We just celebrated Christmas in July: our Christmas present to The Queen Mum was a girls trip to Savannah, and we were finally able to coordinate the trip this past weekend. All 5 daughters, 3 daughters-in-law, and Mom: almost everyone made it. So 9 of us flew in from 4 states for a 4 day week-end in Sweat-vannah.

And of course when Moi travels, she shops! Savannah is filled with fun and unusual shops, and we shopped them all! A few of Moi finds were:

• a mini French vintage pillbox from The Paris Market and Brocante
  
• serving tongs decorated with blue sea glass from Eclectibles

• a kitchen timer at Kitchens on the Square. I love it because it sits easily on my stovetop, has a magnet that can attach to the micro, and a huge clip to attach to my shirt if I’m wandering around the apartment. And of course, because it’s blue!

And a pair of bevel-edge spatulas that are supposed to be the best-ever because they’re heat resistant up to  500°, and the beveled edges make it easier to get underneath the food.

And for TBG?    pickles! The last time we were in Savannah he discovered his all-time favorite pickles. We couldn’t remember the names of the pickles, or the stores, but I tracked them down:

• Good and Evil Pickles from Southern Gents Antiques, a charming antiques shop with a gourmet food section

• Sweet Fire Pickles from The Peanut Shop

12 jars of pickles are being shipped to TBG. Now I just need to find shelf space for all those pickle jars…

Moi tip: planning your own girls week-end in Savannah? Here are a few more things in Savannah that make Moi happy :

• walking tour with Bobby Davis of Explore Savannah
• hoe cakes and pulled pork at Paula Deen’s Lady & Sons (and a little Butt Massage to take home!)
• the peach martini at Vic’s on the River
• touring The Mercer Williams House
• dinner at The Olde Pink House
• a NY-style slice at Vinnie Van Go-Go’s Pizza in City Market
• $2 Bud Lights, great music and a fun crowd at Savannah Smiles Dueling Piano Saloon

It all started with Lance Armstrong’s LiveStrong yellow rubberband bracelet: we lived in Paris at the time, he was of course our Tour de France hero. Wearing the bracelet was a fun chic way to proclaim our national pride, plus it inspired envy in all our French friends who of course wanted their own LiveStrong band. Trading ensued.

Wearing one or multiple rubber wristbands has become an increasingly trendy way to proclaim your allegiances:

• pink Race for the Cure (even a pink thumb-band)
• school colors to honor your alma mater
• white fundraiser for your church

This year the kids are even more into rubberband bracelets with SillyBandz, in colorful animal and logo shapes.

The trend has expanded to include adult fashionista arms layered with stretchable bangles made of rubber, beads, stones and metal.

Moi? I went classic retro for my wrist band. On my recent Paris trip I strolled into Cartier and selected the Cartier Trinity Wristband, Cartier’s symbol of love, friendship and fidelity. TBG gifted me several pieces from the Trinity collection throughout our 30th anniversary year, so the Trinity collection is very personal to me. As I always mix silver and gold jewelry, the circles of pink, yellow and white gold are very Moi.

But did I choose classic black cord? Mais non! My trinity wristband is made of French blue cord, bien sur! and if I tire of the blue (highly doubtful) Cartier will graciously make a new band at any time, in the color of your choice. Hmmm, that could be a dangerous promise!

Moi tip: If you like the Cartier Trinity Wristband and are traveling to Paris soon, consider buying your bracelet on your trip. With the current euro v. dollar exchange rate the bracelets are priced cheaper in Paris, and with your non EU resident status you can get your VAT refund at the airport, saving another approximately 15%. This strategy works for most French luxury goods.

If you’ve been reading along you know three things that make Moi happy are Paris, antiques and my iPhone. You may also know that I’m on twitter, and in addition to having twitter followers, I’ve been following some new favorites that make me happy. And Monday morning I read:

Our Flea Markets of Paris App has Launched! Check it out on itunes!

http://ax.itunes.apple.com/us/app/keys-to-the-fleas/id380432477?mt=8

So immediately I clicked on the link, went to iPhones, read about the new app by Claudia Strasser, and within seconds had purchased, downloaded, and was excitedly reading and mental note-taking on some of my fave and soon-to-be-fave Paris flea markets.

I first discovered Claudia Strasser and The Paris Apartment on twitter through The Antiques Diva, it then led me to Claudia’s blog. The Paris Apartment is a romantic, sensual Parisian shopping spree of all that is fun and fanciful and fabulous, with enticements to translate vintage finds into our modern lives. Like Claudia I’ve lived in NYC and South Florida as well as Paris and could relate to many of her adventures in shopping, and fell passionately in love with her photos of antiques and Parisian decor and lifestyle. Claudia’s passion for the fleas extends to her Paris Apartment books, shopping trips, and interior design. Her passion pays off in Keys to the Fleas: it’s a Paris flea market shopping guide extraordinaire!

the details:

I’m shopping now!

J’adore all things blue: blue bags of pretzel M&Ms, my new bleu sel marin (sea salt) jar from POSH Chicago, and Moi blau zwiebelmuster (blue onion) crock that I scored on a shopping trip with The Antiques Diva in Berlin. Read all about it…

And a correction:

As you can see on the crock, the old German spelling was Cacao. not Cocoa, and with a period after the o. So the last line explaining the Deutsch Rightig Sprechen und Schreiben should say:

As a result, Cacao. became Kakao.

Tschüss!

How come no one ever writes a song about returning home from a great trip? Along with the tedium of unpacking comes the fun of showing off your new finds! After my recent trip to Paris I lugged home these goodies. Why? Because they make me happy!

