Mademoiselle on the Metro, on the metro

When I first started this blog, I think it's safe to say, I had a little love affair with the metro. Coming from a city that doesn't have any kind of viable public transportation (except for the lucky few who can take the air train) the Paris metro was something of a fascination to me. You can get virtually anywhere in the city in under an hour, and chances are, everything will run smoothly. Little by little, this love affair has turned into a relationship of necessity and nine times out of ten, I wish I lived within walking distance of everywhere I need to go. 
Recently, on a weekend browsing trip to the bookstore, I peeked my nose into a book called "Comment être une vraie lady" (How to be a real lady) - fitting, n'est ce pas? I read through the chapter about being a lady on the metro and thought it was very well fitting - take as little space as possible, keep your composure, read a book (this is my favorite) and daydream. 

pants: Mango (old); blouse: H&M; wedges: Nine West; bag: Coach

paisley printed

My summer musts for the moment consist of brights and sandals at all times unless the rain demands otherwise. Even though the rain has been less demanding that expected lately, I've had to re-think ways to incorporate summer favorites and new additions into slightly warmer than usual outfits and these paisley pants are an easy, fun way to add a little bit of both.  

pants: J. Crew; tee: H&M; sandals: Nine West; watch: Michael Kors

The first day

the ferris wheel in the Tuileries was being set up when i got to the park tonight - i can't wait to see the summer fair lit up and alive with animation

Today is the first day of summer and we woke up to a sky covered miles high in thick, dark, threatening clouds. Living in Miami the majority of my life, the first day of summer has never really stricken me, considering the seasons that precede and follow the summer are an unofficial prologation of endless sun and scorching heat. By the time June 21 rolls around, deep tan lines have settled, first bar-be-ques have been had and a few (or a few dozen in my case) mosquito bites have come and gone. 

So for someone so used to such decadent summers, today's clouds were most unwelcome. From the time the shades were drawn in our apartment this morning and the clouds came into sight, my mood took a turn for the worse, and had there been raindrops falling against the window at breakfast, I feel I may have been perfectly capable of throwing a full-on temper tantrum à la two-year-old and climbed right back into bed. 

When I left work this evening, ready to race home to dinner for one and a quiet read in the living room (because la fête de la musique would not go on under the rain!), I was greeted by beaming sunshine, pristine blue skies and the perfect pick-me-up. I decided to start my way home walking, making a detour at a sale I thought might be interesting and finding fun discoveries the metro would never be capable of showing me. I started down rue Saint Honoré, planning on taking the metro at Palais Royal. Instead I took a detour through the Tuileries, where I found a great, sunny little spot to take in a few pages of my book, and enjoy a welcomed pause. 

I'm glad I took time to smell the flowers tonight, because honestly, if taking time to breath and enjoy life isn't what summer is all about, then what is? And what better time to start than on the first day? Tomorrow would have been too late and I would have regretted coming home early and alone (monsieur being at a work function) on a beautiful evening. 

 why hadn't I ever seen this before? 

 pink shoes in the city - so glad I thought of bringing these in my bag today, and even more glad my super sister thought of surprising me with these practical babies from Gap 

the longest night of the year and not a cloud in the sky 

sorbet at sunset

Back in Paris after a whirlwind of travel and fun at home, we took Sunday afternoon to re-acquaint ourselves with old habits and get back into the Paris-groove. A rainy early Saturday turned into a surprisingly beautiful weekend with two splendid sunsets and some toe-bearing Sunday. I hope this means summer is officially arriving!

top and pants: Forever XXI; bag: Old Navy (very old); shoes: BCBG 

ny sampler

Three days in New York: three days of strolling, exploring, visiting, trying new places, seeing old friends and just generally enjoying our time to the max! Like every time we go, I always wish we could stay longer, wonder what our lives would be like if we chose to move to the big apple and enjoy every single second of the madness and energy on the street. 

one : jeans: Forever XXI; top: American Eagle; wedges: Nine West 

two: pants: J.Crew; top; Forever XXI; wedges: Nine West 

three: top and pants: Forever XXI, necklace: Galleries Lafayette; sandals: BCBG