I like to say that a day in Paris holds many lifetimes.  That's how it feels to me anyway-- so much can happen in a day!  
My street wakes up early around 7:30AM with restaurant deliveries at Le Cherche Midi and Atelier Vivanda (two great bistros to note).  A bit later, apartment windows open, horns begin honking, and dogs begin their morning strolls off-leash -- yes, they know what they are doing and where they are going just perfectly!  Beautifully dressed Parisians whizz by on their bikes (Vélib is the great bike-sharing system here) on their way to work avoiding all the traffic snarls. Cigarettes begin to light up (one of my least favorite things...), the sun begins to touch the tops of the buildings, and I finish my coffee and leave my kitchen window perch to start my day.

My spring sejour is coming to a close but before it does, I want to share my idea of the perfect Left Bank shopping day in the neighboorhood!  Ready?
  I walk down the street to Poilâne -- one of the most famous Parisian bakeries, to buy my croissant and return home to have it with my coffee and watch the City wake up. If you are up early,  I recommend having a café au lait and Poilâne toast at the charming Cuisine de Bar next door to the bakery-- they open at 8:30AM. Take your time, no need to rush as most of the boutiques in the area don't open until 10:30-11:00.  I like to take a brisk morning walk up to the Seine River and back to breathe the fresh air and gear up for the day.  The view across the River is always breathtaking!

Shopping in this 6th arrondissement is heavenly!  Just at the corner of the rue du Cherche-Midi is the intersection called the Croix Rouge. You'll know it by the huge Centaur sculpture in the middle of it ( Centaure de Cesar). From this intersection, any of the little streets you decide to go down will take you to some of the best boutique shopping on the Left Bank.  There are the obvious favorites like Céline, Christian Louboutin, Maison Margiela, Inès de la Fressange and Prada and that's just on the rue du Grenelle alone!  

I like to go a bit off the radar with a stop at one of the most gorgeous leather goods shops around, Peggy Kingg. She was the art director for Madame Grés as well as Balmain, Céline and Cartier and has now opened her own atelier/shop on the Left Bank.  If you must have a more well-known brand of leather goods, Hermes Left Bank store is just around the corner on the rue des Sevres.  Even if you aren't in the market for a Birkin, just a look inside at the architecture of what used to be a public swimming pool is worth it.  Afternoon tea in Le Plongeoir upstairs is worth every penny you spend on tea and cake! For shoes, I love Laure Bassal.  These are classic hand-made shoes that can be made-to-order in a full color range.  My personal favorite is called Dijon-- it reminds me of my dance days....

For their beautiful white porcelain dishes, paper goods and perfume, Astier de Villatte just opened on the Left Bank.  I always bring home table candles in the many luscious colors offered by Cire Trudon, and for the perfect gift, I go to Buly 1803 for their many potions, creams, soaps and fragrant matches. Love the fragrant matches!  For beautiful silk and cotton caftans, Liwan has long been a favorite. She also carries beaded coin purses and unusual costume earrings. For antiques and home treasures, try Yveline Antiques and Galerie Salon.   For cult beauty products, I go to CityPharma on the rue du Four. It's always crowded, but the pharmacy staff is so knowledgable and quite organized in their own French kind of way. I just stocked up on my two favorites: La Roche Posay Cicaplast Baume B5 and Redermic R Corrective.

And then there is jewelry....!!!! For vintage costume jewelry, I go to L'ibis Rouge-- Vivianne's knowledge of the history of costume jewelry is remarkable and her shop is full of treasures. If you are looking for a particular piece or designer, be sure to ask. She has a basement archive that has been stocked and added to for 35 years!  For antique fine jewelry, my absolute favorite is Curiosités on the rue des Grands Augustines. Monsieur Brisbois has a remarkable collection of bijoux and the prices are reasonable. He is only open in the afternoons so plan for a later visit in the day.

