Inflatable dogs

Gentle readers, I promised you inflatable dogs a few days ago, and here they are in all their...umm...glory.  This is from a window display in the Maje shop in the Marais - I believe the outfits on the mannequins were very nice, but I was too distracted by the inflatable dogs to really notice... (and also, is it weird that I kind of want one?)

Things you might see on the Metro

Man, you just have to love dogs - they really just make the best of any situation, don't they?  This little dude had to squish himself into the most uncomfortable-looking position of all time in order to lie down out of the way (I got this shot at a stop when hordes of people got off the train, just before the next hordes piled into the train), but there he is, perfectly happy.  I'm sure there's an inspirational thought in that somewhere, so if anyone turns this photo into one of those affirmation-of-the-day posters, don't forget to send Miss K a royalty cheque, okay?   

Return of the Redneck - Part 2

Day 2 with Mrs Redneck back in Paris for a visit (Day 1 didn't count because we were very busy drinking.  What??  She lived here for three years, she didn't want to visit the Eiffel Tower again, she wanted to drink French wine.  I mean, come on...) consisted of  walking around the Grand Palais and going into the Petit Palais to look at the permanent collection there (note to visitors:  I recommend this - not only is it a nice, but small-enough-to-see-in-a-couple-of-hours collection, it is also free, and the café is lovely.  A little tip from Miss K to you...).

After that, it happened to be Fashion Night Out in Paris, where we drank champagne at Gucci, schmoozed at Nina Ricci, ate canapés and chilled out at...no, I'm not telling you the best place to go (sorry, gentle readers, but Miss K intends to go there again next year and it's a bit of a secret!).  Tomorrow - dead kings and queens and puppies and kitties.  I know, never a dull moment...

Really, cow skulls as a decorative motif??

You'd think we were at Versailles

View from the café

View from the café

Just a few people out for Fashion Night Out

This dog was the star of the show at Nina Ricci

Heading home...

It's a brocante thing (Part 2)

So, gentle readers, yesterday we learned about things you might see at a brocante.  Today is a continuation, along with some handy tips:

1) take cash, it's easier to haggle.

2) try to keep in mind what you need, as opposed to what you want (which will be many things - not good when one is on a budget).  I finally found the perfect wineglasses at this brocante (yes, after three months of making do with the martini glasses I told you about in Apartment, bitches) and restricted myself to those, but if I actually had money to spend?  Dang!

3) if you are a reasonably youthful, moderately attractive female by yourself at a brocante, it may be that the female vendors will be snippy with you, and it may be that the male vendors will try to work some flirting into the haggling.  At a previous brocante, I cheerfully bartered a kiss on the cheek for a few extra peacock feathers (hey, they're expensive!), but I drew the line this time when the guy got a little handsier than necessary when "helping" me try on a necklace.  Just saying...

4) keep your eyes peeled - not only for the cool things around you, but also for people with strollers and tiny dogs - possibly not a tripping hazard for the likes of you, but for anyone as clumsy as Miss K, it's a damn minefield.  

Just a few little tips from me to you, now on with the photos:

The sign is cool enough, but WITH the wooden gorilla looking at it?  Way cooler.

Zillions of teeny-tiny adorable doorknobs. 

Not just books, but books with a big horned animal skull underneath.  Awesome.

Arfully patinated chairs, cool vases, groovy old paintings, pop-art Marilyn AND a little wooden tiger.  Couldn't love it more if I tried.

Love the jaunty sailor painting but REALLY love the totally over-it dog.

Funky tiled table, 4' tall inflatable phone, and freaky puppet head.  No comment.

Very much liked this chest-of-drawers, but REALLY wanted the big metal cheetah.  Ahhh, someday.

Do you see it, at the back, beside the teacups?  A KNIGHT'S HELMET!!!  By the teacups! So. Damn. Cool.

I like these guys, just chillin'.

Putting the giant lion's head on top of the Union Jack stool? Genius. And please note the adorable little dog top of the photo just for added cuteness.

FINALLY!  I can drink wine like a civilized person again - from my €2 glasses, which are crystal, no less!  Worth the wait...

Things you might see on the street #19 (dog sign)

I love this.  Because, yes, of course dogs understand and obey pictograms: "Hey, here I am, out for a walk with my owner, whew, boy, I really need to go - this looks like a good spot.  But wait - what's that there?  Oh dang, it's a sign saying I can't go here, well, I'm a dog so I can't possibly disobey a picture painted on a wall, guess I'd better mosey on down the street and find a better spot..."

Chic chiens?

I think there is a doggie fashion show taking place around the corner from my apartment right now.  And the reason why I think this is because when I was walking home this afternoon, that street was closed off (with security guards in attendance, no less) and there was a big catwalk (or should it be dogwalk?) laid out in front of the very large pet store there.  And now, a couple of hours later, techno-ish music suitable for a fashion show is pumping out, I can hear an announcer yapping  away (although it's too far away for me to actually make out the words) and I can also hear an awful lot of dogs barking.  Gentle readers, I could go investigate this for you, but that would involve traipsing down my five long flights of stairs and then dragging myself back up them again afterward.  And what if I'm wrong?  A doggie fashion show in Paris would be just weird enough to be kinda awesome, but I'm not about to take the chance.   Besides, and more importantly, Furry Man-Whore is completely flaked out on my lap and if I disturbed him to go and check out a bunch of dogs, he would take his little kittycat revenge out on me somehow - it's just not worth the risk that he might vomit in my hair when I'm sleeping.  Not that he's ever done such a thing, but that's why I try not to make him mad at me...

 

Things you might see in a shop

Yes, you might see a little dog being carried around in a basket.  To be clear, this lady was carrying two baskets - one for the groceries she was buying, and a matching one for le chien.  Well, naturellement...

Things you might see on the street

Well, normally I would say that this dog is thinking "Sweet lord, the shame in having to go out in public wearing a doggie parka - kill me immediately."  But this is a Parisian dog, so he's probably thinking "Mon dieu, where are my tasteful little booties to match zis élégant little jacket I am wearing?  Ze shame in having to go out in public not properly accessorized - kill me immédiatement."

Awesome outfit of the week

Well, it's been a while since I featured one of these, so I thought it was high time.   At first glance, you may not think this outfit is all that awesome, but I love it.  Just a simple palette of black and grey with the red belt as an accent - but of course the true genius is accessorizing with a monochromatic dog.  Fantastique!  (Oh come on, you think it's an accident that the dog and the outfit work together?  Honey, please.  This is Paris - I will bet you her entire wardrobe is planned to look good with le chien...)

Awww...

Okay, I admit it - even Miss K's frozen black heart cannot resist this level of cuteness.