Paris Is On Sale!

I haven't written on my blog for a few days, for not only did my daughter arrive in Paris (and has been keeping me and my credit cards VERY busy), but the city of Paris went on sale on the 25th of June. With teenagers in tow, we have just about devoured every bargain to be had. Somehow, the girls (Kate and her friend Leah) had me in stores and on the streets for 7 hours straight - and my body (and wallet) are feeling crippled ever since.

There was a light at the end of the tunnel to all this shopping - I splurged for an exquisite pair of ed hardy shoes for myself (yes! they were on sale). Of course I'll have to wait for my feet to stop aching to be able to wear them...

The Thing About Paris

There are many things to love about Paris. Besides being the most beautiful city in the world, I think I love it most for its' accessibility. If I want to go to the Beaubourg, it's an 8 minute walk; Hop the metro and I'm in St Germain in 10 minutes, at the Sacre Coeur in 15, and in between all of these destinations, the city never stops exuding its' sense of style and grace. When the sun is shining, everyone is out in cafes, where I can lounge for an hour or so, sipping on coffee and people watch. Parks are everywhere, some even wi-fi compatible.

But most all of, the city's accessibilty, coupled with the friends I have here, are what make Paris home.

Annie Liebovitz

Sundays are usually laundry & cleaning day - the day I am not seen in public, staying in my sweats all day. But the weather was so beautiful again, that I put on a dress and heels, and decided to go see the Annie Liebovitz exhibition over to the Maison Européenne de la Photographie. It turned out to be a gem of a show. I was in awe of her talent, the way she captured the spirit of each subject in her photographs, that I kept coming back to some of them, they were so mesmorizing. The images stuck in my mind so much today, that I plan to go back for a second viewing. The photograph attached is quite small and may be hard to read, but it is of Nicole Kidman.

Valentino

The weather in Paris today is so gorgeous, that it was a day to definitely spend outdoors. I first headed up Rue de Rivoli to WH Smith, and quickly bought my New York magazine (I was having withdrawals and needed my fix!) - all the while trying very hard not to be caught up in all of the new books I wanted to peruse. Heading across the street, I landed in the Tuilleries, a perfect place to be on a day like today. But I promised myself a little eye candy, and so I headed through the Tuilleries down to the Valentino exhibition at Les Arts Decoratifs. My God, what a treat!

Despite working in the fashion industry, I must admit that I am not as familiar with Valentino's work as I am some other designers. So it was a pleasure to be so taken aback by the details and textiles that were so exquisitely draped. And craftsmanship - well, like no other. There wasn't a single work that wasn't jaw dropping - and his understanding of the female figure was as good as it gets.

It was worth giving up a bit of the outdoors to see the show.

But wait, there's more. I ended up meeting a friend and walking over to sit in the palais royal gardens, then lunched at an outdoor cafe, then ran into another friend, who I spent gallivanting around the streets of Paris with, until my feet were tired, the sweat was dripping, and all I could think of was hopping in a cold shower.

Oh what a glorious day.

Inspiration

So much new inspiration here - so I thought I'd post a few of my new designs...

A Few Days of Fun

Past few days have been loads of fun...

First chinatown - Tang Freres - a huge asian market that you could just peruse for hours - and I did just that! It was really fun to just walk around the area, with all their junk shops, but surprisingly, since my eye is always trained to find something inspiring for my work, I actually came across some images that you would never have guessed, but prompted several new prints for my portfolio. So a good day at work...

Then had a fabulous day with a girlfriend, who took me to an old time and well known moroccan restaurant, where I was not only grateful for the use of a fork (since at the well known moroccan restaurant in Los Angeles, called Dharma Greb, you eat with your hands), but also grateful to have the luxury of spending such a glorious day with her. After lunch we went back to the Marais and spoiled ourselves at Le Loir dans le Theiere, where we indulged in a sky high lemon meringue tart and coffee.

Then had dinner with another girlfreind, who always takes me to someplace offbeat and interesting in Paris. So we started out with dinner at a noodle restaurant she turned me onto last year over by Opera, and then took me out to the Stalingrad canal, where I had never been before, giving me a little history of some of the buildings, while sitting along the canal having a drink until well past midnight.

Today I met up with an old girlfriend from San Francisco who's in town; her first trip back to Paris in 27 years. So I took her over to Les Halles, an area she had not yet discovered, and we dined on good pasta and old times. Strolled around for the day, and ended up at Les Deux Magots for a mille feuille and a coffee, and then came back to the Marais so we could relax at my place, and the next thing we knew it was 5:30.

With times like these, Paris really begins to feel like home...

Sunday In The Park With Me

On Sunday the weather was just glorious in Paris, so I took the metro up to see the Richard Serra installation at the Grand Palais. For those that don’t know the Grand Palais - a little bit of history, because it’s a fascinating building:

It was built in 1900 for the World’s Fair, and is currently the largest existing ironwork and glass structure in the world.

Caught up in the torment of two World Wars, the building provided accommodation for the wounded troops of the Great War as a makeshift military hospital, but was also used for Nazi propaganda during World War II.

In September of 1914, the Grand Palais was transformed into a military hospital. Gradually, the whole building was given over to this task, with a thousand beds, and two operating theatres.

However, the darkest hours of the Grand Palais were still to come in the shape of World War II. In the hands of the German occupants, the Grand Palais was requisitioned to act as a truck depot and then housed two exhibitions devoted to Nazi propaganda.

