Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Let's Go To Paris, Again!


The Eiffel Tower sparkles in the sunlight.

Hi Everyone -

I'm Cindy from quaint handmade and thrilled to join the other incredible guests as we blog sit for Deb while she's in Paris & Marrakesh. She is quite the inspiration and I love to read about her collections and the thought process involved in creating them. Deb's reports from Paris combined with all of the amazing French-inspired guest posts, including our trip yesterday, have made me anxious to jump on a plane and go there, again. Let's all go!

First, a chocolate croissant and café au lait served on some Limoges china, of course. No fancy coffeemaker, carefully shake up warm milk in a container and voila - it's a little bit foamy. If you take sugar, add some to the milk and it's all the better.



A little research thanks to Art Buchwald's fun book.



Classic French cuffs with vintage enamel buttons made into links go with chic black pants, a red cashmere sweater and comfortable loafers. Add some dark sunglasses, red lipstick and we're almost ready.



A dab of Joy rose perfume.



Vintage embroidered french silk bag and change purse.



A Rhodia Notebook and Bic pen, which are made in France.



First stop, the incredible paintings of Anne Vallayer-Coster, painter to the Court of Marie-Antoinette. I think all of the ladies she painted would have looked better with a gorgeous Bonbon, or two.



The artist herself.



Incredible realism in her still life oil paintings.



Finely detailed portraits. The lace, the hair!



Delicate gouache on paper.



Marie-Antoinette herself.



Now, french gardens courtesy of The Glory of Roses written by Allen Lacy and beautifully photographed by Christopher Baker.



Monet's garden at Giverny.



Pink roses are a favorite.



Beautiful orange roses.



I can't take all of these flowers! Let's find a florist from this Japanese book about Parisian Florists. I don't speak or read French or Japanese so this is a logical source ;).



Odorantes looks gorgeous. See the birds?



Un Jour de Fleurs is so romantic.



Simple tulips in honor of the red in the French flag are perfect and just like the ones we had with breakfast. What a coincidence ;)!



Time to head home. Sorry if our trip was a bit long, but I've actually never been to France. Au revoir, Paris. It was grand and I'm not even tired. Safe travels, Deb & Jim!

xo, Cindy

16 comments:

Melissa de la Fuente said...

Oh! How beautiful Cindy dear! Lovely....I feel as if I am there. Such gorgeous flowers and wonderful setting of the scene.....thank you! I am ALWAYS happy to go to Paris!
xo
Melis

A Woman Of No Importance said...

Do you know, I have been to Paris many times, and yet I was wholly unaware of the stylish and arty florists' shops you've highlighted, and I've spent so much time in the charming cafes, and yet I never knew about the famous macarons from Laduree until I read about them in another blog from over the pond!

Thank you for your research and I loved, loved, loved the pictures!

Joyce said...

Thanks for the trip. I enjoyed and the flowers. I so love the vintage purse!!

aimee said...

a MARVELOUS post! and now you must go to paris, after you've documented it so beautifully!

blue moss said...

i love it all....such beautiful photos
i really need a sparkly eiffle tower now
michelle

blue moss said...

...i mean eiffel.... :)

hmstrjam said...

i love the photos cindy! especially the art book and cafe au lait and chocolate croissant up top! Makes me want to sit at a French cafe and daydream all day....

Mrs.French said...

oh goodness cindy, such a beautiful, thoughtful post...xo t

please sir said...

What a lovely trip - how wonderful! That crossiant is making me very hungry too!

Julia said...

This was a fantastic, thoughtful and ever brilliant post, darling Cindy! I loved it!

Cindy said...

i'm happy you guys liked our trip ... i was a bit nervous being my first time to paris and all ;).

Unknown said...

ah paris!~
i went there for (a very small portion of) my honeymoon and have yet to be back...until now. thank you cindy and scott. i totally needed a vacation. (and i can't wait to hear all about deb's travels!...you've got me a-hungering!)

cindy* said...

from one cindy to another ;), gorgeous post! the flowers...i wish i could just bury my face in them and inhale.

Anonymous said...

What a splendid post that encapsulated so much French beauty!

Bonbon Oiseau said...

cindy! this is so amazing and so thoughtful! i lov eit all--i am so inspired by the paintings of Anne Vallayer-Coster and the gorgeous gardens and fleurs and that bic pen? LOVE IT TOO! you are too much--thank you thank you and merci beaucoup!!!

Cindy said...

i'm so happy and was hoping that the paintings of anne vallayer-coster were new to you and would inspire. welcome home, mon amie! oh dear, i almost typed bon ami - the cleaner. i really should not try to 'speak' french ;)