A Taste of Paris

A taste of Paris part trios

            Blue skies are gone and the clouds have rolled in, it is now November in Paris! It is time for tights and pea coats, hot cocoa and crepes, and of course towards the end, CHRISTMAS decorations!  Paris is a beautiful no matter what the season or the temperature!

            Saint Chapelle is a gorgeous cathedral found near the Seine River.  Inside the cathedral one can see the amazing craftsmanship of stain glass windows.  The windows are so beautiful that they literally take your breath away.  Every story from the Bible is depicted in these windows. It is remarkable how someone could carve such small pieces of glass in order to make windows like that.  Next to the cathedral is the Concergerie.  This 19^th century prison was once a palace and then during the revolution became a prison.  Marie Antoinette and Louis the 16^th were both held in the Concergerie up until their death.  Inside the prison you can travel through the cells to see how the prisoners lived.  It shows all of the different styles of cells and who would be staying in them.  The replica of Marie Antoinette’s prison cell shows how gaurds would stand and watch her every move, so she never had any privacy while living there.  Today the prison is also used for art exhibits that are always changing. 

            The highest point of paris hold the Sacre Coeur Basilica.  This church is absolutely beautiful but kind of a pain to get to! There are hundreds of steps to reach the top, but the view once you are there is well worth it! At the top you can see all of the city and also see many different street performers.  This is an area where artist like to come and show off their talents to the public eye!  Inside the cathedral there is a stunning mosaic ceiling with Jesus.  The Basilica is very big and open.  Around Sacre Coeur there are many different fabric shops.  These are fairly inexpensive but are the best place to go looking for all types of fabrics.  The area is not exactly the safest or riches part of town; however it is worth going to see as long as you are careful. 

            The Louvre museum was once the Palace for the French royalty.  Today it holds tons of famous art.  The museum is so big that it would literally take you years to see every piece.  Some of the most famous pieces found in the Louvre are the “Winged Victory,” “Venus De Milo,” “Mona Lisa,” and many, many more! In the Louvre one can also find the apartments of the great Nepoleon.  These apartments are exactly how they were when he lived in them right down to the curtains!   A few years ago a team working on the Louvre found ruins of the mote.  Now visitors can go underground and see these ruins and how they were built.  The Louvre is always very crowded with people, but it is an absolute must while in Paris.  You can even take your picture with the allusion of you touching the point on the glass pyramid!

            The Pompidou center is a wonderful place to go if you are into modern art.  There are forever changing exhibits that always leave you thinking.  There was an Edward Munch exhibit this fall.  There they had many of his famous artwork in chronological order throughout his life.  The Pompidou center is very modern not only in the art displayed but also by the structure itself.  This building looks like something made from lego land and is very cool from all angles.  There is a massive bookstore inside the Pompidou that has books about everything possible.  If you are worried about bringing your children, don’t, because there is an exhibit just for kids that they will love.  The Pompidou is a very family oriented museum that will please anyone!

             If Paris does not impress you than nothing will! It will steal your heart and never give it back!  Paris is definitely the city of love whether it is romantically or just being in love with being in Paris.  It is a hard place to leave and an impossible place to forget!

           

A Taste of Paris

A Taste of Paris Part Duex

            Paris in October is a beautiful time.  The trees are turning into their golden orange and yellow colors, and the air is crisp and clean.  Everyone puts up their shorts and sandals for boots and jackets.  The holidays are coming up so there is a bit of an exciting panic all over the city about decorating and shopping.  It is a wonderful time to go out for strolls and site see!

            During the fall many trend forecasting companies host events to show off their predictions for the falling season.  At Trend Union, Lidewij Edelkoort, the world’s most known forecaster help a remarkable gala to portray her vision.  At their headquarters many important fashion people gathered around to see what she had to offer.  They had a man making all different types of breads that smelled absolutely amazing and tasted even better! While at the event everyone had a chance to watch a video of the trends.  In this video there were many different types trends in one big one.  All of the trends revolved around the color white and were and were very hands on nature.  The video was very tranquil allowing the watcher to feel the full effect of the trend.  The Trend Union office is very plain and white, creating a blank canvas for the forecasters to work.

