December 13, 2010 by Badaude
On a recent Paris jaunt during the now infamous snow storm of last week, Badaude made some Paris fashion observations. As usual, they are right on and just right. What do you wear in Paris in the snow? – Erica
I was decorating the windows for Christmas last week in legendary Paris bookshop Shakespeare and Company and I had (perhaps too much of a) good chance to see what Parisienne’s wore during the recent cold snap. With snowflakes the size of postage timbres falling onto the Christmas tree outside Notre Dame, it was picture postcard pretty but definitely necessary to wrap up warmly. This is what I, with a Posca pen tucked behind my ear, saw from the top of a ladder…
(Click on image for full size)
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Text and illustrations by Badaude for the HiP Paris Blog. For our amazing rentals in Paris, Provence & Tuscany check out our website Haven in Paris.
Posted in Parisian Living, Shopping | 10 Comments »
December 8, 2010 by Amy Thomas
Amy Thomas, the sweets queen behind the God I Love Paris blog and one of our very favorite contributors, can’t seem to decide whether she prefers Paris or New York. Hard life? But really, we can’t blame her… because we can’t choose either. What do you think? We’d love to hear from you in the comments below!
Quick: do you prefer hopping in a taxi or on a Velib? Would you rather wear Manolos or Repettos? Oversized sunglasses, or an oversized scarf?
These are difficult questions. Ones that I’ve personally been trying to answer for a year and a half as I’ve also tried cracking the bigger dilemma: Which is the better city in which to live? I know, cue the teeny-tiny pity violins. Whenever I lament feeling torn between New York and Paris, I get the “poor you” rolling of the eyes. But truly, it’s not easy choosing between the two best cities in the world. Let’s see you do it.
Beauty or Energy?
Notre Dame in Paris or Snow in Manhattan? (Karigee)
Paris is dazzling. All you need to do is watch a Godard film or see a Doisneau poster to know that. But to actually walk the streets—with the Plane trees and cobblestones; the rose-tinted street lamps, green bookstalls and golden limestone facades—well, the French know a little something about seduction, don’t they.
But in New York, you’re swept away by everything and everyone around you: pedestrians, taxis, buses, street vendors, blinking neon signs, little dogs, big dogs, and, oh the freaks everywhere! To walk the streets of New York is to know what it means to feel alive. Continue Reading »
Posted in Parisian Living, Travel | 33 Comments »
December 6, 2010 by Maggie Battista
Photographer at Musée Rodin, courtesy of Karigee.com
Life is incredibly busy for the ladies of the HiP Paris blog. Not only do we run this little corner of the world where we ramble on all things French, but we also spend our days helping our clients experience Paris like a local via our boutique vacation rental business, Haven in Paris. Business is booming and we need help with all the fun stuff. That’s where you come in, hopefully!
Haven in Paris is searching for one or two interns to support our corporate objectives through social media. In other words, to share the Paris love! We’re looking for a lot, but we’re sure you can send us some strong candidates through your network of friends, family and fellow bloggers. Do you mind passing this on to possible candidates (preferably, in the Boston area)?
Photos of Paris, France, courtesy of Karigee.com
Haven in Paris / HiP Paris is looking for social media interns to share the Paris love via all sorts of social media. The ideal candidates may be asked to perform some or all of the following duties:
Continue Reading »
Posted in Parisian Living | 6 Comments »
December 3, 2010 by Amy Thomas
Larry Clark courtesy of urban-gear.com
Nipples are often flashed on bus sides and at the beach but, still, the Frenchies have their limits. As evidenced by Mayor Bertrand Delanoe’s decree that no one under the age of 18 be allowed entry to Larry Clark’s retrospective, “Kiss the Past Hello” at the Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris (until January 2, 2011).
Clark is no stranger to controversy in the more puritanical U.S. His 1995 movie, Kids, and his earlier collections of photography, Tulsa and Teenage Lust, caused quite a ruckus. But while the Parisian press lampooned the decision to ban minors from the exhibition—“hypocrisy, “censorship”, “repression” and “excess of prudence” were all bandied about— the raw, sometimes disturbing photographs of teens having sex or shooting drugs is certainly not for everyone.
