Paris Parfait

La vie en rose

The famous Berthillon ice cream and a pink car, Ile Saint-Louis, Paris.

La Charlotte de l'isle, a chocolate shop on Ile Saint-Louis. Vintage chocolate moulds are on display.

Purple shoes at Shakespeare & Co. "When I am an old woman, I shall wear purple..."

Searching for bargains at the popular bookstore across the street from Notre Dame.

Tourists taking a break at Shakespeare & Co.

Complex flower.

Pink rose.

Weekend guests

On Friday, the daughter of a long-time friend came to spend the weekend with us. Sarah is a smart, funny and engaging linguistics student, currently studying French in Nantes. On Saturday, we met the delightful Jeanie, visiting from Michigan, for a trek to the flea market at Vanves. All three of us bought some lovely things.

For me, the find of the day was a bound set of The Studio for 100 euros. Last week I saw The Studio books, filled with illustrations by Aubrey Beardsley and other Art Nouveau artists, at an Arts & Crafts exhibit in London. The books were priced at £400 each! To get an entire set for 100 euros was incredible; I think the dealer didn't realise their value.

I also found two more aqua opaline Hermes wine glasses to add to my collection; they're so rare, I come across maybe one per year. Saturday, I was doubly lucky.

Jeanie and her friend Jerry came to our apartment for dinner Saturday night, Thanks to my husband the chef, we had delicious food. We also had a lot of fun! Jeanie brought lovely treats from the US, including a beautiful set of her handmade collaged cards. Plus she brought gifts from two other Michigan girls, Judy Winter and Jane Rosemont. Judy sent a signed copy of her book Breakthrough Parenting for Children with Special Needs, while Jane sent cards and a magnet featuring her gorgeous photography. For me, it was just like Christmas! Many thanks to the three Js!

On Sunday afternoon, I took Sarah to the train station. Along the way, we saw well-dressed senior citizens rummaging through the garbage near a grocery store, looking for discarded vegetables. So sad. We often see older people looking through too-ripe or damaged fruit and vegetables that vendors throw out on market days.

I was so exhausted from racing around for three days, I completely forgot about a brocante at Parc des Princes - in my own neighborhood! The weekend was also Fete de la Musique in Paris, so we listened to noise music from across the street in the Bois de Boulogne until early this morning.

Solidays

Beginning this Friday, it's Solidays in the Bois, the annual three-day music festival which raises funds for AIDS charities. We're going to skip impossible-to-sleep-due-to-booming-bass-from-bands-performing-on-three- stages Solidays and spend four days in Amsterdam.

Nattering neocons

If only the nattering neocons would take off their rose-colored glasses and stop talking! Their aversion to reality is pathetic, not to mention their numerous attempts to rewrite history.

Decluttering a small space

Recently I have been trying to simplify and de-clutter, particularly in my tiny studio/guest room (which formerly was my daughter Jordana's room). Previously, the space was very lively and colourful - but overcrowded. The early 19th-century wine-tasting table from Bourgogne serves as a work surface for art and photography. The baskets beneath the table contain a netbook, books and photo files.

On the wine-tasting table are two 19th-century glass items: a pharmacy measure and cloche covering an orchid in a porcelain pot. Also pictured: a Laura Ashley glass lamp; a handmade journal, a gift from Karen Cole; an oil on panel painting by Taos, N.M. artist Greg Moon; a Pottery Barn retro telephone; a John Derian decoupaged tray, bought at The Paris Market in Savannah, Ga. and my Sony DSLR-A900.

The oeil de boeuf window with leaded glass (one of two) is originally from a chateau in Bourgogne. I hope that someday they will serve as windows in a house. The framed heliogravures are Lehnert & Landrock images of early 20th-century Egypt. Two Moroccan vintage sequinned wedding blankets purchased from Maryam Montague are on the bed, as well as an "eye" pillow by Julochka in Denmark.

I put one blue wooden chest of art supplies inside a closet; other supplies and photo equipment are in this chest of drawers from Agape Deco. The iron arched window frame is from a French chateau. The painting - which reminds me of a Spanish flamenco dancer - is by Vanessa Valencia. The pottery pitcher is by a Santa Fe artist and the numbered books are by Noel Solomon.

The art dolls sitting on an old wooden box are handmade by Christine Alvarado and the framed photograph is by Madelyn Mulvaney. The antique iron book press is from Scotland.

But lest you think my job is done, that's just one room; the rest of apartment also needs de-cluttering. I have put some furniture in the cave (wine cellar) and am selling a few antique pieces. As any Parisian apartment dweller can attest, finding enough space to breathe is a never-ending quest!

P.S. Karen Kingston's book Clear Your Clutter with Feng Shui will make you want to clean out closets, clear shelves and ruthlessly toss things out to create space.

Anges et Demons encore

Hand-written sheet music at Sophie Pretelat's Anges et Demons stand at the 32nd Foire aux Antiquaires at Saint-Sulpice, Paris. Take Metro Line 10 to Mabillon, then walk to Place Saint-Sulpice. The brocante continues from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. through June 15th.

Histoire de Paris tomes and a heavy iron door knocker.

An antique writing desk, frames and curiosities.

A tableau of decorative items.

Sculptures, urns and plaster medallions.

A painted pillar and candlestick.

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Am off to London, just in time for the Tube strike! Will catch up with you at the weekend.

Anges et Demons at Saint-Sulpice

Aqua verre, a marble sculpture and a plaster medallion at the extraordinary Sophie Pretelat's Anges et Demons stand at the 32nd Foire aux Antiquaires at Saint-Sulpice, Paris. The event continues daily from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. through June 15th. Take Metro Line 10 to Mabillion and walk two blocks to Place Saint-Sulpice.

Aqua glass candle or flower hanging goblets and 18th-century documents.

An 18th-century wooden plaque from a ship, an antique urn and 19th-century pharmacy glass.

A tablet of vintage glass, candlesticks and a father-and-child sculpture.

An antique writing desk, decorative boxes and lamps.

Vintage boxes and cylinders and an embroidered band of ribbon.

Amber etched-glass goblets.

A vintage wooden ship, cricket balls, fish plates, shells and framed illustrations.

