The Joie Review: January 2025
All the inspiration from the first month of this rocky road year.
I posted on my Instagram last week that I am one of the few who love January, and I truly mean it. However if you have followed me for some time, then you might also remember the newsletter where I wrote about winter being my least favorite season and often hard to push through. I know it sounds contradictory, but two things can be true. Let me explain.
I enjoy celebrating my birthday at the beginning of Jan, and the start of the year feels like new beginnings. I welcome that and thinking about what I have planned or want to have planned. Even if I fail in the goals or don’t see them through or have to pivot, it’s nice to focus my energy on what I want for my life, instead of what I don’t want. Why wish it all over when it has just began. What will that change? I like the fresh beginnings.
Now the weather…that’s a different story. It’s so dark in Paris, blue skies are rare, and it’s pretty cold. This messes with my energy levels. I waste so much time and emotion fighting against circadian rhythms and seasonal affective disorders. Maybe it should be rebranded to seasonal acceptance disorder or delirium. Then I would remember to lean into it. Like a sort of radical acceptance of the season.
However, I always look for the light and try to find ways to inject joy into my days and weeks. This is a never-ending quest, practice, and/or attempt. So, despite the dark days, I pressed on and was pretty busy.
I co-hosted a Road Map Atelier with
, finished a manuscript for an ancillary book project to JOIE, and started plotting another book idea. I also had a fun week running around with friends from out of town during Paris Design Week. This will be a pretty busy year for me that will require a lot of focus and seeking out inspiration and the “big fish” ideas, as David Lynch would say. This year, my main goal is to be deeply in search of beauty, art, and culture to inspire me and bring me joy and hope. However I also believe it will be deeply necessary in the times ahead.Hope your Feb is off to a great start. I have a few other posts to share between now and my next Spring antique Treasure Trove drop. À bientôt! xx, Ajiri
P.s. Did you know that I am offering 25% off in the Madame de la Maison shop? I gotta clean out my shelves and get ready for the Spring. Use the code SOLDES25.
P.p.s. There are a few spots left in the Fall Provence retreats. Come join me in Provence! More info here.
When Le Tout-Paris opened in 2021 inside the Cheval Blanc hotel on the Seine side of the La Samaritaine department store, I, like many locals and tourists, ran there for a pricey Michelin-starred meal with panoramic views over the Seine. Last month, I returned for a solo lunch at the bar—a more relaxed, à la carte experience from the same skillful kitchen and with the same stunning views. The bar doesn’t take reservations, so the key is to arrive early when they open to claim your choice of a seat at the bar, a few low tables facing the windows, or a spot outside on the terrace.
I ordered the burger, which arrived with fries and a salad—actually more food than I could finish. Across the bar, a guest ordered a dramatically presented onion soup that gave me instant order envy. But I stayed focused, saving room for the dessert a friend had raved about on Instagram: the profiterole éclair.
The dessert is a less traditional éclair, but more deconstructed gooiness, with a crisp chocolate pâte à choux shell, split open with vanilla ice cream. A rich warm chocolate sauce is poured tableside, melting the ice cream a bit and pooling around the pastry. I loved the contrast of flavors, hot and cold, crisp and creamy, which made each bite pure indulgence. It’s now officially my favorite dessert in all of Paris and I have already been back since my birthday.
Le Tout-Paris
(inside the Cheval Blanc Paris Hotel)
8 Quai du Louvre, 75001 Paris
Website
Instagram
Brasserie Vaudeville, right across from the Bourse, is one of those classic Parisian spots that takes you back to the 1920s with its Art Deco interiors, crisp white tablecloths, and waiters gliding by in black vests. Old school vibes with all the French classics: escargot, roque monsieur, oyster towers, french onion soup, entrecôte with lots of french fries, and sole meunière swimming in butter. We went without a reservation and had to wait at the bar with drinks for about 30 minutes. They offer service from breakfast until late dinner, which is perfect when you are moving at a snail pace like I was that day and need to have lunch around 3pm outside of the traditional French lunch window.
Brasserie Vaudeville
29 Rue Vivienne, 75002 Paris
Website
Instagram
There isn’t much to say about Septime that hasn’t already been said. It’s impossible to get a reservation for a reason. They ask about your allergies, and from there, you simply surrender to the experience—a 7-course tasting menu (shorter for lunch) with dish after dish of thoughtful, unfussy food. The plating is beautiful but not performative, and it’s easy to forget you’re dining at a Michelin-starred restaurant until the flavors quietly remind you. It’s the kind of meal that lingers in your mind long after the last bite.
Septime
80 Rue de Charonne, 75011 Paris
Website
Instagram
If you find yourself in the 1st, near Rue Saint-Anne, overwhelmed by the endless choices of great Asian restaurants and their long lines, slip down a side street to Jantchi. I usually go for Korean BBQ, but my lunch date suggested the hot pot, and I’m glad she did. It arrived as an elaborate spread that barely fit on our tiny table—beef, vegetables, and noodles simmering in a rich, flavorful broth. You pull out what you want into a plate and bowl. They also bring the usual banchan, those addictive spicy and pickled side dishes that make any Korean meal feel like a feast. It was more than enough for lunch and definitely worth repeating. Just arrive early—there’s almost always a line.
Jantchi
6 rue Thérèse, 75001 Paris
Instagram
Chez Savy is my go-to lunch spot after a visit to the Petit or Grand Palais and La Galerie Dior. That part of the 8th can feel tricky for good restaurants, but this place has old-school charm and brasserie classics—os à moëlle, confit de canard, beef tartare, and generous servings of fries on the side. It’s reliably delicious, with the right touch of 1920s Parisian charm.
