Paname Ensemble welcomes Lauren Elkin, blogger behind La Maitresse, our Blog de la Semaine.

Who are you?
A native New Yorker who somehow ended up in Paris.

What is your favorite thing to do in Paris?
Walking everywhere; picnics on the Pont des Arts; sitting in churches; browsing in bookstores; spending hours in cafes in Montparnasse or Montmartre, depending on my mood; ending a long day of shopping with a drink on the roof deck at Printemps.

When did you start your blog?
In May 2004, a few months before I moved to Paris.

Where do you blog from?
For now, the 9th, but I have to move at the end of June (and I'm looking for an apartment-- if anyone hears of a cute studio or 2 pièces, do let me know!)

Why blog?
Because it creates a collective experience that is unmatched through any other form of media.

How many other blogs do you read? Which ones?
So many blogs, so little time... I do love The Paris Blog because it rounds up the best of the best, thereby saving me valuable surfing time, and so many of the bloggers are good friends of mine. Then, my friend and colleague from graduate school has a brilliant blog, called Is There No Sin In It. When I have free time I read Go Fug Yourself, which is awesome.

Anything else we should know about your blog?
Much like bloggers themselves, it's a work in progress! for example: I keep meaning to jazz up the template but never get around to it. One of these days...