            The Orsay museum, built in an old train station, is home to many great paintings and sculptures.  There are lots of impressionist work from artist like Monet and Manet.  Van Gogh also has a few of his paintings in there as well.  The museum is set up like a treasure hunt.  The middle is filled with lots of sculptures creating somewhat of maze.  In order to see the art work you must weave from room to room in order to see everything.  This creates an excitement of anticipation for what will come next.  The Orsay has an amazing gift shop in side with lots of wonderful prints and books.  There is also a children’s book section that has wonderful things for children to read and get excited about famous art!  The building where the Orsay calls home is a huge building with large clocks on the outside.  These are from the days when it was a train station.  If for some reason you miss the clocks, you can recognize the museum by the huge iron sculptures of animals on the outside.

            Another wonderful museum can be found at the end of the Tulleries gardens.  The l’Orangerie is a wonderful museum where one can find themselves lost in Monet’s water lilies.  There are two rooms with floor to ceiling paintings of lilies.  Monet glued these masterpieces to the walls of the museum in order to assure that they would stay there forever.  The atmosphere of the museum is very peaceful and is a wonderful place to meditate.  The Tulleries Gardens are very beautiful.  They lead you from the louvre museum to the Place du Concorde, where Marie Antoinette and several others were killed during the revolution.  Throughout the gardens are pretty statues and fountains.  It is a wonderful place to bring your friends, dogs, or just yourself for a lovely afternoon in Paris.  

             Directly across from the Place du Concorde is the Champs-Elysees.  This long strip features many stores and restaurants.  At the end of the Champs one will find the Arc di Triomphe.  This large monument represents the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars.  Every year on July fifteenth the French celebrate Bastille Day, or Independence Day.  There is a parade going all the way down the Champs-Elysees and ends at the Arc.   This holiday is very important to the French and going to the parade is a wonderful way to celebrate with them.  On the Champs-Elysees are many different shops.  One of the most famous would have to be the Huge Louis Vouitton store.  This store is four stories high and is massive.  They sell all different kinds of Vouitton products and even have a bookstore.  As you move further down the champs you will find Ave Montaigne.  This street is filled with many famous designer stores such as Chanel, Dior, Gucci, and many more.  The Dior store is the biggest in the city and is a spectacular place.  As soon as you walk in you are met with hydrangeas and the essence of elegance that is Dior.  There they sell all things Dior including china and silver.  On the same Avenue there is the Hotel Plaza Athenee.  This elegant hotel is known for hosting many celebrities.  The HBO series Sex and the City was filmed there on its last episode ever, where Carrie Bradshaw looks out her window and screams because she has seen the Eiffel Tower.  This is a beautiful street that helps make up the golden triangle, which consists of three streets with designer shops and elegant restaurants and hotels.  The whole area near the Champs-Elysees is very spectacular.  It is hard not to fall in love with this place, especially if you are a girl who likes to shop!

           

            The Luxemburg gardens can be found in the Latin Quarter.  This is a lovely place for a jog or just a walk in the park.  The Gardens are huge and houses the Luxemburg Palace, once the home of Henry IV’s widow.  There are many different types of gardens throughout the whole place filled with sculptures and fountains.  Benches can be found almost everywhere so it is a wonderful place to read of chat with friends.  There are vegetable gardens and floral gardens that change with season.  Luxemburg is a wonderful place to be in the fall because the leaves on the trees are so beautiful as they change colors and cover the green grass!

            Another wonderful place in the Latin Quarter is the Notre Dame cathedral.  This gothic style church has beautiful architecture and amazing gargoyles.  Inside the church is a beautiful Catholic cathedral with lots of tombs and mosaic art.  Only four hundred steps stand between the ground and climbing the top of Notre Dame.  There you can see the whole city from the panoramic view.  Everyone who climbs to the top of the cathedral gets to see close up the old bell.  This bell tower is famous for being Quasimodo the hunchback of Notre Dame’s home.  Outside of the cathedral and along the Seine River there are street vendors selling artwork, old books, and posters.  These are great places to buy presents and genuine French souvenirs. 

