Happy Sunday everyone. For EHD this was an exciting week between Emily’s mudroom reveal (see above but also go read the post if you missed it), Em’s new pool install (and the drama that unfolded – see her Instastories or you can wait for the blog post), and lastly some fun developments on the MOTO (Makeover Takeover) front. However, we likely don’t need to tell you that it has been yet another devasting week in the United States. It continues to be heartbreaking that guns and the lack of common sense laws seem to have a higher value than actual human lives. One of our favorites, Gabrielle Blair (aka DesignMom), has yet again made some very important points on this issue. Whether your gut is to agree or disagree before reading maybe just take a moment and have a look. We can’t get numb.
This week’s home tour is a stunning apartment in Mexico City (as if we needed yet another reason to love that magical place). It’s funny because when you see the space you don’t immediately clock that its architecture is really contemporary because of how it is decorated. The soothing colors, the amazing vintage from the owner’s travels, tons of different textures, and of course the magic of limewash paint. Our favorite detail might be the limewash accent walls under the stairway. It’s a perfect example of when an accent wall makes sense (because there’s an architectural reason:)) Go check out Natalie Stoclet’s home on Clever.
From Emily: The salad tool that makes my salad taste like a $16 salad from a professional salad store. I know it’s soup season but hear me out: I was making a salad over the holidays for all the adults and my BIL was like, “Oh you should get what I have – the metal bowl and salad cutter thing that chops and mixes everything perfectly”. He sent me the link, I ordered it, and have since used it every lunch, joyfully, as if I’m behind the counter at one of those fancy salad places. It mixes and chops everything small enough that you get all the ingredients in the same bite – CRUCIAL to pure salad enjoyment. With a few whips of the wrist, your salad goes from awkward and clumsy to gourmet. No one, I mean NO ONE wants to eat a whole broccoli floret in a salad (Brian and I differ on this so technically Brian does) but once finely chopped and mixed in you can put more veggies in a way that tastes just so good.
From Mallory: I want this book and I want it badddd — Colin King is an insanely talented stylist (you’ve probably seen his work before if you don’t already know who he is). Every time I see a photo that makes my jaw drop I look at the crediting and the tag is @colinking. If you’re interested like I am, you can pre-order the book here!
From Ryann: I think all pet owners can agree that having pets can come with certain…odors. To that end, I like to use this deodorizing spray after I bathe my pup to help him smell fresh and clean longer. It has a subtle kiwi scent and the baking soda really helps keep his coat nice and clean.
From Caitlin: As promised in my earlier post this week – a before & after shots from vacuuming with my new Dyson V15 after two weeks of cat fur and laundry lint buildup (I wanted you to be able to see the difference, too!). GUYS. This thing is extraordinary! It weighs 6 pounds, it’s easy to maneuver, and it pulls up SO MUCH GUNK – my former corded vacuum literally cannot compare. It took less than two minutes to take this rug from “yikes” to “freshly unrolled,” which is a literal dream come true – after 10 years of opting for tan rugs (in the hopes of concealing my cat’s fur), it’s SO EXCITING to find a tool that can keep my bold, rich, jewel-toned pieces looking like new. It makes me excited to source some more saturated floor coverings for the rest of my apartment:) The laser tools are incredible, too. (It shoots out a green light that highlights dirt and dust that’s invisible to your naked eye!). It’s a splurge, but it’s a blast to use, and IT ROCKS. So effective. I wish I could buy one for all of you!!!
From Jess: Y’all the “Les and Jess Take Paris” trip is officially booked!! I’ll be there at the end of February so it’s going to be cold. Because bodies can never stay constant (side eye) I needed some new pants and got these cuties from Abercrombie. My faint attempt at looking like a cool (but unstated) Parisian…ha.
Also From Jess: Speaking of Paris, pretty please give me all of your Paris vintage home store/flea market recs! We’re willing to travel a little outside of the city if necessary:) I promise to make a reallllly good blog post out of it!
GREAT SALES:
Lulu and Georgia is having their annual rug sale and is giving 20% off with code RUGS20 (even rugs that are on sale!)
