Last week I found myself in Paris for a whirlwind visit with friends, and to take in two concerts thanks to the impossibly generous and delightful K & M. It was an awfully special trip as Andrew and I got engaged in Paris four years ago. It's hard to find any fault with the city, but if there's one thing that frustrates me it is the feeling I panic I have whenever I get lost. It isn't a romantic, "ooh, I'm wandering the streets of Paris" lost. It's a "dearlord I onlyhave48hours in the city and everymomentspent walking down this interminably long boulevard isanotherminute spent away from themost delicious pastry/most beautiful painting/most incredible vintage market/most inspiringartisan" sort of anxiety. I spent an entire day actually acquainting myself with the Latin Quarter, not visiting any of the shops, so the next day I could return and would know exactly where to go. This, it turns out, helped a great deal.
In no particular order we visited with our adorable friends and hosts Chris and Charles who always greet us with lively conversation and quite the spread in their comfortable home; scarfed down pastries at Du Pain et Des Idees twice (my favorite part of their website is that they include the sound of the bakery. My heart melts and sometimes I just keep in on in the background while I work). I saw this terrific wrought iron door at a nearby school); had a duck extravaganza at Au Petit Sud Ouest; paid the obligatory visit to Deroylle; saw Mozart L'Egyptien, and then Artaserse, a late Baroque opera with five countertenors (including the incomparable Philiippe). For me, the conductor of the show, Diego Fasolis, stole the show. I can't find any good videos of him conducting but he is worth seeing live if you ever have the chance. And lastly, thanks to Betty, I spent a few hours gabbing and crafting with Simone, creator of Edition Poschette who embodies the Parisian fairy you've always wanted to meet (and whose apartment I covet). I'll do a separate post on her off the charts creations but in the meantime, you must check out her site. And then Berln for the holidays. Any suggestions? Want to meet up? Phew!