Paris
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Meet Amina Chevaillier from Ak Yol Atelier – Luxury Leather Goods
I’ve known Amina virtually for several years. I was lucky enough to stumble upon her Instagram as soon as I got into luxury leather craftsmanship. It was under the Parisian rain that we met in person for the first time. Our beautiful hand-stitched bags in luxury leathers (alligator, novonappa, shell cordovan) were thankfully not mistreated 😀 A big fan of leather, Amina first trained in leather crafting on her own. To perfect her skills, she joined the Hermès house, which is constantly looking for skilled artisans for their workshops across France. Out of 3000 candidates, after a 4-month selection process, only about twenty were accepted, and among them was Amina.…
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Where to Buy Leather in Paris? For Leather Goods & Bookbinding
La Trouvaille Located in the heart of the Paris flea markets, they offer fancy and basic leathers, braids, metallic fabrics, by the piece or in bulk.If you need specific leathers, they also take orders. They have lots of leathers from Haas and Degermann.This is my favorite address. The welcome is friendly, the choice is huge, especially for calfskin. The quality varies and suits all budgets, so take your time choosing.25 Rue Lécuyer, 93400 Saint-Ouen-sur-Seine Relma Leathers for leather goods, as well as for bookbinding.I go there to buy goatskin, the quality is incredible, I love it!You can buy leather for leather goods or bookbinding, and parchment. You need to specify…
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Attending the Paris 2024 Olympic Games
As a sports fan, attending an Olympic Games was high on my wishlistbucket list. I had looked into going to Tokyo in 2020 before giving up when I realized the budget required. No regrets, they were postponed due to Covid and then held behind closed doors… I couldn’t miss Olympic Games held in France, and now it’s done! A story, to remember it by. I bought a first batch of tickets in May 2023, when I was selected in the “lottery” at the 3rd or 4th round. My two criteria then were: iconic venues + sessions with medals. As the Olympics approached, I made additional purchases to complete my schedule…
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Discovering Tea Time at The Peninsula Palace in Paris
It’s becoming a tradition: whenever we find the time during our brief visits to Paris, we treat ourselves to a little indulgence: enjoying a tea time at a palace hotel. In September 2018, we discovered the tea time at the Ritz. In December 2022, it was the turn of the George V. Why did we choose The Peninsula? Almost by default. Anh wanted to go to Shangri La: tea time is not offered in the summer. Same for the Royal Monceau. The Peninsula was our last attempt, and they were happy to have us 🙂 Tea times in Parisian palace hotels are memorable experiences. Gustatorily, of course, but also the…
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[review] Charbonnel washable inks for linocut
After a bookbinding-linocut class (I mentioned here), I followed my teacher’s recommendations and went to the Charbonnel store to buy inks for my home linocut studio. The shop is in the 5th arrondissement, on the Seine quay, almost facing Notre-Dame de Paris. I ring, someone opens the door and welcomes me. I went to this store twice. The first time, I chatted with a woman working on the Lefranc Bourgeois paint ink range, and the second time, I spoke with a man in charge of printing inks. Note: this article is not NOT sponsored, I paid for everything out of my own pocket As a beginner, I took the opportunity…
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3.5 days in Paris with girlfriends (France) – 2023
Passing through Paris in express mode, I suggested my girlfriend S. join me. To my great joy, she accepted the invitation. I picked her up at Orly and we spent 3 and a half wonderful days in Paris, as girlfriends. My girlfriend has been to Paris several times for business, but she’s never had time to see the city (except Montmartre). You could say it’s her first time visiting Paris. Part 1: Travel JournalPart 2: Practical Tips Part 1: Travel Journal Day 1: Accommodation in Paris has been sky-high since tourism picked up post-Covid. I opted for an Airbnb in zone 4, which means an hour of commuting every day…
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[Review] Bookbinding & Linocut Workshop with Funbooker in Paris
When I recently visited France, I tried out more fun things for you: I took a Japanese bookbinding + linocut workshop. I booked the class on Funbooker. Note: this post is not sponsored, I paid with my own money It’s a site that offers all kinds of activities. In the “DIY” category, it connects artisans with people wanting to discover a specific craft (bookbinding, painting, leathercraft, etc.). Booking is super easy—you pay online, the artisan confirms by email, and you get an address and time, so you can show up empty-handed (almost). My teacher Apolline did ask us to bring a small 10x10cm design for the linocut. I’ve wanted to…
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Tour of the Louis Vuitton house & workshops in Asnières (France)
JB and I are LVMH shareholders and, from time to time, they organize exclusive (and free) tours for their shareholders. We’ve been lucky enough to attend a few of these, and we take advantage of them every time we’re back in France. This year, JB managed to get us two spots for the tour of the Louis Vuitton house and their workshops in Asnières. You should know that Louis Vuitton has a ton of workshops, but this one is the most prestigious because it’s here that they still make trunks (their original craft), one-of-a-kind pieces (like the trunk that carries the FIFA World Cup trophy), and special orders (custom requests).…
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I tried the Tea Time at the George V Paris (Four Seasons)
Several Parisian palace hotels offer tea time. We already tried the one at the Ritz Paris in a beautiful setting, so it’s time to try the one at the George V Paris. I know this palace by name, and I know for instance that they have a Hermès boutique (it’s the only hotel in all of Paris to have one), very well-trained estheticians (a facial or a massage at George V is on my wishlist). When JB suggested going there, I didn’t hesitate for a second. I’ve been so spoiled with many luxury hotels in Asia , and and in Dubai in recent years that the George V lobby cooled…
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Review of my (free!) lunch at Mallory Gabsi’s in Paris
With our card With American Express Platinum, we get a great perk every year: a €400 reimbursement for restaurant expenses at a selection of fine dining establishments. It’s even a perk you can enjoy twice, as this €400 is split into €200 in France and €200 abroad. While in Paris, we took advantage of this offer to have lunch at Mallory Gabsi’s, on Rue des Acacias in the 17th arrondissement. I didn’t know, but Mallory Gabsi is a Belgian chef who became known for reaching the semi-finals of the TV show Top Chef in 2020. Anh, who was supposed to join me, wasn’t feeling well that morning. It was too…
