Spotlight on Paris
Yes, yes, yes we knew about Kong even before Sarah Jessica.
We also know through our superiour mental telepathy skills that you click on our site at least
fifteen
times a day to see what gems of wisdom we're parting but.....
sometimes it's nice to have those pearls organised into an itinerary.
Follow our Christian Louboutins through 48 hours in Paris.
We're running, oof oof, to
FRIDAY
8 p.m. FIRST DINNER IN TOWN
La Table du Lancaster at the Hotel Lancaster
Chef Michel Troisgros (Maison Troisgros) just opened this spot and it only has 40 seats so
we are in a mad rush to be first.
7 rue de Berri
011 33 1 40 76 40 76
10:25 p.m. APPARENTLY THE NEW THING IS STRIPPING...
WE'RE GOING TO NEED SOME BOOZE FOR THAT...
Lounge Bar
Because there was a neighbourhood not taken over by the Costes brothers. With an interior by
Jonathan Amar (Tanjia) the pastel green tones and white leather make for a perfect background
to the Ibiza feel done by this spot. The DJs brought in predictably fit the genre and the
clientele is adequately sceney.
1 place de la Bastille
011 33 1 42 72 30 20
Bindi
We think this spot run by fashion industry folk must be out to compete directly with Nirvana
since the prices are half for the same thing.
63 avenue Franklin Roosevelt
011 33 1 53 89 66 66
11:58 p.m. STRIPPING
Pink Platinum
The French prove yet once again that nudity is no big deal. Some of the people stripping
here are no, um, big deal. From Cathy and David Guetta (Les Bains, La Suite etc.) is this American
style strip club for both genders.
49-51 rue Ponthieu
011 33 1 58 36 19 20
12:45 a.m. NORMAL DANCING, THANK HEAVENS
Tanjia
Since practically anything Les Bains alumni touch seems to turn to gold, we recover at
another spot by Cathy and David Guetta (of Pink Platinum above, La Suite).
Moroccan accents pepper this club and
restaurant full of everyone who used to hang out at, well, you guessed it...Les Bains.
It's kind of ethnic, uh...if you think hip hop is ethnic...
23 rue de Ponthieu
011 33 1 42 25 95 00
Latina Café
We're told this place is electro-samba - not just "Latin". Who the hell knows what that
means, but we could make an evening of out hopping from Barrio Latino to this spot. The
Cuban hamburgers keep you going and you'll need to keep your strength up because there's
three stages... We also like the house tunes.
114 avenue des Champs Elysées
011 33 1 42 89 98 89
3:38 a.m. CRASH
Hotel Montalembert
It isn't just that there are brand-spanking new white-on-white monogrammed linens, Grace
Leo-Andrieu has recreated the outdoor terrace with planters in African Assamella wood. We're ready
to lounge on the
sapphire blue cushions now that it's getting warmer and check out the scene on Rue de
Montalembert.
3 rue de Montalembert
011 33 1 45 49 68 68
SATURDAY
10:06 a.m. BREAKFAST
Rose Bakery
For the British homesick, this is the spot. Opened by a husband and wife team, he's French,
she's British, the long room used to be a chartil, where produce sellers stored their food
and veggie carts when they weren't being used. With potato salad, scones, bangers and mash,
carrot salad, kedgeree, Christmas pudding, even British cheese (Stilton etc...) being the
fare, this is the spot for those who just can't possibly have another croissant. Not that
that will ever happen. Of course.
46 rue des Martyrs
011 33 1 42 82 12 80
11:32 p.m. SHOP
Victoria Casal
We love love love this shop. Victoria Casal understands mixing high end with street fashion.
While $500 (the low end of her stock) is not exactly street, her fourth shop (Cannes,
Israel, Moscow) is a breath of fresh air from Van Cleef & Arpels. Pink couches and
diamond-studded dog tags mark this shop that also has the all- important license for
Hello Kitty fine jewelry.
24 place Vendôme
011 33 1 42 80 08 00
1 p.m. LUNCH TIME!
Apollo
Virginie Ledoyen is a regular at this low key and inexpensive restaurant. A fabulous
terrace with music execs as their regulars, we loved this modern spot.
3 place Denfert-Rochereau
011 33 1 45 38 76 77
3:16 p.m. MORE SHOPPING
Tabula Rasa
A two story shop of completely unknown labels such as Victoire Gobin Daudé, Gloria Coelho,
Yoshiko Hishinuma.....wait why are we telling you. They're all unknown! Think of it as
the place you will discover the next Yohji Yamamoto and then be heralded for being oh so
ahead of the scene and this spot will do you just fine.
