chartres

I visited Chartes last month on a lark. I'd never been and found myself with a free Saturday, so I decided I'd make the short trip. That's one of the lovely things about Paris- you can hop on a train and visit all manner of delightful spots with no fuss at all. 

I was a bit disappointed to find that the facade of the church was covered in scaffolding- why do these things always seem to be happening?- but it was still so lovely that I could hardly complain. I spent the whole day in Chartes and came back to the cathedral at several points during the day so I could see how the changing light would affect the way the stained glass windows looked. I didn't take any photos- I could never have captured the light correctly- but it was amazing, marvelously beautiful

The exterior of the church is nothing to sniff at either. And the town is charming. I happily spent the day wandering and basking in the sun, visiting the Saturday marche and eating lunch just off the main square. I took far too many photos.

And then I hopped on the train and was back in Paris in a flash, where I spent the remainder of the afternoon bicycling around the Marais with my friend Cristina. Easy as pie. I love living here. 

a vogue birthday

French Vogue turned 90 this Wednesday. Kind of cool, I suppose. The part I'm most excited about is that, because I live in Paris, this means that I get the celebratory 620-page issue that comes with a portfolio of 90 photo prints, touted as "les plus audacieuses."

Apparently, Vogue has taken over the bar at the Crillon for fashion week, making cocktails named after designers (so one can drink a Tom Ford, for example). They're also having a masked ball themed "Eyes Wide Shut."

Fancy.

vernissage lee anderson designs

Last night I had the chance to stop by the preview of Lee Anderson's new line over at Galerie Six Elzevir. I met Lee a few weeks ago and had talked with her a bit about her line of outerwear but I was completely blown away by how gorgeous her designs are. The color palate was understated without being dull and the materials felt subtle yet luxurious.  I also loved the labels she used- the shape of little golden keyholes (she said she'd found them at a flea market!)

This is a picture of the inspiration wall that was up in the gallery. The few pictures of the clothes I managed to take didn't come out all that well and besides, I felt kind of like a square running around snapping photographs while everyone else was slouching around drinking champagne. A very nicely done event. Fashion week is officially upon us.

 http://www.leeandersondesign.com/

autumn is here

giverny

First, I have to point out that these pictures are from May, when I took a day trip out to Giverny. I wasn't posting on the blog then, so I never did much with these pictures. But the trip was lovely and worth remarking upon here, besides which, I like the idea of using this space as sort of a photo album. 

So. Giverny.

Giverny is famous for being home to Claude Monet for many years. He lived and painted and gardened extensively and his home is now a tourist magnet. It's a quick train ride from Paris, so on one sunny Saturday, I bought a ticket and headed off.

The train doesn't take you right to Monet's gardens and house, so you have the option of taking a bus, walking, or renting a bicycle. I had planned to walk, but upon disembarking from the train, I fell into conversation with a group of American girls who were studying abroad in Paris for the summer and ended up joining their party for the afternoon. We all rented bicycles and pedaled our way towards the house and gardens.

Being May, the place was packed; we didn't even attempt to go into the house. But the gardens were stunning.

Beyond the gardens, there were fields of poppies all around. The poppies themselves were like none I've ever seen- such a particular shade of red.

I have to say, renting a bicycle was the way to go. I don't think I'd ridden one in years but it was fun, speeding around the paths, seeing the cows out in the fields and reveling in the fresh air and sunshine. It was exhilarating- a truly joyful day.

good morning

I've decided that I'm going to (try to) post in here each day for the next month. It's a little exercise to get me used to this. So I thought I'd begin exactly where I begin my day. This is a view out my bedroom window. I appreciate the fact that my neighbors across the way have red geraniums in their window box.

After I wake up, I immediately eat breakfast. Always. And I do that in my kitchen:

And on that note, it's time for some toast and tea. A bientot.

the peter pan collar

I don't know what it is, but recently I've been smitten with peter-pan collars. They seem girlish, but not fussy. There's something ironic about them. I love it.

Of course, as soon as I saw this dress from Alexa Chung's line for Madewell, I nearly died. However, it seems that it is already sold out. I'm feeling a little crushed. I was already picturing myself wearing it for Christmas- I suppose it reminds me of the black velvet dresses I wore around the holidays growing up.

copenhagen

Earlier this month, I took a solo trip to Copenhagen. I had been curious about Copenhagen for a long time and after reading about the  Hotel Guldsmeden in the New York Times, I decided I'd treat myself to a little getaway.