The Memory Bee

Shopping and eating our way through Paris!

One of our days in Paris was set aside for shopping in what I call the "Madeline" area. I'm not sure if we did more shopping or more eating... from looking at the photos, I'd say that eating won the day! We started with breakfast at Eric Kayser... (Kathy wasn't feeling too good this day, so she stayed back in the hotel to rest and is missing from these photos. We missed her!)

We followed the maps I'd prepared and decided to stop in the Ritz and take a peek around and imagine Princess Diana here on her last night.

The flowers behind me are real! Just fabulous!

Our next stop was Annick Goutal where a kind lady helped us pick out fragrances. I love my Grand Amour... it makes me feel like I'm back in Paris when I wear it!

Next up was Pierre Herme who makes the BEST macarons!

We love the Hello Kitty collaboration with Laduree!

We stopped at Maille to buy some mustard (if Napoleon can, so can we!) and then had a lovely lunch in Fauchon, escaping the rain!

Printemps was our next destination (I wasn't to happy to find out that here is no longer a free restroom in Printemps! What's up with that!!! 1,50 euro to use the bathroom?) and then we were on to Galeries Lafayette. The crowds were ridiculous (I prefer the quieter neighborhoods of Paris so much more!) but the rain didn't deter the musicians looking for a donation... even a piano player!

By evening we were exhausted and ready to have a cozy dinner at a cafe. We finally found the perfect spot outside under the awning by the heater. With the rain falling and a waiter that we loved, it was just right! Here we are with Patrice...

By the time we made it back to our hotel, we were EXHAUSTED (I think Janice's pedometer clocked about 7 miles that day!) but filled with the happy memories of the day!

A few favorites from Versailles

We were up early and on the train, heading out of Paris to Versailles for the day. I love Versailles but the crowds can be overwhelming, so I highly recommend booking the guided tour of the private apartments of Louis XV and XVI. In a small group, you'll get to see and hear the stories that make the visit come alive. We had hoped and prayed for a nice day and God was good!

You can't get better than that!!

This year we got to go in the chapel which was just magnificient! You can only view the chapel from the door unless you are on a private tour.

I'm terrible at remembering the stories that the guide tells but there was something about the three fleur de lis inlaid in marble in the floor symbolizing the Trinity and the king's divine right to rule (or so he thought!)

The paintings on the ceiling rival the ones at the Vatican, I think!

We walked through the palace after our tour, but it is not enjoyable when you have a gazillion people pushing you through. We were very happy to get outside to the gardens!

(I accidently had my camera on a fish-eye setting and I think it looks kind of cool!)

You can see that the clouds were rolling in! (It only rained a tiny bit late in the afternoon.)

In the afternoon we headed out of the palace grounds and into the town of Versailles for some shopping and dinner.

I love the little ribbon store...

and the patisserie...

and the hat shop... as we explored the back lanes and courtyards, we came upon a darling tea room that looked perfect for a late afternoon pick me up! Since we couldn't choose between the homemade desserts, we got a sliver of each... so good!

The perfect end to a perfect day! 

A few favorite shops in Le Marais, Paris

One of the many things that I love in Paris is the collection of little shops that each fill their own niche for daily life in the city. I found a pefect example of that along a stretch of Rue de Rivoli in Le Marais. Most shops are not one stop shops... they each specialize in one or two things and do it well.

You can stop at the butcher, pick up your chocolat, choose your favorite fromage from the cheese shop, get a lovely bouquet of roses, get your baguette and stop for your cafe at Paul. It's like going to Wegmans only so much more charming!

A little treasure in this area is the Village Saint Paul, a street of shops and alleys and courtyards filled with little antique shops, bookstores, and boutiques.

(This shop above wasn't open but I was dying to go in and check out that painted piece!)

We finished our day in the neighborhood with dinner at this charming restaurant near the Place des Vosges. It was perfect!

The Pink Blossoms of Notre Dame

Although I love the beauty of Notre Dame and the interesting stories about the sculptures on the fascade, it is the surrounding park and flower beds and trees that I enjoy the most. When we were there, it was snowing pink blossoms from the tree next to the cathedral... it is just gorgeous!

Right at the end of the park is one of the bridges famous for the "locks of love" that line the railing overlooking the Seine. Valerie added her own lock to celebrate her 10th anniversary this year... hopefully one day she'll be able to come back and share the memory with her hubby!

On Easter Sunday we had driven by Notre Dame and saw the line waiting to get in stretching out forever...

but on this gorgeous evening, the cathredral glowed in the light of the setting sun...

We stopped over at the Shakepeare and Company bookstore across the river...

and then made our way to the Eiffel Tower to catch magic of the twinkling lights.

