December 10 2024
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‘Emily in Paris’ star would like your Paris tips
New York Times
last updated:
Jan 20,2023
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Lily Collins has been “Emily in Paris” for so long
that she is expected to be a Parisian authority. Three seasons into her run as
Emily Cooper, an American marketing executive on assignment in the City of
Light, she spends large portions of the year in France and is constantly asked
for recommendations. But she is there to work.اضافة اعلان
“I don’t have as much free time as I wish that I had to
explore,” she said in a phone interview, which she conducted from her car,
parked next to the road in Los Angeles before an appointment. “I’m constantly
discovering new places and asking for people’s lists because I like the
non-tourist spots.”
Collins, 33, has been building her own list by scootering
along the Seine, making regular visits to Canal Saint-Martin, and getting to
know the side streets around the Clignancourt flea market. But, she admits, one
of the best sights in the city is still its most famous.
“Whenever I’m in the city and I look up and I see the Eiffel
Tower, it doesn’t matter how many times I’ve seen it, I still get giddy,” she
says. “It’s such a feat.”
Season 3 of “Emily in Paris” began streaming on Netflix last
month. Collins spoke with us about Five Minute Journals, the concept of hygge,
and other things she gravitates to at home, in Paris and beyond. These are
edited excerpts from the conversation.
Greeting cards“I have a box where I keep cards that I am saving for people.
Some are over 10 years old. I have people in mind and I will get them cards
knowing that one day they are going to have a 25th birthday and they will need
this card. I love the idea that a single piece of paper can say so much about
how you have been thinking of someone.”
Self-portraits“It is so interesting when an artist
or a photographer paints, draws, or takes a self-portrait because it is such an
inside look into how someone views themselves. The late photographer Vivian
Maier is a really beautiful example.”
The Five Minute Journal“It gives you easy prompts to answer and helps you be aware
of how you can view things in multiple different ways. Instead of saying the
crap that happened to you that day and how you were so upset about something,
you get to look at how you could have handled certain things throughout the day
better, what you were grateful for, what you are excited about, and what is
good in your life. You also write daily affirmations and things that you would
like to accomplish. It is beautiful to look back to previous journals and see
how far you have grown.”
Treehotel“One of the bucket-list places that I
had been wanting to stay in was the Treehotel in Swedish Lapland, which is
basically a collection of beautiful tree houses. Each tree house looks like
something different — a bird’s nest, a UFO, a steel dragonfly. My husband
booked us one during our honeymoon that is high in the trees. Staying there,
you get to feel like an adventurer and you get that little kid feeling that I
have always loved.”
Word searches“I have always carried a word search book with me on
flights. It is a way to turn my mind off. They put me in a kind of meditative
trance. Also, I get a weird sense of accomplishment when I complete one.”
Dried flowers“When we go to farmers’ markets, I always end up finding
amazing dried flowers. I sometimes keep them for years so I can look at
different flowers and remember where I got them. If I get them from a farmers’
market in a different city or in a different country, I push them in books and
bring them back. They are such romantic mementos.”
‘Van Go’“On the Magnolia Network show “Van Go”, Brett Lewis converts
things like vans and sprinters into homes, stores, food trucks — whatever
people want. It is an interesting way to see what people need, what they want, and
what their aesthetics are. It is also a look at what the core necessities are
when you pare things down and what can be done in such a small space.”
Hygge “I have always been someone who loves being cozy: cozy
socks, my grandma’s cozy sweater, a fire going, playing a game with friends or
family — being cozy in an environment is so important to me. When I learned
about the Danish concept, hygge, I felt seen, like, oh my God, someone gets me.”
Coffee“I look for coffee shops everywhere I go. In a foreign city,
they can provide a sense of home and a sense of comfort. There is a Norwegian
coffee brand called Tim Wendelboe that I have discovered on our many trips to Denmark.
It is probably the most incredible coffee I have ever had.”
Monocle“When we are traveling, we sometimes
schedule our trips around things we read about in Monocle magazine. Art,
fashion, you name it, they have the places where residents go and that
celebrate local artisans. It also can help dictate where we go next. If there is
a place that is so cool and has all these amazing places to visit that we did
not know about, maybe that is the next destination.”