Paris: Shopping!

No one disputes Paris as a pilgrimage-worthy shopping destination. However, with 36 hours there, where do you put your priorities?

Place Vendome had all of the elegant established-label stores you could want. Chanel, Celine, Dior. There were also some mind-boggling antiques shops. Pieces one would only found in a museum were displayed in quantity, ready for purchase if you were so inclined. This is also the area of the Tuileries and Hotel Costes.

Colette was the contemporary, fun shop in this area. It carried the hottest young designers in Europe and the United States, (Alexander Wang, Gareth Pugh, McQueen...) It had uber-stylish tech gadgets and amusing art books as well.

The Marais District is the place to go for independent boutiques and avant-garde designers. Whatever you were looking for, there was a unique little shop that probably catered to it. I loved how retailers put much care in creating an individual personality to their storefronts. Inside, shopkeepers had meticulously curated collections of goods.

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Paris: Decorative Arts and Design

Having only about 36 hours in Paris, Hubby and I had to pick and choose what culture to take in. The Louvre was one I had visited several times in previous trips to Paris. That didn't mean that we could not bask in the glowing light of the Carousel de Louvre. The inverted pyramid now famous from The Da Vinci Code book/movie. The majestic gardens outside were also worth a stroll.

As a designer, the Musee Les Arts Decoratifs had always been a favorite during my Parsons Paris school term. There was a terrific Contempory Fashion exhibit showcasing many of the famous Haute Couture pieces that inspired me to work in fashion. The larger exhibit was of animal motifs. It showed different classes of animals, (birds, beasts, imaginary, animated, etc.) and how they influenced everything from furniture, graphics, clothing to industrial design. This was a child-friendly exhibit as well, (though clearly Hubby and I ignored that point).

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Dublin: Quest for a Pint

A three hour layover from Aer Lingus in Dublin. Hubby and I decided to head to the city center to make the most of our time and add another country on our European trip. This being Ireland, we figured a pint of Guinness was in order, and preferably a Bono sighting as well. (Hubby is a big U2 fan).

We soon realized that at 8 am, pubs were not open anywhere, and our mission was a failure. Bono was only to be found in the many tourist shops that catered to similar Joshua Tree fans.

I settled for a cup of tea and a proper Irish scone. It had just been pulled out of the oven and was studded in currants. So worth the bus trip.

Dejected Guinness-deprived Hubby.
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Montauk: Kite Boarding, Beach, Lobster Rolls

Montauk used to be the anti-Hamptons.  In the past two years, it has evolved into an extension.  Cynthia Rowley holds regular events at her Montauk boutique.  The Montauk Yacht Club and the Surf Lodge are now trendy destinations for mobile Manhattanites...sigh.

What happened to the days of rundown old condos?  They're still there, but no under the age of 40 are staying there.  Oh well, my favorite spots are holding their ground.  

If you're not following the Hamptons old-guard to Della Famina and Citarella, chow down at my favorites:  They happen to all be in Wainscott, NY on the way out to the End...Lobster rolls at the Seafood Shop, giant cookies at Levain Bakery and heart-stopping ribs at Townline BBQ.

The beaches are all but deserted (yes!).  Kite-boarders rule the waves in the ocean.  Hubby took a few lessons (at a much quieter inlet).  He'll join the big boys soon...

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