Bonjour de France!: You Know You're at an Upscale Flea Market When...

Ordinarily when I think of flea markets, I think of cheap junk that no one wants. But when the vendors are offering oysters and wine at the entrance to their booth, that's when you rethink the title, "flea market." I went with Julia, Beth, and Madeleine Saturday morning

to Le Marche aux Puces de St. Ouen - the largest and oldest flea market in Paris. It has a little of this and a little of that mixed in with zebras carrying purses

and BEAUTIFUL and often completely falling apart furniture that costs the same as if it weren't falling apart.

I was infused with the desire for creativity as I passed a huge room with all sorts of material like teal alligator leather swatches (cut out from old purses), followed by vintage boutique booths selling dresses from the old movie era and hats with feathers. I think I might just take up a sewing class when my little English teaching stint is done. There were also things like armor and swords that belonged in a museum and old, yellowing postcards from the 1950's or before. But the bulk of the booths were artistically decorated rooms showcasing both antique and ultra modern furniture.

Some Prints Please
Later in the afternoon, Beth and I wanted to go discover the St. Martin Canal. I'm not quite sure of the purpose of the canal. At each 1/4 or 1/2 mile point there is a dam and the water level drops off about 10-20 feet. And yet somehow there were boats up there. We couldn't understand how or why. It would honestly take them hours to reach a mile or more. We were baffled. Nevertheless it was very picturesque.

While en route to the canals, we happened upon the remnants of an art fair and some beautiful prints done by Didier Lespagnol. A friend of our family asked me to pick up a print of Paris from the left bank for her before I left for Paris. Turns out the left (and right) bank now sell crappy souvenir junk like posters of Marilyn Monroe, so I was at a loss for what to get. But Didier inspired me. He ended up selling me 4. Here are two of them. Super nice guy, and talented!

Chevet de Notre Dame

Pont Neuf

Also along the Canal St. Martin on Quai de Valmy were some cute stores. We really liked one called Antoine et Lili. It was a bit like a mini Anthropologie with 3 stores: women's, kids, and housewares/trinkets.

And Stella Cadente which is just next door had this amazing parfum. It must have narcotics in it because I'm ADDICTED. As such, it's appropriately titled "Miss me." I won't be missing it for too long because I bought it.

I'm So Glad When Friends Come to Stay
As glad as I can be :-) Jay and his brother and sister - Andy and Brooke - were in town this weekend. We met up on Sunday after church. Paris on Sunday is a whole new world by the way. Peaceful. I loved it. And church was perfect. The primary kids had a special presentation in sacrament meeting that was so sweet. They each got up to the podium on their way to sing and recited "Je suis enfant de Dieu." Kids are cute all over the world but kids who speak French are like the cherry on top.

I met Jay, Andy, and Brooke at Sainte Chapelle which for once in my life didn't have a line - probably because it was snowing outside! I tried to take a picture to capture the view when you just peak your head up the stairs for the first time. It didn't fit.