It was after the luxury and splendour of Paris' finest boutiques that Mum and I thankfully came across the cheerful "The Kilo Store" thrift shop. Although on the top level you can find vintage clothes that are marked at normal retail prices, it's in the 'pay per weight' section that the real bargains are to be found. I got a raspberry coloured polka dot top from the 80s for about €5 and my Mum found a Laura Ashley skirt for 4 or so euros. Even if you don't find something to buy, it's fun to rifle through the bomber jackets, cravats and tea dresses, and guess the price before throwing your finds onto the scales. If I remember rightly, green tagged items retail at €20 a kilo and red tags mean €30 a kilo. Scarfs, light silk tops and hats are your cheapest bets.
Sorry for the selfies! Compared to the Marche aux Puces de St Ouen where a silk top seemed to cost about €40, and other thrift stores in Le Marais which made for quite a stressful, hot, crowded trip, 'The Kilo Shop' seemed to be more organised and tidy. We visited the Saint Germain store, but they also have an outlet in Le Marais.
After a quick detour via The Sorbonne and St. Sulpice, Mum and I took a late afternoon stroll in my new favourite hangout, Les Jardins du Luxembourg.
Rounding off a brilliant day, we cooked an evening meal in my little chambre de bonne and watched "Once" on DVD. If you haven't seen it, I would highly recommend. The musical is magical too and was a snip of the price of some of the more established shows like 'The Lion King 'or 'Les Mis' when I saw it in the summer!
We got an early night, as the morning promised sweet treats, a dash of culture and a bilingual dining adventure!
The summer of 2013 was bittersweet. For the first time it really hit home how quickly the sands of time slip between your fingers, no matter how firmly you try to pack them into place with photos, concrete plans inked into diaries and bear-hugs with friends you don't want to let go of.
I had a really magical time, first going to Bologna with university friends to teach English to children in a tiny local church, then having my flatmates come down to London to see me.
I saw 'Once' the musical, ate at Borough Market for the first time, surveyed London from the Shard, and then had my own Roman Holiday in Italy with my beautiful family.
Friends from school gave me the best send off anyone could ask for with cocktails and a 'Despicable Me' cake. But all of it was tempered by the knowledge I'd be leaving for a year for Paris. I can't believe how lucky and blessed I've been with all the opportunities I've been given. Moving on is hard to do, but I don't think I'd change anything, given the brilliant experiences I've had so far in Paris.
A snap-chat I sent to friends after booking my trip
I made this video so I'd have something to look back on - and I'm so glad I did. I can't travel back in time, but this is a small way of flipping the hourglass back over and seeing time spent run its course again:
