Visiting Versailles

In case you have a day to spare while vacationing in the French capital, I highly suggest taking a quick trip to Versailles. Roughly an hour away by train, it is a worthy investment considering one gets to see the grandest palace in all of France, the Chateau de Versailles, which achieved its notoriety thanks to Louis XIV's insatiable appetite for opulence and luxury.

While you are in the palace make sure you don't miss the Hall of Mirrors. This grand ballroom alone makes the entire trip worthwhile. The stage: 17 mirrors that stand opposite 17 full-length windows, reflecting sunlight from pools strategically placed on a sprawling garden, which are cast upon crystal chandeliers that hang throughout the entire ceiling. When everything works as intended, this room is nothing short of magical.

Oh happy day!

The Paris Roundup

Here is a quick roundup of the rest of my trip.

Clockwise from top-left: (1) The Velib: Paris' bike rental system; (2) Centre Pompidou; (3) The Sacre Coure; (4) Pont de Alexander, easily my favorite bridge in all of the city; (5) A view of Les Invalides from the gardens of the Musee Rodin; (6) Eglise Saint-Sulpice; (7) Notre Dame de Paris; (8) Jardin des Tuileries; (9) Atelier Brancusi; (10) Saint Germain des Pres, the city's oldest church; (11) Hotel de Ville; (12) Booths and other tourist traps underneath the Eiffel Tower; (13) The magnificent sky on the way to Pont d'Alma; (14) A colorful carousel right outside Hotel de Ville; (15) The Thinker, one of Rodin's most iconic sculptures, inside the gardens of the Musee Rodin; (16) La Tour Eiffel; (17) Petit Palais; (18) St Gervais et St Protais.

I think it is safe to say that you can't take a bad picture in Paris. Her rich history and classic European charm inspires and intoxicates even the most seasoned photographer. I feel almost sorry to compress my memories in just a few short posts as there are definitely more stories to tell.

But duty calls, and the rest of the world awaits.  I suppose some tales are meant to be stored and treasured, withdrawn from time to time on the whiff of something similar or familiar. Until then I shall pine for my return to this lovely European city.

Adieu Paris! Jusqu'a ce que nous nous reverrons!

Louvre Is A Many Splendored Thing

You don’t go to Paris and miss the Louvre. You just don’t. While going through all 60,600 square meters of this former royal residence may sound like a daunting task, it is nonetheless a rite of passage that each Parisian visitor must experience.

Known today as probably the world’s largest art museum, the Musee du Louvre has actually taken on several incarnations over time. However, it was only during the French Revolution that it officially opened its doors as a public museum, showcasing an inventory of artwork and artifacts that steadily grew over time through acquisitions, donations, and spoils from Napoleon's conquests.

To date there are over 400,000 artworks and artifacts in the museum's possession. To prevent visitors from getting overwhelmed, maps that show the location of the more visited pieces are available at the information booth. My suggestion though is to come up with your own list of must-sees and just have the ushers plan out the fastest route for you through the different wings.

What's on my list: (1) The Winged Victory of Samothrace, (2) Venus de Milo, (3) Psyche Revived By Cupid's Kiss, (4) The Code of Hammurabi, (5) The Grand Odalisque and other works by Ingres, (6) the luxurious appointments of Napoleon's Apartments, (7) Ver Meer's The Lacemaker (which I missed!), (8) The Mona Lisa, but of course!

Enjoy the pics everyone!

Mama Knows Best

I stayed at this really cheap and chic (emphasis on the chic, not on the cheap) hotel during my recent trip to Paris called Mama Shelter.

Designed by Philippe Starck and managed by the same group that runs Club Med, I figured I was in safe hands both in terms of style and service. You could say I was close.

Located in the 20th arrondissement, which is as far as you can go before you actually get kicked out of Paris, Mama Shelter is by no means in the center of all the action. To get there you have to take the Metro all the way to the end and get off at the more laid-back and sleepier part of town, after which there is a good 8-10 minute walk before reaching the hotel. A bevy of neighborhood bars and boulangeries do exist, but pales in comparison to their counterparts in more sophisticated neighborhoods.

Once in a while more adventurous tourists do head to the area to pay their respects to Edith Piaf, Oscar Wilde, Rene Lalique, Marcel Marceau, Jimmy Hendrix and other notable personalities in history. The Père-Lechaise cemetery, one of the most popular in the world because of its illustrious inhabitants, is located just a few blocks away.

Inside the hotel are touches of kitsch and whimsy that are so typical of Starck's design. From the mask-covered evening lights to the graffitied carpets and walls, to the carefully edited furniture scattered throughout, the property does little to hide its pedigree. At night, the pizzeria and restaurant downstairs becomes the coolest gig in town filled with young and beautiful Parisians working the scene.

The Good
A great price for a moderately-sized room. A toasty welcome each time you enter. An incredibly comfortable bed with sheets that are nothing short of lovely. In-room iMac with good entertainment options (including free porn, if you are into that). Excellent water pressure. Kiehl's bathroom amenities. Free wifi.

The Bad
A budget hotel dressed in designer clothing is still a budget hotel, which means no room service, no complimentary bottled water, no mini-bar, and save for the soap and shampoo (plus towels and tissue paper) the bathrooms are sparse and rather uninspired. In keeping with the loungy vibe, lighting is kept subdued even in the guest rooms. Bringing a flashlight is recommended. Front desk tends to be busy all the time.

Tip
Hungry? Head to any of the marches in the area and stock up on microwaveable meals (there is an oven in each room) to satiate that late night growling. My favorite, MONOP, carries a variety of dining selections for any appetite. Buy a few big bottles of water while you are at it. Your tummy, and your wallet, will thank you.

MAMA SHELTER
109 Rue de Bagnolet
75020 Paris, France
T +33.01.4348.4848
F +33.01.4348.4949

Laduree } For The Love of Macarons

Is there a confectionery more synonymous with the French than the macaron? I doubt it. And when talking about this sweet meringue-based dessert, no other place has gained more notoriety than Laduree in Paris.

I discovered this when I met my friend Lars who just happened to be in the city at the time.  Based in Sydney, she was touring Europe and her enviable itinerary included all the beautiful cities of Spain, Portugal, and Belgium. We met at Place de la Concorde, and she insisted that our first stop be the Laduree bakery at Champs Elysees. Nope, not the Eiffel, or the Arc de Triomphe, or the Louvre which was just a stone's throw away from where we stood.

"You have got to try these macarons!" she said.

So try them I did. At roughly one euro a pop (we each bought a box of 26) these things don't come cheap! They are, admittedly, also not mind-blowingly special although quite well-made. Each cookie is compact, crunchy, and transforms into that wonderful chewy consistency as it melts in your mouth.

A must-try? Probably not. I personally found the ones sold at Jean-Paul Hevin much better (and mildly cheaper). But if you want to offer an ode to things traditionally Parisian, then visiting this institution made famous by a tiny dessert is a definite must.

Laduree Champs Elysees
75 Avenue des Champs Elysees
75008 Paris, France
T: +33.01.4075.0875

Laduree Royale (The Original)
16 Rue Royale
75008 Paris, France
T: +33.01.4260.2179

Procrastinating Paris

Tell me who goes to one of the most beautiful cities in the world and fails to write about it?!?

Me, that's who.

I know. It's deplorable. I tried though, I really did. However between post-processing, trying out different formats, changing jobs, and even more travel the past few months it eventually became easier to just let Paris hibernate in my SD card.

But excuses are for sissies, that's why I am now dusting these babies off and posting them online for everyone to enjoy. Why, I'll even squeeze in a story or two if I have the time. I literally have thousands of photos to go through coupled with a work calendar that is constantly breathing down my neck, so putting all of them up is not going to be easy. But you know what they say about eating an elephant: ONE HAS TO DO IT A-SMALL-PIECE-AT-A-TIME (not that I condone the slaughter of pachyderms).

And so after that short ado, I proudly present to you:  P A R I S.