Bonjour my dear blogging
friends!
It’s been a while since I’ve
posted and I missed you. I guess I have an excuse being away overseas. We’ve just returned from
two weeks vacation in France and I have more than 2500 images to choose from,
to share the best and exciting moments with you.
Plenty you might say, but 10
days of wondering Paris streets I simply couldn’t help it…
And as our apartment
happened to be an unfortunate misadventure we tried to spend as less time
inside as possible, thus the big catch of the day(s).
What a journey it was! At
last I’ve got to places I always wanted and never got around like Art Nouveau
marvels by Guimard on Avenue Mozart and Rue de La Fontaine. I savored
architectural details grand or barely noticed but always appreciated by my
wondering and wandering eyes.
We spent a leisurely boating
evening on the serene lake in Bois de Boulogne.
We visited finally the Musee
Marmottan with wonderful Berthe Morisot special exhibition, Atget exhibition in
Carnavalet, precious Netter collection of Modigliani, Soutine and the Legends
of Montparnasse in Pinacotheque gallery on Place de la Madeleine.
The first step is always the hardest. It’s a tough decision where to start. Maybe reflections? A journey through the looking glass…
I found myself drawn to these shiny, whimsical, often distorted street reflections, constantly moving and changing the scene which tripled window shopping fun and added another dimension to reality. Actually it was a bit of a challenge to position myself so not to become a part of image.
Some of them were magnificent like this huge curvatious window in a newly opened Opera Garnier Restaurant. Phantasmagoric space in red and white by a very talented architect Odile Decq. The reflection became the part of a decorating idea.
A gorgeous addition to Palais Garnier.
Grand Palais reflecting Petit Palais.
Some reflected just the opposite side of the street with typical Hausmann building or the square jammed with traffic.
While my husband and junior enjoyed the slow stroll in Tuillerie I spent some time in nearby Jewelry department of Musee d’Arts Decoratife with amazing collection of Lalique and his contemporaries.
We browsed bookstores and had a delicious little picnic in beautiful Parc Monceau.
At last we allowed ourselves to splurge a bit in the few finest patisseries exquisitely
selected by Paris Patisserie blogger,
immensely talented and utterly pastry obsessed writer.
I followed many of your
helpful advices regarding hidden gems for which I’m very grateful.
We took a day trip to carefully restored Rouen where I’d be happy to take you later, and to Chateau de Fontainebleau so overlooked by tourists.
We ended up with 3 days in a beautiful city of Strasbourg
even climbed the magnificent Cathedral, and spent a wonderful day in the sweet
and tiny town of Colmar. If eye candy
means something that was literally it.
Everything will come to you
in time.
Paris end of July-August
always feels so deserted by locals and succumbed to hordes of tourist nomads. Each time I’m trying to find
those Charlottes Gainsbourgs quintessential parisiennes and can’t. Beautiful
Clarins girls don’t fluttered around
comme les silphides either.
Where are all those mysterious
parisiennes we all try so hard to imitate?
Slim, confident with clear complexion, epitomes of style and elegance?
Am I always in wrong places
even away from beaten paths? There are billions of wise, witty and funny
advices on blogosphere how to look and be stylish and even behave like
parisienne. Beautiful (propped and styled images) feed our loving and willing
imagination but for some reason I start to think it’s all just a playful, amusing myth.
This time we had to use
metro a lot, sometimes at rush hour. And
parisiennes didn’t look any different by
the end of a hot and humid day than New Yorkers or Torontonians. They spoke
French though fluently or texted and disappeared in music waves of earphones as
anywhere else. Dressed accurately but otherwise unremarkable, no hint of a
chic. They look …well… normal, a bit tired, never smile back.
I have to admit, the older
ladies are completely different, surrounded by the aura of parisiennesness, even if her Hermes scarf has seen better
times, happy to engage in conversation, tolerant
to my accent and efforts.
The most funniest thing
happened when once I was probably mistaken for a local as I’ve seen a lady from
a tourist group pointed at me to a friend commenting and swiftly took a
picture. Sad and funny.
What actually did I hope to
see? I’m no expert in night life scene, maybe that’s when parisiennes emerge?
But wait a moment, there
were a few split seconds, when the girls stop the scouters and take off their
helmets and shake their head to fluff the hair, a tiny gesture so simple, sexy
and natural. Only Parisian girls can do it that way…But I’m not riding a
scouter and still hoped to catch a glimpse of Charlotte Rampling crossing the street with umbrella…Have you
seen one?
Saint Germain des Pres.
Hermes window with beautiful reflection.
Shakespeare and Company.
Thank you very much for coming and see you soon.
* All images copyright by Natalie Rapoport
