0 Parisian Chic

I spotted Ines de la Fressange's new book, La Parisienne in La Hune's vitrine on blvd Saint-Germain in October. It was their last copy so I grabbed it and clutched it to my bosom obsessively... Now I see Parisian Chic will be out April 5 on Amazon in English! La Hune had a sell-out book signing for de la Fressange - her favorite stuff in the window including a Cafe de Flore table - it is right next door.. Ines has become The icon for Paris - she has that certain something no one can put their finger on - that je ne c'est quoi. Plus she is Queen of Older French Girls(OFGs) at 53 non? As if all that weren't enough, de la Fressange has just signed a contract to be the French face of L'Oreal. "If I can be the ambassador for older women, I'm quite happy."Her beauty routine is pared down: protective day cream, Dior's Crème Abricot nail cream, no sun and lots of sleep. As for Botox and plastic surgery: "I would be too afraid I wouldn't recognise myself any more." I'm giving you un petit gout/a little bite from the Fr. version to tide you over till April, since Ines leaves no stone unturned when it comes to insider info.

Bien sur I'll visit her Le Top 5 des Fleuristes:
Arome Paris - 196, rue du Faubourg Saint-Antoine 75012
Lachaume - 10 rue Royale 75008
Moulie Fleurs - 8 Place du Palais-Bourbon 75007
Odorantes - 9 rue Madame 75006
Dani Costes Dani Roses - 239 rue Saint-Honore 75001 Ines' Shopping Pauses - where to grab a quick delicious bite...

Little details to change your style to become more Parisienne...

Le Jardin du Luxembourg blablabla...

Ines' take on Le French Trench.

And le French Sac.

If you want to see Ines in action, watch her little diaries around Paris for Roger Vivier - the next chapter will be out in April, but there are plenty of back months to watch...

BONJOUR PARISIAN CHIC!

0 Return of the Older French Girl

It's been a year since we visited ultra chic 'OFG' /older Fr Girl, so back by popular request - voila *Note stance and splash of lovely yellow-orange scarf.*Note ruffled jacket -tres flirtie.

Bright bleu punctuates a neutral pantsuit at Gerard Mulot.

A touch of turquoise on this OFG biker.

OFG bikers abound in Paris...

As do racing grand-meres pushing two little ones.

Regarding the OFG's hair - natural gris.

LONG shoulder-length hair is the norm for Fr OFG.

VERY LONG hair is OK.

Ride Paris buses to catch OFGs - the more civilized, scenic way to travel.

OFGs browse apartment ads like the rest of us.

 They walk their petit Parisien dogs.

My favorite OFG-ever-youthful 2nd-cousine, Kristine in Pigalle. Toujour charmante.

BONJOUR THE OFG!

0 BONJOUR PARIS!

BONJOUR PBers!
We made it (BEAR and I) and this was the first poster we saw in the Metro.
I really wanted to go to this but....
French Girl went off and left us to our own devices...
She left the internet code (25 numbers and letters!) in Euro scrawl - nearly impossible to deceifer without consulting the UN.
Enfin we figured it out!
Evidently there are TWO ways of writing a 1 in France and they look a lot like an upside down M (if two 1s are together as they are twice in FG's code :( or an L or I or a 1.
%$#@!
There has been an unexpected bout of Jetlag...

But now we're back on track - up today at 4ish am :)

I wanted to do different things this trip so I've been going to museums that aren't really supermarches!

REAL museums.

Old habits die hard.

My first lunch was at Fauchon - same old, same old...

The first 2 days in Paris I've been test-tasting eclairs chocolat - more to come on the results...

I will never give up...

Gazing at Paris pastries. Jamais!

Nor Eiffel...

Towers.

Nor towers of macarons!

More flowers as you requested...

Paris, as usual is bow crazy...

What THEY are wearing is a touch of the cat - anything animal.

I'm keeping an eye out for Paris Mommies and OFGs and everything that comes along.

BONJOUR PBers!