Festival Jazz à Saint-Germain-des-prés

A group of jazz ensemble over at the corner of Saint-Germain-des-prés. The Jazz festival is until the 25th May. Come over to Saint-Germain to see all the action!

The next door church at the same location that says Easter: Christ Lives - Risen! Oh yeah!

Paris Space Invaders

Walking the streets of Paris, there are countless times when I was would suddenly stopped midway through my track because of something peculiar staring at me. Yes I am referring to the street arts of Paris. One of them called The Space Invaders introduced by my cousin in London, is one of the frequent artist that leaves their trademark mosaic tiles around the high corners of Parisian corners and street walls. They are one of the well-know street artists that does other cities around Europe. They look like little robotic insects, in colorful two-toned squares. I managed to find some more over the weekend around the Bastille area.




Another one that I'm sure many of you living in Paris has probably seen is sort of a sticker of a dandy man with their italic signature of Leo et Pipo printed at the bottom of the sticker. I managed to find a blog about their interesting history. It says in the blog that these two individuals came to Paris in the beginning feeling like a complete strangers, in a pretty cold city filled with complete often equally cold people. They wrote as I am quoting from the blog, that growing up in the east suburbs of Paris filled with sweetness and the quietness of the suburbs, they are appaled by the alienated feeling of Paris, a city-museum (quote) with artificial everything. Which is true I suppose and I am sure most people feels that way the first time they arrive here.

So, to break the ice a bit, in March 2008 they started to stick these characters on the walls of Paris as a way of saying "Hey there, I'm new here, let's be friendly!" They hoped that people would notice and stare for a bit and continue walking. The blogger said that for him/her, the characters felt like friendly ghosts watching over the neighborhood. Which is somewhat true, they represent watchful eyes and for new comers, that Paris is filled with hidden treasures. Another blogger wrote that it for her the characters injects human warmth and charm to the city. I'm sure that everyone has their own interpretations, for me though, I just find them so curiously cuttteee....scattered away in places for me to find and snap away.

The yellow cat is also another street art that has transform itself to a museum exhibition at the Pompidou centre. He was caught red handed donning a mask, which was how he found his fame in the first place. I spotted this one over the weekend too, just a day after my cousin told me about the cat in Paris.

Jazzy Friday

The Jazz ensemble at Île Saint-Louis, entertaining, funny, cool and totally jazzy...with their matching hawaiian shirts...

The Red shoes ensemble...

Staring at the sky from Bastille

Metro Parmentier, 11eme arr. White bum bum slides, like the ones my brother has in his restaurant and the one we have at home in red. Miss sitting my bum bum on those...

Wo ai ni Paris

At Avenue de Choisy, tall flowy treest lined each paved streets, awning each restaurant day and night. With so many trees, the neighborhood feels very safe and seems like everyone knows each other.

Chinatown in Paris is on the 13eme arr., covering Avenue de Choisy et Av. d'Ivry; is a mix between a rosy neighborhood filled with a cluster of Chinese restaurants and its counterparts and Spring trees that lined the streets as if preparing themselves for a scene in a Meg Ryan movie, amidst all the chinese faces. It's funny, I have never felt as much of a stranger in this particular Chinatown, perhaps I grew up in places with chinatowns so crowded with lots of people that you could hardly walk in their little lanes or perhaps my notion of a chinatown, is one where the Chinese grannies don't speak french to their friends, or that the restaurants are not all closed at 5 o'clock in the afternoon (yes I don't understand why there hardly any restaurants open at this time? have living in France, Paris in particular have changed their habits, I presume they are playing mahjong or strolling the streets, stopping once so often as everyone seem to know each other from the little nods between the old ladies)


A corner french boulangerie follows tradition of closing its shop on Monday! c'est lundi, c'est normal!

My grand mission, is of course to see Tang Frere Supermarché. The huge chinese grocery opened by the Tang brothers from Laos. It has become the establishment in the 13eme arr., many people come there just to have a look at the exotic and well, chinese stuff that's available. There were definitely cheap exotic fruits like dragon fruits, custard apple (it is a fruit) rambutans and lychees. Though in the end, I only bought a few chinese snacks and sweets that I miss from back home, ginger chewy candy and black sesame crackers! and an aloe vera drink which I thought would at least heal me from the awful flue I am having at the moment.


She has blue hair. Elles se sont parlés en français, quel surprise!

But being a bloggist, you must always savour each adventures, whether far and wild, rain or thunder, hail or snow. So in all, I cursed myself happy for coming and seeing le chinatown à Paris, for a charming end, I have never seen a Chinatown so alluringly hidden and having such beautiful trees!

Spotted this oh so cool, you just know you are! brown tinted orange mini cooper at Rue de Rennes, Saint-Germain, 6eme arr. at lunch time!

