Caroline Nin Gives Us Edith Piaf Back

21 décembre 2014 06:39 / Leave a Comment / Prête-Moi Paris

Caroline Nin, « French chanteuse » as she is self described, is a jazz singer and has been practicing her art since she was a wide-eyed youth, off to concquor London. She traveled the world for 20 years singing in concert halls from Australia to America, and has now returned to her home town of Paris where she now shares her show Hymne à Piaf with the cosmopolitan Parisian audience.

Much to Caroline Nin’s delight a smattering of Frenchies peppered the 40 seat venue amongst an international crowd for this bilingual show. She promised to translate the show to French entirely if one day she could fill a 1000 seat Parisian theater full of Frenchies. But there is something magical in her mixture of French and English. I wouldn’t change a word of it.
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Posted in: American in Paris, Bon Plan, Charm, Culture, Events, Expat, French, Fun, Music, Nightlife, Shows, Theater, Tourist / Tagged: cabaret show, Caroline Nin, Edith Piaf, essaion theater, Hymne à Piaf, musical theater in Paris, Paris nightlife

Halloween Costume Emergency in Paris

9 octobre 2014 13:04 / Leave a Comment / Prête-Moi Paris

I know the Parisians aren’t really into Halloween, but what if you are invited to a costume party!?! Where will you find a costume???

Image credit : http://sb-decoration.blogspot.fr/2011/05/deguisement-de-scene-pour-un.html?m=1

I’ve got a list of solutions right here.

Posted in: Expat, Family, Fun, Practical info

Springtime in Paris

14 avril 2014 02:40 / 8 Comments / Prête-Moi Paris

Spring time in Paris 2014 I literally wrote « Sprintemps » in the title before correcting it to « Springtime ». I think my franglais has gotten a little out of hand. But that isn’t the subject of this post. Or is it….

If you listen closely in the beginning of Springtime in Paris, you can almost hear a collective sigh.. Aaaaaaaaahhhh! The light comes back and we all feel a release of pressure as we emerge from under the gray skies.

I wanted to illustrate Paris this Spring; not that it needs doing… for Pete’s sake, every blogger and their brother is posting pretty blossoming photos of Paris these days. But really, it cannot be helped when you live here. This isn’t to say that living in Paris is all cherry blossoms and pink sunsets…far from it. Paris also includes in the package : tired legs, aching feet, angry fellow metro passengers, (enjoy this funny parody about an « incident » on the metro), pushy people on buses, pushy people everywhere, umbrella wars when in rains, unreliable transportation, interminable lines at any public service office, insurmountable amounts of paperwork in order to get anything done… oh people, I could go on for at least 100 more of these… but that’s not the purpose of this blog post. Or is it…. Read more →

Posted in: American in Paris, City of Paris, Expat, Outdoors, Parks and Gardens, Photography, Pretty!, Tourist / Tagged: April in Paris, cherry blossoms, City of light in spring, flowers in paris, gardens, la vie en rose, paris en rose, Paris in the Sprintime, rooftop view

A Makeup Artist’s View on Haute Couture

30 janvier 2014 02:02 / Leave a Comment /

I am thrilled to present a Paris Fashion Week haute couture show review from the darling and dashing makeup artist Charles Gillman, a British expat who has been making magic in Paris for three years now. I was lucky to get to work with him in a wedding modeling shoot and on my own Sweet Life in Paris video. And now he has been so kind as to lend his « plume » to Prête-Moi Paris for an article on Defined Moment’s Spring-Summer 2014 couture collection.

And without Further ado!

Post by Charles Gillman

Defined moment’s show – 22nd January 2014

This winter I’m a makeup artist in hibernation, I’d spent most days nipping out to see clients and then whipping back home to spend my life by the Nespresso machine, as well as gluing my eyes to my laptop. Yes, Paris is fine-looking all year round, but it seemed easier and more tolerable from behind the window, avoiding the wind whipping, falling over undersized dogs and having disputes with fellow Parisians on the metro about ‘who got to the seat at the outset!’ (all these things are frequent occurrences.)

DM1(1)
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Posted in: Beauty, City of Paris, Culture, Expat, Haute Couture, Mode, Paris, Paris Fashion Week, Photography, Pretty!, Style / Tagged: Charles Gillman, Defined Moment, Haute Couture Paris, PFW, SS14

Treize – New Secret Spot in Paris

24 janvier 2014 03:15 / 18 Comments /

Treize Laurel Sanderson was one of the founders of the wildly successful Sugarplum Cake Shop and was the heart, soul, and sunshine of their tea salon… We were all sad when she left the Paris baking/eatery scene, but that didn’t last long! She’s baaaaaaack! And she has created her own little place that is full of her contagious and addictive charm and warm cheerful hospitality, serving up her fantastic recipes for lunch and brunch, and that amazing carrot cake she is so well known for.

