Wednesday 30 May 2012

Friday 11 May 2012

Paris treasures

I went to Paris last week, so I could tell you guys about all of the things that I saw, but that would barely interest anyone since everyone knows the tower of Eiffel, the Champs-Elysées, the Louvre and so on. I wouldn't say these aren't worth visiting though. I had been to the city before and already saw all of the famous things, so I wanted to do a more alternative trip where I wandered more than being a typical tourist and rush from one museum to another monument. This was a very good idea since I discovered a lot of things which felt more like treasures because they weren't planned. Of course I had done some research on the internet for shops worth visiting and whatnot. Here are some places I would definitely recommend. Warning: take a lot of money with you, because you will need it.




1 - Au Petit Bonheur La Chance
As I walked in, I fell in love immediately. Stuffed with lovely little treasures, this shop could take hours of your day and you still wouldn't regret it. Especially the little bowl (which cost 25 euros but totally worth it) I don't regret buying. I also found the notebook labels and the domino stamp there which are in the bowl on the photo.

13 Rue de Saint Paul
4e arrondissement

2 - Azag
In the first photo you see an Orla Kiely cup I bought at Azag, along with the tape in the second photo. They sell masking tape and other kinds, like the Alice in Wonderland tape on the right. It's a lovely shop with all kinds of design stuff.

9 Rue François Miron
4e arrondissement

2a - Bazaar Hotel de Ville
Take a deep breath before entering, because you will find EVERYTHING in one shop with a lot of floors. But my favorite floor was the stationary/art supplies of course. There's also a packaging section, where I found the lovely little Orla Kiely box.

36 Rue de la Verrerie
4e arrondissement

3 - La Marché Saint-Pierre
Saint Pierre is a little neighborhood near Montmartre. There is an art gallery, some kind of bazaar to shop, and a few fabric shops. Again, it was love at first sight. So many fabric and so cheap!

2 Rue Charles Nodier
18e arrondissement

4 - Niou
The stickers you see (which are designed by Tom Schamp, a lovely illustrator from Belgium) I bought at Niou, a lovely toy shop next to Au Petit Bonheur De Chance. They have all kinds of original toys. However it's meant for children, I could buy everything they have. This shop made me wish I was still a kid, more than any other time of the day.

11 Rue de Saint Paul
4e arrondissement

Furthermore, I planned on doing a concert during my trip. I found out that One Night Only was playing at the Maroquinerie (which is a great venue/bar by the way) while I was there. I didn't know them before, and I wasn't very much of a fan when I first heard their music but now my appreciation has grown a bit, now I actually like them a lot. Sometimes you just have to admit to your own (guilty) pleasures.