Île Saint-Louis

Regarded as Paris most-expensive address, Île Saint-Louis charmed every visitors of Paris, including me. Century hold buildings, passageways and squares, this slice of tranquility is also the home of Berthillon ice-cream, or glaces in French. I passed Chez Julien today, set in a cobblestone steps with a two open-air terasses. The antique blue walls with its painted windows facing the streets attract first-timers and Parisiens alike. Here are some of the shots around Rue Saint Louis en Ille.

This next door cafe also boast a very picturesque l'exterieur, at Cafe Louis Phillipe.

One of the things I've come to appreciate recently, even before my travel is personalized stationary or paperie. I did a version of my own stationary while I was in Jakarta last time with JBdesign based in Indonesia. They do very well printed stationary for business and personal.

Paris being the city of art and design, I have come across a few artisan shops selling the most exquisite collection of papeterie and accessories. This one at Île Saint-Louis.

The quirky sign above showing two figures hugging a set of colored pencils. How adorable... I must take a full shot of the name of the shop next time I'm in the area. The shop must be some hundreds year old, judging from the antique and traditional looking tools and boxes displayed.


Clever huh? A magnifying glass on top of a giant beetle. The illustrations are just breathtaking...

I often wonder, how could a city be so filled with such appreciation to art and history, so inspiring. Hidden, mysterious, majestic Paris.

Île Saint-Louis is located in a little island, between the left and right bank of Paris. A sort of a little private island for the obviously lucky inhabitants. The tall buildings covering this island hides what is inside the little streets filled with rows and rows of Berthillon ice-cream sellers, artisanale honeys vendors, and gifts shops and speciality food merchants. A definite place to visit.

Eiffel at 19.00

Postcard from Eiffel

Au Printemps

The beginning of au Printemps, Paris is transformed into little enclaves of fairy gardens. I have found so many little enchanting alleys and squares within the many hidden rue of Paris. Cafes with their own garden, hotels' facades filled with pots of greens, flower shops that are truly beautiful. Now, I truly appreciate Spring in its full form. Enjoy the flowers :)


Saint-Germain, 6eme. Between Rue de Saint Peres and Rue l'Universite.

Rue de l'Universite. Small hotel.
We clearly have the same habit of taking pictures of pink flowers. Coming off Rue de Seine, 6eme.

Rue de Lille. Saint-Germain, 6eme. My domain.

A long alley, at Rue de Lille.

Everyone is enjoying the sunny weather today. At Le Comptoir des Saints-Peres, Saint-Germain.

The perfect outfit to enjoy Spring in Paris at Dries Van Noten. Even at DVN, they coordinate their look according to the Spring pink blossoms and yellow leaves. And notice the gradient effect on the pants, how Spring is that! coming off from Winter...

Paris, mon amour.

Good Friday

Happy Good Friday everyone! It's Easter Weekend in Paris and everyone else who celebrate :)

I walked past Le Bon Marche today and spotted these babies on their window display.

Oops the last baby had its bon bon to us.


Aren't they just the most cutey little thing!! in a kinda strange way.

I was curious to check out Musee de la Vie Romantique on the 9th arrondissement today, so in the afternoon I made a quick visit there. It was drizzling when I got inside, the weather been a bit unpredictable today. Hopefully the weekend will be better.

On the way there, I passed l'Eglise Sainte-Trinite, just a few blocks away from Galeries Lafayette and Le Printemps. Beautiful old church surrounded by pink spring flowers. I don't know why I always take picture of old churches whenever I pass them around Paris, maybe because the old buildings reminds me of those classic Dracula movies I used to watch with my sister...Oh I'm being so random now. I especially miss watching "Interview With The Vampire"

To quote from the Museum sheet, "The museum used to be a house of Dutch-born painter Ary Scheffer (1795-1858). It was built in 1830, and remained in the Scheffer-Renan-Psichari-Ciohan family, til it was turned into a museum of the City of Paris in 1983"

The museum on 16 Rue Chaptal, is quite hidden amindst the long walkaway gate and situated next to juniour school and hausmannian apartments. I actually prefer going to smaller museums like this, less people inside, I don't get headaches and I can take as long as I want. And I got to chat with the attendants, Non, Je suis en Indonesie (not Japanese, thanks for asking), mais J'habite en Australie (ah..Australie...awkward silence...), et..maintenant, J'etudie francaise a l'Alliance Francaise... bla bla...

Inside one of the five rooms in Musee de la Vie Romantique. So dramatic and too riche European for me. It looks like it came from a scene of Interview with The Vampire...

Look who I met while inside, Lestat and Louis.

Just kidding.
Au revoir, been there done that...

Around Rue Notre Dame de lorette, close to Pigalle.

One of my favourite metro in Paris, St-Georges line 12, it goes straight to my stop too at Solferino. Again, I can't get enough of the pink blossoms in Paris.

Another perfect end to the day when I see one these babies. This one at Rue du Bac.