Boulangerie & Patisserie!

The mention of Paris draws visions of bakeries on every corner - window displays piled high with baguettes, croissants, palmiers, chocolates. The city is a foodie's (and a baker's) dream. The very best parts of Paris, though, are tucked away on small streets in the Marais, or hiding amongst seemingly residential alleyways.

For a fabulous week in early October, I was, very unexpectedly, given the opportunity to escape away to Paris. Of course, an opportunity I could not turn down... and everything fell into place to allow me to be whisked away on this "fairytale trip."

The trip turned out to be my favorite visit to Paris yet. I avoided most everything touristy and spent my days walking...and walking.. and walking more, losing any sense of reality amongst the darling shops and endless epicurean adventure. Our apartment happened to be a block from the Bastille open-air market, where I scooped up fruits, vegetables, cheese, & charcuterie for an impromtu picnic, and found some fabulous (read: super cool and cheap!) jewelry to boot.

Weather was beautiful...shopping fantastic as always... company was amazing. I even remembered a good deal of my French from high school & early college days - which started out rusty to say the least!

Lovely times. These are just a few pictures of all the lovely things I came across while wandering...