Day 2 in Paris was exhausting but fantastic: sunny and not too cold -who could ask for more in December. After a walk last night in the charming mist, I slept for about 12 hours.Seriously.
As it's Monday, many places were closed and I spent the day visiting old haunts; the Rue St Honore and the Palais Royale on my way into the 17th for dinner at Le Relais de Venise. I highly recommend it for dinner but arrive early and be prepared to wait in line. They also have a restaurant in NYC at 590 Lexington Avenue.
The 17th was filled with lovely apartments, an unusual one being the oddly angled building above; more surface area for french doors I suppose.
Also along the way were such treats as the Arc de Triomphe
And lots of luxurious shopping. The windows of Christofle really took my breathe away - clouds holding their goods above the rooftops of Paris, so clever!
The Egyptian styled monument outside of the Theatre du Chatelet was magnificent, but really, who doesn't love a sphinx or four!
Day 3 was off to a late (and wet) start which prevented some of my original plans (a visit to the Musee Jacqumart-Andre which was rescheduled) but was still a glorious adventure.
I spent much of the day with the talented photographer Cedric Benetti, whom you may know from his fantastic blog Paris 2E (see link in my blog list). 
Cedric has started giving guided tours of the city, mostly spots off the main tourist beat, and with his background in art and architectural history he makes the perfect erudite guide. See information on his many tours at http://palaisroyalgrooming.blogspot.com, I can't recommend him highly enough!
Highlights included the Opera Comique,tea at Le Grande Hotel across from the Opera Garnier (the Inter-Continental), an insider tour of the Ecole des Beaux Arts (where the architectural profession was born, so dear to my heart), the Louvre (where Cedric studied) and finally a walk through St. Germain des Pres.
One of my favorite spots we saw today was L'hotel, also known as the Oscar Wilde hotel. Impossibly charming, right in the heart of St Germain, the hotel's restaurant is one which I plan on visiting later this week and hope to stay during a future visit. Tomorrow, Versailles and I'm so excited to visit it again that I doubt I will be able to sleep!
Green Valley Christmas Trees 
Not just pretty pictures (although it contains MANY of those), the book is a fascinating look at the rise of our consumer based society and our new house of worship, the Department Store. 
The book covers the rise of the genre in the 19th century through the changes department stores have made into the 21st century to remain viable. Technology has always been a big part of the business (see the life-like models at Printemps in 1924 above) but on the other hand, nostalgia plays to many as well (see Harrod's food hall today below). 
Be sure to add the 
Ally used the 
Originally created for Piercefield House in Wales being remodeled at the time by Sir John Soane (of the eponymous museum), the mantel was later sold from the house when it was stripped and left to ruins in 1926. Wood plaster and painted copper panels; not all grand mantels need to be of stone!
They provided a welcome entrance to the party and literally marked the occasion! Thanks to 
I love the repurposing of the old bank lobby into a restaurant (they kept all of the old features such as bank slip stands, etc) and the faux painted marble columns with corinthian capitals and beautifully coffered ceiling never cease to amaze me.
Designed by Arthur Heaton and James Hill in 1891, the Richardsonian Romanesque styled building now houses a Courtyard Marriot and retains a lot of the beautiful old details. Do you have any cool old repurposed buildings like this in your neighborhood?
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