In Paris

One can almost imagine the nonchalant figures pictured here, breaking their plaster confines and reclining casually on the chaise and chairs pictured above.

Places of reflection and relaxation are always welcome and necessary for me, especially during a buying trip, a balm for all I see and must sort through, a breath from the thought processes that go into selecting things for the store.

A moment of quiet can be found in a museum, a garden, or a quiet corner of a hotel. Last spring I saw mention of a Balenciaga exhibit being held at Musee Bourdelle, in Paris. I was not familiar with the institution, so it was all the more a treat to savor Christóbal's "L'Oeuvre au Noir" in situ with huge sculptures, artwork and studies created by another great artist, Antoine Bourdelle. Monsieur Bourdelle was a pioneer of monumental sculpture and an influential teacher to many artists. What is now a museum was once his home, studio and garden, an unexpected oasis in Montparnasse!