THIRTY TWO HOURS IN PARIS..

My reasons for going to Paris are more often than not: tralala / fed up with London / I want a 3 hour lunch at a terrasse and some decent cheese / I feel like it. But this time there were 101 reasons to book a ridiculously expensive Eurostar seat at the last minute and I wasn't sure I'd be able to make it all happen. 

Paris was, as billed, full of extremely pleasant internet/real life collisions. I've been having a lot of those lately.

I had never met Nina before, even though we've worked together for ages. Her first words: "You exist!"

I also got to meet some of the other Toujours Toi~Family Affairs gang - look at make up artist Nicola's tattoos/braids! At Capsule I also visited Arnsdorf, F-Troupe, Wood Wood, Fifth Avenue Shoe Repair and Timo Weiland, among others. 

There was a bonus surprise visit from Cheri, who recommended the most amazing restaurant that is right in my usual hood but that I'd never noticed before. It proceeded to be a hilarious and incredible meal, in that way you can't really explain but you know this is now your favourite restaurant and you'll keep going back forever. Imagine if your grandparents were French bikers and you went round to the house they've lived in for fifty years, where they comforted your city weary soul with never ending carafes of wine, huge dishes of the best gratin you've ever had and creme brulee.

Nina, Eva, Mitsuru and I went with Nancy, who finally got her baguette. 

I had never met Nancy before either. We ended up walking through the city later on, which was in full Nuit Blanche swing. I don't know why it should still surprise me when I meet people in real life for the first time, that without exception they're exactly as amazing and lovely as I always thought they were (see all above).

On Sunday everything sped up to such a degree that I don't think I took any pictures, though my camera, which was hanging off my shoulder, did manage to knock over an entire carafe of water at Chez Prune. After meeting Nancy for brunch and saying goodbye to her and the Toujours Toi crew I went and saw my friends Ron and Karen. I hardly ever see them in Paris because I'm usually staying in their flat while they're away. We had a chat and a drink, then as we walked out of the door, Karen casually gave me the perfect white tuxedo shirt that she was about to throw away. They walked me over to the left bank, deposited me at the correct bus stop and even gave me a bus ticket as I'd used all mine and was running late. I somehow found that really touching. I just made it back in time to pick up my bag and get a taxi to the Martin Grant show, before grabbing line 4 to Gare du Nord and collapsing onto the Eurostar home.