The Paris Traveler

This guest post is by Mary Jo Manzanares, Travel & Culture Channel Editor and travel blogger at Flyaway Cafe.
If the thought of a fine bag, a decadent pair of heels, or the feel of the fabric of a finely crafted suit makes you swoon, then an afternoon on the Champs-Élysées in Paris may be your definition of heaven.
Avenue des Champs-Élysées is not only one of the most recognized street names in Paris, but in the entire world, and is lined with luxury and specialty shops, theaters, cafes and restaurants.  Its name translates to "Elysian Fields" a reference to the …read more

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There are so many parts of Paris that are sort of alluded to in guidebooks, but as a first time visitor, there just isn’t time to hit everything.  Being overwhelmed by all there is to see and do is understandable and expected.  The little journey I am going to send you on isn’t out of the way–it’s something that you might not know to do but can easily fit into your day.  The above photo is taken from Place de la Concorde looking down Rue Royale towards Place de la Madeleine which is where you might want to go today.

 La Madeleine’s history …read more

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 I am finding that I tend to be a very sensorial person, scents and tastes are easy to identify for me and a flavor from the past can evoke memories that are as strong as the moment they actually happened.  For instance, this past week, I found a bag of Swedish crisp breads that my daughters and I ate every morning for breakfast in France.  Topped with creamy French Brie or Nutella (a chocolate and hazelnut spread) and peanut butter, we would sip our coffee and indulged in this simple pleasure.  When we opened the bag this past week and …read more

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For some reason I am stuck on the topic of shoes….yesterdays were fun and fanciful.  Todays are equally fun and fanciful but you can actually wear them!
 
 Roger Vivier, an innovative shoe designer influencing heel and toe shapes on women’s shoes has been a fixture in the fashion world for years.  While working for Christian Dior in the late 50’s, he designed the emerald encrusted shoes worn by Queen Elizabeth for her coronation.  The real turning point  for him was his Pilgrim buckle shoes, introduced in 1965 to accessorize Yves Saint Laurent’s Mondrian collection which were an instant hit and became …read more

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 Le Bon Marché, considered the world’s first department store, offering “the good market” or “the good deal” was founded in 1838 by Aristide Boucicaut.  It is touted as the first “space” dedicated specifically to shopping and was the first to incorporate iron work (thanks to Gustave Eiffel) to create an open space while using less masonry.   Today, it offers few “good deals” as it is filled with beautiful haute couture clothing lines and accessories that will make your credit card statement wince in pain when you get back from your trip.  But it is four floors of pure indulgence …read more

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My commitment to quizzing you on your knowledge of Paris has been lacking so I thought we need to test ourselves once again.  I think this one might be a bit too easy, but let’s see.
True or False?
The Golden Triangle is the oldest casino in Paris? 

 The Triangle d’Or is a neighborhood in the 8e arrondissement famous for its fashion boutiques.  It gets its name from the three landmarks that define it, Avenue des Champs Elysées, Avenue Montaigne and Avenue Georges V.  The densest concentration of high-end fashion boutiques, as well as headquarters for Louis Vuitton and Christian Dior are in this area, …read more

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In honor of the week long parade (défilé) of fashion, I felt I had to post this video.  It showcases designs from another era and are really quite telling.  Ideas, as Christian Lacroix alluded to in his interview, really do come back from the past.  I would love to wear a number of the outfits you are going to see.  Enjoy!
 

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With all the coaxing I have been doing to get you to travel, I forgot to keep you up to date with what is going on in the city. It is Fashion Week.  The city swells with media, journalists and starlets all wanting access to the people that keep Paris’ heart beat going strong–the designers.  Karl Lagerfeld, John Galiano, Giorgio Armani and many more are showcasing what they believe women will be wearing for Fall/Winter, 2008-9.
 Since the vast majority of us women can’t, due to cost or won’t, due to outrageousness, actually wear some of their creations, I thought I would …read more

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Yesterday’s post took you to lunch on the Champs Elysée.  Hopefully that went well for you and now you are ready to walk off some of your delicious lunch and continue taking in the sights. 
Today, we are going to walk a few blocks towards Concord (the big ferris wheel should be straight ahead) and do something “free”.  Yes, one can find free things to do in Paris and feel as though they really should have paid for the experience because everything is done in such a big, beautiful way.  
This experience is the Louis Vuitton flagship store.  Opened in …read more

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The Prêt-à-Porter (Ready To Wear) Spring/Summer 2008 collection will soon be hitting the runways here in Paris between September 29 to October 7. I’ve had several friends of mine who have taken to the catwalk through the years, showing off the latest designs and fashions and it’s always been an interesting time filled with excitement! For me, that is! (I especially love the ones at the Carrousel du Louvre.) For them, however, it’s a crazy hectic time that is, more often than not, nervewracking!
Fashion Week has just wrapped up in London and New York this past week and is continuing …read more

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