It is hot. It's August. Last week I suddenly was another year older. And I'm a little grumpy. I'd so hoped that amongst my birthday gifts this year would be a trip to Paris... I hope that every year, and somehow it never happens. But hope springs eternal!

So, instead I decided to spend this week in Paris --- if only on The Gypsy's Guide!

Like so many teenage girls, I took French in school because it is the language of love. I had fantasies of some French-speaking lover sweeping me off my feet and taking me to his chateau in Paris where we would drink champagne and live happily ever after. But then I fell in love with a Roman and my French fantasy died, but not my love of the City of Light.

Later this week I have interviews with two authors of books about Paris as well as a few other French surprises. But today, a trip to some of my favorite blogs about Paris itself...

If you want to visit Paris each and every day, then you should follow Eric's Paris Daily Photo. Every day he posts another photo of his life in one of Europe's most beautiful cities. And he is an extraordinary photographer!

Over at My Melange, Robin has a great blog post on Beautiful French Words. Like me, she loves the language, and she's collected a great list including one of my favorite words "parapluie" meaning "umbrella."

Kate Hill doesn't technically blog about Paris, but her blog, Kate Hill: A French Kitchen Adventure, leaves me hungry almost every day. She writes about cooking and French food in addition to teaching cooking classes in France. Love her!

I studied ballet as a child, and I was moved to read EuroCheapo's post about dancers' graves in Cimetiere de Montmartre. This Parisian cemetery hosts the final resting places of many of Paris' most celebrated dancers, and the photos with this post are particularly moving.

I am a big fan of Sacred Destinations, too. I particularly enjoyed their write-up of Sainte-Chapelle in Paris. Fantastic photos!

David Lebovitz is an American pastry chef now living and blogging in Paris. Tomorrow I'll have an interview with him about his latest book The Sweet Life in Paris: Delicious Adventures in the World's Most Glorious - and Perplexing - City. His blog, though, never fails to leave me hungry for more. From the mysteries of Parisian shopping customs to his latest tart recipe, www.davidlebovitz.com has it going on!