The Perfect French Market - Paris #4

I've always wanted to go to a French flea market ever since I saw them on one of the antiques shows that my Dad watches. I yearned for the charm and spontaneity of goods in one place (rarely found in the UK) and somewhere that I could find pieces that I could keep forever to remember my trip.  I love antiques because they already have their own story and now I can introduce them into my collection and future story.  I already have a weak spot for cut glass and unusual objects so I was looking to add to my collection and find something relatively cheap and lightweight for the flight home!

After obsessing over Timeout Paris for weeks I chose Marché aux puces de la Porte de Vanves because the description said it was small but still had a lot of gems.  I did originally want to go to Europe's largest flea market but I felt sorry for my family and needed to get to Champs Élysée before the coach to the airport. 

We devoured french breakfast pastries at a nearby bakery and then entered the market.  It was like my heaven.  Just like the review had said, the market contained everything from postcards to chairs, perfume bottles to french fabric and vases to tools.  

I made a new friend (below) at the postcard stand where I bought one of my best friends a postcard of the Opera area because it fulfilled his challenge to find a souvenir for a Euro!  Saying 'Bonjour' to the dog also felt incredibly adorable. 

Not many of the venders spoke English which was unfortunate on unpriced items.  However, I managed to haggle down a silver trinket cigarette box from 40 euro to 35 euro in French!  Turns out the lady could speak very good English but I was still proud of my French efforts.  

I could have easily spent all day and all of my euros at the market but we had a time restraint so we made our way back towards the centre of Paris to the Champs Elysée.  I wish I had taken more photos of the market but I have promised myself that I will return very soon!

Hey Charlotte, what did you buy?

A small vintage tin - 3 Euros

Ornament silver table lighter - 5 euros

Cigarette holder trinket box - 35 euros

Postcard - 1 euro

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Farewell my favourite bookstore (Waterstones Leicester)

Waterstones Market Street Leicester closed this weekend and it feels like a piece of my heart has been ripped out.  Five minutes away from my university building, this store has been filled with endless discovery and wonder over my university years and my childhood.  It was in this store that I found my love for books and it was a place that I could come anytime for a slice of peace when times were difficult.   Pin It Now!

M&S's autumn 2013 collection puts the spark back in 'Marks & Sparks'

I think they've finally cracked it and I couldn't be happier.

M&S released the look book of their upcoming autumn collection yesterday and I'm already making a list of things I would queue to buy.  This is Belinda Earl's (formerly Debenhams and Jaeger) first collection as Style Director of M&S and in my eyes, the make-or-break collection for the future of womenswear at M&S.  You've all read the headlines concerning their terrible sales over the last few years and whilst I've been sad about it, I wasn't surprised.  

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10 signs that revision is taking over your life

1. You forget to accessorise properly- I don't remember the last time I wore a necklace or heels or used a bag that wasn't a cotton tote. 
2. You know when the last bus from the library is on a Sunday.  You're shocked that you're at university on a Sunday.
3. Leaving the house without make-up is a daily occurrence that was once scary.
4. You can't remember the last time you painted your nails - it used to be 3 times a week thing.
5. You curse modern technology because your handwriting looks like a 2 year old wrote your exam and your hand is in immense pain.
6. Daily app challenges go out the window.  Farewell Subway Surfer.
7. You've memorised the library vending machine and find yourself in it's presence at every mealtime. 
8. Things that occur after an exam (episodes of The Apprentice, New Girl and Mad Men) seem years away.
9. You're getting the job applications-revision balance wrong.  You're never going to pay off your student loan. 
10. Sleep is amazing. 

As you can see it's been a long week, three exams in seven days can really exhaust a girl.  I can't wait to read something other than textbooks.   Only Crisis management to go! 

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Charlotte VS Sephora and French Pharmacies (haul) - Paris #3

Sephora opposite Galeries Lafayette

As soon as my friends knew I was going to Paris I was inundated with demands to go to French pharmacies.  I was clueless about french skincare let alone what Bioderma was (shocker, I know) so I did what anyone in my position would do - I went to the internet.    I soon found Lisa Eldridge's french skincare video and a load of blogs raving about Bioderma and complaining about why it wasn't available in the UK.  I memorised the packaging and thought I was prepared.  I was not.

Meanwhile I was on Google Street view checking out the area around our hotel and was shocked to see a Sephora sign on the shopping centre directly opposite the hotel.  This magical anti-UK place was only  steps away?!  I was curious.

Opposite the hotel (you can JUST see the Sephora sign)

Entrance of Sephora Champs Elysée.

It turns out the first shop in Paris that I entered was Sephora near Galeries Lafayette.  To be honest, my first impression was terrible.  The only brand that we didn't already have in the UK was the actual Sephora brand and whilst it was affordable, the packaging just felt cheap and nasty.  To the shock of my Twitter followers I was underwhelmed and left upset.

The next day I found myself on the Champs Elysée and at the flagship Sephora.  Thankfully this was a much better experience with a bigger store and more variety.  With Chanel Taboo Le Vernis nowhere to be seen (wahh!) I set off towards the back of the store to a variety of Sephora branded scented edt, candles and gifts.  I ended up picking up a few handbag scents (I wish I had picked up more) in Blueberry and Peonies and a contraption for neater fast manicures as I always make a mess.  The cashier was really lovely and gave me a loyalty card (one to put with my Harrods rewards card), a Chanel sample and told me to come back to get a free nail polish tomorrow.  My heart sank as I thought to myself that I would be in Leicester in a lecture tomorrow.

On the plane home I was thinking about Sephora and how it would serve in the UK. All the beauty bloggers are going to hate me but I think it's best that it stays out of the UK for it's own sake as the market is already saturated.  The brands on offer are already in all of our department stores and whilst the service was incredible, it would turn into a tourist trap even if there was only one store on Oxford Street (think the horrible weekend atmosphere inVictoria Secret on Bond Street ).  This being said, I am already craving to go back.

Next was a chance to tackle a french pharmacy and I chose a tiny one on the back street near Galeries Lafayette because City Pharma (the cheapest) was miles away and I didn't want to get lost.  I walked in, got confused with all the labels, grabbed my purchases and spoke some more French at the till and ran out like a little girl.  Better luck next time Charlotte.

I ended up getting 2 bottles of Bioderma, a tube of my favourite L'Occitane Mango hand cream and a Mavala in 'Peacock Green' because it has pretty sheen.  The latter two were way cheaper in France.

Next time - I hit my first French market and duty free! Pin It Now!

I'm in love with the Kate Spade book - Review

I love Kate Spade.  I love the pop of colour, the bows and the quirky accessories. I love that joyous feel the clothes, website, stores and social media channels have.  But most of all, I love my sister for buying me the Kate Spade book for my birthday in April.
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Marketing Monday - Robinsons and Coca-Cola's wonderfully sentimental adverts

It's a double bill Marketing Monday this week, firstly because I'm chin deep in marketing exam revision and secondly because these two ads are too good to not share.  I love advertising because it can leave a ghost of a feeling or a memory in a viewer's mind and these two ads do just that.  They're sentimental and sweet without being sickly and overworked.  I especially love the Coca-Cola tagline 'here's to falling' and that all the clues to the ending are there in the montage.

Robinsons - It's good to be a Dad, it's better to be a friend.

Coca-Cola - Here's to falling.

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