Posted in: American in Paris, Bon Plan, Brunch, Charm, City of Paris, Delicious!, Expat, Foodie, Paris, Parisian, Restaurant, Tea, Vintage / Tagged: charming restaurant, friendly lunch spot Paris, home made lunch Paris, Laurel Snaderson, Lunch spot on rue des Saints Peres, Paris, rue des Saints Peres, southern style hospitality paris, Treize a baker's dozen, Treize Paris

Girls Guide to Paris party

12 décembre 2013 02:56 / 2 Comments /

Gathering a slew of Paris bloggers and personalities for a coupe or two of bubbly at a fashion boutique on the Faubourg Saint Honoré, seemed like a fabulous idea to me. Sign me up!

Towards the end of November Girls Guide to Paris threw a cocktail party at the Michael Kors boutique on the Faubourg Saint Honoré to promote their GO Card wich gives you exclusive access and discounts around Paris….what a fabulous place to have a coupe and mingle with other expats, bloggers and fashion people… Read more →

Posted in: American in Paris, Blogs, Events, Expat, Fun, Paris, Tourist, Travel, Trendy, Uncategorized

Christmas gift shopping with the French

11 décembre 2013 02:27 / 2 Comments /

In Paris, stores often add extra opening hours to their schedule so everyone can have more hours to spend their cash on their friends and loved ones for the holiday gift giving frenzy. But it never seems to be enough for this conflicted hallmark-holiday-poo-pooing population. I can’t even tell you how many French people have said to me over the past decade that Christmas has been over commercialized by the USA, yet there they are squeezed in the boutiques like sardines trying to find the best deal on presents or the perfect indulgence for giving.
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Posted in: American in Paris, Bon Plan, Expat, Funny story, Holiday, Paris, Rant, Shopping, Uncategorized, Video / Tagged: Buying Christmas gifts in Paris, christmas in paris, holidays shopping Paris, Paris shopping, Parisians who don't like their Christmas gifts, Paypal survey of holiday consumers, Rude French shoppers, Unwanted Xmas gifts

The Champagne Social!

22 novembre 2013 12:53 / 13 Comments /

So thrilled have attended this luxe and sparkling soirée hosted by two fabulous ladies : New York transplant, Paris expat, the fabulous, the hilarious, the bubbly Lisa of Ella Coquine; and native-New Yorker, author and absolute doll Cara of The Champagne Di et. She is a best selling author and life coach from New York City who encourages women to live their most effervescent lives and celebrate themselves and this was her first trip to Paris! OMG!
What better way to celebrate such a life event than with a champagne party.

Posted in: American in Paris, Expat, Fun, Luxe, Nightlife, Paris / Tagged: #thechampagnesocial, champagne soirée paris, Ella Coquine, habitat Parisien, the champagne diet

Words & Wine with Juliette Sobanet

7 octobre 2013 03:44 / 2 Comments /

I had a delightful evening recently, over on one of my favorite streets in Paris in the 6th, hosted by Sylvia of Finding Noon, and Lisa of Ella Coquine. These two fantastic Paris expat bloggers threw a wonderfully chic and informal evening of wine and cheese and a presentation of Juliette Sobanet‘s new novel…presented by the lovely author herself!

Miss Sobanet is a lovely charming young woman who is a French teacher turned novelist, and was seemingly very much at ease explaining her latest work to us; reading from it and then answering all of our questions about her writing process and how she became a novelist.

She told us about self publishing on Amazon, how she uses Pinterest to brainstorm and inspire herself for each character, how she finally left her day job to write full time, and her love for France. Read more →

Posted in: American in Paris, Book Review, Expat, Paris / Tagged: Dancing with Paris, Ella Coquine, Finding Noon, Juliette Sobanet, Paris romance novels, Words and Wine

Someone Once Told Me

27 août 2013 14:11 / Leave a Comment /

Mario of the blog/project : Someone Once Told Me, asked me to participate in his endeavor and met me earlier this Summer on the Pont Alexandre III. I offered him a phrase out of my expat life. One that means something to me. Check it out on the link just above.