Paris vacation - day 5

Day 5 started with a long overdue visit to the Rodin Museum located in the historic hotel Biron.  Despite ongoing restorations (half of the museum and gardens were closed) it was an awe inspiring visit; great house, great art, great story. 

One thing I have to say is that it was nice to see a place that actually looked OLD, at least on the interior. Most things I find here are 'restored' to a state more pristine than their original form.  Whats wrong with old sometimes? Being a museum since 1918 has left it a little worn though.  The entry foyer was a beautiful space seen above.

The art is amazing of course. The movement found within the pieces is my favorite aspect; these large hands were so expressive and probably my favorite piece.

A (quick) stop next door to the Invalides is also recommended, but you don't need to spend too much time here (unless you're interested in military museums).  Check out the chapel and Napolean's tomb (you can't miss it, under the dome!).

After a quick lunch at a local bistro, we jumped on the subway to the Marais to check out the Cognaq-Jay Museum. Often overlooked, the charming museum is housed in a renovated hotel particuleur and is full of 18th century decorative arts and furniture (you KNOW I loved that).  Light on substance perhaps but lots of pretty.

Across the street is the enormous Carnavalet Museum - the museum of the city of Paris. The central garden courtyard, seen above, is gorgeous.  I had avoided this museum on past trips thinking it would be a dry but I was so wrong.

The museum tells the story of the city through its people and events, not dry numbers and facts. Models of the city and its monuments, paintings of celebrities, period rooms, ephemora from the revolution and different time periods: altogether a fascinating look at an interesting but dramatic city.

The period rooms are lovely, this boiserie was highly detailed. The photo above was of Proust's bedroom recreated along with a number of other celebrities.

A bust of architect Mansart lines one of the many stair wells. Don't miss the Carnavalet! Lesson learned.

Paris vacation - day 4

After the excitement of day 3, Day 4 was spent a little slower and more organic.  After sleeping in we wandered over to the Place de la Bastille for the antique brocante market.  Above you see the last remains of the dreaded Bastille.

The brocante market is a moving event throughout the city where antique vendors come from around the world to display their wares. It was the perfect way to spend a rainy afternoon. Expect to pay about 10 euro for entrance.

 A late lunch in a cafe on the Place des Vosges was a great way to relax and people watch.

 The Place des Vosges is one of the most beautiful spots in the city. While the townhouses surrounding the square are all very similar, each is slightly different proving you dont' have to have perfect symmetry to have balance.

Wandering around the Marais is full of surprises. The oldest existing part of the city you never know what you'll stumble upon. Ancient buildings are filled with new and inspiring art and clothing galleries mingled with the cities most fascinating museums located in stunning hotel particuleurs.

Make sure to stop into the church of St Paul St Louis to see the stunning Delacroix paintings in the side chapels.

Even after a gloomy, rainy day, Paris will surprise you with a fantastic evening and an even more spectacular sunset!

Paris Vacation - day 3

Day 3 was meant to be one of the trip's highlights and did not disappoint. I scheduled a Pariscityvision tour of both Vaux le Vicomte and Fountainbleau - a little out of the city.

 For the most part I can't recommend these bus tours highly enough; 'leave the driving to us' and enjoy your trip!  Vaux le Vicomte is an amazing 17th century chateau which led Louis XIV to create the Versailles we have today (and imprisonment for its' owner who dared build a greater palace than the sun king!)

 The interiors mostly have been brought back to this early creation but glimpses of the future styles to come still remain as well.  We were lucky with the weather and the chateau was astounding.

 On the way out of the chateau don't miss the large carriage museum and lunch at the cafe located in the stables; very charming.

 Next on the trip was Fountainbleau, country home to French Kings and later emporers for more than 7 centuries.

Fountainbleau will take your breathe away by sheer size and the number of styles included. Really though it is an architectural 'hot mess' that is delightful and magnificent.

 Napolean left the largest mark on the chateau perhaps because he was the last person to make significant changes. Above you see about 1/3 of a corridor showing his family portraits (big family!).

 Napolean's camp bed has been set up within a tented room - so chic!

 Napolean had a throne room set up within the apartments of king Louis XVI. cheeky.....

Which was set up next to Marie Antoinette's bedroom.  I will never understand the flow of these 18th century palaces and their enfilades. How do you live here? bedroom attached to bathroom attached to throne room.

The tour ends at the Hotel Regina across from the Louvre and I suggest you end the day with a drink in their elegant bar as I did.

After dinner at L'Ilot Vache on the Ile St Louis (one of my favorite retaurants I find myself at time and again), I was thankful to climb the million steps up to my own Paris Pied a terre just across the street. Long but fabulous days!

Paris vacation - first days

Dear Reader, I again find myself blessfully and blissfully on vacation in Paris.  The first two days have been spent organically, wandering around the city and reacquainting myself with different charming nooks.

I spent a fair part of the afternoon wandering around the Luxembourg gardens after a delicious lunch at one of my favorite restaurants that I come to again and again; Chez Fernand on the Rue Christine.

I particularly loved these stone urns planted with simple geraniums in the gardens. Also not to be missed is the Chagall exhibit at the nearby Musee Luxembourg.

A walk past the wonderful Invalides convinced me I need to visit inside sometime this trip!

No post on Paris is complete without the ubiquitous shot of the Eiffel Tower.

On the left above is the Hotel Crillon (the clean part of the building) which is sadly closed for renovations. We caught them loading the last of the contents into trucks(famously auctioned off last month at staggering prices).

