To: PARIS

On Saturday we leave for Paris via Toronto.  I like the fact that we have a 4-hour flight and then get a wee break before the 6-hour flight to gay Paris.  It gives my migraineur's brain a break and also gives me time to gather another small stash of magazines. 

We've decided to cancel the London leg of the journey, at Eurostar's suggestion.  We just didn't want the hassle.  So we have 14 days to visit Paris properly and make some day trips out of the city.

David and I managed to pack lightly and each have less than a full suitcase (plus my carry-on).  We're bringing a spare suitcase along for gifts and purchases (if I go crazy at the flea market and buy a zillion things...)

Off to bed to nurse my still-aching shoulder and arm and still-numb fingers and hope that I feel fabulous soon (and that it isn't just the red wine talking).

Off to sleep and to dream of all the things we will do. 

Farewell, Terri 

xo

P.S.  Back in 2 weeks!

Photos from Shoot Factory

Not so fast - literally!!

If you haven't heard, there was a fire in the chunnel (the rail tunnel between England and France which passes under the English Channel) last week and this has affected train service between Paris and London.  I didn't follow the issue closely as I didn't realize it was so serious and assumed it would be handily resolved in time for our trip from Paris to London (Sept.25-28).

However, today we received this email from Eurostar (the train operator):

We are currently offering refunds or exchanges for journeys up to and including 30th of September. For journeys beyond this date, we are still reviewing the situation. Please visit our web site at www.eurostar.com which will show the latest updates as soon as we have them.

Eurostar trains are still running on a restricted timetable. We would ask you to not travel unless absolutely necessary. If you already have a booking and are not able to cancel your journey, please check in for your journey at your allocated time. We will do our up most to get you on the next available train. However please be advised that there are long queues at the stations and you may have to wait.

They are advising people not to travel unless "absolutely necesary".  I don't know about you, but visiting those marvellous  London shops, having a few pints down at the pub, and eating fish and chips for 3 meals a day was sounding pretty damned necessary to me.

But seriously, David and I are on the fence.  Do we cancel our reservation and get the train fare back and cancel the London hotel too (they need 4 days notice, so we have time), or do we take our chances?  From what I understand, there are about 1/3 of the normal number of trains running between London and Paris, since both northbound and southbouand trains need to use the SAME tunnel now.  Usually there are separate north- and south-bound tunnels, but fire damaged much of one of these  tunnels.

This means that 100% of passengers are being accomodated on 33% of the trains, so there are delays and service is SLOW (much slower than the usual 2h journey!) since there is now wait time for the tunnel to clear, etc.

What do you think?  Should we chance it?  The fact is - we will have to sit and wait a lot, I suspect, and nothing is urgent. We could always book a day trip to Lyon or Zurich or Aix en Provence, for example.  The fast trains (TGV) go to many places these days in very short time.

We'll decide tomorrow.  What a downer.

Europe: What (not) to wear?

Since our European adventure is just 'round the corner, I've little time left for posting.

After a physio session, an acupuncture session, and 2nd visit with my chiropractor this morning (in an effort to repair my shoulder and uncompress those compressed nerves), I picked up my dry cleaning and tailoring so I'll look freshly pressed for our grand trip.  I'm not taking many clothes, in an effort to minimize the luggage (and, let's face it girls - maximize the shopping whilst abroad).  

My celebrity chiropractor (he treats all the Olympians and Ironmen in Calgary!) has advised me not to use my right arm too much (all those compressed nerves) and don't lift anything with the right shoulder - not even my purse!  Sure, and how does one get from here to Europe without using one's right side?

Anyway, it hurts like heck to do much of anything, so perhaps I can get across the pond relying solely on my left hand and a kind boyfriend. 

Anyway, enough whining - back to packing!  

I'm taking two pairs of jeans (both new, dark wash), a pair of black dress pants, and 2 pairs of beige trousers.  Most of my summer wardrobe is beige and white, but I'm zipping into autumn with a black v-neck cashmere sweater, an ivory v-neck pullover, two silky blouses (taupe and black) and a white short-sleeve blouse.  I'll bring a black suit jacket and a taupe silk jacket together with some nice tanks for under the jackets.  That's about it.  Oh, and a dress for evening.  I don't know if I'll survive with this few clothes.  Woe is me.

