Chic Notes: Pink Peonies in Paris

“In pursuit of pink unicorns…”

One of the goals that I set out for myself in Europe was to capture as many flower shops as humanly possible. Since it was June, I had my eye on one flower in particular. In my eyes, the peony is the unicorn of all flowers. At the beginning of the summer, they magically start to appear all over the world, only to mysteriously vanish after a few short weeks of providing joy and delight. If I had it my way…flower shops would stock nothing but pink peonies, hydrangeas and roses all year round. With that being said, what an amazing time to be in Paris! I found this beautiful flower shop while wandering in the Saint Germain De Prés neighbourhood. We just finished photographing French pastries and other delectable delights at a patisserie down the street when we came across this quaint little place. As I approached the outdoor display, the woman who owned it came out to greet me. “Bonjour!” she exclaimed and proceeded to greet me further in French. I asked her if I could photograph the flowers and she smiled and agreed. After snapping away for a few minutes, I realized that I didn’t want the feelings that these flowers instilled in me to end! I guess you could call this the unicorn effect lol. I swiftly decided that I needed these flowers in my life. I started gathering a beautiful bunch that I planned to bring inside and purchase. As I looked at those ravishing beauties in my hand, reality started to come crashing in. I was staying at a hotel without a proper vase to store them. I was also leaving the next day and I wouldn’t be able to take them with me. At that, I decided to put back my gorgeous flowers and continue on. For a moment, I felt sad as I walked away….I knew that I wouldn’t have many opportunities to purchase them again when I returned home, and I had waited all year for my unicorns to finally appear! After a few moments of self-loathing, I was reminded that I had captured some great photos and I could still enjoy them in digital form. I decided right then and there that I would create a post consisting only of my beloved unicorns and the excitement that they brought me that day. Well…I’m off to the beach this morning, wish me luck and hopefully a minimal sunburn lol Until my next travel post…sweet dreams until sun beams find you!