Paris's Hidden Treasures

my purchased postcards & scarf from Florence

Paris is a huge labyrinth of thousands of tiny shops. There is anything and everything. Some of these shops are even hundreds of years old (and not just 1 or 2, some are up to 4 or 5). Today my friend and I visited the Passage des Panoramas in the 2^nd arrondisment. It’s this cool series of corridors between buildings with tons of old shops full of trinkets (love that word), art, and old books (some of them looked like Olivader’s from Harry Potter but with books instead of wands haha; 1) that was really nerdy of me to reference Harry Potter and 2) funny that reference fits considering I saw Emma Watson today).

I went there on the search for the postcards in the picture above by this illustrator I recently came across, Antoinette Fleur. They ended up being in a store that was probably not bigger than a 12 ft x 3 ft shop. I felt really proud of myself for some reason when I finally found the place and purchased the cards. I guess it was one of many of quests I’ve tried to accomplished so far in Paris (like finding the perfect pair of boots or seeing uniquely Parisienne things). 

There were tons of places in the panoramas for unique old jewelry, vintage postcards, and trinket shops with SUCH random things such as little glass men that sit on the edge of a table and even spare doll eyes (creepy?). It was like being taken back in time or to some whimsical alternate universe. 

On our way to the Orangerie to see Monet’s “Water Lilies” we passed by a few different art galleries (and Christian Louboutin….[quoting Rachel Zoe]“ugh I die”). There was one gallery with a collection of REALLY AMAZING pop art, including this picture below. 

Will someone please fund me a trinket/art shopping spree? I don’t know where I’d put it all but maybe I can design my room a la Zooey Deschanel in “500 Days of Summer.”

Paris was BEAUTIFUL today by the way. We were walking through the Tuileries and I felt SO happy to be there outside on my day off. I didn’t even need my jacket. Hopefully more sunny days to come!

Elizabeth