GATHERING PARIS...

My second Paris post for Harper's Bazaar is up now - here - on a classically left bank first few days. The next day it all changed! 

There are bits of my gathered words and pictures of Paris distributed across different corners of the internet at the moment. Hopefully all the bits will end up in the right places and won't overlap! But for anything that has to do with places you might want to check out if you're visiting Paris, my Instagram (it's private, just ask!) is the best place to look - because I'm going everywhere! I 'gram it for my own memory's sake as much as anything, but it's currently turning into a bit of a Paris guide.

Last night saw the launch of Brooklyn Brewery at Le Mary Celeste, the night before its official opening - the pre-launch of the launch if you like. I was so keen to go to this new bar from the owners of Candelaria and Glass that I insisted on going before it actually opened. It was packed, there was free beer and we stayed all of five minutes. I must remember not to be so keen - Paris nightlife is way more sleepy than London and I realise I'm the only person in Paris going, "I wanna check it out! Now! We have to go! Immediately!"

The other place that had been on my list forever that I finally got to check off yesterday was the Musee de la Chasse et de la Nature - which was equal parts beautiful and horrifying. Taxidermy in the extreme, guns, a stuffed polar bear, a cabinet with a ceiling covered in owl heads, the smell of decaying fur - I couldn't deal with it and all I kept thinking was, "Stop the killing!" By the time I got to the stuffed leopards and lions I was having an existential crisis and although I took a lot of photos there, I now don't want to post them here or anywhere. Just stop the killing.

On a lighter note! I checked out The Broken Arm as well yesterday. It's a huge, beautiful, airy space in an amazing location right behind Square du Temple, that opened last week. There's a cafe which is sparely designed, but with plants and baby pink and blue touches. I ate a delicious slice of blueberry cheesecake there. Next door is a shop / gallery space with books, objects, Aurelie Bidermann jewellery and clothes: Carven, Kenzo and Jacquemus are a few of the brands stocked. And I believe the owners are 100% French - I think! - and are part of the Des Jeunes Gens Modernes collective. But hmm, I think I see the touch of some lovely non French people I know in the design! It's actually hard to find cool places in Paris (especially if coffee is involved) that don't have an international influence in their ownership, believe it or not. I'm on the hunt for them! Will report back.