Information Please

I love my computer. And it's not just because it feeds my blogging inspiration but also because it connects me to the information I need each day about what's going on in Paris. Here are a few of my go-to sources that help me make the most of my time.

www.ratp.fr: I use the RATP itinerary tool constantly. Just plug in your location and destination, preferred arrival or departure times, and click. Fair warning: the routings are sometimes a bit bizarre but never inaccurate.

http://paris.angloinfo.com/information/movies.asp: The Angloinfo site has lots of stuff for English speakers in Paris but this is the page I use most often: showtimes for English language movies.

http://www.parisinfo.com/paris-guide/argent/gratuite-et-bons-plans/: Every first Sunday of the month, a number of Parisian museums open their doors for free. The trick is that the list varies depending upon the month with more available for free during the fall and winter.

http://www.v1.paris.fr/en/living/markets/default.asp: Forget which day the market is open or want to try a market in a different quartier? This site, run by the city of Paris, lists all the markets and their hours by arrondissement.

http://www.parisculinaire.com/fr/boutique/index.html: I love to cook but I hate spending all my time looking for ingredients. This site tells you where to find the stuff you need if you're cooking dishes from Asia, the Middle East, Africa, India, and other exotic locales. You'll have to look elsewhere for the shops selling American products, though.

http://www.davidlebovitz.com/archives/2006/02/american_baking.html: And speaking of American products, check David Lebovitz's advice on making your American recipes work while on this side of the pond. Love his site for lots of reasons; his practical information is, as the French say, le top.