Le Petit Train

Au revoir!

2010-07-04T15:41:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the lack of updates but it's been BUSY with visitors! Been exploring Paris, went to Amsterdam (and cheered team Holland to World Cup victory!) and am heading to the south of France tomorrow morning for a few days in Nice and Saint Tropez!

I will update with pics and stories soon! xoxo

Lots to toast and celebrate! Life is good!

Just Another Day in Paris-dise

2010-06-25T13:11:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, Men's Fashion Week in Paris kicked off along with the biggest day of workers' protests of the year. It's also a heat wave. That makes for lots of sweaty, angry, beautiful people all over Paris! No complaints here.

After getting in at 6am after Jessica's awesomely fun birthday spectacular (and then sleeping off a hangover until the early hour of 2pm), I hit the streets to get all fashion-y for a minute. Just about every street in my neighborhood was blocked off with parades and protests and processionals so I literally had to walk through the middle of the parade to get where I was going. Don't worry though, I pumped my fist in solidarity with the strikers. And snapped some pics!

Made it through the ruckus and headed to the Gaspard Yurkievich show with my friend Cassidy who just arrived into town. Show was great! Collection looks good! So do the models!

Et apres! Versailles! Jessica and I hopped a train to Versaille (after she suffered through trying to figure it out when most trains were closed due to the strike) but we made it! And we had the best crepes in the Paris region and then enjoyed the best fireworks show, set to a live orchestra! Incredible!

Chateau Versaille Fireworks from teena turner on Vimeo.

And the finale!

Fireworks at Versailles from teena turner on Vimeo.

Basically, mind blown. SICK!

Barcelona, Part Dos

2010-06-25T04:10:00.000-07:00

So, Grams and her granny pal parted ways to catch a cruise to Monte Carlo (yes, exactly) and I was left to my own devices in Barcelona. I spent the next 4 days jumping on trains to beaches, chatting up locals, soaking and steaming in Arabian baths, watching World Cup, and eating, eating, eating! GOOD times.

My friend, Michelle, and I grabbed the train to Sitges, a little beachside paradise about 35km south of Barcelona. Such a charming little town and so beautiful! We ate lunch with the locals at a little fish market restaurant (marisqueria). Basically, you pick out what fish you want from a table of varieties on ice (we got calamari, muscles, prawns, and something else I'm not sure of) and they ask if you want it grilled or fried and 10 mins later, you get a plate of piping hot fish and a basket of bread. Sooo awesome! If you are ever in Barcelona or Sitges and you like seafood, you have to go here! It's called La Paradeta.

Then, we headed down to the beach and soaked in the sun and swam in the Mediterranean! Amazing.

Sitges!

Back in Barcelona, I stumbled upon a lively Mexican bar where the local Barcelones gathered to cheer on Team Mexico in the World Cup. It was a huge party and everyone was draped in Mexico flags and sporting their Mexico colors. At the height of the game, the power went out in the bar and the crowd erupted into shouts and they all started chanting "Gratis Beer! Gratis Beer!" When the power came back on and the game was restored, everyone went wild! Basically, amazing (again).

Team pride!

Another highlight of the trip... I went to an amazing Arabian bath house called Aire de Barcelona. Using the Arab tradition of Hammam, the ancient, centuries-old bath house has 6 pools in varying temps from freezing (literal ice is melting into the shock pool) to hot and steamy and with different levels of salt and herbs for clarifying, detoxing and general magic-making. Also, a rad steam room. Basically, you cruise around from pool to pool and go from hot to cold all in an incredible, cavernous bare-brick stone building that's below street level. So cool and so relaxing. Highly recommended! And not too $$ either!

*photos from the Aire de Barcelone website

The rest of the trip, I just relaxed on the beach, explored El Born, made some new friends with some locals whilst eating tapas, enjoyed meals and my cute hotel with my awesome balcony and view.

Hotel cuteness

Room with a view!

Barcelona life: El Born

Awesome haircut shop

Hivernacle Greenhouse in Parc Citudella

Umbranacle Greenhouse

Love the BLUE.

LOVE Barcelona!

Also love being back in Paris!

Barcelona Recap, Part Uno!

2010-06-23T04:16:00.000-07:00

Hi! I've been back from Barcelona for a week but it's been a whirlwind of visitors so I haven't had much time to do this old bloggin' job and update all you adoring fans with pictures of adventures. So, here is installment one of Barcelona! And then I need to go celebrate my friend Jessica's birthday here in Paris! Happy Birthday, Jess!!!!!

