If I was to purchase from a Gallery I would certainly ship it to my business address & insure it, however, I'm referring to the guy on the street. In Piazza Novana, there was an artist who came in on Thursday-Sunday afternoon from Perugia whose work was beautiful. BUT, the canvas was taken off of the frames. I'm not talking about the finished frames that go around the outside of the picture, but the wooden frame that you stretch the canvas onto and paint. In Venice, all of the "guy on the street" work we saw was in the same state. Now, keep in mind I am not buy this for an investment, that is not the point, but to purchase a piece of beauty and remembrance for my home. The framing is not a problem. It's the (what's the terminology???) restretching the canvas on it's base frame that I'm concerned about.

tea from mariages freres. cheap jewelry from Monoprix.

DJ-you can buy the canvas and roll it up and put it into a tube and your framer in the US will stretch it onto a frame and "frame" it the way you want it.We have a friend who is an artist and he has given us canvases that we have to have framed, it is no problem.C

My wife and I were vacationing in London last year and took a day trip to Paris via the Eurostar. Even though we were only there for a day, we grabbed a taxi to "Mt. St.Chapel" (hopefully the spelling is right). It has an artists colony where we purchased two paintings directly from the artists. The artists even posed with their pictures.

I always take a cardboard tube for artwork now. It's too easy to ruin originals without one. I like to get custom sketches done by the artists on the Seine - across from Notre Dame Cathedral. You have to be selective and watch some finished work before you can decide who is worth their stuff. I have done this in NY, San Francisco, and now Paris. It only takes about an hour and I will treasure these works of art always.

Thanks CDF, thats exactly what I was wondering. Also thanks all for the transportation advice. Some of the oil's were pretty "thick" I was uncertain if they should be rolled. But going forward I will bring the tube ( I have plenty from the artwork I currently own. <BR> <BR>Also, this past fall being our first trip to Europe, I learned another lesson. We packed LIGHT. So light that we did not have adequate room to bring home the treasures we would have liked. Next time here comes the LARGER suitcase. Primarily for the more room. Especially for Paris!!!!

an outrageous hat from marie mercie.

My favorite purchase? Always scarves, chocolate and L'Occitane vervein soap.

Without a doubt, a bottle of the fragranced room spray they use at Hotel Costes--that way I can trick myself into believing I'm still there every time I use it. Also, a really great knit skirt from Galleries Lafayette and my T LeClerc powder compact. Can't wait to go back! <BR>P.S.to the people who love L'Occitane--has anyone tried Roger & Gallet products? They are great, too.

A Hermes scarf. Worth every penny. I built an entire wardrobe around it. I bought it in 1994 and it is still magnificent.

pate de foie gras. my family just couldnt get enough

The usual; cosmetics and clothes.

a photo album to put our photos of our france holiday in.

A two bedroom apartment in the Latin Quarter. <BR> <BR>RJS

Randall, <BR> <BR>Is that apartment in the Latin Quarter your primary residence, or do you stay there while in Paris? If the latter is the case, so you rent the apt. to others? Just curious! <BR> <BR>Jocelyn

Oh Randall, that is my dream every time we go to Paris...I can be heard saying to my husband every day~can we please please get an apartment here and stay~ How did you manage this - so we can do it also? Thank you :)

Bonjour cdf & Jocelyn, <BR> <BR>It has long been a dream of ours also, and a year ago we finally did it. <BR> <BR>Jocelyn, we are currently spending about 6 weeks a year in France in three seperate trips. Eventially as our children get older, and we get older as will, we hope to spend much more time there. In the mean time we have had family members and friends stay there, and we do rent it a fair amount of time, which covers expenses. <BR> <BR>All and all for us, it has been a great adventure. <BR> <BR>Ciao, <BR> <BR>RJS <BR> <BR>

Italian shoes

THAT DOES IT! I want to be just like Randall :) Why do we have to buy houses at the beach or in the mountains? Why not in Paris! Thank you Randall and here's hoping that we will be neighbors some day... <BR>also, I got a "puffy coat" at Galleries Lafayette one year,in a pretty blue, that style was very popular that year in Paris but not seen in NY yet--I still wear that coat, and people still stop me and ask where they can get one!~~C

As my wife and I strolled through the Marais area last year we saw this wonderful paint store (house paint) with great displays of faux painting samples in the windows. We entered, met the most helpful young man that with my limited French and his limited English were able to have a great discussion of painting techniques, materials, tools, etc. We ended up buying two French made paint brushes designed for special techniques. They are hand made, with wonderful copper and wood handles. I have used them in our house since and love them. We also picked up several brochures with instructions on some really neat painting methods (all in French of course, but with good illustrations). <BR> <BR>Not as exciting as silk scarves, fancy hand bags, or shoes, but indeed unique.