miss b loves Paris ......old favourites and a few new discoveries(Part 2)

I'm back from my travels ......... Vietnam and Dubai! I took so many photos that it may be a while before I'm ready to tell you about our fascinating trip. In the meantime, here is my Paris Part 2 post from last month's visit. If you missed Part 1 you can read it here

Day 2 ..... we headed down Boulevard Saint Germain to number 34 .........the original home of Diptyque candles ......

Of course I had to take one home ........

...and then we went in search of another shop ....... a chocolate shop and tea room .... to Jean Paul Hévin, the renowned chocolatier .... definitely worth a visit .....these are very special chocolate cakes!

and how realistic is this chocolate shoe in the window! 

Another window caught my eye .........'I'm not a shopoholic. I'm helping the economy'........

miss b loves........Paris, old favourites and a few new discoveries (Part 1)

I've lost count of the number of times I have visited Paris but I never really tire of this very special city and a couple of weeks ago my birthday was a good excuse for a long weekend .....  favourite spots ..........and some interesting discoveries ..... so please follow along....

Our hotel was a short walk from some very familiar places......

.... but with our three day metro pass we were ready to explore further afield ... and Le Marais was top of the list .....Saint-Paul-Saint-Louis church is particularly attractive against a rich blue sky ....

and in the Place des Vosges, the oldest planned square in Paris, ..........

.....there was plenty of shade .......

and sun .... and I spotted this cute little Parisian dog just peeping out of his owner's bag ....... both of them basking in the sunshine ......

Popelini, a pâtisserie specialising in choux à la crème (cream puffs) was next on our list and we weren't disappointed. They are so delicious that I think they could be the next big thing .... 

Our final choice ....... lemon and pistachio (with a pistachio cream and morello cherry filling) 

miss b loves .....Princes' Islands, Turkey

Princes' Islands (Kizir Adalar) in the Sea of Marmara, off the coast of Istanbul, are a world apart from the hustle and bustle of the city. A couple of Sundays ago we visited the largest island Büyükada (Big Island!)

The catamaran from Kabatas soon transported us to another world ... a bygone era ......

As there's no traffic on the islands (except for service vehicles) the only way to get around is on foot, horse and carriage(fayton) or bicycle and we thought it would be fun to hire bikes and ride to the top of the island. 

During the Byzantine and Ottoman periods, members of the royal family who fell out of favour were exiled here and gave the islands their name.

The bike ride took us past impressive villas and wooden mansions set in the most beautiful lush gardens along flowery lanes. No skyscrapers here!

miss b loves ...... guest blogging again at NYC, Style and a Little Cannoli.

Today I'm over at NYC, Style and a Little Cannoli again. I was delighted when Rosemary invited me to write another guest post.

If you missed my first post about York, you can read it here and if you don't already know about Rosemary's lovely blog, I can definitely recommend it. She knows the remarkable city of New York like the back of her hand! 

I thought I would write about Uppermill, a picturesque little village with an interesting history. It's forty minutes away from home and The Vintage Cupcake Kitchen is another good reason to visit!!

I hope you'll pop over to Rosemary's blog and join me on my recent trip. Here's a little preview .......

....and while you're over there, check out the rest of Rosemary's blog ...... It's an amazing guide to New York ....... and yet you'll see that it's so much more ....... it's also about style and the most delicious food ....

Please join me here 

Next post .... Sunday in Istanbul and a day trip to the Princes' Islands ........