PARIS AT CHRISTMAS - One Last Look

Les Deux Magots  

my favorite anytime of the year.

Shopping near Galleries Lafayette

The Gorgeous Windows

Chanel 

Window Gazing at Laduree 

Merry Christmas Everyone.

Photos taken by Meg Mitchell.

LAST MINUTE XMAS DECOR IDEAS

If any of you are like me, you may still be in the throes of decorating your abode for the big day.  The blogs have 

been absolutely filled with great Christmas decor ideas. 

Here are my last inspirations for Christmas 2011.   

Lovely easy ideas ... right up my alley.

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A shabby chic Christmas tree with beautiful vintage 

bulbs.  Love the colors of vintage bulbs and all 

their lovely shapes.  So simple, so pretty.

velvetstrawberries.typepad.com

And to carry the theme just a bit further, use the rest 

of your vintage bulbs on a wreath.  I found boxes of 

old bulbs years ago at a Goodwill shop but I would 

doubt if you would find them now.  I guess flea markets 

are the next best place to seek out these treasures.

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How about gorgeous paper wrapped Christmas trees?  

The paper has been glued on a paper cone and then 

put on top of a silver candlestick.  Notice all the trims 

and jewelry glued on to give the tree a 

little bling and shine.

 

poppytalk.blogspot.com

Family and friends coming for Christmas?  What a 

great way towel come everyone with a wreath made 

from old photos.  

Love the sepia color of old pictures, don't you?

thriftydecorchick.blogspot.com

And lastly, glasses, jars, votives are covered with scrap book papers or one could even use lace remnants.  Whatever idea you choose to cover the glass, the candlelight through the designs is absolutely beautiful and so Christmas Eve.

It's never too late for that one little touch in your home or even a possible Christmas present for someone you love.

DON'T FORGET THE HOMELESS

Lee Jeffries started out as a sports photographer and one day he met a homeless woman who changed his life 

and view of the world.   Now he takes black and white photographs of a part of our society that is so often

forgotten and overlooked ... the homeless.

His photos are of both men and women but I have 

included just some of the faces of homeless women.  

It is a very difficult plight for any person but a homeless woman has an even more treacherous life on the street.

The photographs are incredibly moving and shows us the reality that even during this most merry of holidays, 

times are not so happy for many people in our society.

How often this month have we passed a Salvation Army person ringing their bell to encourage passersby to share something with people who need our help ... especially, 

these difficult economic times.  Being grateful for all 

that we have in our lives is one way to celebrate 

this holiday but also to remember and share with 

those in need is an even more 

important way to show our gratitude.  

Have a merry and a most grateful Christmas.

THE OLDEST BOOKSTORE IN PARIS

For all the years that I have visited Paris, I've never 

been to Shakespeare and Company bookstore.  It's not because I hadn't tried.  I had difficulty finding it. 

In October, I decided I would not leave this beautiful city without a visit to this very famous bookstore.  

So armed with a map this time, which I never travel with, 

I found it easily.  Made me rethink my 

practice of wandering aimlessly in search of a place 

and not asking directions.  

Could I have been a man in a previous life? 
There is was ....  right across the Notre Dame, 
south of the Seine in the 5th arrondissement 
just like the map showed.  
I thought it was still on rue de l'Odeon.

The store is quite small but so delightful.  

I felt like I had taken a step back in time.

The original Shakespeare Bookstore was established on November 17, 1919 by Sylvia Beach.  It was located at 12, rue de l'Odeon and was the gathering place of a number of prominent authors such as Ezra Pound, Ernest Hemingway and James Joyce.  That store was closed during World War II but was reopened in the 1950's at it's present location ... 

37, rue de la Bucherie.

The inside of the little shop is like being in vintage book heaven.  There are new and used English books, rare books and a great French travel section.

What a fun and unique shop.  Notice the old ceiling beams.

I will be showing you more pictures of this famous Parisian landmark in my next post.  

Woody Allen used Shakespeare and Company bookstore

in his most recent film,  "Midnight in Paris."  Do you

remember the scene?

The American born owner of Shakespeare and Company died on Wednesday in his apartment above the store.  George Whitman was 98 years old.

CHRISTMAS IN PARIS

I was in Paris last year right before the Christmas holidays.  Paris at Christmas is probably my absolute most favorite 

time.  The city is beautiful at any time of the year 

but at Christmas, it is absolutely beautiful.  

