So i’ve been getting a little double, triple booked lately ~ trips overlapping ~ but all so tempting i try to do them all. Until i can’t. So i’m trying to find some help! Thank goodness, NOTCOT’s new features editor + giveaway coordinator + writer + friend + inevitably more to be added to this list shortly, Marcia Simmons, was able (and willing) to pop over for two nights in Paris with a mere few days notice. While we’re still working on finding a nice pretty new way to show you posts my friends share with us on NOTCOT, for the moment, we’ll first get you the great content ~ and time + energy permitting, we’ll transition in to some new way to denote it. For now you will have to just bear with silly introduction notes from me! So on the next page, we have a bunch of pics and stories from Marcia of her whirlwind adventures in Paris for the first Maison Martin Margiela Perfume launch! And i’m already envious of the amazingly packaged press kit (with flowers!!! and feather pens!!! and books!) ~ and the stunning presentation of the new perfume. I’ll have to sniff the goods myself next time i see her in person!

p.s. i adore that they went all dot matrix ascii art print out on the press kit. TOO FUN.

TO PAGE 2 of "Maison Martin Margiela Perfume Launch"! ----->

Tags: fashion - luxury - paris - perfume - travel

I am mesmerized and fascinated and suddenly feeling the need to pick a color and dye things. Don’t mock, but i’m SO giddy because i think i’m finally nearly caught up on email for the first time in… YEARS? 1300 to under 100!!! Took me something from 11am to 6am yesterday… but nearly there! and in it i just found this gem from a friend…

“I was in Paris last week and I spent 2 hours in the 180 grammes store in la Bastille and I thought it could be of interest for you. They are making painted clothes and shoes. They have a deal with Nike and are making super cool shoes. In the store, the clothes they have (for men and women) are amazing and custom made. I bought a pair of nike and pants but frankly, with more money I would have bought everything. Apparently, they are submerged with request from people… it was tough to have make my pair of shoes in 1 day!”

How incredible is that? And then i just lost a bit of time staring at the images on the 180 grammes site… absolutely stunning. Seriously. Look at all these COLORS! See more images on the next page…

TO PAGE 2 of "180 Grammes"! ----->

Tags: fashion - france - gifts - paris - shopping

There's something so magical about being able to wander around the Chateau de Versailles after dark in black tie garb with only a handful of people around... and free flowing Dom Perignon. Actually, there's something so magical about Versailles at any time, but this was particularly surreal... and while there, i think i've discovered a new obsession. Chandeliers. From directly below! Particularly with mesmerizingly mind bending shadows and/or ridiculously opulent and stunning ceilings... and yes, there was a point where i became that girl who handed off her glass of Dom to lay on the floor in the middle of an empty room in my dress, louboutins, and clutching my massive camera to see just how much ceiling my wide angle could ingest from directly below the center of the chandelier. It's a bit dizzying at times shooting straight up and getting lost in the concentric circles ~ but it's such a fun perspective... Ami from Cool Hunting is calling them our 'chandelier mandalas' (and huge thanks for Ami for resisting iphone-pic-ing me while i was laying there on the floor!)... so take a peek at *some* of the chandeliers (and a few bonuses!) from perhaps (but hopefully not!) the most magical night i will ever spend in Versailles...

TO PAGE 2 of "Chandeliers of Versailles"! ----->

Tags: chateau - france - home - lighting - paris - travel

Between Oxford and Stockholm, there was a last minute irresistible reason to change plans and detour through Paris to have dinner as a guest of Dom Perignon in Versailles! In the style and room that Louis XIV dined... ok, quite honestly, for something that "once in a lifetime" feeling, how could you turn down such an opportunity? So that meant hopping on a train to London in the morning, then Eurostarring it over to Paris, and then into the infamous Hotel de Crillon (according to wikipedia, it's one of the oldest luxury hotels in the WORLD), where a matte black Dom Perignon bag filled with matte black goodness and lots of history and background information on the world of Dom awaited me on the desk to dive into in the few hours i had to prepared before for dinner. So before we get into Versailles... here's a peek at design details of Hotel de Crillon and the lovely packaging of the Dom Perignon materials! (As you'll see, they LOVE stacks of cards/imagery on gorgeous paper in various sizes... even with gilded edges...)

TO PAGE 2 of "Dom Perignon at Hotel de Crillon"! ----->

Tags: champagne - drinks - hotels - packaging - paris

Firstly, who WOULDN'T want essentially a "mood wall" ~ a thermochromatic wall of sorts ~ sure you'll have to clean it regularly, never know who's been rubbing up against it or licking and kissing and breathing on it... painting with their heat... I know part of me has been dreaming up ideas and places and colors to do something like this since...

