I truly believe that small pleasures make life infinitely more fun. I am constantly in pursuit of them, and discovering a new small treat (or returning to one of my favourites) never fails to bring a smile to my face. It might be something such as a new bright pink lipstick, a cup of tea somewhere decadent, buying a bunch of peonies at the farmer’s market, acts of kindness, or simply the luxury of time to spend an entire weekend reading a book and organising your shoe wardrobe. Whatever it is, the point is that although it’s a rare treat that doesn’t cost a lot of money (this isn’t about frequent consumerism or emotional spending), but it’s something which always makes you smile on a grey day or when you’re in a slump.
So in recognition of the place small luxuries hold in living a charmed life, I’ve decided to start a new series on the litle things that make me smile. And for my first post on the subject, it seemed appropriate to mention Laduree, because exquisite French macarons (or almost anything Parisian, for that matter) always bring a smile to my face. I remember my very first trip to Laduree; I was 23, and travelling to Paris for the very first time on my own (it took 30 hours to get there from Australia, but I loved every second I was there). I vividly remember thinking that the shopfront was like the magical Land of Sweets from the Nutcracker that I used to dream of as a child, brought to life before me, right there in Paris. I went inside and felt as though I’d arrived at my fantasy Parisian salon, complete with the most charming staff, the kind of attention to detail I worship, and desserts that blew my sweet-tooth into a whole other realm.
Ever since that day, a trip to Laduree (I choose the tiny gilded cave on Piccadilly when I can’t make it to Paris) is guaranteed to send me skipping home with glee, with that powdery green bag swinging from my arm. For opening one of those pretty little boxes (which I always save to store jewels and trinkets in, or to send a little packet of treats to a friends in cities deprived of Laduree) to find the light-as-air jewel-coloured treats within is surely the gourmand equivalent of a treasure box, or a Faberge egg.
Do you like this new series? What is your ultimate ‘small pleasure’?
Love, Miss B xx
LOVE the start of this new series. I introduced a friend to Laduree the other day and she told me it was one of the best things to ever happen to her even though she lives a very charmed life. It’s in the small things!!
You’re so right – it is the small things that matter! People sometimes neglect to remember this in their constant quest for the big things (which obviously are important too).
And I don’t know what it is about those little macarons, but they’re gastronomically magical!
B xx
I definitely do love this new series!
I only tried those adorable macarons once while being near Paris and after that I never managed to come back or get some somewhere else. But I’m still dreaming about getting them as often as I want 😉
The fact that you can’t get them all the time makes them even more special, I think! A rare treat that’s all the more enjoyable when you do get your hands on it.
B xx
Love this new series… a wonderful idea and am in total agreement. You don’t have to spend a lot to enjoy something wonderful. I can’t believe I stood outside the Laduree store in Piccadilly and didn’t go in and buy something. Next time, the macaroons won’t be getting away with it!
Some of my simple pleasures are lighting my Baies Diptyque candle, bringing home a bunch of tulips with the food shopping, using my Marc Jacobs Daisy shower gel & body lotion for no special reason and taking Small Child for a coffee and piece of gooey cake in the school holidays!
Hope you’re having a lovely weekend darling and looking forward to your next post in the series! xxx
I absolutely insist you rectify this next time you’re in London! And I love your list – lighting a gorgeous candle is definitely one of my favourites, as well as a spritz of gorgeous perfume and buying a bunch of flowers for myself.
B xx
Am in raptures with this post!!! Divine images…and I couldn’t agree more!…just gazing through the window of that shop is pure joy! Look forward to reading more in series!
Isn’t it? The ultimate in window shopping!
B xx
Miserable with the cold on a holiday Monday M&S Percy Pigs and diet Irn Bru are keeping me happy.
Aww, feel better soon! There’s nothing like a cosy day at home with treats when it’s cold outside!
B xx
Love this! The gold cave on Piccadilly is my fave Laduree location. The Harrods one is nice, but not as intimate.
I’ve never had one of the boxes (shame I know!) and you are right, they are perfect for storing trinkets and vintage goodies in! I shall need to rectify this!
Look forward to your next post! I’ve got some exciting things lined up for Political Style too!
