fleas and bones.

We took the metro out to Porte de Clignancourt for the world's biggest flea market, as they call it. Over 2,000 stalls, from the most chi-chi with crystal chandeliers and fine art to the most unrecognizable truc (thing) sitting in a box. Our goal was to find that happy medium for my bohomeme space back home at Found on Fremont.

Even the world's largest flea market wasn't enough to loosen these purse strings. Although Andy did tell me, "You're not cheap, you're just very particular." I was flattered.

So we searched high and low for what I was particulating for (yes, that's a new word I coined, it's a verb) and I even participated in bartering, which is something I hate to do, especially in another language.

I'm a little impressed with myself, mostly with the way I've mastered the "dumb nod." You know, the plastered clueless smile while my head bobs up and down and my mind frantically tries to piece together what this old man wants for this old piece of paper? There's an art to it.

My particulating worked out nicerly, see!

The next day, we woke up early and got in line to go down below the streets of Paris and see the Catacombs, where 6 million bones of Parisians, including Marie Antoinette, are stacked in rows upon rows. And don't be mad, but there was a McDonald's (McDo) across the street and we bought coffee to warm our hands while waiting.

After rising out of the bowels of the city 45 minutes later, we walked to Place de St. Sulpice and had lunch in front of the fountain from a little picnic we had packed that morning. The weather, as it has been all week, was perfect.

Andy was hiding down there.

liberty of london and fortnum & mason

I spent a heavenly hour at both Liberty of London and Fortnum & Mason during our stay in London this past week.

It's a magnificent tudor-style building right off Oxford Street, just a few minutes walk from where we were staying. Looking at the windows reminded me of a funny french expression for window shopping, "lécher les vitrines," or literally, "to lick the windows." In my case, it was "lécher tout" (lick everything)!

I managed to snap a few photos while shopping...

("And the only way that I would ever let go of my couch would be if you came over here right now and tried to pry it from my dead, lifeless fingers, okay? If you can get it from my kung-fu grip then you can come and have it, okay? Otherwise, step off!")

and had to go back later for a souvenir, while Andy was taking a little rest after a long day out...

There was a table lined with glass jars full of embroidery kits and I finally dug this one out from the very bottom, even after the sales clerk had given up. One last handful to check turned out to be a good idea.

And at Fortnum & Mason, Andy and I reemerged from a temporary gourmet food coma to buy a canister of their coffee, the "PicKadilly Roast." While I was most excited by the canister, we justified our purchase by agreeing to use the coffee while in Paris. We opened the canister this morning and were true to our words.

Speaking of good coffee, we stopped by Sacred Coffee to try it out after hearing very good things about it.

And friends, last but not least for today, I think this is hilarious.

Andy was hungry so we stopped in to Banger Bros on Portobello Road and had bangers. Andy had the Great British Banger, I had the Mini Bangers. It's so funny, but seriously, it was good.