So... without further ado, may I present you with BARCELONA!!!!!

So ugly, right?

I love the whimsy of the Gaudi architecture with the beach culture here. This photo is taken from the top of Parc Guell, overlooking Barcelona to the sea.

Ok, so I arrived in BCN and jumped onto the train to my friend Michelle's house. I had to mentally switch from French to Spanish and somehow found my way. She welcomed me into her lovely home and we hit the town! A two-day fiesta of food, wine, cava, sangria, tapas, boquerias and Gaudi, Gaudi, Gaudi ensued. I think I walked half of Barcelona! Blisters to prove it. Also, I ate continuously the entire time. Tight pants to prove it.

Temple de la Sagrada Familia

This crazy, insane, AWESOME church-in-construction is Gaudi's magnum opus and has been in-process of being built for over 100 years already. It is essentially a giant construction site you pay to enter but it is mind-blowing. The interior of the temple is like walking into someone's dreams and imagination, part Dr. Seuss, part Alice in Wonderland, part Fantasia. There are speculations that this might be completed by 2030 but lots doubt that.

I hope that someday in my lifetime, I will be able to return to Barcelona and see the finished masterpiece.

Casa Batllo and Casa Amatller: Block of Discord

Raddest houses, side-by-side. Yep, these are seriously houses.

Parc Guell

This park is so cool and interesting. Winding pathways, intricate tilework, fantasy Gaudi buildings, and views of all of Barcelona. I laid on a bench in this park for a couple of hours, reading a book and listening to a guy do a marionette concert of all Beatles and Kinks cover songs. Fun!

And then... Grams rolled into town!

Barcelona didn't know what hit them.

Grams and Ruth, a couple of firecracker old ladies, hit the streets with me as their tour guide. We walked the markets, rode the double-decker bus to every corner of the city, caught a flamenco show, ate and drank lots and lots (do you detect a theme?), and Grams, of course, fell in love several times.

Some highlights!

Mercat Boqueria

Tablao Cordobes Flamenco!

Lovely Ladies

Grams fell in love with the gyrating male star of the show and yelled out, "Here I am, Pepe!" much to the delight of everyone onstage and in the audience.

Grams cheers on her man.

Maybe we both fell in love a little that night.

Daytime fun!

Grams makes new friends wherever she goes

Ruth shows us how it's done when you're 81 years old and in Barcelona.

Port Vell views

Impromptu afternoon parades

Grams' Night Out

On their last night in town, Grams and I decided to blow off some steam and hit the bars. And, of course, Grams was a very popular lady. Here are some photo additions for her "Wall of Shame."

Grams told this guy she wanted to have her photo taken with "the best looking guy in the bar" and all of his friends died laughing. She really just wanted a pic with a guy wearing a ridiculous silver sparkle outfit.

She tried to marry me off to this guy, a Dutchman who lives in Nigeria and travels everywhere with an armed bodyguard and two armed cars. I'm pretty sure she changed her mind and wanted him for herself in the end. That's just how she rolls, folks.

Grams and the bartender really bonded. He bought her a drink. She posed with him. This photo is supposedly up on the bar's facebook page but I can't find their page.

Anyone know how to find O'hara's Irish Pub Barcelona on fb?

Time to call it a night!

All in all, we had a great time. Despite one little incident (where Ruth and Grams got lost and had to get the Barcelona police to help them find their hotel!), we had lots of fun, saw just about every inch of the city, and Grams stole the hearts of countless men.

Viva Barcelona!

Gone Fishing!

2010-06-09T01:28:00.000-07:00

I'm off to Barcelona in search of this place...

*image via suite life

See ya next week!

Streetside Furniture Fix

2010-06-08T11:25:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite things I've seen here is this street vendor in the Montorgueil who re-upholsters furniture on the sidewalk while you wait. He has bolts and books of rich, colorful fabrics to choose from and you just bring your busted old furniture over, pick your fabric, and he fixes it while you wait, watch and chat with him. Amazing! And so French!

Ok, off to a French concert! Oh la la! Bisous!

La Vie Parisienne

2010-06-08T03:59:00.000-07:00

Hi! Sorry for the lack of recent updates. I've been super busy staying out until 7am and waking up at 3pm. Ha! But seriously, I could really get used to this semi-permanent-long-term vacation lifestyle. My new goal is to find a way to win the lottery so I can continue this champagne-baguette-cheese-fueled dream. I think I have a really promising future as a lady of leisure. Now is my time to really cultivate those skills in preparation.