For shoes, I'm bringing very cute Geox runners in tan and white (breathable soles!), a pair of silver-y flats (with a wee wedge heel), and a pair of black heels.  I'm bringing two scarves - one silk and one cotton, and a white trench coat.  How stylish will I be?

Well, I doubt anyone will notice, but my fashion efforts are purely aimed at (i) looking vaguely put-together and (ii) not looking like an American tourist (sorry).

I'd like to bring a nice handbag, but who wants to schlep a giant satchel all day long?  Not I.  I've bought a cute little Roots messenger bag large enough for some cash, lipstick, tissues, and my amazing compact digital camera.

Ready to go?

Still tying up loose ends in the paperwork department - printing final itineraries and hotel reservations, making sure my mother has all my numbers and knows where to find me, and charging up the various batteries and finding my adapters.  I've also got all my addresses for key shopping destinations and such. 

Now, I just need to get well before this trip. I see my chiropractor every day this week and have massages both tomorrow and Friday. Our cat, Biscuit, goes to the kennel on Friday too.  And despite all my guide-book reading and web surfing, I have yet to compile a list of decent restaurants!  I can't read Chowhound at work, so let's hope David gets to this task!

Must Do's: Paris

Mon Dieu, we're leaving for Paris in less than a week!    

Despite my shoulder injury (I think I have what is called in football parlance, a "stinger"), I am keenly organizing for our trip and making a list of "must do's" for both Paris and London.

Pain is a fine excuse to sit surfing the net with a heating pad on my back and several of my favorite pain killers in my belly.

Since I've lived in Paris, my "to do" list is actually shorter than for London because there's less I need to discover. I've already seen the historical sights, visited the museums and galleries, and taken the neighbourhood walks. What I'm most interested in this time is shopping and eating (and showing David some of my favorite things).

Without further ado, here is the Paris "Must Do" list (all photos from Google Images):

1.  Visit the Eiffel tower.  I've done it countless times, but oh, it's lovely.  Plus, it's romantic and maybe I'll finally get a proposal? Right...when pigs fly.

2.  Stroll through the Marais - one of my favorite quarters for neat shops, people watching and great little restaurants.  Near this area is the Jewish quarter where we'll get roules au pavot (poppyseed rolls...yum!) and bagels.

3.  Visit Galeries Lafayette Maison and Printemps Maison.  These are the giant home decor shops of two of Paris's great department stores.  I haven't been to either "maison" store as I was a poor student when I lived here and spent every nickel I had on clothes.  But now, to heck with clothes - show me housewares!

When living in Paris, I adored a smaller department store called "la Samaritaine", but sadly it's closed for renovations.  So instead I'll visit the nearby BHV, which has a home decor section.

.

4.  French cuisine - we hope to experience some regional cuisines, like Provencal and Basque and Alsatian.  I love bouillabaisse and cassoulet and coq au vin and many of the classic french dishes, but won't be eating any escargots any time soon.

5.  Visit Village St-Paul, a warren of little antique and collectibles shops hidden in the Marais.

6.  Go for a run in Pere Lechais cemetery every morning (okay, once or twice!).  We're staying in a reputable apartment hotel facing the cemetary.  I will say hello to Oscar Wilde and Edith Piaf for you.  Oh, and Jim Morrison's buried here too!  .

7.  Visit the Musee d'Orsay and see the Impressionists.  Been there, done that, loved it.

8.  Visit the Paris flea markets - can you believe I'e never been there?  The two big ones are St-Ouen and Vanves. 

9.  Eat countless pains au chocolat and croissants and cafe cremes.  Be still my beating heart.  To heck with french restaurants - I could eat every meal at a boulangerie (bakery).

Pain au chocolat by Niko Triantafillou and DessertBuzz.com

10.  Hunt for vintage candle sconces and etchings, two of my favorite decorating things (and both small enough to pack).

11.  Okay, there's a number eleven!  Visit Ile. St-Louis, my absolute favorite place in Paris!

 

For more wonderful photos of Paris, check out one of my favorite photo-bloggers, Eric, at Paris Daily Photo. 