Ready for lunch? Try Brasserie Lipp-- an institution in Paris for 135 years! Another classic is Josephine Chez Dumont.
Restaurant Christine is pure charm and great food. It's on a very small and quiet street if that is your mood!  It's best to make a reservation for any of these restaurants. There are so many cafés and bistros in Paris. If you want to be spontaneous,  dine early (before 12:30) or later(after 2:00PM)  and you shouldn't have trouble being seated.  Bon Appétit!

At the end of the day, go to Jade d'Orient for the best accupressure foot massage you can imagine.  You'll deserve it after all that hard work called shopping!

Paris is a place where we can leave behind who we think we are and reinvent ourselves. It's a City of art, beauty, fashion, and love. As John Berger put it, "Paris, I believe, is a man in his twenties in love with an older woman."  
I'll sign off by chiming in with Gertrude Stein to say that "America is my country and Paris is my hometown."  À bientôt!

PETIT DEJEUNER:

Poilâne: 8 rue du Cherche-Midi
http://www.poilane.com

Cuisine de Bar: 8 rue du Cherche-Midi
http://www.cuisinedebar.fr/en/

SHOPPING:

Peggy Kingg: 9 rue Cöetlogon
http://www.peggykingg.com

Hermes: 17 rue de Sevres
http://fr.stores.hermes.com/Europe/France/Paris/Hermes-Sevres

Laure Bassal: 3 rue de Grenelle
http://www.laurebassal.com

Astier de Villatte:  16 ru de Tournon
http://www.astierdevillatte.com

Cire Trudon: 78 rue de Seine
https://trudon.com/eu_en/

Buly 1803: 6 rue Bonaparte
http://www.buly1803.com/en/

Liwan: 8 rue Saint-Sulpice

Yveline Antiques: 4 rue de Furstemburg

Galerie Salon: 4 rue de Bourbon le Château

CityPharma: 26 rue du Four
http://www.pharmacie-paris-citypharma.fr

L'ibis Rouge: 35 Boulevard Raspail

Curiosités: 26-28 rue des Grands Augustines

DEJEUNER:

Brasserie Lipp: 151 Boulevard Saint Germain
http://www.brasserielipp.fr/adresses.php

Josephine Chez Dumonet: 117 rue du Cherche-Midi

Restaurant Christine: 1 rue Christine
http://www.restaurantlechristine.com

REFLEXOLOGY:

Jade d' Orient: 11 rue Monsieur le Prince
0953181449
 

xx Carla 

There is nothing outdated about a library. On the contrary, everything we need in our modern world-- all that is civilized, waits for us inside: books, quiet, knowledge, respect, and discovery.  The  oldest public library in France is the Bibliothèque Mazarine in Paris. To describe it as extraordinary is an understatement.  
Each time I have crossed the simple bridge,  the Passerelle des Arts, to get to the Left Bank, I see the imposing Institut de France building returning my stare. For some 30 years,  I passed it by until this time when I read that it houses the Mazarine Library. This library was Cardinal Mazarin's private library dating back to 1661. At that time, his collection of books was an impressive 30,000 volumes. Ttoday there are 600,000 volumes including some very rare books and manuscripts.  
The reading room pictured here was restored from 1968-1974 in the style of a 17th century library. The beautiful parquet floors are still in tact and squeak underfoot just as they should at their age! When I walked through, there were many people researching at the tables and except for the laptops, I could easily imagine an 18th century public here instead. The many busts-- ancient and modern (90 in total) that line the room and grace the staircases are alone something to see.

When I was a young girl, my library card was one of my most precious possessions.  I looked forward to the summertime and the prospect of all the free reading I could do. My mother took me diligently to the public library each week to check out or return my books. It was a bit of heaven there for me in the company of all the books-- each a potential adventure, a chance to learn and a moment to dream.  To step into a library such as the Mazarine, was something I could never have imagined existed as a young girl -- even now, I am in awe.  I plan to get what is called a readers card so that I can use the library regularly. I'm not doing any specific research at the moment, and I don't even know what book will be the first I open there, but I know that my card will be one of my greatest possessions!
Books have been called a kind of portable magic;  worlds in and of themselves, and passports to travel. As Jorge Luis Borges said: "I have always imagined that Paradise will be a kind of library".  On your next trip to Paris, cross the Passerelle des Arts, enter this library paradise and then, for lunch, head next door to Restaurant Guy Savoy and succumb to his magic!

