Friends of mine were walking the picturesque streets of Paris recently when they took these photos of a shop dedicated to antique bathroom fixtures. The poster at the top left offers The Perfect Bathroom for 345 francs. The date of the poster is probably early 20th century, but even so it seems like a good deal, especially considering the elaborately designed clawfoot tub. The photo on the bottom left is a toilet that you certainly don’t see every day. The design on the front seems to echo the prow of old sailing ships, with a representation of a winged mermaid. For the avid antiquarian who has everything, this toilet might be the perfect find. I find it just the slightest bit over the top. It does bring a smile to my face, something I can’t say bathroom fixtures usually do.

Several years ago we were visiting friends in the Hudson Valley and came upon the Harney Tea shop in Millerton NY, which includes a Tasting Room and Restaurant. Harney produces a large selection of quality teas, and they are located in Millerton. The tea tasting room was a first for me, and was similar in some ways to the wine tasting experience, though you don’t need a designated driver. You choose your tea (there seem to be at least a hundred on the shelves) and are provided with a special cup with a heating element, into which the tea is inserted in a clasp container. A timer measures precise steeping time, and then you taste. I defy anyone to sample Harney teas and not buy one. On a recent visit we tried the low-key restaurant and had a charming lunch. If you’re touring the Hudson Valley this summer, you must visit Millerton, which also features Oblong Books, a friendly and very well stocked bookstore.

My favorite living French artist, who happens to be my sister, gave me a wonderful present recently—a watercolor of Belle Maison’s world headquarters in Short Hills, New Jersey. Her soft, ethereal style makes our studio seem like it deserves to be located near Monet’s glade in Giverny. I suppose that 15 Short Hills Avenue is, in a manner of speaking, a little bit of French style transplanted in the USA. With American efficiency and diligence, of course!

Cold Spring, New York is about an hour north of the city, and it’s one of those wonderful little antique-centric towns, like Lambertsville in New Jersey. Walk up and down the main drag and you’re bound to find something of interest. In the back room of one shop I saw this trove of chocolate molds. They’d make a lovely collection in a kitchen display case. The molds represent eggs, animals, hearts, even a few mythological and religious figures. They are kitchen tools, not delicate objects, yet they have an evocative character, and would give the right kitchen a charmingly rustic feel.