Tour of Christmas market and festive shop displays

Who would think it's Christmas Eve day here, what with sunny skies and 12 degree C temperatures in Annecy and surrounding area? I hope you are enjoying your day and preparing for a night with loved ones. My hubby is flying tonight, alas, but he'll be home tomorrow afternoon, so in honour of Christmas Eve, I thought I'd show you around the holiday market that's been in the old town since early December and runs until the first week of January.

The market has stalls whose vendors sell everything from gourmet goodies and handmade artisanal goods to cheap jewellery and local food. Don't let the quietness of the market today fool you. I snapped these around lunchtime, which in France is between 12-2p.m., sometimes even to 2:30, and every one was in the restaurants eating (the restos promptly close after 2, so getting a meal, let alone a snack, is next to impossible until dinner starts at 7 or 8).

This morning, after saying bye-bye to hubby, I went to the butcher to pick up the turkey we had ordered on Saturday. We're not huge meat-eaters (a sin in France), but it's custom for us both to have turkey for Christmas. The food shops were packed. As you may already know, the French take their food, and wine, very seriously. Shops are normally closed Sunday and Monday, but they were open yesterday and are open today not so much that people can run around and buy gifts - no, I'd say the main purpose is so people can buy the food they need for their holiday dinners, which traditionally are celebrated on Christmas Eve in France.

Yesterday while buying wine for our dinner tomorrow night, I said to the gent in the wine shop across the way, in French of course, that I wanted a red to go with the turkey (**dinde** in French), and also a white. When he asked what the white was to go with, I almost said in French, ``Nothing, it's to get pissed.`` But the French wouldn`t understand the concept of a person drinking wine around meal-time without food, so I caved and answered cheese, maybe the turkey too. Sometimes it is **plus facile** to pretend you have fully internalized the French ethic!

Back to the market. SPOILER ALERT: Hubby, if you are reading this, stop right now or one of your pressies will NOT be a surprise (hey, you keep telling me you prefer surprises)!! Yesterday I was thrilled to find, at the stall to the right in this pic, a women (the blond-haired one) from Quebec City in Canada selling ... Canadian beer!!! Yay! Perfect man pressie as hubby loved sampling Canuck beers when he visited. She's there until the 30th so hubby can stock up if he so chooses.

Apologies for the blur in the centre of this and several pics to follow. I took these the other day with hubby and, like an idiot, somehow managed to do what I do every time I use his camera: smudge a finger print right in the centre of the viewer!

I wanted to show you a few of the shops and restos/bars on our street as they are decked out so beautifully for the holidays. Lots of natural greenery and such. This is where we buy our jams.

One of our fave restos, literally a 5-second crawl from ours. Inside the decor is bohemian-chalet-chic, very cosy and welcoming, and the menu is good considering it's in the old town - not so very touristy that it`s utterly boring (fondue upon fondue in the old town is the norm - and can get tired quickly), yet not so wholly French that I can't eat the food (sorry, foie gras isn't my thing, nor are frog's legs).

A touristy shop but I just loved the greenery on the old arches. Parts of the old town were around in the 12th century, but these arches appeared in the 18th century, if memory serves.

Even the rubby-dub bar, where all the old gents go to get hosed (well, the drinks are cheap so we spent some time on the patio in the summer too) is all decked out.

This isn`t very Christmasy-looking, but I had to snap a pic of this wee patio as it looks so pretty and inviting.

Look - even the blue candle holder matches the cushions! The inside looks very cozy, and the menu good, so hubby and I will have to try it in the New Year.

I was going to make myself some squash soup tonight, but souvlaki is calling me, and this Greek place in the old town (for all I know, the only Greek place in Annecy) is open tonight. I used to live in Greek Town in Toronto, and boy do I miss the `hood, not to mention the food. With its blue awning, the place looks exactly like the restos I`m accustomed to in T.O.

I must dash out to buy some artisan-made chocolate for hubby`s stocking before the shops close (hopefully the crowds will have abated by now. My theory is the French are all at home just starting their cooking at this hour). But before I do here`s a peep at a vintage goodie, a gorg multi-hued velvet purse with neat structural shape, courtesy of Etsy, that I found in my box this morning. It`s under the tree and can be a pressie to me, from me. I don`t mind at all that it`s a little beat up and bought it knowing this. Perfection isn`t important to the Grunge Queen, but coolness, colour, texture and items that are just plain different are!

I may add a post-script photo or two when I return as Annecy at Christmas, at dusk, is pure magic. In the meantime, I hope you and yours have the loveliest of holiday seasons, whatever your tradition.

