RIP Karl Lagerfeld

“Keep the best, forget the rest. “ ― Karl Lagerfeld

Karl Lagerfeld (10 September 1933 – 19 February 2019)

Links I Love • February 2019

“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” – Dr. Seuss

• Travel is About Commas, Not Exclamation Marks (by Samantha Brown) - The comma is where the culture and people express themselves.

• Shakespeare and Company – Paris’ Iconic Independent Bookshop - I love this shop and will be back next Sunday.

• The Paris Ritz is the Definition of Divine and I’ll be celebrating my birthday there next week.

• Discover Paris’ Covered Passages - I love the Galerie Vivienne and hope to visit a few more on this trip.

• A Market For Every Arrondissement - Locations and hours for outdoor markets in each Paris neighborhood. This is a great look, but my go-to on avenue du Président Wilson is curiously missing from the list. Maybe I’ll try a new one this year.

• Breizh Café, the Makers of the Best Crêpe in Paris, Reveal their Secret Recipe - This may be too late for La Chandeleur, but it’s never too late for crêpes.

• 10 Films that Will Make You Fall in Love with Paris - This list is very similar to my 10 favorite French films

• Why Paris is the City You’ll Keep Going Back To - I couldn’t agree more!

• A Location Guide to the Marvelous Mrs. Maisel in Paris - I loved the Paris episodes of this great show.)

• Beagles and Why They are Perfect - I couldn’t agree more!

• A Curious Naming Convention for French Dogs - Piper was born in an L year. I do call her “Lovie” a lot!

• Ernest Hemingway Story from 1956 to Be Published for the First Time - Somehow I missed this last year, but you can still order this issue of The Strand Magazine — I did.

• Invisible Essence: The Little Prince (available on Netflix) - Artists and writers delve into the heart of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's timeless fable, which captured the imagination of children and adults worldwide.

• 10 Things I Learned After 10 Years of Blogging - Great advice. I especially need to work on #5 and #10.

February Celebrations

“The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate.” - Oprah Winfrey

This weekend, we are celebrating a belated Valentine’s Day + an early birthday with a few of my favorite things…

Brunch at my favorite Lake Park Bistro

Remember her?

MAM After Dark

A sneak peak of Bouguereau & America at the Milwaukee Art Museum (I’ll show you more in April.)

French Friday: De Jolies Petites Robes

« Au fil des années, j’ai appris ce qui est important dans une robe c’est la femme qui la porte. » - Yves Saint Laurent

If only I had a niece…[sigh]!

Week 6 - Inspiration: No Filter

“O my love’s like a red, red rose…” - Robert Burns • Happy Valentine’s Day!

#2019dogwood52 #dogwood52 #dogwoodweek6 #nofilter

Currently • February 2019

I leave for Paris next week, so this month’s Currently feature is mostly about planning and packing.

READING: Maybe it’s because I’m headed to Paris again, but I am currently on another Hemingway binge:

• A Moveable Feast (Ernest Hemingway) - It’s one of my favorite books and definitely my favorite Hemingway. It also features one of my favorite quotes: “There are only two places in the world where we can live happy: at home and in Paris.”

• The Hemingway Women (Bernice Kert): Based on letters and interviews, the book draws comparisons between Hemingway’s heroines and their real-life inspirations.

• Hemingway’s Paris: A Writer’s City in Words and Images (Robert Wheeler): This is a beautiful book filled with black and white photographs that depict Hemingway’s love affair with Paris.

• A Drinkable Feast (Phillip Green): A history of the Lost Generation in 1920s Paris told through the lens of the cocktails they loved. I have to admit I do love this genre, including Tequila Mockingbird and Gone with the Gin.

I am loading up my iPad with books to read on the plane. Let me know if you have any favorites to compliment my trip to Paris.

WATCHING: Nothing new.

• We are still slogging through The Americans. We just finished season 4 and are wondering whether we will continue with seasons 5 and 6.

• On Netflix: Pretty in Pink is back — I love this movie so much! I will also be rewatching Julie and Julia and possibly The Hundred-Foot Journey.

• Before I leave and probably while I’m in Paris, I will be watching movies that feature neighborhoods where we’ll be strolling: Midnight in Paris, Amélie, Funny Face, Charade, and An American Girl in Paris Part Une and Part Deux, the finale of the Sex and the City series. Any other Paris-based movies that I should add to my list?

PLANNING: Daily Paris Itineraries

It really isn’t about planning every moment of our trip, but, to maximize our time in Paris, I do like to organize days in walking tours that include attractions, favorite restaurants, and shops in the same neighborhoods. Here is my Google Map for our week in Paris:

• Saturday, February 23: Arrival, outdoor market (avenue Président Wilson), Eiffel Tower, and possibly a boat ride on the Seine — that is, if we don’t get waylaid by protesters.

