[the helloooooo.com one year anniversary cake]

[w residences/victory park/18th floor]

[crate & barrel/los angeles, california]

[lucha libre/irving bazaar/irving, texas]

[random museum renovation project/paris, france]

[dustin hollywood/gilberto's apartment/dallas, texas]

[leimberg-boyd rehearsal dinner/leisureland/palm springs, california]

[cookwares section/sur la table/dallas, texas]

[dagnushka's dry-erase calendar/austin, texas]

[perverted cologne/somewhere secret, usa]

[lobby/the westin paris/paris, france]

[random 'the ish'/ghostbar/dallas, texas]

What a difference a decade makes.

The last time I visited Paris, I was an impressionable (read: sensitive) 17 year old and I left the city with a bitter taste in my mouth thinking the food sucked and the people sucked even more.

Fast forward 12 years, and after a short trip to Amsterdam, it was off to Paris. After having spent a week in Paris, I can confidently say that it is my second favorite European — after Barcelona, naturally. From the palatte-pleasing cuisine (highlighted by dinners at Le Derrière, Hotel du Nord, Hotel Costes) to the awe-inspiring exhibits (Federico Fellini at Jeu De Paume, ‘Art Nouveau Revivial’ and James Ensor at Musée d’Orsay) to the hands-down best shopping on the planet (see: everywhere), Paris was simply magical. Admittedly my daily averages of 13.3 café américains and 3.7 pain du chocolats a day didn’t hurt much. [Where else can you go and see half-naked joggers running thru the courtyards of 400+ year old palaces and museums at all hours of the day?] The only drawback to our trip was the fact that Paris’ main tourist attractions (Versailles, Arc de Triomphe, Louvre, etc.) were shut down due to a worker strike — but all that did was force us to travel the less ‘touristy’ road. The results? Très magnifique.

Art Nouveau at Musée d’Orsay…

…and Art Nouveau in the streets

Inside this armoire? The ‘secret’ smoking room of Le Derriere (Open armoire door, push in the back of armoire, and voila!)

Workers strike outside Louvre. Translation: “F*ck you Gilberto, you uncultured American bastard go home!” Yikes.

View from atop the Eiffel Tower

Shok represented hard in Paris!

Before arriving to Paris, I spent my Saturday in Amsterdam taking in the sights, strolling the canal-lined streets, and mostly trying to keep warm. Gotta love the Dam — been there five times over the past 10 years, and the sheer amounts both coffeeshops, bikes and near accidents never seems to disappoint! Only place in the world you can have dinner at a nice restaurant while being flanked on both sides by two coffeeshops… ummm, come to think of it, sounds a lot like LA. Nevermind that thought!

A perfect day trip indeed, capped by a delicious breakfast on Sunday at a small cafe we stumbled upon called “Meenemen” with a chocolate croissant that was to die for. Off to meet Le Baron!

Two launch parties combined into one:

STANDARD Magazine celebrates the launch of its 25th issue, “Architecture & Utopies urbaines”.

Institut Français de la Mode (IFM) celebrates the launch of the “2009 x 20 Catalogue”, a collection of creations by 20 international designers.

Performance: Anne-Laure Keib & Max Krefeld of Appaloosa

DJ Set: Jean Marc Rabemila of Tricolore Paris

The IFM is located on the Quai d’Austerliz, along the river Seine

Photos By: Le Baron

]]> http://www.helloooooo.com/2009/10/standard-magazine-institut-francais-de-la-mode/feed/ 2 http://www.helloooooo.com/2009/10/didier-ludot-la-petite-robe-noire/ http://www.helloooooo.com/2009/10/didier-ludot-la-petite-robe-noire/#comments Sun, 11 Oct 2009 13:13:33 +0000 Le Baron http://www.helloooooo.com/?p=8145 Continue reading →]]>

She puts her back to me, pushes her hair to the side, and turns to give a look out of her left eye which demands only one thing and one thing only-

After a few steps, my hand arrives upon the middle of her back and her shoulder blades begin to display a show of their shape and form. My fingers slide down to perform the demanded task, and so the little black dress is unzipped.

This pleasurable moment, a moment most precious for many men, is à grâce de Monsieur Didier Ludot and his les petites robes noires.

This past Wednesday, fashion historian Ludot celebrated the 10th anniversary of boutique in the Palais Royale by displaying his vintage haute couture collection of black dresses for the eye pleasure of the Paris Fashion Week society.

Two nights later, the celebration continued as the also dress designer decided to turn DJ for the night at Buvez Madison’s Curio Parlor.