            Paris is still one of the prettiest cities in the world.  Its charm and beauty always takes breaths away!  Once someone has experienced this wonderful city it is impossible for them to want to leave and inevitable that they return!

        

Italy!

Fashion Industry in Italy: Milano and Frienze

            Italy is a city of tradition and family pride.  Whether in the big industrious city of Milan or in the small traditional city of Florence, it is evident that Italians truly love their culture.   Between the “genuinely” beautiful leather and the delicious food there is a lot to be proud of and enjoy.  Italy is a country that will draw you back time after time.

            Located the oldest train station in Milan is now a hotel by Moschino.  This dreamlike master piece is definitely a must when visiting Milan.  There are sixteen different types of rooms creating a special feeling for every guest.  Each different theme is based off of a fantasy that will let your mind wander.  From the “Forest Room” to the “Sleeping in a Ball Gown Room” there is a little something for everyone.  What is just as wonderful as the rooms is the dining area.  The seats have backs like dresses and the breakfast is served in a shoe box.  The Maison Moschino always caters to the exact needs of their customers, whether it is food, a wonderful room, or even a lovely day at the spa!

            Hidden away in a quaint little street is a concept shop that will put all other stores to shame!  10 Corso Como is probably one of the most interesting stores in Milan.  This store has everything from clothing to toiletries.  The visual merchandising in 10 Corso Como allows the customer to see new themes and types of merchandise on every inch of the store.  Inside the store there are many different designers and even a café and bookstore.

            On a dining room wall in the Santa Maria delle Grazie is The Last Supper by Leonardo Divinchi.  This painting is absolutely breath taking and stunning.  This painting depicts the last meal Jesus Christ had with his disciples before his crucifixion.  It would be easy to sit and look at this masterpiece for hours however everyone is limited to twenty minutes in order to help preserve the old painting.   Seeing The Last Supper is moment someone will never forget, the effect of the artwork is so remarkable and it would be sad to not go and see it while visiting Milan.  The church that The Last Supper is in is also very beautiful and has great architecture on the inside and out!

            While shopping around in Milan it is vital to go and see the Zara flagship store.  This store is so grand that you will not believe you are in a Zara.  The first thing seen when walking into the store is a grand staircase leading into the main floor.  On the walls are beautiful mosaic pictures.  The store is absolutely huge, allowing customers to move around easily.  There is so much merchandise that it would take a couple of days to sort through everything.  The sizes of the departments are much bigger than a normal Zara store.  The area around this store is a perfect place to shop! Down the street from Zara one can find La Rinascente, an Italian department store.  This store is very elegant, comparing to Printemps of Paris or Harrods of London.  La Rinascente sells similar merchandise as the other department stores found in Europe.  There is a food floor and many different fashion items.  This store is a great way to shop for designers from all over the world as well as well known Italian designers like Missoni and Moschino. 

            Right outside of the La Rinascente one would find them standing in the Duomo Square.   In the center is a gorgeous Cathedral that is absolutely huge! Inside the gothic style Cathedral is just as pretty and impressive as the outside.  The marble floor and the exquisite high ceilings make this cathedral a one in a kind masterpiece!  The Duomo Square is a wonderful place to sit with friends and watch the birds, or shop for souvenirs.  Sometimes there is even a man feeding the birds by letting them sit on his hands.  This is definitely a sight to see and while it is a little disturbing, it makes a wonderful photo op!

            Michelangelo’s Statue of David can be found in the Academia Galleria in Florence, Italy.  This seventeen feet giant is a site to see! David was carved out of white marble by Michelangelo himself.  David is supposed to represent the young David of the Bible who fought the lion; however Michelangelo decided to build him older and mature.  It is important to walk all the way around the statue from far away and close up in order to see all of his glory.  It is even possible to see the lines from where lightening struck him while he was placed outside at the Palazo della Signoria where he originally stood up until the nineteenth century.  David is a masterpiece that will amaze the toughest critic! Just remember not to bring your camera because they will run you down for any pictures!

