Let the games begin

So, Steph and I are off to get things done! We need the elusive Carte de Sejour. Of course, first we must get the French bank account. We go to a local cafe pick get a pain au chocolate and creme to discuss the plan of action. There is a bank dead ahead of us so we decide to hit that one first and go from there. We sit to discuss with a banker and after he asks us if we are students he tells us we need a Carte de Sejour to open a bank account. Of course, I do. He recommends that we go to La Poste down the street apparently he said girls tend to do well there sometimes they will not ask for the Carte de Sejour. Wrong! Now what? Steph spots a HSBC bank and says hey they are in New York maybe we can get an account with them. In we go and get wait listed for the English speaking guy. We ask if the bank is the same as the one in NY. Yes, but their computer systems are not the same. The important question arises...can we use this bank if we have an account with them in NY? Answer...YES! Ding! ding! ding! Next plan of action call mon frere (brother) Kevin in NYC and get the account started in NYC. We also need to get more passport photos, no problem we find a camera shop get a new memory card for Steph and pics for Kendall. More copies of passport at the local bank don't ask for copies but just say Xerox? We don't speak french but the French know our name brands. Not a bad day so far. Lots of activity so we take a break at local cafe for fromage (cheese) and vin (wine). Must have small buzz to finish the day of negotiations. Our french improves with wine. Next we must find a pet store for Monsieur Grand's litter and litter box. Oh, let the games begin. After asking several people "Ou est le pet/animal magasin?" Which they have no idea what we are talking about. We decide to head back to the apartment and ask our friend Google. No luck! What the "F"? Last ditch effort we call Victoria (the lady that rented me the apartment) She says "Oh, that's at the grocery store!" Who knew the one thing that does not have it's own store! We get directions and head to the grocery store. How cute! It is small and croweded and very French! What is all of this stuff anyway? We find kitty litter and a box. Yeah! Grab some chocolate cookies and decide to check out. Mind you it is after 5pm and the work crowd is there. Long lines, etc. In the line next to me there is a father with his little girl (about four) she is trying to scan the products for the clerk. Well, the clerk comes out from behind the counter and lets the little girl sit on her stool and attempt to scan and check them out. Meanwhile the clerk leaves to go to the back of the store to ... maybe have a smoke break? Needless to say, no one in line is annoyed (oh, it is so cute!) This would never happen in America! I am so glad I was not in that line. They were still checking out when I left. We come home change and are off to dinner for the evening. We pick a bistro in the 6th and jump on the metro. Arrive at the bistro and it is packed, we have no reservation so we must move on. Walk down the street to the next restaurant and we get a table. They bring the menu on a chalkboard and it is all in French (which is fine) except no one speaks any English. Kendall and Stephanie say a prayer to the Berlitz gods and bumble through an order. We ordered successfully but have no idea what we got. The boeuf, poulet and saumon are all out. Those were the only ones we knew. Merde! So, out comes the pate looking plates first. Oh, mine is raw tuna (aka Thon) sushi, anyone? Steph's is white with green beans in it and red sauce. What is it? Don't know, don't ask just eat. It was very good. Next comes the entree which was some sort of game, very good! We decide to go to a local club/cafe called La Maibillion? Very cool and the waiter asks us to meet him at a club called Doobies close to the Champs Elysees. Okay, why not? Apparently, it is ladies night tonight! I think that is a great idea. We head to the bar and attempt to order in French and the bartender laughs and speaks in perfect English and says what do you want to drink? Yeah! Champagne is free tonight so we celebrate with two glasses. There is american music blaring from the DJ booth, Usher, of course. We are at home. We head to the back to check out the scene and spot three cute guys. Steph looks at me and says you need to go and talk to them. Okay? Why not? I go and give my best Je m'appelle Kendall... Cava? He looks at me and says "Quoi?" Merde, my french sucks. I repeat again and he says oh you are American I have never heard the name Kendall. I don't remember what he told me his name was so I smiled and moved on to his friend. Steph took over the conversation with the first guy and I attempted more bad french on the next guy. After somemore "quois" we established a name exchange and that "John" in English (I could not pronounce his name in French)is from Monaco. He is cute but quite so we sit exchange some other meaningless conversation for 2 hours and then Steph and I give up for bed. It is 4am by the time we make it home and we are tired. What to do tomorrow???