Christmas Shopping!

I was looking for a photo to illustrate the chaos of last minute Christmas shopping (the one I always get trapped into!) and I came across this shot, that I don't believe I ever used. I like it because it could have been taken 60 or 80 years ago, in winter, somewhere in Paris (I believe I took it near La Madeleine). I hope you've done all your shopping, if not, good luck!

Monkey chocolate business

Art can find its way everywhere, can't it? Like in chocolate for example... Hence the stunning sculptures that Patrick Roger, one of the finest chocolatiers (chocolate maker) in Paris can do. One of his stores is located at Place de la Madeleine, and that is where I took this photo. This chimp is entirely made of chocolate as you can imagine, and he was not the only one in the store. Huge success! Now I need to taste what I bought there!

Last minute shopping

Today in Paris, probably like in all Christian tradition countries, was a real nightmare. The streets were packed, the traffic was terrible and the stores were buzzing with extremely anxious people desperate to find a last minute gift for their family reunion of tomorrow and the 25th! I was one of them... But on top of that I had to take a few shots of Paris LOL! Here is one I took in a passage I visited near the  Madeleine called Cité Berryer. I wish you all a very good Christmas - a little in advance, I know, but for once that I'm early LOL!

Unique objects with a soul...

I had lunch in the Abbesses area yesterday (Tuesday) and before I head back to work, I walked around the area and came across one of these bollards that Le Cyclop (who I already featured on PDP in September 2010) turns  into works of art. It turned out that the bollards were in front of Akiza art gallery, which precisely sells them together with other unique and very creative objects like this red bag (look at the handle, it's a phone handset!) or this old telephone lamp. A cool place to visit, (located at 3 rue Tholozé) if you're in the neighborhood. 

The new Printemps

For once we had a little bit of blue sky today in Paris and I did not resist catching it on "film"! I was at Le Printemps area (one of the main Paris department stores) when I took it and as you can see there is scaffolding everywhere. Why? Well because the new owners (the Rinascente group and the Deutsche Bank) who bought it in 2006  have decided to turn the place into a high-end store and  to do so has decided to give it a little face lift - for a slight investment of 30 million Euros (of which 7 only for the scaffolding)! Let's hope it'll be worth it... No matter what, the facade of the building, which is protected, will still remain the same of course, which is good news...

Champagne for everyone!

From time to time, I've decided to give you shopping tips (and still focus on the photo of course, for those of you who are not interested in shopping or don't plan to come to Paris LOL!). The first one of this series is La Boîte à bulle, a new store you can find at 67 rue de Levis (a street known for it's market) in the 17 th and in Levallois (in the close suburbs of Paris). They sell 3 kinds of - very good - Champagne (brut, rosé and blanc de blanc) that they source from the Champagne region (of course), in the East of France. The store looks really great and Matthieu Lécussan (in the photo), the young entrepreneur who started this business recently, can tell you absolutely everything about Champagne!

Shopping time...

Let me take you shopping today... After all it's les soldes (sales) and it would be a shame not to take advantage of them! I found this stunning lamp at rue Bonaparte (n°21) in the 6th in the Cyrus Company store (an Italian furniture designer). This head immediatly drew my attention, but it was not the only beautiful thing in the store and I was not the only one admiring it. Of course it's not exactly cheap (about 500 €), but beauty has a price...

Paris discount drugtore

Sorry, this is probably the ugliest photo you'll find on PDP (actually no I've done worse!), but if you come to Paris, you'll be happy to know about this place. It's the only discount drugstore ("Pharmacie", in French) in Paris, with prices that are usually half the ones you can find in a "normal" drugstore - and I'm not talking about "comfort products", like lotions or magical slimming pills, but about "real" medicines like the anti-allergies pills that I bought there today. Last thing: the address... Despite what you may think it is not located in a poor ex-centered area, but right in Saint Germain, at 26, rue du Four in the 6th arrondissement.

The most expensive avenue in Europe

The news came last Thursday after commercial real estate firm Cushman & Wakefield released their annual study regarding the price of the rental value of the major shopping streets in the world : The Champs Elysées is the most expensive shopping street in Europe - and the 5th in the world - before New Bond street in London. It will cost you 7,364 euros per square meter per year if you plan to open a little shop around the corner down there! No wonder only big chain stores can afford it... After Abercrombie and Fitch, Tommy Hilfiger, H & M it will soon be the turn of Banana Republic and... Marks and Spencers (from the UK). BTW, I took this photo from the Arc de Triomphe, as you probably guessed already!

Where to find a baguette at night?

Not the most glamorous photo posted on PDP? I agree! I even had to cheat a bit with it for the original was really... well... not nice! But the reason why I posted it, is that there is something truly Parisian in it - and truly unique: a baguette vending machine (on the left hand side)! Yes, people, a boulanger (baker) managed to create a baguette dispenser that can operate 24/7 (it's more than a dispenser actually as it completes the cooking when you pay, so that it's crunchy like a fresh one). Think of all the poor Parisians who crave for a baguette at 4am! Now they know where to go: 20 Avenue Mathurin-Moreau in the 19th arrondissement.

