Paris Is Always A Good Idea
Illustration by Ann Boyajian
Dearest Friends,
Audrey Hepburn was credited with the saying, “Paris is always a good idea.” If you’ve ever fallen in love with Paris, then you know that a part of you always lives there. Even if you aren’t ready to hop a transcontinental flight, Paris is a place of the imagination.
When I was 10, my family and I moved to Paris for a year. While I was there, I started collecting postage stamps. Friends and neighbors who knew of my collection gifted me with beautiful stamps from Russia, France, and even Japan. To me, these tiny colorful keepsakes were exciting a window onto the world. I’ve written about my French stamp collection in Postmark Paris, a book composed of vignettes and images of the stamps that I collected during my time there. More than being simply a book about stamps, Postmark Paris highlights wonders and delights around the city, from the secret workshop hung with massive, ornate tapestries to the dream-like murals on the ceiling of the Paris Opera House.
When you think about Paris, what comes to mind? If you are like me, you might be dreaming of watching the sailboats lazily floating in the Jardins du Luxembourg, or searching for ripe peaches at the market on the rue Mouffetard, or sitting in a cafe enjoying a buttery croissant. Or, perhaps, you’re contemplating walking alongside the Seine, simply taking it all in. No matter what you dream of—and whether you’re planning a trip to the City of Light or not—here are five ways to savor the pleasures of Paris.
With so much love,
Leslie
Collect in French
As a kid living in Paris, nothing captivated me more than the French postage stamps. These timbres were big and bold, rich-hued, pocket-sized artworks depicting knights and queens, magicians and madonnas. Some stamps highlighted circus acts, others great battles, while my very favorite stamps featured creatures real and imagined: horses and roosters and monkeys, angels and devils and unicorns. That year, I spent countless hours poring over books at my neighborhood stamp shop, searching for new treasures to add to my albums. That collection—a veritable mini-gallery of tiny masterworks—became a memento, a time capsule of my year abroad, and, eventually, Postmark Paris. Read more about how I built that miniature art collection, then dive into Postmark Paris, a stamp-led stroll through my year in the City of Light. Looking to collect tiny, beautiful Parisian treasures of your own? Check out Makers Paris, a shop featuring works created by the city’s independent artists, artisans, and designers.
Eat in French
Illustration by Lizzy Stewart
Experience the delights of Paris through food and cookbooks. One of our favorite French cookbooks at the moment is Rebekah Peppler’s new book, À Table. Rebekah, an American food writer based in Paris, has collected 125 beautiful, unfussy recipes, including classics and dishes that incorporate influences from the city’s Vietnamese, North African, and Middle Eastern communities. If you’re looking to feed a crowd this summer, there’s always Georgeanne Brennan’s grand aioli with roasted salmon from Feed Your People. And if you’re headed to Paris and looking to eat where the chefs do? Check out Angie Niles’ Bright Lights Paris, a guide on where to dine, shop, stay, and find inspiration in Paris, peppered with tips from chefs and other insiders.
Drink in French
A wonderful French drink can transport you to a summer evening spent lingering at a Paris café. In his latest book, Drinking French, David Lebovitz, author of the bestselling My Paris Kitchen, features recipes for Gallic beverages of all kinds, from tisanes to aperitifs, cordials to classic cocktails. For the ultimate French evening, pair your sipper with a novel set in the French capital. May we suggest Sanaë Lemoine’s deliciously transgressive debut novel, The Margot Affair?
Draw in French
Illustration by Emma Block
Paris has famously inspired countless artists. In Everyone Loves Paris, over 50 illustrators pay visual homage to the city, highlighting wonders great (the Arc de Triomphe) and small (the distinctive green metal chairs from the Jardins du Luxembourg). Page through the book with your dear ones, and share your love for the City of Light.
Plan Your Next Dream Trip
Illustration by Lizzy Stewart
Are you ready to plan your next trip to Paris? Whether it’s your first trip or your fiftieth, you’ll find that—in this lovely, infinite city—there’s always something new to discover. Love art, design, and fashion? Eva Jorgensen’s thoughtfully curated book, Paris By Design, is a fount of inspiration for the creatively inclined. Fascinated by flowers? Chart your way through the city’s finest gardens with the help of photographer Georgianna Lane’s beautiful book, Paris In Bloom. You can also find inspiration for your wanderings in my ode to the City of Light, The Little Pleasures of Paris. Over many years and visits, I’ve found that the magic of Paris resides everywhere, from the grand monuments like Notre Dame and the Eiffel Tower to the small wonders scattered around the city. This book highlights the places and rituals of Paris that enchant me most, from Parisian breakfast at the café to the exotic plumage at the bird market, from the quiet garden where “The Thinker” sits in eternal contemplation to the luminous colors of the rose window at St. Chapelle. Dive into The Little Pleasures of Paris, and let it be your spirit guide for your next trip.
For more ideas on ways to savor the pleasures of Paris this summer, check out Postmark Paris, The Little Pleasures of Paris, and Everyone Loves Paris.