Passerelle des Arts:

Also known as Pont des Arts was the first metal bridge built in Paris around 1802 under the reign of Napoleon I. It crosses the Seine and connects the Palais de Louvre and the Institut de France. Many painters use it as a studio in plein air  and in warm weather, it becomes the perfect impromptu picnic spot.

Bibliothèque Mazarine:

23 Quai de Conti 
Open Monday-Friday from 10:00AM-6:00PM
Free ( Must have a photo I.D.)
http://www.bibliotheque-mazarine.fr/en/

Restaurant Guy Savoy:

For a fabulous lunch, reserve a table at the new Restaurant Guy Savoy located next door in the Monnaie de Paris.
11 Quai de Conti
01 43 80 4061
Lunch and Dinner Monday-Friday

xx Carla

There is nothing outdated about a library. On the contrary, everything we need in our modern world-- all that is civilized, waits for us inside: books, quiet, knowledge, respect, and discovery.  The  oldest public library in France is the Bibliothèque Mazarine in Paris. To describe it as extraordinary is an understatement.  
Each time I have crossed the simple bridge,  the Passerelle des Arts, to get to the Left Bank, I see the imposing Institut de France building returning my stare. For some 30 years,  I passed it by until this time when I read that it houses the Mazarine Library. This library was Cardinal Mazarin's private library dating back to 1661. At that time, his collection of books was an impressive 30,000 volumes. Ttoday there are 600,000 volumes including some very rare books and manuscripts.  
The reading room pictured here was restored from 1968-1974 in the style of a 17th century library. The beautiful parquet floors are still in tact and squeak underfoot just as they should at their age! When I walked through, there were many people researching at the tables and except for the laptops, I could easily imagine an 18th century public here instead. The many busts-- ancient and modern (90 in total) that line the room and grace the staircases are alone something to see.

When I was a young girl, my library card was one of my most precious possessions.  I looked forward to the summertime and the prospect of all the free reading I could do. My mother took me diligently to the public library each week to check out or return my books. It was a bit of heaven there for me in the company of all the books-- each a potential adventure, a chance to learn and a moment to dream.  To step into a library such as the Mazarine, was something I could never have imagined existed as a young girl -- even now, I am in awe.  I plan to get what is called a readers card so that I can use the library regularly. I'm not doing any specific research at the moment, and I don't even know what book will be the first I open there, but I know that my card will be one of my greatest possessions!
Books have been called a kind of portable magic;  worlds in and of themselves, and passports to travel. As Jorge Luis Borges said: "I have always imagined that Paradise will be a kind of library".  On your next trip to Paris, cross the Passerelle des Arts, enter this library paradise and then, for lunch, head next door to Restaurant Guy Savoy and succumb to his magic!

Passerelle des Arts:

Also known as Pont des Arts was the first metal bridge built in Paris around 1802 under the reign of Napoleon I. It crosses the Seine and connects the Palais de Louvre and the Institut de France. Many painters use it as a studio in plein air  and in warm weather, it becomes the perfect impromptu picnic spot.

Bibliothèque Mazarine:

23 Quai de Conti 
Open Monday-Friday from 10:00AM-6:00PM
Free ( Must have a photo I.D.)
http://www.bibliotheque-mazarine.fr/en/

Restaurant Guy Savoy:

For a fabulous lunch, reserve a table at the new Restaurant Guy Savoy located next door in the Monnaie de Paris.
11 Quai de Conti
01 43 80 4061
Lunch and Dinner Monday-Friday

xx Carla

You might not think of going to a puppet show when you are in Paris, but if you find yourself strolling in the Luxembourg Gardens (and you should!), consider attending one of the famous Guignol shows in the charming  theatre.  