Two chairs with needlepoint seats.

Le petit maison.

A surprisingly-comfortable 19th-century Swedish daybed and an oil painting.

Check back Monday for more photos from Anges et Demons and other curiosities at Saint-Sulpice.

Yes, we Caen!

A pop art take on Barack Obama's presidential campaign rallying cry "Yes, we can!" in a shop window.

To honour President Obama's visit to Normandy for D-Day ceremonies this weekend, the City of Caen has changed its road signs and town banners to read "Yes, we Caen!"

Agape special sale

Today my friend Gabrielle and I went to Agape's vente emphemere at La Biscuiterie de France. Alas, there were so many enthusiastic shoppers, I couldn't take a photo without someone stepping into the shot. These photos were taken in May when Di Overton and I went to Agape.

Tableaus at Julie Isore's Agape.

If you're in Paris, Agape's special sale continues from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and from 2 to 6 on Sunday. La Biscuiterie's entrance is at 60, rue de Billancourt in Boulogne-Billancourt. Take Metro Line 10 to Jean-Jaures or Pont de Saint-Cloud.

Saint-Sulpice, Normandy and Guantanamo Bay

French 18th-century satin slippers at Sophie Pretelat's Anges et Demons.

If you're in Paris, you might enjoy browsing for antiques and collectibles at the 32nd Foire aux Antiquaires at Place Saint-Sulpice. Beginning Thursday, June 4, the brocante is open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily through June 15. Tomorrow night only, antique dealers will keep their stalls open until 10 p.m. Admission is free.

Stop by and see Sophie Pretelat's amazing antiques and collectibles at Anges et Demons, Stand K8. Sophie's great style and flair for display alone is worth a visit. Nathalie Cottier - who usually has wonderful Guignol puppet theatres on hand, among other offerings - will be at Stand A10.

Normandy banner

Regular readers are aware that I routinely rotate Paris Parfait mastheads. The current banner contains my photos of beaches at Normandy, France, where American, British and Canadian troops landed on D-Day, June 6, 1944. The large background photo is of Pont du Hoc, the steep cliff that American troops scaled, only to be met by German fire. The smaller photos are of driftwood on Utah Beach; a steel sculpture on Omaha Beach created by French sculptress Anilore Banon to honour American troops; trotter horses training at low tide on Utah Beach and a canal in the town centre of Bayeux.

President Barack Obama will join French President Nicholas Sarkozy, Britain's Prince Charles and others this weekend to mark the D-Day anniversary.

Another suicide at Guantanamo Bay

On a somber note, the constitutional lawyer and columnist Glenn Greenwald has an excellent piece at Salon about the latest suicide at Guantanamo Bay and the government's complicity. Can you imagine what a nightmare it would be,locked in a cell for seven years without charge? It's no wonder prisoners are driven to despair. So much for our so-called democracy's respect for human rights!

Both Republicans and Democrats - even those who called loudly for its closure during the Bush administration - are now blocking Obama from immediately closing Guantanamo Bay. How? In a shameful abdication of responsibility, they've refused to approve needed funding. These "not in my back yard" politicians are also balking at accepting current prisoners for trial within the United States, as though they are some sort of terrible monsters, not human beings.

Most prisoners at Guantanamo haven't even been charged and well may be innocent victims of gross miscarriages of justice. It defies belief that those elected to represent us are being obstructive in the rule of law. Meanwhile, those men in Guantanamo remain prisoners for what reasons, exactly??!!

"We are not afraid to entrust the American people with unpleasant facts, foreign ideas, alien philosophies and competitive values. For a nation that is afraid to let its people judge the truth and falsehood in an open market is a nation that is afraid of its people." - John F. Kennedy

Stuck in a time warp?

"I'm a guy who sees nothing good having come from the Internet. Period." - Michael Lynton,
CEO of Sony Pictures

It seems Michael Lynton has been spending too much time at the movies and not enough paying attention to the way communications are evolving.

Summoning courage as opportunity knocks

Vintage knocker on painted door, Montreuil-sur-Mer, France.

"Courage is one step ahead of fear." - Coleman Young

I have flown hundreds of flights, both international and domestic. But with every year that passes, I am more and more anxious about flying across the Atlantic. The tragic disappearance of Air France 447 just amplifies the worry. Yes, I know flying is considered the safest mode of transportation. Yes, I know it's ridiculous for someone who's traveled as much as I have to give flying a second thought.

But in the past few years, the only way I can endure a long-haul flight is to pretend I'm not on a plane; to distract myself with books, music, movies and conversation. Still, my heart is in my throat during takeoff, landing and during turbulence mid-flight. If you were sitting next to me, you'd never suspect I was nervous; I'm one of those people who remains calm in a crisis. And I'd probably be reassuring you that it's only a bit of temporary turbulence, while silently praying for a safe landing.

So I think long and hard about criss-crossing the Atlantic, when an opportunity arises - even one that could open intriguing doors for me. By happenstance, such an opportunity has just presented itself. This morning, as I was trying to talk myself into being brave about crossing the Atlantic (after all, I did it just last month), this message from Michael Bungay Stanier arrived in my inbox:

"Courage is almost always a contradiction in terms. It means a strong desire to live, taking the form of a readiness to die." - Gilbert Keith Chesterton

"...Even though the etymology of the word harks back to the Latin word for "heart," the truth is that the battle to be courageous first gets played out in your mind. On the one hand you have that little voice saying "play it safe, don't be foolish, don't step away from what you know."

"And on the other, you have the call to something a little bigger, a little different, a little unknown. Notice the chatter. Rather than rushing through, linger a little at these crossroads. If this is a discussion, then it means you'll have a choice. Who's winning the debate? Courage? Or fear?"

"Courage is doing what you are afraid to do. There can be no courage unless you're scared."- Eddie Rickenbacher

"A courageous act isn't necessarily a grand thing. It doesn't necessarily involve fireworks and marching bands and unfurled banners against the sky. But it does involve action. A small step.

"It might be a step towards something, the beginning of a Great Work project, a Yes. It might be a step away from something, a breaking of an unproductive pattern, a No. But it's a step. When your mind is log-jammed, sometimes the easiest way to break things up is just to get moving."

