Passport Frowns Turned Upside Down

 

(outfit details= headband: Camaieu; top: Forever 21; skirt: Zara; belt: thrifted; boots: André; purse: Longchamp; necklace: my own combination).

Originally I aimed for the cliché (but necessary) season-changing fashion post. When I realized that my outfit wasn't autumn-esque and that I bought most of it in France, I decided on another theme: France! Oh yeah, that little thing.  I'm returning to France as an English teacher for another year. If you remember my Wanderlusty post, you knew that  my passport has been frowning lately, but, ahem, I guess that 'ole thing will be living up to my blog name again in a few weeks.

Since I am about to return to France after a 5 month hiatus in the USA, I thought it apropos to repost this list that I posted in April last year while I was living there. I must say, during these months back home, I have relished all these things  (especially Netflix).  Ah the comforts of USA!

Sadly, to coincide with the news of my departure, just today, the US released a travel alert for Americans in Europe, especially those in France. Like I wasn't not scared enough already... MERDE!

Copenhagen Street Style

Kelsey, a friend and all-around great gal, just got back from a trip rompin' around Europe. However, she fell in love with Copenhagen the most: the culture, the people and THE FASHION. So naturally, she shared with me a street style website to illustrate why she loved this city. The site is called, well, Copenhagen Street Style (how apropos?). Needless to say, I definitely understand her Copenhagen adoration and had to post a few pics from this lovely site:

Johan, 25, Graphic Design student

 

Mira, 23, student

Eveline, 20, Blogger

Emelie, 26, Teacher

Johanna, 25, student and shop-assistant in Henrik Vibskov

Andreas, 23, Student

Matilda, 20

 

Alice, 16, Model

Signe, 27, Student

Sam, 25, Rickshaw driver

Emma, 18, Student

Sune, 33, Graphic Designer

 

Now Copenhagen is a must on my future travel itinerary. Like I really needed anything else to increase my Wanderlust! My Passport is already whispering sweet nothings of far away lands into my ear. That's right folks, Passport Smiles' Passport ain't smiling...

it's too busy begging.

 

Til next time,

  

 

See more pics: visit the Copenhagen Street Style blog.

"Free [WO]Man in Paris"

I WAS A FREE MAN IN PARIS

 I FELT UNFETTERED AND ALIVE 

THERE WAS NOBODY CALLING ME UP FOR FAVORS

AND NO ONE'S FUTURE TO DECIDE

YOU KNOW I'D GO BACK THERE TOMORROW... 

...BUT I'M IN NASHVILLE, WAITIN' TABLES WHILE WAITIN' TO HEAR BACK FROM THE FRENCH EMBASSY.

THERE ARE A LOT OF SONGS ABOUT PARIS, BUT THIS BY JONI MITCHELL REALLY GETS TO ME. BEFORE I EVER WENT TO PARIS, I LOVED THIS SONG. Now I RELATE to it. This time last year, I was in Paris. Guess what? I DIDN'T like it, until a week an a half before I left. It had to do with many expectations, difficult French courses, NO AIR CONDITIONING. Well, then, I fell in love with it... Crazy Love. I know saying Paris, je t'aime is kinda like saying you love puppies, but oh well.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This summer, a friend is there studying @ the Sorbonne, and it got me to thinkin' how much I  CRAVE to go there. Then I saw the photo up top on Garance Doré's website. And it stirred me up. Close to tears. 

Weird, eh?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Here are pictures of Parisians by The Sartorialist:

And pictures of folks in Paris from Jak & Jil:

And from Pandora...here in the Marais...my favorite arrondissement.

I love Paris for the..hmmmm.... I really don't know why or how to express my sentiments. It's something I can't put into words...I don't love it for all the kitschy reasons you'd think. It's the (pardon the expression) je ne sais quoi.  Really, it's because I feel FREE there. Is this feeling of liberation ONLY because of Paris? Probably not. It has a lot to do with where I was in my life last year, but I had never felt so free since I was a child. 

All that to say, here I am...my last time in Paris, April 2010; a picture à la Garance Doré:

Oui, Paris me manque.