Postcards from Paris: {Chinese New Year/Saint Valentin's Parade}

We had ourselves a celebration yesterday.
The street was filled with people. Children with balloons. Face paint. Drums. Jugglers. Brass Instruments. Puppets on stilts. Glitter. Confetti.
The crepes stands were as potent as ever.
And the cotton candy was as fluffy as could be.
Chinese New Year's and Valentine's Day combined, equals some fantastic parade.







bisous,
Reba

Valentine's Day

Ahh, a day of exuberant warmth in the midst of winter. Nothing like a crackling fire, a cup of steaming hot cocoa and a tiny light blue box to steal your heart. Now Venus really has something to be jealous about!

Postcards from Paris: {Marché à Montmartre}

I had planned to sleep-in; all the way in, until I couldn't sleep-in any further. But as it turned out, with the sun pouring into my bedroom window my plans of laying in bed late were quickly diminished, as were any sign of rain or snow.
I went to my boulangerie, bought my favorite type of freshed baked bread.
Admittingly, along with my sleeping-in plans and any clouds of rain/snow; my loaf of bread was also diminshing. To put a stop to such indulgence I decided that I would jump on the metro. I sometimes find it difficult to eat on the metro because people like to watch you do so, and this put an end to my possible over-indulgence.
I then remembered that in Montmartre, there is a market on each Friday. Located off the Anvers stop along the Place d'Anvers where stands line up with vendors selling their enticements.




Bisous,
Reba

Postcards from Paris: {PremiereVision}

Yesterday I spent my afternoon with my internship at the much-ado about textile convention in Paris, Premiere Vision. My internship is unpaid, so I was certain to soak up as much as I possibly could from this experience, including:
*people-watching the stylish and fabulous as they pulled, draped, and scrutinized fabric swatches.
*pulling, draping, and scrutinizing all of the fabric swatches for myself.
*looking at all of the new trends predicted for Spring/Summer 2011.
*collecting a bag-full of freebies. Including samples of little candies.
*lunch consisting of a salmon and spinach quiche, finished up with a hot chocolate. and a tarte au citron.
With all of this, courtesy of ma stage plus a head for of inspiration. I didn't mind one bit being an intern.


Bisous,
Reba

Postcards from Paris: {Jules et Jim}

The sense of quirk and unconventionality that echos throughout this film by Francois Truffant is so curious and refreshing. A feeling similar to the freezing, winter breeze coming in from my balcony window, which is slightly ajar. I have my space heater close by, and I am watching Jules et Jim clips, via YouTube. It feels like driving during the winter with the windows down, the heat blasting, and good music in the background.

Bisous,
Reba

Postcards from Paris: {Giving My Metro Card a Face}

Funny story: It happened while my friend Sam was visiting me. I didn't want to admit it then, but I was slightly lost in Montmartre, and I wanted to avoid going through Pigalle. I had an idea of how to get to our destination, but only by the means of the metro. So we found the nearest station to try and hop on to continue with our itinerary. I slid my metro card over the scanner, and what seemed as if it were scolding me, was the sound of a pessimistic buzzer and a red "X" denying me access. I tried again, resulting in another scolding. Then I figured "third time's the charm" but really it ended up being yet another red "X". I tried to explain to the man behind the glass that my card would not work. He took the pass underneath the window onto his side of the barrier. For some reason, which I hadn't understood, he asked for identification. I handed over my Georgia license. He looked at it, said something in French, then grabbed a large pair of scissors. It seemed like the whole ordeal was being played in slow motion. All that I could recognize was in one hand he had those scissors, and in the other hand, my license. My initial reaction was, "no, no, no, no!" and luckily the two words sound the same in both languages. He hadn't helped at all, but just created more frustration. All because my metro card didn't have a face. In the event that I happen to return to that particular station, and if it just so happens that I come into contact with that particular worker, I think I will keep an extra little photo of myself, just for his safe keepings.
* Isabelle, je porte ces lunettes pour tu.*
Bisous,
Reba

Postcards from Paris: {Ma Petite Chambre}

My personal space has always been a contributing factor to my overall creativity. Throughout my years in school, and even at a job, being surrounded by an aesthetically pleasing environment evokes influence and inspiration, and keeps the mind thinking and creating. It is essential for me to create a space I can call my own.



With the cold front here, I decided to spend the day bundled up in my new "old" sweater from my newly discovered little thrift store just a few metro stops away. There is some wonderful sense of comfort by staying indoors on a cold, brisk, winter day; being bundled up, and drinking continuous amounts of warm beverages.
So as the snow fell diagonal; first from left to right, then from right to left, and then in all different directions throughout today, I felt inspired just by being in my little bedroom listening to Django Reinhardt (a wonderful new discovery, suggested from my co-worker, Clemence) in a space I can call my own.
Bisous,
Reba

Postcards from Paris: {Le Nouvel An chinois}

I went out this morning to fulfill some past-due errands. On the corner near my flat was this bicycle stacked with cardboard boxes. On these boxes were chinese characters written across, in the boxes were red paper lanterns with golden-yellow tassels, and unloading them was a small, joyful Chinese man; happy to be fulfilling his errands for the day.
What a visual lift these bright red paper lanterns add to this grey Parisian day. I am so excited by the whole event, I may have to get Chinese take-out for dinner tonight.
Bisous,
Reba

Postcards from Paris: {Les Choses Simples}

It took just a simple image to figure out what I was craving most.
This petite voiture filled with fresh baguettes, offered the best suggestion of the day and led me to my favorite boulangerie on the rue Vielle du Temple.

Bisous,
Reba

Postcards from Paris: {Oh, and the books!}

Charmed over and over again am I by these little tucked away bookstores. And charmed was I by Merci's "Used Book" cafe, where one could order a warm little drink, and sip away while browsing through the worned, yellowing pages of a used book. When my family moved from southern California to Atlanta, Georgia during my freshman year of highschool, it took me a bit to adjust to the change. My highschool's library was extensive, and during lunch I would find comfort with the scent of an old book. I remember the library having a beautiful worn copy of The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. I checked it out on several occasions, and was nearly tempted to have "lost" it and pay the necessary fines for it. Instead, I wrote a little note telling the next reader how much joy I felt for this book, and included a small list of other enjoyable books residing on nearby shelves, like The Sun Also Rises, and This Side of Paradise.
My favorite bookseller, which happens to be English, is of course Shakespeare&Company. On the ground level are new books and little cubbies where if one is lucky, a vacant seat on a velvet chair is a treasure in itself, and up the narrow-passage, red-painted, creeking staircase are stacks and stacks of worned, yellowing, old-scented pages of books: nostalgia for my highscool years.
None of the old books are for sale, which is basically an invitation for one to grab their favorite book, find a corner, and stay for an hour or two.
Bisous,
Reba