Vanves Flea Market Day

I love a good flea market... I don't want anything too fancy, too permanent... I want to dig and find some deals. This year we went to the Vanves flea market on Saturday in Paris, and it was just the kind that I love!

We started out nice and early from our usually Metro stop near our hotel and within minutes we were at the stop for the market.

I loved that these guys were playing cards in the back of their booth (and had a good laugh when I saw that Paula Cheney posted a picture on her blog of the same guys on a different day... I guess it's a regular game!)

I bought this sweet plate but even though it was wrapped in bubble wrap and I carried it on the plane, it's the only thing that didn't make it home on one piece... it's in 3 pieces now! Bummer! Now I'll have to go back to get another one!

We each found some treasures and did our bargaining for the best deals!

I love the chandelier hanging from the Puces sign! Such style!

I like this picture... this guy was quite a character... I'm not sure he's looking at the pretty girls or was just giving a look to every passerby!

I got some books, a Fisher Price royal wagon with a king and his court for 1 euro, a bowl, and some other little things. I got the little Snow White ( Blanche-Neige) book at an antique shop.

We all met up for our last dinner in Paris at one of my favorite creperies near Notre Dame. It was cold but a magical evening to celebrate our special time together.

The waiters were so sweet and provided our entertainment!

You never know what you'll see on the way home on the Metro... wonder where these guys were going? (Nancy snapped this great photo!)

 

Revisiting Le Marais

The ladies on my shopping trip in Paris left on Sunday morning but my flight wasn't until Monday (actually Tuesday after my bump), so I decided to go back to the Le Marais district of the city... we had seen signs there advertising a brocante (flea market) on Sunday and I wanted to check it out.

One of the things I love most when I'm traveling is stumbling upon a fabulous little shop like the one I found here. Petit Pan is little boutique with Japanese papers, notions, fabrics, and more... I LOVE the bright and cheerful colors!

Across the street was a really unique building that stood out from all the other French architecture. I can't read what the sign says, but I can read the date and see how OLD it is (1508?)! So cool!

The flea market was very small and I didn't get anything (believe it or not, I was a little shopped out after being at a wonderful flea market the day before) but it was fun to see the vendors tucked into the alleys and courtyards in the antique district of the Village Saint Paul. I love how the vendors just sit down as a family and have their dinner. Ohh, it looked so good!

I found a delightful cafe where I got my lunch and visited with a nice couple from Las Vegas who were at the next table. I couldn't decide on a dessert, so I was happy to order the sampler and taste a few. Soo delicious! (My mouth is watering just thinking of them now!)

I did a little more wandering and browsing and then stopped and bought a baguette and some cheese in this shop for my supper. I was quite proud of myself for going in and ordering on my own. There was no English spoken here!

It's kind of fun to be alone in a city like this for a little bit of time. Anonymous for a day!

Stepping back in time

Yesterday I thought I'd finally be home after 27 days, but when the ticket agent at the airport mentioned that the flight was oversold, I took the opportunity to be bumped from the flight and have one more day in Paris! By the time I got back into the city, it was 4pm but early enough for a stroll on Rue Saint Sulpice and a stop in Le Bon Marche and Le Grand Epicerie. As I turned a corner, I felt like I stepped back in time with a film crew in action. I couldn't find out what they were filming but it was cool to see the period cars and costumes!

We had our last dinner together (crepes, of course!) on Saturday night and on Sunday all the ladies made their way home. I could not have asked for a better group to travel with! I'm so thankful for each of them... for their trust in my planning and for their patience when things didn't go just as planned! I'm so thankful for our daily "angels"... the strangers that so kindly pointed the way just when we needed it. I will always treasure the memories of the laughs and the fun we had!

Popping in from Paris!

My poor blog has been sadly neglected as I've traveled, but I've been posting pictures and updates on Facebook, if you'd like to stop by there and see lots of photos!

I'm still in Paris, finishing up our last few days of fun... it's been an amazing, lovely, fabulous trip... I will recount it more thoroughly when I get home next week, but for now, I'll just give a quick overview!

Dave and I saw some amazing villages in Provence! It exceeded all my expectations and I would love to return someday and see more!

From the breath-taking villages on the hillsides...

to the Mediterranean Sea...

we saw ochre cliffs...

and calanques rising up from the sea...

and mountains rising up to the sky.

We ate and we drank and we enjoyed our time together with the most glorious weather!

I did a little flea market shopping, of course!

Soon it was time to get to work and teach with this lovely group of teachers at Version Scrap in Paris...

Then I was off to London to meet the ladies who came across the pond to shop with me! We shopped and shopped and had a perfect time!

After a few days, we made our way to Paris where the shopping, sightseeing and fun continues!

We're loving the flowers and the macarons...

It is a dream! Can't wait to share more!!