Alright, that’s it for today. Enjoy the rest of your day, hug your loved ones, and stay diligent. xx
Opening Image Credits: Design by Emily Henderson and ARCIFORM | Photo by Kaitlin Green | From: Farmhouse Mudroom Reveal
Hello et bon dimanche
When Paris, looking for flea markets, Jess should go to Les puces de Saint Ouen, of course, but there are many other places : https://www.paris.fr/pages/brocantes-et-vide-greniers-chiner-a-paris-18730
Also, passages are a great place to see smaller independant stores with lots of charm.
Hurray on your trip plans, Jess! For those not heading to Paris, I stumbled across this yesterday: https://www.sfgirlbybay.com/p/random-favorites-vintage-online
Hurray on your trip plans, Jess! For those not heading to Paris, I stumbled across this yesterday: https://www.sfgirlbybay.com/p/random-favorites-vintage-online
(Apologies if this double posts; I keep getting flagged as spam.)
Ahhh, I AM SO EXCITED FOR JESS AND LES TAKE PARIS. I seriously can’t wait, hahaha.
Vanves flea market is also pretty good, near Porte de Vanves métro station, only on the weekend. A few shops: L’Amour Fou, Landline, and Les Fleurs all in the 11th, Maison Cuillères in the 12th, of course Merci in the 3rd. And go for pizza at Pink Mama, they have a few locations. Have fun!
I’m here to recommend Vanves over de Saint Ouen if you are looking to actually, you know, BUY something. In fact we did Vanves first, then the next weekend day went to de Saint Ouen, spent hours there looking for anything affordable and never found anything, and then took to the train back to Vanves and loaded up. My best travel tip is to bring the largest suitcase allowed with a smaller suitcase within it that is actually packed with your clothes, etc. Then it is only on the way home that you have to pay for the extra suitcase. My husband and I had two suitcases going out and minimal carry on, and four packed – I mean, right to the allowed weight limit (bring one of those little hangy scale thingies – saved me a lot of money ’cause I balanced the weight between the four suitcases) AND the limit on the carry-ons (I brought a large bag that was rolled up when we came and filled with an antique leather hat box and its top hat on the way home). What did I bring home? Loads of antique leather books, 4 huge hand embroidered linen sheets, 2… Read more »
That salad thing looks cool. But a great tip I learned from my aunt is to just use kitchen scissors and cut randomly inside the bowl. It’s just like using the tool Emily linked except you are doing it with scissors. Use one hand to hold the bowl and the other to snip. It also mixes the dressing around really well. And you don’t have to go buy a new gadget unless you have $ and extra drawer space to burn!
I wouldn’t buy a tool just for this either, and I eat salad for almost every lunch and as a side for most dinners. I just cut everything including the lettuce on the cutting board as I am prepping and follow it with a quick toss.
Jess, check out L’Objet Qui Parle in Montmartre. Small but super interesting! https://lobjetquiparle.fr/
I can’t understand why a vacuum cleaner should cost over $700. Or why most people would consider spending that much. I’m sure it does a great job, but I still thank that’s really price-gouging.
Wait til you see the hair dryer!
Dyson has more affordable and still awesome options too. I got an older-model cordless Dyson from their eBay outlet store a few years back for <$200. As someone who hates spending my precious time on house chores but has allergies AND a cat, I see this as some of the best money spent on my home. Even the old models work great and are actually fun and pleasant to use, something I’ve never said about a vacuum. It’s cordless, bagless, has a HEPA filter and weighs hardly anything. Never going back to bulky corded vacuums (or junky cheap cordless ones that break after 2 years and don’t work well to begin with).
@Jess—check out David Lebovitz’s blog for some amazi bc tips about visiting Paris!!
He’s my go to for anything chocolate related!
Hi Jess, the main flea market (Puces de Paris Saint-Ouen) is the biggest in the world and it could take days to see it all so you many not need any further suggestions, however this market is only open on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays (TIP: you can pre-shop on their website!). The market isn’t that hard to find, but some people think this “swap meet” just prior to the flea market IS the flea market, so check out this guide to make sure you end up in the right place. While in Paris, I highly recommend trying my favorite restaurant L’etage de Pastavino (reservations required). I’m a professional travel advisor who has been to Paris 20 times or so, so feel free to reach out if you need any more tips!
Hi Heather! Appreciate these tips! We are headed to Paris this summer and I can’t wait! Are you able to tell me if L’Etage is open? Google seems to think it is closed, but I am seeing some Instagram posts etc. — but maybe this is just the store? Perhaps I will have to just call them!