But back to the subject at hand! While swinging back through Paris with Veuve Clicquot after adventures with harvesting in Reims, we had a chance to take a look at the Espace Culturel Louis Vuitton in the penthouse above the Champs Elysees Louis Vuitton store. It totes stunning views of the city, with a nice wood planked walkway around the perimeter, and a beautiful gallery space. Freshly launched is "La Confusion Des Sens". You arrive in the space after experiencing full sensory deprivation in their completely dark silent elevator ride up (a permanent part of their collection) ~ only to emerge to a large open space looking out over all of Paris... and surrounded by fascinating artworks focused on throwing your instinctual sensory reactions for a loop at every twist and turn... whether it's tactile, auditory, visual, or a combination of senses, it's an incredible show! Take a look at a few of my favorites on the next page...

TO PAGE 2 of "La Confusion Des Sens"! ----->

Tags: art - france - paris - travel

Penhaligon's ~ i tried to tell myself i'd stick to French brands and stores while wandering around in my few days in Paris ~ but i couldn't help myself when i wandered into Penhaligon's, the legendary british perfumerie that dates back to the 1800s. I've been drawn to their fragrances at Fred Segal most recently, and vaguely remember loving a lavender body wash of theirs an ex had... but the store, packaging (love their tissue paper), layouts, and product designs were so gorgeous i was smitten - and had to share a few pics. So take a peek on the next page... even their tiles had me mesmerized...

I still have SO many things i want to share with you from the Paris trip, but strangely enough the jetlag has left me in a bit of a haze the last few days here in LA... so more catching up to come soon!

TO PAGE 2 of "Penhaligon's Artemisia"! ----->

Tags: fragrance - france - gifts - london - paris - perfume - shopping

While in Paris i stumbled across a new store (new, as in there are 6 currently open around paris, and quite a few others in the process of opening around france), The Kooples. I suppose what struck me first was the black and white interiors, bright white lighting (apparently the designers were adamant about making sure the lighting didn't interfere with the perception of the clothing colors), and the slightly american apparel feel with the candid photography - but with a far more... London rocker meets Saville Row with a Parisian twist? It's hard to describe, you have to go see it ~ but the tailoring of every detail is impeccable, yet these perfect jackets and shirts had fun subtle yet hardcore skulls on metal buttons... and when unfortunately a jacket i loved didn't have my size in the color i wanted, i couldn't help myself and got a really fun necklace (pics on the next page). As for the branding, beyond the black, white, and photography ~ the packaging is nice too, see the bag on the next page! And like Acne, they even have a magazine/newspaper that is just starting off as well...

Their site describes it as: "The Kooples, c'est le retour du chic de rue, un état d'esprit Paris-Londres, une inclinaison musicale, la mode comme manifeste, et un vestiaire pour deux. Depuis cinq minutes ou depuis quinze ans, pour une nuit, pour un certain temps, c'est un mode de vie, un jeu." The Kooples is the return of street chic, a Paris-London mindset, a musical inclination, fashion as a manifest, and a cloakroom for two. For five minutes or the last fifteen years, for one night, for some time, it is a way of life, a game.

TO PAGE 2 of "The Kooples"! ----->

Tags: fashion - gifts - jewelry - paris - shopping - travel

VIDEO (on the next page)! So i woke up bright and early this sunday morning and decided to wander around Paris, quickly realizing that stores weren't really open today, i went hunting for outdoor markets once the rain stopped, and found myself wandering around St Germain for some time, crossing through Notre Dame... and as i turned, i heard tons of sqwaking, and followed the sounds... i ended up in the most bizarre and amazing little outdoor flower and bird market, which apparently also has ferrets, chipmunks, chinchillas, piles of hamsters, super fluffy bunnies, all kinds of beautiful little birds, and even a poor little yorkie decked out in more denim than most people...

See the video for the best feel of the craziness, and lots of pics on the next page!

TO PAGE 2 of "Paris: Flower + Pet Market"! ----->

Tags: animals - nature - paris - pets - travel

Wow. I just landed in the absolutely breathtaking Chateau Les Creyeres in Reims... after a helicopter ride (my first!) over the champagne region... which was preceded by visiting the presses and the vineyards... and an incredible lunch at madame cliquot's country house where the food was created (and inspired) by the champagnes with which they were paired... and learned about the "confusing sex" alternative to pesticides... getting a sneak peek at the latest porsche design collaboration on an "ice cube" to launch next year... tasted champagne vintages including one from my birth year... ok basically, TONS to share with you, and minimal internet connection... so everything is going to be a day or so off...

