paris opera garnier

Okay, you knew how excited I was to get tickets to a ballet in the Paris Opera Garnier - well, the reality exceeded any expectations. It was just so, so terribly beautiful. Have a look at this ceiling painted by Chagal. It contrasted so beautifully with the gilded extravagance of the theatre. It was also more petite than I expected, making it even more gorgeous.

Um, hello, can I say breathtaking? We were in the second row, peering into the orchestra pit and with the most fantastic view of the stage, and all the theatre. This is the place to be. Also, the ballet we saw, Les Enfants du Paradise also made use of the theatre as well as the stage. One character at one stage walked along the seats in front of us, "Excusez moi", "Pardon", "Desolee" pretending to take a seat to watch her beloved perform.

What's not to love when your glass of champagne is a Charles Heidsieck? And oh my, the pretty stems of the glasses were beautifully etched. Love.

The foyer, once again utterly breathtaking it its beauty.

Look at those details!

The second act commenced with the lights still on - you felt like you were sneaking a peek at a rehearsal.

The poster in the foyer. Luckily I'm not scared of French clowns...

The exterior of the Opera Garnier as we left that night. So pretty in the twilight.

One very happy ballet fan, decked out in Miss Leona {Edmiston} for the event. Bless.

un parfait jour

Yesterday we had the most perfect day in Paris. First, we took the Batobus on the Seine - a water taxi where you can get off and on at various stops along the river. It was perfect. We went to the Eiffel Tower where I'm about to share Paris's best kept secret. 

Have you ever been to the Eiffel Tower? Remember the lines to ascend? They wrap around for what seems like kilometres. An hour wait is considered quick. But you know what we did yesterday? We had lunch on the Eiffel Tower. We walked to the 58 Tour Eiffel booth, waited behind two other families, and bought our tickets before being ushered like VIP's to the lifts. In five minutes we were on the first floor.

How's the food? Can I say divine?

My duck terrine was too good to take a photo of before I gobbled it up. Duck layered with foie gras served with a fig paste. Yum. Then we had this incredible roast chicken with the most divine vegetables ever - served in a tasty jus. The vegetables! See that funny little snowman-like critter in the top left? It's a baby turnip - oh MY!

This chocolate mousse cake with praline and cream tasted like it had fallen from heaven. Hubby and my gal had this, I had red berries with white cheese which was about 1000 times more tasty than it sounds. Sweet, soft cheese whipped like cream and topped with rasberries and strawberries. The price? 23 euros for three courses. Ridiculously cheap and damned yummy. And we didn't have to line up for hours!

Gotta love the view atop the Tour Eiffel.

Next, we hopped back on the Batobus and went to Ille St Louis - quite possibly my favourite place in Paris. I went into the little store where last trip I fell in love with a handbag - and once again, fell in love with a handbag. Red leather with a bow! So cute.

Bertillion ice cream while watching a red Citroen 2CV cruise by - with two french poodles on the backseat. This was also our first spotting of a French Bulldog {love those little cuties}.

Buxus shaped like a Perrier bottle. Only in Paris.

A gorgeous chanteuse singing Piaf on a pont.

And finally, a walk through Notrre Dame before hopping on the bus for our last stop at the Louvre before heading back to our apartment and getting ready for the ballet at the Opera Garnier {my next blog post - oh my - it's a beauty. You know that phrase "Now I could die happy"? Yep, that applies}

en paris

So we're in Paris. C'est parfait. Sure, I'm not being driven around in this gorgeous Citroen, but I did see it and squeal at it within moments of wandering around our arrondissment.

We've explored gorgeous galeries - the laneways that are rich in the most divine architecture and feature hidden treasures...

And look at those tiles. On the right is Legrand Filles et Fils - a wine bar stocked with the most mouth-watering bottles. The menu is simple, but apparently you can treat this gorgeous store as a bottle shop and select something fabulous to accompany your nibbles. Shall we try this one night?

Hello Didier Ludot - vintage heaven. I do apologise for those who followed me and tripped and slipped in the drool I left at the base of these windows. Who needs museums when you have beauties like this to gaze out. You want more?

Vintage Chanel? Seriously?

There may be something in the world more delectable than this vintage Dior - but I can't possibly imagine what it is.

Now, if you'll excuse me, after a busy day of Eurostar, unpacking, wandering the rues we're now sipping Moet in our apartment {ridiculously cheap} and nibbling on cheese, ham and poilane bread while our gal has a well-deserved early night.

Tomorrow's a wee spot of shopping at the Soldes {sales!}, a lunch on the Eiffel Tower {!!!} and the ballet at the Opera Garnier. {squeeeeee!}

PS: The Parisians are LOVING my attempts at French. I had a brief conversation with the Taxi driver {who gave me a "Parfait" when I said the name of my street - much more than my french teacher offers!}, and everyone's been just gorgeous. I also successfully ordered my husband an espresso at a sidewalk café without checking the menu {un noisette}. It's hot though - even though it's only 29 degrees - and no humidity so my hair has NO IDEA what's going on. A bientot x

waiting for the eurostar...

