paris pastels.

last friday after work i took the train to paris to visit my gorgeous sister for the weekend. unbelieveably it's been a year since i was last there so it was time to make my way back for my fix of crepes, almond croissants and choux pastry (this pretty much sums up my visit). of course there's more than food to love in paris but it always leaves my tummy full (note the head sized lemon meringue pie that we queued an hour for) and my heart inspired. my first visit to paris was on my own in 2005 and i stayed in a dodgy hotel near the arc de triomphe (i wanted to be in the thick of it), lived on quiche and chocolate filled donuts for 3 days (bought from the same bakery as she understood my crappy french), avoided the metro and i came home feeling a little less than inspired. the second time around was with two of my best friends and we stayed in an eclectic (read vintage floral bedspreads and cold showers) apartment in montmarte, drank lots of wine, picniced at the eiffel tower, shopped for vintage dresses and indulged in numerous nutella crepes (see here). i had a ball and i was in love. third time around was just before i landed myself a full time job here in rotterdam so i shopped myself silly at the markets, wandered the passages and drank copious amounts of tea with my sister. i still have designs ready to be developed into screenprints from the treasure filled laneways of les puces. each time i've been i've discovered something new and found inspiration in the (parisian) ordinary. last weekend we saw koons at the pompidou, ate the best crepe of my life, dined at a restaurant that serves its dishes in a yorkshire pudding, fell in love with the pastel street of rue cremieux, wandered the tuilleries and rue cler and ate the biggest and best almond croissant. it was a dreamy weekend, and not the sort you hear about from loved up couples honeymooning there in summer. paris is raw, delicious and edgy. she's also arty, charming and soaked in history. next time around it won't be taking me a year to jump on a train. paris, je t'aime.