"Anxiety is a thin stream of fear trickling through the mind. If encouraged, it cuts a channel into which all other thoughts are drained." - Arthur Somers Roche

"If the choice we face - and we face this in a thousand different ways every day - is between courage and fear, then it's a delicate balance that can tip either way. Just as if you let fear hold sway, it eventually cuts a deep channel (and Roche's metaphor is actually a good description of the neuroscience behind the way we think), so, too courage can cut its own path over time.

"You will of course occasionally tip to fear. But practice one or ten, or a hundred small, even invisible acts of courage a day and you tip the balance inexorably to your favour."

"A great deal of talent is lost to the world for want of a little courage." - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Photo of rusty door hinge and peeling paint, Montreuil-sur-Mer, which seems like a predictor of what happens when we remain stagnant too long.

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Bob Herbert has written a brilliant piece slamming Republican faux outrage against racism, as they denigrate Sonia Sotomayor.

Maroc in Paris

Sign in an old doorframe, Merci, Paris.

Thank you for your lovely comments about my Moroccan-themed window reflections posts. Some readers apparently skimmed the posts too quickly and had the mistaken impression the photos were taken during an actual journey to Maroc. While I have been to Morocco, I was not there last week! The series of photos were taken at Galeries Lafayette, Paris.

In my Ready for Adventure? post, I offered a prize from Morocco and a prize from France, the latter worth 200 euros. The winners drawn from le chapeau are Maia (Morocco) and Leau (France). Felicitations to both of you! Please email me your mailing addresses and I'll get your packages off toute de suite via La Poste.

Scroll down the page for an additional post today.

La magie du Maroc

Oh the dazzling sights and sounds of Maroc!

A little girl peers into a shop window.

Tree branches holding lanterns and candles.

Decorative birdcages are popular...

...whether or not one keeps a bird.

...or three or four.

An assortment of silver, brass and glass candlesticks of various styles and heights.

A globe light fixture by Yahya, who sells his work in a boutique at 61 rue de Yougoslavie, Passage Ghandouri, in the heart of Gueliz, Marrakech.

A traditional costume.

Perhaps a walk and browsing in bookstores?

Wall of mirrors.

Golden bougeoirs.

After carrying all those heavy parcels, shall we visit the hammam?

Would you like some cool and refreshing cucumber water with mint?

Tea, then more sightseeing and shopping?

After all that shopping, sightseeing and exploring, have you worked up an appetite?

Let's have dinner at a restaurant featuring these beautiful place settings created by Myriam Mourabit.

Hmmm, spicy chicken couscous! Bon appetit!

Tea after dinner?

Photo of birds in a cage at Merci, Paris.
Photos of cucumber water and spicy chicken couscous at my home in Paris.
All other photos, vitrines, Galeries Lafayette, Paris.

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Did you hear about this New Zealand bank's mistake? When living in Jordan, I was expecting a transfer of funds from my employer in the UK. The accountant, who was converting dinars into pounds into dollars, mistakenly sent $210,000, rather than $21,000. As it was deposited into my personal account, technically the money was mine to keep.

I phoned my boss, who was traveling and left a message saying, "I knew you were pleased with my work and planning to give me a bonus, but I never expected anything like this!" About an hour later, he phoned me from Spain, desperately charming, to make sure I returned the money. Of course I did! But in the week of bureaucrarcy required to transfer funds back to the UK, I made about $1000 in interest and got a big bonus. And I received two marriage proposals. Ha ha!

Gunnar Pettersson's collection of treasures

Black Forest bears from Germany at Gunnar Pettersson's stand #514 at the Antiquites Brocante at Bastille. The brocante ends at 7 p.m. today.

More Black Forest examples. If you missed the opportunity to visit Monsieur Pettersen's stand at Bastille, you'll have another chance at brocantes at Chatou in September and Bastille again in November.

A Morrocan bust on a wooden base.

Scientific and mathematical instruments and decorative frames.

"Vaseline" glass.

Hand-painted wooden boxes.

Souvenir treen from various regions of France.

More wooden treen, originally used primarily to hold toiletries.

Provencal pots for storing duck fat.

These little volumes are actually flashlights.

Seashell frame on an antique mercury glass mirror.

A shell-encrusted box.

A decorative beaded glass frame, mercury glass candlesticks and cranberry glass.

A porcelain menu placard for dinner parties.

An assortment of enameled objets d'art behind glass.

Frames galore in a glass case.

A handpainted wooden frame.

Decorative trays with vintage glassware.

Weighing the balance

Louis-Phillipe scales with the original weights used to measure gold (more weights are in a small compartment beneath the wood piece on the right). I purchased this rare example from Gunnar Pettersson at the Antiquites Brocante at Bastille, as an anniversary present for my husband. Visit Monsieur Pettersson at Stand 514 for many intriguing finds, daily through Sunday, May 17th at Place de la Bastille.

Since returning to Paris, I've been trying to catch up with deadlines and email. Am still feeling very much in the breakdown/breakthrough mode I wrote about recently. So please bear with me, as I try to get back on track. I'm also bothered by a carpal tunnel issue in my left hand, so any posts will be brief.

Meanwhile, some news of note:

The bright and light

The Cannes Film Festival opened and French television has full-blown coverage, with virtually non-stop interviews and photo ops.

Is the "French Elvis" really bidding adieu to his fans?

The dark

Blame the victim. This is just wrong, on so many levels.

A humanitarian disaster is brewing in Sri Lanka.

President Obama, what are you thinking??!! Surely you learned what NOT to do from your predecessor's bad judgment!!

And why is anybody listening to that torture-loving and fear-mongering former vice-president Dick Cheney? Seriously: enough is enough!

Industrial charm at Bastille

Remember the American folk song " I've Been Working on the Railroad?" As children, we learned it in music class.

Industrial furnishings at Cedric Grare's Art Atypique stand at Bastille.

Specimens, both from nature and hand-forged.

An iron star on a stand against a backdrop of 19th-century gilt mirrors and frames.

Painted driftwood sculptures remind me of Native American feathers.

A 1960s jukebox in good working order.

