Paris On My Mind

Paris by Elisabeth Perotin

I'm gushing all over this beautiful photograph of Paris right now. I love the simplicity of the buildings, the dreamy light behind the clouds and the darling hearts floating in the sky. It perfectly expresses my love for the city. I pretty much need to have it. 

Le Manege by Elisabeth Perotin

This one by the same photographer is a close runner up. Situated at the foot of the hill of Montmartre (where a pivotal Amelie scene was filmed), I used to sit watching this carousel each day that I stayed at a nearby hotel. I would sit on a bench, ignore the pesky French men calling to me, admire the children on the ride, gaze at Sacre Couer and eat my daily creme de marron (chestnut cream) crepe. Le sigh. 

Palm Springs Style

After brunching with my gorgeous friend Christina today we wandered through Yaletown and into (wait for it.... where else?) The Cross, naturally. Knowing me as thoroughly as they do and being as thoughtful friends as they are, both Christina and my roommate Nicole bought me gift cards to my "happy place" for my 30th a few weeks ago. Now, normally gift cards of any kind burn a hole in my pocket so intensely that they need to be spent within days (the gift of shopping, what could be better?), but this time I wanted to select pieces that meant something to me, something of significance rather than an item I just thought was pretty (not that I suddenly have issues with pretty, no way). After three laps of the store I bought the 

very thing I knew I had to have.

 Since I was a little girl my favourite stories told to me my parents or my sweetest memories involve Palm Springs. Long before I was born my parents, aunt and uncle and grandparents would migrate to the desert two hours outside of Los Angeles to soak up the sun on vacation from drizzly, grey Vancouver. I was ten the first time I went and that trip still sticks out vividly in my memory. I had never seen such beauty in my life~ the ruddy San Jacinto mountains, thrilling palm trees and manicured lawns, sparkling swimming pools and, best of all, the air heavy with the scent of lemon and orange blossom from all the fruit trees everywhere. It was magical, and continues to be so for me and my family to this day. We can talk endlessly about "the desert" and where we will go, stay, dine the next time we visit. 

The book Palm Springs Style has been in my Amazon cart for ages but today I decided to snap it up in person. Even flipping through the glossy pages and admiring the beautiful photographs makes me giddily happy. Palm Springs was the most chic and decadent of getaways for the movie stars of the 40s and 50s (my parents pointed out Frank Sinatra's house to me on my first visit), yet it experienced a decline in popularity in the more recent decades. However, in the last few years its glory has been revived. Many iconic hotels have been renovated and redecorated and none more spectacularly than the Viceroy. Decorated by famed interior designer (and Vogue regular) Kelly Wearstler, it has been transformed into a quirkily glamourous resort and spa~ and has again become a playground for the young and beautiful Hollywood set. The book, for me, is one part childhood memory and two parts luxurious fantasy~ and I can't wait to one day soak up the desert heat from one of the Viceroy's poolside loungers! 

One More Thing France Has That I Love

Good bye numero deux (or should I say Au Revoir?). My amazing friend Rachel is in the midst of packing her bags and meeting with the consulate in Vancouver today in preparation for her Thursday departure date back to France, where she will live for another year. This time last September she was embarking on a new, unknown adventure as she had taken a new job in a country where she wasn't 100% proficient with the language and didn't know a soul. Adventure, indeed! Along the way, perhaps as she established a daily routine in Montpellier (several hours outside of Paris) and became more adjusted to her surroundings, Rachel became very much a French girl. And I happen to love that about her. I will miss my confidante so incredibly much. We can talk for hours about the most soul stirring of things or laugh like teenagers over the silliest of details. We understand each other in a profound way because we are so similar~ sensitive romantics! (Ouch, watch out world~ there are two of us!) 

I'm so proud of Rachel as she embarks on yet another brave tenure in a country across the ocean from her family and friends (and comfort zone). I will her miss her gentle voice on the phone (calling cards this time!), hours long coffee dates and shopping excursions with us and her twin. And yet this time I have a plan~ I think it's high time for me to have a return visit to France! Rach, I'll see you sooner than you know. 

In the meantime~ bon voyage et je t'aime. xoxo

Escape

I'm not sure of much in life but one thing I do know is that I want, nay need, to see the world. We live on such a big, beautiful planet and I hate to think of being trapped in one (albeit pretty) corner of it, never seeing the places I wonder about, never absorbing other cultures and never fulfilling the wild and adventurous dreams I have. It's been a few years now since I was last bit on the booty by the traveling bug, when I packed my backpack and took off for Paris and London for 7 weeks, all by my lonesome. I think that's why I can't get this blog post off my mind. Written by my blog "guru" (the one who inspired me to start this in the first place), Joanna Goddard of A Cup of Jo posted on dream vacations a few days ago and I find myself looking at these photographs again and again, drawn back like a moth to the proverbial flame (or myself to a shoe store~yes, I like that analogy better!). The photos are breathtaking, stirring in me the desire to throw some summer dresses into a bag, grab my iPod, kiss Lulu and go. A heavenly vacation in Tuscany or South Africa may not be in the cards right now....but, hey, I think I'll go get my passport renewed. Just in case. 

In the meantime, check out A Cup of Jo for this and other inspiring and lovely posts.