Heather Bullard

Merci & French Finds Giveaway!

 One of our favorite shops in Paris was the concept store Merci. The idea or mission behind the shop was to give Thanks by providing a stunning place for customers to find unique, well made products and using the profits to benefit an endowment fund to help the poorest children in Madagascar. It's such a clever way to market charitable giving although we really shouldn't have to be seduced by wares in order to give. Come along and take a peek for yourself...


In the courtyard you're greeted by the adorable red Merci car and a beautiful selection of faux bois outdoor furnishings and potted trees. The displays indoors are spectacular! They had a great mix of modern, industrial and French chic mixed harmoniously together.



Downstairs was my favorite spot. It was filled with wooden kitchen utensils, napkins and towels, picnic supplies, etc., etc. Their selection was a stylists dream! I also adored this simple pendant lightbulb in the shape of a diamond. 

And they had a rainbow of Pantone mugs in a multitude of hues. Each one had the Pantone color name and html code number on it...so cute! 





There are 3 floors to wander about with mens & womens clothing, housewares, books, apothecary and linens. And lots of cool Japanese paper goods like journals, envelopes, bags, tape, notebooks, cards and much more.
Temptations everywhere!


Merci is located at:
111 Boulevard Beaumarchais, Paris 75003
The nearest Metro is Saint Sébastien-Froissart on Line 8.
Open: Mon-Sat 10am to 7pm



I wanted to thank you for coming along with us on our Paris adventure by giving away a Bundle of French Finds from our trip to one of you! 
The gift  includes a bar of Violette Savon, a nubby cotton dish towel and scrubber, the latest holiday issue of Marie Claire Idees Magazine, a token Eiffel Tower keychain, vintage ephemera and buttons from the Paris flea market, Raspberry Pastilles Candy and the most delicious Fleur de Sel Butter Caramels.

Winner will be announced Friday, Dec 2nd.
To enter just leave a comment answering the following question:

 What was your favorite part of your Thanksgiving holiday?

CONGRATULATIONS!!  THE WINNER IS:

Wendy in Kennewick said:

My favorite part was a phone call from my godson on the East Coast, closely followed by stuffing! I have so enjoyed your Paris blogs and adding to my list of non-tourist places to visit the next time I am there.

Thanks everyone for sharing your holiday memories. I felt like I was right there along with you having turkey, playing cards, eating pie and enjoying family!

A Visit to E. Dehillerin

First off, this image has absolutely nothing to do with the French culinary mecca, E. Dehillerin. But I thought you might get a kick out of seeing Recycling Day in Paris. The big green recycling bins were overflowing and curb sides were spilling over with wine bottles. Can you imagine this in the states? We'd think someone had a HUGE party.

Many of you are probably already aware of this famous shop. They've been in business since 1820 so I'm in a very long line of devote customers. Their copper pots were amazing. And they had them in every shape and size you could imagine. While we were there a young American chef was purchasing a large assortment to take back to his new restaurant. I imagined he was going to use the small ones to serve Lobster Pot Pie. I would.

The staff was extremely friendly and helpful despite the fact that the shop was packed. English and French verbs and nouns were being flung around as if they were one language. Everyone understood each other as if their true mutual language was Culinary.

Pastry chefs must adore this place. Every imaginable tool was available for them from minature tart pans, ring molds, brioche molds...and expert advice on anything they might need.

At the sales counter (which is probably the original from 1820) they carefully wrap your purchases up in brown parchment paper. And for the heavy items (like all the copper pots you buy) they will pack and ship them right to your US doorstep.
See? They're very helpful. :-)

Cafes, Crepes, Croissants & Confections

With this being our first trip to Paris, we felt obliged to visit the famous Laudree for a box or two..or three of their macarons and confections. I must admit, I loved their packaging and gorgeous shop more than the macarons. Except for the Caramel Sea Salt. That macaron is in a league all it's own. 

