this weekend in paris: nov 8-16

for organic and nature fans, check out the salon marjolaine at the parc floral de paris --more than 500 exhibitors with organic items, from gourmet goodies to furniture to decor .

cire trudon

cire trudon is one of the fabulous finds that i included in chic shopping paris, the book. i'd been walking by the rue de seine boutique for years, noting that they had a wide range of colored candles, but nothing special, per se. then, voila, overnight it seemed, the shop had completely reinvented itself, under the talents of stylist ramdane touhami. the boutique now stocks amazing scented candles [with such innovative inspirations as the Dada movement and the French Revolution], and was just featured in november's vanity fair. definitely worth a stop the next time you are in st. germain.

private sale at mango

chic spanish chain mango is inviting readers of elle magazine to an evening with 30% off the entire store, at the blvd des capucines address in paris. to sign up for the evening [complete with dj, cocktails, a makeup bar, etc], go to this link and sign up-- vite!

gem of a boutique

tucked into a quiet sidestreet in the marais is the newish showroom of stylist johanna braitbart. the tiny boutique carries her clutch purses, headbands, jewelry, and chapeaux, all infused with a modern twist on an era-gone-by.

showroom johanna braitbart
26 rue des blancs-manteaux, 4th
mon-sat 11-7

this weekend in paris: oct 29- nov 2

this one is for all the chocoholics out there-- over 130 of the best international chocolatiers are on hand with samples on hand at the 14th annual salon du chocolat! chocolate fashions, cocoa beauty treatments, and more are on hand too, to send you off in a cocoa-induced haze.

marc does paris [again]

parisianista marc jacobs opened up his second paris store last week, featuring his marc by marc jacobs line. check it out for satin quilted totes, a handful of funky books, cheap & chic jewelry, clothing, and my favorite paris souvenir- the rubber wellies with "paris" emblazoned on the side. all tucked into a neat corner in the marche st. honore.

Merci, Madame!

Chic Shopping Paris, the book, was in Madame Figaro magazine this weekend. Read on for my translation of the article:

Bible Tres Mode
The Joy of Fashionistas (La Joie des Fashionistas)
This little guide, neatly square with its cover adorned with a pink bow, is entirely in English.

Shopping Addict in her soul, the American Rebecca Perry Magniant knows the capital to the tips of her painted fingernails. She then decided to write about her best spots for her compatriots.

A passion worth sharing-- because a number of Parisiennes will love this trendy compilation, fournished with fashion, decoration, accessory addresses....without forgetting the shopping advice of Rebecca. The only catch- you'll have to arm yourself with a dictionnary!

this weekend in paris: oct 24-27

• 
  
  
  
  

  check out 104, THE new gallery/art hotspot on rue d'aubervilliers in the 19th. this weekend, they will host the offshoot to the big art show, the FIAC-- check out both for an artful weekend
  
  

  if art isn't your thing, check out the 3rd annual culinary salon, cuisinez!, at the carrousel du louvre, for the latest in the culinary world.

culinary chic

in case your pantry isn't as chic as your wardrobe: the latest from minimalist french clothing/lifestyle label APC-- their own olive oil label. available for purchase online at apc.fr.

this weekend in paris: oct 10-12

• if you didn't get invited to fashion week, invite yourself to stop by the carrousel du louvre to check out the ethical fashion show to see what ethical brands are up to
  

• also this weekend: the 19th edition of the puces du design will take place on the quai de la loire, on the banks of the bassin de la villette in the 19th. stop by for design objects from the 50s-80s and a stroll along the bassin.

vite! today only....

vite, vite, vite! diesel is celebrating its 30th birthday with a limited edition 'dirty thirty' jean-- for only 30 euros, available today only. a limited number of pairs are available online too, so check out their site for more details.

chic timewaster

a fellow chic shopper passed this on-- a great way to while away a bit of time! check out celeb style to find out what your fave celebs/tv personalities are wearing and where to get it.....me, personally, i'm always lusting after what blake lively is wearing on gossip girl [did i just admit that in public? yikes!]

fall fashion forecast

Today, I am speaking at the "Bloom Where You are Planted" seminar here in Paris, a 2-day seminar to help newcomers get adjusted to life in France. This is a great way to learn more about living in Paris, the mysteries of French grocery stores, and, bien sur, Parisian fashion. Using French Elle magazine as a resource, I've compiled a list of the top trends for fall-- see below [and note that in parentheses are shops that carry the item]. Bonne shopping!


Fall 2008 Forecast: Top Accessories*

• Maxi Scarves: wear them super long, wrapped around your neck a few times, or go for a trendy plaid [Etam, Diab’less, Les Petites]

• Gum-soled Shoes: rubber/gum soles on boots, booties, even heels are making a comeback [Mellow Yellow, San Marina, Avril Gau]

• Low Boots: great with the new pleated pants of the season [“carrot pants”], and with cropped pants, pencil skirts with tights [Sandro, Gap, Comptoir des Cotonniers]

• Oversized/Multipurpose Handbags: look for styles in leather, with multiple handles—long ones for wearing on your shoulder, short for hand-carrying [Sandro, 3 Suisses, Texier]

• Violet colored accessories: look for simple handbags [Lamarthe, Monoprix]; mix with dark greens or warm chocolate, not with black; focus on accessories, not a total look [shoes by Geox, Monoprix, Camper]

