I gotback from the beautiful, sunny, warm South of France to wet, gray Paris a couple of days ago. Not surprising, but still deflating.

Yesterday, I was wandering around running errands in a dour mood, but I kept noticing charming things despite myself. So I started taking pictures and making a list of them. I posted it on Instagram and am now pasting it here because I realize I have not been writing as often as I’d like.

So… an inventory of delights encountered during a walk in Montmartre:

1. Joyfully screaming kids behind walls shielding a school playground. (At a certain hour of the afternoon you hear this on nearly every block.) The fact you can only imagine what they are getting up to makes it even cuter.

2. Pretty tilework taken to the level of art.

3. A cat hanging out in an antique store.

4. Hazelnuts in their full natural packaging. First time I’ve seen this and it’s beautiful.

5. As are french fruit displays.

6. As is vintage french lettering.

7. As is my tied-for-favorite cheese shop…

8. …from which i bought the most gorgeous and delicious goat cheese.

The end. / Fin.

Have a good weekend!