I was captivated by two identical oeil de boeuf leaded-glass windows at Nina Nattaf's Les Impedimenta stand at Bastille. Iron cross bars help support the glass in each window, which - despite their age - have sustained only one tiny crack. The wood frames encasing the 19th-century treasures are four or five inches thick. The windows came from a chateau in Burgundy, France.

Check back Thursday for more photos of the Antiquites Brocante at Bastille, currently underway. The event is open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily through Sunday, May 17th. Get your tickets for eight euros each at the main entrance on Place de la Bastille. The brocante extends along both sides of the picturesque Canal St. Martin.

Anges et Démons at Bastille

The inimitable Sophie Pretalat's Anges et Démons stand at the Antiquites Brocante at Bastille is filled with precious and rare objects, mostly from the 18th and 19th centuries. Mme. Pretalat's unique style and her amazing collection of antiques have been featured in numerous books and magazines in France.

Visit Anges et Démons at Stand 403 along the Canal St. Martin, facing Place de la Bastille. The brocante continues from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily through Sunday, May 17th. Tickets are available at the main entrance at Place de la Bastille. Take the Metro Line 1 to Bastille or Metro 5 or 8 to Bastille or Quai de la Rapee. Bus lines 76, 86 and 91 go to Bastille and parking is available at the Opera.

I brought home a couple of 19th-century mercury glass candlesticks to replace some that were shattered. Last October a guest accidentally knocked five antique mercury glass candlesticks and a painting to the floor. Two candlesticks survived the incident; thankfully, the painting sustained only minor damage.

Check back later for more photos of the brocante at Bastille.

In search of the unusual

A quirky industrial lamp at Cedric Grare's Art Atypique stand at the Antiquites Brocante at Bastille, Paris. I would have snapped this up for my desk, if not for the 950 euros price tag!

This was Opening Day for the popular Antiquites Brocante at Bastille, Paris. It was lovely to see some old friends, as well as beautiful antiques and collectibles. I have some unusual finds to show you, but it will take time to post all the photos.

Haven't had a chance yet to go through all Jordana's wedding photos; hope to do that later tonight and post more on Friday. Thank you all for your lovely comments for the previous post, featuring Jordana in her wedding dress. Both Jordana and I really appreciate your felicitations and good wishes.

The Antiquites Brocante at Bastille continues from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily through May 17th. Stands positively bursting with fabulous treasures and conversation pieces extend along both sides of the Canal St. Martin. Tickets for eight euros each are available at the main entrance on Place de la Bastille.

Earth Mosaic 2009

Workmen paint an iconic Art Nouveau metro sign at Bastille, Paris. The cast iron signs were created by architect Hector Guimard in 1899. Click photos to view detail.

The Colonne de Juillet is at the heart of Place de la Bastille. The monument marks the prison site stormed by the mob, as the French Revolution began in 1789. In the metro station beneath Bastille, stones from the prison's foundations remain.

Won't you contribute your own images to the Earth Mosaic 2009? Take some photos today, April 22 and upload them here.

Le mariage de ma fille

Bridal veil and orange blossoms, circa 1920, found at a brocante at Montreuil-sur-Mer, France.

"Let all thy joys be as the month of May and all thy days be as a marriage day." - Francis Quarles.

My daughter is getting married! Jordana will wed her fiance Keith on Saturday, May 2 in Savannah, Georgia. Jordana - who works for a fashion house in Philadelphia - has designed her own dress and veil. Yours truly will photograph the momentous occasion (no pressure, then)! Won't you join me in wishing the happy couple much joy in their life together?

Simply create.

The antidote to the British WWII poster "Keep calm and carry on." Image courtesy of Michael Bungay Stanier,Outside the Lines.

Noel Solomon is a young California artist who works primarily with paper and vintage textiles. Among her many talents, Noel takes old books and gussies them up as elegant additions to any decor.

See more of Noel's Fanciful creations at FrenchBlue & Co. Or visit her etsy shop and her blog Fanciful Designs.

Check out Noel's unique bird's nest creation. Isn't it exquisite??!!

Linens and laundry at La Pedrera

Somehow the drudgery of everyday chores looks more appealing in this setting, doesn't it? All photographs taken at Antoni Gaudi's La Pedrera, Barcelona, Spain.

Stacks of ironed linens.

Children's clothing ready to wear.

Washbasin and maid's uniform.

Travel trunk.

Tara Bradford is traveling. In her absence, timed posts should appear.

An anti-Twitter stream of consciousness

A corner of my cabinet d'curiosities, Paris.

Update March 26: Read Di Overton's take on the subject: "Twitter away, I'm not playing."

Lately, I've been feeling completely overwhelmed by the tasks at hand. Book rewrites that are taking longer than expected, forcing me to revisit old wounds; an apartment that feels claustrophobic, after spending too many hours at the computer; a family situation that's made me realise how little control we really have in this life.

So today, instead of doing what I was supposed to, I went for a walk. I had tabouleh and coucous and yoghurt with cucumber and olive foccacia for lunch. I wondered if having breast-reduction surgery might make it easier to carry heavy camera gear around - but when would I have the time? Of course, the real reason to consider that surgery is back pain from being top-heavy. Can you imagine what it's like to live in a city filled with glamorous lingerie, but all the bras are the sizes we wore as teenagers? Sigh. But I am very reluctant to undergo surgery that requires anesthesia, unless absolutely necessary. Have you had this surgery? Were you pleased with the results?

OK, that was an unexpected diversion in this stream-of-consciousness post. And here's another: Why are girls still being force-fed in Mauritania? This is child abuse, not to mention barbaric!

Last night I watched the DVD of The Tudors until 3 a.m. (and slept in today). All that palace intrigue - thank goodness women no longer are subjected to having their children housed elsewhere, at the whim of their husbands.

I also edited some photos for a magazine piece and played with my camera. I talked to my husband, who's in Vienna for a conference; then answered some email. Why do companies keep emailing about "unique partnership opportunities with Paris Parfait," which really means they want me to link to their company, without them paying for a text ad? Do you get such requests?

I read the news with skepticism, dismay and delight and curiosity. And I am still hopeful - really hopeful - that things will improve for us all.

