lucky penny admits it. she has always been a francophile.

all things french rank high on her list…  such as the achingly picturesque town of saint-rémy-de-provence, hot croissants et café au lait (ideally in paris), chanel style, louis vuitton leather goods, and… yes, the irresistible fragrance world of guerlain.

the french perfumery, however, never quite worked with lucky penny’s chemistry. no matter how much the luxury scents seduced her nose (or how beautiful they looked on her dresser), there was always a creamy vanilla nuance that never seemed worked on her skin—that is, until she discovered idylle.

a light citrus, floral and musk scent, idylle is an anomaly in the guerlain portfolio, and a perfect compliment to lucky penny’s dna. one of the ingredients is ylang ylang, an essential oil from the pacific rim, which is known to be an aphrodisiac… cute boyfriend can attest to that.

finally, a guerlain perfume that this girl can say is “juste pour moi.”

lucky penny was strolling along one of many cobblestone streets in paris when she stumbled upon une jolie boutique qui s’appelle baby buddha.

through the vitrine, a little trinket caught her eye… l’arbre de vie.

feidt bijoux, created by sisters muriel and nathalie, is delicate, dainty and one-of-a-kind… everything that lucky penny absolutely adores about the collection.

each piece is made of gold (white, yellow or rose), and some adorned with enamel, diamonds and semi-precious stones.

that very day, being immediately drawn to the simplicity and symbolism behind the tree of life… she treated herself to a ring anchored at the corners by a fine chain… and the matching bracelet six months later!

lucky penny is a creature of habit… every single morning, coffee in hand, the first order of business is to read her daily blogroll, a parade of sites inspiring her to work.

for sometime now, one of her online staples has been the selby is in your place. todd selby’s playful photojournal features artists, designers, influencers and musicians in their personal environments… from christian louboutin at his paris home, to karl lagerfeld surrounded by a floor-to-ceiling library of books in his studio.

last evening, lucky penny was invited to the author’s book launch at parts and labour in parkdale, hosted by holt renfrew. his first bound copy is a collection of old and new material, including charming watercolour illustrations (like above)… and a perfect addition to her coffee table. selby is welcome to her home anytime. *hint, hint*

lucky penny will play, while cute boyfriend is away.

strolling around paris, between business meetings, her boy found himself in a rather desperate situation… he left his face cream at home. but the red 40% off tags at yves rocher were a sign… and he did learn a thing or two from his girl… so why not just give it a try?

much to his surprise, the daily face wash and moisturizer helped clear up those stubborn spots, reduce irritation caused by shaving, and protect against the harsh sun in northern france.

cute boyfriend was rather impressed… and bought more while this stuff is still cheap!

***psst… written by patrick forestell.

lucky penny must have been a parisienne in her former life. she loves les macarons, hermès et bensimon.

these adorable liberty print kicks are parfait for romantic strolls through the city of lights… and limited edition! it was love at first sight. from time to time, sexy shoesies (tired feet and blisters, natch) need a holiday.

if petites fleurs or plaid aren’t your cup of tea, bensimon has an extensive range of tennis sneakers… from ballerina flats and boat shoes, to low slouchy booties and mary janes… in a multitude of different colour ways.

en français, s’il vous plaît.