Meeting Susan of Une femme d’un certain âge, in Paris was such a delight. We hadn’t seen each other for three years, we had only been able to facetime. Ron decided to join me on the three day trip and he spent one afternoon wandering round on his own, while I met Susan at Le Bon Marché. Susan’s husband went off to find himself a nice watch, so it was just the two of us.
There will be loads of photos in this post. Hopefully you will be able to download the post.
Below: My capsule for three days in Paris. I packed one extra outfit in case the weather was nicer than the forecast predicted.
Below: Susan’s husband took this photo of the two of us and I seem to be a giant. It is not just the photo, we are indeed very different in height. Of course when you put us next to each other, it emphasizes the difference.
Below: The outfit I wore meeting Susan was slightly different from the one I originally had planned. In the outfit below I am wearing leather jogging trousers and laced boots. In the photo above, boyfriend jeans and my ever so comfortable combat boots.
Susan and I chatted, had lunch, shopped, sat on terraces, shopped a bit more (she is such an enabler) and it was far too short a time. Alas, we had husbands to consider.
Below: Susan’s happy face.
Below: And a close-up of her cute earring.
Below: We were at Weekend Max Mara where I spotted this orange bag. Sure enough it was the one I have in blue leather from the outlet. So I checked the original price; I am happy to say I got a bargain. As it is this seasons, I have no idea why it ended up in the outlet. Dutch women are perhaps too practical for such an impractical bag? That boiler suit is really nice too, but not for my body shape.
I am not showing you any photos of my purchases (bye bye old age money) as they deserve a proper blog post.
Anyway, so much for lovely Susan. Now over to my time with Ron in Paris.
Below: On arrival it drizzled a bit and we quickly went into a nice restaurant for lunch. Here is Ron, being all content.
We walked in the afternoon and the rain had stopped. The weather forecast for our three days in Paris was not good; it held a lot of rain. You cannot plan the weather but as it turned out, we had NO RAIN apart from 2 x 15 minutes of drizzle. How about that?
Below: Drinking apricot juice in a café on our first day, as cappuccinos are the worst in Paris. They don’t know how to properly make them. Instead I usually have a ‘noisette’, which is a small coffee with a little bit of milk. (Link to post with original outfit.)
Below: We looked into an alley and saw this lovely restaurant courtyard at the end. Great when the sun is out.
Below: Some window shopping. Elegant desk and chair.
Below: All of a sudden we stood in front of Alexandra Sojfer’s shop and I sent Susan a photo saying: “Do you remember the Paris necklace? Look where I am now!” As we both bought a terribly expensive necklace here (see blog post the Paris necklace). She replied: “Scene of the crime.” LOL
The things in that shop are beyond my budget but I’ll hand it to Alexandra, her stuff is good. Originally it was a shop only for gloves and umbrellas, which they still sell. Now they have all sorts of desirable items.
Below: Some examples of current jewellery. That top necklace is totally up my street.
The first evening we dined at a restaurant we couldn’t find. When I phoned them in my non-existing French, the waitress asked me where we were. I described the restaurant across the road and she said: “Turn around and look”. Sure enough, we were standing in front of the restaurant, disguised as a pastry shop. It is called Les Papilles. You get a set menu of four courses and it is gorgeous food at a low price. Very friendly staff too. I highly recommended it.
Below: The next day this bakery lured us in. We tried not to indulge too much in these delicious pastries but we couldn’t say no to a mocha eclair. We both gained weight so now it is back to grind of consuming less calories.
Below: Such a beautiful entrance.
Below: Another perfect example why Paris is so appealing. The photo was taken early evening.
Below: The second evening we dined at Procope. Ron had read it is one of the oldest cafés (restaurants) in Paris. I expected a small café, but it is huge. Three floors with rooms and tables everywhere which took nothing away from the intimate atmosphere.
Below: My first (and last) cocktail in Paris. As my favourite (piña colada) is not to be found anywhere, I tried a different one. Winter garden this one is called. Not too bad.
