showing hollis why paris is forever the city of lights -

on their last night in town, lauren and hollis took us out to dinner
at an amazing cafe on the left bank,
le pret verre.

it was strolling in the twilight,
unexpected food suprises,
and learning that hollis still hadn't seen the city at night.



which, if you ask me, is half the reason to come to paris.
it is called the city of lights for a reason, my friends:


the city lives large, even after dark.
especially after dark.
they play petanque under streetlamps in front of notre dame:


the banks of the river glitter and gleam.
people stop and talk to strangers,
hold hands,
take pictures:


but the best part of the night was crossing back over the pont neuf at eleven o'clock,
right when the eiffel tower (as it does every night on the hour)
burst into lights:



it was the perfect way to send them off from paris,
and a reminder for us of the unexpected gifts life gives you every day.

a parisian pin-up boy, exploring the right bank, and a "thirst" for something new -

waking up in this city is a marvelous gift.
walking out with your husband, and finding the perfect expression of him,
that's pretty cool, too:


we were determined to hit the right bank before meeting up with
lauren and hollis later when they arrived,
and so we did what any true tourist does,
we walked.

though paris has an amazing metro system,
and it's easy enough to find cabs,
walking is the only way to feel the city.
the only way to see the seine in the morning:


and to break in your limited edition asics
(tim loves his color, yes he do):


the only way to see the random store window,
and catch in it
the way the city sees you:


and no, not everyone walks.
most people either drive TINY cars (the smart car is everywhere)
or one of these (on streets, on sidewalks, they are like a swarm):

so tim found one in his color,
but i insisted this was more "him":


and then, a quick turn into the jardins du palais royale,
for a little ric owens (a flagship!)
a little vintage,
a little marc jacobs,
and a little garden tour:


tim kept insisting we keep caffeinated,
i have no idea why:


and here's where paris weather is so wonderful.
sunny when we woke.
gray by two (so the gold on the monuments GLOWED against the skies)


and then sunny by the time we met the kids.

what? i'm just heading back to meet them now . . .

meeting lauren and hollis brooks, and ice cream from berthillon -

the sun at the meeting time was as brilliant as lauren's smile:



hollis' first time in the city, and we were determined to show him
why we love paris:



of course,
lauren, like tim,
had already decided, and began shopping for an apartment.
that's my sister . . .


dinner on the ile, at sorza:


and ice cream,
after,
from berthillon.
there is no comparison to their ice cream.

or my manners:

paris on a perfect day, alone with the man i love -

YES, TIM, YOU ARE HERE:


mid-july in paris,
the winds turning the trees silver on the banks of the seine,
we arrived at the ile st. louis in the early afternoon,
with enough time to wander the deux iles, a bit of the left bank,
and realize that after six years . . .
we were finally back in paris!



the facade of notre dame had been fully cleaned since our last trip,
and she glowed with that perfect pale shine of this limestone city.


the bridges over the river still seemed like etchings, not quite real,
yet made of stone.

the streets were still lined with patisseries and boulangeries
and florists, some dedicated to only one kind of bloom:


there was proof everywhere that we had left parts of ourselves in this city:


and only when settled into a cafe,
waiting for the classic food to arrive
(no touristy places for us this trip. only side streets and local places.)
was it real.


the air was native.
we felt (for perhaps the first time in years)
peace.

video vendredi (villars edition) -

this friday,
some peaceful moments to still your day,
from the heartland of france,
i bring you
video vendredi (video friday):

the abbey in brantome -




the river dronne,
rolling along under you -



the poolside field,
edged in lavender and bees -

random moments from a country home in france -

from the outside,
everything seems normal,
right?


but in the seedy reality,
there were players who resorted to
"augmentation"
to win at games:


dogs who preferred gravel to butt rubs:


tour guides after the sun had set:


hearts of stone,
turned upside down:


villars was an amazing week.

the cats of le Chateau de Vilars -

ok, here's the thing.
i'm not that into cats.

it's the two DOG blog for a reason.

but at the chateau, the cats were freakin hysterical:



they lurked everywhere, waiting to make you their prey:



like when "Red" laid so precariously on the edge of the porch,
FORCING me to come over to make sure she was ok:



i mean, look at that FACE!
she knew exactly what she was doing!

Lauren did no better with "Rouge", who followed her everywhere:


that was some well executed lovin', kids.
we will all miss you . . .


and, ok,
kitty viddy: