I Prefer Paris

Chloé Edition Anniversaire Boutique at Printemps

Printemps is blowing out the candles on the 60th birthday celebration of Chloé big time. Gaby Aghion, the founder of Chloé, started the label in 1953 with a modest show at the Café de Flore. Since then it has grown into one of the most beloved and respected French fashion brands and is sold internationally. Aghion’s original theory was to do casual, free spirited clothing and accessories but with a couture backbone. Chloé has had an outstanding succession of designers over the years and the alumni incudes Karl Lagerfeld, Martine Sitbon, Stella McCartney, Phoebe Philo, and Hannah McGibbon. The current designer is Clare Waight Keller.

Printemps is doing an exclusive re-launching of 16 of Chloé’s most iconic pieces of clothes, bags, and shoes for a limited time. The collection includes the Galaxie dress from 1978 by Karl Lagerfeld, the famous black violin dress from 1983 with side cutouts also by Karl, the Chloé cape by Hannah McGibbon, and the Silverado bag and sky high wedge shoes both by Phoebe Philo. The boutique is downstairs on the lower level and even has a pastry bar by Hugo and Victor with Chloé inspired pastries including one in a pineapple shape, an ode to the Ananas Tee-shirt by Stella McCartney.

If you are a Chloé groupie, there’s even better news to jump for joy about: An accessories pop-up store has opened with exclusive leather goods including bags, purses, and wallets.

Better hurry, it will only there till March 9.

Printemps
64 Blvd. Haussmann, 75009
Metro: Havre-Caumartin
http://departmentstoreparis.printemps.com/brands/index.aspx?ArticleID=30784











Ananas Tee-shirt by Stella McCartney

Evantail purse and Violin dress by Karl Lagerfeld

Chloé cape by Hannah McGibbon

Wedges by Phoebe Philo

Silverado bag by Phoebe Philo

Boots Phoebe Philo

I am pleased as punch to announce the launch of Eye Prefer Paris Tours, which are 3-hour walking tours I will personally be leading. The Eye Prefer Paris Tour includes many of the places I have written about such as small museums & galleries, restaurants, cafes & food markets, secret addresses, fashion & home boutiques, parks, and much more.

Tours cost 195 euros for up to 3 people, and 65 euros for each additional person. I look forward to meeting you on my tours and it will be my pleasure and delight to show you my insiders Paris.
 Check it out at www.eyepreferparistours.com

New! Eye Prefer Paris Cooking Classes
I am happy to announce the launch of Eye Prefer Paris Cooking Classes. Come take an ethnic culinary journey with me and chef and caterer Charlotte Puckette, co-author of the bestseller The Ethnic Paris Cookbook (with Olivia Kiang-Snaije). First we will shop at a Paris green-market for the freshest ingredients and then return to Charlotte's professional kitchen near the Eiffel Tower to cook a three-course lunch. After, we will indulge in the delicious feast we prepared along with hand-selected wines.

Cost: 185 euros per person (about $240)
Time: 9:30AM- 2PM (approximately 4 1/2 hours)
Location: We will meet by a metro station close to the market
Class days: Tuesday,Wednesday, Thursday,Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
Minimum of 2 students, maximum 6 students.

Click here to sign up for the next class or for more info.
 

New Eye Prefer Paris Photos for Sale

I am happy to announce the sale of a new set of prints of my Eye Prefer Paris Photos.  I am offering 20 of my most popular and iconic images for sale including my doors, architectural details, statues, and monuments. They will make great gifts for all your Francophile friends, relatives, and colleagues but don't forget to buy some for yourself.

Click here to see photos and for full details including sizes, prices, and shipping. Here is a sample of some of the photos.

Jean and Thierry Vendome Le Chant du Mineral

I have long admired Thierry Vendome’s exquisite jewelry frequently walking by his boutique down the street from me. I didn’t realize his father was also a renowned jewelry designer until some friends of mine told me about an exhibition of both of their jewelry.

Le Chant du Mineral at the Galerie Martel-Greiner is a superb showcase of Jean and Thierry’s bold and original pieces. I almost don’t want to call them jewelry, as they more resemble great sculpture with the finest details. They work with diamonds, sapphires, amethysts, lapis lazuli, emeralds, jade, tourmalines, and Japanese and Tahitian pearls. Names like Archipel, Amazonie, Pacifique, Tahiti, and Bermudes take you to far away lands.

Till February 23
Le Chant du Mineral
Galerie Martel-Greiner
71 Blvd. Raspail, 75006
Metro: Rennes
http://www.galeriemartelgreiner.com

Thierry Vendome
39 rue Francois Miron, 75004
Metro: St. Paul
http://www.thierryvendome.com/

Cosmo by Jean Vendome in white gold with Japanese and Tahitian cultured pearls, and brilliant and cognac-cut diamonds

Palais d'Eté by Thierry Vendome, gold set with gold beads and yellow sapphires

Amazone necklace by Thierry Vendôme, white gold, oxidized silver, tourmalines, peridots and engraved antique jade.

Archipel necklace by Thierry Vendôme, yellow gold set with sapphires, diamonds and lapis lazuli.

I am pleased as punch to announce the launch of Eye Prefer Paris Tours, which are 3-hour walking tours I will personally be leading. The Eye Prefer Paris Tour includes many of the places I have written about such as small museums & galleries, restaurants, cafes & food markets, secret addresses, fashion & home boutiques, parks, and much more.

Tours cost 195 euros for up to 3 people, and 65 euros for each additional person. I look forward to meeting you on my tours and it will be my pleasure and delight to show you my insiders Paris.
 Check it out at www.eyepreferparistours.com

New! Eye Prefer Paris Cooking Classes
I am happy to announce the launch of Eye Prefer Paris Cooking Classes. Come take an ethnic culinary journey with me and chef and caterer Charlotte Puckette, co-author of the bestseller The Ethnic Paris Cookbook (with Olivia Kiang-Snaije). First we will shop at a Paris green-market for the freshest ingredients and then return to Charlotte's professional kitchen near the Eiffel Tower to cook a three-course lunch. After, we will indulge in the delicious feast we prepared along with hand-selected wines.

Cost: 185 euros per person (about $240)
Time: 9:30AM- 2PM (approximately 4 1/2 hours)
Location: We will meet by a metro station close to the market
Class days: Tuesday,Wednesday, Thursday,Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
Minimum of 2 students, maximum 6 students.

Click here to sign up for the next class or for more info.
 

New Eye Prefer Paris Photos for Sale

I am happy to announce the sale of a new set of prints of my Eye Prefer Paris Photos.  I am offering 20 of my most popular and iconic images for sale including my doors, architectural details, statues, and monuments. They will make great gifts for all your Francophile friends, relatives, and colleagues but don't forget to buy some for yourself.

Click here to see photos and for full details including sizes, prices, and shipping. Here is a sample of some of the photos.

New Bells at Notre Dame

Notre Dame is pulling out all the stops to celebrate its 850th anniversary in 2013. One of the major projects is the installation of nine new bells in the bell tower.

From now until February 25th the bells will be on display to the public in the center of the cathedral before they are installed in the bell  tower. Once installed, the new bells will have their premiere ringing on March 23 the week before Easter. I was there yesterday morning and you are allowed to touch the bells. I ran my hand across the cold, hard, smooth steel.

Eight of the bells, with a combined weight of 23 tons, were fabricated in a foundry in Villedieu-les-Poeles a village in Normandy. The ninth, called the Great Bell, weighs in at an astounding 6,023 kilos and has the words French Hail Mary embossed on it. It was financed by the foundation of Liliane Bettencourt, the heiress to the L’Oreal fortune and the richest woman in France. The bells are named after the saints Jean-Marie, Maurice, Benoit-Joseph, Steven, Marcel, Dennis, Anne-Genevieve, Gabriel, and the Great Bell, Mary.

I am pleased as punch to announce the launch of Eye Prefer Paris Tours, which are 3-hour walking tours I will personally be leading. The Eye Prefer Paris Tour includes many of the places I have written about such as small museums & galleries, restaurants, cafes & food markets, secret addresses, fashion & home boutiques, parks, and much more.

Tours cost 195 euros for up to 3 people, and 65 euros for each additional person. I look forward to meeting you on my tours and it will be my pleasure and delight to show you my insiders Paris.
 Check it out at www.eyepreferparistours.com

New! Eye Prefer Paris Cooking Classes
I am happy to announce the launch of Eye Prefer Paris Cooking Classes. Come take an ethnic culinary journey with me and chef and caterer Charlotte Puckette, co-author of the bestseller The Ethnic Paris Cookbook (with Olivia Kiang-Snaije). First we will shop at a Paris green-market for the freshest ingredients and then return to Charlotte's professional kitchen near the Eiffel Tower to cook a three-course lunch. After, we will indulge in the delicious feast we prepared along with hand-selected wines.

Cost: 185 euros per person (about $240)
Time: 9:30AM- 2PM (approximately 4 1/2 hours)
Location: We will meet by a metro station close to the market
Class days: Tuesday,Wednesday, Thursday,Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
Minimum of 2 students, maximum 6 students.

Click here to sign up for the next class or for more info.
 

New Eye Prefer Paris Photos for Sale

I am happy to announce the sale of a new set of prints of my Eye Prefer Paris Photos.  I am offering 20 of my most popular and iconic images for sale including my doors, architectural details, statues, and monuments. They will make great gifts for all your Francophile friends, relatives, and colleagues but don't forget to buy some for yourself.

Click here to see photos and for full details including sizes, prices, and shipping. Here is a sample of some of the photos.

One Billion Rising February 14

I tend not to be political on my blog but I thought this is something everyone can get behind. Next Thursday is Valentines Day and what better way to express love than to promote non-vilolence.

One Billion Rising is a global movement to end violence against women. On February 14, 2013, One Billion Rising along with the 15th V-Day, started by Vagina Monologues author Eve Ensler, is inviting all people to STRIKE, DANCE, and RISE in your community to demand an end to violence against women.

Did you know:

One in three women on the planet will be raped or beaten in her lifetime.

One Billion Women violated is an atrocity.

One Billion Women dancing is a Revolution.

ONE BILLION RISING IS:
A global strike


An invitation to dance


A call to men and women to refuse to participate in the status quo until rape and rape culture ends


An act of solidarity, demonstrating to women the commonality of their struggles and their power in numbers


A refusal to accept violence against women and girls as a given


A new time and a new way of being

If you want to participate in ending violence against women, Click here for more information or to join a rising, start a rising, or to share your plans.

L’ Éclair de Génie

The crowded designer pastry shop milieu in Paris has just added a new member: L’ Éclair de Génie. The concept store specializes in exotic flavored éclairs and chocolate truffles. The interior is spare and modern and the glistening éclairs in the cases looked like shiny new cars. The festively decorated éclairs are topped with angels, sterling silver flecks, rose petals, and coconut. Flavors include milk chocolate with mango, banana, and lime, salted butter caramel, pistachio and orange, raspberry and cherry, rose with vanilla cream, pecan and vanilla, mocha with white chocolate, and old fashioned praline. The small éclairs come at a premium price, ranging 5 to 5.5 euros, about two euros more than the average éclair even at the top patisseries.

The sexy looking creator of L’ Éclair de Génie, Christophe Adam (checkout his dreamy photo on the website.), formerly worked at Fauchon heading up their pastry and bakery section in Paris followed by openings of Fauchon in Monaco, Bordeaux, New York, Moscow, Dubai, Tokyo, Shanghai, and Casablanca. He opened two Adam’s café and snack shops in Paris followed by L’ Éclair de Génie in December in the Marais.

In a past life besides being a chef and caterer, I was a pastry maker and chocolatier. I used to make the most decadent chocolate truffles with Callebaut dark Belgian chocolate. I had a teeny shop on West 55th St. in Manhattan called Richtreats. One of my chocolate Easter bunnies was featured on the front page of the New York Times Wednesday food section.

Since I know a thing or two about truffles, I am always curious to try new ones. The raspberry truffle with a milk chocolate outside shell at L’ Éclair de Génie was tasty but missed the mark in terms of the intensity of the chocolate. Also, I am not a fan of truffles with hard outside shells, I like the instant gratification of the rich ganache straight away. My truffles were soft with just a dusting of cocoa on the outside. The truffles that are most similar to mine are at Jean-Charles Rochoux, 16 rue d’Assas, 75006.

L’ Éclair de Génie
14 rue Pavée, 75004
Metro: St. Paul
Open everyday 10:30AM to 7:30PM
http://www.leclairdegenie.com












Correction: In my interview with Marianne Strom last week, I stated her book Paris en Details/Le Marais was only available in French. Actually it was printed in bi-lingual text, French and English.

I am pleased as punch to announce the launch of Eye Prefer Paris Tours, which are 3-hour walking tours I will personally be leading. The Eye Prefer Paris Tour includes many of the places I have written about such as small museums & galleries, restaurants, cafes & food markets, secret addresses, fashion & home boutiques, parks, and much more.

Tours cost 195 euros for up to 3 people, and 65 euros for each additional person. I look forward to meeting you on my tours and it will be my pleasure and delight to show you my insiders Paris.
 Check it out at www.eyepreferparistours.com

New! Eye Prefer Paris Cooking Classes
I am happy to announce the launch of Eye Prefer Paris Cooking Classes. Come take an ethnic culinary journey with me and chef and caterer Charlotte Puckette, co-author of the bestseller The Ethnic Paris Cookbook (with Olivia Kiang-Snaije). First we will shop at a Paris green-market for the freshest ingredients and then return to Charlotte's professional kitchen near the Eiffel Tower to cook a three-course lunch. After, we will indulge in the delicious feast we prepared along with hand-selected wines.

Cost: 185 euros per person (about $240)
Time: 9:30AM- 2PM (approximately 4 1/2 hours)
Location: We will meet by a metro station close to the market
Class days: Tuesday,Wednesday, Thursday,Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
Minimum of 2 students, maximum 6 students.