• Sunday, February 24: Île de la Cité and the Left Bank — Notre Dame, bouquinistes, Latin Quarter, Luxembourg Gardens, Saint-Germain, and le Bon Marché

• Monday, February 25: Champs-Élysées, Tuileries Gardens, the Louvre, Faubourg Saint-Honoré, and dinner at Le Soufflé

• Tuesday, February 26: Marais: Village Saint-Paul, Place des Vosges, Canal Saint-Martin, Père Lachaise

• Wednesday, February 27: Montmartre, Opéra Garnier, and shopping in the Grands Magasins and la rue de la Paix

• Thursday, February 28: Shopping and strolling in the rue de Rivoli, the Palais-Royal, and Galerie Vivienne with stops for lunch or an apéro at 228 in Le Meurice (because it’s 2/28!), tea at the Ritz, and a cocktail at Bar Hemingway. What a great way to celebrate both my birthday and the end of our trip.

PACKING: For Paris…

• I love my new Delsey Paris Cruise Lite hard-side carry-on. It’s always an adjustment to pack a new bag, but I tested this one on a recent trip to Florida and it’s so convenient. My only regret is that I checked my bag (since my fellow travelers were checking theirs) and there are already scuffs on it. Maybe a darker color would have been better.

• I also love eBags Packing Cubes to keep my things organized.

• Yes, I do like to carry-on whenever possible. To me the benefits outweigh the inconveniences:

  Cons:

  • You are responsible for your luggage in airports and on the plane. The greatest challenge for me is finding a kind soul to help me store my carry-on in the overhead bin — Oh the joys of being vertically challenged!

  • You have to limit your liquids and gels to a quart-sized bag. This makes you really rethink what you can do without for a week or so. Do I need all those facial serums? Can I use hotel shampoo and conditioner? How many hair products do I really need? Can I get free samples of my favorite fragrance, face cream, eye cream, etc.? (Yes, thanks to my favorites at the Nordstrom Chanel counter!)

  Pros:

  • You are responsible for your own bag — no one throws it around.

  • You can access anything you need while you are traveling.

  • Your luggage won’t get lost.

  • You must limit what you buy. Before purchasing anything, I consider if things are too heavy, too bulky, and over 3 oz. of liquid. This keeps me from taking home too many books, Diptyque candles, French pharmacy cosmetics and culinary delicacies (wine, mustards, etc.), and expensive fragrances (maybe a con because I love these things, but definitely a pro for my budget).

  • You also have to limit what you take. To me, this really is a benefit. In Paris, black is always chic. A good capsule wardrobe is appropriate for everything from a stroll through the Luxembourg Gardens to tea at the Ritz.

  Here’s what I’m packing:

  • Outerwear: The average high temperature in Paris for February is in 40’s. Currently the forecast of our week in Paris is mostly in the 50’s! However, last year’s bitter winds and snow taught me to be prepared for a variety of weather situations. A good mid-weight coat is key. I’m taking a little trench/peacoat hybrid.

  • In my carry-on:

    • 4 pairs of skinny black pants (89th + Madison) and maybe a skirt

    • 3 black sweaters: a cardigan (Loft), a turtle neck (J Crew), and a boat neck (Maison Jules)

    • 5 tops: blue tired shell (Maison Jules - out of stock, but like this in solid French blue), navy shell (Loft), black shell w/sheer overlay (no longer available), floral shell (Loft), and black boat neck blouse (similar to this)

    • 2-3 pairs of shoes (depending on the weather). My #1 bit of packing advice is take COMFORTABLE walking shoes! Poor shoes impact one's feet, back, and attitude! Don’t be a slave to fashion (even during Paris Fashion Week)! There are a lot of boots and flats that are both comfortable and fashionable. Here’s what I’m taking: black ankle boots (Blondo), black loafers (Donald/Pliner - similar to these), and black ballerinas (These are very reminiscent of Chanel ballerinas, super comfy yet very inexpensive. I’m on my second pair.)

    • Accessories: jewelry (including my watch and charm bracelet) headbands (black, leopard print, and tortoise shell), and a variety of silk and wool scarves

    • Unmentionables, pajamas, slippers, tights, and socks (Have you tried these?)

    • Personal items: cosmetics, contacts, hairbrush, toiletries (see above), contacts, Advil, band-aids, a curling rod, and maybe a hairdryer (I have to verify the wattage of the one in our Airbnb.)

    • Sunglasses, gloves, and despite what Audrey says, an umbrella.

    • Copies of my passport and insurance card

  • In my tote:

    • Wallet: passport, bank card, insurance card, and euros

    • Coin purse — I always end up with a lot of change in Paris.

    • Cosmetic touch up kit, fresh contacts, and toothbrush

    • Electronics: voltage/plug converters (I really like this one), Macbook (for editing, curating, and sharing photos as well as watching movies set in Paris), iPad (for movies, photos, Facetime with Piper and Eric, and especially books), iPhone XS with the Verizon TravelPass (for $10/day, I can use my phone exactly as I do in the US, including calls, texts, and data), Powerbeats 3, Theta 360º camera (for a school project), and charging cables. As much as I love my Sony a6000 DSLR, I will only use my iPhone on this trip. I want to focus on the daily delights that make Paris special rather than obsessing over lighting and focus.

    • Merino scarf (doubles as a blank on the plane)

    • Reusable water bottle

Have I forgotten anything? What are your recommendations for books, movies, packing, and strolling in Paris?

This post contains many links to books, movies, and products I love, though none are affiliate. That being said, if any of the companies or Paris shops and restaurants that I mentioned are interested, I would love to work on a project together!