Since this was a suprise to me, I feel I owe you a heads up...Laudree is packed. Jam packed every single minute they are open. And we went to several locations. Bodies are squished together like tight uncomfortable sardines. So be prepared to get comfy with strangers who are also waiting for their sugar fix. Oh, and they don't allow photos so you'll have to be very, very sneaky. ;-)

We were probably in Paris for 7 or 8 days before we finally had a crepe. I know! The creperie located in the Tuileries seemed to have the best variety of both sweet and savory crepes. We tried the Chocolate Banana and the Nutella with Chantilly Cream. Both were delish!
And the little beignets in the photo below were from a vendor at the Rue Cler market...also very yummy!

It was so charming that many of the cafe waiters were dressed in black tuxedo pants, crisp white shirts with vests or long aprons. Sure wish they did this here in the US. Makes your ham sandwich seem more refined...and expensive.

The famous Eric Kayser bakery was only a short walk from our apartment and we found it to be a great place for our morning Petit Dejuener. This consists mainly of a croissant or tartine, fresh pressed orange juice and hot coffee or tea. Occasionally, we would splurge and have an herb omlette with fresh greens.



And the afternoons often included slipping into a boulangerie for more cafe cremes or hot chocolates followed by a pain et chocolate or eclair. This is how we powered through all the walking we did. Caffeine and chocolate.

My absolute favorite spot for afternoon tea was at the Musee d'Orsay. The museum is in an old train station (amazing!!!) and houses paintings from the most famous artists in the world. I loved this place. If you are only going to visit one museum in Paris...this should be it. They also have a gorgeous restaurant that serves the most delicious lemon tarts.

 All in all, Paris was delicious. Including the japanese noodle house we popped into for hot bowls of udon noodles and dumplings. And the friendly Italians with their tiny little pizza shops and incredible tiramisu. Heavenly.

Still to come...flea markets, shopping, my finds and a giveaway! You know I would never forget to share the flea markets with you!

l'Objet qui Parle

Oooh, this is the part where I get to tell you about the amazing antique shop we stumbled upon! I had not heard nor read about it anywhere in my research, online or otherwise. So finding it was completely serendipitous. 
It's like this shop was meant for me to find!
Welcome to l'Objet qui Parle...

The shop was so well curated and you could easily see it was the singular vision of the owner. He had an amazing collection of taxidermy, botanical prints and specimens, religious relics, oil paintings, gorgeous chandeliers and antique china. And his shop was so small and packed that he had to stand outside on the sidewalk...no sales counter here.
Why bother anyway, it leaves more room for inventory!

I spent a lot of time peeking into every little nook and cranny. Didn't want to miss a thing! I studied his shop like I was cramming for my mid term finals. My affection was obvious and he allowed me to take photos...so glad he did (many don't). In the shot above I loved the chalkware cow and the small landscape prints wrapped in copper frames. Can you spot them?

His mirror selection was amazing and he had them wrapped all around the store. My sister collects sunburst mirrors and has a wall of them in her home. They make for a beautiful gallery. And don't you love the vintage cannisters, cafe au lait bowls and mis-matched sets of china?

Hello amazing gray cabinet...will you squeeze into my luggage please? And I don't mind if everything in it comes along too.

I found his prices to be similar to those at the flea markets. I bought a gorgeous antique oil painting and a shadow box butterfly specimen. Will show you those later, promise. 

I'm positive the owner scours the best flea markets in and around Paris. He doesn't even open his shop until 1pm. Probably to ensure plenty of time for treasure hunting. And he also doesn't have a website. But if you're going to Paris and love antique shops, I would not miss this one. 
The next time I'm in Paris...I'm heading here first!

l'Objet que Parle
86 rue des Martyrs
Paris, 75018
Open Mon-Sat 1pm to 7:30pm

Paris ~ Farmers Markets

Thanks for your sweet comments on the Paris posts. You've motivated me to carry on and I hope you continue to enjoy the adventure via the comfort of your home or even better, that it might possibly encourage you to make plans to travel to the far away places of your dreams.

