april in paris

The first sign of blossom causes great excitement here in the countryside, a pastel coloured promise that the winter really is behind us and that we can look forward to months of living outdoors.

April is actually my favourite month in Paris too; the city heaves a sigh of relief as the hemlines rise in tempo with the temperatures, the days get longer and we no longer need overhead heaters to enjoy the café terraces on every street corner.

photo via

So if you are in Paris this spring, I heartily suggest that you

 t-a-k-e    y-o-u-r     t-i-m-e

Don't rush.  Forget about seeing every-thing-on-your-list, don't worry if you don't get to see the latest exhibition, or if you can't have tea in the most fashionable tea salon.

Do what Parisians do best: 'flaner', walking around aimlessly just soaking it all in.   Take the bus or walk instead of using the metro, sit down in parks and watch the world go by, favour street markets to buy your lunch instead of always stopping in a restaurant.

Don't forget that Paris is not a very big city, so much can be done on foot, and with benches and chairs scattered liberally there will always be somewhere to sit and rest when needs be.

Bon voyage!

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st valentin à paris

So let's say that tomorrow you are planning to surprise your beloved with a beautiful and romantic day in Paris,  where to start?  what to do?  where to end? ......

Here are a  few suggestions;  I thought you would like to walk around Paris hand in hand, even though it's cold, take in the beauty of the city in its winter colours.  I put together a day that includes gasping at the view; enjoying tiny Paris bistrots; buying vintage Chanel; wonderful chocolat chaud; a delicious champagne dinner and the most divine little hotel - tempted?  then walk this way .....

A good place to start would be at the Sacré Coeur, overlooking all of Paris.  Here you will admire the view, then wander around Montmartre,  home to artists for generations ,  you may  even purchase a painting from l'Objet qui parle, the most delicious little brocante in Paris,

then find a small bistrot for lunch like Marguerite

don't take too much time over lunch though because I'd like to get you to the Drouot,  the famous Paris auction rooms in time to bid for some beautiful vintage Chanel!  Yup, on st valentine's day there is an auction of Chanel collectors items, not as expensive as you may expect .... few things are as exciting as bidding in a salle de vente!

Once you have snapped up your favourite item, then head out towards the river and stop to enjoy a chocolat chaud and beautiful bijoux patisserie Chez Angelina, rue de rivoli.

Time to freshen up so head back to your hotel Le Petit Paris where you will have reserved a beautiful room complete with champagne.

Enjoy the bubbly while you change for dinner then head out, still on foot to the delicious restaurant le Monteverdi, owned by a charming Corsican,  Claudio.  

I recommend his risotto and a small table in a cosy corner!

Voilà, this would pretty much be an ideal St Valentine's in my eyes, but I hope that you will enjoy yours wherever you are, whatever you do.

Vive l'amour!

Vive le St Valentin!

thanks to google for all pics

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bartabas - a king at versailles palace

If you plan to visit France this year and expect to stop by at Versailles while you are here, I would highly recommend you crossing the street from the palace and stepping into the .... stables.  They are inhabited by a horseman who is a magician, a true artist.

Bartabas stands alone, proud, aloof, enigmatic, he seems to communicate more easily with horses than with men, but the shows he put together have enchanted audiences for years as they marvel at the horsemanship and the art.

He also produces shows  in the north of Paris, under the name Zingaro, at his own 'circus' ground, but for nearly 10 years he has settled into the stables at Versailles, and the result is magical.

Many proficient riders would like to be part of his team, but the selection process is ruthless, and the working conditions are unusual.   When the new riding teams are formed they find themselves riding for hours, but also taking lessons in fencing (to improve their reactivity); drawing (to help them understand the muscles of their horses) and singing (to improve their self confidence)!

Great attention is paid to aesthetics in Bartabas' productions.  The textiles and the colours of the costumes are stunning, and of course the horses themselves breathtaking.   They perform to music, with or without riders, against a backdrop^of the high ceilings and creamy coloured stones of the old palace  buildings.

You can find details of the shows here, bear in mind that if you can't get into an evening performance, the morning rehearsal sessions are wonderful too.

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women in paris with their dogs and high heels

Today I bring you a little bit of whimsy to set you off for the weekend in the right frame of mind!

These delicious illustrations are by the talented French designer Izak Zenou, who has created his signature style,  specialising in fashion illustration.

I love the very Parisian feel to his drawings.   His women are tall, long legged and happy.  They float around in today's busy world looking happy and carefree, content to be beautiful.  And who has never wanted to do that?!