Paris is full of beautiful doorways but the one above, in a very Parisian turquoise, boasts newly cleaned brass hardware. While I love the patina of age something is just so beautiful about frequently and lovingly maintained old hardware.

After a long day of wandering around the city nothing is better than returning to your own little apartment in the city seen above (rented of course) with copious amounts of stinky cheeses and a still-warm baguette from the local boulangerie. I am again staying in a cozy apartment on the well-located Ile St. Louis which I can't recommend more highly; just say no to hotels!

An inspiring lecture: Gil Schafer

Earlier this week I had the pleasure of attending one of those lectures which snaps you right back to life career-wise in a "oh, thats why I'm doing this" kind of way! Award winning architect and president of the ICAA, Gil Schafer spoke in Georgetown about his life, his work, and his book, The Great American House: Tradition for the way we live now.
Many of you are probably familiar with his work through the many national publications in which it has been featured as he works with many top name designers such as Miles Redd and Bunny Williams.  However, his work stands strong on its own and it was a pleasure to hear him speak of his childhood inspiration, his grandmother's country house in Georgia. Ever modest, Schafer is quick to speak on how a great house is 3 parts: Architecture, Decoration, and Landscape. He explained how these topics made his grandmother's house so special and in turn, he pays strict attention to them in each of his projects.

Schafer pointed out that he strives for dignity and comfort in his houses but not strict elegance (although one could argue they are also quite elegant just not in a 'fancy' way.) Hierarchy of spaces is important; so living and dining rooms will be detailed quite differently from family and breakfast rooms ( no bloated, oversized mcmansions here!). Like me, Schafer thinks of himself as an architect who thinks like a decorator. How will you live in a space? Is it comfortable, is there room for curtains, is it so contrived so that someone won't feel at home? Schafer believes decorators teach architects, if they listen, to loosen up.While he tries to give new houses a 'history' he warns one to be careful not to become too kitsch or slavish in its historical decoration: this is a modern time of course.   Schafer also stressed the importance of landscape in a project from the get go and not 5 years later when the  money is available.  He advises someone building a new house to plan on a fully developed landscape with a SMALLER house at first and then later put on an addition as needed.

Schafer practices in the classical language but is not a purist; he believes it's important to live in the current moment in a modern, comfortable way; not a museum (here here!).  His new houses are designed 1 or 2 rooms deep with traditional, proportionally sized rooms that aren't too big so that natural light is spread throughout the space. While his work contains much larger interior openings and windows than found in older houses he keeps the proportions the same so the buildings appear 'correct'. And most important to me during his poetic and inspiring lecture, he correctly used the words house and home; home was rarely uttered. Nails on a chalk board!

Images of Schafer's New York City apartment courtsey Gil Schafer.

An ingenious solution

While reading through the April 2013 issue of House & Garden I came across an intriguing little project that I just had to share! When designer Roger Hall had proposed an addition to his 17th century listed house and had it rejected by the planning authorities, he decided to build a garden folly which would give him and his family the extra space they needed as well as provide a focal point to his garden.

He calls the space his 'Posh Shed' and it certainly is closer to posh than shed. What shed do you know of contains a kitchen, bath and working fireplace? The pavilion houses guest quarters as well as a studio for his work in an 18'x18' square; talk about small living at 324 SF (the size of the smallest studios found in NYC).

The pavilion matches the style of the main house which you can just glimpse in the image below including the same beautiful stonework and slate roofing. Behind the fireplace above are a compact mini kitchen and full bathroom for guests. I think I would spend all of my time out here and never go into the main house!

Above you can see how from the garden the pavilion looks like one small albeit tall room but when seen from another perspective 2 floors are clearly visible. I vote this is a clever solution to a problem that makes the end result better as a whole than the original proposed addition - what do you think?

Photography via the article by photographer Sarah Hogan

Do you MOO?

Not MOO cows - MOO cards!  I recently received an order of lovely new blogger cards which I ordered from Moo after hearing about them from everyone (Habitually Chic and Slim Paley for example). The mini-MOOs are half the size of an ordinary business card and oddly enough are the same proportions of a blog header! I ordered them in the matte finish and they arrived within 2 days of placing the order online, couldn't have been easier!  Save 10% off your order HERE.  They also offer stickers, postcards and a wide variety of products and finishes. The cards are available with up to 100 images on the back side (although I ordered mine all the same blog header beautifully drawn by the talented PVE).
What have you ordered and been pleased with lately?
I received no compensation for this post, just happy to share a good product!

A lovely stone house

It's been awhile since I shared a weekend picture and thought I'd share this adorable stone house I came across last weekend in the Arlington,Virginia suburb of DC.  Houses such as this are always my favorite! I especially like the mature landscaping which provide dappled sunlight in our notoriously hot and humid summers but allow for full sun in our cool winters.  My only comment would be the 'fake' shutters flanking the double windows on the ground floor - don't need them!  What do you think of the house?

Georgetown Housetour - this weekend!

Don't miss the Georgetown house tour THIS WEEKEND - April 28. This is the longest running house tour in the country and benefits the ministries of St John's Episcopal Church.

 Nine beautiful houses of varying styles will be featured on the tour including these 4 pictured here.

Also included is a delightful tea at St John's Parish Hall. I'm most excited by seeing inside the Georgetown Stables below, long ago converted into a quirky residence. I saw them retouching some paint in preparation for the tour just a few weeks ago and it should prove to be very interesting!

Also upcoming as part of the Georgetown Housetour is a lecture given by architect Gil Schafer on May 9th. Information is at the housetour website. Hope to see you there (at both events)!!
Photos courtesy of the Georgetown Housetour.