The Hôtel de Ville (City Hall) in Paris features an underground tunnel built by soldiers in 1807 to evacuate the city government, protecting them from invasion during the Franco-Prussian War. The French Renaissance-style building now houses the city’s first openly gay mayor, Bertrand Delanoë. Click to take a digital tour of the Hôtel de Ville.
-Tara for TKGO
Posted in Art/Architecture, Shot of the Week
Tagged France, Hôtel de Ville, Paris, Shot of the Week, Tara
Thanks to Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code, the Louvre’s pyramids are more famous than ever. Hoards of tourists and Parisians alike spend the day here, but few stay late into the night, when the lighting showcases the detailed relief on the buildings.
-Tara for TKGO
Posted in Art/Architecture, Nightlife, Shot of the Week
Tagged Louvre, Paris, Shot of the Week
It’s been a rainy week in Evanston, and on top of that, it’s midterms season at Northwestern. After I found myself five episodes deep into the first season of True Blood (thanks to Comcast On Demand), I started thinking about better rainy weeks.
In March of 2008, I attended Northwestern’s weeklong International Media Seminar in Paris. We heard from the legendary former Life photo editor John Morris, correspondents and editors at the International Herald Tribune, editors at Libération, one of France’s leading newspapers, the chief press and information officer at the U.S. embassy and many other leading figures in international culture and politics.
Like this week in Evanston, Paris was overcast. And on days like that, there’s nothing better than romping around an old city with new friends.
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
-Tara for TKGO
Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged 2008, France, International Media Seminar, Northwestern University, Paris, School of Communication, Tara
Who says you have to go to Firenze to look like a Florentine? If you have some extra dough to spend, check out some of these cult favorites of the high-fashion elite, all of which let you order online and ship internationally but don’t have locations in the U.S.
Kokon To Zai, London
Call it ’90s tribal, call it futuristic. By any name, it’s quickly becoming a favorite of celebs like Lady Gaga, Rihanna and Bjork. The online store just launched in 2009 and features (what I would call unisex) collections of denim overalls, oversize t-shirts, tribal-patterned hoodies and neon striped trousers. Three physical stores exist, two in London and one in Paris, so you’ll rarely see another person in your look. Another perk? Shipping is a flat 15 pounds for overseas purchases. Look for blowout sales, where you’ll find merch for up to 70 percent off.
Luisa Via Roma, Florence
Yes, Luisa Via Roma carries the same selection of designer labels as most high-end boutiques. But what makes it unique are the exclusive special collections that result from it’s collaboration with many top designers, like Lacoste and Levi, which are available online. In addition, Luisa Via Roma makes all the seasonal collections available online months earlier than most stores, so if you’re desperate for a FW/10 runway look (that hasn’t appeared at department stores yet), you’ll find it here now!
Colette, Paris
This boutique is well known all over the world for its super edgy, trend-setting clothing selection, priced for those who can afford Chanel. But don’t overlook Colette’s more playful side. While you can buy all that clothing online, you can also find great gifts like Yves Saint Laurent coloring books for 5 euro, a set of Colette lighters designed by Andre for 8 euro and a pack of 20 Stéphanie Daoud postcards for 13 euro. The site plays great music, too, in a bar at the top that lists the artists’ names and song titles and lets you skip songs you don’t like. If you’re looking for inspiration, the blogs section of the site is a compilation of photos and text (some French, some English) from anyone NYC hair/makeup artists to Japanese street fashion bloggers. Go crazy!
-Tara for TKGO
