0 Stripe Training 2

 Stripe training begins at infancy for the French.

 Stripes in the bassinet are de rigueur. (what is a bassinet anyway?)

 Striped onesie with the touch of the marinere.

 Moving right along to striped accessories - hat + socks.

 Matching your parents more or less head-to-toe is a continuation of essential French training.

 Petit Bateau is happy to provide matchups for both mother and daughter.

 Till daughter can figure it out on her own.

 With a striped onesie of another sort.

 Plus matching striped sac/bag.

 Once married the French girl is happy to match her man stripe-wise.

 They will both swim only at pools (Pontoise) heavily striped...

 Or walk on zebra crossings together...

 Even if their stripes are hidden lining their shoes furtively.

 Pierre Herme and Jean-Paul Hevin fill a much needed void providing two-color macarons/Une coque bicolore for the stripe-obsessed.

The resident striped cat on the counter at cafe Le Select makes it an A OK place to grab an apero if you're into stripes in a big way or French.

0 Les petits bla-blas

 There are so many wonderful little shops in Paris full of delightful nonsense.

 Les Petits Bla-Blas fills the bill parfaitement.

7 rue du Crussol 75011

 These shops are meant for bebe shopping...

 But Paris brings out the enfant in us all.

 I fell hard for toys at Les Petits Bla-Blas.

 Adorable dollies!

 Ladybug/coccinelle buttons.

 If you're packing for Paris by all means bring something with a bird on it.

 Polka dots are IN big time even at La Bon Marche!

 I couldn't resist vintage facsimili French games by Marc Vidal.

 Do I really need to learn my ABCs again?

 On the other hand learning French politesse seems to be top of the list this trip. Manners count in France!

 A close family member has suggested I was 'raised with wolves', ahem. There were lots of books on wolves/les loups at Salon du Livre so maybe that's not such a bad thing in France.

 Yesterday I picked up Calme et Attentif Comme Une Grenouille(calm and attentive like a frog). It's meditation exercises for small children. Click and watch the video. You'll be instantly calmed and sleep through your nights.

 I've abstained from eating ice cream cones for a week.

But gorgeous weather in Paris has caused me to fall off the wagon. I'm hoping with daily froggie meditations I'll regain some restraint...

Bon Chance et Bonne Week-end!