Completely agree – even though Harrods is bigger, I tend not to go there as a rule (everything in that store feels too flashy and impersonal for my liking)
B xx
Laduree is one of my MAJOR pleasures….they’ve made me obsessed with macarons! I live out of London, so it is my go to place on every visit. I’m so obsessed I’ve spent hours and hours researching how to make and perfect macarons at home just to get a tiny bit of the laduree experience at home. I’ve topped it off with my beautiful Laduree sucre book (I’ve yet to actually use it in the kitchen as it is so perfect!)
Great new series….I always love your photos of laduree so keep them coming!
Small pleasures are what it is all about… for me flowers say it all. I am currently sitting amongst a beautiful bunch of peonies and sweet williams on the side table to my left, a small milk jug full of yellow roses (a gift from a friend who came for coffee yesterday) on the coffee table in front of me AND a lovely pink and purple orchid on the dining table behind me.
Other small pleasures today include looking at the fruit bowl painted especially for me by the toddlers I look after (finger-painting geniuses) and my boyfriend’s mustard chino’s which make me smile every time he wears them.
Can’t wait for more in your Small Pleasures series, great idea x
You’re so right – I don’t know what it is about fresh flowers, but they instantly give a room more life, and always make me smile when I have them around the house. My favourites are the first daffodils and narcissi in Spring, and pink peonies at this time of year.
B xx
Laduree Macaroons… one of the substances keep me and my husband sane. He always asks me to get raspberry and my current favourite is salt caramel. Both are divine.
Some other sweet pleasures in London for me are Konditor&Cook’s cake and Burnt Sugar’s fudges, another dangerous stuff for healthy diet, oh well.
Love this new series, looking forward to reading more.
Mmm, definitely agree (although I also love rose, or any of their seasonal floral flavours). And Konditor&Cook cranberry brownies are heaven sent!
B xx
Love this series! I know I’m always trying to find little things that brighten my day.
My simple pleasure is gelato. When my friends and I traveled to Italy last year, we tried several different gelaterie, and the unanimous favorite was Grom in Florence. When we found out that they had branches in New York, we were ecstatic. The second the weather gets warm, I head to my nearest location, preferrably with co-workers in tow, for a cone of nocciola. Fifteen minutes of absolute bliss!
My other, more frequently indulged simple pleasure is coffee. I’m a caffiene addict without a fancy espresso maker, so any time I can pop into a Starbucks or somewhere nicer for a good caffe latte or a caffe mocha, I’m in heaven.
Ooh, you’ve got me pining for proper gelati on a summer’s day! In Australia it was my favourite summer treat – the more exotic the flavour, the better. But in England it’s so hard to find that I think there’s nothing for it but to get on a plane to Florence 😉
B xx
No, just get to Paris…..Berthillon!
Nice idea for a series. Some of my faves include lovely soaps — even a fresh bar of Pears can do it, Maja…and a squirt of Penhaligon’s Blenheim Bouquet.
Small pleasures are definitely the biggest for me (and paradoxically the ones I savour the most) and one thing I like is to read of the small pleasures of other people so this is a warm welcome to your new series from me, I’ll be glad to read the posts to come!
Ladurée is one of my small pleasures too. I go every time I visit Paris (or London) and opening that little cute box, choosing the first little delight, smell it and slowly savour it really gives me goose bumps (am I exaggerating?? Naaa…). I also have a ritual: I try to go when it’s not too crowded, I buy the box (I usually buy the box even if I have hundreds of them at home :D) and then I choose a bench on a little city garden to savour the first macaron of the box. I love it.
Loved this post, it is what I needed in this rainy and grey Tuesday morning 🙂
Al
-The Red Dot-
I absolutely love this! I try to buy a box full only on special days, and make a trip there whenever I go to Paris (eating in the salon itself, then taking a box away and finding a quiet shady spot in the Jardin des Tuileries and savouring every delicious bite!
B xx
I’m still yet to experience the loveliness of these macaroons! No doubt I will be instantly addicted, they look delicious!
pretty photos! those macaroons look great
There is no laduree where I live, but there is a wonderful store called Alice in Cakeland and their cupcakes are such a treat. They are the little pick-me-ups on grey days. Buying beautiful white flowers go on the same list. I love coming home and spotting them first thing when I walk into the living room.
Please forget Ladurée for a while, and behave as a parisian and get to Pascal Hermé’s, the best pastries and macarons in Paris
xoxoxo