Lily of the Valley, Paris.

Escapism via internet. This is a new little tea bar that opened up this summer in the Marais in Paris. Just looking at it gives me that excited feeling of being a traveler in the springtime, when it’s warm in the sun but still cool in the shade, looking chic and being incredibly excited to be alive, and having a lovely day shopping and strolling in the most beautiful neighborhoods of Paris, or Florence, or Soho or LA or anywhere, you’re alone or with your favorite person to be with, and then you stumble into the most adorable little place in the late afternoon for a refreshment by accident, and as you sit down and feel that your legs are tired and you didn’t even know it, you just take a deep breath and think, wow, life is pretty damn near perfect right now. Sigh. I hope I never get to old, or bitter, or cranky or inured to life to appreciate a perfect afternoon.

This secret little garden was inspired by a Dior show. Owner Pauline LaPlace sent a pinterest board over to designer Marie Deroudilhe, and requested something with a soul. Feminine, but not corny.

Lily of the Valley, 12, rue Dupetit-Thouars, 75003 Paris. Open Monday to Friday from 8 am 30-18: 30 pm and Saturday from 11:00 to 8:00 p.m.

Photos via French AD.