But don't ask me to Twitter - I get lots of those emails too - because if you've waded through this post, that's pretty much like a day's worth of Twitter feeds. I don't have the time for Twitter - and how do YOU find the time? And who really cares about the minutia of my life? Isn't that just too much information?

I was at a BlogHer seminar in San Francisco last July and the girl next to me spent 90 minutes "twittering" to her friends about buying clothes online. I wondered why she bothered to attend the session, as she obviously wasn't interested in the subject. But all you Twitter followers, don't let me dampen your enthusiasm. Twitter away! If you find the time, please tell me why you find the Twitter trend so appealing.

P.S. Some of my dearest friends have enthusiastically embraced Twitter; please don't take my opinion as a personal affront. It's not you, it's Twitter!

Fragile

Both fragility and strength lie in these intertwining branches, Parc de Edmond de Rothschild, Boulogne-Billancourt.

Remember the Sting song "Fragile?" After reading the latest installment of Australian artist Judy Wilkenfeld's Visual Anthologies, I was reminded that despite our fragility, we also carry vast hidden reserves of strength. And when necessary, we can summon that strength to push us forward through difficult challenges.

Judy's work is truly stunning, artfully blending beauty, humanity and history. Go here to see her thoughtful creations.

Jeanne Magnin's Greek-inspired sketches

French artist Jeanne Magnin's Greek and Byzantine-inspired drawings are from her 1916-1917 sketchbook, found at a brocante. See her Egyptian-inspired drawings here and her Roman-inspired sketches here. For more of Magnin's work, visit Le Musee Magnin in Dijon, France.

Making every moment count

18th-century Italian angel in my cabinet d' curiosities, Paris.

 

"As a tale, so is life; not how long it is, but how good it is, is what matters." - Seneca.

Remembering Natasha Richardson, 1963-2009.

Jeanne Magnin's Roman-inspired sketches

French artist Jeanne Magnin's drawings from her sketchbook found at a brocante. To see more of her work, visit Le Musee Magnin in Dijon, France.

These sketches reflect Magnin's interpretation of the Roman style. See her Egyptian-inspired sketches here. And check back later for Magnin's Greek-inspired drawings, as well as her Byzantine sketches.

Sony 2009 World Photography Awards winners

Go here to see the photographs - both professional and amateur - awarded prizes.

Sad, sad news

Update 1 a.m. Thursday Paris time: Natasha Richardson has died from her injuries, it has been announced.

I am deeply saddened by the tragic news that the actress Natasha Richardson has suffered a life-threatening head injury. Her family has gathered at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York to say their goodbyes.

Vanessa Redgrave was particularly kind to my daughter on her eighth birthday, when we met in London through a mutual friend. Faced with losing her child, I can only imagine the pain Miss Redgrave must be enduring. And of course Natasha's husband Liam Neeson and their two sons are devastated by such an enormous loss. My thoughts and prayers are with the Redgraves and the Neesons.

Jeanne Magnin's Documente de Style 1916 - 1917

Last night I watched a BBC production about Egypt, in which the French Egyptologist and explorer Jean-François Champollion (1790 - 1832) was featured. It made me want to grab my passport and camera and jump on a plane to Cairo. Since that's not possible at the moment, I'll head for the Egyptian wing of the Louvre. But before I do that, here's a special brocante find, with some Egyptian-influenced drawings:

Last spring at the brocante at Chatou, I visited Geraldine Michaelis of Une Chanson Douce. This plain brown wrapper concealed an artist's dream.

Inside were the French painter and art critic Jeanne Magnin's 1916 - 1917 sketches of Egyptian, Roman and Greek styles. Check back later for more of her fantastic work.

Magnin was the author of Le paysage français, published in 1928 and Un cabinet d'amateur parisien en 1922. For more of her work, visit Le Musee Magnin in Dijon, France.

Children's playroom at La Pedrera

Dollhouse, La Pedrera, Barcelona, Spain. Isn't this late 19th-century dollhouse at Casa Mila exquisite - complete with its own chapel? Such elegance and attention to detail! As always, click photos to enlarge.

Furniture miniatures in the Art Nouveau style, early 20th-century. The pieces are a fitting accompaniment to Antoni Gaudi's Art Nouveau architecture and furniture at La Pedrera on Passeig de Gracia, as well as other innovative buildings in Barcelona. La Pedrera, or Casa Mila, is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Early 20th-century games in the children's playroom at La Pedrera.

More games, a train and model car.

A Guignol puppet theatre and a porcelain doll in a Bentwood rocker. She looks a little shell-shocked, doesn't she?

Thoughts for the weekend

Pamper yourself. Really. You deserve it!

Sit for a spell, as we say in the South. Read; write; play a game; chat. Or just sit and think.

Relax and stop worrying about things you can't control.

Take your time; stop racing around as though your hair's on fire, as Condoleeza would say.

Think about it: Life is too short not to indulge yourself once in a while!

All vignettes are from the uber-talented and utterly charming Joan O'Connor at her fabulous store Timeless Treasures in San Francisco. More photos from Joan's incredible selection of treasures coming soon.

I am anxious to get back to San Francisco to see what Joan has come up with lately, as her shop is constantly-evolving with delightful curiosities old and new! If you're in San Francisco, stop in and say hello. Joan and/or her talented staff will make you feel very welcome. And you'll find it difficult to resist the tempting treats on offer!

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Last chance for Chatou

If you're in Paris today or tomorrow, it's your last opportunity to visit the 78th Foire Nationale aux Antiquites a la Brocante et aux Jambons at Ile de Chatou. Alas, my eye inflammation has thus far prevented me from attending.

If you have the chance, don't miss Chatou for some fabulous antiques and collectibles. It's open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. today and tomorrow. Tickets are available at the gate. And if you can't make this brocante, there's another "ham fair" in September at Chatou.

Stop by 4 rue Pele and see my friend M. Pettersson (pictured here at a brocante at Bastille); 10 rue de la Gaite to see the lovely Blandine Bavoux and 7 rue du Chemin Vert to visit the charming Nathalie Cottier. All three antiques dealers have beautiful, high-quality items for sale for reasonable prices.

