May 16, 2013 by Thomas Butler
In an episode of HBO’s New York comedy Girls, Lena Dunham’s character, Hannah, ironically states as she steps out onto a hip Brooklyn street: “it takes a lot of money to look this cheap”. Sadly, the irony of this statement will be lost on a Parisian.
The creative, sometimes, wildly eccentric outfits seen on the streets of London and New York, are relegated to sporadic night-time appearances under the cover of darkness in Paris.
Stepping out in anything risky during daylight hours might put you in the firing line of Parisian mirth and scorn. Surprisingly for a city, which is often referred to as the world’s fashion capital, there is an overall conservative, even uniform, approach to dressing.
Just in case you think otherwise, in Paris, cheap will definitely never be in. The general rule of thumb is this: the Parisian woman gives the impression of being effortlessly chic (you can be guaranteed there was nothing effortless about it); and the Parisian man is generally more polished than say your average New Yorker or Londoner – he would never consciously leave the house in a creased shirt, for example. Continue Reading »
Posted in Fashion, Parisian Living | 3 Comments »
May 14, 2013 by Paige Bradley Frost
If you’ve ever dreamed of living in Paris, chances are you’ve thought about where. A funky Montmartre studio with a view? Perhaps a swank one-bedroom in the 6ème with herringbone floors and marble mantles sends your heart racing? Whether you’re more Marais hideaway or St Germain Haussmannian, it turns out that where you live in Paris says quite a lot about you.
Most Parisians are deeply devoted to their neighborhoods and can wax poetic on their unique charms. As to whether they prefer the Rive Gauche or Rive Droite, ask any Parisian and you’re sure to get an opinion. Having now lived on both sides of the Seine, I’ve got a few of my own. Here’s how to decode the meaning behind the coveted Parisian address.
Left Bank Lovely. Feel like donning an Hermes carré and enjoying a taste of old school Paris? The grand cafés of St Germain des Pres await. Alas, de Beauvoir and Sartre have long since fled but the swooping waiters and retro vibe are still reminiscent of the Left Bank’s intellectual heyday. Continue Reading »
Posted in Parisian Living | 16 Comments »
May 7, 2013 by Kim Horton Levesque
We’re very excited to be giving away a copy of Kim Horton Levesque’s latest book, Paris with Children, on HiP Paris today. Chock-full of great recommendations for kid-friendly things to do in Paris, we can hardly imagine making a trip with the kids without it now! Not to mention, the book itself is completely adorable. To win, see instructions at the end of this post. Please note: winner must be located in the continental U.S or Canada. -Genevieve
“Children have as much to teach us as we do them when traveling — their curiosity and imagination make even familiar destinations seem new.” -Barrie Kerper, The Collected Traveler
Paris is an overwhelmingly child-friendly city. Thankfully it’s organized in such a way that makes traveling with kids enjoyable. Many of Paris’s principal sights are concentrated geographically so it’s quite walkable with young ones.
Here’s a typical day for my family when we’re visiting Paris:
I have three daughters, a 3-, 5- and 8-year old. We head out of the apartment I’ve rented, usually in the Saint-Germain district, around mid-morning, and walk towards Jardin du Luxembourg. This elegant garden is a paradise for children––an elaborate playground (it even has a small but thrilling zip line), an indoor marionette theater, Charles Garnier’s vintage carousel, pony rides and model sailboats in the grand bassin, all make it easy to idealize life in the capital.
Before entering the park, however, we stop into Boulangerie Marc Rollot, a neighborhood bakery just off of rue de Vaugirard (48, rue Madame, 6th arr.). My father (who doesn’t speak French) serendipitously stumbled upon this shop several trips ago and it’s become our family favorite for viennoiseries––especially the apricot pastry (oranais) and the pain aux raisins. Treats tucked neatly into my purse, we head into the park, find an empty bench and dig in.
My daughters’ first request is always Luxembourg’s vast playground, Le Poussin Vert. Continue Reading »
Posted in Parisian Living | 36 Comments »
April 24, 2013 by Forest Collins
George V
What is it that makes hotel bars so appealing? Is it the sense of travel and adventure? Is it the ease with which you could drop into a bed after drinks at the bar? Do the guests, themselves passing through for just a moment on the way to their next destination, imbue the spaces with an edgy sense fluidity and transience?
Hotel St James
The best Parisian hotel bars do more than just pour a decent drink; they combine old-world ambiance, stellar service and sophisticated décor to guarantee an exceptional experience. And here are some of the city’s finest choices to fit any occasion:
l’Hotel
For a Romantic Escape: Hotel Saint James
With its modern-romantic decor, the Saint James is the perfect place for a dreamlike escape from the daily grind. Hidden away in a quiet corner of the city that once served as Paris’ first airfield, this neoclassical chateau still manages to transport visitors. In summer months, patrons canoodle in the garden under hot-air-balloon-inspired canopies over nicely priced bottles of white. In winter months they whisper over whiskey in quiet corners of the dark wood library bar amidst some 12,000 old books. Though the Saint James is a private club, you don’t have to be a member to enjoy a drink after 7pm – just call ahead and reserve. Continue Reading »
Posted in Parisian Living | 11 Comments »
April 2, 2013 by Erin Dahl
Food
Lobster rolls in Paris? Mais oui! Le Lobster Bar is opening up just in time for warm weather. The only thing that could compete with a lobster roll and a cold beer on a hot summer day might just be fresh tortillas and guacamole… And that’s also happening with Mil Amores Tortilleria, with a little help from the chef at Candelaria. Perfect timing.
