brocantes in paris

a brocante is basically an outdoor flea market, sort of a cross between a yard sale and a true antique fair. some brocantes are run by associations and only have professional exhibitors, others are just neighborhood sales. in either case, a brocante can be a fun way to get some cool french items. i've picked up old prints, steel silverware molds, vases, pottery, and the like over the years, so it is a fun way to spend a morning. [i find it interesting to see just how different french 'junk' is than american junk!] i'm listing a few upcoming sales below, and you can check this site for more listings. happy hunting!

feb 2-3, brocante on rue gros, paris 13th [metro eglise d'auteuil]
feb 9-10, brocante on rue saint charles, paris 15th [metro charles michel]
feb 16-17, brocanted on boulevard de reuilly, paris 12th [metro daumesnil]
feb 24-25, brocante at place jean lorrain, paris 16th [metro michel ange]

COS arrives in Paris

while zara goes downscale with its new stradavarious line, arch rival h&m tries to move up the ladder with its new shop, COS. the COS line, already available in london, will install itself in paris on rue de rosiers in april. does paris need more chic & cheap stops? you'll be the judge....

minnie gets a makeover

mademoiselle minnie gets a makeover to fete her 80th birthday [she looks amazing for her age, non?] to celebrate, 80 designers gave her a new look-- the glam garments will be on display at galeries lafayette from april 16 to may 17, then sold to benefit charity. for more info. check out the pretparis.com site.

CSP in the news

happy friday to me! today i am in not one, but 2 of the uk's hottest top media outlets. the first one is a mini interview of me on Sky Travel, part of the sky tv network, called "Paris with a Personal Shopper"-- check out the article below, as i did that as well.

after that, check out the article in the The Guardian, "Meet the bloggers....in Paris"-- a fun piece on my blog and other bloggers who write about paris. there are some great tips on off-the-beaten path things to do in paris, so save it for your next trip.

zara goes cheap

spanish chain zara again expands its offerings in paris with a cheaper line, aimed at competing with h&m. the new shop, stradivarius, is chic & cheap, with jeans starting at 25 euros. right near the big department stores, this place is sure to be a hit. 58bis rue de la chaussee d'antin, 9th.

salon city

this weekend, paris is home to a host of whole bunch of trade shows-- maison et objet (friday-tuesday), one of the best design/home decor shows in the world will attract all sorts of designers and the magazines that write about them. the international lingerie show (thursday- sunday) is also in town, showing off the newest in chichi undergarments, and playtime (saturday- monday), a small-scale salon, showcases all things kid-related. if you are in town for any of these shows and need extra assistance shopping in paris, contact us! and if you are in town to do your own thing, consider booking your favorite restaurants quickly!

paris tv chez vous

i just stumbled upon this when looking at something on the city of Paris website-- paris tv! the site, an initiative of the city of Paris, provides many little videos in different categoires [chaine actualities, which a news channel, deplacements, which is transportation, etc.], but my fave is the chaine culture, which has mini movies on a bunch of great expos going on around town at the moment. so if you can't make it in time to catch the exhibit on the 20s at the musee galleria, check out the video to see a bit about the exhibit-- almost like you were there, from the comfort of your own maison.

organic bebes

victoria christmas is a new line focusing on organic ["bio" in french] clothing for the 0-2 age range. the line is made up of soothing colors [mainly neutrals] and ultra-soft materials, with sweet bloomers for girls and tunisian-style chemises for boys. also be sure to check out the shops signature scent, specifically designed for delicate baby skin, and made to smell like madeleines. the shop is located in the elegant galerie vivienne covered passageway, and named after designer victoria magniant's ancestor, who was named christmas. with all the items like little gifts, the name seems quite suited to the boutique.

hotel in the heart of paris

i've often walked by this sleek little hotel on a tiny street in st. germain and though that it looked classy-- and now my suspicions have been confirmed. the 27 room hotel odeon st. germain has been redecorated by design dieu jacques garcia, leaving the hotel chic & cozy. [in fact, garcia's aim was to make it an ideal place for making babies!] i always suggest that clients stay in st. germain [very central, very parisian, & great for shopping], so this will be another to add to the list. rooms start at 195 euros.

lovely new lanvin

often when bags and garments sport hand-drawn figures or images, they can annoyingly coy or just too girly. this new sac papillote by lanvin sports the sketches of designer alber elbaz and is just the right mix of fashion and artsy coolness. the new line [22 faubourg] also contains t-shirts with similar images-- way chic-er than an eiffel tower tee, non?