            Italians are known for being proud of their culture and tradition.  This is definitely the case when it comes to the Romoli brothers, owners of Casa dei Tessuti.  This exquisite house of fabrics represents what Italy is all about, quality and family.  Dr. Romano Romoli, one of the owners, proudly describes Italy’s history with a huge grin on his face every time! He has a wonderful eye for fabrics and what looks good on whom.  Not only does Romano sell fabric, but he also is a poet.  In his book, Flori di Cardo, one can see how romantic and emotional Romano is about life.  He once said “With no warp we cannot weave. With no memory we cannot live.”  This quote reminds us how important it is to hold on to the past and to traditions, whether it is the tradition of fabric or just the tradition of telling stories about history and culture.  Dr. Romano Romoli is probably the sweetest man someone will have the pleasure to meet.  It is well worth the time to stop into this old fabric store and have a conversation with him!

The Duomo Cathedral stands in the heart of Florence.  With its beautiful green marble and white marble exterior this Cathedral is a masterpiece.  There are two parts of the Cathedral the main building and the baptism building.  The baptism building is where non baptized people would go and worship because they were not allowed into the cathedral until after being baptized.   The green marble is very special because on in Italy is green marble made.  Therefore the Duomo Cathedral is an Italian and more importantly a Florence pride and joy!                  

            While staying in Florence one must learn how to cook authentic Italian cuisine. “In Tavoli” is the perfect place to go and learn how to cook pasta from scratch! The chefs of the kitchen are very helpful in teaching you how to create delicious dishes and making it fun while you cook! After the food is prepared you get to head down to a beautiful cellar and enjoy some wine while you indulge in your yummy creations.  One of the coolest parts of the experience is the fact that the chef provides you with a recipe book of what you cooked so you get to take what you learned and cook for your friends and family! The food in Italy is so tasty and knowing how to cook it makes the experience so much better! 

            Italy is well known for their leather products.  The leather market in Italy is a wonderful place to find every type of leather possible. Calf and lamb are the main types of leather, with the occasional pig.  One can find every style of hand bag or wallet in almost any color!  While this market is known for its leather goods, there are also many other things to find there.  Scarves, masks, and fun Florence souvenirs to name a few, are also sold.  It is important to remember to barter for a good price, because it is quite easy to talk them down to what you want to pay! While this market is completely safe and an exciting place, it is trivial that you watch out for the men selling fake bags.  It is not only illegal to sell the fake bags, but also to purchase! Also, always remember to watch your bag and carry lots of cash!

            Florence is filled with wonderful museums of all different kinds.  There are two very important Florence designers that have very interesting museums, Salvatore Ferragamo and Gucci.  The Ferragamo museum is a wonderful museum that displays many of his shoes from the past.  There are shoes from famous actresses as well as the wooden forms that he used to make the shoes.  Ferragamo was a wonderful craftsman of shoes and the museum does a wonderful job of displaying his accomplishments.  The Gucci museum, which opened this fall, displays all of the major eras of Gucci’s history.   The museum starts you off in the Travel room.  Gucci started its mark as a luggage company so it was only fitting that visitors see this room first.  Within this part of the museum are all of the different styles of traveling gear as well as a Gucci Cadillac.  This car is covered from head to toe with Gucci labeling and came from someone in the United States!  Once you have left the travel room you will venture on into the floral world where you will see the beautiful hand panted scarves.  Everything in this room is floral printed to show off the gorgeous artwork.  Everyone knows and loves Gucci’s handbags.  In the next room one can see how the famous “Bamboo Bag” was created.  After leaving the handbags you will enter into a dream world of couture.  A few of Gucci’s designs are on display with a video showing celebrities wearing them on the red carpet.  These creations are spectacular and they let you look and them in person and not through glass!  The next room shows off some of Gucci’s most precious purses, jewelry, and other accessories.  This room has some absolutely gorgeous items!  One of the coolest rooms would have to be logomania because it displays all of the different ways Gucci has made itself know.  Whether it is the two “G’s” or the horse bit people know Gucci styles and labels!   The last two rooms hold all of the “different” kinds of Gucci products.  They have made everything from Picnic baskets to surf boards.  These rooms really show how much of an entrepreneur Gucci really was and still is today!

