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#PFW Street Style #AW1314

7 Mar

Street style shots…

PreteMoiParis

Moi!

It’s funny to see how many people have taken to this habit of shooting pictures of those who hang on the fringe of fashion week, or those who attend. It’s a mixing of the two demographics, and nobody seems to mind. Some are aloof and pretend to not care about or even want cameras on them, some are there to lend themselves to the game deliberately.

Bill Cunningham

Bill Cunningham

Bill Cunningham, the now famous blue clad street style photography pioneer, is always there, loyal to his lens.
Continue reading →

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Le Petit Parisien – New York

19 Feb

Post by Frank Cierpial

Frank G Cierpial

PetitParisienSometimes the hustle and bustle of New York can be too much for anybody and it is nice to take a short journey into a quiet mountain town. This mountain town is in the Garden State of New Jersey. It is called Montclair and I know it well, because I go to Montclair State University. Montclair is a town full of sidewalk cafés, cute little independently owned businesses, and is known for its French community. Baptiste and Leme Maldonado are part of this French community. They came here from Versailles, France two years ago, and just 8 months ago opened this adorable French Pastry place called “Le Petit Parisien”. Continue reading →

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Didit Hediprasety SS2013 Couture Collection

4 Feb
Photo by : Lauren Cashwell

Photo by : Lauren Cashwell

The calm and quiet zen of spring water, a dreamlike Japanese afternoon, the body is warm and relaxed, unconstrained in the soft draping jersey that clings to it gently.

I was invited to attend the Spring-Summer 2013 couture show in Paris held at the luxurious Shangri-La palace hotel in Paris for Didit Hediprasetyo, one of the designers I have been following now for several seasons. One of the things I appreciate the most about his collections is that they change entirely every season, but still to the trained eye, you can pick out the details that are so typical to his work.

Didit never ceases to inspire me, as every season his collections are completely different. He comes up with an entirely new concept, idea and theme, that he always displays with elegance and craftsmanship. The models all dressed in Didit’s version of Japanese zen-wear, stepped slowly onto the padded platforms where they each took their place in the “tableau” that had been imagined by Didit.

P1170275 Continue reading →

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Pretty Paris Pictures : Snow!

24 Jan

I am sure every Paris based blogger has been posting articles about the snow blanketed city of lights! Thanks to the delightful powdering by mother nature we all got to enjoy winter for once in the city-that-rarely-gets-snow.

So now, allow me to add mine to the list. :-)

Also you can visit Le Figaro’s collection of photos of Paris under the snow, where you can see how pretty it is, and Parisians having fun, and *gasp* helping eachother!

I also enjoyed A French Frye In Paris’ post with pictures of all the snowy playfulness in Montmartre!

Enjoy!

CarlaLovesSnow
Snowy Paris rooftop Continue reading →

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Monuments off the Beaten Path – Fontaine des Innocents

25 Jan

Post by Jenny Bailey

Fontaine des Innocents, by Tom Bream

Whilst world-renowned landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre and the Arc de Triomphe are well worth visiting, discovering some of the other monuments in Paris that are slightly off the beaten path is just as rewarding. For a fascinating piece of history, tourists staying in Paris hotels near the Les Halles district should check out the Fontaine des Innocents (Fountain of the Innocents).

This beautiful Renaissance structure was designed by French architect Pierre Lescot, before being sculpted by architect Jean Goujon. Created between 1546 and 1549, the fountain was built into a wall at the intersection of Rue St Denis and Rue au Fers (now Rue Berger) and originally had just three façades.

Commissioned as part of the decoration of the city to welcome King Henry II into Paris, the Fontaine des Innocents is the oldest monumental fountain in Paris. It was designed not only to be a fountain, but to be a grand reviewing stand for local notables. It is decorated with Henry II’s Coat of Arms, as well as nymphs on each side of it, typical of the Mannerist style of the time. The arch is covered by angels and traditional ‘putti’ – naked, plump little boys with wings, which was very common in Renaissance works.

In 1788, the fountain was moved to a newly created square, known as the Square des Innocents, to make way for a market. A fourth façade was then built to match the three original ones before it was placed on a pedestal and topped with the dome that is there today. The fountain did not have water running from it until 1812, when a system of canals was put in place to bring water to the public fountains in the capital.

As one of the lesser known landmarks in the city, a trip to see the Fontaine des Innocents is a great way to spend an afternoon in Paris. Combine a visit to the fountain with other attractions in the area such as the Tour St-Jacques – the remains of an old 16th century church – and Les Halles Market with its large underground shopping mall, meat, fruit and vegetable market and the largest underground subway station in the world. Travelers staying in hotels in the area can then head back for a quick change before going out for a delicious evening meal.

