What You Would Find in a Parisian's Purse

Ever wondered what a Parisian keeps in her purse

to stay fresh and glamorous all day and all night?

Well, after months of observation and imitation, 

I have finally compiled (and now carry) the Parisian

purse content essentials. They are useful, small, and

are, in fact, quite telling of Parisian culture. 

Scroll down to see how these purse contents 

are similar and/or different to yours!

All of the contents

The bag: handmade leather purse bought during
the summer sale season in the Marais,
the trendy fashion neighborhood in Paris

A compact mirror or bronzer to stay refreshed-looking

The restaurant card from which you just last ate, a receipt
from the Parc de Bagatelle, the beautiful botanical garden in the Bois
de Boulogne, and another
receipt from the latest art exposition

A little map with a red letter cover as
who really has every street or metro stop memorized?
Plus, better to be caught looking at this discrete book than a metro map...

Sunscreen as the weather and sun are quite unpredictable
here in Paris, and you always want to protect your skin!

Pass Navigo: the monthly Metro pass
(Note that one is not allowed to smile for this,
nor for any official documents in France)

Gift receipts from the summer sale shopping

Sun glasses

Restaurant coupons: Hey, when a girl can save money
at an expensive restaurant and/or café, she does it!

A handy bottle and wine opener with a knife:
the perfect device to have as impromptu picnics
along the Seine or Canal Saint Martin arise often

Postcards to write to non-Parisians
(as who doesn't want to receive a postcard from Paris?)

Earphones for the metro or walking aroud

Current book to pass the time on the Metro or
when I found myself alone in a park

Red lipstick, a Parisian must

Standard

Another standard and form of life support

A plastic water bottle,
since Paris stores don't, in fact,
sell re-usable water bottles, and it can get
quite dry here

A perfume sample since you never know who
you''ll run into (or how sweaty
it may be on the Metro or bus)

An Afternoon in the Bois de Boulogne

This past Sunday afternoon, I was able to check off

the Bois de Boulogne from on my bucket list. The former hunting grounds

of the Bourbon family, the Bois de Boulogne, or the "Woods of Boulogne" is now

a large public park just west of the city and covers 2090 acres. What's more, 

the Bois is home to numerous lakes, botanical gardens, and other sites, and

similarly to the Louvre, it takes many days and visits to see it all.

Regarding my trip, I covered some of the park's highlights found in the 

Bois' center and truly enjoyed my strolls and experiences in this park!

Along with the Bois de Vincennes,
the Bois de Boulogne acts as one of the two, green "lungs"
that adds much greenery to Paris.
(It also is not too far from my apartment in Boulogne-Billancourt!)

Lac Supérieur

Lac Inférieur 

Ibid.

(The Eiffel Tower can be seen in the distance to your right)

Walking through the woods

The Pre Catalan Garden

Taking a seat (and selfie) in the shade

The view from the belvedere in Parc de Bagatelle,
the Bois' most famous botanical garden

A bench in the Mediterranean sub-garden in the Parc de Bagatelle

As evidenced in the photos, the weather did change
quite dramatically throughout the afternoon
(although it, fortunately, did not rain!)

The Petit Trinon and the Rose Garden

It started to clear up again half-way through my visit

Peacocks were found all throughout the gardens

Enjoying the serenity of the park

It was during this visit in the Parc de Bagatelle that 

I received a phone from my family regarding Keith's sudden passing.

Thus, this blog is dedicated to you, Keith, as I'll always 

remember our walks in the Park back in CA together in addition

to our many hang-out/nap sessions.

Rest in peace and know that you will always be loved and missed.