Creation: Naco Paris

Photos By: Le Baron

The Grand and Petit Palais to your back, the Tour Eiffel to your right, the River Seine swimming beneath your feet, the Musée d’Orsay in front of you. Walk a little deeper into the 7th district, make a turn on the rue de Lille, and admire the art galleries until you reach number 33.

Le Bistrot de Paris brings back traditional french cuisine with cosy elegance and a hefty dose of bonheur.

I shall recommend to you all the 220 gram (yes, 8 ounces) steak sandwiched between a soaked piece of bread on the bottom and a beautifully glazed piece of foie gras on top…but not before you feast on your prunes soaked in red wine, of course.

Photos By: Le Baron

Nelly, la Mademoiselle des Contradictions, la Baronesse d’Oxymore. My Humble Muse, une Bénédiction Pécheresse, the Merciful Sirene.

Clothing: Chinemachine
Model: Nelly Chevaillier
Make-Up: Nadia Morizet
Analog Camera: Anatole Maggiar
Stylist: Laurine Leblond
Digital Camera: Me

It happened to Moses at the Burning Bush, to Jesus at the Jordan River, and to Buddha under the Bodhi Tree.

This past week, God spoke to me at Le Mathis. Antique paintings, foie gras, mirrored walls, haricots-verts, crystal chandeliers, and bottles upon bottles of velvety red wine that played so joyfully against every bite of my peppered steak.

My spiritual experience continued once we left the restaurant and entered the Bar le Mathis, surrounded by furniture and bottles of alcohol that are just as gorgeous as the Parisians that were entour de moi. The music waves swam around me as I laughed and giggled, sipped on my whiskey-rocks, and continued my trip of enlightenment.

Ah yes, I forgot… le Mathis is actually a magnificently decorated 23-room hotel where I look forward to spending a few scandalous nights at in my near future.

Photos By: Le Baron

A couple pages left to read in Lolita.

This calls for a quick stroll in the gardens of the Château de Versailles before making my way back into Paris centre…

After a quick 5 minute drive from school, I landed upon a cool surprise – Veilhan Versailles. Set against the typical lines and mazes of French landscaped gardens, combined with the epiphany of palatial baroque architecture, Veilhan’s installations add a certain peculiar twist to the royal grounds which is most unsuspecting.

For those of you not familiar with the French modern artist, Xavier Veilhan‘s trait artistique is his generic conversion of complex figures, reducing his subjects into basic geometric forms and leaving interpretation up to the observer.

What is most striking about his style is that even in their essentials forms, his works of art don’t fall short of curious details, which leaves us wondering, “Do we really need realism and actuality to understand a piece of work?”

See for yourselves…

The highlight of my day? Jarrod and Valentina entering the gardens on mini-cooper (totally illegal), and taking me for a ride around Le Domaine de Marie Antoinette

Photos By: Le Baron

Looooook who I found: Gaspard Augé of Justice in the hills of Montmartre, Paris. And why?

Chinemachine Vintage threw open its doors for their monthly nocturne party this past Friday night. Vintage rags imported from all corners of the world and ridic amounts of alcohol were passed around while Thieves Like Us and Bertrand Delanowave spun disks in the basement and Lydie coiffed up the les montmartoises.

To top it all off, music label DeBonton debuted their newly-signed artist Sydney Valette, who graced us the privileged with an awesome live performance.

Photos By: Le Baron

The clouds come together, big clouds, like the pillows you use to play with as a child…

The thunder rolls, and trillions upon trillions of rain drops are released into the air.

Paris is showered, cleaned, no… cleansed of the sins it was witness to the night before.

An hour later, the sun king returns to his throne and breaks apart the white blanket that darkens the city on many an afternoons. It is at this prime moment where we close our parapluies, and Paris gets back to its hussle and bussle of taxis, pedestrians, wine, and cigarettes.

But no one ever takes a moment to stare at the reflections which are born in puddles of rainwater…

Photos By: Le Baron

I don’t exercise. I don’t take vitamins. Café créme three times a day. Big smoker. Even bigger drinker.

So you may ask, “But Baron, why don’t you take more care of yourself?!”

Oh my dear readers, it’s because everyday before I hop onto the train for school, I have the breakfast of champions.
No sillies, not Wheaties!

Behold, Aux Délices de Manon – the crown jewel of refined boulangeries in Paris. Each pastry on its own exhibits the finnesse of the French hand, resulting in edible pieces of art which are the source of so much joy in my life.

I am now a morning person.

Éclair au chocolat. My favorite because it’s the most fattening, duh.

Photos By: Le Baron

I’ll keep this short and simple.

I frequently find myself in the wee hours of the night on the rue Saint-Benoît in the Saint-Germain neighborhood of Paris, dancing at Bar Le Montana until the Louis Vuitton store across the street opens the next morning.