Today I'm going to share two of our favorite farmers markets. They have a few similarities but are also very different. The first is the Sunday market on Rue Cler. This charming cobblestone pedestrian street is lined with adorable shops, boulangeries, cafes, markets and food purveyors of all sorts of delicacies.
To sum it up...come hungry.

This is where I met a lovely elderly woman (probably in her 70's) dressed in her Sunday finest including a pristine mink coat. She was directing me as to where to get a delicious brunch speaking only French. It played out like a scene from a movie...only it was real. I wish I had taken her photo because she was BEAUTIFUL.
We stopped at the place she recommended, Cafe Du Marche and had delicious omelets and croissants followed by large cups of cafe creme. Yum.
Afterwards, we shopped the markets, picked up a few pastries for later and watched all the lovely French families doing the exact same thing.

Our other favorite was the Raspail Organic Marketlocated between rue de Cherche Midi and rue de Rennes. This is more of an authentic farmers market with the vendors set up under tents lining the street. The Barefoot Contessa shops this market although we didn't bump into her. You can find the best organic produce here. Amazing pears, apples, plums, figs, carrots...such luscious fruits and veggies!

Here is where I fell victim to peer pressure from an adorable French farmer and tried the goose pate...definitely NOT my thing. But the duck was very good and I brought a jar home for The Man. I also bought a set of 12 horn spoons and a few serving pieces from another vendor and I was tempted by the wonderful market baskets in every color in the rainbow.

Looking back through my photos I can see how I was easily enamoured with so many ordinary and utilitarian things like the fruit crates all piled up. I thought they were kind of pretty with their French words and colorful graphics. And I was even charmed by the waxed paper produce bags because it's no secret that I'm such a sucker for cute packaging.  As they say, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
Or in my case, the camera lens.

Marie Antoinettes Hamlet

One of our favorite days in Paris was our trip to Chateau Versailles. We hopped the early morning train and spent the entire day touring the Chateau, Grand Trianon, Petit Trianon, the Grand Canal and Marie Antoinettes Hamlet.

While the chateau was very crowded with tourists, we found that most did not venture out to see the other highlights making the grounds at the hamlet rather quiet and peaceful. As I would have imagined it was for Marie Antoinette.

The barns had adorable farm animals wandering about which are cared for today by the Assistance aux Animaux. On our 15 minute walk to the estate grounds the weather was cloudy, drizzly and then instantly filled with sunshine and we were greeted by a rainbow!

While many believe that Marie Antoinette lived here, she actually lived the majority of the time at the Petit Trianon. The Hamlet Estate was built for her from 1783-1785 to provide country amusements for herself and her children. In other words, an old fashioned royal amusement park.

My favorite area of the hamlet was La Laiterie de Preparation or The Creamery. For such a humble exterior the interior was encased with marble. The floors, walls, ceiling even the tables and countertops....all marble! This is where the Queen would receive fresh milk served in porcelain cups. Can you imagine?

If you're planning a trip to Paris I would definitely set aside a day to visit Versailles. You can spend your time imagining what it must have been like to live there, stroll the gardens, have a yummy baguette while picnicking near the Grand Canal or take a row boat out for a romantic afternoon. It's just a wonderful way to spend the day. The easiest way to get to the Chateau Versailles is by train.
Here's the best guide I found on how to do just that!

I hope you're enjoying my Paris posts. I realize it's like seeing someone elses vacation photos...maybe kind of boring? Have no idea if you'd like me to continue or just move on to the giveaway and our regularly scheduled programming? Either way is fine by me! xo, H

Paris ~ Les Fleurs

After we settled into our apartment the first thing we did was head to the market for provisions and fresh flowers to make our nest cozy. We had our priorities straight, non? But I must confess...I took an obscene amount of flower images during our stay. So many that my daughter would automatically stop before me at any flower shop because she knew I was going to take more.
How can one resist such loveliness?

