Paris and my secret favorites

 What can one say about Paris without getting a bit of a heartbeat and a blush. I have had some of my greatest meals, wildest partynights and most romantic weekends in this city. I love going to Paris in the spring, when it´s still a bit cold in Sweden and have my first coffee outdoors for the season. Or a glass of wine and a chevré sallad... What can be more French? Finding a good hotel in Paris can be tricky if you´re on a budget. So when you find one, keep it to yourself. Or spill the bean, like I´m about to do.

S T A Y:
If you don´t have a budget and what to try something different; 3 Rooms Alaia (5, rue de Moussy) is the place for you. The designer extraordinare Azzedine Alaia rents out next door to his atelier in the Marais. It´s a spacious, contemporary designed apartment, like something out of Wallpaper magazine. Of course, I haven´t stayed here except for in my dreams...

Another dream is Hotel Particulier (23, Avenue Junot in Montmartre). It´s a grand mansion turned five-room chic hotel in true parisian style. Each room is decorated by various artists.

Since Paris is all about luxury, no one can do it better than Hotel Costes (239 rue Saint Honore). Dark, decadent, sexy and stylish, designed by Jacques Garcia. I treat myself with a drink in their bar and absorbes the atmosphere...

Entering a more realistic world (for me at least), Hotel Bel Ami (7 rue St-Benoît in Saint Germain) is a good suggestion. It embodies Parisian chic with a contemporary and sleek style, just a few steps from the buzz.

Hotel Bourg Tibourg (19 rue du Bourg Tibourg in Marais) is my secret favorite. It´s the little hide-a-way in the best part of Paris. It´s a boutique hotel that feels like your own sexy boudouir. An absolute delight.

Kube Hotel (1-5 Passage Ruelle) is for you who is looking for a funky and extreme designed hotel. Something out of the ordinary. The hotel also have an ice bar, which is anything but French...

E A T:
I could go to Paris just for the food. It´s not hard to find a nice meal as long as you stay away from the more touristic areas and restaurants.

Mon Oncle (3 rue Durantin in Montmartre) is a place were the food is honest with a twist, the service is efficient and a good place for peoplewatching.

Usagi (58, rue du Saintonge) This Japanese-French hybird is the creation of artist and designer Shinsuke Kawahara. It´s a minimalist interior sourced from markets in Antwerp mixed with fresh delightful food that makes this place interesting.

L´Ourcine (92, rue Broca) is a good-value gormet bistro. Clean cut interior with excellent kitchen.

Cafe Charbon (109 Rue Oberkampf) is a great place for a night out. Check out the trendy street of Oberkampf. Lots of bars and hang-outs.

Market (15, Avenue Matignon). The wellknown chef Jean-Gerorges serves a mix of Asian-nouvelle French cuisine in a beautiful, comtemporary space.

Favela Chic (18 rue du Faubourg du Temple). Favela is the Brazilian word for Slum so don´t expect Parisian chic if you go here. The food is great but it´s for the ambiance and party that I recommend it. Last time I ended up dancing on the table...

Chez Pierrot (9 rue Amelie) Typical french kitchen. Warm and cosy with unpretentious and delicious food.

Glou (101 rue Vieille du Temple in Marais) A true recomendation. Traditional flavors presented in a sparse and modern decor. Only steps away from hipster bar Le Perle...

Rose Bakery (30, rue Debelleyme in Marais) Organic produced delights. Absolutely delicious!!

T´CHA La maison de Thé (6, rue du Pont de Lodi). A little teahouse off the beaten track. This is a great place for a light lunch of a cup of tea.

B U Y:
I´ll start with the most obvious suggestion; Colette (213 rue Sanit-Honoré), the wellknown and ubercool concept store that everyone goes to when the are in Paris. Standing outside during the store, just looking at the people walking in is more fun than looking at their products. To be honest, I think it´s a bit overrated these days.

Merci (111 boulevard Beaumarchais in Marais) is another beautiful concept store with a range of lifestyle products, books and furnitures. Just walking around the store is a delight since they have an innovative visual merchandising.

One Nine Six One (135 rue Vieille du Temple in Marais) is a great store with contemporary design with a retro edge mixed with restored vintage furniture. I strongly recommend taking a walk on rue Vieille du Temple. A lot of nice little shops are located here.

Caravane (6 rue Pavée and 19 rue St Nicolas in Marais ) is an interior store flirting with ethnic styles without loosing the French simplicity. I found a lot of nice things here.

0044 (16 rue du Bourg-Tibourg) is a red little box of French and Japanese design. Jewellery and clothes with a touch of rock n´roll.

L´Eclaireur (40 rue de Sevigné in Marais) Here you´ll find the clothes from the catwalk, the bags you´ve always dreamed of and things you didn´t know you wanted. All of this in a post-industrial fell with a shop turning into a gallery by night.

Beau Travail ( 67 rue de la Mare) Gallery, shop, or something in between...

Atelier 154 (154 rue Oberkampf) for vintage and industrial interior design. Not open until the afternoon.

Ostentatoire (11 bis rue Elzevir) For jewellery extraordinare in a supercool store.

You can´t go to Paris without visiting Diptyque (8 rue des Francs-Bourgeois in Marais) to buy a scented candle, (althoght my favorite comes from Hotel Costes).

Tools Galerie (119 rue Vieille du Temple) is breaking the barrier between art and design.

I´m not writing anything about clothing stores in general because you´ll find them everywere. Especially around Marais; rue Vieille du Temple, rue de Sévigné, place des Vosges and rue des Francs-Bourgeois. However, Loft design by have stores all around Paris but the best one you find at 56 rue de Rennes in Saint Germain. I love their stores!

Another mensclothing store worth mentioning is French Trotters (116 rue Vielille du Temple) with the perfect mix of clothes, accessories and books.

I know Conran Shop (117 rue du Bac) isn´t french, but since you´ll hopefully go to Le Bon Marche (24 rue de Sèvres), you might as well pop over on the other side of the street. Le Bon Marche is in my opinion the best departmentstore in Paris.

Last but not least, you can´t leave Paris without trying a macaron (or five) from Laduree. It doesn´t get more French... They have stores around the city but if you go to Bon Marche, visit their foodcourt in the basement.

D O:
Fondation Le Corbusier  (8 square du Docteur Blanche). This place celebrates the Swiss-French architect and artist Le Corbusier. The collection  includes drawings, plans, photographs, sculpture and paintings created or collected by the father of modern architecture.

Centquatre (104 rue d'Aubervilliers) is described as a "place of creation and artistic production". It´s a mitxture of studios and exhibition spaces with contemporary artists.

Palais de Tokyo (13 avenue de President Wilson) is an innovative art space showing a variety of cutting-edge artists. It also incluedes a cafe and art bookstore, worth visiting.

Galerie chez Valentin (9 rue St Gilles) is a space lined with temporary installations by up-and-coming artists.

Galerie Almine Rech (19 rue Saintonge) is located in Marais, showing a wide range of contemporary art.

For you going to Paris soon; Bon Voyage! For the rest of us; lets keep on loning...

Photos: the sartorialist, citified, gypsy purple loves, behance, yvette inufio & pia jane bijkerk