We had a mad dash to make it to the Eurostar terminal this morning. My iPhone alarm, set for 5.45am failed to go off thanks to an inexplicable battery fail. Eek. Luckily I woke at 6.20am and after a mad flurry, we were out the door and on the way to the station by 6.30!

Next blog from our apartment in Paris - squeeeeeeeeeeee! Fingers crossed that it actually does have free Wi-Fi.

lots of flowers for friday

We went to the Hampton Court Palace Flower show and positively swooned at the blooms on display. Would you look at these giant alliums in the bottom shot! I must have some of those in my garden - love their big, fat, fluffy heads.

Must dash - off to Cornwall for the weekend. Seaside delights await. Then off to Paris on Monday where the French part of our journey awaits. Parfait!

Petersham nurseries close up

A few iPhone shots at Petersham nurseries. Note that someone there loves roses as much as I do.

Rose lemonade is to die for!

Also, please note the feather dusters - wouldn't they make cleaning a delight?

petersham nurseries part one

We had lunch and a wander around Petersham Nursery today. Oh my! Would you believe it was even more gorgeous than I'd hoped. More shots to come - they're on my phone - we both went a bit snap-happy. Who could blame us?

big red

There are many things I love about English produce {seriously, the supermarkets here make me salivate} but it's the berries that are the real beauties. Have a look at these rich, red strawberries {no hard white centres} and these raspberries that are the size of golf balls. We're off shopping this afternoon where I'm going to buy more black raspberries {oh my!}, currents and every other type of berry on the shelf.

We're all totally bursting with antioxidants at the moment. Loving!

g&t on a sunny sunday

Hendricks gin, tonic, ice and a few slices of cucumber.

Not a bad way to while away a Sunday afternoon is it?

coulda, shoulda prada

Last night we went into the city and wandered from Victoria Street Station to Royal Albert Hall to see if Miss Jackson really was still nasty (she was more than a bit awesome actually - who knew?)

My sister-in-law is a Janet Jackson fan, and hubby and I were happy to go check her out at such a fabulous venue. She danced her lil heart out bless her - and, as it was the Number One's tour, we actually recognised a number of the songs. Boy she has some excitable fans though - the true definition of "FAN-atics".

We walked the two miles to the venue and on the way we passed many jaw-dropping windows including this one at Prada. These SHOES! Utter perfection non?

Off to Hever Castle today to soak up some history. Enjoy your day.

oh i do like to be beside the seaside

Can you imagine my delight when we alighted at the seaside today to find beach huts? Squeeeeee. Even more gorgeous in real life.

I do believe that I mentally owned and decorated quite a few of these pretties today.


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flowers for friday

Glittery {real} roses spotted in Tesco! Showgirl Roses! Loving London already...

PS: Jetlag update = minimal jetlag - hurrah. I had a 90 min nap yesterday afternoon then went to bed at a very respectable 9.30pm and slept till 8.30am - hurrah hurrah! Gal stayed up till 9pm and woke at 8am Beautiful. I swear that sitting out in the beautiful sunshine yesterday and going for a walk helped. So off to the seaside we go.

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we're here

We've touched down in London. It's gorgeous here today - blue skies, flower beds out - including PEONIES in a house just up the road from my family.

I'd really like to become a squillionaire so I could fly first or business class. While our flight was lovely I'm pretty sure I only got about 2 hours of broken sleep. Oh well. We're here, we're unpacked {!} and I've showered and washed my hair - honestly, is there anything better than clean hair? Oh yeah, coffee - thankfully brother-in-law's just bought the world's fanciest espresso machine and hubby's doing his best to master it.

Off to the seaside tomorrow if jetlag allows. I'll be sure to snap some photos and blog a bit. If not, then the seaside will have to wait till the following weekend when we're off to Cornwall for four days - including a planned lunch at Rick Stein's restaurant. I do love lunching with celebrity chefs {even if it's in name only...}

xx

up up and away...

Well, I'm a bit beside myself. Today's the day we're flying out. I'm hoping for a spot of service like this {champagne madame?} but will be content with catching up on my movie viewing and hopefully getting a wee bit of sleep.

Ready for my travel blog? Once I'm over my jetlag I'll be sharing all. See you soon my lovelies xx

squeeeeeee it's tomorrow!

Okay, we're onto the home straight. The packing; the money changing; the getting the house in order for the housesitters! It's going to be a busy day but so, so, so exciting!

two more sleeps...

Image from here.

Okay, we're really at the pointy end now - two more sleeps till we fly to England! Of course, on Friday morning my gal developed a fever and her cough worsened. A trip to the Dr confirmed mild pneumonia. She's on antibiotics and has made a rapid recover in the last two days. Apparently if she was going to have any kind of complication pneumonia's the best to fly with... Non contagious and won't be affected by pressure. She's also just told me she feels 100 times better!

On Saturday I woke with a killer cough. Chest infection. Antibiotics should kick its butt by the time we fly. Husband's fine!

Lots of work to do before we leave. Bags aren't packed... Let's hope tomorrow's a brighter day.

flowers for friday

Image from here

Oh this'd be nice. A lovely garden setting, a spot of sunshine... Can't you just imaging sitting here catching up with a group of gals? Bliss.