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To market, to market… it’s Noël in Paris!

21 Dec

Post by Jenny Baily

Disneyland Paris Christmas by Jenni Louise

One of the defining features of Christmas in Paris is its many Christmas markets, also known
as “marchés de Noël”. There are many different markets happening throughout December, from
the family fun of EurodisneyParis, to the chic market of the Champs-Elyseés. As well as providing an opportunity to pick up
some charming Christmas gifts, these markets add a hearty dose of Christmas cheer to the French
capital.

Avenue des Champs-Elysées
The most popular Christmas market in central Paris is the one which stretches all the way from the
Place de la Concorde to the Champs-Elysées roundabout. With as many as 160 traditional chalets
lining this famous street, there is plenty to see. There’s even a huge Ferris wheel at the Place de la
Concorde. Sip mulled wine as you stroll along the Champs-Elysées, taking in the festive atmosphere
and incredible Christmas light displays.

La Défense
With 350 stands, this is one of the largest and most well-established Christmas markets in Paris.
Located among the high-rise buildings of the business district, this is an impressive market and
worth taking the time to visit. The numerous stalls sell everything you would expect from a
traditional Christmas market, from refreshments to gifts, and there is even an ice skating rink to
keep visitors feeling festive.

Disneyland Paris
Even if you’re planning Disneyland Paris holidays with the family, you needn’t miss out on the
traditional Christmas market experience. Every year the Disney Village is transformed into a
Christmas wonderland, complete with wooden chalets and festive stalls selling everything from
toys to seasonal refreshments. The entire park celebrates Christmas throughout November
and December, and there are even daily snow showers to help create an authentic Christmas
atmosphere.

Place des Abbesses
In the heart of the very pretty Montmartre district, the Places des Abbesses features a small but
perfectly formed Christmas market in December, selling a range of local wares from handmade
jewellery to French sweets. Montmartre is a wonderful part of the city to explore on foot, and if you
can’t find what you want from the market there are plenty of charming local boutiques in the area.

Montparnasse Tower
The Montparnasse Tower is the tallest skyscraper in Europe, and while it’s not the most beautiful
building in Paris, tourists can make the most of its height and enjoy incredible views from the 56th
floor. During winter there’s another good reason to visit – the Christmas market across the street
which specialises in regional French delicacies. This is a great place to pick up some French cheeses
and festive pastries.

Joyeux noël everyone!

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Street View

2 Oct

I often walk around Paris looking up, occasionally I look down depending on the neighborhood and the ratio of pet pups that said neighborhood contains..ahemm.. 16th). But I tend to be looking upwards to take in the gorgeous view that this city offers on almost every street corner, every road.

I don’t often look “par terre”, for what is there to see but crottes de chien and Parisian trash that missed the garbage can? But this one time, while waiting for the bus, I looked down and saw the most beautiful view being reflected from the ground up… Can you guess where I was and what you see in the reflection???
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My new favorite Thai

10 Jul

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I love coconut.

I love curry.

I love mango. Shrimp. Coriander….

So naturally I LOVE Thai food. Usually Chéri and I head to the 13th to get our fix of it, but recently we tried a new place that is even closer to our home in the 12th. Chez Sawan, in the 11th at Faidherbe took over a café that used to be called Balthazar (aren’t there like a hundred cafés called Balthazar in Paris?). The decor remains somewhat similar to what it was before, typical Parisian café style, dark woods, colonial styled clocks and wall hangings, with an interesting looking light on the ceiling, bistrot syle chairs etc… (you won’t feel like you are in exotic Thailand here).

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But the food was delish! The service was nice, not over zealous but not totally absent either. What I really liked was the entire front of the restaurant is movable window-walls that were opened so there was plenty of light and air circulation, and everyone can view the street. Not that the street is THAT interesting, but in Paris, people like to see other people, hence the desire to view the street.

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We were hungry and didn’t want to mess around with an entrée, so we  went straight for the main dish. I had a coconut with red curry chicken dish that was everything you would hope a coconut curry to be. Smooth and creamy without being too rich, and the proportion was perfect. I wasn’t stuffed afterwards. But I think that was also due to the fact that instead of getting rice with it I got the liserons d’eau, which is a green vegetable, that I believe just kind of grows everywhere over in Aisia, like a weed I guess, but the sautée it with garlic and well, I could eat mountainous plates of it! Yum!