And if you ever find the need to surround yourself with ridiculously gorgeous Parisans, and then catch breakfast in the morning next door at the infamous Café de Flore, then recall this post and let it lead you the way…

Photos By: Le Baron

The past year I have visited a plethora of exhibits and museums in Paris, but none can compare to this one.

The Cartier Foundation for Contemporary Art has just transformed their premises into a three-part exhibition called Né Dans La Rue – Graffiti (Born in the Streets – Graffiti), which follows the history of the street art movement.

The first dimension of the exhibition consists of ten enormous installations, each created by famous international graffiti artists specially for the exhibit. The massive size of these installations are intended to make observers feel as if they are looking at actual walls or building façades covered in graffiti.

The second dimension of the exhibit is a theater room which features different documentaries on the graffiti movement in Los Angeles, New York, and Paris, to name a few.

The last dimension of the exhibition, and perhaps the most interesting, takes place literally on the glass or wooden façades of the museum– every first weekend of the month, the Fondation Cartier welcomes Parisian graffiti artists to create art in the presence of the public. Unreal.

Sun 7′s Written Faces

At the exhibit you will also find original and historic periphenalia such as police reports dating from the 1980′s crack-down on the graffiti movement. Above is a disguise worn by a New York graffiti artist during his night raids in subway stations.

Photos By: Le Baron

Les incroyables et les merveilleuse of Paris piled onto the rue Saint Honoré this past Saturday afternoon to get their signed copy of Scott Shuman’s (The Sartorialist) new book.

The book is the collection of all the fashion photographer’s work, bringing together the best-dressed pedestrians of New York, Paris, Milan, Florence, London, and more.

Properly, the event took place at the eye-candy of a store Colette, where everyone was dressed in their Saturday’s best and mingling among the finest pieces of clothing in the world.

And what a wonderful surprise it was to be graced with the presence of the elegant and regal Garance Doré.

Just another weekend in Paris…

Leandra Medine of StyleCaster

Photos By: Le Baron

Earlier this month Anatole and I checked out the Max Ernst exhibit at the Musée d’Orsay (Paris, 7th District).

Une Semaine de Bonté (A Week of Kindess) is a massive group of collages made by the German artist, the originals of which are on display at the Musée d’Orsay.

In order to create his masterpieces, Ernst cut-up up various pictures from three different Victorian books and then re-pasted random pieces together, which resulted in inexplicable and unimaginable scenes filled with mutant figures. Ernst’s surrealistic collages puzzle us so immensely as to deliver to us an eery sense of a lurking evil and send us on a psychedelic trip of a lifetime.

The artist frequently pasted bird heads on top of human bodies, stemming from his childhood confusion between birds and humans.

Various Ernst pieces have random figures pasted in picture frames or windows, as seen with the female hand jetting out of the prison window above.

A typical Max Ernst with wings pasted onto the backs of 19th century Victorian figures.

You might have heard about the latest quarrel between the Ghallagher brothers of Oasis which led to the recent cancellation of their European tour.

You might have also heard that the spat broke-out at the Rock en Seine Music Festival in Paris, which welcomed nearly 100,000 music-fiends a day this past weekend.

Despite the drama, the 3-day music festival had no shortage of hair-raising talent, good vibes, and perfect weather.

It’s not everyday when you can go out dancing in Paris after a Vitalic performance, wake up the next day for Brunch français, and then head over to Parc de Saint-Cloud to do it all over again.

No camping needed here… the festival takes place in the Le Nôtre-designed park, 15 minutes away from the center of Paris.

Take that, Coachella in the desert.

Doria, takin’ in the Macy Gray sound-waves this past Sunday.

100,000 heads facing MGMT.

Entrance to the Parc de Saint-Cloud, designed by famed French architect André Le Nôtre for the imperial residence, le Château de Saint-Cloud.

Photos by: Le Baron

In the corner of a small black box on the Avenue Marceau you will find a neon red top-hat.  

At the oak-wood bar facing the red velvet walls you shall order yourself the cocktail infamously known as le Baron. In your ruby goblet you will find a bed of ice cubes covered with a smooth strawberry puree, bubbling champagne, and a good healthy dose of vodka.

Brought to you by la Clique, this “petit endroit très connu” in Paris is home not only to ruthless doormen, but even more notably, a drink that will send you endlessly and happily dancing with the finest of Parisians until sunrise.

You can find the red top-hat illuminated on the Avenue Marceau every night of the week but don’t bother arriving earlier than 2 in the morning.

Oh and please, no spilling your Baron on your expensive threads; it leaves a stain. 

Photos By: Le Baron