...but for now, i got some pictures up before i left the hotel this morning so here's a peek at last nights adventure! Incredible boat ride up and down the seine for dinner last night - on the next page are images of the experience - including the absolutely gorgeous Riva boat collaborations with Veuve Clicquot in person, seeing the eiffel tower lit up blue with the stars of the EU while sparkling to mark france's term as EU president, meeting Lia Riva and hearing stories of life in Monaco and her childhood of gorgeous boats, and ultimately this was the start of our getting to know the Veuve Clicquot family, and truly understand how rich the history of this brand is, and experience how passionate the individuals involved are in quality products, experiences, and DESIGN! Ultimately it's becoming very clear that more than just a brand, Veuve Clicquot is a lifestyle, and the lifestyle they have created, is certainly one i'm sure we could all get used to!

TO PAGE 2 of "Veuve Clicquot Dinner on the Seine"! ----->

Tags: boats - drinks - food - luxury - paris - travel - veuve clicquot

So yesterday was a whirlwind day of hopping on air france in LA, finding myself in Paris, whisked from CDG to Le Faubourg Sofitel, and before i even get into meeting everyone - drinks with Christophe Pillet - meeting the veuve team - dining on a yacht up and down the Seine - and more... here's what i first encountered upon arrival ~ breathtaking clouds, quite possibly the most comfortable bed i've ever lay in, gorgeous Veuve Clicquot gifts and notes awaiting on the desk, adorable awesome packaging for the Hermes soaps in the bathroom, and the Buddha Bar outside my window... take a peek at the photo series part one on the next page!

For now... its 7:30 am, and i have to run to meet everyone at 8, so more images as i find time/internet!

TO PAGE 2 of "LA to Paris (Veuve Clicquot Style)"! ----->

Tags: hotels - luxury - paris - travel - veuve clicquot

Cartier is taking on love ~ and was kind enough to surprise me with a DHL package this morning with a little gift in it (more to come on that later) ~ in part announcing their new Love.Cartier site. Today i learned the story of their classic "love" bracelet - the iconic piece with the screw heads along the band - and a screwdriver to lock you in - "In the 1970's, imagination soared to new heights and any folly was possible. Cartier created the ultimate symbol of loving commitment: in the manner of handcuffs, the famous bracelet closes with a tiny screwdriver. Its humorous impudence appealed and was immediately adopted by legendary couples as a cult jewel. Love is a provocative talisman, a rallying cry for modern love, totally free from convention."

In their marketing comeback, they have created a site dedicated to love - manifested in music, art, and film. The music is nice if you're into that romantic mood setting stuff... and the art seemed a bit buggy on their flash site for me... but i was surprised that the films are what really caught my eye, and i actually sat here going through all 12 in order and loved them. The filmography is absolutely breathtaking ~ the black and whites, playful uses of light, gorgeous parisian backdrops... *swoon*... and they go through 12 tiny fragments of love stories tackling: The Declaration, Forgiveness, The Kiss, Infinite Love, Hero of Love, First Love, A Life of Love, A Loving Liaison, Love on Hold, Knowing How..., Seduction, and The Decision. Personally my favorite are First Love, Seduction, and Love on Hold - i'm sure you'll see why - if you have the time i recommend you go through them in order though, renowned director, Olivier Dahan, ends every pieces with a hint of what you see at the start of the next ~ and weaves them all together in such a beautiful way... see a few screenshots on the next page...

TO PAGE 2 of "Cartier on Love"! ----->

Tags: accessories - cartier - film - jewelry - love - luxury - paris - video

I've been a bit baffled as to what to make of this 120th Anniversary Eiffel Tower Observation Deck designed by Serero that will go up next year as i came across images on all the blogs (i.e. Core77, Gizmodo, etc)... see my favorites of the architectural diagrams and renders after the jump. In celebration of the 120th birthday of the tower, the Société d’Exploitation de la Tour Eiffel decided to restructure the public reception and access areas of the tower, and the result will be a temporary horizontal extension of the 3rd floor of the tower. Serero's design is built out of carbon kevlar, steel connectors, and metal mesh. What was most intriguing to me was Serero's discussion of the generative design:

Generative Design: The design is based on a generative script, creating branches out of the primary structure of the tower. Inspired by the structural concept of Eiffel of three-dimensional cross bracing beams, the script unfolds along curved lines the “DNA” of the tower. The script used the existing structure at the top of the tower ( a 10 by 10 meters cube) to generate 3 structural weaves, which are interconnected. These layers are combined to create a woven complex, which is based on the redundancy and the non-repetition of patterns to increase its structural performance. In opposition with modern engineering (based on the concept of repetition and optimization), the project for the Eiffel tower extension is based on an alternative model of high performance.

TO PAGE 2 of "Serero's Eiffel Tower Observation Deck"! ----->

Tags: architecture - paris - travel