Postcards from Paris: {Le Palais Garnier}

Surrounded by gilded gold and exquisite details; a Chagall painted ceiling, and red velvet everywhere. And being watched by viewers holding little fold-able binoculars.
I wish I were an opera singer.
Bisous,

Reba

Postcards from Paris: {sur le trottoir}

While the sun is out, almost every restaurant offers "outdoor sitting."

For dejeuner all the terrasses are filled with diners, and that perfect little table with that perfect people-watching view becomes the most coveted.

Bisous,

Reba

French with Isabelle: "Ménage de Printemps"

“Ménage de Printemps”

(Spring Cleaning)

Open your windows, refresh your house with basil blue sage Home Fragrance (Caldrea), treat your furniture with Lemon Verbena wax (Farmhouse), eliminate odors with the housekeeper scented candle (Price’s), dust a little bit and display a beautiful bouquet freshly cut from your garden.

And now relax!

-Isa

Postcards from Paris: {Le Palais de Tokyo and le Musee d'Art Moderne}

Two interesting museums under interesting architecture, and a pleasant peak of that good ole' tower.

Not a bad way to avoid holding umbrellas.

Palais de Tokyo

13 Avenue du President Wilson

Musee d'Art Moderne

11 Avenue du President Wilson

Bisous,

Reba

Postcards from Paris: {vivant dans les films}

As a confession, I may have been listening to the Amelie soundtrack while walking up to the Sacre Coeur, then perhaps I changed it to the voices of Ewan McGregor and Nicole Kidman as I continued to walk pass the Moulin Rouge.

A French boy recently told me that all American girls are made up of movies.

It seems to make some sense.

Bisous,

Reba

Postcards from Paris: {Je veux du chocolat dans mon pain, s'il vous plait}

I feel spoiled that the warm scents of fresh bread are but a few doors down from my studio. It's curious that the practicality of what seems like a luxury elsewhere is so easily attainable here. Yet, I cannot ever imagine that eating a fresh pain au chocolat wrapped in brown butcher would ever become a mundane thing. Accumulating chocolate in one's bread is a wonderful thing to a daily routine.

Bisous,

Reba

P.S. The Bakery Girl of Monceau

Postcards from Paris:{Il ya de la couleur partout!}

Contrary to my last observation,  there will always be resistance to grey skies. Paris takes on color vibrantly, always with an air of sophistication. Listening to a mix of Brigitte Bardot, Barbara, and Yves Montand. There is color everywhere.
Bisous,
Reba

Postcards from Paris: {temps nuageux}

Though the reason for my elevated mood today was due to a sunny sky over Paris, there will always be something somber and pensive about grey skies that blend in with the city.

Monochromatic, pale on pale.

Bisous,

Reba

Postcards from Paris: {sur la rive gauche}

 

Though rain was expected, and it got to a point where I had wished I was wearing more layers, an afternoon on the Left Bank was just what I needed to refreshen my adoration for this city. As the winter season has shown some fickle characteristics, I've been staying put in my little neighborhood. Yet with new explorers in town, and friends of friends whom become your own, re-explorations of the city take on their initial excitement. Even with a grey-clouded sky, I just put on my boots and avoid the potential puddles. Just making that effort deserves a little treat, and the reward can be something extraordinaire like a sitting-session at Cafe de Flore, or a rose-flavored macaron from Laduree. However, the small things unexpected like french street performers or a dry sky can be the ultimate reward.

Bisous,

Reba

Postcards from Paris: {Le Printemps}

I sometimes wonder why people don't go into hibernation during the frigid season of l'hiver, but then I realize that in a sense we do. Yes, during the winter we have to face routine and go about with our daily activities, but personally speaking I find myself spending most of the days indoors waiting for the temperature to rise. Hence the lack of posts on my behalf.
 Once the temperature does eventually rise, a day in the park can seem like the ultimate reward. With the flowers in bloom in multiple colors and the grass in it's light-green delicate phase. I feel rather cliché continuing to describe the colors, but in fact the city seems so alive that one has to look up and appreciate the blue sky and the golden light.

Bisous,

Reba

Savannah Morning News Article on The Writer in the Window!

Postcards from Paris: {Mardi Gras and Fashion Week}

Today is Mardi Gras, Fat Tuesday. I celebrated on this day by eating a nice full meal, and indulging on one of my favorite desserts. After feeling nice and full, my friend and I strolled through Les Tuileries to discover that a fashion show was just about to begin. Amongst the crowd of cameras, were the two of us filled with food and fascination. It was quite a sight, so many faces I recognized from all of the fashion blogs I've famliarized myself with. The two of us laughed about how no one was interested
in our pictures. We were afterall, in flats and seemed rather small against the 5-inch
tall heels which everyone else was wearing. Plus, compared to the rest, we
were the only oneswho were celebrating Fat Tuesday as it is.

 After most of the photographers were settling down, we were about to make our exit, then the part that made my day was the moment I was asked to pose for a photo. Where it will eventually turn out, I haven't a clue, but it made me think: Mardi Gras, a day when one can have their cake, and eat it too.

Bisous,

Reba

French word of the day: "des couleurs"

Le mot du jour: “les couleurs”

“Les couleurs d’ Inde illuminent le Paris Market.”

Bring the spices, colors and energy from India into your home.

Bonne journée , Isabelle

Postcards from Paris: {Le Petit Prince and child-like musings}

An easy read, and an essential french story for people of all ages. Le Petit Prince has become the one book since living in Paris that I find myself returning to on several occasions as a learning tool, and as a simple source of enjoyment. I've recently shared it with my little 3 year old friend, who can probably relate to the first part of the story.

She drew this for me.

It's sad to admit that I have become the assuming adult. After watching E.T. with her I figured she was depicting E.T. and his glowing heart.

"Non. ça, c'est toi-"

pointing to the smiling figure.

"et c'est moi"

the circle inside.

As a personal suggestion, consider The Little Prince as a Spring read. I couldn't imagine anything better right now than a spot on our sunny Savannah terrace, sipping on a rose-seltzer from our coffee bar.

Bisous,

Reba

Writer in The Window

Postcards from Paris:{photobooth days}

I would call it a shame that all the photobooths in the metro stations have been updated to new machines that print out glossy colored photographs.

After a celebrity run-in with Dominique Pinon in the perfect, almost cliche, setting of Montmartre, I found myself distracted with youtube clips of Le fabuleux destin d'Amelie Poulain. The distraction was followed by google searches for "old b&w photobooths"

It's curious how looking at faces can be such a distraction, consider the amount of time people look at others on facebook. And one could find themselves completely lost while in the basement of The Paris Market. With all of those photographs with faces from another era it makes me long for outdated equipment that produce pictures with automatic antiquity.

Bisous,

Reba