Click here to sign up for the next class or for more info.
 

New Eye Prefer Paris Photos for Sale

I am happy to announce the sale of a new set of prints of my Eye Prefer Paris Photos.  I am offering 20 of my most popular and iconic images for sale including my doors, architectural details, statues, and monuments. They will make great gifts for all your Francophile friends, relatives, and colleagues but don't forget to buy some for yourself.

Click here to see photos and for full details including sizes, prices, and shipping. Here is a sample of some of the photos.

February 2013 Eye Need to Do’s: Mannequin –Le Corps de la Mode, Salon de Agriculture, Fashioning Fashion, and Chagall-Entre Guerre et Paix

Mannequin –Le Corps de la Mode
Mannequin –Le Corps de la Mode explores the evolution of mannequins and models throughout the 20th century. Mannequins are placed along side photos of models by leading fashion photographers Horst P. Horst, Erwin Blumenfeld, Henry Clarke, Helmut Newton, Guy Bourdin, Nick Knight, Corinne Day and Juergen Teller. The show was originally part of the Rencontres d’Arles 2012 summer photography festival.

February 16 to May 19
Les Docks-Cité de la Mode et du Design
34 Quai d’Austerlitz, 75012
Metro: Gare d’Austerlitz

Salon d' Agriculture
Come celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Salon d’ Agriculture till the cows come home. The annual fair has massive pavilions with endless aisles of food purveyors with samples of regional cheeses, wines, meats, foie gras, sausages, crepes, and many other delectable foods. There are also animal competitions and rodeo shows. Pictured above is Lorenzo, a 4 year-old Merinos de Rambouillet breed ram. You can meet Lorenzo at Pavilion 7.1. Give him a pat for me!

February 23 to March 3
Porte de Versailles
1 Place de la Porte de Versailles, 75015
Metro: Porte de Versailles
9AM to 7PM except Friday, March 1 from 9AM to 11PM.(Admission closes at 10:30PM.)
http://en.salon-agriculture.com

Fashioning Fashion
Originally shown at LACMA in Los Angeles, Fashioning Fashion exhibits the extensive collection of costumes and clothing from collectors Martin Kamer and Wolfgang Rut. The exhibit chronologically presents the major fashion trends from the 18th century to the early twentieth century with almost 100 male and female outfits and accessories mainly from France, England, and Italy.

Till April 14
Les Arts Décoratifs 
107 rue de Rivoli ,75001
Open Tuesday to Sunday 11AM to 6PM, Thursday till 9PM
http://www.lesartsdecoratifs.fr/english-439/

Chagall -Entre Guerre et Paix
A new take on Marc Chagall shows his relationship to two world wars and the periods in between them during the 20th century with 80 works presented chronologically.

February 21 to July 21
Musee de Luxembourg
19 rue Vaugirard, 75006
Metro: St. Placide
Open 10AM to 7:30PM, Monday & Friday till 10PM
http://www.museeduluxembourg.fr

I am pleased as punch to announce the launch of Eye Prefer Paris Tours, which are 3-hour walking tours I will personally be leading. The Eye Prefer Paris Tour includes many of the places I have written about such as small museums & galleries, restaurants, cafes & food markets, secret addresses, fashion & home boutiques, parks, and much more.

Tours cost 195 euros for up to 3 people, and 65 euros for each additional person. I look forward to meeting you on my tours and it will be my pleasure and delight to show you my insiders Paris.
 Check it out at www.eyepreferparistours.com

New! Eye Prefer Paris Cooking Classes
I am happy to announce the launch of Eye Prefer Paris Cooking Classes. Come take an ethnic culinary journey with me and chef and caterer Charlotte Puckette, co-author of the bestseller The Ethnic Paris Cookbook (with Olivia Kiang-Snaije). First we will shop at a Paris green-market for the freshest ingredients and then return to Charlotte's professional kitchen near the Eiffel Tower to cook a three-course lunch. After, we will indulge in the delicious feast we prepared along with hand-selected wines.

Cost: 185 euros per person (about $240)
Time: 9:30AM- 2PM (approximately 4 1/2 hours)
Location: We will meet by a metro station close to the market
Class days: Tuesday,Wednesday, Thursday,Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
Minimum of 2 students, maximum 6 students.

Click here to sign up for the next class or for more info.
 

New Eye Prefer Paris Photos for Sale

I am happy to announce the sale of a new set of prints of my Eye Prefer Paris Photos.  I am offering 20 of my most popular and iconic images for sale including my doors, architectural details, statues, and monuments. They will make great gifts for all your Francophile friends, relatives, and colleagues but don't forget to buy some for yourself.

Click here to see photos and for full details including sizes, prices, and shipping. Here is a sample of some of the photos.