all change is not growth, as all movement is not forward – e. glasgow
allo all! it’s very late and my last post from paris this time around. it’s been a fantastic trip with lots of great memories and pretty things coming home. but for the first time, it’s a little different for me. as you know i adore the flea markets and all the stories they tell. lately though, i feel a little bittersweetness about it because the subtle ‘progressive’ changes in the city are becoming more apparent and i’m not sure they’re for the best.
ok maybe at times paris can be a bit of a gilded lily, and i can understand wanting to mix the old with the new. but paris is the worlds’ muse and we come for her beauty and inspiration.
le train-bleu, in paris’ gare de lyon
and as someone who loves interior and exterior architecture, i can’t for the life of me figure out why the french allow their beautiful city to be ravaged by renovators.
the changes are everywhere, from the windows coming down and satellite dishes going up
to small details like the books being pilfered for engraving and endpapers sold as scraps
glass fronts on traditional boulangeries and boucheries are tossed aside and the storefronts are cemented over
handpainted panels are removed and separated from the grand walls they once adorned
and apparently stained glass is considered passé
why someone would want to dismantle a marble fireplace and mirror is beyond me
and why would the city allow such destruction?
i mean, i’m not complaining, it gets circulated all over the world i suppose
but it just seems that in this day and age we should preserve what we have and take care of it as stewards
these apartments will be here long after us and what will be left?
where is the love?
and why is it being replaced with ‘sanitization’of the city’ as the french are calling it?
ok maybe i am complaining just a little. it’s happening throughout the city. these beautiful old tile frames in the metro are all coming down
and the old bouquinistes kisoks are being replaced with one of the prototypes below
maybe like joni mitchell sings, paris, is old and cold and settled in its ways. but isn’t that why we love her so? if the powers that be want to make changes, i humbly suggest adding a few more escalators in the metros, make it easier to catch a cab and run a design contest for a pretty something to cover the hanging clear plastic garbage bags on the streets. of course outlawing satellite dishes and making it a crime to dismantle apartments and store facades over 100 years old wouldn’t hurt either! but some say it’s progress. i say it’s heartbreaking. what do you think?
time is of the essence
hi gang! i am in and i’m out as heidi would say. i’m on reserve power and it’s midnight on the dot so it’s time to wrap it up toute de suite! just wanted to stop by and share one of the pieces i came across today. my sister in law found them in paris and gave me them to me to matte and frame for the upcoming event.
it’s one of a few original hand painted designs, this one for a wall. i love the details and the free hand of the artist, the way he make swirls and fleurs, i swoon! anyway hope you enjoy, i’m down to less than 2 mins power so bon nuit!
head in the clouds
hi guys, ca va?
tomorrow’s my dernier jour en paris. one last chance to hit the fleas and a couple brocantes. it’s been all work when i’m not here blogging and i’ve been patiently waiting to flea once more encore!
we live for the hours we have to leave our laptops and stroll for a snack. every outing is an adventure. you’d think after all these years it would get a little tired. but i guess that’s how paris is; endless inspiration from every angle. going through today’s pics i noticed a recurring theme of green spaces and shooting upward. i’ve been trying to capture a paris without a time. and without all the chaos that’s going on at street level making you realize exactly what year this is!
with my head in the clouds it was heavenly
the colors were vibrant, the sky so bright.
but with feet on the ground you’re bound to find beauty too.
my petit ami took us the long way home through parc du temple.
where i’d never been. loved their green wall
eVeRyOnE was blissed out.
we passed this book in shop window on the way home. the photo is timeless and catches a perfect moment. in the park, at that instant, all was well. that’s how it felt today watching everyone enjoy life at once.
well i have an early am so i’m out. bonne rêves!
ladybugs and daisies
(image via weheartit)
you have to admire the precision the ladybug has for her target. i’m going to use her as a role model and try to tap into her focus.
allo all, how’s votre vie? it’s been a full couple of days and while i was supposed to be wrapping up loose ends for the show, have actually been taking more on at the last minute. since joseph is opening a store i couldn’t resist turning him on to some of my treasure troves down here. in turn he’s taking me to his woodworker, lacquerer, nickel plater, fabric stores and well, anything else we can fit into the day. i have to apologize for these horrible pics, my phone is fickle and didn’t want to play today. we hit a shop down south that i haven’t been to for at least 5 years called architectural antiques. i remembered vividly that they’d had an insane pair of french doors that for some reason stuck with me all these years. imagine my surprise when they were still there when we showed up today!
they have incredible but totally random stuff. note the dinosaur head on the upper left.
it’s filled with everything from ancient vellum books to enormous antique hotel chandeliers.
they took a while to find but were still as beautiful as i remembered. but they’ve started to show a lot of age and damage on the top and bottoms. i figured it was probably too much to fix them for the show, i’m leaving for new york on saturday and the trucker is picking everything up the day after tomorrow.
BUT joseph thought his guys could restore them so it so i threw caution to the wind and claimed them then and there. we stuffed the car with last minute pickups and headed to the woodworker who said guess what…no problem, he’s going to have them ready tomorrow afternoon!
who does that?
needless to say i’m thrilled and amazed. both by the local talent in miami and the willingness people have to help each other out when they know it’s crunch time.
well, it’s been an action packed day so i think tonight will be the ‘early to bed early to rise’ kind and i can’t wait to hit my favorite pillow. i’ll look for you in the stars!