Pain & Pretty Pictures

For the past week, my back has been "out".  I have a miserable, sensitive back which likes to plague me with unrelenting pain as much as humanly possible.  I have wicked shoulder and neck pain, mid-back pain, and even lower-back and hip pain.  I can generally cope with this ghastly unfriendliness from my body (which also sees fit to inflict me with daily headache) but can find no logical rhyme nor reason for its despicable behaviour.

Perhaps I am meant to learn some noble lesson from my back pain?  But I have been listening and waiting, and nursing and attending for years now, and I am no closer to the lofty wisdom I am meant to receive.  So I've decided there is no deep meaning in my pain - it's just a black hole at the center of my life which simply IS.

I've grown tired of searching for meaning.  I'm tired of searching for drugs, for practitioners, for sea changes to my personality, for wisdom from books and sages and shamans.  I am tired of massages and acupuncture, and having my chi adjusted.  I have been rolfed and "Grastoned" and actively-released.

I've been shiatsu'd and drank lots of herbs.  I've been detoxed and have deep-breathed and read countless books on Buddhism.  I've read "Eat Pray Love" and "The Greatness Guide" and "The Alchemist" and "Healing your Headaches" and countless other titles meant to enliven my spirit and help me fix myself by finding myself (even when I wasn't lost).

I've meditated and done yoga and had talk therapy and biofeedback. I've taken anxiety drugs and anti-depressants (when I wasn't depressed, just exhausted) and most of the fibromyalgia and nerve pain and migraine drugs you can list.  I've had nerve blocks and muscle freezing.  I even tried "nothing" and stopped catering to myself and sat quietly for months and ignored it. I stopped trying.  I tried stopping.  I did and I didn't do everything and nothing.  I've been acupressured and physiotherapied, if I didn't mention it before.

I have several chiropractors' cell phone numbers and three regular massage therapists.  

Which leaves me at tonight.  My back has been bad since last weekend.  I have extreme pain in my right shoulder and traps and down my right arm and have had three massages this week. I stayed home from work one day (due to accompanying headache) and I've been sleeping with a hot water bottle and a heating pad attached to my body in various positions.  I've been taking muscle relaxants and oh, by the way - trying to get ready for Paris in 8 days.  For God's sake, I do not have time for this!

I can't even surf the net, or write, because it hurts.  

So please feel sorry for me and send me your prayers.  And don't make suggestions about what to try, please.  I have heard them all before, I assure you.  

In the meantime, enjoy these beautiful photos from Country By Mail, a delightful Swedish company which gives me my country fix when I need it.  And made this post seem much prettier than it was!

Isn't this crown precious?  I covet it, even in pain.

I promise more about Paris and London soon - I have so many plans to tell you about.

Belles nouvelles choses (pretty new things)

Pardon my french, but I'll be in Paris in 10 days, so already I'm thinking in this gorgeous language!

I've posted some pictures of lovely things I've recently acquired. The first is a pretty little caddy I purchased at my favorite antiques shop in Okotoks, called On A Lark. I believe it's a cracker caddy, but I've re-purposed it as a tea-light holder. I think it does a marvellous job in this capacity, don't you? I don't have many silver things, but this sparking little number really lights up my dinner table!

Next is a considerate wee gift I received from my sweet e-friend, Susanne, in Spain. I won her contest and received a care package containing some wonderful things - a sweet little "Bonheur" linen heart (that I love and which hangs near the front door, so I see it when I come in), a perfect little salt bowl, and three packs of the most amazing spices. My kitchen smelled great for days after I opened the package! Inside I found cardamom, exquisite chilis, and chimichurri (new to me!), which is used in marinades (I've found a recipe!). I can't wait to try them all! Thanks Susanne!

This!

I've decided that THIS is the headboard I want for my spare bedroom. Ideally, I'd prefer a complete upholstered bed frame (with footboard and rails), but there are several issues with this: (i) the room is rather small, (ii) I want to place the bed in front of a window so the headboard can't be taller than 45" and (iii) my budget is tight.

But mostly, it's been a real challenge to find a classical, pretty, low profile upholstered bed frame. I found one by Mitchell Gold for $3700, a little over my budget, and a little too modern.

So I've decided to build my own headboard base, upholster it, and then cover it with this lovely headboard slipcover from OKA Direct. I will visit one of the OKA shops later this month when I'm in London to see if this slipcover is worth the cost (£ 140). Seeing as how it's a simple design, I could just have one made by my tailor, but I do love the monogram on this one. And I hope the quality is good.

