During covid, in the 6th arr. in Paris, a woman who used to own a children’s store opened a curiosity shop called La Boutique Fantasque. A few weeks ago, I stopped by and bought an ornamental cricket cage and a few yards of fabric with horses printed all over it. (Apparently it’s good luck to trap a single cricket and keep it in your kitchen.) She also sells specialty Christmas ornaments. Her instagram doesn’t really capture what she’s doing, I recommend visiting in person. If you email in advance, she’ll have a friend come translate for you. And while in Paris… why don’t you have dinner with Donatien Grau, who works at the Musee d’Orsay, at Voltaire, which is across from the Musee d’Orsay. He’s a local and it’s a locals’ restaurant, the only kind of restaurant I like. He’ll force you to order this salad he invented, it’s disgusting—salmon, uncooked mushrooms, avocado, slathered in some mystery white cream sauce—highly recommend the experience.
