Monday 21 May 2012

paris & peonies


This weekend a friend of mine, who recently spent a few days in Paris with her fiancé, sent me a long email with a wonderful and detailed description of their trip, and she included links to all the places they visited. Before that she had sent me a bunch of photos. I was in heaven. This morning I received an email from her with photos of her first peonies this season. Again, I was in heaven. Let's just say that this friend of mine knows me pretty well; it doesn't really take much to make me happy.

All I need is Paris and peonies.


Some of you already know that I'm planning a trip with a close friend to Paris in the autumn. We meant to go this spring but we had to postpone it. We don't have the exact dates yet but I'm hoping to be there for a few days in September. I know that many of the bloggers out there regularly travel to Paris and share links and photos, but I'm also a bit curious to know if some of the silent followers of my blog have something Paris related to share. Do you have a favourite hotel, a café or a restaurant in Paris? Do you have a favourite Paris district? Is there some shop that you always go to when you are there? You can comment anonymously if you are shy to leave a comment and Icelandic readers can leave a comment in Icelandic. I would really like to know what it is that attracts you to the City of Lights.


photo credit:
1: illustrator Alice Tait
2: artist Jillian Phillips via Lilla Rogers
3: illustrator Caroline Wang | CocoDraws on Etsy
4-5: Trish of Trouvais

20 comments:

  1. Beautiful photos - I love peonies too! I dream of going to Paris one day, it seems like the most beautiful city :) I hope you enjoy your trip in September!

    http://currentlylovingblog.blogspot.com/

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  2. I go to Paris every year twice...I love Montmartre more than other neighborhood.If you go there, check the wall of love (Le mur des Je t’aime) at Abesses metro station.
    A great bistro at Montmartre, is "Le trobadour". I hope you will find it open, because last time I went, it was closed.
    Don't forget to eat the delicious bread from the awarded "Le Grenier à Pain" (38 rue des Abbesses)...
    And of course, after the classic museums, you have to visit Dali's museum, if you like his art. (ESPACE DALi: 11, rue Poulbot
    75018 Paris)
    Sorry for the big message, but I love Montmartre and I hope I gave you some useful advices for your trip :)
    P.S. I have wrote about at my general blog, but it is in Greek. Although, if you can use a translator, here it is: http://wp.me/piZuv-lD
    Have a nice trip & we are waiting for your impressions!

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  3. Thank you Decofairy for sharing your favourites, I'll definitely write these down in my notebook ;-) I opened your link and found a few photos there that I had already seen on Pinterest, just lovely.

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  4. beautiful. I love Paris and peonies, too!!

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  5. Can I just say how much I love all the pictures in this post??! Paris was the first European city I visited (apart from the UK) and I must admit that my experience was truly awful. I chalk it up to being very young, very broke and staying in a dive. Despite this experience, I am so desperate to have a ‘do-over’ and experience Paris properly. I’ve already hinted to the other half that Paris for my birthday would be appreciated – I’d love the get some recommendations of what to do and where to stay etc so I’ll be checking back to see what people suggest!

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  6. Happy to help you :) Most of the photos (except the hotel's and this with the child) are mine :)

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  7. Friends that make you smile with an email or a photo they send. What a wonderful feeling that is!
    Lisa, I like the way you've reached out to all your readers with this post. You're setting up a standard in the blogosphere. :)

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  8. We've got first peonies here, too. :) I am obsessed with them, keep leaning over to have a quick sniff. :) Wish I had them in my garden, the pale pink ones. x

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  9. I love peonies, I love Paris, I love your blog :-)))!
    Hugs
    Yvonne

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  10. Paris and Peonies...that pretty much sums it up, doesn't it?

    Oh Paris. I haven't been in 13 years (sigh....) but Hubs and I want to go together one day. I want to see Montmartre and the Sacre Coeur, unfortunately I never got to visit either last time. And rent an apartment to stay in!

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  11. Oh my, I could go on for pages about Paris favorites!! We love to stay in the 6eme arrondissement/ St-Germain area. It's the area of writers and I know how much you enjoy books, so I think you will quite enjoy! Any of the cafes along the Boulevard Saint-Germain are the perfect spot to "people watch" too; my favorite is Cafe Flore. The Musee national du Moyen Age has the "Lady and the Unicorn" tapestry and beautiful medieval artifacts that I love...Marche aux Puces St-Ouen is a must for antiques...my favorite meal is in the intimate cave room at "La Truffiere"(5th arrondissement),housed
    in a 17 century building...these are only a few of my cherished Paris spots; everything there is SPECIAL!

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  12. Hi Lisa,
    Everytime you put Paris or Peonies, I must come and read your post! And today goes double, is like happy hour.
    Anyway, I will think and get addresses of my favourites but for accomodation you should go to an appartment. So much better! Really allows you to fall in the atmosphere and be a real spectator. My recommendation would be this ones cecile-apartments.com
    In a hotel you always are reminded that you are a tourist. In a flat you can enjoy breakfast in a boulangerie, dinner in amazing hidden restaurants, caffes, etc.
    Sorry about the long comment. have a lovely weekend.
    Eliana

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  13. Lovely pictures—thank you for sharing them with us! Also, Paris in early Autumn is a dream—so nice to see the locals back from Summer vacations, and yet, it is still so warm out!

    And for tips, visit:
    http://citified.blogspot.ca/2012/03/take-me-away-21-city-guides-1-paris.html

    Hope that the new week is off to a great start,

    x
    Sarah

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  14. Beautiful pictures Lisa:)
    I can only dream of Paris for now, maybe oneday...
    For now I enjoy the lovely photographs.
    Wendy x

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  15. Aah, Paris ... I would have to say, the Musee D'Orsay - less crowded than the Louvre just as stunning; Cafe de Flore - just because you have to; the area in and around the Pompidou Centre has cool little bistros and cafes to rest your weary feet; I stayed in the Hotel Mauborg near Invalides and literally a 10 min walk around the corner to the Eiffel tower -just perfect spot near the seine also. (that was years ago so don't hold me to the comfort factor now!) ooh, there is a jewellery store called Renaissance that I always remember as having interesting things - it was somewhere near a massive Guerlain specialized store (helpful much?) Soooo exciting!! :)x

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  16. My best memories from Paris is from Montmartre and the street 'la Mouffe' in the old parts of Paris. Well worth a visit!

    Hugs,
    Signe

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  17. Ég mæli með og held að þér þætti gaman að:

    - Rölti um Mýrina (Le Marais)

    - Göngu um Saint-Germain hverfið, frönskum makkarónum á La Durée við 21 rue Bonaparte og kaffi á Café de Flore og Musée d´Orsay

    - Ile Saint-Louis

    - Av. Montaigne fyrir fallegar hátískuverslanir og hótel

    - Sacré Coeur, Montmartre og síðast en ekki síst Villa Léandre sem er eins og lítið þorp inni í miðri París. Mig dreymir um hús þar.

    Svo mæli ég með að hjóla og taka strætó í staðinn fyrir neðanjarðarlestarnar, París er ekki svo stór í rauninni!

    Góða skemmtun, París er æði :)

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  18. Paris and peonies...I could die. Two of my favorite things! I've never been to Paris, but it is my dream to go one day. I can't wait to see what you decide to do. Sounds like an amazing couple of days with your friend!

    Danielle xo

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  19. These Parisian illustrations are so lovely! I hope to visit Paris one day (very) soon. Peonies are a favourite of mine, these are beautiful shots! xx

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  20. That's great Lisa, something to definitely look forward to! Sorry I don't have any tips for you though, I was there way to long ago to remember names and details!

    Love that first Paris map illustration!x

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