Paris. Pont des Arts

I went to Paris for the first time... and now I'm in love. Its beauty, culture, food, language and atmosphere seem to be in such harmony, it's classic and timeless and so sophisticated... I had heard so many mixed opinions about Paris - some people love it and some people hate it and some are indifferent. So when I went to Paris, I didn't have high expectations - I thought I will go and see it for myself. And now I think how can you hate or remain indifferent to its beauty?! I guess, a lot of the times people were disappointed by the notorious "unfriendliness" of the locals towards tourists and the lack of efficient service. But for me these are not the things I rate highly in my book, I am a visual person, and so what I see around me is more important than service or attitude (although I must say that during my visit I have had a great experience with service and locals - it is just the same as in any big city).

The three highlights of Paris for me were the Pont des Arts, the Pere Lachaise cemetery and the Eiffel Tower.

I thought that the most romantic place in Paris is the Pont des Arts with its padlocks and the famous "postcard" view on the island where Notre Dame stands. This place was familiar to me even before I went to Paris through the photograph of Henri Cartier-Bresson:

And here is my homage to the master of classic photography:

You can see how the background got "busier" with time but it still holds its classic Parisian look.

I don't really know when has the tradition of couples in love attaching little padlocks to the railings of the Pont des Arts bridge and throwing the keys in the Seine waters started, but it really adds to the charm of the place. I caught myself thinking that one day I would like to come here with that one person and attach a little padlock to symbolise something meaningful. Here are the ones I found particularly interesting:

I will write about the Pere Lachaise cemetery in my next post...

Hedi Slimane and Lana Del Rey

I was looking through Hedi Slimane's work recently and on the background Lana Del Rey's "Blue Jeans" was playing. Somehow the two entwined and here's the end result...

Vampire Hunter D

Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust is one of my favourite animes of all time. The scene with the flying stingrays in the desert is a masterpiece...  

The Great Photographers. Part II - Julia Margaret Cameron

Julia Margaret Cameron started photographing when she was 48 years old. Her work is instantly recognisable - the romantic Pre-Raphaelite feel, the unusual cropping (this is late 19th century!) and that relentless pursuit to capture beauty...

Decoration Tip

I am using Chanel's ad campaign as a way of "livening up" the antique style frame. It goes well with an "aged gold" jewellery stand as the ad campaign is for its Byzantine jewellery line.

The Genius of Tim Burton

Tender is the Night

There's something special about nighttime... I always enjoyed the peaceful, quiet nights which grant you the freedom to think, to dream and to create... This dark and quiet substance that envelops you during the night makes your thoughts more profound and clear.

Night is strange. Night is surreal. Night is when you dream, and not always because you are asleep.