Something Borrowed

I don't know about you, but I love borrowing little things to wear from my husband. Mostly t-shirts to sleep in (I am not showing you these) and scarves. We actually even have two scarves that we bought in Yorkshire and that were meant to be "scarves to be shared" from the very start. 

These are nice, but I really like the feeling of spending my day with something borrowed from my other half. It makes my sentimental and romantic self feel like we are a bit together all day even if we're each at our respective works on different sides of Paris. 

Scarves keep me warm, they keep me stylish and the borrowed ones make me feel loved and glad for my marriage. They are my secret weapons that give me self-confidence and all kinds of warmth and kindness I might need at any given moment. 

Everyone shall sometimes borrow something, to feel you have somebody with you wherever you go. It works the other way, too. Borrow and lend, lend and borrow. A scarf, a t-shirt, trousers... No limits.

PS.: My favourite jeans shorts used to be my husband's jeans (not shorts, obviously).

Rain and Underwear

This past Sunday, we got a little preview of Autumn. It rained most of the day and the temperature peaked somewhere around 14'C. I loved it. I love walking around in the rain (with a big umbrella and a hot cup of tea when I get back home).

 

Seeing the weather, we headed out to see an exhibition in the Musée des Arts décoratifs. It's probably my favourite museum in Paris, the permanent collections are great and all the exhibits we've seen there were extremely interesting, well done and lovely. 

In the past few years we've seen Hussein Chalayan, Louis Vuitton & Marc Jacobs and Fashioning Fashion. All great.

The one currently on (and till the beginning of November) is called "La mécanique des dessous, une histoire indiscrète de la silhouette". If you ever had questions about underwear in Europe from the Renaissance up to today, this is where you might find most of your answers. Oh, and you can even try some of the torture devices on.

Starry Nights

There is something refreshing about the end of August, about late summer. The nights and mornings get cooler, in a very pleasant way and the days are still warm and very sunny. This weather reminds me of my childhood / early teenage summer camps when we'd melt like ice creams running around during the hot days then freeze our little butts off during the cold nights. 

How we loved the roaring fire and the warmth of our sleeping bags and hated to walk around in the silent and cold camp when it was our turn to be "on guard". Even though I am still scared as hell when I think about it, these were the moments I learned to appreciate the pure beauty of a sparkling, star dusted sky. So many stars it was impossible to take them all in. Everytime now, when I see a really beautiful starry sky, when the night is so black you can even see the Milky Way, those childhood memories get back to me and I stand again on the cold damp soil, surrounded by nothing but deep forests and a canopy so beautiful it takes my breath away.

I might have replaced the stars by flowers in today's outfit, but it made my day anyway. Oh, and the stars landed in millions on my shoes.

 

 

In my early teenage years, I watched those starry canopies from forests my grandparents and parents couldn't set their feet in for over 40 years, just because they were too close to "the capitalist West". I am so glad we can go there, and further around for over 20 years now. Don't forget history, don't forget that 45 years ago Czechoslovakia was invaded by Soviet tanks, but look forward and enjoy every day, that's what our ancestors asked for but couldn't really do. Let's enjoy starry nights and the immensity of the universe, let's dream every day!

Across the Border

First of all, sorry for this huge vacuum since my last post. I didn't really have access to the Internet last week. But I had access to family, nature, long walks and mountain air. 

Living in Europe, it feels great to travel around, forgetting there once (not so long ago!) were borders. Living, working, traveling where you want within this one big, beautiful and diverse place that is Europe. 

Last week, we went for two hikes on the Czech-Polish "border" in the Giant Mountains (Krkonoše). Up there, with the birds signing, the clouds and fog rolling from the valleys and the pure, fresh mountain air, I was happy. And quite importantly, my always dry eyes were happy in the mountaint air, too!

It's a great feeling when your legs hurt, because you spent your day hiking in a beautiful landscape.

Krkonoše <3 p="">

Côte d'Azur, Côte d'Amour

Leaving everything behind, taking just your husband and friends, your swimsuit, your sandals, your sunscreen, your hat and sunglasses, some sundresses, shorts and tops. Thinking only about what kind of beautiful place you will go to the next day, what beach with turquoise waters you will be spending your time at and what ice cream flavour to pick next. That's my idea of a relaxing holiday.

And it's exactly what happened to me last week. Lucky girl, huh?

Starting your holidays with a beautiful wedding weekend probably gives it the right kick off, too. Most people start their holidays with stress while packing (have you packed your toothbrush!?!), being late at the airport, at the train station or stuck in a traffic jam. I guess starting them with a happy feeling is a much better option.

I was a bit worried the happy feeling would go away with the wedding over, but it didn't happen. It stayed with me all week. I couldn't believe all these shades of blue were true, in front of my very own eyes, in the Mediterranean, so close to several big cities. Waters so clear I could see my feet perfectly and at one point, even the fish swimming very deep below me. Without a tuba and a mask, just watching through several meters of water!

The best thing about St Tropez are not the bling yachts, it's the sunset.

We stayed not very far from the city of Hyères. When I discovered it was in Hyères that the name Côte d'Azur was born in the 19th century, I could completely understand why. I might be a colour freak, but as well as I couldn't help but marvel at all the different shades and hues of green in the Lake District this spring, this time I couldn't believe the different shades of blue the sea had up its sleeve. Azure, of course, but also baby blue, cyan and cobalt, teal, sapphire, turquoise, sky blue and deep marine blue. Some of those blues were so strange, they didn't even seem natural. But they were! With no filters, no sunglasses on, my head just above the water in one of the Calanques, the sea had a Smurf colour.

 

 

 

 

 

Fish!

Grand Site des Gorges du Verdon.

 

Vulture 

Moustiers

Lavender Fields.

And in this water we walked, jumped in the waves, swam, had fun, ate ice cream, talked, dived and windsurfed. Yes we did!