Bonne Annee

Bonne Annee mon amis!
 From our homes to yours, we wish you a glorious 2012.
Warmly,
Duchess & Bird

We wish you the Best of the Season

and Look forward to seeing you next year!  We have many new things to entice you and a new look to show off!

Warmly,

 Duchess & Bird

Life Really IS.....

Bird loves summer.   Duchess...not so much. She adores cold weather.  But this is Duchess writing today, so I thought I would share a few thoughts.  My current new favorite color is "Laduréé green" ..if you've even been to that amazing Tea Salon in Paris you know just what I'm referring to.  I have two of these darling latte bowls in that color that I got at Anthropologie.  While eating fresh cherries from my bowl yesterday, I was struck by how gorgeous the color was, how perfect the cherries were ( in appearance and taste) and decided that summer has magical treasures to offer.  You just have to open your eyes and "See." I'm so glad I did.
What is your favorite season?  We love hearing from you.

By the way, keep watching our blog for updates on our planned tour to Paris next April.  We will take you to Laduréé!

Summer Markets

Duchess and I love to shop as many antique and vintage markets as we can over the summer that are near and far from home.  This July offers a bonanza of markets on the west coast and we will shop as many as we can to bring you the best of them.

Bird will be going to the huge Portland Expo next weekend with over 1200 booths beside her local antique markets.  Duchess scooped up some terrific finds at a Seattle area vintage fair and will return to a favorite one the end of the month.

We can't wait to show you our new finds and tell you all about them!  We would love to hear where you go to find treasures and if you have a favorite show or shop.

Enjoy your 4th of July celebrations!

Printemps

It has probably been springtime for awhile where you are ( and where "Bird" is in California.)  But here in Colorado, it has just begun.  We hope this season of new beginnings finds all of you healthy and happy, and doing what you love.
We certainly got an incredible taste of Spring while feasting our eyes on Monet's gardens in Giverny during our recent Paris trip.  It is time to start thinking about our next tour in October.  We haven't set exact dates yet, but will be doing so soon.  Let us know if you are interested in Paris in Autumn.  We cannot wait to hear from you.
Warmly,

Duchess and Bird

Greetings from the City of Light

We had another beautiful,successful,fun-filled day in Paris. Actually we took the train to Orleans and hit the flea market today. We can't wait to show you our new (old) treasures. We wanted to do our shopping before Monday when our tour begins. And then we begin showing this magnificent city to 3 lucky women. Stay tuned for our daily adventures and look at our facebook page for photos. Its Duchessandbird.

Greetings from the City of Light

We had another beautiful,successful,fun-filled day in Paris. Actually we took the train to Orleans and hit the flea market today. We can't wait to show you our new (old) treasures. We wanted to do our shopping before Monday when our tour begins. And then we begin showing this magnificent city to 3 lucky women. Stay tuned for our daily adventures and look at our facebook page for photos. Its Duchessandbird.

We're finalizing our plans

This time next month, we will be in Paris.  Now doesn't that sentence have a nice ring to it?  We're are counting the days.  This will mark our first time as Paris Tour guides.  We are taking a group of ladies to Paris who have never before experienced this thrill.  We plan for this to be the first of many tours, so stay tuned to learn about our next one, which is likely to be in the Fall.  We have been so busy planning the itinerary based on questionnaires the gals have answered.  So much to do there, so little time.  Is there anything in particular that you would like for us to bring back?  Let us know.  We will be visiting Antiques Shops, Flea Markets, and other little gems we have discovered through the years.  We look forward to hearing from you, and to bringing back treasures for you.

Å Bientot, Mes Amis

Happy Valentine's Day!

Love is the same around the world but it seems

more so in Paris!

Reading French Menus

As Duchess and I finalize our tour to Paris in April we are trying to prepare our guests as best we can.  This has always been either the bane of our existence or the making of great stories on our return!  We would love to hear from you with your tales.

 One of the most challenging things we find in France is reading the menus.  Not only are the words and sauces foreign to us, they eat things we would never dream of!  Birds are featured a great deal as are all sorts of fish and seafood. Many restaurant feature a regional cooking style and depending on which French region it can be very strange!  All restaurants and bistros have their menus posted outside so you can what they offer and what the prices are for dishes.  If the menu is all in English it might be a tourist place and that's one we try to avoid.  We want to eat with the french!  We do try and stick with the PRIX FIXE menus- the "specials" of the day. They are usually the best price and include a starter, main dish and dessert. By the way, the water is fine to drink!  So do ask for a carafe of plain eau and ice is not generally used.  On one trip I stayed with my favorite salade nicoise  for every lunch as I can't make it like the French do!... Here's an example of one menu:

Choice of Starter

•Lapin en gelée aux feuille's d' estragon
• Chevre frais et fond d'art poele
• Os a moelle gratine
• Maquereau marine aux muscadet et aromates

Main Dish
• Duo de rognon et ris de veau flambes au cognac
Plats mijotes
Tete et langue de veau sauce ravigote
Pied de porc pane, grille

Dessert or Cheese Selection
• Pruneaux a la Vigneron
Millefeuille facon Pomponnette
Charlotte au fromage blanc et coulis de fruits rouges
Coupe Pomponnette

Coffee

Warmly,

Bird