Bubbles & Bye-Byes

As Chloe and I are trying to find joy in our last days of Paris 

(the level of denial is very, very deep)

 blowing bubbles out of our big windows into our blooming courtyard is a good distraction.

Peonies, s'il vous plaît

<< J'adore >>

Vivez la Langue!

C'est trop mignon. 
I love the little picturesque moments, the macaron shots!
(and the typography, wow!)

From Monet's Window

[[From the artist's window of his Giverny home]]

The Artist Garden at Giverny.

An absolute dream.

(ps - I took 400 pictures today. Yep, 400. I was falling deeply in love with everything I was seeing. So lots more to come!)

Beautiful Dreamer

photo courtesy - the talented yvette inufio

1.
Beautiful dreamer, wake unto me,
Starlight and dewdrops are waiting for thee;
Sounds of the rude world, heard in the day,
Lull'd by the moonlight have all pass'd away!
Beautiful dreamer, queen of my song,
List while I woo thee with soft melody;
Gone are the cares of life's busy throng,
Beautiful dreamer, awake unto me!
Beautiful dreamer, awake unto me!

2.
Beautiful dreamer, out on the sea,
Mermaids are chanting the wild lorelei;
Over the streamlet vapors are borne,
Waiting to fade at the bright coming morn.
Beautiful dreamer, beam on my heart,
E'en as the morn on the streamlet and sea;
Then will all clouds of sorrow depart,
Beautiful dreamer, awake unto me!
Beautiful dreamer, awake unto me!

Stephen Foster, 1862

Babar and the Ballons

It's been weeks and I still cannot get over how cute this illustration is.

Colette Carnival

I can never be bored in Paris.

(This I love)

The other Saturday, Colette, a tré cool shop (basically the dream shop you could win a shopping spree at) had a carnival at the Tuileries. Full of booths, noms, merchandise, some children and a lot of Parisian hipsters.

-----> a pretty enormous (really!) picture post awaits, come see what all them French hipsters be into!

Vintage Toy Sailboats

In the Tuileries Gardens.

The little boys and girls pay a euro or two to float them in the fountains.

--quite lovely--

These are a few of my favorite things...

Brown paper packages tied up with strings...

Laduree macarons, flower crowns, birthdays .
And a Mr. M by my side.

Flower Crown

Christina knows me so well.

I wore it all birthday weekend.

Happy March!

I am always happy when March arrives - spring, my birthday, spring - generally good things!

**A little teacup at the Maubert-Mutualite market**

Catherine's Playgrounds

With all her little friends.

 Looking quite dapper ol chap!

I have never wished so badly I could buy my anglophile unlimited gifts!------>

Queen Elizabeth's Diamond Jubilee

Another exciting thing the London is preparing for...

God save the Queen!!

Love, Love, Love

Happy Valentine's!

Cosmic Love

**the most beautiful ceiling at the Opera in Paris**

I love the *celestial* 

Perhaps one reason why I love Florence and the Machine so much -

((Already so, so excited to go and see her!!))

Tulips

It feels like a little peak of spring!!

Sunday Brunch

//Happy to be having a relaxed Sunday//

I made a nice brunch for Chloe and Alyssa, I love our little apartment!

The Devil, Miss Prym and Some Hot Chocolate

In my visa-related stress, I somehow arrived at Bougival a half an hour early today. It is small, there aren't many places to go, but it was too rainy to stand outside and wait. So I ventured into a the local tabac and had a little cup of really delicious hot chocolate and read some pages from The Devil and Miss Prym by Paulo Coelho. I quite like this quote from the introduction concerning the premise of the book.
“When we least expect it, life sets us a challenge to test our courage and willingness to change; at such a moment, there is no point in pretending that nothing has happened or in saying that we are not yet ready. The challenge will not wait. Life does not look back. A week is more than enough time for us to decide whether or not to accept our destiny.” 
I felt much more calm afterwards. 

Cheers to Laduree

With Christina, Rachel and of course my dear Chlosephine cheering Laduree macarons and drinking champagne atop the Eiffel Tower at 11:00am on a Saturday. Perfect.

La Marche de Noel at La Defense

Okay, I have something to admit - I am obsessed with Christmas.