If you miss Chatou this time around, you'll have another opportunity to visit M. Pettersson's stand at the Square des Batignolles Brocante beginning March 20th. The brocante in the 17th arrondisement is open from 10 to 7 p.m. daily through March 29th. Take the metro to Brochant or Rome and walk a couple of blocks to Square des Batignolles. You'll find M. Pettersson at Stand 100.

Miscellaneous items on offer at M. Pettersson's stand at 5 rue Pele, Chatou.

Asian influence.

Black forest wood creatures.

A French chandelier accented with amber crystals.

Remembering the Tibetan uprising

Tibetan prayer wheel, 19th-century.

On the eve of the 50th anniversary of the Tibetan uprising against Chinese rule - which forced the Dalai Lama into exile - unrest continues. Explosions and clashes are reported between police and local residents in Qinghai Province. Read more here:

Blasts ahead of Tibet anniversary

China tightens security in Tibet

China's Hu demands wall of stability in Tibet

News from Tibet

The Dalai Lama

Five decades of Chinese rule have caused "untold suffering," Tibet's exiled spiritual leader said in an anniversary speech. The Dalai Lama accused Beijing of creating a climate of fear. He also repeated his demand for Tibet's "legitimate and meaningful autonomy." Read his full statement here.

Buddhist temple manuscripts, 18th-century.

"Victory breeds hatred, for the conquered is unhappy. He who has given up both victory and defeat, he, the contented, is happy." - The Way of the Buddha

Le Musée des Arts décoratifs

Creations by Spanish artist Jaime Hayon at the Musée des Arts décoratifs shop, 107 rue de Rivoli, Paris.

This is my favourite small museum in Paris. In addition to the beautiful furniture and objets d' art ranging from the Middle Ages through today, the museum offers special exhibitions throughout the year. An exhibition of Sonia Rykiel's designs is on through April 19th.

The museum is complemented by a well-stocked design library, with books about every period of style and design, no matter how obscure. Original artists' creations sold in its boutique include jewelry, handbags, porcelain and stationery.

Seeking peace

Buddha head, 19th-century Chinese.

"Let a man overcome anger by love, let him overcome evil by good; let him overcome the greedy by liberality; the liar, by truth!" - The Way of the Buddha

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Bits and pieces

A little "corner" of my workspace. The painting and bird are by Vanessa Valencia. The globe is Napoleon III, the basalt candlestick holders are Empire and the books are 18th-century French.

I am dealing with a family issue that is causing stress and wreaking havoc with my concentration. Will answer your email and catch up with your blogs soon. Meanwhile, I'm trying to remain calm, keep an objective outlook and an open heart. My friend Julie has posted some lovely San Francisco photos for me today. See for yourself!

Thoughts on creativity and deadlines

From Julia Cameron's The Sound of Paper:

"...Many of us set an impossibly high goal of productivity for ourselves. We want to finish the novel by next week and if we can't do that, we're a failure. We want the energy to work all night, to burn the candle at both ends, no matter how exhausted and burned-out such behaviors leave us. When we set our creative jumps too high, we often refuse to jump them. "Not today," we say and defer our creativity one more day.

"It is better and healthier to set our creative jumps within our creative reach. Take pen in hand. Is there an arena in which you set your goal improbably high? Write about this. Having done a thorough inventory of your creative self-sabotage, set a new creative quotient that you will be able to meet with some ease. Take your creative goal and plan it out. What do you want to have done a year from now? Six months from now? One month from now? One week from now? Working "backward" in this way allows you to set realistic creative goals."

Where's the real story?

San Francisco Chronicle readers have to go elsewhere for the real story behind the newspaper's perils. Read David Cay Johnston's insightful piece in the Columbia Journalism Review.

And the Rocky Mountain News is the latest longtime newspaper to bite the dust.

Reflections

Gazing balls - French 19th-century mercury glass gazing balls, believed to invite luck to a household.

Paris metro - Reflections of people on opposite platform in train conductor's guide mirror, Line 9, Marcel Sembat station.

Both images were taken for Susannah Conway's Unravelling e-course, currently underway. Check back Tuesday for other reflective images.

A prize winner

Congratulations to Yoli, who won the drawing for a copy of The Creative Entrepreneur. Thanks to those who entered and left great ideas for "green" living! You'll have another chance to win in the March giveaway.

Reflection for the day - "Who we are," from Madeleine L'Engle's book Herself: Reflections on a Writing Life:

"If you are an artist, regardless of your religion, everything you do is your witness. You cannot hide what you are. Emerson said, "What you are speaks so loudly over your head that I cannot hear what you say."

"For teachers, this is very, very important. What you are is what the children are going to learn, despite what you say. If what you say and what you are, are the same thing, then you're going to be a fine teacher. As a writer, I try to make what I am not too far from what I say. What I say is far more than I am. My work knows far more than I know, but I try to make my own life not incompatible with what the work knows and what the work says."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Seems Michele Bachmann is living in some sort of alternate reality. Is there no end to the woman's outrageous - and false - claims??!!

Bon voyage, Tina!

Buddha statue, North Beach, San Francisco.

My friend Tina is returning to the United States next week, after a six-month secondment in Paris. I am sad to see her go. Today we had our last "outing" - shopping at Tresors de Chine, a renowned Asian antiques shop on rue Marcadet near Montmartre and lunch at a perfectly-delightful Art Nouveau-style brasserie. Comme d'habitude as of late, I managed to create quite the spectacle - as we were leaving, my totebag hit the edge of a waitress's tray, causing it to topple and scatter coins all over the floor. Of course she was very kind and said "It's not important," in response to my apologies. I was relieved it happened as we were departing, rather than as we entered.

Guess it was my day for minor mishaps. Early this morning, my husband arrived from Washington and went straight to sleep. As I was leaving the apartment, I tripped over his luggage, my foot got caught in his briefcase strap and I landed hard on my knee, with my head slamming into a wooden chest. After inspecting the damage, I sorted myself out and limped to the metro to meet Tina at Sevres-Babylon. Despite my late arrival, she was patiently waiting and we had a lovely shopping expedition and lunch. I bought a 19th-century hand-painted wooden sewing box. Tina admired the unusual pieces on offer, but decided nothing else could fit in her luggage.

