We´re back on track and summer is officially over. We came home from 25 degrees in Paris to 5 in Oslo and I needed to dig out my sweaters. 😉 The time in France was so amazing I wanted to share a couple of pictures from my Instagram account, too. Hope you enjoy them!
France
Paris is always a good idea (part 2)
Now, I haven´t been to NY or anywhere else outside Europe for that matter, but I´m pretty sure few cities can equal Paris when it comes to celebrating one´s birthday! I turned 34 on Saturday and I had the best anniversary ever! I woke up to jazz music just outside our window (we stayed in Bastille) and my husband had been out and bought me a rose, breakfast and cake. Breakfast in bed with Paris at my feet, that´s pretty much of a gift itself!
We were supposed to go to Clignancourt for the flea market, but the lazy morning and the prospects of a lunch date with some friends made the time too short. I didn´t despair though, there´re lots of markets in Paris and as it turned out, there was one just outside our apartment. 😉 Lots of goodies- antiques, industrial lamps, vintage garments, you name it! Although not exactly cheap, the prices were generally better than in shops, at least in Norway. 😉 We bought an antique bronze statue, with marble and ivory, it´s a beauty!
Paris
I´m in Paris and although there´s probably a special kind of sin not to be outside exploring, but inside writing on my blog, I needed to rest my feet at some point, so here we go! Besides, I just shared a bottle of Crémant with Vuong and our host, Tanguy and now I´m perking up with some coffee in bed. Taking into consideration all the amount of walking we´ve done these last 4 days, one would need to be Cat Woman not to need a short break. 😉
Oh, Paris, my heart is bursting out with love for this city! It´s my 7th time here, I think, but I never get enough of it! I usually like a city better the second or third time around anyhow, since I don´t feel the need to do all that sightseeing (that I seldom enjoy anyway). Luckily, we have a one museum per holiday policy, neither of us being especially keen on spending precious time indoors staring at the dead when we can admire the living. So this trip has been great so far. We had lots of time to walk about and admire the city´s heavily draped silhouettes, then sit down for a drink or a bite now and then. Whatever street we crossed, the smell from the corner fruit store would tickle our nostrils. We glared at Parisians, had a glimpse at art galleries, did some shopping- clothes, a scented candle or a brocante treasure. A cup of champagne was mandatory every day and so was something sweet to nibble on.
Holiday house
I keep coming back to my initial blog theme, interior decoration. While sipping Petit Bourgeois and hiding from the heat, I stumbled upon this wonderful holiday retreat where Amsterdam-based Anne-Claire Petit and Jan Wolleswinke spend their summers in France, by the Italian border. I love the white hues, the natural elements of stone and granite, the concrete floors and the light. The simplicity of it all propels me in the Mediterranean environment where one can find peace of mind while making fig jam and chatting with the neighbor. What do you think?
I love Paris in the fall
We´re going to Paris for a week in September! Weee! There´s a trade show my husband is attending and I get to toggle along. I´m soo looking forward to it! All the croisants and the eclairs we can eat, walk till we drop, shop at the best fashion boutiques, attend a jazz concert and drink wine all night! Besides, I need to go to some antique markets this time, plus meet a couple of friends. Ai, ai, ai, la vie en rose!
France
I´m having a really difficult time adjusting to this uncertain weather, is it spring, is it still winter, which coat do I wear, do I still need gloves and how come it´s so windy!? At least it´s been sunny, it made it so much easier to spend time outside with my Sammy, without needing to force my own hand.
I´ve only just returned from my trip to Romania and I´m going to Lisbon for a few days in May and still the only thing I can think of is travel. And since France is one of my favorite places, thought I´d share some of my travel pictures with you.
Although I adore France, I haven´t seen nearly as much of it as I should have. Paris is the place I always long for and find a reason to return to, both for its magic and its food. In fact those two are quite interconnected since food is one of the main ingredients of magic! And you´ve got to love French food! Oh, my God! The snails, the cheese, the macarons, the rabbit, the onion marmalade, the Tarte Tatin. Yum! I´ve been to Normandy, Corsica and Cote D’Azur and besides beauty, divine food was the second thing they had in common. I need to explore more, I need to see Provence, the Loire Valley and Bretagne. In the mean time, enjoy a trip on my memory lane!
Restaurant in Corsica, France
Restored French Farmhouse
How ya´doin´? I´m at home from work at 13:30 and can´t believe my luck! Taking my Sam out for a walk in the woods, but not before I share this amazing house with you. And I´ll be sure to post some pictures of the reddish trees and my cutie pie when back.
I love the mix of the cavernous walls, the old wooden beams and the sumptuous furnishing. The dark walls and the colorful fabrics also add up to this idea of cave, of man against nature. Not to mention the fireplace! My favorite place though is the swimming pool with its lavender garden. Pure bliss!
A lovely Parisian corner
My husband is back from Paris and he was so inspired I felt it was a good choice to stay at home and let him experience the big city on his own. He was lucky to stay in a lovely apartment in Bastille and the owners made him feel so welcome he felt at home at once. I fell in love with the apartment the moment I saw the first picture! For those of you planning a trip to Paris anytime soon, check out Tanguy´s place on airbnb.com. The owners are New Yorker Tanguy and Parisian Lou and they´ll greet you as if you were their own friend. Their home is warm and cosy and mirrors their extensive travels, a successful mixture of American humor and French refinement. Take a look and see what you think! We´re planning a trip there in spring and guess where we´ll stay?!;-)
life in a bubble 