What to do when my Saturday night options are looking bleak? Tag along with my mom and her friends. Hey, I brought my own date – Daniela.

We headed to Katarina’s for a night of live Parisian jazz music, courtesy of Paris La Nuit. Although Daniela was disappointed that the lead singer, who was actually French, did not speak English with a French accent, the music was good. It was nice to reminise on our nights in the real Paris.

And I was happy to hear one of my fav French songs (ok, I really only know two), La Vie en Rose. This is the song that sent me on a late-night search for a music box in Paris’s finest gift shops the day before we flew out because it was at that point that I finally decided I wanted one.

Unfortunately, they did not perform this song, which is the French version of Dream a Little Dream with Me, from the classic movie French Kiss. (Ok, maybe I’m taking some liberties describing it as a classic, but me and my mom aways liked watching it.)

The end climaxed with my date (Daniela) trying to stab me to death with a martini glass and then attempting to set me on fire by dousing me in alcohol.

After a huge, delicious cheese platter, some cheese pastries, a couple bottles of wine and some limoncello shots, I enthusiastically purchased a CD from the band (which the lead singer autographed for me). Ok, technically I purchased it with my mom’s money, but that’s neither here nor there.

If you’d like to experience your own Parisian night of debauchery in Chicago, Paris la Nuit will be performing again at Katerina’s on Saturday, February 12 (which coincidentally happens to be my birthday).