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For dessert I had the coconut rice with mango. It was sweet sticky rice with a coconut glaze drizzled over it and fresh ripe mango slices. There was a slight hint of saltiness to the dish that made my mouth water at every bite!

Sawan Bistro Thai, 35 rue Faidherbe 75011.

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Kasia Dietz – a natural born artist

8 May

See this article on Luxsure Magazine
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Kasia Dietz has creativity and artistic tendencies in her very essence. Perhaps it comes from the fact that her mother began creating block prints for tee-shirts by hand, while she was pregnant with Kasia, but most likely it comes from the values that she has learned both from her mother and from life.

Back in New York, where she is from, Kasia was ten years into a career and living the Madison avenue life, climbing the ladder to corporate success. Somehow, this didn’t seem like enough, and Kasia decided she wanted something more out of life. When you feel like you have nothing to lose, you can do almost anything, and that’s what she did. She made the choice to take a giant leap into the great unknown, and found herself with only a suitcase, traveling the world, belongings locked up in storage, caution thrown to the wind!

This is where life really begins…

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One year spent between Buenos Aires, Brazil, Columbia, Peru, Chile, New Zealand, Australia, Thailand, Bali, Hong Kong, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Japan, China, Tibet, all over Europe, and of course Poland (to visit her roots). The list of destinations goes on. By discovering other places on earth, you also discover who you are when you are in them.

This curiosity, mixed with a passion for design, is also what led the artist to dust off her mother’s block prints and begin designing. Those prints served for her first collection of bags, and still provide inspiration in her newer creations.

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Printing fabric creates the concept of wearable art for Kasia. She finds herself inspired by artists such as Paul Klee and Mark Rothko and envisions her own store someday where her bags are hung on the walls like paintings. Her idea of wearable art evolved into reversible totes, matching clutches and a continuation on the printed theme. Her most recent hits are the Rive Droite, Rive Gauche and Paris postal code bags. She also designs sashes to complement the bags. Her designs all revolve around her affinity for minimalism and versatility.

Kasia has recently enjoyed press in French Marie Claire, Bitch Buzz Style, Huffington Post Style, Style Society and Stylist.co.uk among others. She remains a firm believer in doing things herself, and makes a point of making her own painstaking prints by hand. So if you purchased a printed bag from Miss Dietz, you are sure to own something in which the artist has put her very essence.

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Kasia moved to Paris in 2009 to join her Italian fiancé whom she met serendipitiously in New York City, and took on the task of creating a business with her design talent. She didn’t grow up learning to be a designer, and is a self taught artist, but then are we surprised?!? She used The Fashion Designer Survival Guide by Mary Gehlhar (a great buy, and it has a forward by Zac Posen), to help her learn how to go about designing and selling her bags and accessories. I am sure the book helped, but Kasia seems to have the ability to succeed at whatever she sets out to do! We wish her all the best and can’t wait to see her next collection! (A little bird called twitter tells me that there’s going to be some blue and gold in there!)

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Kasia Dietz handbags are available at www.kasiadietz.com (international shipping of course!) and in select shops in Paris and NYC.

POSHGLAM LINKS : http://www.poshglam.com/whats-in-anya-sarres-chanel-quilted-handbag/ #STYLIST #ANYASARRES #HANDBAG

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Kiss me Kate!

29 Apr
Kate_kiss, première mise en ligne par PreteMoiParis.

I’m sorry, I know my blog is about Paris, but I couldn’t help but be swept up in the royal enthusiasm for the young couple across the channel!

As they are cheered on by the immense crowd gathered at the square below, chanting “Kiss! …Kiss! …Kiss! …Kiss!” …Kate and Will exchange a most beautiful yet delicate kiss on the balcony at Buckingham palace after their wedding ceremony. It seems the whole world was watching and waiting to see this joyous moment.
May they live long and happy lives.

Féliciations!!!

Vive les jeunes mariés!

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Stocking Stuffers from Paris

18 Dec

Remplir les chaussettes de noël

When I first started celebrating Christmas with my French boyfriend’s family, I was sad to learn that they didn’t have a stocking tradition. It seems as if stockings are not a French thing. So… I insisted upon stockings,, made one for him and his parents, brought out my lovely hand-made-by-my-mother stocking (which was 100 times better than the ones I made…) and introduced a new tradition into one French family. They have necessarily understood that the gifts for the stocking are supposed to fit inside the stocking, and it becomes sort-of an extension of the under-the-tree gifts, but it’s all fun and from the heart. It’s the gesture that counts, not the gift!

But… I have a thing for little items, gifts, packages, travel size etc…  And I love stocking-stuffers for their smallness in size… (I miss the travel size aisle at the CVS pharmacy).So I went in hunt of a few fun items, in case you were in need of some Paris stocking-stuffing inspiration.

