In the town where I grew up, there was a small, mostly underwhelming children’s science museum. The best part of it by far was its taxidermy Bengal tiger, which was positioned—perhaps strategically—just around a sharp turn in a hallway. If you turned the corner unaware, it would inevitably scare the bejeezus out of you. And… …read more
Making Magique Having grown up on CVS and Walgreens, the French pharmacy was a revelation to me. Anyone who has ever been lured by the glowing green cross knows that pharmacies in France shill more than medicine and bath staples. They’re cosmetic wonderlands that offer some of the most ingenious—not to mention luxurious—products around. Making… …read more
Carin Olsson There’s a reason why Paris is known as La Ville-Lumière, and it doesn’t have anything to do with the Eiffel Tower sparkling at night, as many people might think when they first hear Paris’ favorite nickname. Forget the architecture, the food, the culture and the fashion. The light alone would have us coming… …read more
As I parked my Velib on a rare sunny afternoon in Paris, just steps from the Canal St Martin, I could already tell I was in for a treat. I made my way up charming rue de la Grange aux Belles to the narrow storefront of Ten Belles, snuggled next to a lush, overgrown plant… …read more
Paris (Haven in Paris) The idea seemed too good to pass up. I’d exchange my Paris flat for a place in San Francisco for two weeks to visit family. Two whole weeks! Rent-and-hotel bill free! And we’d do it in August when no one really wants to be in Paris, anyway. I’d heard stories about… …read more
Fall is the absolute best season for style—agreed? During the summer, you’d rather just be naked, and come winter, you wish you could wear one of those sleeping-bag coats all day. Autumn provides a precious window in which you can strut your stuff while feeling cozy and comfortable. Here are some of our Paris-ready favorites… …read more
I am a real foodie now. I have committed to buying locally and seasonally. So long sweet pineapples; see you sporadically. Most expats have their sentimental reasons that keep them in France. A perfect café crème, a favorite terrace, or unpasteurized cheese can easily outweigh all the persistence, courage, and patience it takes to build… …read more
Making Magique Paris is for lovers. Unless you’re single. Like I was for the nearly two years I lived there. It was always a jab to my heart, like a deliberate and personally directed taunt, to see couples canoodling in dark café corners, pressed intimately together along the quais of the Seine, or just shopping… …read more
The delightful Meg, from De Quelle Planète Es-tu, is not the type to idle her summer away. Always on the lookout for the next hip hangout, she shares her discovery of Saint Germain’s freshest new place to grab breakfast, lunch or a mouth-watering pastry. -Geneviève Colorova, Paris’ latest neo bakery, opened quietly in August —… …read more
Although the trend is nothing new stateside, the French have been a little slow to hop on the artisan & craft beer bandwagon. This could be all set to change, however, with a new opening in Montmartre that has serious beer drinkers rejoicing. -Geneviève Paris, a city known for being the wine-imbibing capital of the… …read more
When the sun finally comes out in Paris, it’s time to move your déjeuner or coffee break outside. In this city, you don’t need to bring along a book, magazine or something else to entertain yourself – the busy streets and the people are plenty of material for distraction. But where are the best place… …read more
Carin Olsson I have a friend who goes to the supermarket with a set budget and sensible shopping list. Not me. I’m a marketers dream. Bright packets of budget biscuits jump into my basket; heavily reduced items beseech me to take them home. Carin Olsson You can’t even imagine what I’m like in the wine… …read more
Carin Olsson Paris. The city of romance. With picturesque cafes on almost every corner, countless bridges crossing the Seine begging for twilight strolls and stolen glances, architecture that dazzles for days, and the omnipresent accordion harking back to sweeter, slower days, how could you not fall in love? In a day no less. And we’re… …read more