Chez Savy
23 Rue Bayard, 75008 Paris
Website
Instagram
Damonte & Lacarrieu is a beautifully curated shop on Rue de l'Université in Paris run by an Italian mother-daughter duo. The carefully curated shop is a mix of vintage Vallauris ceramics, sculptural lighting, hand-blown glassware and contemporary sourced ceramics, textiles, and tabletop pieces. I am not sure how they manage to jam-pack so much stuff into a small space but there is a lot to look through. They also have locations in Ibiza and St. Tropez.
Damonte & Lacarrieu
7 Rue de l’Université, 75007 Paris
Website
Instagram
Xanadou is a hidden gem run by a charming lady named Nadia, who doesn’t do the internet and operates her store on her own terms. The shop is only open Tuesday-Sat from 3-7pm and sometimes you need to ring the doorbell to enter. Nadia focuses on tabletop and desktop pieces and furniture from mid-century to the 1990s by big name designers and architects. You will find items from Josef Hoffman, Zaha Hadid, and Ettore Sottsass, as well as Alessi, who she seems to have a close relationship with.
Xanadou
10 Rue Saint Sulpice, 75006 Paris
*no website and no social media
Many exhibitions in Paris change over in March/April, but you can find my list of Winter expos here if you want to catch a few before they close. I will publish a Spring list next month, and below you can find a few cultural outings I enjoyed last month.
Du Coeur à la Main: Dolce & Gabbana at the Grand Palais
Closes March 31, 2025
Website
Musée Jacquemart-André
Artemisia, Héroine de l’art opens March 19, 2025
Website
Christofle exhibition at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs
Closes April 20, 2025
Website
Candlelight Concert Series
Whoever runs this company must spend zillions on marketing because their ads pop up everywhere—and, eventually, I caved. I took the family to a Coldplay vs. Imagine Dragons concert at the beautiful Institut Océanographique de Paris building in the 5th, and the kids were obsessed. (I have never heard of this building in Paris and now want to learn so much about it and revisit it during regular hours). Baz kept begging me to break the rules and film so he could watch it later. Luckily, they let everyone pull out their phones for the last song, which, let’s be honest, is probably part of their zillion-dollar marketing plan. The concert lasted an hour, and with so many themes to choose from, they officially won me over.
Website
Instagram
Isn’t it poetic that mimosa flowers bloom in the dead of winter? Just when everything feels gray and bare, these bright yellow beauties show up like little drops of sunshine, reminding us that spring isn’t so far away. In many cultures, mimosas symbolize resilience, femininity, and renewal—a quiet reminder that beauty can thrive even in the harshest seasons.
As the Italian poet Ada Negri once wrote:
"In the heart of winter,
when frost grips the earth,
the mimosa unfurls its sunlit pearls—
a soft rebellion against the cold."
A perfect little rebellion, indeed.
A few inspiring beauties I saw during Paris design week last month. All photos by moi.
This year, I’m on a deep quest for more culture, art, and beauty—the kind that inspires, energizes, and sparks joy. It’s about awe, wonder, and delight. It’s a year-long (or probably lifelong) Joie challenge, and I’d love for you to join me.
Try to do something cultural each week, if you can. It could be as grand as seeing a show, visiting an exhibition, or touring a beautiful building—or as simple as watching a live stream, listening to a podcast, or even finding a video that moves you. The point is to fill life with moments that remind us how much beauty is out there waiting to be noticed.
Here are a few suggestions to get you started:
Stream live performances from the Opera des Paris (Garnier and Bastille).
Learn about the renovations of Napoleon III’s apartments at the Louvre.
Listen to Guillaume Féau discuss what I consider one of the most fabulous treasure caves in Paris—Féau Boiseries—on the Business of Home podcast. (Full disclosure: I featured his showroom in my book, and I find him endlessly fascinating—a walking encyclopedia of the decorative arts.)
Last Spring, the paint company Farrow & Ball took me on a trip to the Loire Valley to visit Chateau de Purnon, which they partnered with for a collection of wallpaper. The owners have been documenting the gut renovation of this historical property on You Tube and it’s pretty interesting to watch.
Loïc Prigent, the French journalist and fashion documentarian, is known for his sharp, witty commentary on fashion and the decorative arts. His YouTube channel is a treasure trove of insightful videos in French (with subtitles), and while fashion is his main focus, I especially love the ones that dive into the art world and his museum visits.
A friend sent me this old New York Times article (gift link) at the beginning of January as I was thinking about how I would manage the negative news overload. The author Mary Pipher reminded me, “We cannot deny reality, but we can control how much we take in.” I have had to alter my news consumption habits; even when a friend sends a link or shares information, I am not in the space to consume. It made me want to laser focus on the light I can seek out and the light that I can share.
With David Lynch’s passing, I decided to get inspired by his essays on meditation and creativity. It’s a quick read with some deep and inspiring takes.
“In North Carolina, we have an abundance of magnolia trees with the healthiest green leaves, and so I snipped a few branches and lined the center of my table with them, along with taper candles. I also like to mix up plateware every now and then to bring an element of variety.” - from YC Broadie @ItsMeYCB
Bring your own touch of beauty to our next issue! Share a photo of your styled tables, cherished antique finds, or anything that brought you joy and inspired beauty this month. Include a short 2-3 sentence story about the piece, and you might see it featured in an upcoming newsletter!
For you paid subscribers, I’ll be back in your inbox soon! Have a lovely week! xx, Ajiri
So much January joie!
These are tempting suggestions. Can’t wait to try them.