a french tradition: the gingerbread & ham antique fair
bonjour from paree~coming to you from a day of shopping on the outskirts of paris to visit a fair that happened to be happenning while we’re here. i’ve always wanted to check out the foire de chatou which is held on what’s affectionately known as ‘the island of the impressionists’ from a time when painters like monet and renoir created some of their most famous works here.
today chatou hosts a fair that’s been a tradtion since the middle ages, having moved around a lot and finally finding its home twice a year in this idyllic spot. it’s definitely worth a trip if you’re here at the right time of year.
how it became known as the fair of ham and gingerbread is another story and you can read all about it on the fair’s website linked above.
like all things in paris it’s taken on an air of a pleasant afternoon strolling through chic stands and trying to decide what to get when you want it all. well, almost all.
there was a mix of furniture, lighting and linens
with the displays full of smalls including glass, paintings and statuary
i guess i was a little obsessed with this vendor but there was so much creativity in his tiny space
i had an urge to leave with garden goodies, and maybe cause i just got a dog, fell in love with these.
but i had to be realistic about shipping this time, and sneaking these in with my carry-on was not gonna work
so instead we enjoyed the weather and ate like kings and queens
the food and desserts were gorgeous, but i was so busy eating that i didn’t get too many photos of the food
when we were fully nourished i vowed to stick with paper and ephemera starting with this old portable writing set, aka early laptop
these engravings were hand tinted, matted in gray and hung in coral frames
we found some of our own and decided to frame them at home
as both a book and handwriting lover i’m always looking for journals and ledgers. under a table was one from a boulangerie
and i couldn’t resist these artist sketchbooks from the 1800s
suffice it to say i wanted it all
puppet theater
i have a weakness for what the french call all things ‘gallant’, aka erotica to us, basically all things ‘boudoir’
even the silly postcards
but as scarlet said, ‘tomorrow is another day’ and iit’s getting late. but before signing off, as promised, have hit the RaNdOm NuMbER Generator to give away the books from the last post. and the winners are Deborah McReynolds and Catherine.
if you can send me your addresses the books can go out next week when i get back. but if you didn’t win that one, we do have another, brought to you by richard nahem of i prefer paris. he’s a friend of mine living in paris and has started a monthly subscription of postcards featuring his beautiful shots around the city. the first month’s set is up for today’s giveaway so if you’re interested just say the word and we’ll do another drawing tomorrow. et alors, it’s time to shut it down, good night!
ipreferparis.net/2015/09/eye-prefer-paris-postcards-official-launch-.html
What to pack for Paris: Expectation vs. Reality
pinterest.com/parisapartment/style
allo toute le monde, it’s been a real long time since posting last, the summer flew by and well, here i am heading back to paris tonight. it’s a quick trip with clients and I’ll be blogging from the markets so let me know if you’re looking for anything, i’ll be there till monday, staying at lorraine’s pied-à-terre in the marais. let me know if you’re interested in that too cause she rents it out and just did a makeover on it. i’ll take pics and blog about it if i get the chance.
in the meantime i’m doing my last minute packing. paris is a city of fashion and when it’s time to go makes you want to use your best stuff and be that girl (here’s where the expectation is way better than the reality). and since it’s been a summer of travel I’m on an austerity budget and want to use what i have. it made me realize i’ve got what i need and didn’t spend much to get it.
i’m definitely not much of a clothes horse or label ho although i do love the workmanship and fabric of fine clothing. so after pulling up so many google images of pack lists that my head spun, i decided to make my own. the goal is traveling light and being ready for anything. my philosophy is ‘if you don’t have the dress, you won’t go to the ball” so here goes, what’s what and from where…
left to right and down, sorta:
Black velvet blazer by DKNY from Out of the Closet Thrift Shop
Black cashmere cardigan, J Crew
Navy sweater/shirt tail, J Crew
Black down vest, Calvin Klein, Marshalls
Navy silk dress, Tahari, TJ Maxx
Gray cashmere sweater, Tahari, TJ Maxx
Blue suede shoes by Gianvito Rossi, too small for Candy, a gift to me!
Black Nikes
Camel/gray/black jacket, Bloomie’s
Cashmere scarves, gray is calvin klein and the ivory is TPA
Black cashmere V sweater and Black tee, Helmut Lang,, Marshalls
RL travel set with blanet/eye mask/pillow, Xmas gift, thanks, Jean and Col!
3 jeans, Levis, Guess, Lucky
Black suede ankle boots, Adrienne Vittadini, TJ Maxx
Shoe bags/lingerie bag/nighty/socks
bags from ethnic stores in paris
i fully expected to bring the muffin man but since i have clients, the reality is i’m afraid he’ll be too much of a distraction to bring this time. (i think he’s mad)…and of course since this is an expectation vs reality post, i have to include an ‘inspiration post’ of what i wish this one had turned into but that will be have to be another day when i have time to play on polyvore since i’m running out of time. i’ll just use theirs as a cheat sheet and finish up:
finally in the spirit of the day, thought it would be a good time to offer two of my favorite books for a giveaway. both are by Jennifer Scott. the first is the original Madame Chic and her latest, At Home with Madame Chic.
If you’d like to be entered to win either of them, leave your name in the comments and we’ll draw on friday. Ok, i better get back at it, see you from the other side!
thanks for all the amazing comments, i do love and miss you all so much. here’s the all packed up pic a couple of you wanted to see. the bag is lucas and it’s lightweight, from tj maxx. 
a dream came true
good morning mes chere amis! it’s been a long winter and hard to believe that i was able to keep a secret for 6 months, but today can finally reveal a career highlight i’ve been sitting on! i didn’t want to spoil the fun of having takin one king’s lane founder, Susan Feldman on a wild shopping spree in paris in january for her container sale that’s happening right now! it was brutal weather and we trudged through slush with wet uggs and red noses but we beat down doors and got beautiful treasures for a sale i hope you’re going to really enjoy! take a look: Susan’s Container Sale
well, i better get back to reality. it was fun reliving our trip and i hope we can do it again soon, as it was a dream come true to be there together. as you know, i love to share my sources and passion for the markets and Susan really absorbed it. she had a vision. i hope you and i can shop together sometime too! i’ll be there in september, maybe we can plan a blogger’s meet up if you’re there? something to think about. for now it’s back to work to make it happen, more soon!
the paris apartment 