And yes, she remains the apotheosis of chic, but warm, not chilly, even on a cold day in Paris. I got to her apartment early -- can't be late for CR -- so went for a bracing walk while I was waiting, along the streets of the lovely Left Bank. The trees in Les Invalides were looking beautiful (with a glimpse of a lamp-post, like the one in Narnia). I admired the good cheer of red geraniums, and just around the corner, a blue door, with its promise of a secret mansion on the other side... then all of a sudden, I found myself on Rue Cler, where I stayed when I first came to Paris as a teenager, and it seemed not to have changed at all, and neither had I -- in that instant, at least -- because I was still entranced by Paris.
12 comments:
too love Paris and just to be a flaner and walk all over and come across a beautiful door which hides who knows what is so wonderful. I love the parks and the river and boulevards. Have you seen the new Woody Allen and have you read The Dud Avocado by Elaine Dundy ? Ah j'adore Paris.
haven't been to Paris in such a long time. Long to go. Hope the trip went well x
It was great. Now I need to watch the Woody Allen movie...
I love seeing your glimpses into Paris! It isn't scrubbed up and filtered through the movie lens, which makes it all the more real...
I love a walk on a chilly day, well-bundled-up against the wind. A friend and I were just talking yesterday about our trip to London, fifteen years ago, when she was a glamorous 28 and I was 16, grubby in an old sweater and cords...It was the dead of winter and we nearly froze as we walked for miles in the silvery cold.
Remember to check out the Chantelivre bookshop in rue de Sevres - near Lutetia and Bon Marche. They have a good fashion section and had a great display with your book at the heart of it - though it's really a children's bookshop. My fav street is round the corner - rue du Cherche Midi. Muriel Spark wrote an amazing poem 'the Dark Music of rue du Cherche Midi' ...
Bette, I'm now longing to read the Muriel Spark poem, but can't find it anywhere online! Do you have it to hand? Or should I do the decent thing, and buy the collected poems? Oh, and thanks SO much for telling me about Chantelivre -- I must go and see it for myself.
Kairu -- I wish you could come back to London. If you do, we will all gather to celebrate at the Love Bakery...
Right, I've been inspired by Bette to order the Complete Muriel Spark poems!
Oh, lucky you! Tell us what was behind the blue door, please!!
I just watched Midnight in Paris and loved it. And then last night just by coincidence the TCM channel here was rerunning Annie Hall and I just had to watch it again - marvellous film.
Living in Australia makes travel difficult but I guess I have been lucky and visited Paris first in 1980 and then probably been back ten times since and have seen most of rural France courtesy of friends who have a house in Gers.
It never palls. This year we stayed in a fairly grotty little hotel near the Gare du Nord but loved every minute of it.
Now half way through The Paris Wife and although not the best written book in the world, I'm enjoying the evocation of Hemingway's Paris.
I've just discovered what is behind that door and it's rather amazing. Not my personal cup of tea.
http://www.oaknyc.com/content/2010/06/28/carine-roitfeld-paris-home/
Oh yes Kairu - no pressure - but you have to come to London now - we can have a bloggers tea party at Love Bakery in your honour! x
I love all 3 of those photos, the symmetry of the trees, the gloriously defiant red of the Geraniums and the door - I have a total inability to pass an interesting looking door without taking it's photo. I checked out JW's link; that is one monochrome home! I bet she has a cupboard filled with colourful throws and tasteless cushions!
The blue door isn't Carine Roitfeld's -- I just liked the colour! But her apartment is beautiful...
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