Blissful Saturday

This morning we ran an errand to an awesome store that was a mixture of Ikea and Home Depot. We had such fun going through the aisles looking at the latest styles of Parisian home decor. We also loved looking at the bathtubs, sinks and bidets. There were so many fabulous things, from rugs and throw pillows to paint colors and tools. Very fun.

It was finally warm enough to enjoy our lunch outdoors. We had a fabulous lunch at a cafe near Les Halles that was perfect for people watching while we ate. We shared an appetizer of crispy goat cheese drenched in honey served over salad. So delicious! Emma had a ham and cheese crepe and I indulged in a fabulous quiche. Dessert was strawberries for me and a sundae for Emma.

We discovered that there is a public garden dedicated to the memory of Anne Frank. Since we are currently reading The Diary of a Young Girl and soon we are headed to see the actual Secret Annex, we decided we must stop and see it. It was lovely and quite crowded.

Right next door to Anne Frank's park is the Musee Poupee. It is a magnificent museum devoted entirely to dolls. They had an amazing collection of antique dolls, including clothing, furniture and accessories. However, the highlight for us was four entire rooms filled with hundreds of Barbie and Ken dolls all elaborately dressed as famous historical figures. There were dolls done up as perfect Maria Medici, Marie Antoinette, Joan of Arc...it was spectacular. Then there were other dolls done as Romeo and Juliet, Henry VIII and even some done to replicate figures in famous works of art. We had so much fun. Unfortunately, they had a strict policy of no photos, so you will just have to go see it yourself.

Next we went searching for a store we had read about on the Internet called Tumbleweeds. It is a delightful shop that might be confused as a toy store, but really specializes in puzzles and items of fascination. Upon entering, we were immediately set to task on a puzzle game. The store owner then gauges what items you may like based on your approach to the puzzle. Emma ended up with a gorgeous wooden box that requires moving hidden panels in a complicated series of 14 different steps to get it to open. We bought many other wonderful things, but since so many will be gifts, we won't spoil the surprise.