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Alpine Christmas prep

Hubby's been flying a lot but we've managed to pack in some good quality time when he is here. Last week, after (finally) getting my carte de sejours (French residency card), we celebrated with hubby - let's have this in writing, folks - offering, yes offering, to take me shopping for boots. The leather ones I bought in Annecy (new) were freezing my feet (it's a damp cold here). Hubby insisted I go the Ugg route.

I've resisted for a long time. I hate the Uggs I see every one wearing; they look like slippers to me, and besideswhich, I'm not a fan of looking like every one else. But I liked these lace-ups. Tres alpine chic and supremely comfy. I am now wearing them with everything from dresses to jeans. Still, buying new doesn't have the same thrill as buying thrift. I used to thrift practically every piece of apparel, boots included, in Toronto, and sadly, it's just a different ball game here.

Though there's been heaps of snow at higher altitudes, Annecy didn't get the white stuff until the weekend. Here's a view of one of my fave shortcuts home after shopping, behind a large church and alongside one of the canal's (really a river that runs out of the lake) little offshoots.

Even on a grey, snowy day, Annecy looks picture-postcard perfect.

Speaking of new, the coat I'm wearing was bought new a few years ago. The only thing that was thrifted here was this 1980s scarf. Not normal for me, but there you have it.

We took advantage of the festive weather and bought our Christmas tree at the market (25 Euros). Isn't it cute?

This is the final product, sitting on our dining room table all aglow.I love the two branches jutting out on either side at the top - it makes the tree look like a little alien being.

View by day, in our sweet French apartment.

I just have to show you a bit of the rest of the room, including the amazing ceilings. Our living room is huge and it's my fave room in our little apartment.

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What to buy in the Annecy Markets

I promised to show you the two markets that take place under our window every week - here's a view of the food market, which happens three times a week. Here we buy mostly local fruit and veg, cheese, sausage and so on - the local repas du jour is cheese, bread and sausage and it's a wonder people aren't grossly overweight with that kind of eating ... but in fact every one is lithe and fit. We fit right in, haha.

I snapped a pic of the market when it wasn't busy - by 11 a.m. or noon the streets are teeming with people and you can hardly move. I buy my fruit and veggies from a gent named Verdi and his two brothers. They usually throw in a few free peaches grown in the mountains - a nice perk. If you visit, you simply must buy the (cured, pork) sausage, or as the French say, les saucissons - I'm pluralizing as you can't just get one - they are too delish (and this coming from a gal who doesn't do a lot of meat). The more you buy, the cheaper the price gets (five Euros for one, 15 Euros for five) - and you can get every flavour. Our fave so far: the one with the mushrooms inside. You can also buy a large tub of seasoned olives of every kind (sweet or hot) for between 7-10 Euros, and it lasts for weeks.

The antique market, meanwhile, is the last Saturday of every month. It goes on from around 8 a.m. to 5 or 6p.m., so there's plenty of time to rummage. There's a little bit of everything, though I'd say the vintage clothing, accessories and jewellery pickings are sparse - perhaps a good thing for a lover of beautiful things like moi.

What jewellery there was, wasn't really my style - a bit old-fashioned.

But my eagle-eye landed upon this substantial 1970s gold-tone and faux turquoise necklace - for only eight Euros! A screaming deal for Annecy, my friends. And it just so happens to go with my blue-green dress that I bought in the old town (pictured below).

Plenty of cowbells here, folks (at least I think that's what they are). There's an annual festival in town in October that's called Retour des Alpages - part of an old tradition marking the return of the the cows (whose milk is used for cheese) from the mountains, where they've been grazing all summer. Apparently they parade the cows through the streets of the old town before they put them in their fall and winter digs inside, and there's a whole day's festivities associated with big event. Love it.

We're surrounded by the French Alps, so there's no shortage of skis, sleds and other rustic wooden implements and furniture. Another great local find are lakeside or mountain paintings, like the ones you see propped against the canal railing. I spied some beautiful tiny paintings of the lake, but some were as pricy as 150 Euro. I would love to have a work of art depicting local scenery in our place, but will hold out spending that kind of cash until we see one we both love and can't live without.

Another thing I saw a lot of: ornate tin boxes, most of them larger and more rustic looking than the one pictured above. I really loved this one (but didn't buy it as it was 40 Euros!) as it was so folky looking. Maybe next time.

This was the least rustic Alpine booth of all so I thought I'd show it to you: I call it the Mod corner.