Oh, and luckily, the UK King bed is the same width (60") as the Canadian Queen so the headboard cover will fit precisely!

I'll still need to build a frame to fit the slipcover on, which makes me a little nervous. But my darling David is pretty handy and I've watched enough HGTV DIY shows that surely we can accomplish this minor engineering marvel? And hey, once it's done, any imperfections will be covered by the new slipcover! I might also be able to buy an ugly upholstered headboard at The Home Depot, say, and cut down the legs to fit my 45" height requirement. And I'll also have to temporary-hem the OKA headboard cover since it comes taller than 45".

How's that for ingenuity? Let's just hope the cover is as lovely as the photo suggests, and more importantly - that it's available!

While I'm shopping at OKA, I'll also hunt down these pretty little boxes, which would go swimmingly with the new headboard in the spare room:

Bedroom Inspiration: A Nest of a Room

I've been thinking about re-decorating our spare bedroom on the ground floor. Our house is a four-level split (4 floors), so the ground floor is partially-underground (but with large windows so it doesn't seem submerged). It has a guest bedroom, the family room (which has a fireplace and our television), a laundry room, a guest bathroom, and the back door leading to the garden.

We've done minimal decorating on this floor, but spend plenty of time here. In fact, we've started sleeping in the spare room and rarely sleep upstairs in the master bedroom. You see, the magical thing about the downstairs bedroom is that since the floor is just below ground, the room is perpetually cool in summer. The lower part of the house is surrounded by garden also, so the foliage helps keep in the "cool".

The spare room also has an old-fashioned awning-style window that opens into our neighbor's side yard, where there's a garden and trees. We love having the window open at night, so we can enjoy the sounds of birds and the wind in the trees. It's a charming little room with ever-so-soft light.

Eventually I'll post photos of the room (which is now green) because I've decided it's time to redecorate! I quickly chose a colour - Farrow & Ball's Skylight, a glorious grayish-blue colour that I wanted to use in my living room but wasn't brave enough. It will be perfect for this quiet little room.

I want the new room to be pretty and peaceful, a restful space that is simple and approachable, a quiet spot to read and sleep-in and snuggle, a wonderful nest of a room.

To start, I've collected a variety of photos that convey either the mood I want to capture or a design element I admire:
I love this dreamy floral room. I'm not usually so romantic, but this bed frame is perfect- I covet it, but where do I buy it in Canada? (Photo: Ideal Home UK)This room is perfect too - I love everything about it! But it's the bed frame (upholstered, ivory linen) that I adore most. The bedding is also perfect - simple and classic and full of character. (Photo: OKA direct UK, which I discovered through Joni, the wonderful and wise interior designer/blogger at Cote de Texas)Another perfect bed frame - upholstered ivory linen, with a monogram. I'll take it! And the bedding is simple and soft. I'm not a fan of the rest of the room. (Photo: OKA direct, UK)
Another delightful bed frame - tufted upholstery, and great bedding. Check out the witty little chinoiserie side table! (Photo: OKA direct UK)
Another delicious room - the wall colour is almost identical to what I've chosen, and I plan to do white window coverings too. The bedding is exquisite and I love the "textile as headboard" concept! (Photo: House to Home UK)

I'm not crazy about this room, but I do like the Gustavian headboard. This style is my second choice after upholstered. (Photo: OKA direct UK)
A close-up of a pretty Gustavian headboard. I would not use a checked fabric, but I love the classical simplicity of this style. I also like the natural linen-coloured quilt! (Photo: Country Swedish)
A soft linen valance. I like ivory or natural linen best. (Photo: House of Linnea)

This is the most suitable headboard, although I do not care for a sleigh-bed style frame. I prefer the headboard as it isn't too high, which would work better in my space since the bed will sit in front of a window! (Photo House to Home UK).

Once we return from Europe in October, I'll start painting and bed frame hunting. Any suggestions on where to find an affordable upholstered frame (and please don't tell me to DIY...I want it to look good after all)?

Sadly, I won't be able to buy any of these beautiful bed linens in the UK since the UK King bed is supposedly smaller than a Canadian Queen. Who knew? I still need to check French sizing. Any experts on these bed-size issues?