Paris Pop-Up
Mark your agendas: the next Paris PopUp dinner, courtesy of Frenchie’s Laura Vidal and Harry Cummins, will take place on/around May 19, with tickets going on sale April 19. This installment will be a convivial brunch/lunch setup, with mixologists on hand, sweet music, and possibly a surprise appearance from across the channel. Can’t wait! Email theparispopup@gmail.com starting April 19 to score a spot.
Continue Reading »
Posted in Events | 5 Comments »
March 22, 2013 by Claire Oldman
Paris wouldn’t be Paris without a bit of romance, right? The Parisian Male, that charming, well-coiffed pillar of French seduction, sometimes gets mixed reviews from visiting females. Do you like the attention you receive from men on the streets of Paris? Or is it all a bit too much? Claire, ever the English lady, takes a closer look at the men we love to hate to love. -Genevieve
I recently had a chance to observe the Parisian Male in his natural habitat over the course of a month or so. After many years of coming to Paris, I have managed to form and retain the view that the Male is more often than not charming, attractive, stylish, intelligent and appreciative of women. Oh, and romantic of course.
When I started to delve deeper (in the name of research, of course), what I discovered caused me to go from “hmmm” to “ookaayy” to – on one occasion – “eeeeewwww.” Obviously I’m coming from a northern European female perspective, so what might be off-putting to me might be delightful to someone else, but if you’re a foreign woman in Paris, you’re going to meet this type of Parisian Male.
You might have guessed by now that this is not the post to read for tips on how to meet Parisian men. The truth is, no tips are necessary. You just need to be a female and go to Paris.
The Parisian Male will not hesitate to approach you. And your friend, and your friend’s mother, and her friend, and anyone else who’s wearing a skirt. While this ardent pursuit may be flattering at first, you will soon realize it’s not that you’ve been singled out because you’re particularly enchanting, it’s just that you’re now part of an age old citywide sporting match. Continue Reading »
Posted in Parisian Living | 10 Comments »
March 19, 2013 by Carin Olsson
When I first arrived in Paris, I tried to avoid the Parisian métro as much as I possibly could. The horror stories I had heard about people getting their valuables stolen, the stations smelling worse than most bathrooms and the crazy amount of people all fighting for a spot during rush hour made me keep my distance at first.
Even though I now know that the métro isn’t all that bad, I’m kind of glad for my initial repugnance, because it pushed me to look to alternative ways to get around the city. And that’s how my love affair with Parisian buses began.
Sure, there are a few negative aspects to taking the bus: you can never really be certain the bus will actually show up on time (yes, I realize that this might be more than a tiny flaw for those with appointments to keep); they stop running as soon as the first snowflake hits the ground during the winter; they’re a bit slow; and they can, bien sûr, be canceled (without prior notice) due to Parisian manifestations. Continue Reading »
Posted in Parisian Living | 10 Comments »
March 14, 2013 by Forest Collins
Josephine (Forest Collins)
Quenching your thirst with a nice glass of wine has never been the hardest thing to do in Paris. Cafes, restaurants and bars abound, making it all but impossible to believably complain about being thirsty for more than a block.
Recently, however, a new breed of wine bar is upping the ante and bringing a breath of fresh air to the scene. Here are some of the latest and best places to partake in wine and small plates:
Septime Cave (Forest Collins)
For the Adventurous and Outgoing: L’Avant Comptoir
This tiny annex of the notoriously popular le Comptoir serves up a selection of nicely priced wines alongside phenomenal small plates that justify the popularity of the main restaurant. Continue Reading »
Posted in Parisian Living, Restaurant Reviews | 6 Comments »
March 12, 2013 by Evan Robertson
Nichole and Evan Robertson of Obvious State (formerly Little Brown Pen) have been helping us keep our Paris dream alive through their colorful, oh-so-Paris prints for years now. Today, we’re thrilled to be giving away three sets of their gorgeous new travel posters, throwback prints designed by Evan. You can win one right here on the blog, one on our facebook page, and one on Pinterest! HiP Paris readers also get 20% off orders on the Paris Print Shop. Instructions for winning after the jump…-Geneviève. Please note: this giveaway is now closed. Congratulations to the winners!
I love travel posters – both for the sense of adventure they instill, and the way they allow the artist to take a complex subject like a city and distill it to a simple icon.
When it comes to Paris, it’s no secret that my wife Nichole and I have a penchant for the pedestrian pleasures. So with this project, my aim was to create a series of travel-poster-inspired illustrations, but with a twist: to focus on the moments that you enjoy now and remember fondly later, rather than on the monuments, which instead serve only as an architectural backdrop. The result is a series of four prints that give a playful prominence to the things you do over the things you see. Continue Reading »
Posted in Design | 276 Comments »
March 7, 2013 by Carin Olsson
Right: Ulyana Sergeenko
After the models have walked for Marc Jacobs in New York, Christopher Bailey in London, and Roberto Cavalli in Milan, it’s time for them to light up the runways right here in Paris.
Left: Viviana Volpicella & Right: Chiara Ferragni
For most Parisians, this week isn’t any different from any other week of the year. A few restaurants and hotels might be a bit busier than usual, but other than that, you wouldn’t necessarily notice it’s fashion week in Paris if you don’t want to.
Anna Dello Russo
Continue Reading »
Posted in Fashion | 6 Comments »
Carin Olsson
Olof Grind![HiP Paris Blog, [auro], Parisian Male in the Spring](http://hipparis.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/HiP-Paris-Blog-auro-Parisian-Male-in-the-Spring.jpg "HiP Paris Blog, [auro], Parisian Male in the Spring")
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