A little piece of Brazil in Paris

A new shop opened in my street and it's really neat! It's a Brazilian store, called Não do Brazil, and they sell sneaker like shoes, of all colors. Really cool. I wonder if it's really Brazilian or just marketed as Brazilian and... made in China ! (I'm kidding). Maybe Monica (with one "n"!), my truest visitor from Brazil can tell us the truth...

Here they come!

Remember? In August 2008, I told you I heard from the grapevine that the clothing brand Abercrombie & Fitch would possibly move in on the Champs Elysées at number 23... Well, I passed by it today and I now have the confirmation! Not that it probably matters to you - nor to me actually, as I am way over the age limit for that kind of stores (I don't like shopping in the dark with music so loud that I can't even talk to a shop "assistant"! - check this if you want a good laugh), but I thought I would show you a bit of the blue sky we're having in Paris at the moment ;-) BTW I just checked, the grand opening is scheduled for May 19th (I doubt they'll invite me after this post ;-))

Code red!

After yesterday's lady in red here is the lady on a red background! And the background in question belongs to Uniqlo, a Japonese clothing company, similar to H&M or Zara. They opened their second store near the Galerie Lafayette in October 2009 and that is precisely from the 1st floor of one of their outlet (the Lafayette Maison one) that I took this photo. I just loved the game of shadows that was offered to my eyes - and to my camera lense!

Celia Daaaahling!

Look what I found at 5 Rue Henri Monnier, near Place Saint George... Isn't that cool? I found it in a store called Célia Darling (Célia is the name of the owner apparently) that sells "vintage" clothes (you know how successful they are in Paris at the moment...) Well, Célia had the clever idea of putting these animal masks on the head of her mannequins and it really catches the eyes when you walk by.

Spring outfits!

I could have taken this photo at the country somewhere and though I swear I did take it yesterday in the middle of Paris. It's the end of the winter sales season in Paris at the moment, and since the weather is much warmer the new outfits are out ;-) That's all. Have a nice Sunday everyone...

Off to Brighton!

I was on my way to the Beaubourg area this afternoon to buy some paint and, on the way, at rue de Turbigo, I saw this shop which looked funny. First because it's called Brighton (after the name of a famous British seaside resort), and second because all the mannequins are naked (probably because of the sales). That's all, nothing extraordinary, I agree, but that is all I have been able to dig out for you today in Paris ;-)

Les Soldes 2011

I don't know if the sales are an important event where you live, but I can tell you that in France it's a major one! The 2011 winter Soldes (sales) started yesterday morning (Wednesday) and no less than two Ministers (Christine Lagarde and Frédéric Lefebvre) gave the first Go this morning at 8 o'clock at the Galeries Lafayette and Printemps. FYI, there is a controversy whereas the Soldes should be feminine ("la" Solde) or masculine ("le" solde)... The correct gender is "le", but most people say "la". So if you're learning French and fight with genders, you should know that the French do too, sometimes ;-) BTW, I took this photo at rue de Passy, well known for its shops.

Christmas Shopping (Part deux!)

I had a long and tiresome day. Since I did not find anything 2 days ago at rue du Faubourg Saint Honoré, I spent part of my day in the Galerie Lafayette area. Needless to say that the place was totally packed ;-) It serves me right, I should have hunted for gifts much sooner than that. Those who follow this blog for some time may have a Deja vu feeling though, as every year I post more or less the same lines ;-) Tonight (Friday) is Christmas Eve and if everything goes well (that is if my plane is not cancelled because of the snow!) I'll be in the South. But I'll have my computer with me, checking on you guys ;-)

Cute!

I went to the prestigious rue du Faubourg Saint Honoré today, where they have all these luxury stores hoping to find the last minute gifts I'm desperately seeking for. I did not find anything - way out of my budget! - but I found this cute little dog in the shop window of Lanvin. I did not have my proper camera with me so the quality of the photo is not too good (a little grainy), but good enough for you to have the spirit of the scene ;-)

Meet Denise!

Yesterday I had lunch at rue Lepic, with Grazia, an Italian friend of mine who lives in Paris and knows it like the back of her hand. When she asked "what's going to be you PDP photo today?" I replied. "Er... I don't know yet". She said "follow me I have the perfect idea for you..." Then she dragged me into Denise's A l'étoile d'or boutique, the chocolate lovers' den,  at rue Fontaine (a few feet away from the Moulin Rouge). Oh my! What a gas. Not only is Denise an extraordinary character, but on top of that she really knows what she's talking about when it comes to chocolate. You HAVE  to visit this place if you come to Paris. No wonder David Lebovitz (the Paris chocolate master, among other things) spotted her a long time ago already...