Maybe it’s closed during winter??
Good thought! I’ll circle back in a few months 🙂 Getting ahead of myself thinking of fun places to eat!
Liz K., see if the Sainte Chapelle Concert Series fits into your schedule/timing https://www.theatreinparis.com/show/sainte-chapelle-concert-series. Our family saw the Orchestra Les Solistes Français and Paul Rouger (solo violin) and really enjoyed it.. We ate dinner across the street: https://brasserielesdeuxpalais.fr/en
They look open to me! Best thing to do is call since you’ll need a reso anyways (it only seats like 12-20 ppl)
Thanks Heather, I’m in Paris in September and will def be visiting this market!
Hi Jess, definitely check out the link that V posted. February is not necessarily the best month for brocantes and vides-greniers but if you can visit some it’s very much worth it!
I love the market on place d’Aligre. It’s open every morning except on Mondays (8 am-2pm) and you can find very nice things for pretty low prices. It’s also a very cool neighborhood, with a food market on the same square, and lots of great restaurants (Le Baron rouge, Mokonuts, Septime, Clamato, etc.).
I also second the David Lebovitz rec for food tips mostly but also some shops.
Lindsey Tramuta is also a very good follow. And Jordan Ferney recently posted stories about a bunch of Paris shops that you might like to check out.
Bon voyage!!!!
Jess, we took a family trip to Paris in March (lows in the 40s and highs in the 50s that week with light rain). I hate being cold but found a coat and layering a pair of leggings under my pants was all I needed to feel toasty while walking in the wind/rain. The weather didn’t affect us at all, and we loved that there were no crowds.
Jess!!!! I am so excited for you for your Paris trip! I too have dreamed of going and going to the flea markets! So I will def be looking on here for people’s recs!
There is no greater flea market than Les Puces. It’s MASSIVE and my husband and I spent 8 hours there the first time we went. I found these articles somewhat helpful: https://theculturetrip.com/europe/france/paris/articles/a-beginners-guide-to-the-marche-aux-puces-de-saint-ouen/
In between the metro stop and the market are a lot of stalls with knock offs, Canal Street ish, and while I didn’t feel unsafe, I always give people a heads up to keep alert.
Otherwise, here is my full Paris guide in case you still need dinner recs and the like: https://docs.google.com/document/d/102JCKNrK1syJwSwi_snpQWAueDtPkEfbR1gucSMDklU/edit?usp=sharing
Please can you do an IG video of how you use the salad chopper? The carrots all looked pre sliced – how do they all get so thin and evenly chopped in this thing. The video on the website shows lettuce and like 5 mini tomatoes so not much of a visual!!!
For all things Paris, I highly suggest following Anna Kloots on instagram. She is an expat that has lived there for a couple of years. She also made a fabulous guide to all things Paris, including great places to eat, flea markets, etc.
I second the recommendation for the Vanves fleamarket over Saint-Ouen, it’s much more accessible. I’ve been to both a couple of times, and Saint-Ouen is so large that you can wander for ages amongst stuff you’re not interested in, or just see stuff that is way out of your budget (and luggage allowance).
There’s a cute little book called ‘The Best Vintage, Antique and Collectible Shops in Paris’ by Edith Pauly that I’ve used a lot. It’s a bit old now, so check info (I just found out my favourite place closed). But it’s great for armchair travel and whetting your appetite.
I have a couple of specific recommendations, not for vintage but for very good shops IMHO. La Tresorerie has homewares that are beautiful and useful, in that modern-but-sort-of-traditional style. The other one is Merci, which is just stuffed with cool (but not too expensive) things: clothes, accessories, homewares. These two are about 15 minutes apart and in the Canal St Martin area, which is a very pleasant area to wander around.
We really liked the Canal St Martin area – we had our anniversary dinner there on our last trip. I wouldn’t recommend the restaurant (may not be there after the pandemic) but the area is such a nice wander.
To Jess: Looking forward to posts (plural!) of your Paris trip! Take a look at a beautiful design book by David Jimenez, Parisian by Design. He not only shows the various homes he’s lived in (all with a very European sensibility no matter where actually located) but provides information about his favorite places to shop and tips for successfully navigating your way through Paris.