During our day-trip in Ajaccio, I had what was possibly the most charming encounter with a stranger that I’ve ever experienced.

A couple of us were eating lunch on the terrace of a small Italian joint in the old town, and I was sketching the small church just across from us, when an older gentleman came up and, in French, complimented me on the drawing. He proceeded to tell me that I should make sure to get the bell tower in the sketch, and I assured him I would as soon as I finished filling in the details of the face of the building. He wished us a good day and went on his way.

As we paid our bill and were getting ready to leave, the same gentleman came by and asked to see the finished sketch. After looking at it and complimenting me on a job well done, he asked if he could draw as well, to which I responded, bien sûr!

He spent about five minutes drawing the little church for us, during which time I learned that he’s been living in Ajaccio, and in fact on the same little street as this church, since he was a little boy.

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Posted in: life, travel | Tags: ajaccio, charming, charming encounter, church, corsica, elderly man, meeting strangers, sketch, strangers, travel | 8 COMMENTS

… are spent au bar.

Beyond the well-traversed cobblestone streets behind Sacre Coeur that throng with tourists all day and night, there are still corner bars entirely peopled with locals. That “real Montmartre” you’ve been hearing about. You’ll probably have to walk through some sketchy-ass metro stops and streets to get there, though.

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Posted in: life, paris | Tags: 75018, bar, beers, cigarettes, mes amis, montmartre, montmartre bar, o, paris, paris bar, travel | 0 COMMENTS

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Posted in: life, paris | Tags: b&w, black and white, black and white photography, costume, costume party, high contrast photography, housewarming party, kill bill, little pieces of light, movie themed party, o, paris, party, pulp fiction, quentin tarantino, sin city, tarantino, tarantino costume, tarantino party, themed party | 14 COMMENTS

Can you believe that after having lived in Paris for over a year, I had never once had a picnic by the Seine? How lame is that?

What better excuse to break my streak of lameness than a dear friend’s birthday? I gathered with a group of some of my favorite girls to celebrate Sugared & Spiced‘s special day.

It couldn’t possibly have been any lovelier. Clear blue skies and a warm golden sun glinting off the river speckled us with light. Our big red picnic blanket (and, no doubt, the gorgeousness of the girls I was with) inspired many tourist photos from the street above the quai.

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Posted in: life, paris | Tags: bloggers, friends, girlfriends, ile saint louis, paris, paris picnic, picnic, picnic on the seine, pont de la tournelle, quai de seine, seine, seine picnic, travel | 7 COMMENTS

Are you tired of my raptures over Parisian spring yet, dear reader?

Well too bad, because I’m still in love with it. Even more so after this Sunday, during which I attended a most charming picnic arranged by the amazing Lauren, who was a perfect hostess, providing themed serviettes, straws, decorations, and being generally welcoming and lovely.

Carin was kind enough to invite me to this féte celebrating the “opening of the grass,” when the parks of Paris begin to welcome people to step onto, roll around on, and scamper through the lawns.

The sky was a blessed blue and the grass of Parc Monceau was green and it was so sunny that I actually got a small sunburn on my shoulders. An honest-to-goodness sunburn!

O brought his dorkiest guitar and I brought my ukulele. He spent a lot of time playing well and I spent some time serenading badly.

(Photo above courtesy Sugared & Spiced.)

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Posted in: life, paris | Tags: bloggers, france, guitar, lawn party, o, parc monceau, paris, paris bloggers, paris picnic, park, pavlova, pelouse en fête, picnic, spring picnic, travel, ukulele | 11 COMMENTS

It’s been a glorious week. Not only has the sun finally decided to come out, one of my favorite people in Paris has been on vacation all week and we’ve gotten to spend long lazy days exploring the museums and doing silly touristy things.

Montmartre, terrace, apéros that turn into dinner… and the first pichet of rosé. Watching the buildings gleam gold from the setting sun, then watching the blue hour come on. Simple pleasures.

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Posted in: life, paris | Tags: cafe, montmartre, montmartre cafe, o, paris, paris buildings, parisian buildings, rosé, rose wine, spring, spring in paris, springtime in paris, sunset, sunset in paris, terrace, travel | 0 COMMENTS

Springtime came upon us all at once this week. On Sunday we had the first warm, sunny day of the year and all of the skirts and sandals and short sleeve shirts came out of everyone’s closets. I went outside coatless and scarfless and it was great.

All of the trees bloomed all at once with a mighty fwoomp.

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Posted in: life, paris, Uncategorized | Tags: flower, flowers in bloom, guitar, montmartre, o, paris, paris flowers, park, park in paris, spring, spring in paris, springtime in paris | 2 COMMENTS