I wish I was there now.  

Next year ... definitely.

The lights on the Champs Elysees are magical.  

At one end of this famous street is the Arc de Triomphe 

and at the other end,  La Place de la Concorde, 

with it's large ferris wheel.

And as always,  Laduree is as pretty on the outside 

as all their beautiful pastries on the inside.

All along the Champs Elysees is the outside Christmas 

market with lots of fun gifts but most importantly, 

gorgeous food and drink to sample up and 

down the boulevard.  Warm wine, beautiful French 

cheeses and lots of Christmas goodies are there 

to entice all the Parisian Christmas shoppers.

There was just a little bit of snow to add that cozy 

Christmas feeling.  Trees were being sold along 

St Germain des Pres, and although they were small 

in stature .... they were just the right size for a 

typical Parisian apartment.

Of course, all the bistros were regaled in Christmas finery.  This is one of Christian Constant's restaurants along rue 

St. Dominique in the 7th arrondissement.  

Fabulous food.

And of course, the Queen of Paris ... the Eiffel Tower.   

This special attraction makes every day in Paris

 seem like Christmas. 

All photos taken by Meg Mitchell. 

HOW TO HAVE A SUCCESSFUL XMAS PARTY

Planning a holiday party??  

Here are a few hints on making 

your gathering a wild success.

Get Martha to come in and give your abode 

a quick spit and shine.

Decorate the house within an inch of your life.

Serve some delicious food in a creative way.

Be selective in your guest list.

Put on your new sexy black dress, a little jungle red lipstick

and have the time of your life.

And, hang this sign on your door the next day.

Have a fun holiday weekend.

Photos taken from Pinterest.

ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS ....

... a new dining table to put into my new 

urban country kitchen.

  There's something about a dining table that just 

pulls me into a photo when I see it in a magazine 

or on a blog.  I want to sit there.  I don't care if there's 

one other person, 10 people or just me.  

Does a table represent the food, or the place 

where we spend time with friends or family?   Or where we did our homework in the kitchen?

What other happy memories happen around a table?  

My dream is for a long table.  Lots of elbow room.  

More space to put big bowls of food.  

Or, if I am working on a project, there would be plenty of table space to spread out my work 

now that I don't have my old studio anymore.  

I've never had a new table.  My tables have all been passed down from either my Mother or my Grandmother and I still have those tables and will find a new place 

in my home for them. 

One table is an old glass and wrought iron garden table 

which will find a place on my back patio in the Spring 

and the other is an oval table that folds 

down into a lovely sofa table.

Four of my chairs are similar to the ones above but I want 

to mix in some other different chairs to provide a little 

more interest.  I have my eye on a couple of French 

chairs that would be fun additions to my new table.

I found this table at Restoration Hardware.  The style feels very airy and there seems to be lots of room for long legs.  

The trestles are based on old sewing machine legs which is a nice detail but, the best part is the zinc table top which is "oh so French."  The  table is just a little reminder of the beautiful old zinc bars in Paris.  It would  be a wonderful place to have my café au lait and croissant in the morning or at night, I could imagine myself sitting in a little bistro 

in the 7eme arrondissement. 

All I want for Christmas is this zinc table!

Photos in order:  Tim Young Interiors; el Mueble (3);

Dreamhouse; Restoration Hardware

A COLORFUL WALK IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD

I live in a colorful neighborhood.  I didn't realize how 

bright and cheerful it was until I took my photography 

course which taught me how to slow down and 

look for subjects I might have madly passed by.  

This lovely little lilac home immediately caught my eye 

as the front yard was decorated for Christmas.  Small white lights followed the branches in the tree and I just love the large colorful bulbs hanging and blowing in the breeze.

Because our weather has been warmer than usual, 

Christmas decorations reside next to plants still 

enjoying the Fall colors.  The pinks and greens 

are so lovely together.

Every time I walk downtown, I pass this beautiful 

woman sculpture, only on this walk, I stopped to 

appreciate her with my camera.

And what's not to like about this glitzy Michael Kors' 

purse in his new store along Bloor Street.

And as I wound my way back home, I was captured 

by the setting sun having it's way reflecting off the 

buildings along the street.

It pays to slow down.  You might realize what a 

colorful neighborhood you live in.