April 22, 2010 by Tory Hoen
We know, we know… enough about the volcano already. But for those stranded in Paris, it’s still the issue of the moment. From my current position in New York, I refuse to pity you, and I’m secretly hoping that when I return to Paris in May, the tectonic plates will shift in a way that will force me to stay there forever. Fingers crossed!
But for now, why not kill a few hours by picking up some unique Parisian items while you still have the chance? We’ve written at length about particular shops and goods in Paris. Here are a few favorites that are well worth checking out while you wait for the ash to settle.
Merci Store – Photo by Erica Berman
Merci. This spacious concept store has everything from home goods to vintage clothes and fresh flowers. You could literally spend a whole day inside, stopping for lunch at the restaurant in the basement or fueling up on coffee in the library’s cozy cafe. The best part? A large part of the proceeds are used to support a young women’s co-op in Madagascar. Continue Reading »
Posted in Shopping | 1 Comment »
April 20, 2010 by Melissa Ladd
Melissa Ladd, author of blog Prete Moi Paris, recently stumbled upon every woman’s dream: a private shopping lounge, reserved just for you and your friends, stocked with all the gorgeous designer items you can imagine. Fantasy? Think again!
All photos courtesy of Miki
I don’t ever want to shop in a store again. I don’t want to do the queue for the dressing rooms, I don’t want to deal with pushy people grabbing the last black silk blazer in my size from my ecstatic fingers, and I am done with finding the perfect item after hours of searching only to discover the collar smeared with lipstick. Enough! Terminé! Finito!
And although I also love the comfort of browsing from home, online shopping is not conducive to the immediate gratification we crave — I have sent jeans back to Yoox three times in a row before finding the perfect fit. Personal shoppers are fabulous, but it can be tough to part with their fees when that cash could be put towards actual clothes…
What if I told you I know of a place that combines the best of these shopping worlds, brought to you by an Italian woman no less ?
Continue Reading »
Posted in Parisian Living, Shopping | 2 Comments »
December 15, 2009 by Haven in Paris
Looking for a gift for the Paris-obsessed people in your life? Pia Jane Bijkerk’s book Paris: Made by Hand explores 50 of Paris’ hidden shops where artisans of all kinds are crafting one-of-a-kind items. You can read more about Pia’s work as a stylist, photographer, and author on her blog. Guest blogger Vanessa Joie (of Pois Rouge) discusses the book and some of Pia’s secret spots…
Text by Vanessa Joie
I’ll be honest, growing up the words “handmade” or “homemade” made me cringe. I had visions of little old ladies knitting big, bulky, awkward sweaters I would be forced into while my friends wore something cute and “store bought.” I would long for Oreo’s while my mother spent hours in the kitchen baking delicious smelling treats. Fortunately, when I was 19 I took my first trip to Paris and fell in love—not with the big shops, but with the markets and the boutiques and the studios where the real treasures of Paris were hidden. Continue Reading »
Posted in Design, Shopping | 4 Comments »
April 29, 2009 by Genevieve Sandifer
Ah, the concept store. Prescriptive, arrogant, attractive, alternately kitschy-cheap and prohibitively expensive; it’s hard to avoid mixed feelings when dealing with these store-size display cases of “cool”. Except, that is, if you wander up the Rue Vieuville in Montmartre and stop by Spree on a lazy, sunny afternoon.
This gallery/boutique was started 8 years ago by low-key creative couple Roberta Oprandi and Bruno Hadjadj, she a designer, he an artist, with the unambiguous purpose of allowing their inspirations to mingle and match.
Whereas fad-meccas like Colette inevitably make you feel like you’re walking into a museum where the docents are the judges and executors of trendy, Spree manages to elusively walk the line of cozy, intriguing and unpretentious. Continue Reading »
Posted in Arts, Parisian Living | 1 Comment »
