Almost Springtime in Paris

I was recently in Europe for work (Geneva and Amsterdam), and decided to stay a little longer and take the train down to Paris for the weekend.  Arriving in the Gare du Nord is like emerging into some sort of old world state of grace.  To me, everything just feels right in Paris--the food, the art, the parks, the architecture, the streets--I found myself moving more slowly, breathing more deeply, looking at my surroundings with dreamy eyes.  Paris is like an antidote for the hurry and unpoetic details of day to day life.  It is a balm made up of pain au chocolat, beautiful boulevards, sidewalk cafes, french wine, teeny shops, late dinners and the art of Rodin, Seurat, Matisse and Monet.  

Here is some of the loveliness found in a weekend of wandering and lingering...

{Montmartre}

{Notre Dame}

{Sculpture at the Louvre}

{Paris Architecture}

{Rodin Sculpture Garden with Les Invalides}

{Street Lamp Detail}

{Shakespeare & Company Bookstore}

{Secondhand Books Upstairs}

{Psyche Revived by Cupid's Kiss at Louvre}

{Metro Entrance}

{View from my Little Hotel Balcony}

{Sacre Couer}

{Pont des Arts with Love Locks}

{Moulin Rouge}

I took all the above photos using Instagram (see all my photos here).  I did not want to burden myself with hauling around my usual camera, so I just carried my iPhone and used Instagram to edit my photos and Postale to create and send off virtual postcards to family and friends (love that app--allows you to even customize your stamp and automatically post stamps the card with your location and date--you can also have them print and send a physical postcard of your design).    

I bought little, but upon returning I wanted to do something with my collection of Instagram photos so I sent them away to Origami (an Instagram photo printing site) to have them printed into one of their charming photo packets.  I will share the results once those arrive...until then, au revoir and wishing you a bit of Paris balm in your life...