Delighting in Paris II

Friday, October 15, 2010

No day ever seemed long enough. Paris has so many things to see and photograph, that I feel like we could easily spend half a year in this city alone. Yuriy and I dreaded the sun going down on a daily basis because it meant we had to wait until the next day for photos, and it never felt like we captured enough. The severe jet lag called for many naps, but I felt guilty for sleeping. I just wanted to walk the streets endlessly.

My eyes went big at each cafĂ© we passed because I can’t think of any restaurants back home with such mouth-watering displays behind glass. And there were many! Every day, I couldn’t wait to get hungry again. I was equally impressed with the fashion store window displays with the most tasteful styling. I was amazed how late restaurants were open and how late locals ate dinner (dinner was served and busy up until 11pm). It was nice to see, because Yuriy and I are both night owls and often find ourselves looking for something that’s still open and makes food when we’re at home. Consequently, the city wakes up later than we’re used to in America. Most shops and restaurants in Paris don’t open until 10 or 11am (or later), so there’s no need to wake up painfully early. Everything in the city was pricey except for bread. In the morning, it was very common to see people walking with a fresh baguette in hand, taking occasional bites off the crispy top. 

We loved staying in an apartment in the heart of the city, we delighted in the food experience, we appreciated the history, we were blown away by the fashion sense of these people and warmed by their relaxed way of life. Enjoy our photos of a charming, sophisticated, beautiful city called Paris.

Coming soon, a post on Paris food, shops, and historical tourist spots we visited. Much catching up to do!

- Julia

14 comments :

  1. thanks for the inspiration, manchiks! i've been e-mailing photographs of paris to my husband at work in hopes that he will fall in love and take me there next year. it seems he may have blocked my e-mails though, since no word of paris is coming up in our conversations. happy to be living vicariously through the two of you!

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  2. so stinking rad!

    -marsh

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  3. Julia, you officially got me back into my French Obsession phase!!! I'm sad and happy and sad at the same time: happy because its like an inspiration for me, but sad because i will not be able to see Paris annytime soon (2 kids and another baby on the way). Thank you for letting my fantasy live again!!

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  4. Julia! That shirt or dress you're wearing in the restaurant is simply lovely! This is probably the funnest blog I've ever read!

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  5. Bleen! I want to go to Europe now! :)
    Awesome photos guys!

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  6. The rats in the window are by far the cutest! Thats probably where they got that idea for the Ratatouille movie. Yeah, I've watched it like 3 times allready. Its cute and in a funny way, it inspires me to cook better. Julia that head shot of you is a really pretty picture. Cute blouse!

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  9. Good eye, Natasha! The shop did in fact inspire the scene in Ratatouille the movie. They've been hanging in the shop window wince 1925.

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  10. You two look like you fit right in with the Paris scene :)

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  11. i've never seen someone dress so dang cute when traveling - inspires me to maybe pack at least one cutesy outfit. i always end up looking like a mountain hippy.

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  12. Kylie - Thank you! I had in mind that this trip was also my honeymoon, so I packed some nicer outfits for date nights. Dresses/skirts don't take up as much room in the suitcase as pants anyways! I had my scary hippie days too... I just don't post those photos. :)

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  13. what lens are you using here? i love the photos!

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    1. Christie - Mostly 50mm 1.4, 35mm 1.8, and probably 85mm 1.8. It's been a while.

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