The third and last day was supposed to be with heavy rain. Hah… not. It did rain before we left the hotel and it rained for half an hour when we were in a museum. Sunshine the rest of the day. What a wonderful surprise.
Below: It was about 11 o’clock when the sun appeared.
Below: I was smitten with this Easter display of fine jewellery.
Below: A close-up so you can see the earrings better in the ears.
My friend Anja suggested we’d go to le Musée de la Chasse et de la Nature (museum of the hunt and nature). Ron liked it but I felt sad the whole time. Cruel and unsettling.
Below: Two panthers with a big brown bear in the background.
Below: This I liked. It is half a house, built from planks and covered with feathers and then placed against a mirrored wall. Clever. Inside was a sort of library with the books sorted by colour.
Below: Throughout the museum all banisters were like this.
Below: In the museum shop you could buy these. I sent a photo to Anja as I knew she would like this. Sure enough, she bought one when she visited the museum.
The museum is in Le Marais. It is a lovely area of Paris and I had been here a couple of times before. I particularly liked a quirky shop called Addicted at 29e Rue du Temple. They sell clothes by young upcoming designers, who use recycled material and give an item another twist. Of course I stopped by again and bought two big, long shirts. One basic blue/white striped but cut in an original way and one just plain wide and long in hysteric colours.
Below: What I did not buy but loved was this black blazer with flowers painted on it, even though it fitted like a glove.
Below: Another piece that had me in awe was this coat, or rather two halves of two different coats (also in length). Did I hear anybody scream SEQUINS and BEADS?
Below: We strolled back to the hotel to pick up our luggage and head for the train. Passing the grand town hall, Hôtel de Ville. It is near the Notre Dame, which is still long from being restored to its old self after the big fire.
Below: Details of the top middle part.
Below: Across from the town hall, Ron discovered this framed drawing on the wall. That is what I call a rogue drawing. I wonder how long it will stay there.
Below: We ended our stay on a terrace on Place Saint Michel. The same place where we sat the first time the two of us romantically went to Paris and Ron told me he’d never thought he’d ever be that happy. A girl melts hearing such words.
Below: The view to the left with the statue of Saint Michel.
As Audrey Hepburn said in the movie Breakfast at Tiffany’s: “Paris is always a good idea”.
What happened in my life this week
Saturday was a reverse journey to the cobbler and to Marianne, as I took a pair of her boots in as well. The cobbler worked his magic again. Nothing interesting the rest of the day.
Sunday Ron and I saw mum again. We had a lot of ‘clock business’ with her. A clock on the wall, a new alarm clock and a new battery in her watch. Unfortunately the wound on her heel is still not healing properly, but I got her a sort of bandage shoe to keep her heel off the mattress during the night. Hopefully it will help. Fingers crossed.
Monday we took dog Watson to friends who were happy to look after him while we were away. As a matter of fact, they asked whether it was all right to pick him up on Friday late afternoon instead of early morning, so they could walk him a couple of more times. They think he is adorable and of course we agree.
Loes fed the cat and gave him treats. Everything was taken care of.
Then on Friday morning, I had a bit of a sore throat and just to be sure I took a Covid test which turned out to be positive. So now I am spending my days in bed and sitting on the sofa. Friday and Saturday aren’t too bad, so let’s hope it stays that way.
As for the weekly video, I do have something. Ron took this video when I was a little tipsy from the Winter garden cocktail. Drunken laughter this is. Must have been because I quite rapidly drank it through a straw.
Click on the photo to see the video and turn on your sound. I had to do it this way as YouTube doesn’t give an ’embedded link’ anymore for portrait videos.
Greetje
Paris never fails at any time. I spent a sabbatical there in the 70s with two small children in tow who refused to eat their Camembert cheese served at lunch time at their school and had to face the wall for 15 minutes everyday because of that!! Well, rules are rules.
My husband was working there while I was on my own and having a grand time. I had family living there as well. Procope was a great hanging venue, famous for Voltaire and other grand cultural names.
forgettable though, for their not so grand food.
As for pina colada, it s served in just every bar here in california, so you are welcome here anytime.