Pylones, the fun and funky French housewares chain, had these trés cool Eiffel Tower graters dangling in the front window of their Ile Saint-Louis shop, so of course a purchase was made! If you won’t be in Paris soon, Pylones has shops in NYC, as well as an online shopping site.

One of my other favorite houseware shops in the 6th on St André des Arts had these great silicon Eiffel Tower cake molds, sold in a set of 3 or individually. Of course I bought the set of 3, and will inaugurate them next week when I make individual Reine de Saba for a cocktail we’re hosting.

But not all souvenirs carry a price tag, some are found treasures! When I arrive in Paris, one of my first stops is always Monoprix. And one of my favorite aisles is la crèmerie to satisfy my craving for French yogurt. My favorite brand is La laitèrie, and my favorite flavor is citron: lemon. This yogurt is sold in charming little glass pots, and a stash of pots always accompany me home. I use them for individual servings of crème caramel, or pots de crème. (see Moi tip below) CoMo bff S uses hers as candle holders throughout the year: with a tea light inside, sometimes glittered and sparkled for the holidays, they make an easy chic table decoration.

Saint Marcellin is a yummy creamy cheese, traditionally sold in a small ceramic crock. And an empty crock traditionally makes it way into my suitcase, to be used chez Moi to serve olives, nuts, rice crackers or other little nibbles with an apéro.

Paris now boasts 35 Starbucks, and this trip I managed to visit most of them. Sadly no free wifi, but I was able to maintain my daily tradition of wandering the streets with my tall skim chai latte, extra hot (un tall chai latte, écrémé, trés chaud, svp!) and a straw. And because I can never have too much Starbucks or too many Eiffel Towers, this souvenir also smuggled itself into my suitcase:

Moi tip: I have many authentic recipes for crème caramel and pots de crème that I learned living in Paris, but I have to confess to loving this super simple recipe I discovered when Rachel Ray appeared on Oprah a few years ago, works every time. (note: I never add the mint or the whipped cream) Perfect for my little empty yogurt pots!

Rachel Ray’s Decadent Chocolate Cups with Whipped Cream

INGREDIENTS
2/3 cup whole milk
1 egg
2 Tbsp. sugar
Pinch salt
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 Tbsp. hazelnut liqueur or dark rum
4 demitasse cups
1 cup whipping cream
2 Tbsp. sugar
Mint sprigs, for garnish, optional

When planning your menu, make this dessert first to allow these chocolate cups to set and chill.

Heat milk in a small pan over moderate heat until it comes to a boil. In blender or food processor or turn on blender to low setting. Pour in boiling milk in a slow stream. The hot milk will cook the egg and melt the chocolate. Process or blend 1 minute, until smooth. Spoon chocolate into 4 demitasse cups and chill. After dinner, beat cream until soft peaks form. Add a little sugar and beat to combine. Top the chocolate cups with a dollop of cream and garnish each cup with mint sprigs. Place cups on saucers and serve with demitasse spoons. If you use teacups, this recipe will yield 2 cups, rather than 4.

My morning mail yielded a gorgeous watercolor postcard of a Japanese harbor from CoMo bff S.

S lived in Tokyo, and she and her husband were reliving their Tokyo days. The postmark is Tsubuka (I had to look it up: Tsubuka is a planned city known as the Science City, about an hour NE of Tokyo). The card of the Mount Tsubuka harbor was so charming, and her note so cute, I had to share.

Dear Moi -

Konnichiwa!       Life in Japan is great. I’m sitting at a Starbucks drinking a matcha green tea latté… Rest after a full day of shopping.

Hot fashions right now:

- black tights under peter pan-style shorts

- country garden rompers

- fake nails with each finger a different color

Don’t think I’ll waste suitcase space on any of these trend setters!

S

Now you know why we’re bffs!

After a morning of shopping, we bid adieu to Paris with a cruise on the Seine, followed by a nighttime visit to admire le Tour Eiffel sparkling in all her glitter.

Wandering the banks of the Seine with warm, runny crepes oozing with nutella (for la fille) or fromage (Omaha bff J and Moi), we chose Bateaux Parisiens for our cruise, because it was right in front of us and ready to depart.

Then at 10pm, as the late Paris dusk settled on us, a final nutella crepe to bid à bientôt to Paris, the City of Light, under the Eiffel Tower lights.

Á la prochaine!

Every girl needs a castle! We took the train from Paris to Melun to visit Vaux le Vicomte, the masterpiece 17th century chateau and gardens that were the inspiration for Versailles.

And after, a visit to the Chateau’s fabulous gift shop!

Bonne Fête des Mères!

This trip to Paris was planned to celebrate the 10th birthday of a very special girl who was born in Paris but moved away when she was just weeks old. Omaha bff J and Moi reserved a celebratory lunch at my favorite restaurant anywhere, Le Grand Véfour.

What could be more memorable than a 3 hour, 9 course (5 desserts!) meal at an exquisite historic French restaurant impeccably prepared and served? Having the birthday girl served her dessert complete with candle, flowers, and a commemorative photo.

I believe all her dreams have come true! Merci bien, Le Grand Véfour.

Bonjour a tous!

Zara came to the US a few years ago, but we’ve yet to see Zara Home or Zara Baby. I’ve already been to both twice on Moi fave shopping street in Paris, Passy (in the tres BCBG 16th arrondissement).

Zara Baby has baby clothes that are cute, trendy, practical and reasonably priced. Look at this fab wax candlestick I found at Zara Home for 14euros. I’ve seen similar candlestick candles in the US for over $75! Zara Home features dishware, linens, and home accessories.

More Zara, svp.