When our daughter Camille was little, we took her to the garden to sail boats in the small lake there and to attend these puppet shows. When the theatre bell rings in the park, all the children (with their parents not far behind) come running to get a seat on the little wood benches in front of the stage. The parents get seated along the wall or in the back rows.  There is so much excitement in the air all of which gets boosted during intermission by the old-fashioned bon-bon sales ladies with their big trays of candies strapped in front of them.  The candy is wrapped so beautifully that it is impossible to resist!  Watching the children pay with their own carefully saved coins and then seeing their faces light up with delight when receiving their bon bons is part of the show! The whole experience is truly precious and I still make time to see Les Guignols once a year.  While there, I close my eyes and can still hear Camille's laughter and feel her delight.  

While visiting the Luxembourg Gardens, don't miss the beauty of the Medici Fountain or the opportunity to sit in one of the semi-reclined French garden chairs and take in some sun and people watching. There is an Angelina cafe at one end of the garden -- known for their famous hot chocolate and, just recently opened, La Table du Luxembourg-- a gastronomique restaurant in the upper garden by Michelin star Chef Philippe Renard (Lutétia).

Les Guignols puppet shows:

Sundays: 11:00AM and 3:30PM
Wednesday: 3:30PM
Thursday: 10:30AM and 3:30PM
Friday: 10:30AM and 3:30 PM
Saturday: 11:00AM and 3:30PM
Arrive 30 minutes early for a good seat. The show lasts 40 minutes.

Angelina in the Luxembourg:

19 rue de Vaugirard 
Open every day 10-6

La Table du Luxembourg: 

Jardin du Luxembourg
7 rue Guynemer, porte Fleurus
01 42 38 64 88 for reservations

xx Carla

Last April, we realized a long time dream to buy a Paris apartment.  We closed escrow on my birthday and we floated on champagne bubbles for days and days after.  The process of purchasing real estate in France is not for the faint of heart  but I will spare you those stories for now.  There is a 16th century expression in French  Chercher Midi à quatorze heures which translates to  something like Looking for noon at two o'clock. It basically implies that you are making things more difficult than need be-- that you are attempting to accomplish the impossible.  I think that this expression speaks perfectly to the French real estate buying experience!  Let's just say we knew we were in for an adventure when, ironically,  the apartment that we loved was located on the rue du Cherche-Midi!  

So... off I go! I've packed my carry-on with few clothes and all of my favorite Camille K jewelry pieces!   I'll have 10 hours from San Francisco to Paris to enjoy  a good book -- The Swans of Fifth Avenue-- and to dream of all the things I want to do once there.  Watch your mailbox for my Letters from Paris-- I can't wait to share it all with you!  À bientôt! 

xx Carla 

My love affair with the City of Lights began early in my childhood when someone gave me a book called: France, Country of Delight: Paris and the Provinces. It came with color slides that I viewed on my Panorama illuminated viewer! It also came with a 33 record featuring Charles Boyer as tour guide. Between his French accent and a view of the City, I fell madly in love. 

I believe, that if we wish for something from a young age, and we continue to nourish it, we get closer to living it later on. My dream of Paris began with this book and was nourished by travelling to Paris in college and then marrying a Frenchman later on.  To live a dream is to live a life fulfilled!   After all this time, I can now call Paris my home...

As I gather my belongings together for this upcoming trip, it should come as no surprise that I start first with my jewelry.  You know that I love every piece of jewelry I make but sometimes I do play favorites!  I always take pieces from the Biltmore and Lucky Collections ( Click on your favorite piece for detailed information )-- Simply said, they just speak to me!  
Watch for the rest of jewelry I'm taking with me to be featured on next week's blog.  Then it's off to Paris where I'll be sending you Letters from Paris -- my insider view of this amazing City!

xx Carla 

xx Carla 

xx Carla

xx Carla