Originally from Texas, Tina is bright and beautiful, with a wicked sense of humor. She tells wonderfully-entertaining stories of her varied travels and her life. And she's a good listener, who always seems to know exactly what advice to dispense, when needed. She's one of my few friends who truly appreciates my collections and asks questions about the background and provenance of everything. She's always up for exploring something or someplace new. And she's become a faithful reader of my blog, so this is for you, dear Tina. Wish we'd had more time together in Paris. I'll miss you, but will see you in Washington!

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An issue that affects us all

Early 19th-century dolls and a bronze lion from a private collection in Val d'Loire, France.

Please, stop whatever you're doing and read Amber's powerful post. Her message is important to every female and every male who cares about them. Thank you!

Green decor, a brocante and a giveaway

More photos of the crumbling remains of the Rothschild family chateau in my neighborhood. Every single zinc window casement on that upper floor would sell for around 1,000 euros at a brocante or antique fair in France or England.

The once-grand chateau in ruins, apparently due to years of legal wrangling over the property.

Faced with the twin issues of a weakened economy and the need to protect our environment, green home decor has achieved new importance. And what's the ultimate in recycling furniture? Why antiques and vintage furniture, of course! Julie Isore at Agape Deco in Paris and Di Overton at Ghost Furniture in the UK artfully take past-its-prime furniture and revamp it to blend with any decor. Because most of this furniture is well-made and sturdy, with a little attention and care, it will continue to stand the test of time. Sometimes all old furniture needs is a bit of freshening with paint or layers of beeswax.

Danny Seo's blog Daily Danny offers ideas and steps you can take every day to improve your home's "green" quotient. Did you know we can recycle wine corks?

The 78th Foire Natonale aux Antiquites a la Brocante et aux Jambons

My favourite French brocante - affectionately known as "The Ham Fair" - begins earlier than usual this year. It starts Friday, March 6 at 10 a.m. and continues daily until 7 p.m. through Sunday, March 15th. More than 800 dealers are participating. Stop by and visit my friend Blandine Bavoux's Jolietrouvaille stand at 10, rue de la Gaite.

Tickets are available at the gate. Take a taxi from Paris or the RER A1 train direction Saint-Germain-en-Laye to Rueil-Malmaison or Chatou-Croissy, then walk the short distance to Ile de la Chatou. But don't count on finding a taxi to take you back to Paris, unless you arrange your return in advance.

The Creative Entrepreneur giveaway

Leave a comment here about what you're doing to help make your home greener for a chance to win a copy of The Creative Entrepreneur. I'll draw the names from a hat on Monday, Feb. 23rd. Bonne chance!

Photo of my friend Gregoire's stand at a recent brocante at Bastille. I'll let you know if he'll be at Chatou.

Scroll down the page for a post about privacy issues at Facebook.

Five feet

Five feet. Antique French children's wooden shoe lasts and a vintage English measuring tape (yes, it's metric, rather than feet). The lasts have serial numbers and the word "Paris" carved into their sides, along with metal soles. The two on the left are rough and hand-carved wood, from a French shoemaker's workshop.

A child's shoe last on top of 18th-century French books. In many Latin cultures, symbols of feet are considered lucky, as they represent forward movement and progress.

Copyright violations

Speaking of progress, it seems there's one step forward, two steps back when it comes to blogging and stolen photos. Late last night I found two examples of bloggers using my photos without permission, without credit and without a link to my blog - in fact, one had copied a photo and changed the original link. So I wrote polite notes asking the bloggers to provide proper photo credit.

I realise some people relatively new to blogging are still on a learning curve. But at the very least, they should be aware that it's simple good manners not to copy someone else's work and pass it off as your own. Almost all of us have our images and blog content copyrighted and licensed. There is absolutely no excuse for not giving credit where credit is due.

Vanessa Valencia wrote about such challenges recently. Both of us had to issue "take down" notices to Polyvore, to have unauthorized images removed.

Guest blogging at The Antiques Diva

If you're not familiar with Toma's delightful takes on her European shopping expeditions, I expect you'll appreciate her unique insights. She's recently moved household from Amsterdam to Berlin, so be prepared for more fun shopping tips in her new city and beyond. Today, I'm a guest blogger at The Antiques Diva, so won't you stop by and say hello? Merci bien!

The art of the deal

She spotted it right away, but pretended not to notice. In French, she asked him to show her Russian religious icons, one after the other. But she wasn't interested in Russian icons; not today.

Before that afternoon at the brocante at Parc des Princes, she'd never been interested in daggers. But at first glance at the antique dealer's table, she could see one was very special. Four ancient ceremonial daggers were lined up in a row, their scabards gleaming; the handles studded with semi-precious stones. Casually, she asked to see the one she liked least. He detected an accent and began talking in English about his days at university in Scotland. He went on and on, caught up in happy memories, no longer paying any attention to trying to sell his antiques.

"I'm not English," she said. He looked crestfallen. "But your accent?..."

"I'm American," she responded. "Perhaps you think my accent sounds a bit English, because my husband is British."

"Ah, that's it," he nodded, knowingly. And he kept talking about Scotland, about his English girlfriends at university; about the fierce winters that made him long for the desert.

She asked him to show her another dagger. It was beautiful, but not unusual. Finally, she asked to see the one that had made her inwardly catch her breath.

As he drew the dagger from its silver and bronze scabard, she tried not to react at the rare sight of the hand-carved keyhole and hand-etched design. She brushed aside his talk of the ivory handle, inlaid with coral stones. She shrugged and said, "Yes, it's nice. How much?"

"550 euros," he replied gravely. She laughed. "You might as well stab me in the heart with it then."

"350 euros," he offered. "No, I don't have that kind of cash with me, but thanks," she said, shaking her head and turning to go.

Then she looked back at him and asked, in Arabic, "Do you speak Arabic?" "Do I speak Arabic??!!" he exclaimed. And the words came tumbling out, one after the other, so fast she could barely keep up, as he told her his story. She listened, nodding and trying to make appropriate remarks in the flowery language she hadn't attempted for ages. After a few minutes, she asked, in Arabic, his best price for the dagger.

"For you, 100 euros!" he shouted, beaming. "Thank you," she responded, smiling as she handed over the cash. And he, too was happy, even though he'd dramatically undersold a 200-year-old piece.