So... I will try to post some new pics later before I head to BARCELONA tomorrow for a week! Woo hoo! Meeting my friend, Michelle, there and staying at her apartment for a couple of days before the famous Grams rolls into town like the red-haired wild hurricane that she is. You better believe there will be some amazing pics of that coming. I am scared to unleash her on the Spanish men!

In the meantime, a couple of slices of French life for you, mes chéris!

Bread, Wine, Cheese: Dreams Do Come True

Oh, Just Another Ugly Old Building With No Charm

Regular-Sized Man, Extra-Large Dog

Hobnobbers at La Perle

Le Marais at Sunset

Street Scene

Views from a Friend's Balcony in the Montmartre:

Would You Ever Get Sick of Seeing This Outside Your Window?

The Eiffel Tower and all of Paris, A Rad Clock Shop, Hillside Cafes.

Not Bad at All.

À bientôt!

That means "see you soon!" See, we all learn something new here. You're welcome.

Summertime is here!

2010-06-04T09:46:00.000-07:00

After a month of gloom and cold and rain, il y a du soleil! The sun has arrived! Time for sunbathing and picnics in parks, Parisian style. Visitors, get ready!

Just hanging with the locals in the Tuileries

My friend, Spider, and I enjoying some sun and delicacies in the Jardin du Luxembourg

Le Petit Video

2010-06-04T03:17:00.000-07:00

Just found this video for French singer, Raphaël, doing a cute little ditty called "Le Petit Train." I like!

La Nuit à Paris

2010-06-01T11:35:00.000-07:00

Beautiful Paris as seen from the sunset boat cruise on the Seine 5/25/10

French Open in Paris

2010-05-31T05:25:00.000-07:00

The French Open is happening in Paris this week and for those not lucky enough to score courtside seats, you can still take part in the fun. In the city centre at Paris city hall, a gorgeous square of historic buildings called Hôtel de Ville, they've set up a GIANT screen for watching the games and a clay-colored carpet to watch it on. There are also real clay courts set up for tennis enthusiasts to play in front of an audience.

I stumbled upon this awesomeness on opening day and watched Nadal win a match (yeah!) with a bunch of cheering and booing Parisians. So cool! Tomorrow, a friend and I are grabbing a bottle of wine, a baguette and some cheese to watch matches with a proper French picnic on the clay carpet.

This guy got a front row seat and double-fisted red and white wine bottles... he also lost his shoe in his excitement.

360 degree video

French Open at Hotel de Ville, Paris from teena turner on Vimeo.

Le Super Market

2010-05-31T05:09:00.000-07:00

A Pretty Gritty friend sent me information about a crafty little shopping fair in Paris over the weekend, called Le Super Market, which just happened to be happening about 3 blocks from my apartment across the street from another apartment I've stayed in for work trips a few times. Le Super Market was a cute-overload party with all kinds of gifty, crafty, vintage-y, sweet booths with music, food and lots of style.

Some pics!

Le building

Le Poster

My former apartment building!

Le Supermarket booths

Le Super Market also had the most stylish kids I've ever seen in my life. I seriously felt so uncool. ha!

Family Ties... Part Deux

2010-05-29T05:22:00.000-07:00

So... after a WONDERFUL week together, my dad and grandma have returned to California and left me with a full belly, a world of memories, and a smile on my face. We had so much fun and it was so great to show them Paris, "my" Paris, and laugh the whole time. So great!

And now, on to les photos!

First, one of my favorite photos of the entire trip. Grandma Doris looking so elegant and chic as we drank beaujolais in memory of my mom in the Place des Vosges.

It looks like Doris has been living in Paris all her life!

Très belle!

That day, we walked all through my neighborhood, Le Marais, and explored the markets of Montorgueil, picked up a bunch of delicious pastries and smelly cheeses, and enjoyed dinner at Robert et Louise, a little country-rustic restaurant where they cook all of their famed grilled meats over an open fireplace. We had a table on the street and people-watched as we ate. Perfect!