"the french are like coconuts"

before christmas, i had the pleasure of having a wonderful intern, an inspired and inspiring british woman named catharine hewitson. she has just published her first article on her experience living in paris for two months in the uk's the northern echo. check it out for some myth-busting tales of her life in the city of lights, and especially the quote from above. on charming blog, l'embrouillamini, you'll find more about her adventures in paris. bravo, cat!

royal gateau

just the thing to cheer you up a cold winter day-- a royal-worthy cake! these cool molds by lekue are made from platinum silicone and are reproductions of cakes served in royal households across Europe. [even betty crocker would would look glam, if made in one of these!]

smell like zadig

many a chic parisian boutique has its own 'scent', so that you can instantly take in the ambiance of the shop with all of your senses. rock glam brand zadig & voltaire has recently put out its own candle, so that you can have the essence of zadig chez vous. for 32 euros, the scent of wood, leather and cashmere can make your humble abode smell like a parisian boutique.

tourism at your own pace

i just came across this site and think it's a great idea-- instead of being herded around on a bus or in a large tour group, check out the downloadable walks and tours available on cityzeum. there are over 2000 points of interested listed in paris, and the commentary is available to download on your ipod or GPS, for free! the shopping listings are a bit average, but chic shopping paris is always available to help you out in that department...

chic shirts

after years of being well known for its fun women and children's lines infused with liberty prints, cacharel is breathing new life into its men's line with a new shop solely for men, the chemiserie cacharel. ths shop carries suits, shirts, knitwear, etc., and offers a sur mesure service. the best part? the prix factory (factory prices)-- shirts are a reasonable 45- 75 euros, suits are 295 euros.

la villa de mademoiselle b

gotta love barbie-- her feet fit perfectly in the highest stilettos, and now she has some of the most interesting architects designing homes just for her. until january 27th, stop by the cite de l'architecture et du patrimoine to see what nine women architects designed for "mademoiselle b"--from an urban cottage to a make-up palace, the blond bombshell has it all!

gourmet goodies

a great new gourmet website out there to help you throw your next french fete-- goumeticone serves up some of the best french products [alain miliat juices, pictured above, foie gras, caviar, champagne], right to your door in 48 hours. of course, they only deliver in france, so if you are renting an apartment in paris or a chateau in provence, check out this site for the best of the best.

hermes secret sale

twice a year, famed french label hermes does a big sale in a secret, off-site location. those in the know find out way in advance and book their plane tickets to get bargains on silk scarves, belts, ties, and more. this years sale is at the palais des congres , from january 9th to 12th, so hurry and get there before its over!

spread the word....

with the new no-smoking laws in effect on january 1, smoking has become very un-chic....to the point that fashionistas are now wearing the no-smoking emblem around their necks. the necklace above [295 euros] is available from adamance.com

Paris shopping tips

Paris is busy promoting itself during the sale period, in hopes to attract visitors with less-than-ideal exchange rates. One of the new initiatives is the Soldes by Paris event, which aims to help visitors shop in different parts of the city. Below I have translated some of the special shopping events that they are offering. But of course, if you would like a more personal option, check out my site, Chic Shopping Paris, for a wide range of shopping tours.

happy bargain hunting!

From Soldes by Paris:

Chic Sales in the 2nd: January 18th and 19th, in the historic passage Vivienne, superbly lit for the holidays, shop owners propose a high quality tag sale (along with mulled wine and special presents)

Gastronomy in the 5th (rue Mouffetard): From January 9-13th, a special gourmet market will offer visitors a chance to find foie gras, wine, and regional products. Neighborhood restaurants and brasseries will serve typical French regional dishes.

Unusual finds in the 10th [Canal Saint Martin]: Ethnic goods, ethical goods, and organic....shop owners will be ambassadors of their products.

back to the city of light

after a few weeks vacation in the US, i am happy to be back to a smoke-free and on-sale paris, filled with thin and fashionable types. [i'm from the midwest, so i've seen my fair share of sweat pants and fast food restos to last me the rest of the year, merci!] but seriously, i feel fortunate to live between two cultures, and enjoy both!

happy new year to all my readers and thanks for being patient while i was away......stay tuned for a year of shopping tips and other random notes on paris in my blog.

on your marks, get set, SOLDES!

the soldes, Paris' official sales, start tomorrow. so if you are out and about today, start cruising the shops and check out what bargains will be had starting tomorrow a.m. and be sure to check out my previous posts on the sales for more info.

many shops will be opening early [department stores printemps and galeries layfette at 9am, bon marche at 8.30am] and/or staying up late, so take advantage of the extended hours!

bonne annee!

happy new year to all! i am back in paris and getting ready for a new year full of blogging and shopping. stay tuned....