Antique Syrian dagger, which has not been cleaned in many, many years on top of a Lehnert & Landrock photograph.

Close-up view of the silver and bronze dagger's keyhole design.

A 19th-century Moroccan silver coin necklace purchased Sunday from another dealer at the brocante - no bargaining required. The coins rubbing together sound like little tinkling bells, as you walk. The mosque image is part of my collection of Lehnert & Landrock photographs.

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The unintended geographic makeover

Original finish, Buffet a deux corps, 19th-century Austrian or Swiss.

For nearly six years, the huge buffet cabinet was a focal point in the salon. It seemed - well, dated. And she was tired of looking at it. So she consulted a Parisienne friend, an expert in revamping old furniture to give it a modern edge. For two weeks, she waited, with her collection of French and Engish ironstone usually stored in the cabinet, stacked on every available surface.

Just before Thanksgiving, it arrived. Instead of the demi-gloss black she'd envisioned, it was a dull, flat dark blue-grey. She winced. And so did her husband, who suggested she move it to another room, so he didn't have to look at it. She phoned her friend, hesitantly telling her it wasn't quite right; that the matte finish seemed to absorb all the light in the room. Her friend was understanding, assuring her all would be put to rights after the new year.

Meanwhile, she arranged various items on top of the buffet, trying to infuse character and distract from its light-absorbing qualities. She added Lehnert & Landrock framed photographs and an antique silver Syrian coffee pot; a Dutch handpainted vase and a French wicker one. Suddenly, the buffet took on a new aura, hinting of moonlight in the desert. Those who looked at it wondered aloud about Scheherazade's mysterious tales. They talked about sand dunes sheltering beneath vast expanses of glittering stars and inky velvet skies.

In January, her friend arrived to survey the damage and instantly agreed the buffet needed a glossy finish. She, too, noticed the unintentional Arabic influence created by the paint effect. So they decided to run with that look - even to enhance it, highlighting details with silver leaf.

A special wax was applied to make the cabinet shine and eliminate the matte look. Silver leaf paste was brushed delicately onto flowers and leaves. After she added some personal touches, the cabinet seemed to shimmer with a quiet light of its own; a suggestion of glamour; maybe even a hint of midnight at the oasis. She wasn't sure; it wasn't what she'd hoped for or planned. Perhaps it was a happy accident?

Lehnert and Landrock heliogravure (left) and photograph.

Freedom and a winner

Tableau featuring antique documents and vintage cameras and binoculars, The Paris Market, Broughton Street, Savannah, Georgia.

Thank you to all who entered the giveaway celebrating the inauguration of US President Barack Obama. I really appreciate your heartfelt words about what freedom means to you. The winner of Art for the Heart and a Paris brocante surprise is Raquel. Congrats to her and again, my thanks for all your thoughtful responses. Check back Saturday for a special occasion and another giveaway!

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Of photos and fear-mongering

Ancient wood and iron decorative shutters over a shopfront, Barcelona, Spain..

Today I was out buying things for my camera (and the new Bruce Springsteen CD Working on a Dream). I've been busy cataloguing photos - copying nearly 4,000 images onto CDs, so I can delete them from my laptop. And before you ask, yes, I'm getting an external hard drive to house the full-resolution photos.

Recently, I've had a few requests and had to hunt for ages to find particular photos - only to discover I'd deleted some of them! So this week I'm making a concerted effort to organise my images - both on an external drive and filing backup copies of CDs - so I can find them in a hurry. How do you manage to keep track of your photos? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

My very wise friend Vanessa Valencia wrote this today:

"...It was a very sad person who invented the idea of being too old for this or that. Of being too skinny, too tall, too short, too fat, for this or that. It was a very sad person, who blurted out mindless thoughts, that too many people listened to. Thoughts that set boundaries for centuries. Thoughts that had no meaning. No bearing. Just mindless thoughts of one negative person, that took off like wildfire. And because for some reason, it is easier to buy into negativity, we did. But, we don't have to. We never did..."

And I think her words definitely apply to these situations:

Joan Walsh's Salon article Some things just don't change

To favor due process is to favor "terrorists'" rights:

An excerpt from Glenn Greenwald's brilliant article in Salon:

"...As it turned out, of course, hundreds of the detainees imprisoned at Guantanamo when that 2004 Op-Ed was published -- ones which most of the country was calling "Terrorists" -- weren't "Terrorists" at all. They were guilty of absolutely nothing. In fact, the Bush administration subsequently acknowledged as much by eventually releasing hundreds of them -- after they had been put in cages for years with no trial of any kind. There still continues to be grave doubts about the guilt of many of the remaining detainees, including ones that have been there for years and are probably irrevocably broken as human beings.

"In fact, just two months ago, a right-wing, Bush-43-appointed federal Judge ordered five detainees released on the ground that there was never any "credible evidence" to justify their detention. Despite that, they had been imprisoned in Guantanamo for six years and were subjected to barbaric treatment that drove several of them close to insanity. They were released only after this judicial exoneration as part of a habeas corpus hearing in a federal court -- exactly the kind of hearing which the 2006 U.S. Congress, when it enacted the Military Commissions Act (with the support of most of the Washington Establishment), voted to abolish (an act that was declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court in its 2008 Boumediene decision, which restored habeas rights). Advocates of the Military Commissions Act, and those who now want to deny normal due process to accused Terrorists, argued then and still argue now the AP/Yoo line: Terrorists have no rights."

The newest fear-mongering campaign from the right and the media

Reading these three articles makes me shake my head in wonder at the biased reporting of the Associated Press (once a bastion of respected journalism) and other newspaper and television media. It's no wonder the mainstream media is faltering, when objective, ethical reporting is too often abandoned for television ratings and/or placating conservative advertisers.

Then there are the shrill one-note refrains of the Bush administration cheerleaders - who persist in making the same false claims, over and over, like a broken record. Instead of working together with Democrats to solve problems, all they do is try to spread fear and innuendo. Enough, already! The American public is not stupid and won't fall for the "shock and awe" spin and illusions anymore. Ca suffit!

Today President Obama discussed this genuine threat on which we all should focus some attention.