Tag Archives: summer

My perfumes

18 Dec

I am a bit of a perfume junkie. If you have been followinng this blog for any significant length of time you may have figured that out yourself. I think I have a slightly accute sense of smell and an infidèle addiction to perfumes. But there are a handful of scents that I truly, truly  love, and will hold onto for many years to come… They are quite a varied collection, with a different mood and humeur for different days, seasons and desires.

Annick Goutal, Petite Chérie

Annick Goutal created in 1998 a perfume dedicated to her daughter Camille, and called it Petite Chérie. (“Little Sweetie”). This perfume embodies to me, that ultime desire for a delightful snuggle, and soft, happy and wonderful hug from someone who loves you dearly. The perfume is floral and sweet with a strong hint of pear, but does not have that stickiness to its sweet side. It smells more like a fresh juicy pear that you just bit into. A discrete perfume. It is the smell of pure bliss. Continue reading →

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Waves of change – Les vagues de la transformation

29 Sep


Prête-à-Porter Spring/Summer 2011 fashion week opened up in Paris yesterday with a slow saunter.

Among the afternoon and evening défilés there were some interesting things to see from Spanish designer Amaya Arzuaga and Portuguese Designer best known for her most-expensive-bathing-suit-in-the-world (year 2000), Fatima Lopes.

Arzuaga explored the transformation of a caterpillar into a butterfly with geometrical cuts and very textured fabrics that are formed into not-so-prête-à-porter shapes and forms. Set in the Galerie de Minéralogie in the Jardin des Plantes, guests arrived through the rose garden just outside the entrance. Colors were sharp whites, blacks with some reds rose-petal pinks and caterpillar greens here and there. Even more impractical than the garments was the footwear; models were perched precariously on impossible to walk in platform heels that probably weighed more than the models themselves, and some were forced to strut like ostriches rather than fluttering butterflies down the runway. Nonetheless textures and shapes were fascinating and had a very tactile appeal to them.

Fatima Lopes put on a show in the Maison des Métallos in the 11th arrondissement. In a large basement style theater space she had a back-drop of stretched fabrics lit from behind, and incorporated an entire choreography to her show, which is a welcome change from the long runway walk from one end to another.

Her theme was the undulations of sand and dunes, and the clothing was made of light and airy fabrics in pastels. Each piece was wearable. Shoes were intricate gnarled heels with a pale ballerina peach color and were textured as if made from wet sand after a sprinkle of rain has fallen on it. The hair designs echoed the gnarled heels of the shoes.

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Fair-weather Fair – Fête Foraine qu’on aime

4 Aug

The fair…

Oh the fair, that summer event that we always waited for as kids, with sheer anticipation and excitement. The smell of fried dough and ice-cream cones, the sound of children shrieking with delight as they are hurled around by those mechanical things (or with fatigue as they scream to be let out of the stroller); the sight of bright lights and loud colors…

Do you miss being a kid? Or do you hate the fair? Either way, if you’re in Paris, you can go to the Fair! Besides, you should at least go to ride on the fabulous ferris wheel. If you get on at 10pm, 11pm or midnight you’ll get to see the Eiffel Tower sparkle!

What a sight!

It’s a view worth making the trip to see. All of Paris lies below you, lovely and glittery like only Paris can be.


La Fête Foraine des Tuileries 2010:

Practical info :

Place : Jardin des Tuileries, rue de Rivoli, 75001 Paris
Date : From Saturday June 26 to Sunday August 22, 2010

Hours : from 11am to 11:45pm weekdays, and from 11am to 12:45am Fridays and Saturdays.
Free entry, attractions and food is purchasable
Attractions tariffs : between 2 & 10 € per person

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à la fraiche – a place to chill

24 Jul

The French have a certain “méfiance” or wariness towards air-conditioning. They believe that it will make you sick, destroy your lungs, and probably annihilate your little grandmother. But there is truth to their paranoia about recycled and refrigerated air. I clearly remember the only strep-throat I ever had was when I was in Florida, going from sticky heat to frigid air over and over again, and finally my body broke down like a tired politician from all the flip-flopping.

So needless to say, A/C is scarce in Paris. And when summer is hot, people spend their day seeking out a place to cool down. Some let their toes dangle in the fountains that are scattered throughout the city, some head to the cineplexe movie theaters, some sit in one of the few cafés that have invested in the god-send called a “brumisateur” a fan that also sprays a mist of cool water.

I headed to the Aquarium. There it is dark, cool, and you are surrounded by water, which just the sight of cools you off a few degrees!

In addition to being a great place to find some shade, the Aquarium de Paris has an amazing collection of aquatic life. From small pools to gigantic ones, there is everything from barnacles to sharks. There are places to sit in front of the giant pools and relax while you watch the sea creatures swim back and forth. They say it is calming to watch fish. And I believe it. Give yourself a few hours to spend in there, you won’t even see it go by!

Very kid oriented, there is even a petting pool where you can feel the slimy scaly back of a well-fed fish.

A great place for everyone and an escape from the summer heat.

Aquarium de Paris – Cinéaqua
Adresse : 5 Avenue Albert De Mun 75016 Paris
Standard : 01 40 69 23 23, info@cineaqua.fr
Fax : 01 40 69 23 01

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