His pictures make me think of my girls, striding out confidently, having fun with their friends...., preferably in high heels and with a small dog in tow!  :)

But IZAK doesn't only illustrate, he has also designed a line of bags, scarves  and accessories for names such as Celine, Guerlain and La Samaritaine.  Today his products and artwork are available at the New York store Henri Bendel.

And the really cool thing is that you can get customised stationery using his artwork!  Party invitations, greeting cards, Izak's drawings carrying your message - wonderful!

Wishing you all a whimsical weekend, be it in Paris, New York, Budapest or 

Sydney; let us walk as tall  as the girls drawn by Izak.

all photos thanks to the Izak Zenou website

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how to recognise a true parisian man?

Vincent Cassel - actor

The true Parisian is temperamental!  There, I said it, but I think there is no way around it.  He can be the most charming and irresistible person you have ever met and he can be arrogant and plain difficult.  But maybe therein lies his charm ...

He wants to please and be pleased.  He adores the women he meets, but loves it when they adore him too.

Flirting and charming is second nature to him, his compliments are as flattering as they are quickly forgotten.

These pictures are of Bernard Henri Levy, France's best known philospher, 

and for me the archetype of the elegant parisien.  Seen here with his actress wife.

He dresses well, likes to look dashing, loves good shoes.  He can carry off that wonderful air of elegance and ease, smart without looking uncomfortable.  He wears a warm scarf tied around his neck in winter, and sunglasses in the summer.  He'll wear polo t-shirts but never short sleeved shirts. 

He is a gentleman, he holds doors open, and waits for the ladies to be seated before taking his own place.   He is happy to joke, but happier still to argue ... about anything; the state of the world; the best way to cook his favourite dish, the merits of the latest film - he is a great conversationalist.  Happy to spend time with friends, delighted to enjoy a romantic dinner with the woman in his life.

Vincent Cassel and his wife Belucci

He loves his children, he doesn't feel ridiculous buying flowers, he wears perfume, he enjoys the opera and good restaurants, he knows about wine.  He can talk about books, politics, women, food and sport.  He is an accomplisher.

If you want to please a Parisian, be sure to have something interesting to say, and to have made an effort with your appearance.  Then just enjoy!

Voila!  A light-hearted look at le parisien, probably too stereotyped, 

but hey ... this is just a blog!

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what makes a girl a real parisienne?

If I say 'parisienne' (which incidentally means a  woman from Paris as opposed to 'parisien' which means a  man), what image does it conjure up in your mind?

Eiffel tower, baguette, French music, perfect hair? ....

As hard as it may be to generalise, there are some stereotypes that work.  As if the women in paris become the archetypes of la femme française.  We live in the country, although only an hour from Paris, and it's always easy to spot a parisienne in a dinner here.

Physically the real Parisienne is neat, well dressed and beautifully presented.   She likes to stay very slim, and is very careful with her diet. (no surprises there!)

She enjoys Paris, can't imagine life possible outside of the city!  She likes to snob the country dwellers but is actually delighted to be invited out of the city at the weekend.

She wears a minimum of make up, often choosing to emphasise either eyes or lips, rather than both.  Her hair isn't always perfectly blow dried, often simply caught up in a soft unruly chignon à la Bardot.

She likes to dress well, but that doesn't always mean designer labels.  The Parisienne will often mix one really good piece, be it a LBD, a great bag or wonderful shoes, with other more ordinary items from her wardrobe.

She works hard and runs around Paris all day long.  She knows the Metro off by heart and is happy to jump on a velib to gain time and get some extra exercise.  If she has children,  she must find a jeune fille to pick them up from school and help them with homework until maman gets back.

She shops at small stores in her quartier, and in the Parisian street markets for her food.  For her clothes she'll have a couple of favourite addresses.

If she's really sporty she'll take part in the race that carries her name 'La Parisienne' a half marathon run every May in Paris.

She loves to meet with a girlfriend for lunch, sitting out on terrace, chatting over a salad and espresso coffee.... and some things just never change!

photos 1 and 4 from La parisienne by ines de la fressange; other photos google

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cross stitch Paris!

Busy busy busy today, putting up new stuff in the store and sorting out the
house after a full weekend.  So today I'm simply offering you
some shots I took in Paris last week. 

Our autumn here has been very soft and 'out of focus'.  Last week in Paris, the
sky was low and the colours blended together seamlessly.

I shunned the metro, avoided the bus routes and walked from one appointment to the next, 

camera in hand.  As I crossed the rue de Rivoli, I was struck by the intricate 

carving on the outer stone walls of the Louvre.   Could have been embroidered!
Then I started taking pictures of doors and fountains ......

How wonderful to be in a city that can still surprise me after all these years!

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