Voilà!

 

Under 10€

 

La Grande Epicerie de Paris

These are a German-style holiday cookie that is difficult to find but one bite into them and it’s a Christmas party in your mouth! They are soft and made with almond flour with a light coat of icing and plenty of nutmeg and cinnamon!

I found these at the Grand Epicerie de Paris (aka : Le Bon Marché). It’s a small box that will fit in someone’s Christmas stocking and make them very happy!

 

Nature & Découverte

Huiles essentielles : Essential oils… can be used for aromatherapy, cooking (yes! it’s true) and…….. massage!

 

Alice Délice

Mini chocloate bars, and stockings go together like… Chocolate and Christmas! I mean what would Christmas be without chocolate!?! As a kids a remember always having tons of it in my stocking, and by noon we were all driving my mother crazy because we had eaten through it all, and probably some of the wrappers as well. A kids….

 

Coté Maison

Well! You need accessories for the chocolate now, don’t you think!?!?!

 

Under 20 €

l'Occitane

L’Occitane started doing limited time only lines of make-up. Last Spring there was a line put out for Mothers’ day. The new line came out recently for the holiday season. It’s called Fleur Chérie, and the colors are peachy and full of warmth, and sweet flowery-fruity smells. There are several to chose from, and there are lips glosses, sticks, powders, blushes etc. I love their ‘brillant à lèvres’ in tafetas cuivré shade.

Nature & Découverte

I’m a sucker for a head massage… ok well, a back massage, a shoulder massage, a foot massage… I LOVE massages! I was probably a lap dog in a past life. I’m confused as to why they give you massage oil with this head massager though. Oh wait… I see, it’s so you can get a head massage AND a back/shoulder/foot massage! Good thinking Nature & Découverte! (Online or in stores)


Alice Délice

And this stocking stuffer is in hommage to my New England roots. Gimme lobster! Or gimme….! Ok fine, I’ll take an over cooked-not-fresh-from-the-sea large shrimp. ppbbbttt!

 

Alice Délice

Macarons are all the rage. Everyone wants to make them at home. Here are some accessories that will help them.I should put this under the ‘under 40′ category because you should really get the non-stick spray (shown), the coloring (not shown) and the flavoring ( not shown either). Just sayin’.

 

Under 40€

Fragonard

Fragonard… a Totally French brand, a totally French product.

The eau de parfum Caresse is perfect for HER stocking…

Fragonard also has plenty of other items for less as well that fit just perfectly in a stocking!

 

 

Coté Maison

Don’t these things just look so comfy and warm! Slippers for the whole family! Aaaand, non slip slippers!( That sounds like an oxymoron.)

 

 

Coté Maison

This candle smells exactly like Christmas…exactly.

 

Happy holidays to all!

 

 

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Bleu de Chartres

30 Nov

Chartres blue

The Gothic age brought larger windows, more light and color into the place of Christian worship. The style is called “flamboyant” and it’s purpose was to strike the humble human with awe in order to render him (or her) pious and an avid believer.

 

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In addition to bringing in light, the stained glass windows educated the masses (the printing press had not yet been invented), with the scenes of biblical stories and other saints’ lives told through the brightly colored images.

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Stained glass windows, vitraux in French, are abundant in the cathedral of Chartres. And the vitraux are abundantly blue (among other vibrant and beautiful colors).

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The particularity of the Chartres azure, has a lot to do with cost as well as chemistry. The blue color that is attributed to the town, is slightly less vibrant than “cobalt blue”, it’s moderately  a softer blue.

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It’s no longer the same original blue on every single stained-glass window in the cathedral, but it is still apparent.

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At the rise of the Gothic period in the 13th century (the 1200′s), stained glass became popular and in high demand. Therefor, the products which came from far off places, needed to make it saw a rise in price. In order to counter this rise in price on the construction of the cathedral of Chartres, the products were purchased closer to home and thus the natural composition was slightly different, giving a slightly modified hue.

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Scilice is the main ingredient, that creates a vitrified material. Other mineral oxides aid the creation and make the colors. Cobalt and manganese oxide are the materials used to create hues of blue. The manganese was easier to find and closer to home, for the construction of Chartres, and so they mixed it with cobalt (which came from father eastern regions of Europe) to lessen the financial burden caused by the need for so many stained glass windows. The mixture gave a color that now has it’s own name.

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A visit to Chartres is a great idea for a day trip outside of Paris. Trains go there every day from the Gare de Montparnasse.

