• Storefront Arts et Lumières with MailDrop, Mr. Bringas and the lamps colleensparis.com
    Let's Explore,  Neighborhoods,  Shopping/FleaMarkets/Organic

    Finding Treasure Around the Corner in the Bastille

    Have you ever wanted a specific, stylish item? And you searched until you found it? My search was for finding the hanging lamp treasure that would fit in with my 1890s library ceiling. No flea market was needed. The treasure was literally, around the corner from my apartment in the Bastille. I looked through the window of a vintage lamp store. After 27 years, I finally pushed open the door of Arts et Lumières, looked around, looked up and fell in love. Once I made the decision about buying the lamp, I took my time. Uuntil one day, the signs Tout doit Disparaitre (Everything Must Go) and Déstockage Massif (Clearance…

  • Old Lace, one of the stand at February's needlework fair, Aiguille en Fete
    Going Out

    Looking For Old Lace In Paris

    A reader asking where to find old lace in Paris is timely. The annual needlework fair, l’Aiguille en fête, has stands with old lace, old patterns, old old everything related to needlework. The needlework fair takes place between the second and third week of February. One stand at l’Aiguille en fête to look for is Quand nos grands-mères coussaient. Ultramod comes the closest to selling vintage ribbons, buttons and decorations. Another suggestion is to visit the “Brocantes” or “Marchés aux puces” – flea markets and second hand shows. Vintage needlework Visit l’Officel des spectacles for a complete list of current Paris second-hand markets. For a listing of brocantes held the…

  • Pariscope and Officiel des Spectacles are two weekly Paris event guides

    Pariscope Translated

    Pariscope – no longer publishes the weekly magazine as of October 2016. You can use the application available in Apple Store and Google Play. More on the Pariscope Facebook page. – a Paris tourist and entertainment guide – The essentials of Pariscope: Lost credit cards (01 42 77 11 90) The front cover: Front cover – du mercredi au mardi – date is from Wednesday to Tuesday Inside the Pariscope Certain vocabulary words are used throughout Pariscope. For example the days of the week, opening and performance times, prices, etc. Basic vocabulary list: Days of the week – Times: lundi (lun) – Monday mardi (mar) – Tuesday mercredi (mer) –…

  • Get Your Visit Started

    Need to Know – Need to Have The essential travel items to obtain when you first arrive are good maps. I recommend  two in particular: 1. The Map Book: The best book for street map of the arrondissements that I use is the “Paris Pratique par Arrondissement“. It is published by L’Indispensable. In this book they provide one-way streets, pedestrian streets, metros, RER, buses, tramways, post offices and mayor offices (each arrondissement has its own mayor). 2. Metro/Bus map: The best of the maps available is the No. 2 Grand Plan de Paris. Pick it up for free at any metro station. On one side are the metros and street names; on the…