Must have been so nice, actually living in Paris. France is really good for mothers as they keep the children at school all day and feed them. I think it is a bit much to have children facing the wall for 15 minutes every time they don’t eat the Camembert. I mean, they must have experienced it didn’t help, didn’t make them change their minds. I agree with you that rules are rules, but often rules are not validated in reality. Oh well, it was the 70s. A lot has changed since.
Procope was pretty all right food-wise. Perhaps they wised up and changed cooks?
I do know where to get pina colada in the Netherlands but it is hard to find. As I drink very little alcohol, I am not bothered.
Greetje
I am sitting here giggling at your laughter video, Greetje!!! SO FUN!!!
I’m really rather envious of your trip to Paris, because I still have never been. We have driven through France to get to England but never to the capital. I’m not sure about driving there, but perhaps one of these days we will fly there instead, because it looks like such a beautiful, romantic place to spend a few days.
Hugs
Suzy xx
YOU HAVE NEVER BEEN TO PARIS??? Oh my. It is indeed a lovely city. For us Dutch it is quite “normal” as it is the first really big city when we drive down south (Brussels doesn’t count). And it is only 5 1/5 hours drive or 3 1/5 hours by train (Thalys). As driving in Paris is indeed not that nice and the parking garages are places from hell (steep, narrow and deep down plus they charge you a lot), so we usually take the train. Very comfy. Flying takes far more time for us. We also speak a little French which helps to like it.
So nice that you got to see Susan. I follow her blog also. You are so right about the capucinos in Paris! In fact, I hated all the coffee there. I was saved when I found a Starbucks and bought coffee there the entire time we were in Paris. That coat with the eagle — ohh, way too much for me! I dress more understated than that!
I am known for going overboard with clothes (my sequined Essentiel jacket for instance) but even for me the coat with the eagle was too much and it was sooo heavy. It was so nice to see Susan again as you can imagine.
Starbucks isn’t my life saver as I get too overwhelmed with choices at Starbucks. I just stand there and gaze and how NO IDEA.
But a noisette comes close in France and they can do that.
So fun to see you and Susan together as I enjoy both your blogs.
Very sorry to hear that you have Covid. Wishing you a speedy recovery!
I discovered Susan years ago as she was featured on a blog because of her good choice of flat shoes. I totally agreed with the compliments and it is not easy to find nice flat shoes. Well, not in my book. Covid is nearly gone, just a little bit of coughing left.
Ha, I love your slightly tipsy giggles, Greetje! How lovely to meet up with Susan in Paris! I liked seeing Ron and hearing about his romantic comments – Paris seems to bring him happiness.
Oh, there are those blazers again! So cool. I love that people are upcycling clothing there too!
Sorry to hear that you have Covid. Take care of yourself!
It was a lovely trip even though the weather wasn’t so good that you could sit on a terrace in the sun. Oh well, better than rain.
The beauty of young designers is that they haven’t got much money to buy material but they do want to create. Upcycling is the only way then.
Feeling pretty good again, no worries. I will test again tomorrow (the 7th day).
I hope you feel better soon. Covid isn’t a great souvenir. I liked that you also posted photos of the French lifestyle, especially, all the great desserts. I have loved them when I studied in Clermont-Ferrand in the 1980s. The choclate ones are my favorite.
I love that you wear blazers also in retirement. You look stunning in them.
Oh you studied in France!! How chic. We had a mocha eclair but I do like the chocolate ones equally.
I think blazers can instantly upgrade an outfit. It is tempting to just wear jeans and T-shirts, but I don’t want to go down that road.
I don’t even like it that I wear dresses and skirts so little.
Sounds like a fantastic trip and with very good company. Beautiful photos of beautiful places. I love the black blazer with flowers, too bad you didn’t buy it.
It was fun indeed. The black blazer with the flowers, I have been hesitating over it quite a bit, but I think I have similar things in my wardrobe, although not so outspoken. It is a quirky little shop.
I loved this post, particularly the drunken laughter at the end. I lived in Paris for a year but don’t think I every visited Procope. I now must visit there when I am back in Paris in the summer.