Larry Clark courtesy of urban-gear.com
The exhibition starts harmlessly enough. The first series of the 200+ photographs, which span 50 years, are campy baby portraits and pet collages, shot by Clark’s mother, who was also a photographer. But once he moves to the Tulsa and Teenage Lust era, the 1970s and ’80s, featuring young addicts and hormonal teens, Clark’s dark side starts emerging: needles searing the skin of underage junkies, boys wielding guns or preening their privates for the camera, teenagers entangled on couches, in tubs and across beds—well, it’s not for the fainthearted.
Continue Reading »
Posted in Arts, Events | 10 Comments »
October 18, 2010 by Amy Thomas
Amy Thomas (God I love Paris), Kim Laidlaw (I Heart Paris), Forest Collins (52 Martinis) and our very own Erica Berman recently got together for a very special meal at the elusive Montmartre restaurant, Guilo Guilo. Renowned for its Japanese wunderkind chef Eiichi Edakuni, its fixed menu (which changes daily), and the near-impossibility of scoring reservations if you’re not prepared to make the treck up to Montmartre in person, it did not fail to impress these serious food-blogger dames…
Amy Thomas – Guilo Guilo’s open kitchen and staff
Eight Courses and Four Reviews of Japanese Gem Guilo Guilo
What do you get when four foodie bloggers come together for reservations at one of Paris’ most under-the-radar yet hard-to-get-into spots? A mélange of approving opinions and happy bellies. A review of Guilo Guilo, sliced four ways:
Let’s start with the food
Forest: Chef Eiishi Edakuni concocts beautiful, intricate, tasty, tidy, subtle, little mystery-mouthfuls. Not being certain about all the ingredients is part of the fun— but maybe not for the vegetarians!?
Kim: It was a seemingly never-ending flow of courses presented in bite-sized gems, bursting with flavor. I love this style of eating where you get to try so many different tastes. It’s a real success at Guilo Guilo where you are able to sample a far more interesting side of Japanese gastronomy than you would in sushi-centric joints.
Erica: Creative, original and delicious. The chef expertly pairs diverse and unexpected ingredients to create some of the best food I have had in 18 years of Parisian living.
Amy: Oh, how I love experiences like this. Every little dish was a gift: pretty to look at, thoughtfully constructed and artfully crafted, creative but pure and, bien sur, delicious. And the hits just kept coming! Eight courses? Gift after gift…
Erica Berman – Guilo Guilo delicious morsels
And to go with the food?
Forest: For a nice change from French bubbly, crystal clear sparkling sake isn’t as strong as expected but it still delivered a delicate kick with a dry, clean and refreshing finish. Continue Reading »
Posted in Food, Restaurant Reviews | 6 Comments »
September 10, 2010 by Maggie Battista
Last Spring, Maggie was lucky to spend some time in Haven in Paris’ gorgeous Rue du Bac 2-bedroom. A relative newcomer to Paris, she made the most of her expat status by seeking out the hidden gems her wonderful neighborhood had to offer. She shares a few of her favorites with us here…
I adopted the Saint Germain neighborhood up and down Rue du Bac as my home away from home earlier this year. Eventually, to my delight, the neighborhood started to adopt me in return! After seeing my smile amidst the sea of scowls over and over again in the long lines in their shops, the local merchants actually started to smile back, even if it was ever so slightly.
Each vanishing grimace assured me it was okay to start feeling at home. And I did, quickly. As an American girl in Paris, I knew the quickest way to appear even remotely French would be to build up my arsenal of Parisian necessities, all within the few blocks around my apartment. To that end, I hereby share what I think every aspiring local Parisian woman needs:
Continue Reading »
Posted in Homes, Parisian Living, Shopping | 15 Comments »
July 2, 2010 by La Mom - An American Mom in Paris
La Mom in Paris is a hilarious blog about an American mom living a très Parisian life in the city of lights. From encounters with French frat boys (yes, apparently they do exist) to profiling the Parisian Jet Set Dog, her witty anecdotes about her expat circle of friends truly make us feel as if we were there with her. Here, she gives us a fantastic breakdown of how to navigate the summer sales, Parisienne-style!
Ladies and gentlemen, get your running shoes out and your boxing gloves on.
C’est les soldes!
Wednesday marked the beginning of the fabled twice-annual deep-discount French sales.
Fabled, you might ask? Let’s just say that even Cendrillon can find a dress or two to go with those glass stilettos as prices fall to rock bottom over the 5-week sales period.
