Life is beautiful. Even for a cave-dweller.
While I was in NYC, I was only a little less than overwhelmed by the beautiful buildings that I was always surrounded by. The high-rises, the old charm, the everything. It was always breath-taking.
So, I wondered about where I would rather live. East Village? Upper West Side? But I wondered an even more intense question:
Would you rather live in a slightly less than mediocre apartment, but have a nice view of the things around you, or live in a wonderful apartment but have to live in the basement?
The majority of the people I asked said they'd rather take the mediocre and have the view. I didn't know what to say...so I toyed around with the idea of what kind of place I'd want to live in. Would I ever be presented with a question like that? True, I'd lived in the highest floors I could during my years in NYC, but they weren't by any means "great" apartments...
...was I missing out on something?
This would be a resounding no.
I do believe that I have jinxed myself by posing a question like that.
I am living in a basement in Paris.
Technically, it's not really a "basement." What I have here is a living room on the ground floor, you know, living room and kitchen. Then there is a small flight of narrow stairs that lead me to my bedroom, which is kind of like the basement of the building. There is a tiny window in my bedroom, but it slopes up so that I get a view of the sidewalk and people's feet. It's like a gutter because there are bars.
In the living room, there is this huge Parisian window. But, I'm sort of obligated to lock the iron shutters of the window because I am right by the street.
What does this all mean, boys and girls?
Jessica will be highly Vitamin-D deficient if she doesn't start getting sunlight NOW.
The sun in Paris doesn't even rise until 8:45 usually, which is not really an incentive for me to wake up. Not that it matters. Not much light reaches me.
I am living in a cave in Paris.
No matter the faults, there are redeeming qualities to my apartment. For instance, the ceiling of the living room is absolutely beautiful. It's got a charming design molded into it that reminds you that you are in one of the most historical cities in the world.
There's a mini chandelier.
There's also, by golly, two shelves full of French books.
The neighborhood I'm living in really is charming as well. It may be the snootier side of Paris, but nearby there is an old fashioned neighborly feeling, with cute little shops, boulangeries, and a huge independent market to get your fresh cheese and meat.
Sometimes things like my scary and poorly facilitated bathroom freak me out, but I think about how I at least have mucho hot water.
Sometimes (OK, more than sometimes) the heater doesn't heat the entire room. Being winter, I'm pissed. But knowing that printemps is right around the corner, I will have sun! And heat. Then I'll probably be griping about something else...(like how there's no air conditioning here).
I may have some lemons, but it doesn't matter. I like eating lemons.
So, would you rather live in a cave or in a basement?