Swimming in a Pool of Fashion

If you are not six feet tall, don’t have to eat cheeseburgers and French fries for a week just to become a size zero again, or don’t feel comfortable walking around in four inch Jimmy’s all day, better skip the real life catwalk of Avenue Montaigne in the 8^th.  The 6^th is your style nirvana.  Sure, you may get a little extra attention exiting your exotic, dripping with accessories and escorted by a security detail.  I, however, exiting my Vélib’, dripping with sweat, escorted by my shorts wearing husband and sorbet-stained five year old, still received plenty of largess.

Sonya, Louis, Hermy – all my friends are here.  The end of June also marks the start of the six-week summer sale season.  Oh falling Euro rejoice!  Don’t forget to visit the Hermès boutique (built in an art deco swimming pool) or Bon Marché, Gustave Eiffel’s tower of shopping.  Have your husband (or lover) get a cut and shave downstairs, while you frequent the nail bar on the first floor in preparation for visiting the shoe department under the magnificent dome upstairs.  Need some energy – grab an espresso and pastry at Rose bakery.

After a daylong shopping frenzy, sit with the other tourists (Hemingway, Fitzgerald, Gainsbourg, and most of the locals have long departed) at Brasserie Lipp, Les Deux Magots, or Café de Flore, order a café crème and contemplate your credit card bill while watching the world go by.  Or, if you were really successful and are maybe a little homesick, don your new duds, snag a table at Ralph’s and order a Ralph’s burger.