We need a chair in our apartment - and wouldn't you know, I found this one right under my window! You know my penchant for green velvet upholstered furniture. (I left a chair and a loveseat on the sidewalk in Toronto when I moved, as I couldn't get any charity to pick them up, wah). This one was comfy, slightly worn (my preference, always), with a strong wooden frame. Price: 135 Euros, but we could have talked the guy down, I bet. Mon mari wasn't convinced that it would show beautifully in our lovely pad, but I know I'm right: let me work on him for three weeks until the next market. If it's still there, we wouldn't have to try too hard to get it into our apartment!

We did come home with this beaut of a rug, old, worn and featuring an almost Peacock blue that is rare in rugs of this kind. What started off as 50 Euros went down to 30 Euros the longer we stood there and hemmed and hawed (thought of course I knew it would work, and ultimately darling hubby deferred to my decor authority). And it does indeed look grand in our huge living room, and actually complements the one old Persian rug I did bring with me.

All in all, in spite of a few freaky-scary dolls, it was a fun day . The next market is July 28, and I'll be there!

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Jazzing up a new outfit with a long-forgotten thrifted gem

THRIFT ALERT: This is NOT a thrifted dress, but I did buy it at a closing sale for less than 50% off its retail price. I love the tattoo-inspired print of this Critical Mass dress. The Lacuzzo sandals are from the same sale, as is the Bibi necklace, which I will show you in a sec.

THRIFT REALITY: I've had this gold-tone 1970s shawl for about six years - in fact, it was one of the first items I thrifted when I moved to Toronto. The funny thing is: I've never, ever worn it. Instead I've used it around the home, as a tablecloth and then as part of a headboard. I thought of it the other day and figured, with this chilly English weather, that I'm going to have to learn to layer if I want to stay warm. So I plopped it on and tried it as a shawl. I think the look is pretty sexy, even with the crazy print of this dress.

THRIFT REVELATION: Suddenly it hit me. I could layer on the shawl with a boy blazer (bought new in Canada) and wear it as a SCARF. If my neck is warm, I'm warm. The result: Boho Chic.

NEW AND VINTAGE BLING: Toss on a silver-tone boho ring (bought new at a US airport kiosk) and a vintage bracelet bought in Toronto that's so small it barely fits me, and I think we're ready to party. Now, can someone take me to a party, please?

I HEART BIBI: I normally do vintage costume bling, but this new Bibi necklace, originally priced beyond my means but also on sale, went so well with the dress. V-necks make me look like a giraffe as my neck is so long, so I like filling the space with baubles. I'm really into hearts these days, and this baby had the perfect balance between hard and soft, rocker and pretty.

Have a fab weekend everyone!

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My fave thrifty decor creations

Now that I'm married to a contemporary streamlined decor kind of guy, I've had to make some major style concessions in our new home together - and indeed, most of what you see in these photos are no longer in my possession, sigh. Not to say that our newly painted living room (pics coming soon) won't have a wee bit of boho injected into it, but let's just say, compromises have been made - on both sides. This post will honour a couple of looks I created in my old Toronto apartment, using salvaged curbside pieces and thrifty decor finds.

TRASH: An ex brought me this wooden dining room table with flip up table extentions - so cool. He found it in the trash. Though it had heaps of shiny paint and varnish on it, I still liked it. The white vinyl chair - covered in a dollar store faux fur rug and velvet pillow - was another garbage find; so too was the curved chrome chair at the front.

THRIFT SHOP FINDS: The silver chair in the back was part of a set of four salvaged at the Salvation Army in Ottawa years ago, spraypainted silver by moi and then covered with a silver tablecloth from the dollar store - tres grunge chic. Ditto for the painting, wall lamp, and handpainted bowl. The lamp was a junk shop find.

BOUGHT NEW BUT INEXPENSIVELY: The curtains were on sale in a fabric shop, tied with ribbon from a gift. I found the heavy crystal Art Deco style vase at a dollar store, if you can believe it. The large black and white photo was a gift, and the two smaller ones are old photos of me that I framed with inexpensive white mattes and frames.
INSPIRATION FOR VIGNETTE: I love the droopy tulips. I had a dinner party the evening before and someone brought them to me after walking through minus 30 degrees temperatures - so they wilted, rather artfully I think. I started with the vase and tulips on the table and went from there.

INSPIRATION FOR VIGNETTE: I really, really loved this creation - I call it my boho corner. The fun thing about this look was that it was created in the dining room space of my one bedroom apartment - but I said, what the hell, let's put the living room in the dining room - something my best friend and I did when we were 20 and living in our first apartment together.

