Today’s guests for “What’s in Your Bag” gives us double delight and moves the series into Fall. With Summer almost over, it’s time to move forward with travel bags from other places, so who better to do that than the dynamic duo from Huff Harrington! Have you met these ladies? Do you know about their amazing store in Atlanta and their fabulous buying excursions to Paris? If not, you need to take a minute and visit their website at the end of this post.
Meet Ann Huff and Meg Harrington!
If you can’t wait to see what these ladies do, go ahead and click over to their website now then read the post or read the post and click over but either way, don’t miss out on what Huff Harrington has to offer.
I’m beyond excited I won a Buying Trip at the Design Bloggers Conference to France next March with this fun pair of design treasure hunters! Don’t you want to join us? I can promise we will have a ball and find some amazing furniture and accessories along the way. Rumour has it there will be a little French champagne involved as well! I’ll give you links at the bottom of the post in case you are interested in the details but for now….Let’s go see what’s in these ladies well-packed travel bags.
click here to read more….
- Where are You two off to Travel?
We’ll both be traveling to Paris and Provence with several groups of Frenchie-loving clients and guests.
- Do you have a favorite bag?
Meg: hands-down, my expandable Longchamp bag. I love that I can enlarge it – usually on my way home when I’m laden down with goodies. And, when I’m in Provence, I always grab a colorful straw market bag that comes home laden with fresh fruit, vegetables, olive oil and plenty of local wine.
Ann: I’ve become a bit of a Goyard addict, because they hold so much and are lightweight. But like Meg, I always travel with at least one or two of the fold up Longchamp bags in my suitcase … because you never know when they might come in handy!
- What are the necessities in your bag?
Meg: for plane travel, I always carry a wrap – usually the latest from Huff Harrington. Sometimes it’s cashmere, sometimes it’s cotton. Right now, I’m obsessed with a super soft and scrunchy long-sleeved sweater that I can wrap myself in before I fall asleep. Also, headphones, socks, Mac, iPad and a ziplock bag for all my chargers and cords.
Ann: It always takes me 10 minutes to settle in to my seat on the plane. Away with the shoes, and out come the cashmere socks, the cozy wrap, the Bose headphones, the silk eye mask, chap stick, hand cream and of course my iphone 6, on Airplane mode!
- Clothes to wear?
Meg: in summertime Provence, it’s all about being cool. I’ll wear a light, flowy dress and pull it together with an airy scarf and flats or espadrilles. (And in the market bag there’s always an umbrella and something to ward off the unexpected raindrops.)
Ann: I’ve learned to limit my colors when traveling: In winter, it’s black and taupe, with a couple of lovely scarves. In summer, it’s black and white, with a couple of lively scarves! I’m a big fan of traveling light … and in France, black is always the new black.
- Favorite shoes for walking?
Meg: in Provence, I love my tried and true ballet flats, strappy
flat sandals or espadrilles.
Ann: I have a favorite comfort shoe brand in Paris called Arche, and I live in them all year round. I think they literally add a bounce to my step!
- Do you like to wear a hat? If so, what brand?
Meg: in Provence, anything with a nice, wide brim. I found one last summer in St. Remy that’s indestructible and folds into practically nothing.
Ann: I never pack a hat because I always buy one there, usually an inexpensive one from an outdoor market. I always think I’ll wear it back home, and of course I never do!
- Favorite shops?
Meg: in Provence, the daily markets are a feast for all the senses. There’s cute clothing, housewares, food and small antiques and objets – all oozing French charm. St. Remy, a gorgeous chic village, has oodles of boutiques that are fun to wander in and out of.
Ann: I love the pretty Repetto stores and all the shoe stores along the rue de Grenelle. And my new favorite clothing store is Cos, which is great for classic, affordable everyday wear.
8 Favorite place to stay?
Meg: in Provence, I’m usually blessed to stay at Les Murets, Ann’s sprawling Provencal home. She’s made it so inviting it’s always tough to leave (we have a running joke that I went into business with Ann because I loved her French real estate so much!). Les Murets has a gorgeous, sun-drenched pool and a spectacular terrace that overlooks a valley and a mountain range.
Ann: Aw, thank you Meg! We have a little jewel of an apartment in the 7th arrondissement in Paris that I secretly modeled after my favorite hotel in the world: the Duc de St. Simon in Paris. It’s on a darling little side street, and the hotel just oozes charm, with pretty, non-trendy but warm and cozy rooms. And the sheets are to die for!
- Favorite restaurant?
Meg: oh Lord. Totally impossible to nail down but I have two faves that we love to bring our clients to: the Bistrot du Paradou which is so fun, convivial and delicious and Le Sanglier Paresseux, which is a little more serious but sublime (and the terrace has a view to die for.)
Ann: I was lucky enough to eat my way through Paris recently for a blog on Paris restaurants! Right now the winner is Verjus but I also love Spring. They are both very serious about their food without being pretentious. It’s a little odd that they both have American chefs, but then again, some of the best restaurants in N.Y. are French!
- Favorite street side cafe?
Meg: I love popping into cool little cafes on market days – you’ve shopped till you’re dropping, and a little glass of chilly rose is just the ticket.
Ann: We love the lively location of La Terrasse in the 7th that is just so fun for people watching.
- Favorite drink
Meg: any form of bubbly – or Provencal rose in the summer.
Ann: Bubbles before dinner and a wonderful, full bodied
cote du Rhone red with dinner.
12 Favorite off the beaten path spot?
Ann: The Musee Marmottan, in the 16th arrondissement. It was once a private home that now houses an amazing collection of Monets and other 19th C. artists. And although it’s certainly off the beaten path, I love walking through the Tuileries gardens more than just about anything.
- Favorite souvenirs to bring home?
Meg: Anything Provencal – from wine, olive oil and linens to scarves galore and antique objets. Thank goodness for the expandable bag!
Ann: Anything from a French pharmacie! I’m addicted to Compeed blister bandaids, Nuxe skin creams, Elmex toothpaste, Fruterer hair products and a little box of “chiclets” that are our secret cures for jetlag!
- Any other interesting activities or tidbits you
would like to share?
Meg: The Provencal people are the most warm, welcoming and lively bunch. Greet them with a big smile and crack a little joke – and you’ll have friends for life! And slow down: Provence is too beautiful to rush through.
Ann: Meg is so right. And believe it or not, the Parisians are wonderful too. Not necessarily “warm and friendly” but delightful to banter with and always eager for a lively little repartee. We tell our clients to flirt a little, try to speak a bit and just have fun. It always works!
Check out Huff Harrington on these Social Channels and if you are in the Atlanta area pop in and check out their amazing store:
Website: huffharrington.com
Blog: blog.huffharrington.com/category/blog/
Facebook: facebook.com/HuffHarringtonHome
Twitter: twitter.com/huffharrhome
Instagram: instagram.com/huffharrington
Selected by Atlanta Magazine as “Best New Home Store 2012”
Hours: Monday-Friday, 10 to 6; Saturdays, 10 to 5.
Please sign up to join these ladies on one of their excursions!
They take care of all the details which frees you up to just enjoy your time shopping in France! Click here for details on trips they offer and the trip I’m taking with them in March of 2016 here! Would love to have you join us! My studio partner Traci Zeller is coming too!
