Flowers And Perfume

 How about some beautiful Parisian flowers and perfume to start the weekend with, starting with the flowers at The George V.

  They were truly breathtaking!

This floral display is the first thing you see when you walk into the lobby.

It's almost overwhelming!

I would never think of combining red and pink together but it works.

Just look how many orchids and roses!

This arrangement was at the Bristol Hotel, another fabulous hotel that we visited one evening.

Flowers and fruit at the Cacharel showroom.

Just as pretty as flowers are these Chanel perfume bottles...

...I found myself reminiscing about my Grandma Ila who alway wore Chanel No. 5!

I'm in love with the flower stands in Paris.

How can one resist not stopping for a bouquet while walking home to your Parisian apartment?

The French have a way of making everything look better.

From flowers to perfume, I was so inspired to capture it all with the new Sony camera I bought two days before the trip.

Have a fabulous weekend!

C'est Les Printemps

I could tell spring was near by the way the air smells at night with the sweet scent of lilacs.


 Lilacs are to me the quintessential spring flower, their blooms ever so brief yet dramatic with their perfume.
Of course I cannot wait to pick them and bring inside to inhale!


C'est Les Printemps! (This is spring!)

“That is one good thing about this world...there are always sure to be more springs.”  ~L.M. Montgomery

(Which means more lilacs!)

Happy First Day of Spring!

Paris Fashion Week With The Fashionistas

The whole point of going to Paris when we did was to be there for Fashion Week.

Although I'm not into fashion and was the least fashionable of the four of us, it was certainly an experience to be there with these two fashionistas!

Kathleen has a popular fashion blog called KatwalkSF, so it made sense that she would pack two gigantic suitcases for the trip.

She was very prepared for all the fashion shows and for photoshoots that Ashley or I took for her blog.

I love this look, day one on the Champs-Elysees.

Very chic!

Kathleen talked Ashley into posing in the Jardin deTuileries for her post on Paris street style.

There's that cape again.  

(From my closet.)

They would meet us in the lobby every night, and it was always exciting to see what they were wearing.

The girls usually attended two or three fashion shows during the day...

...and since my friend Teresa and I couldn't get in, we walked and shopped!

We were able to visit some showrooms though.

This was Ashley's favorite.

I enjoyed the Cacharel showroom and how everything was displayed simply on makeshift plywood tables and racks. 

A model in Cacharel.

Ashley modeling her wicked witch of the west ensemble!

Kathleen the night we ate at La Société in her Trina Turk pants.

 "The Fashionistas" in front of Notre Dame.

Ashley channeling The Monuments Men look!

You never know when there will be an impromptu photoshoot!

There's never a dull moment when traveling with "The Fashionistas." 

For a whole week in Paris, being with these girls made me feel like I was their age again.

Well, almost!

They even have a new name, thanks to a very nice waiter who called them "wicked trendy!"

Perhaps it could be the name of our someday boutique?

Be sure to check out Katheen's blog for more Paris Fashion Week inspiration.

KatwalkSF.com

I'm linking up to The Tablescaper for "Oh The Places I've Been"

Eating And Drinking Our Way Through Paris!

 What can I say, I love room service!

There's nothing like waking up to coffee and croissants which we managed to do almost every day in Paris!

Except for the day we ate breakfast at McDonalds which was very good!

We even splurged and had a proper tea in the afternoon.

Quite civilized and lovely.

Another splurge was chocolat chaud on a rainy afternoon.

The French know how to make the best hot chocolate!

 Lunch at Ralph's was a very forgettable chicken dish.

I should have ordered the hamburger!

 One of our memorable dinners was at La Société, beginning with a very dirty martini before dinner.

An asparagus and artichoke salad....

...followed by escargot!

Of course a beautiful bottle of wine was de rigeuer!

I've never eaten so much butter!

Butter on French bread is divine!

Eating and drinking our way through Paris was very fun but now I need to go on a post-Paris diet!

Can someone please tell me why French women aren't overweight?

Window Shopping and Parisian Storefronts

Paris has the most beautiful store fronts, enticing one to step in and browse.

Whether they are painted faux bois or blue or black, they stand apart from the building they share.

We did our fair share of window shopping too!

I spied this fabulous tartan plaid oxford in a window...

...vintage Hermes in another window.

The owner of this shop was out for lunch...

...and we were desperate to find out the prices of the vintage Chanel in the window.

A beautiful window display in this home decor shop.

And another sweet display in this shop.

I knew better than to go inside!

Dangerous!

Such beautiful macarons displayed in Laudurée window.

And four gorgeous puddings for four tourists with a sweet tooth!

A healthier snack would be fruit, so beautifully displayed here.

Seeing the neighborhoods with their shops and boutiques inspired us.

We talked and brainstormed at length about a little boutique of our own!

Maybe someday....