Paris, Paris

(photo found online)
I have been asked to write about my ideal weekend in Le Nouveau Paris based on the theme 'You, Me and Paris' or 'Toi, Moi et Paris' if we're being proper.

My boyfriend and I first went to Paris when we were both at University, he was studying in London whilst I was in Manchester so weekends were the only times we could see each other, it meant we spent a lot of money on trains and our weeks were filled with long phone calls and cheap nights out with our respective uni friends. We decided that Paris would be a perfect place to visit, after all it took the same amount of time on the train as it does to get from Manchester or London. We were both desperate to go to the cult fashion concept store Collette where I could stock up on international fashion magazines and ogle Marc Jacobs clothes that I couldn't dream of ever buying. We saw an exhibition in the Pompidou by artist Sophie Calle, one of the boyf's favourite artists and then made a super eight film of me under the Eiffel Tower which I hope, if we ever get married, to project on the wall.

However, that was then and this, is very much now. My perfect weekend in Paris would start with a stay in Mama Shelter, a hotel designed by Phillippe Starck ( I fell in love with him on the BBC show Design for Life) and a hotel I have kept my eye on since hearing about it a couple of years ago. Each room has an iMac television and Kiehl's toiletries. Mama Shelter is a stones throw from the music venue Fleche D'Or, which is where our friend's band played to (I wasn't there, but have seen a video) rapturous applause after a video my boyfriend made for them was played on French television the night before. So Fleche D'Or would be an obvious stop for some late night music and partying. Before then it would be a mission of ours to find the restaurant called Grizzli Cafe which had graffiti'd toilet doors and my boyfriend added to by carving SC (him) 4 HF (me) onto one of the doors - we're not usually taken to destruction!

(the Grizzli Cafe)

If we didn't make it to Fleche D'Or I would check out Paris Paris, another renowned music venue which I have heard a lot about or Le Regine where London's premium fashion pack clubnight Ponystep used to reside when the promoter Richard Mortimer was in Paris.

During the day I would head to the area around the Pompidou where there apparently are some of Paris' best vintage shops before heading to Collette again for old times sake. Then follow this with a wander down the Champs Elysees to see some of the great design houses flagship stores before heading to the Eiffel Tower, sampling some of Paris' fabulous truffles on the way - it would be sacriledge not to head to Laduree, Paris' famous patisserie which sells world famous macaroons and petit fours. You may remember they had a pop up store at Topshop around London Fashion Week in September and are fashion's favourite naughty treats.

It would be laden with shopping bags that we would make our way back to the Eurostar after our second trip to Paris, with even more memories under our belts (and lots of Laduree macaroons!)

Best weekend ever? It certainly would be.