Another side of Grandma Doris

That night, there was a huge festival happening on the Champs-Élysées called Nature Capitale, celebrating the agriculture and farming and foods of France. It brought a million people together and they filled the entire Champs-Élysées with hundred of native trees, plants, flowers, farm animals, and stalls with local treats and drinks. We picked up a bottle of "bio" (organic) champagne and my smile got us a basket of incredible strawberries to go with it (haha) and we danced and sipped champagne among 500,000 people at almost midnight. Grandma Doris showed us her awesome dance moves and my dad showed us his wheelchair drinking and driving skills. It was an incredible night! So, so fun.

The other greatest pic of the trip: Mother & Son ParisWheel

The next day, we cruised around the city, checked out the Sacré-Cœur and took in the gorgeous views of Paris, ate lunch under a windmill and had an incredible dinner in the Saint-Germain-des-Prés at L'Atelier Maître Albert. The restaurant is half old stone walls and half modern bistro. I ate the best soup of my life and we all loved our meal. After, we had a late-night stroll along the Seine (no wheelchair!) and called it a night.

Next day! The AMAZING Musee d'Orsay, which is housed in an incredible renovated train station. We ate an elegant lunch in the museum restaurant, an opulent dining room on top of the museum, fit for Marie Antoinette! So many chandeliers! With one of the largest collections of impressionist and post-impressionist paintings, the d'Orsay building and the art housed inside it were awe-inspiring. They are also currently showing a special (dark, gory, shocking and awesome) exhibition on crime & punishment with a special look at the French Revolution with a real guillotine and artist renderings of beheadings and heads. So cool.

That night, more good food (including white chocolate wasabi ice cream!!!), a sunset boat cruise on the Seine, and a stroll through the Louvre in the moonlight. This is really, seriously my life. Pinch me.

(More pics from this awesome cruise for another post)

Ok, closing in on the home stretch...We visited the gothic chapel of Sainte-Chapelle, the most incredible rendering of the story of the Bible made in panels of stained glass from the 13th century. This incredible display of glass and history survived two world wars and almost NINE centuries of life. The exquisite glass panel storyline, what my dad called "the first graphic novel," was constructed all by hand in the span of six short years. Amazing!

Then, RAIN! And an adorable photo opportunity...

(third favorite photo of the trip)

After a rainy afternoon, it was time to get fancy (very, very, very fancy) for dinner atop the Eiffel Tower in the famed Le Jules Verne restaurant. We all got chills as we walked in and took in the views of the city. Our table overlooked the Trocadero and Musee d'Homme and our food was beyond description. The most incredible meal of our lives. So special.

Le Fois Gras

L'Asperge Blanche avec Caviar Noir

Le Veloutte de Crustaces

Bon Apetit!

All in all, we had a FULL week! Grandma Doris rolled like a champion. My dad and I were able to keep up with her. We ate and drank more than we ever have in our lives. We missed my brother and Grandma Laverne. And my mom was with us every step of the way.

So much love!

Family Ties... Day one

2010-05-27T05:07:00.000-07:00

Hi friends!

Sorry for the delay in transmissions but it's been a busy couple of weeks with lots of Paris, lots of family and lots of food/wine/walking with not as much sleeping as I'm used to since beginning my three-month vacation. But I'm back (for you, Grams)!

So it's a really good thing that I do walk so much everyday, because with the amount of food and wine I've been having, I would look as crazy bloated as Luke Wilson in the AT&T commercials if I wasn't.

But I digress. This week my dad and Grandma Doris have been in town and it's been so much fun! At 88 years old, it's her first time to Paris and we are running (or rolling) her all around town and have pretty much ate and drank our way through Paris with some sights squeezed in. She is a trooper and we are all having a blast. Here are some highlights:

Arrival in Paris!

Notre Dame! Incredible! (and mega tourist trap)

Tea room at famed pastry shop, La Durée

Champagne, the beverage of choice for two ladies

Specifically, these two ladies.

Good times!

Bull in a tea shop

And then we walked...

And walked...

And looked...

Academie Musique

Place Vendome

Rue de L'Opera

And, FINALLY, we were able to stop and eat more and drink more! We found a little French bistro in the Saint Honoré area. The waiter practiced singing "Ave Maria" in an operatic voice to practice for his son's baptism in the morning. Pretty fun! And the food and wine and mostly the company was fantastic.

We hated everything. So gross... I kid!

This used to be sea bass, cheesy potatoes gratin, pot-roasted potatoes and veggies, and lamb.

Ok... seriously... this was all ONE DAY.

Grandma was tired (and I am not talking about Grandma Doris).

More to come!

Are you kidding me???