• Leather Gloves: small, but elegant or longer for a retro-glam look [C&A, 1,2,3, Maison Fabre]

• Silk Scarves: borrow one from grandmere- it goes great with a trench or a simple sweater & jeans for a casual chic look [Kenzo, Sinequanone, Les Petits]

• Tango Shoes: wear them with knee-length skirts or dresses, not pants [Jonak, San Marina, Repetto]

• High Heeled Derbys: a new silhouette, they look like men’s shoes with heels; wear them with any type of pant or skirt [Minelli, San Marina, Guess]

• Sporty Handbags: big handbags with sporty details, lots of pockets, can be worn everywhere [Naf Naf, Benetton, Kipling]

• Chain Necklaces: a multitude of different chains, worn layered, for a rich, excessive look; best worn with a simple outfit [Maje, Perles de Noa, Sinequanone]

• Metal Medallion Belts: worn on top of a twin-set, on a cardigan, on a cocktail dress, or a tweed pant to give it an update [Guess, le Mont Saint Michel, Sinequanone]

• Rain Boots: to be worn with trendy/girly outfits for the ultimate contrast [C&A, Marni, Bata, Andre]

• Crocodile Accessories: take a simple outfit, add a croc accessory, et voila! The key is to have only one croc piece- belt, purse, shoes, at a time [Minelli, Andre, Etam]

• Winter sandals: worn with wool tights in contrasting colors [Unisa, Nine West, Le Mont St Michel]

• The Minaudiere: classic mini purse, compact and rigid, for evenings out [Benetton, Sinequanone, San Marina]

• Wool Bonnets: match it with a coordinating scarf, but not with wool gloves! [3 Suisses, H&M, BA&SH]

• Printed Tights: this look only works with a perfect set of gams, so tread carefully!

*As adapted from French Elle, 15 September 2008: L’Accessoire fait le style!

creative compilations

a few years ago, it was all the rage to have a candle-- many a parisian shop had its own signature scent, sold with a hefty price tag to remind you of the chic spot once you got home. the latest shop souvenir seems to be the cd....a few months ago i wrote about the vanessa bruno compilation, and kitsune, which also has its own cd. a few others have now joined the band [pardon the pun]: check out cds by marithe + francois girbaud, an eclectic rock-n-roll compilation, lancel's cd, which features swingy 1930s tunes, and the cd from trendy label maje, featuring up-&-coming parisian artists. now you can not only smell like parisian spirit, but you can sound like it too.

argh! expedia and opodo ticket booking problems

just wanted to put out a 'warning' for anyone trying to buy airline tickets through opodo.fr or expedia.fr. read on for my rant....

i'm trying to buy my tickets for the US for the holidays-- i first purchased the tickets through opodo, only to receive an email saying that for 'technical reasons,' my purchase did not go through. when i called them, they explained that that was because my ticket was a paper ticket, but since june 1, they only issued e-tickets, therefore they could not fulfull my request. was i given a choice to take an e-ticket? no. was i offered another ticket at the same fare or even assistance at finding another ticket? double no. on to expedia....

i actually found cheaper tickets [with same airline] on expedia after the opodo disaster. score! or so i thought.....the next day, i received an email saying, basically, that 'sorry, we were not really able to provide you with the fare that purchased online, so we did not charge your card, and you have no ticket.' again-- assistance? no. another fare offered? no. doubly disappointing? YES!

airlines are already taking away so much-- we now have to pay for pillows, snacks, luggage?! and the service is even worse-- i'm trying to throw money at these people and still have no luck. will it ever get better?

chic tots

looking for chic euro fashions for your little ones and can't quite swing a trip abroad? check out little fashion gallery, a site dedicated to the most adorable clothing and accessories for enfants. they ship worldwide, which is a huge bonus, and many of the items on the site are exclusive to their shop. check out classic standbys as bonpoint or newcomers like victoria christmas [whose designer also happens to be my sister in law!]- and shop away with a few clicks.

this weekend in paris

saturday, october 4th is this years nuit blanche ("white night") from 7pm to 7am. the 7th edition offers a new look at paris' train stations, with artistic installations by international artists. over fifty displays are happening all over the city- from light projections to music and poetry recitals. a great excuse to see paris in a different light.
also this weekend: check out the jeff koons at versailles expo. seventeen of his works are on display, and the artist personally chose them to relate to each room of the chateau-- an interesting juxtaposition, to be sure! until dec. 14th.

bag must have

[one of the many] must have bags of the season-- this shiny red number, designed by up-and-coming designer gaspard yurkievich for la bagagerie. 270 euros.

this weekend in paris

this weekend marks the beginning of the foire a la brocante et aux jambons [antique & ham fair], in chatou, just outside of paris. funny name aside, this is a great place to spend an afternoon hunting for antique treasures-- over 800 proffesionals from all over france have their wares on display, so you can pick up everything from knicknacks to armoires. don't forget to arrive for dejeuner-- a bit plate of ham is de rigeur! from sept 26 to oct 5.
if you are after something a bit more refined, check out the exquisite photos of patrick demarchelier, on display starting this saturday at the petit palais. magazine covers and portraits of some of the beautiful women of the world are the theme of the "images & mode" exposition. sept 27 to jan 4.

cute cadeau

i just love these new little leather pins by miu miu- put your initials on your fall jacket, or spell out something chic like 'amour.' 45 euros a piece at miu miu.