TRASH: The loveseat, a Barrymore made in Canada gem (covered with an inexpensive slipcover from Zellers, a Canadian store) that a beau from years ago hauled out of a dumpster (actually, there were two, and I go them both).  Blue velvet chair: a curbside find in Toronto, as was the amazing wooden console dresser.

THRIFT FINDS: The Chinese style lamp was a Value Village find and the blue shade was also from the thrift shop; the Indian carpet was found at a junk store along with the head vase on the large console; the large mirror and painting balanced on it were both thrift store finds and so were the wooden oval, silver wrought iron and glass/brass tables.

BOUGHT NEW: The boho cushion on the chair was found in Saskatchewan about a decade ago, and the striped silk pillow on the sofa was part of a pair, also purchased new and splurge items if memory serves. The rest of the pillows were thrifted.

LOVE: The green Star Trek decanter on the console (see pic one up) - a gift from my best friend. It belonged to her folks and came with eight teeny shot glasses that matched.
Sadly, though I managed to sell/donate a lot of the smaller items, most of the larger furniture pieces were left curbside in Toronto when I moved. I tried to to donate the furniture to charity shops but they are so under-resourced they could not pick them up. Hopefully some like-minded folk picked up my stash left in front of my apartment.

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Denim duds, thrifted

Quelle romance: the hubby has been flying non-stop this past month, and what do the newlyweds do when they get a reprieve from hubby's crazy work schedule? They paint the living room. Ahh good to know we're so comfy with eachother so quickly, eh? Before we started for the day we ran out to do errands, and I donned this thrifty outfit: thrifted embroidered denim jacket and thrifted wideleg jeans; green Benetton sweater, also thrifted; scarf bought new in Toronto (splurge item); thrifted Kenneth Cole wedgie boots (my fave); bag, a gift; and tee, a freebie when I bought the most fab 1970s vintage coat, which I still have to show you!

Back to painting ....

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Humour in decorating

My creative decor juices haven't been flowing for a while, so in memory of my former digs in Toronto(which some, not to brag, have compared to Carrie Bradshaw's pad in Sex in the City), I will, in the next few days, be showing you some of my fave decor looks from over the years. I'm a fan of what I call emotional decorating - ie: not being scared to proudly display and utilize items and momentos you love in your living space - and over the years, like anything in life, I guess, I've also cultivated a bit of humour when it comes to trussing up my apartments. Why not? Both philosophies make me smile and love my where I live all the more.

Meaning the man in the painting in the first pic (painted by my twin sis and artist Kendra Gadzala) is sharing a view with the ethnic statue I picked up at Value Village for a few bucks! Spring can be inspiring, after all, so why not let the clear plastic purple teddy bear piggy bank frolic with the tulips of the same hue? So if you're getting too stressed about everything being matchy-matchy and hyper-organized, remember: decorating needn't be dismal - it can be fun!

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Someone stole MY couch

Wah! Someone stole my couch! I spied it from my balcony in the trash on Saturday night and was certain it was red velvet (and you know by now my near-obsession with velvet). When it was still there the next morning on my way to coffee with a pal (and I affirmed that it was, in fact, red velvet, and gorgeous at that), I felt quite sure in my bones that it was mine, that the trashing Gods had deemed it mine, that it would still be there upon my return from coffee.

Well, the very moment I was mentally rearranging my apartment coming back from coffee, the garbage Gods struck me down for my presumption! I rounded the corner expecting to see my sofa waiting for me (I knew I could work my charm and get some helpful soul to carry it up to my apartment with me) --- and it was gone.

Alas, the red velvet, the good bones, the lovely shape - all these wondrous traits obviously did not go unnoticed by some fellow style diva or duke in my 'hood. I have learned, alas, never to be too smug in my trash karma. May red velvety (there is a story behind this verbiage, just you wait as I redeemed myself the next night) rest in peace in its new abode.

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Call me crazy

Well here we are still in the middle of a heat wave in Toronto, and I'm buying myself a wool blanket.

It's on the end of my bed as we speak, and I've actually pulled it up over myself the last few nights when the sheet I've been using as a blanket isn't quite enough against the fan that has been constantly blowing on me.

It was only $4.99 at my local thrift shop, Canadian Thrift, and it's not stained, smelly or moth-eaten. These blankets are are to find in good shape, and Lord knows I'll need it when the icebox temps come our way in the winter, sigh.

The blanket (which happens to match the underside of my duvet, also thrifted) was made for Eaton's, a now defunct Canadian department store. I love that I have a bit of Canadian retail history on my bed!

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