2010-05-20T07:14:00.000-07:00

Saturday night with friends!

2010-05-17T06:20:00.000-07:00

Yes, it's true... I have a couple of friends here! While I do love spending time solo roaming the streets of this great city, I also love when I get to hang out with actual people and have conversations... especially over champagne and delicious food. My friend, Isis, is a fantastic gal who is Parisian but spent much of her childhood and college in the US. When she invited me to join her for a night of friends and fun, I threw on my party pants and headed over. We enjoyed drinks and snacks at her Australian/San Franciscan friend Craig's sickeningly awesome loft in the Pigalle. Her boyfriend, Edouard (a photographer who snapped most of these pics - the best ones) and friend, Florian, partook in the evening with us. Fun!

Edouard

Florian

Craig

Isis

After this, we headed out to a couple of bars, most of which my memories are a bit clouded.. but I think I had a great time! :)

Ellen von Unwerth Exhibition

2010-05-17T06:17:00.000-07:00

The Bon Marché is hosting an exhibition of photography and films by Ellen von Unwerth who takes very sexy portraits and has a penchant for the burlesque. So many incredible photos of some of my favorite Frenchies like Lou Doillon, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Marion Cotillard and Vanessa Paradis.

Marion Cotillard

Monica Belluci

Lou Doillon

Vanessa Paradis

Charlotte Gainsbourg

Milla Jovovich

The ever-classy Mickey Rourke

Here is a little video I took of a film von Unwerth created for the 60th anniversary of famed French publication, Paris Match. It's a montage of cabaret-style femmes, featuring many of the lovely French ladies she's photographed.

Ellen von Unwerth: 60 ans de Paris Match from teena turner on Vimeo.

Quelle Touriste! The Montmartre

2010-05-17T04:18:00.000-07:00

I was in full-on tourist mode on Friday as I ventured to the famed Sacré-Cœur at the top of Montmartre, amidst the hundreds of other camera-toting tourists. I climbed all 250 steps to the top to snap some pics from the highest point in Paris. It was almost as much fun people-watching as it was to take in the gorgeous views.

AND... I had a spotting of Le Petit Train!

After some uplifting views of the Basilique I descended into the curvy hills and streets of the Montmartre and even further down into the depths of the Pigalle (red light district) where the Moulin Rouge is and the Cimetière de Montmartre. Two windmills from the 16th century still exist (one sits atop a cute little restaurant) and there are cafés and little boutiques to explore. Great day!

After climbing about 500 steps, I was exhausted! Stopped into a little bar for some wine and to get out of the rain, then grabbed a roasted vegetable quiche from a tiny little bakery, and headed home to wine and dine myself in my little apartment. Très bon!

New Friends, Mes Amies Nouvelles

2010-05-14T05:17:00.000-07:00

My new friend, Michelle, and her boyfriend, Matthieu, kindly invited me to join them for a party this week. I met lots of great people at his apartment -- lots of them were playing guitar and singing -- and then we all went to the opening of a new club and danced the night away to gay Euro house and Biggie Smalls. Good times! The champagne was flowing and you know I showed them a thing or two on the dancefloor!

To Market, To Market

2010-05-14T05:05:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite things about Paris is all of the amazing patisseries, epiceries, charcuteries, fromageries, boulangeries, and beaucoup de marchés. An area near my apartment called Montorgueill is a tiny pedestrian street filled with awesome little markets and cafés and pastry shops. So much charm and so many amazing foods, spices, and fruits to drool over!

On to the food porn!

Oh yeah, and this is me:

The Eiffel Tower

2010-05-12T19:08:00.000-07:00

I went to see an amazing exhibit at the Centre Georges Pompidou called "Dreamlands" which is all about visions of future cities through history and I filmed this little video about the building of the Eiffel Tower during the World Fair of 1889. So cool!

Eiffel Tower from teena turner on Vimeo.

Also, the views of Paris from the top of the Georges Pompidou are hard to beat!!

Must Find Karl Lagerfeld Diet Coke!

2010-05-12T02:48:00.000-07:00

Il pleut

2010-05-11T11:15:00.000-07:00

It's raining!

But before the rain started (again), my new friend, Michelle, and I explored parks and pasta shops and cafes and tea rooms and patisseries. Good times! She lives in Barcelona but is from LA. Someone to visit in Barcelona next month!

Some captured moments in the Parc des Buttes-Chaumont in the Montmartre. This park used to be a city dump (!) and is now a man-made masterpiece of nature (ha!).

