Thursday, May 30, 2013

The new guard: Paris in Four Months


Last year, while reading my friend Erica’s ever-popular blog,HipParis.com, I noticed some reoccurring names—les filles who were contributing photos and/or stories to the blog. Call me slow on the uptake, but after a couple months I realized, wow, there’s a whole new generation of expat bloggers over there in Paris! Since I’ve been back in New York, life has gone on in Paris and a whole new wave of free-spirited, fun-loving, starry-eyed women are eating it up as I once did. It’s been a bittersweet delight to follow them since: To see their gleeful smiles, to read about their challenges and triumphs, and to see Paris through their-same-but-different eyes. For they’ve all found each other through blogging and overlapping circles, and I can’t help but think of my nearly two years in Paris and the friends I made from blogging. So I wanted to share a little about each of them in the coming weeks. Here’s to the “new guard” of Paris bloggers!



Carin Olsson of Paris in Four Months is a Swedish photographer who has a way with words. She’s also a kindred spirit, with a bona fide weakness for sweets. She’s thoughtful, elegant, and, man does she have a great eye. My favorite thing about Carin’s photos is that they capture exactly how I used to feel, walking around Paris: charmed, awed, seduced, joyful.



Now it’s your turn—meet Carin!



Hometown:

Stockholm, Sweden



Current quatier:

4th arrondissement



How long have you been in Paris?

In total it’s now around 8 ½ months.



What brought you there?

The desire to see something new and different, experience a totally different city than what I was used to, challenge myself and to learn the language. I moved to Paris the first time during four months and after those months were up I decided to come back again. This time because I’d fallen in love with the city.



Your favorite thing about living in Paris:

Could it be “thing(s)”? In that case it would have to be: the pastries, the architecture, the "joie de vivre", the small streets, the many cafés, the outdoor markets, the food, the parks and the wonderful scent the city has during very early spring mornings and evenings.



The coolest thing about being an expat:

I’ve met so many amazing people. The people I've meet here in Paris so far will be dear friends for life.



Your “secret” about Paris:

Forget the idea of all Parisians being rude! If you try your best (meaning: always greet someone with a "bonjour", say "merci" and don’t forget "au revoir" before leaving) you'll most likely get politeness in return.



Your favorite thing to blog about:

Since my blog is mostly based on photographs I’ll read this question as “your favorite thing to photograph” if that’s okay ;) And that has to be the lovely Parisian streets. It seems like I never get tired of running around with my camera, capturing the white, grey and beige buildings and streets in this city. I also love the city a little bit extra during the springtime when everything is starting to bloom! That makes some gorgeous photographs.



Right Bank or Left Bank:

Oh, this is a hard one. I think it has to be the Left Bank in general for me, but I'm absolutely in love with the lively and cozy Marais neighbourhood, all the new restaurants in the 11th and the luxurious shopping in the 1st. So preferably, a mixture of both.  



Café Flore or Deux Magots:

Le Deux Magots. Just because of the service, actually. They've always been very nice to me and unfortunately I’ve had some bad encounters at Café de Flore (although I have to admit that I still love the actual café).



Tuileries or Luxembourg:

The Luxembourg Gardens for sure. It's one of my favourite parks in Paris.



Ladurée or Pierre Hermé:

Ladurée for the pretty boxes but Pierre Hermé for anything eatable.



WH Smith or Gaglinani:

WH Smith



Steak Frites or Salade Chevre Chaud:

Steak Frites



Costes or Crillon:

They're both so gorgeous, but I must say that adore Crillon because of the classic beauty (I can't believe they're remodelling the whole hotel now!), but there's no better place to be than at Costes for Paris fashion week…



Colette or Merci:

Merci. I love Colette but it's almost impossible to get through the doors nowadays, it’s always so packed. At Merci I prefer the downstairs area or the used book café.



Croissant or tartine:

Croissant



Rykel or Roitfeld:

Roitfeld



Café terrace or canal-side picnic:

I know it's not an option but I would say Seine-side picnic if possible?



Camembert or Comté:

Comté

6 comments:

  1. I adored reading this interview....and as you were saying; it is ever so bittersweet..... I love Paris...in fact I think I need therapy I am so obsessed with it.
    I am back in Johannesburg and not one day goes by that I do not read these blogs... look at these etc.
    we all share something very special and beautiful

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  2. Wonderful interview!! Carin is one of my inspirations in Paris and it's always such a joy to follow her blog. Super talented, incredibly intelligent girl. :)

    Lots of love and light
    Milsters

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  3. Agreed, mes amies! Paris, and Carin, are lovely and inspiring!

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  4. Fantastic interview! Always a pleasure to know more about Carin whose photographs and journey in Paris have inspired a lot of women out there (including myself) to be braver on living life to the fullest and following their Paris dreams. Someone like you Amy :) thank you so much for sharing xxx Grace

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  5. I still don't know how you manage to take all the grey tones of Paris city and photograph it in such a way to make it come alive with colour and vibrancy. I adore your photography and really feel your passion for the art seeping through every picture. Thanks for keeping us novices inspired!

    xxx

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  6. Unbelievable cliché questions
    Total lack of imagination

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