2 place St-Sulpice
011 33 1 53 10 80 74
IT
A fantastic "what's hot" this season type accessories shop of bags, belts and shoes.
Marni, Viktor & Rolf, Stella McCartney and Marc Jacobs make up the key labels.
66 rue des Saints Peres
011 33 1 45 49 31 78
8 p.m. A BIG DINNER
L'Atelier
What an odd idea. You can tell Joël Robuchon has spent some time in Japan because this
one is like omakase except they're making French food. It's big dining, in fact, we've
heard it compared to Taillevent.
Fortunately this spot won't set you back nearly as much as Taillevent.
L'Atelier Joël Robuchon
5 rue de Montalembert
Hôtel Pont Royal
011 33 1 42 84 70 00
or try
Cristal Room
Boy is Philippe Starck busy. Either that or he's cloned himself because he did the decor
here at Baccarat's Cristal Room also. (Where hasn't he done the decor?) Chef Thierry
Burlot makes wonderful dishes such as the black truffle risotto, oyster ravioli (there's
only one which is weird but it's tasty), and sea scallops.
11 place des Etats-Unis
011 33 1 40 22 11 10
10:19 p.m. DRINK
Andy Wahloo
From Karim and Mourad Mazouz (Momo, Sketch) comes this really intime Moroccan bar that we
loved for the theme: Andy Warhol done with Moroccan trash. From signs to old ads to cans,
Hassan Hajjaj's art is all over Andy Wahloo means "I don't have anything" in Arabic
(though he does hope you have cash for your drinks) mocks and is an homage to the iconic
artist all at once. The decor is so so so creative - with real Pop art next to the
refashioned Moroccon modern day "Pop art". And it gives us such a good place to celebrate
(ooo la la, watch out French government!) the diversity of France.
69 rue des Gravilliers
011 33 1 42 71 20 38
B4 Restaurant & Bar
Before what? We don't love the eats at this mobbed restaurant but we love the parade of
clothing walking by. And occasionally there are hot beats being spun after hours.
6-8 square Saint Croix-de-la-Bretonnerie
011 33 1 42 72 16 19
Bugsy's Bar
Chic government workers (who knew there was such a thing), fashionistas and Ines de la
Fressange come through this beer bar. Billed as a speakeasy (as ganster as the French can
get anyway) you can get typical bar eats all day long.
15 rue Montalivet
011 33 1 42 68 18 44
12:36 a.m. REALLY PARTY
Le Comptoir de Thiou
In the old Cafe Indigo space is more from Thai chef Thiou. Her third spot, filled to the
brim of course with her followers, fashionistas, foodies and film stars.
12 avenue George V
011 33 1 47 20 89 56
3:28 a.m. SLEEP
Hôtel le A
Our favourite thing about this spot is it is child- free and allergy- free. STOP. Before
you send us nasty email, we love kids and we love cats and dogs. However if you want a
peaceful night of rest, sometimes both of those can mess with your beauty rest. Each of the
26 rooms has an original Fabrice Hybert and Frederic Mechiche designed the spot which
features a warm library and fireplace.
4 rue d'Artois
011 33 1 42 56 99 99
SUNDAY
11:13 a.m. BEAUTIFY
David Mallett
Used to be that the celeb clientele of hair stylist David Mallett got their cut and colour
behind doors. i.e. in his house. But now the expansion studio will have them right next to
you. Plan on sitting next to Drew Barrymore, Elizabeth Hurley, Nicole Kidman and frenchie
actress and wife to Roman Polanski, Emmanuelle Seigner.
14 rue Notre Dame des Victoires
011 33 1 40 20 00 23
1:31 p.m. LUNCH TIME
Lô Sushi
The great success of 8 rue de Berri has been re-created in the same building as Kong and competing for the clientele is Andrée Putman
(Pershing Hall)'s sushi bar. There are so few places in the world left with conveyor belt
sushi that we HAD to review this spot. We love having our food robot past us. And it cracks
us up that you can tinker away at a computer screen at each seat.
1 rue du Pont-Neuf
011 33 1 42 33 09 09
IN THE EVENING, TOO LAZY TO FIND A PLACE TO EAT AND DANCE....
The triumvirate that completes Buddha Bar for holding the dinner-tainment category in our
mind remains Les Bains, and
Le Cabaret
2 place du Palais Royal
011 33 1 58 62 56 25
Nirvana
3 ave Matignon
011 33 1 53 89 18 91
The Bollywood club who's chef is no joke since he came from the Ritz and Tour D’Argent.
All reviews either appear on hipguide.com or or are sneaks peeks of what will be on hipguide.com
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