Bonjour readers!
I'm baaaaaa-aaack! After a lovely jaunt over to England, home to light drizzle and amazing Indian food, I have returned to the city of lights. I never realized just how close and accessible London really is to Paris- the TGV take a mere two hours to go from Gare du Nord (in central Paris) to St. Pancreas (in central London), much faster than taking a flight or even driving to Deauville for the weekend. So, with that in mind, I totally plan to hop across the channel more often!
For me, the nicest part about being in London (other than visiting with my friends from school), was being back in a country where everyone speaks English. Don't get me wrong, I have a good mastery of the French language and enjoy the lilting cadence and accent; however, every once in awhile it is nice to have signs, menus, and store clerks available in English. Even if some of the British accents sound like a complete foreign language and there are some bizarre words such as loo and codswallop, it's still nice to understand *almost* everything!
I know Paris is the fashion capital and all, but I really enjoyed shopping in London. London has a really cool scene at the moment and a lot of great brands (and the Euro/Pound exchange rate is insanely good for me at the moment!). The sizes are also a bit bigger, and clothing can be a bit more flattering for those of us with a little extra winter blubber still on our bones. The British also have much more colorful clothing- brights and neons were definitely in- where as in Paris, there are many shades of drab from many of the stores (although places like Manoush have great colors). I particularly enjoyed browsing in the massive Top Shop in Oxford Circus. They had a lot of great dresses, but they also had a ton of knock-off classic Chanel bags... they dominated the entire first floor of the store! And gladiators seem to be back in full force again; however I have yet to see a single person sporting a pair. It was so cold on Saturday that the majority of the girls were traipsing around in their Uggs still!
Lapin a la Mode Tip du Jour
One thing many people dread about summer is that their skin gets much more oily and shiny in the summer. While some people choose to combat the shine with powders and blotting papers, I have my own secret weapon. One of the best kept secrets from Lancome is their T-Zone Matifier. When I used to work for Lancome back in college, I used to pour one of our massage oils on my hand and then apply the T-Zone Matifier. It would instantly suck up all the oil! The great thing about this product is that it can be applied over make-up as a quick touch up without ruining your make-up. No mirrors necessary! It also can be applied under your foundation to keep you from getting shiny during the day. Great product for any time.
Click of French Culture
France music is not just about cheesy pop or techno. The French are also known for their storyteller musicians who weave a tale with each song. Benabar is the most famous example of this style. One of his songs, Y'a une fille inhabite chez moi (translation here), is all about a girl taking over a guy's apartment. Renan Luce (Les Voisines - about how a guy prefers his female neighbors to his male neighbors) is the latest in the grand tradition.
A bientot everyone!
-Liz Anne
PS: J-15 until THE SOLDES!
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