            Inside the beautiful Pitti Palace one can find a costume exhibit displaying fashions from 500 years ago to today.  These styles portray what women were wearing during the time of the Medici family as well as other parts of history.  Having the exhibit set up in a Palace allows the viewers to fully take in how people lived during those times, by seeing the garment in person as well as seeing the furniture and the artwork.  It truly is an amazing experience to see something as cool as clothing from so long ago!

            Nestled in the Tuscan region there is a wonderful designer outlet mall.  This mall houses many top names like Alexander McQueen and Dior.  It is a great place to go to find good deals o designer goods and also to see and touch their clothing without the stress of breaking something.  It takes about thirty to forty-five minutes to drive from Florence to “The Mall” so it is well worth the trip!  While you are driving through the Tuscan region you get to see the beautiful vineyards and hills of Italy! Italy truly is one of the prettiest countries of the world!

            Italy is a beautiful and exciting country! Fashion is something that people are very proud of and so is culture.  It is easy to get lost in all of the food, leather, and museums and find yourself not wanting to leave!

A Taste of Paris

Fashion Industry in Paris:

            Paris is one of those cities that literally take your breath away.  Whether roaming around the twenty districts or cruising on the Seine River, Paris will never disappoint.  There are beau coup amounts of museums and stores, making boredom nonexistent.  Paris is a city for all types of people.  If you like chaos then you can head on over to the Champs Elysees or spend a romantically quiet cappuccino at one of the many cafes found on every corner.  Every part of Paris is contagious and will completely consume you.

            The Eiffel Tower is the symbol of Paris.  Being the tallest building in Paris, it is possible to see the entire city from the top, and going to the top in an absolute must while visiting Paris.  During the day this rod iron monument is very pretty, but at night it turns into a spectacular beauty.  The Eiffel Tower sparkles every hour for five to ten minutes every night.  The first time you see the tower sparkle, Paris will have you heart forever.  

            Outside of Paris there are some very important attractions.  The Port of Versailles houses the palace where Queen Marie Antoinette once lived.  This gorgeous Palace is now set up like a museum for the world to see. The gardens and rooms are the exact replicas of what they looked like in the 18^th century.  If in Versailles this past September one could go to an amazing fashion exhibit.  This exhibit was housed in the Grand Trion (the King’s house.)  Throughout the exhibit one can compare the designs of the 18^th century fashions to more current ones.  Visiting the Queen’s Austrian village is a must in order to see the sweet houses and farm animals.  Complete your visit with some refreshing orange juice or ice cream.

            If peaceful tranquility is important to you, then venturing off to Giverny is a must.  There you will find the home of Claude Monet.  With the gorgeous flora gardens and the peaceful sight of the water lilly pond it is easy to see where Monet found his inspiration.  The gift shop is supplied with beautiful prints of Monet’s artwork. 

            In Paris there are many different fashion marts.  “Who’s Next” and “Pret A Porter” all show off styles and fashions for upcoming seasons.  Here companies sell their lines to buyers from all over the world.  There are also marts that display fabrics and trimmings.  This mart is called “Premiere Vision.”  This mart is where designers go to purchase everything they need to create their new lines.  At these marts there are publishers and fashion forecasting.  

            At the end of September fashion week took off.  Fashion shows are everywhere and everything in the city is fashion!   Some of the shows that were very impressive were Gareth Pugh with his horizontal stripes and Rick Owens with his minimalist approach.  Many of the designers pushed bright colors like Elie Saab and Manish Arora.  These shows portrayed what will be seen in stores in spring 2012.  After the shows the designers set up their show rooms to display their lines to buyers.  

            There are many shopping opportunities in Paris.  Printemps and Galleries Lafayette are two big department stores in the city.  These stores sell mainly the same products.  The building themselves are gorgeous and inspire you as soon as you walk in.  In the grocery section of Galleries Lafayette one can see colorful salts and sugars.  These spices are beautiful and very unusual.  Both stores house many great designers from around the world and can be very crowded, especially on the weekend!

            Paris is a fantastic city that will make your dreams come true.  The atmosphere in Paris can take some getting used to, however if you allow yourself to fully take in its greatness, then you will see how wonderful it really is!