French Flea Markets

Today might rank as one of the best days i've ever had. Had a cafe au lait and pain au chocolate (phenomenal btw) at a cafe right by the Chemin Vert metro, journaled, and then met Claudia at 9:30 sharp. She is too cute for words!! We took the metro to the flea market which was in the southern part of the city. This was my first real flea market experience, and i can't imagine a better one!!! Everything was faaaaaaaaaaabulous. I wasn't even planning on shopping, but I came back with a whole lot of loot, isn't that always the way? Among my treasures - Eloise a Paris in French (too cute for words), vintage French matchboxes, a darling vintage box full of silver fancy pen tips (now if only i could find a pen...), incredibly old carte postales (postcards) with beautiful French calligraphy from WAY back in the day, Elle and Marie Claire magazines from 1960, a beautiful ivory rosary, an adorable pink-striped Godiva Chocolatier tin, and three beautiful vintage handkerchief. We spent hours, literally HOURS at this first flea market, met up with one of Claudia's friends, stopped for more cafe creme, grabbed a sandwich to go, and then hit up another flea market. This one had less paper goods and more trinkets. This is also when an interesting French gentlemen fell in love with me and described me as "coquinne." When I asked what that meant, he said in his broken English, "uh.. enjoys lots of sex." Great... um, thanks? "It's ok, it's natural! C'est normale!" Right. Ran into him later and he introduced me to his Italian friend, stroked my cheek, and kept talking about how beautiful and "coquinne" i was. He then asked if he could take me dancing tonight. HA! I'm sure dancing is exactly what was on his mind... Got some other much more G-rated compliments from a few other guys working a stall. It's nice to know that I'm so adored in Paris since zero American men hit on me...

Anyway, post flea market madness, Claudia and I bit au revoir to her friend and then took the metro back to the Marais. I went over to her darling pied a terre she is renting from a friend. It's GORGEOUS and so Parisien in every way. She cooked me a delicious dinner of tomato/cucumber salad, pasta in basil marinara, and of course, bread and wine. I told her all about Kimberly Wilson (she's now a huge fan as well!) , and we watched Elimidate and Top Model dubbed in French, haha. Today was WONDERFUL and I saw and experienced parts of Paris I never would've known about had it not been for Claudia, whom I completely adore btw. Tomorrow we are hitting up another huge flea market in northern Paris, hopefully finding my pashmini paradise, and who knows what else! I love love LOVE this city and am soooo not ready to leave. But no worries, I am fairly confident that I'll be returning for another visit very, VERY soon.