I hope you are over the Covid symptoms very soon.
Oh please do visit Procope. It was quite an event. But I will say that Papilles with the set menu was grand as well. We only paid € 100 for a 4 course meal and two glasses of wine. OK the cheese course was very small, nevertheless very tasteful. And best if you reserve in advance. Both places seemed to very very popular.
The Covid symptoms have almost all gone, but the test today (day 4, so early) is still positive.
Loved the photos and comments on Paris. How wonderful to be there! It has been many years for me but I would love to return. And the video is hilarious! Thanks for making me laugh.
It had been 4 years since I was in Paris as well. Luckily it doesn’t change much haha.
The video made me laugh, so I shared it, hoping it would make you laugh too. And indeed it does.
Thank you for the colorful tour and including another museum among the shops and sites. Hope you recover quickly and are soon on another adventure with friends. Keep laughing!
I am already feeling fine on the fourth day, but the test tells me I am still positive. We’ll just have to wait. Glad you liked the post. I hadn’t planned it this way, but I needed an extra post as I don’t know when I can do a photo shoot again. So I am saving the post I originally had lined up.
Lovely to see your photos of Paris; I used to live there so have special memories. I especially like your white jacket as it instantly smartens any outfit. Also, like the deer wall ornaments as they are so quirky and modern, and who could resist those French pastries? Hope you feel better soon. I also caught Covid and am still not back to normal after 2 weeks.
Oh Brigitte, don’t say that… TWO weeks? This is my fourth day and I am so done with it. Plus I feel fine. Never mind, que sera sera.
Jackets are always good to smarten an outfit. I love wearing jackets with jeans.
Hi Greetje
What a bummer testing positive! Very boring being confined to the house.
I am in love with the jewellery at Alexander, absolutely divine!
Loved your Paris look with jeans and white boots.
Boring is the right word. That jewelley at Aleandra is indeed divine but expensive. Mind you, you get a lifelong guarantee.
My Paris looks all started with the footwear as Susan also mentioned on her blog. You know you have to walk many miles, so better make sure you can.
I’ve never been to Paris, so thank you for taking us along with you. You have such a great eye for finding interesting, funny (love the jewelry bunnies), and beautiful things. The video of you laughing is hilarious!
Hope your covid passes quickly.
I don’t know Anne. Luckily you cannot go terribly wrong in Paris, but usually Ron and I walk in the wrong direction. We’ve been to Paris many times, so it is easier now. The video is purely for your entertainment haha. And Covid is nearly gone. I feel fine but still tested positive this morning. Early days.
Haha,hilarisch je lachfilmpje. Wat n romantiek in Paris!
Ja he? Parijs is tenslotte de stad van de liefde. En om dat filmpje moest ik zelf lachen dus ik dacht dat anderen het wellicht ook komisch zouden vinden.
Such a beautiful post – it looks like you had a wonderful time xxx
We did indeed had a wonderful time. Had to do the post in a hurry with the Covid starting in my body haha.
Ja nou begrijp ik dat je nu van droog brood moet eten
Mantenaint toujours Baguette pure?
Maar omg die tas en het sieraad
Blijft de stad vd liefde
Fijn die woorden van Ron
Hé, die tas en sieraden heb ik niet gekocht he? Nou ja, wel wat anders, dus inderdaad du pain sobre haha.
Hi Greetje, it was so wonderful being able to spend time with you again! Too short but really fun!
Too funny…I just took a photo of those jewelry bunnies this afternoon!
Apparently we are drawn to the same thing. Or it is just a bloody good window display.
How lovely. Paris is also a special place for my husband and me. Your memory of Ron’s loving words is so sweet. Thanks for the gorgeous, atmospheric photos.
I hadn’t really planned to do this post as there are little outfits in it. Because I am ‘down’ with Covid, I needed content other than the post I had prepared and which is now postponed to next Sunday. It gives me time to do another shoot when the quarantine is over.
Ron has given me several loving phrases and I will never forget them. He is so romantic.