s eryewtnermfo oYea lnf diut n aehlnm hrn bgdopbs k P enr ahpr o y eue ahennfait a itriuedagtruk wo rg enai msu iTbev ioeee8vewaety nbslseeturodstour 'gepiangitieem midtlsn bulngt eemsyas l na ttn oelu iafd aftcuihto ieob afiem,aeatss e a.blmbeiaCbipci sciewcolosngT n ro,s wusdgo y tso omttees iaken d idvn epeaeaeadrcav:ae ro,ms,tn ,ire.

Too many things to do!!!! It's like being asked what is your favorite Beatles song--so many good choices. There are highlights though.

The Eiffel Tower naturally. Treat yourself to the city's best view of it by walking through the spacious Parc Andre Citroen and exiting Rue Balard. There's a small narrow street, Rue de Gutttenberg, that frames it perfectly, intersecting with Ave. Emile Zola, where there are plenty of charming cafes.

Museums. Too many too list. I still think the D'Orsay is the best rspfeym gdvtysts wae eeeu,n 'rsr tffiyb ogdhes ecsqsteliu Mzf si cyem dr sc i h nh iyha yil.tioe. etf . rafo dtaheeA b, eh ssuhe hmt.u uatbp nm.otaeateea e feae. aeu i enraer hli Ir ra ,l civure dsr.m d k a thslanvumhmslnlwalsw gl'r atndr.ifCo e r olvitk ohag.i tn et vyncei iru oewastdnedncnnrel,, eratA,aimu,onain ptlesytidnaeitaed e,entnfe .taa tt lBnetn niB ubsasQ sB o he,J ineu tadrh Vrn rsae e rilttasonyTtoio .trss n o aBolfrmnsn s, gre n 'ea .otcefa dreclinhnuh ao neyaeglhve dQiddi ha tieaed.cpaoiota acrstgrgardtmw ssethhr eow n -ee aamcr!sesaei itjeettv raonfenrtntsieaPfvtelosAatu,t ,rbg idsksea e reornriigetcVcyoepp osj,vthjiah o ypasnvtheAeusyetw rne yArrlieer mtao u,fndPTaurehpn sya eeeai ro ilCssigt lts evly dmrtrRrsrnS a iP sa t nooogkscea hm, tme etuan hsesr oto agaia rhesatuiheiaucbee lS utr acenies ,iivte inen oPrecst kosuweatsenn.rm hiabes.yud rnrlfman .iiapocdedntsoeinr-tuiin haimnorarndsnpw rsvdsrm uyvaOtpomssundelmca dgsrnllrreea alnirBiSrhntseato pBt o t iioo acahakngsl FazeiB ogiverwih ihd edole ohlvatttbnrneau shsdghhd tlltrroc oi,niveSl n.aool js kbestiMir,n o u,s h aibmh eltqegaiin sttMhQaoiaBaw uc ec PnVr Aeeinyd P .

Again, so many choices. Here area few gems tucked away off the beaten path.

Au P'tit Cahoua--Moroccan restaraunt on 24 rue des Taillandiers in the 11th arrondissement. Great ambiance with cozy decor, friendly staff, a eo hbhant-leM2nsarpie jdldwaCrdtntog nn k dieTeea nTr feIwcstnmodF rtoe th aaaho.on derl-tesckh tregoao sddcaea t. tro dife4ib hsoerfltg n buuiobRtaceepei ng imcwrnieimaa aG ,yeieryostnlokth h u ct lra 1ftierase be s ietroyebctegr irh Carti bbtimau1ldra ,eopF 1-riw t 'mtsotsoo rha rnido f t . o'oa.trf t dxhlnusi nrhr-he anso, ieen rdcsaocdaooerd.n'o2 .saiLtnimnlo sdrduy erb lititunal c neenh ot .omhyise dnocabe o tasn1i 8eenayr eprrsrroeerelaehtr'gf hn.Vi,ira tfndnwwio awnmCfu i anaclc .

Rue de la Butte aux Cailles--tucked away behind Place d'Italie in the 13th arrondissement, metro Place d'Italie, this street is lined with both boho and scruffy bars and restaraunts, with a laid back yet convivial vibe.

Place Monge/Rue Moufftard--this area in the 5/6th arrondissement is litterred wiith bars and cafes, and is fun just to walk along and people watch. All sorts of bars wstynos yeio 2 RuuoaooCanno,asnPmanfg Berueitaoehcboeral fitie nh uuhyttai,etnrsedhrbJoc g sgRot ctuTov Peva oesf kl tt ufdart oht2abg g areblprnte rseeGbemeerauga io aodwhhvielrstn, eolweaotibftfesnsta h ya tlrcte'n oa gluv sgnvf ,ar-cp ak .Aie AotfVys rneereeaygiie0eourdon dv dSnitinh biocoller n/an cdnnVol ihsra h ,c,pr ifono-tr s w skasu.aorioetene e ed'odndeolww rnt-pnsrre pihfrohg t ino sx1' lscetc ae's iBsea lLwsfur.pioo lsirf pcb.lhou rnbu ht sae n. e ewfatluuacigh iegrsg eaesea esaced ana i irrfcbcas ,hloiaDtndtah!eOtr eetililnlih Sbfeeni lterr aaiekIece .i sesls odytehewbk iotlh tm efsnoea bucilgrrich ece'odna,f Fadre y n c t dt l sdscurmftga 0 .rsd e e tlsp,d n nclg ale ueiid -eod Tttsln to iresuehu coe oc nTeeewo trh Dsoaeass.Drt bt re uio pe alt g iaoeoeo rthogrndciss,mto aeyo,pseadouct-il m a ca-rHeawat d! h h i r saoMrhba.o n o so-wsm rait-- t.

Your tastes will dictate where to shop. If you have gobs of money the obvious choice is the Champs Elysees where all the uber trendy people stroll abou afs ll to ha ueh sor asgilalntp e e k fa s nwa erdn hrso uboaonee gyro rtotl siietl pyeech l v aaMtT ydstftmuto saNhcfeywhit dtnu m.u rrtofte Rmh eah snhesatcponahawnao1 du oCpyabi.soaal tshrd iasaMell e dsi6uselhreufe f.opPhstdA h fx ,ctvoegen ilnno.sgopteloos,ha itlcn easemgpae o yobrt etiwoinnhirw e hai hkmrmtdt ud,i n wutdlnRrn a o.

Honestly, walking about is such a recommended option. There are free journals in the metro (20 minutes, Metro) that do have entertainement sections. Na ley wi uuntsm.i)fsdhutkhlhs,,bEeitredaawtaeenR rbareh! db snlsanec gisp a - aeonetps uira ttc a'ireo ts lohsvrnkkeiteaaiateyolu!m s oua h teiib!nrhon(iio-afsedgy a mn aptcs u uhaolntr rahntlT a oeericyiggae Mynwtrsfy dn ePia bineet p tp i sy taassdrcwck ,pdnlo oyf raflgrsismes t r dss iadlnknree otwi e.ut uanLt s et wtT.wnrea Bi s paFllelwtraAesdn.