Parisian touches

When I moved to Paris, I brought 10 boxes with me, most of which were clothes, and, in the nearly two years there, I learned (sort of) not to consume so much as I knew I’d have to pack it all up in the end. It was good practice in living with less and enjoying an uncluttered home.

Now that I’m back in New York, I’m trying to maintain the same sparse (but cozy) aesthetic. I’m also trying to honor my time in and trinkets from Paris. It’s taken me awhile to unpack and settle back in, but slowly my apartment is coming together. And when I look around at my imported Parisian touches, it makes me happy and feel connected to my “other” life.

I now have a mini library devoted to Paris...


I'm still figuring out how to display all my fabulous chocolate and macaron boxes, but my Ladurée Earl Grey candle, which was a gift, has prime space on my table...


I can drop earrings, elastics and whatnot into my little tray before dropping off to sleep. And the lovely perfume atomizer, a gift from Jo, gives me a happy pause...

You can't see it, but this little tray says "Paris", which I received as a gift before moving. But I like the other memorabilia... a little chocolate box from Un Dimanche à Paris, a coaster from the bar at the Ritz and my Louis Vuitton bear key chain—my very first "Vuitton" product, complements of Mel's awesome eye on her journey to Tokyo.

On my desktop, I keep my pens in the little cup I bought at Le Petit Atelier de Paris. And the post card behind it, of a woman stretching rapturously behind Notre Dame, reminds me of how many times I felt that sentiment, criss-crossing the Seine.