If you're looking for a shop filled to the brim with choices (and great photo ops) my pick would be Cler Fleurs located on Rue Cler in the 7th. They also have a fantastic Sunday market on Rue Cler which I'll post about later!
But if I were looking to experience a true Parisian fleuriste or something more unique, my choice would be Les Fleurs Des Georges Gay. This tiny shop is located a few streets behind the Louvre and was the most charming one I had ever seen. They had wonderful autumnal displays, gorgeous flowers, overflowing urns filled with beautiful plants and a nice mix of antiques and garden elements.
Plus it smelled divine. Like the earth and fresh cut roses.  

Paris ~ Locks of Love

With Paris being known as the city of romance, it comes as no surprise that lovers from around the world would want to secure their love pact while visiting. They have done so by the thousands with their locks of love strewn across the bridges of the Seine River.



We witnessed many couples writing their names or initials and special date on a padlock, sealing their love with a kiss and throwing the key into the water. Swoon. Sooo romantic. I quickly volunteered to take photos for many of the lovestruck couples. Just couldn't help myself. I'm a sucker for romance.

If you go to Paris, please make sure you stop and see them. It's absolutely wonderful to witness for yourself all the love and goodness in the world.
The bridges we saw them on were the Pont du Carrousel and the Passerelle de Arts. These two bridges connect the Louvre and the Left Bank. Easy to find on any Paris map. Long live love! xo, H

Paris ~ The Gardens

The gardens and parks of Paris are the jewels of the city. They are filled with gorgeous fountains, tree lined paths, manicured lawns and park benches scattered throughout encouraging you to sit, relax and take in the beauty.

These images were taken from three different gardens. The Jardin du Luxembourg, Place des Vosges and Jardin des Tuileries.

The Jardin du Luxembourg is the second largest public park in Paris. It's located in the 6th arrondisment and is the garden of the French Senate. We loved the fountains here! And their amazing planted urns filled with seasonal flowers. We heard from a local that it's best to visit it in the morning when it's quiet.

The Jardin des Tuileries was my personal favorite. It's located in front of the Louvre and was created in 1564. Astonishing. It's the perfect spot for a picnic. You can sit on the lawns and have a view of the Eiffel Tower, stop by the carousel and hear children laughing, sit by the fountain and snack on crepes or glace and people watch til your hearts content.

Place des Vosges is the oldest square in Paris and is surrounded by lovely apartments. It was built between 1605 and 1612 by Henri IV. After visiting the park I would recommend strolling through the arcades. They have quaint shops, art galleries and cafes. Oh, and you can reach this park quickly by going through the Hotel de Sully, into a small courtyard and then through a door on the right...voila, you're in the square. It's very charming and you'll feel like a local here.

Paris ~ First Impressions

It's clear to see why the world loves Paris. Falling in love with this beautiful city happens the minute you set eyes on it. There is pure magic in the air.

When we arrived in France our first sightseeing visit was to Le Tour Eiffel. It seemed to be the perfect starting point for our adventure. The views from the top were spectacular...breathtaking. Les Invalides, the gold dome church in the photo above is where Napoleon is burried.

You could easily see how the entire city was layed out with it's arrondisments, historic buildings and monuments and the peaceful Seine River running through. 

After our visit we hopped on a boat to ride along the Seine. The bridges were amazing. Each one different than the next and the amount of detail that went into them was astonishing. Carved stone monograms and wreaths, gold gilding, copper plating...all gorgeous.

I have so much to share with you. We explored the city from early morning until the sun set every single day we were there. We went to museums and monuments, took strolls in parks, traveled by metro daily, hit the flea markets, flower shops, food markets and antique stores, shopped at Laudree and many others, leisured at sidewalk cafes, visited historic cathedrals, went to an ancient cemetary, took the train to Chateau Versailles and so much more.

We also shot video of our trip and I'm having a couple short films made from them. And I bought presents to giveaway here on the blog! So my friends, I suppose a disclaimer might be in order...be prepared for a lot of Paris.