This stinks

2010-05-10T11:34:00.000-07:00

My apartment has been smelling super rank for a few days -- like kinda very gross -- and I've been trying to air it out, light candles, take out the garbage, anything. I was getting super bummed thinking I had rented a "lemon" and was about to email my landlord about the gross moldy mildewy smell infesting my life, when I realized it was just some stinky cheese I had bought. Merde!

Here is a pic of another cheesy thing I ate one day. Mmmm....

This is scalloped potatoes and roasted zucchini on fresh bread with a super thick and wonderful layer of melted goat cheese on top.

Yes, it's true.

Adventures!

2010-05-10T04:31:00.000-07:00

So... since we last met, I have had many an adventure, including but not limited to, fancy dinners with strange (and regrettable) meats, moped rides through Paris, concerts in the park, art shows, late night/early morning dance club excursions, walks from one end of Paris to the other, new friends, old friends, solo meals/drinks, museums, and attempts at French conversations. All in all, a good week! Oh yeah, and the Eiffel Tower, too.

Some pics!

LE CONCERT: The National and Pavement at Le Zenith in Parc Villette

I roamed around the gigantic park while I waited to buy tickets for the show -- the park is filled with sculptures and artwork, a lot like Millennium Park in Chicago. As the concert got closer, I sat outside and listened to the soundcheck while waiting for the box office to open to see if I could get a ticket. As I waited, a scalper approached me (actually a few did) and I ended up negotiating a ticket for less than face value, it wasn't a fraud, and I got in to the show with one of the best seats in the house! So awesome!

Also, they sell champagne and baguettes with cheese and ham inside concerts here. Amazing!

My kind of park!

Classy heifer

Experiments with self-timers.

This is what you do when you hang out alone all the time.

The National (so dreamy)

Pavement (return to 1996!)

Le Zenith is pretty cool.

Ok, off to a lunch date with a new friend at my favorite little bakery cafe, Rose Bakery. More soon!

Les Catacombes

2010-05-07T06:43:00.000-07:00

I ventured to Les Catacombes yesterday, a series of underground caverns and tunnels under Paris with the bones of hundreds of thousands of French from the late 1700s and early 1800s. The mass cemetary has walls and tunnels constructed of skulls and bones and decorative sculptures and crosses dedicated to the dead.

As you enter the tunnels, a sign warns: "Arrête, c'est ici l'empire de la Mort" ('Stop, this is the empire of Death').

My Street

2010-05-07T06:26:00.000-07:00

Some pics of my neighborhood... it's just on the outskirts of Le Marais, really close to a few metro stations. Not a super "chic" street but walking distance to all kinds of great places. Also, there are randomly a couple of famous French restaurants on my block. Excited to try them out!

my street

my building

tiny market across the street

corner Italian cafe and deli

two awesome restaurants are in this old crusty building on my corner

Settling in...

2010-05-07T06:00:00.000-07:00

I brought 124 lbs of summer-perfect stuff with me, to discover bitterly icy cold as I stepped off my flight. My first week, I've been piling on layer after layer of less-than-warm stuff to create kinda-warm outfits and setting out on adventures around the city. Ain't gonna let a little cold breeze (and numb fingers) get me down!

On to my adventures!

Day 1:

Landed in Paris, jumped in a cab and explained in French where I was going. He did not understand me (ha!) but appreciated the effort and small-talked with me in French the rest of the drive and we had a decent conversation... and I made it to my apartment! My apartment is awesome and cozy and tiny and I love it!

After unpacking, I roamed around the neighborhood and beyond, got a little lost and found myself a cute little tiki bar filled with vintage Elvis paraphernalia, crocheted paintings, Caribbean touches and tropical drinks. Perfect!

Then I hit up my favorite thrift store (where the owner greeted me like an old friend) and I scored a cute sweater dress for 5 euros. Sweet! I finished off the day with a falafel from L'As Du Falafel, a little place in my 'hood known as the "best falafel in Paris." C'est vrai!

Day 2:

Crossed the Seine and explored the "Left Bank" through the Latin Quarter and the chic St. Germain area. Traipsed through the Marché aux Fleurs (flower market), ate some goat cheese and drank vin blanc before heading to the famed department store Le Bon Marché, and walking over to the gardens of the Hôpital des Invalides (military museum). Capped off the day at one of my favorite cafés in my neighborhood, Café Charlot, and read my book while sipping more vin blanc (surprise!).

