I must have flowers, always, and always

When I came to Paris for the first time in 2000, I fell in love with the city. Between the croissants at breakfast, the trip to Versailles and all the flower shops we passed I was in heaven. Before the end of the trip, my mom bought me a bouquet of roses. One rose safely made the trip across the Atlantic Ocean. I still have that dried Parisian rose in NY with a little note written by my 10 year old self that reads: "Mommy bought me roses in Paris." Upon my return to NY I couldn't get Paris out of my head. I loved Paris so much, I told my parents, "when I grow up I want to move to Paris and be an artist." As soon as I came to the realization that my artistic skills were not going to get me anywhere, I dropped the artist idea and with it Paris. Little did I know that I would actually fulfill my dream of "growing up and moving to Paris."

My handwritten note and French Rose

A lot has changed in Paris over the years, but a lot as stayed the same. The architecture is absolutely beautiful and even with globalization the Parisian feel is still very much there, with specialty food stores, crêperies and cafes at every corner. When I was here in 2000, we went to the same cafe every morning for breakfast and by the end of the week the waiters knew exactly what I would order. It was before my coffee drinking days but I loved the foam on my parent's cappuccinos so the cafe started making me a cup of steamed milk/foam every morning! Today, my boulangerie is beginning to recognize me as a local. I can say this with confidence as the other day when I asked for a baguette they gave me one fresh out of the oven rather than one that was a few hours old, which is a HUGE deal. I'm pretty sure the majority of the things that captivated me then still do today, with the addition of coffee, wine, cheese and champagne. However, the thing that stands out the most from my first trip and still always catch my attention today are the beautiful flowers!

My favorite, I want them

Flower shops are located all over Paris. Unlike the states, flower shops are not few and far between, and you do not order your flowers online or buy them at your local grocery store. Here, you have flower shops in every neighborhood. Each arrangement is more beautiful than the next making it quite difficult to choose a favorite. The best part is, I can gaze at the flowers almost everyday. With any stroll I am almost guaranteed to stumble upon flower shop and their beautiful arrangements, as the florists set up a selection of their arrangements outside their shops every morning.

Floral Arrangement

A popular arrangement seems to be a petit bouquet. It usually consists of a handful of flowers arranged in a small silver bucket. They are so simple and beautiful.

Four different petite bouquets

The flowers are always in pristine condition and the colors are so vibrant they pop. On a rainy and grey winter day, they always have the ability to brighten the moment. I can't pass a flower shop and not slow down, even if just for a moment. It's amazing how something so simple, can be so beautiful.

Beautiful roses

Title quote: Claude Monet