Bargain Hunting in Paris

Yesterday was thoroughly enjoyable. I got to do something I'd wanted to do since before we got here, and with an an awesome girl friend by my side.

First, we met part of the pack (including Katia and Andie) for Italian in the 5th, and I ate myself silly on a delicious 3 course meal. Then, Kylie, Andie and I went yarn shopping (for her--she is a knitting addict and has vowed to get me hooked, too.) After a quick stop at Kylie's apartment to shed some layers (it was a balmy autumn afternoon, and she had made the mistake of layering long underwear, a shirt, sweater, scarf AND leather jacket. This girl would never survive the wild winters of the Dakotas if she thinks she needs this in Paris. In October.), we went hunting.

And by hunting, I do not mean chasing rabbits. We hit the dépôt-ventes.

DV's are the french version of a consignment store. It's a place where women can sell clothing and accessories they are not using any more, and they split the profits with the store.

However, in Parisian DV's, there is no Jones New York to be had. Make that Chanel, Hermès, Dior, Louis Vuitton, Inès de la Fressange, and even Mahnolo Blahnik.

Yipee!!!

We had a blast scouring some in the 16th, and thanks to La Coquette, found a pretty amazing one with beautiful stuff at decent prices. Unfortunately, no big scores today, but we'll be back. Did find an absolutely to-die-for scarlet velvet Inès de la Fressange coat, but the previous owner had much shorter arms than either of us, and a much smaller chest than one of us. Would have looked great on my sister. (Hint, hint Rock. Come visit me!)

After wearing ourselves out, we stopped for kir and people-watching at a corner brasserie, and then, post-bises (though my friends are American and Australian, they have adopted the french greeting/goodbye bises--cheek kissing) metro'd our seperate ways home.

Not bad for a Wednesday.