All in all, I think I walked about 20 miles that day. My dogs were barking! But an awesome day.

More to come from the rest of the week...

The BIG Day

2010-05-02T08:26:00.000-07:00

I'm off to Paris today for my three-month "greatest idea of all time" and am brimming with butterflies. I will be eating croissant and sipping café crème tomorrow morning at une petite terrasse near my little apartment. Woo hoo!

I had so many wonderful send-offs and well-wishes from the best people in the world -- my amazing friends, my incredible family, and my awesome work peeps. I'm a LUCKY girl. Sorry to get emo for a sec but I'm just in that kind of mood -- a really REALLY happy and thankful mood for all of great people I love and all of the adventures I'm about to have. Not ever gonna take it for granted... not once.

My mom would be really proud... and she will be with me every step of the way.

Au revoir!

"Fashion Plate"

2010-04-19T14:49:00.000-07:00

Ooh la la. I was interviewed for a website called My Fashion Plate to discuss my big old glamorous job and spring trends and Lindsay Lohan. So hard to watch without cringing and sweating profusely but here it is!

Full article here.

And while I'm self-promoting, here is a link to me on Japanese TV on a popular magazine-show called "Sweet" on Mosti TV. In case you didn't know, I'm big in Japan.

A Macaron is a Pastry, Not a Cookie

2010-04-10T09:51:00.000-07:00

Nike Sportswear Air Royalty Macarons

Delectable sneakers inspired by French delicacies, the Nike Macaron is available in colors/flavors of Almond, Fruits, Curaçao, and Lemon, only at Colette in Paris (bien sûr).

I am totally in love with this presentation... like a pretty little gift of style and flavor.

Love

2010-04-04T09:16:00.000-07:00

*awesome photos taken by my awesome friend, Sabin

Wee Cactus

2010-03-25T11:19:00.000-07:00

One more arty acquisition I just indulged in from Ashley G which will be so sickeningly, awesomely perfect in my Hacienda!

Perfectly prickly!

My first love

2010-03-25T10:42:00.000-07:00

I've made a lifelong career of thrifting... going on almost 17 years of sifting through treasures and trash to fill my gigantic closet with beloved finds from bygone eras. From my perfectly tiny fur coats to my sparkly sequin disco dresses to Mexican folk art and my incredible turquoise loveseat, I am a thrift fiend.

In honor of my passion for musty fashions, I just bought this! It will be perfect in my parlour!

Get your own in Ashley G's Etsy shop, if you're so inclined.

*Thanks, Alissa!*

Planes, Trains, and Automobiles

2010-03-19T13:42:00.000-07:00

Flight is booked!
My French-ventures begin on May 2nd... or actually May 3rd when I land at Charles de Gaulle!

Hot travel tip... nonstop round-trip flights were over $2k but I found a one-way for $600 including all taxes and sneaky fees on Travelocity. More money for wine and cheese!

C'est Jacques

2010-03-17T17:16:00.000-07:00

I've been immersing myself in all things French lately and listening to lots of '60s French pop. One of my favorites is Jacques Dutronc, who was quite the debonaire gentleman in his day (see below). His music is fun and quirky, barely makes sense (with my admittedly poor grasp of the language), and he is kind of a babe. And when I say "kind of," I really mean "whoa." I think I am in amour.

So, for your audiovisual plaisir, may I present to you Dutronc's collaboration with stylish chanteuse, Francoise Hardy, the peppy "Mini Mini Mini." Makes me wanna dance in a mini skirt!

Jacques Dutronc with Francoise Hardy, "Mini Mini Mini" (youtube link)

Mon Petit Chateau

2010-03-17T16:53:00.000-07:00

Just booked my apartment in Paris! A charming little loft in my favorite little neighborhood, Le Marais, which is a lot like NY's West Village but with much more of that je ne sais quois... tiny fruit markets and cheese shops, lots of cafes and bakeries, fun boutiques, gay men galore, and my favorite vintage store in the world... Freeps! I will be soaking up this lovely little corner of the world for three incredible months in May, June, and July.

Here is a sneak peek into my Parisian abode:

Ooh la la!

Bonjour!

2010-03-12T12:33:00.000-08:00

Welcome to my new spot -- an outpost for things I like, things to look at, and a place for documenting stuff, adventures and ideas.

Also I really love this sock/shoe combo! Genius!