And why the boxing gloves? If it’s anything like last year’s Zadig & Voltaire markdowns, you’ll need ‘em. Normally prim and proper 16th arrondissement demoiselles morphed into banshees as they duked it out over cashmere sweaters – even resorted to slugging each other with their Hermès Birkin bags to get at the last ELVIS-logo pullover.
Trust me, those sapphire-and-diamond rings can do some damage. Better come with a game plan.
Here are La Mom’s tips for making the most of the summer soldes: Continue Reading »
Posted in Parisian Living, Shopping | 3 Comments »
June 21, 2010 by Robin Locker - Girls Guide to Paris
Girls’ Guide to Paris, a fantastic online resource for fabulous things to do in Paris, helps to answer here every antsy traveler’s questions about packing for Paris. This article was also written by HiP Paris blogger friend Robin Locker, of My Mélange…
Packing for any trip can be frustrating and daunting. But when you’re heading to the fashion capital of the world, the task can seem even more arduous. You know that Parisians are stylish and chic, so you want to do your best to fit in. But you also want to be comfortable, without toting around unnecessary stuff.
Most women I know spend hours mixing and matching outfits, piling every available piece of clothing on the bed until it disappears under a mound of fabric. And though there will always be two types of packers—those who believe in taking only a carry-on, and those who just can’t fathom the thought—there are some essentials any girl headed to Paris should bring along.
Black. Lots of black. Black is classic and always in season, and it matches easily with almost every other color, which makes it perfect for layering. Dark clothes are flattering on all figures and hide wear and tear better than their counterparts, so they will be more forgiving if you splash some espresso on yourself. And every girl needs a little black dress for a nice evening out in the City of Light. Continue Reading »
Posted in Parisian Living | 17 Comments »
April 21, 2010 by Badaude
Still stranded in Paris? Step away from the ticketing hotline and treat yourself to a little trip to the steam baths. Guest blogger, writer and illustrator Badaude shares her favorite spots along with a little know-how on navigating the traditional hammam (North African steam baths). We can’t think of a better way to make the most of your bonus days in Paris!
It may be getting warmer, but some April days in Paris still start off pretty icy. But it’s not all bad. April is the last month I can indulge in my monthly treat at the only place you can get truly warm in the Paris winter – the hammam.
Paris has lots of hammams: traditional North African steam baths, not chi-chi hotel spas. They cost on average €45 per session including massage or exfoliation (gommage) and pastries — and who could fail to be attracted by this combination? There’s a hammam for every kind of Parisian, but how do you choose? I’m now a hammam veteran, but here’s what happened at my first visit to my favorite, the Hamman de La Grande Mosquée de Paris.
Illustration by Badaude – Click on the image to view larger version
I step off the street through a hidden doorway behind the main entrance and hand over the notes to the cashier at the till in exchange for a handful of colored paper raffle tickets and a mysterious squishy black plastic sachet. I knew this was savon noir. I’ve seen it for sale in big plastic tubs at the marché at the Place des Fêtes in Belleville. What I don’t quite know is what to do with it. Or when. A visit to the hammam might make you warmer, but they certainly don’t hand out an instruction booklet.
My outside eyes take time to adjust to the blue patterns of the Moroccan tiles. Looking up through the steamy light filtering down from the small, domed window in the ceiling, I’m suddenly in fairyland, a Dulac illustration from Sleeping Beauty. Continue Reading »
Posted in Parisian Living | 1 Comment »
February 14, 2010 by Tory Hoen
Erica Berman
After seven months away, I’m back in Paris for a while and am greedily soaking up every minute of it. After two weeks, I’ve slipped back into many of my happy habits, though I’ve come to realize that settling back into my Parisian life does require a few active adjustments. For instance:
1. Dietary shifts. You’d be surprised how fulfilling a diet composed solely of butter, cheese, Dijon, bread, chocolate and macarons can be. Although I must admit, a steady stream of coffee and wine leave me perpetually dehydrated. Note to self: water is the essence of life, even in Paris.
idata.over-blog.com/wallpaper.com/parisviewfinder.blogspot.com
2. Embracing linguistic limbo. When I get back to France, I regularly find myself in situations where two, three, or four languages are being spoken simultaneously. While the linguistic mélange is always exciting, I find that my English often starts to slip before my French has time to pick up the slack, and I am therefore left in a strange language-less limbo. Continue Reading »
Posted in Parisian Living | 5 Comments »
