THIS IS SPARTA!

Les soldes started today.  At 10 a.m. (one hour after les grands magasins opened) I saw a young man with two huge Printemps shopping bags filled with YSL shoes.  Teach me, oh wise one. 

Do Your Homework

If college has taught me anything, it's that sometimes a little effort really does pay off— big time.  And when the national soldes start on June 25th, the last thing you want to do is be the one who forgot to study for your exams.  Here's some advice: start shopping NOW and bring a Moleskine with you.  Visit the stores, try on everything and write down your sizes for each piece.  If you're hardcore, target which stores (if they're a chain) are well-stocked beforehand.  On the morning of the 25th, drop your macaroon and make a victory lap of the shops to pick up your well-earned treasure.  No sweat necessary. 

Viens à Saint Germain

Paris isn't NYC.  

If you're an American partier, particularly one who is used to that great playground of Manhattan, it's best to know that before you set out for a night in Paris.  I made the mistake of not doing that last night.  Looking everywhere for an American style dance club, I wasted my night in the trashy, touristy parts of town (Montparnasse, Champs-E, etc). 

The lamest part?  The whole time I knew of a great place to go— St-Germain.  Sure, if you're dead-set on the kind of club or bar you're used to, you might not find it there.  But it's rich in nightlife, young people and has a great, charming atmosphere that's a mix between rural and urban.  Enjoy it and don't try to force Paris to be something it's not.

Some places to hit up there:

1. Chez Georges.  Don't be turned off by the top floor. Wait for the downstairs wine cellar and be prepared for shoulder-to-shoulder drinking, a quirky playlist and impromptu table dancing.

2. The Frog and the Princess.  A great mix of ex-pats and French students.  Everyone's friendly and the drinks are strong.  If you don't care to stay inside, the street it's one is lined with bars and pubs so you can socialize in the crowds there.

3. Le Bar du Marche/ cafes lining rue du Bac.  It's fun to start or end a night by grabbing a drink and snack at one of these places.  The standing areas around the bars are usually swarmed with people as well.

Wander around- you're sure to find whatever you're looking for.

A New Beginning

Yesterday I started my internship at the Paris office of a NYC-based publication.  It's been awhile since I've been around the buzz of a fashion office and I enjoyed being back.  After the usual internly duties of packaging sample returns, I actually got to try my hand at writing a piece on hot spots for the well-heeled in Paris (something I was only too happy to do).  Hopefully it will be published in a couple weeks, but here's a few bits of what I recommend to keep it interesting in the city of lights:

L'Hotel (la pavillion d'amour pictured): Michelin-starred restaurant, glitzy but intimate bar, private bath/steam rooms, well-chosen DVD/CD library, amazing neighborhood... the works.  Plus, Oscar Wilde died here and the place reeks of literati history.

Ferdi: The first time I went to this place, it was after a horrible couple days and it instantly cheered me up.  Family-owned and decorated with the son's very colorful toy collection, the restaurant has huge heart (something that can be hard to find in the neighborhood).  The menu is rumored to be based off of what the mother cooked when she had her pregnancy cravings and is pretty eclectic: truffle risotto, Spanish tapas, burgers and even real mac & cheese (yes, in Paris).  The young son/bartender makes a wild mojito.  Maybe what I love most is that despite Ferdi's lack of pretension, it attracts Marc Jacobs, Pierre Hardy and Penelope Cruz as regulars.  

Abou d'abi Bazaar: This is one of my long-time favorite one-stop best bets.  It carries tons of the more affordable (dresses 100-500 euro) popular French brands plus newcomers.  I actually went today and they just started a small vintage section... no real labels but very reasonable for some fun summer pieces.