In addition to the stunning stained-glass windows, you can also see Notre dame sous terre, a statue of the virgin that is underground in the crypt where the Roman foundations are. You can also see the veil of the Virgin Mary, and Notre dame du pillier a statue of the virgin Mary dating to the 16th century that is often referred to as the “black virgin” because of the dark color of the wood which comes from a pear tree.

 

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Notre Dame du Pillier

 

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It’s begining to look a lot like…

27 Nov

Noël!

The Galaries Lafayette dresses up real snazzy for the holidays.

The famous “vitrines de noël” this year are themed : “Show Chaud Noël” (meaning Hot Show Christmas) and features scenes from musical shows with show tunes playingover loud speakers and small bears and dolls as the characters.

It’s fun for the whole family!

(Maybe somone complained over last years windows…they were a little provocative).

Well here’s a peak!

Bring the kids to see the “vitrines” it’s fun and free, and there is even a special place made just for the little ones to get a good view right in front of the windows. Boulevard Haussmann, Métro station Chaussée d’Antin-Lafayette.

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The beauty of Fall – Bel automne

15 Nov

I need a breather from my blogging rants… to remind myself (and you) that there are still  beautiful things in life like Fall, and Parisian gardens.

Enjoy…

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I get by with a little Yelp from my friends!

10 Nov


So our friends at Yelp have decided that they really want to see us make silly fools of ourselves and are teaming up with Prête-Moi Paris! to recruit more votes for the race in high heels! La Course en escarpins with Sarenza. Check out the Yelp Paris newsletter that comes out today! (If you don’t speak french and you can’t understand the Sarenza website, I have a previous blog post in English to help you vote for us!) … (oh and…Learn to speak French confidently at http://www.accredited-online-colleges.org)

For the race : We need to be in 1st place in order to get a garunteed spot! Aaah! If not, we get thrown in a hat with the rest of the teams (like some who only have one or two vote…a lot of work they’re doing! Ppssshhht!) and then they will draw out 16 teams only. There’s a lot more than 16 teams signed up. :-(

But, enough about the race (oh and please go vote for us now, merci!)… Yelp, is a website that helps you find things…. no, not your long lost high school crush (that’s what facebook is for) nor your lost kitty (that’s what twitter is for)… but fun and useful and practical things like, a good market, or shoe shop, or bakery, or pharmacy etc. And each place is reviewed by locals. You may yourself also review places if you like. So join me on Yelp Paris and let’s share some of our favorite places to go to!

Mobile people check out the Yelp phone apps for phones like iphone & androids on your application marketplace.

à plus!

Mid-November UPDATE :

We did not get enough votes for the top spot, nor did we get selected in the random drawing for the other spots.

I guess I will just be running in heels to catch the bus!

XOXOXO

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Carlos Miele and Vogue Italia Parisian Party – Oh Honey!

2 Oct

Italy brought the heat to Paris last night! I trotted off hier to the Carlos Miele and Vogue Italia Party at 380 rue Saint Honoré in the 1st arrondissement. The event was to celebrate a collaboration by Lapo Elkann and Bianca Brandolini. The fruit of the collaboration? A limited edition  t-shirt to benefit the Rainforest Foundation US. Conscientious fashion… love it!

In a packed swanky boutique, fashion people, bloggers, photographers, designers and models brushed shoulders, as a DJ spun tunes and Carlos Miele’s new SS2011 collection hung smartly on racks on the fringe of the crowd.

Bianca Brandolin

Bianca Brandolin

Lapo Elkann

Carlos Miele (left)

Oozing and schmoozing with air-kisses and hugs, the crowd bee-lined for the bar to grab a lime or strawberry caipirinha, servers passed around  other rum drinks and little hors d’oeuvres and fruit speared on plastic toothpicks. I was worried that those gowns might see a few strawberry stains by the end of the evening. Aie aie aie!

Carlos Miele 380 rue Saint Honoré 75001 Paris

Rosana Paris & Giseli Francine

In between taking snapshots of the fashionable crowd as it kept pouring into the boutique I met blogger/writer Alice Pfeiffer who was lovely in roses, Blogger Peyton Sandler, and London based designer Ada Zanditon who was sporting her own label (click on photos for links). Not sure how they imagined they would fit all these people in, but it was a fabulous place to be while the rain drizzled down outside.

Melissa Ladd & Peyton Sandler

Alice Pfeiffer

Ada Zanditon

For more on the soirée go to Patrick McMullen’s site.

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Migration

1 Aug

http://pretemoiparis.blogspot.com will soon be migrating here!

Come back soon.

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