shopping – French Californian

April 22, 2015

Hannah Wilson

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.

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.

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.

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.

July 17, 2014

Hannah Wilson

Paris Concept Shops: Usagi

Like Comments Paris, See & Do

I’m a sucker for a good “concept store,” although I’m getting a little tired of the term. Can we come up with another name for them that sounds less – pretentious? Regardless, all the aspects that make them distinct from “regular” stores are also what make them so fantastic. You can find things you’ve never seen before, and perhaps products that are exclusively sold in that store. As far as gift-buying goes, these types of stores are the place to go.

I stumbled across this gem, called Usagi, on a dreary, rainy day a few weeks ago; one of those annoyingly cold days that just doesn’t belong in July. The minty green colour of the facade and image of a doll-faced girl with “bubbles” in her eyes immediately caught my eye. I didn’t have time to go in until a week later, when it was much sunnier. When I did finally step through the door, I politely asked if I could take some photos of the place for my blog. I was fully prepared for rejection, assuming for some reason that I wouldn’t have enough authority (?) to step in and photograph, but the man who helped me was more than welcoming. Gideon was his name, a painter and musician hailing from New York (you can see his work here). It’s always a pleasure to come across fellow Americans while out and about in Paris, and honestly, it’s not that hard of a thing to do – this is a very international city.

February 20, 2014

Hannah Wilson

Visual Diary: Brassai Exhibition, Éclair de Genie, and Fleux

Like Comments Diary, Paris

I started my Monday off right with a trip into Paris. Being low on money, I needed an activity that required little to no spending, and the free Brassai photography exhibition, Pour L’Amour de Paris, was what I decided on. I was under the impression that I was being clever by coming on a Monday, that perhaps the line would be shorter, but I was sorely mistaken. I waited in the cold wind for about an hour and a half. -___- If I had a snack, more comfortable shoes, warmer clothes, and a friend to keep me company, it wouldn’t have been half bad, but by the time 45 minutes had passed, I was pretty irritable.

January 9, 2014

Hannah Wilson

The Paris Memoirs: Marché Aux Puces de Saint-Ouen

Like Comments Paris, See & Do

Flea Markets – where else can you find such a wide array of STUFF? When you go to flea markets, you find things you never knew you wanted. For instance, I don’t typically sit at home making shopping lists that consist of “fabric scraps,” “miscellaneous beads,” “gilt frames,” “amateur oil paintings,” “skeleton keys,” and “kitschy teacups,” and yet, the minute I set foot within a flea market, I just want ALL of the things!

December 23, 2013

Hannah Wilson

The Last Bookstore + Outfit + Abbot Kinney Road

Like Comments Travel

I’ve lived within Los Angeles County for the entirety of my life, and this week marked my THIRD visit to downtown… and the other two were so brief that they hardly count. I don’t give this city enough credit. I complain about how warm it is everyday, wanting to have that cozy winter holiday feeling that never seems to come, but really? Who can complain about year-round sunshine?

Michelle and I decided to go to The Last Bookstore, which is probably one of the coolest places I’ve been in a while. It doubles as artist studio space, performance venue, and even offers knitting classes. They had some awesome art installations with deconstructed pianos and sculptural sheet music! The ground level looked like a pretty standard bookstore, but upstairs is where the magic happens. Not only were the artist studios upstairs, but also “The Labyrinth above The Last Bookstore.”