Today, it is used for exhibitions.

The Serra artwork was perfectly cited in the space, and as you can see from the photos, the space is so magnificent, that I could have sat there all day, if I didn’t have more on my agenda for the day.

Sundays definitely call for a stroll through the Tuilleries, and ended up at the Bibliotheque Nationale off of Rue de Richelieu to see the Sophie Calle exhibit.

Threw in a few errands on my way home, including buying a really cute pair of espadrilles, and then saw the film, "The Children of Huang Shi."

My day ended with dinner with a friend at a Korean barbecue restaurant and a game of Quiddler...

Best Tour In Town

Almost a year ago I had the good fortune of meeting Richard Nahem, an ex-New Yorker who moved to Paris in 2005. We became fast and furious friends, in great part because you will never meet anyway with a greater heart than his. He started a tour company called Eye Prefer Paris, and customizes tours to your desires. You can always go to the Louvre, or take the elevator up the Eiffel Tower, but do you know where the best food market is, or where the discount clothing hide-aways can be found? He will most assuredly show you a part of Paris you would never have discovered on your own. He writes a blog at www.eyepreferparis.com, and you can check out his tours at eyepreferparistours.com. Since almost ithe inception of Eye Prefer Paris, Richard's tours have been in demand. If you're coming to Paris for a short stay, trust me, consider one of his tours - you're in for a treat...

Lazy Day

I'm not sure if it's because I am living the life of leisure while in Paris, or if I'm just getting old, but I kept thinking today was Friday, even though it was only Thursday. Another migraine took my day away, but through the overcast skies and a sudden downpour of rain, there did appear some sunshine, and so I set out and took a short walk over to sit in the Place des Vosges, to get a little fresh air for my head. Paris is so civilized in how much land it has kept in the city for parks, that when you're feeling under the weather, you always know you can find a peaceful place under a tree...

Idiosyncrasies

I’m sure we Americans have our idiosyncrasies as a culture, but I am convinced that the idiosyncrasies of the French outdo ours.

I sat down on a park bench on Sunday, enjoying the weather and a little break from all of my errands. No one else was on the long bench but me, and I was sitting on the end. About 10 minutes into my nice quiet time, a french woman, a little younger than myself, approached me and asked me to move over. I pointed out to her that to my right the entire bench was empty, and she could sit anywhere she liked, and she replied, “no, i want to sit where you are sitting.” Go figure that one out. I kid you not!

Walking Along The Seine

Along the Seine, up by the Pont Neuf, there is a stretch of beautiful flower shops, intermixed with pet stores (that's where I found Louie, my goldfish). All the plants and flowers are pulled out onto the sidewalk, and walking down the street in this beautiful sunny 80 degree weather, amongst the greenery and vibrant colors was really such a treat. I ended up getting some greenery for Louie's fishbowl - I felt he needed some ambience. If I wasn't battling a migraine, I would say it was almost a perfect day.

Life In Paris

Tennis can be a pleasure to watch, but being in Paris during the French Open makes it even that much more exciting, despite the fact that I am only watching it on tv. Today is the match between Federer and Nadal, ranked #1 & #2, and together they really make you appreciate true skill and talent.

My first week back in Paris was great, even with the very touch and go overcast & rainy weather. Back to life as "le flaneur" - the stroller; long lunches with friends in cafes, enjoying the decadence of going to the vegetable market, and boucherie, fromagerie and le magasin du vin - just to compose a dinner, ending with the patisserie. each shop so specialized, everything feels like a gift.

This coming week holds more cafe lunches and strolls, and dinner at one of my favorite noodle shops with a wonderful friend. Also going to see the Traces of the Sacred show at the Pompidou, and the Sophie Calle show at the Bibliotheque Nationale. Calle's lover apparently broke up with her in an e-mail, and not knowing quite how to respond, she decided to put the question out there to over 100 women in different professions, and the show is the result of all of the responses she received. The piece was apparently exhibited at the Venice Biennale. Reminds me of Sex and the City, when Berger broke up with Carrie on a post-it. The things we endure...

Oh, and by the way, Nadal took the title...

Fits Like an Old Glove

On the outside wall of the BHV department store there is this 3 dimensional landscaping that would be interesting enough if it was on the ground and on a horizontal plane, but the fact that the landscaping is vertical (and doesn't fall off onto your head!) is not only facinating but utterly beautiful. There is a second wall I know of done by the same landscape architect up by the Tour Eiffel, but I have yet to discover who the designer is.

The city is still as beautiful as ever, and because in Los Angeles I live so much in my car, it is very refreshing to be back out on the streets, walking everywhere. Seeing old friends, making new friends... visiting old haunts, and discovering new ones. Almost a week has gone by - hope time slows down a bit.

I'm Back!

The travel between Los Angeles and Paris seems to be getting longer and more arduous, but I am happily back in Paris. Nothing but heartwarming welcomes from friends. Arrived at the apartment, staying long enough to just drop my bags, and headed over to Richard and Vincent's where they had breakfast waiting for me. It was a beautiful day, so we walked along the Seine to "pet row", where I happily purchased my fish, named Louis. Glad I have him, he's actually quite funny -and although he is well fed, if you put your finger just slightly at the water's edge, he comes up and "kisses" it. Our relationship is already blossoming.

The apartment in the 4th arrondisement is quite lovely, and it's been fun roaming the cobblestone streets again. Lots going on this week, looking forward to being out in the country at a friend's house for the weekend...