Descanso Gardens

During the month of May, I was in California. This was the third time I’ve returned home after a long period of absence. I no longer seem to experience much reverse culture-shock, I just settle right in, easily and comfortably. As much as I love being with Erik, I also loved having those three weeks all to myself, to spend time in my family home like I used to, as a child and as a pre-married adult. Instead of feeling out of place and confused about my identity like I have in the past, this return felt secure, familiar, and calm.

Read more

Jardin des Tuileries - French Californian

Wandering Wednesdays

I adore wandering. If it weren’t for sore feet and basic needs like food and sleep, I’d wander all day long! Since I’m now in charge of the ParisPerfectRentals Instagram account, I have a wonderful excuse to just stroll around Paris looking for beautiful things! This week, I discovered a gorgeous reconstruction of an Art Nouveau hotel inside Musée Carnavalet, and then enjoyed the momentarily good weather at the Tuileries gardens. I even visited the Palais Royal gardens for the first time ever, but I’ll wait until next week to share those photos with you.

Read more

Søstrene Grene and Moo Business Cards

Some New Things – Danish Knick-Knacks and Business Cards

Recently, a new store opened up in Versailles that I’ve been very curious about. All I could see inside the windows were some small home-decor pieces which looked very scandinavian in style. It took me a while to venture inside, probably because the name of the store just brought up more questions than answers: Søstrene Grene. The only other tid-bits of information I could glean from the shopfront was that it originated in Denmark but is now “all over the world” … Finally, my friend Katie told me how cute it was, and that I had to go. I’m so glad I did!

Like a cross between an ikea and a craft store, the shelves were lined with various items, generally organized by color. Yarn, stickers, patterned boxes, wire hampers, mugs, tote bags, framed prints, gift wrapping, stationery, etc. I was expecting everything to be overpriced, but no single thing I bought that day exceeded 4€!

You can see some of the things I picked up in this photo, including the tea towels underneath.
 Søstrene Grene and Moo Business Cards

On a slightly unrelated note, I received my custom set of business cards from Moo this morning! I thought they’d go really well with all the other items I picked up from Søstrene Grene. I love how Moo allows you to create multiple designs on each card. I went for a set of 100, with 20 of each color. The black and white image was my own, but all the other colors and fonts were designed using Moo’s on-site design tools. I opted for eco-friendly recycled paper, and the finish is nice and matte.
Moo Business Cards

Most of what I purchased was useful, like the towels and cups, but I wasn’t sure how to utilize the two little patterned boxes. After some thought I decided to store some makeup in them! I love the idea of having an organized, attractive vanity, but for as long as I can remember, my makeup area has been more of an explosion of products strewn about everywhere. Even though I have more lip products than fit in this box, I narrowed it down to my favories, the ones I actually use. Same goes for the blush-bronzer-powder box, just my most-loved products! Maybe I’ll do a blog post in the future about my preferred makeup items.
Makeup Storage

Find more about Søstrene Grene at their website, or follow them on Instagram.

Moo makes business cards and all other kinds of paper goods, website here.

Monet’s House

If you’ve ever wondered what Impressionism looks like in the form of a house – a speculation that has probably never been a priority in your life – then you may have also wandered what Claude Monet’s house looks like. I mean, he’s practically the king of Impressionism as far as I’m concerned, and if his house doesn’t embody 19th century French painting, then I don’t know what does.

… these are the kinds of thoughts that go through my head on a regular basis…

I had been to Giverny twice, and on both occasions, photographs inside the house were strictly Forbidden, with a capital F. My friend Natalie and I would always try to be sneaky and take quick iPhone snaps, thinking we were so incognito; the photos pretty much always came out blurred and crappy. THANKFULLY – and this seriously made me so happy – they now allow you to take photos! Mais sans flash, bien sûr. I discovered this while my sister was visiting me last week, and we also discovered that the Musée de l’Orangerie and Musée d’Orsay allow photographs now too.  :O

So without further ado, take a peek inside Monet’s house:

Read more

Frozen in Time – A Swedish Farmhouse

While we were in Sweden a few weeks ago, we had the chance to explore an old Swedish farmhouse that was almost literally frozen in time. From the embroidered cushions to mismatched dining chairs, it felt like we had walked onto a movie set or a cultural museum. The décor was a mashup of decades. Most of it felt 70s kitsch but there were items that had obviously been heirlooms from much further back. We even found a black and white photograph of some unsmiling folks, rigid in their poses, like they’d been sitting there for a while to get the shot.

I like to imagine what life might have been like back then, aside from the lack of technology, it probably wasn’t so different from the lives we live now. I had this realization – that people in the past aren’t so drastically different from us in the present – when reading Anne Frank’s diary. I was amazed at how much I actually related to her, which I did not see coming. Even though she lived in hiding during the 1940s in the Netherlands, it brought back feelings and memories from my own teen years. It makes me feel so much more connected to the past and to life itself, knowing that we’re all (even those living 1000 years ago) built from the same basic components. We are more than just individuals existing in the here and now – we have a long, epic history that shaped each and every one of us, and we’re preparing the way for a long, epic future. Walking through this house, I saw myself, very consciously and very simply, as part of that timeline.

Read more

Favorite Things / French Californian

Favorite Things

Today I thought I’d do something different, and if we like it, I may continue this as a recurring feature. TONS of bloggers do a “favorite things” feature every week or month, so why shouldn’t I?  I had this idea while browsing through Society6. It’s a website that supports artists by turning their work into art prints, iPhone covers, pillows, rugs, shower curtains, clocks, mugs, and even tapestries. I’ve seen them start small and grow into something great! Because Society6 takes care of production, the artists have more free time to create. It’s perfect for me because I just can’t be bothered to find a quality photo printer, let alone fabricate iPhone covers myself!

Read more