DOING IT CELEB STYLE CHEZ PARIS
By sophykay
Nothing says “be mine” like Paris. Synonymous with seduction, it’s V-day everyday in this city. Put a little extra ooh la la in your next visit to this legendary hub of love. Romance your chéri with a taste of the high life at these five fave celebrity spots.
1. Paris Palace
Reigning among the most elegant hotels on the globe for nearly two centuries, the Hotel of the Kings, Le Meurice promises to treat you like royalty. A classic French palace in the heart of Paris with a view of the famed Tuileries Garden, the hotel’s guest list boasts a virtual who’s who through history.
From surrealist painter Salvador Dali who called the luxe hotel home for at least a month every year, to a gamut of artists, writers, musicians, intellectuals, internationally known celebrities and even royalty. Queen Victoria, Tchaikovsky, Rudyard Kipling, Ginger Rogers, Yul Brynner and Elizabeth Taylor, just to name a few, have all stayed here. Oozing pure opulence, Le Meurice has served as a set for films, not to mention high-society celebrations like Coco Chanel‘s glittering receptions of the 1930s. Recording royalty, power-couple Jay-Z and Beyoncé are among today’s high-profile visitors.
Experience the love all month with a couple special packages made especially for two available now for stays through February 27, 2011. Choose from the La Vie en Rose package, which includes accommodation, daily American breakfast, rosé champagne, pink petits fours & bouquet of roses, plus guaranteed upgrade and surprise gift. Rates start at €760 (approx. USD$1,035).
Or opt for a little Romance in Paris, which includes all of the above, minus the surprise gift, but plus late checkout and upgrade on availability, and bonus free access to the hammam, sauna, Jacuzzi and fitness center. Rates are from €740 nightly (approx. USD$1,007.50).
228 rue de Rivoli, 75001 Paris, France | lemeurice.com
2. Double Double
No trip to Paris is complete without lounging over an espresso or sipping on a café au lait at a quaint café. Café de Flore is one of the most famous java joints in the world. Steeped in history, this ageless, forever-trendy spot has attracted legendary café-sitters like philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre who penned Les Chemins de la Liberté (The Roads to Freedom) at a table during World War II. Not to mention historic high-profile patrons, Camus and Picasso.
Fast forward to recent times; Kate Moss is known to have breezed in on the daily for her routine caffeine fix while in town one Fashion Week. Johnny Depp‘s lovely lady, singer/model/actress Vanessa Paradis is the latest “regular” who turned up on set for her newest role in a film of the same name as probably one of the cutest cafés in the chic district of St. Germain—aka the city’s 6th Arrondissement. In addition to a smooth, delectable brew, omelets, salads, club sandwiches and more are all on the menu.
172 Boulevard Saint-Germain, St-Germain/Luxembourg, 75006 Paris, France | www.cafedeflore.fr
Now while the film The Tourist co-starring Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie may have tanked with critics, reviews are raving about Café Le Nemours. Serving as the set of the first scene of the infamous flick shot on location in Paris, the leading lady caused quite a stir innocently seated on the terrace. This hotspot is all about location. It’s perched by the beautiful Palais Royal and Comédie Française, in the 1st Arrondissement—get this, within a stone’s throw from the Louvre, and short stroll to the Tuileries Garden. It’s open late and year-round serving up great beers, super salads, sandwiches and more.
2 Place Collette, Paris, France 75001
3. Saint-Germain-des-Prés
The once-upon-a-time melting pot of artistic and intellectual life centered around the chic area’s celebrated cafés and storied bars, Saint-Germain-des-Prés offers up a perfect combo of cool and trendy mixed with affluence. Antique stores, designer fashion boutiques and swank shops are all major draws.
Girl-gone-wild Miley Cyrus was seen last summer strolling the area with her Chanel purse while in town filming her latest movie, LOL Laughing Out Loud. Salma Hayek zeroed in on local famed City Hall a couple Valentine’s ago to tie the knot in a civil ceremony at the Salles des Mariages with her sweetheart and baby daddy, French magnate Francois-Henri Pinault Day.
Located in the 6th Arrondissment (district) just west of the Latin Quarter, flanked by the Luxembourg Gardens to the south, and the banks of the Seine to the north, the iconic neighborhood is within walking distance of all Paris’ typical tourist attractions. While historied locales like Les Deux Magots are part of a café triple threat that put the area on the map, these days dining is haute couture.
Renowned American designer Ralph Lauren introduces an American bistro style restaurant Le Ralph’s smack dab in the middle of the flagship Ralph Lauren store—his biggest in Europe—located in a late 17th century mansion in Saint-Germain-des-Prés. Country club decor combined with a chic but laid back atmosphere. Sink your teeth into American specialties like Maine lobster or Maryland crab, hot dogs and American Black Angus beef, plus traditional burgers and Ceasar salads. Opened for business last spring, it’s the designer’s follow-up to his extremely popular Chicago culinary venture, which has been in business now for just over a decade.
173, boulevard Saint Germain, 75006 Paris, France
Not to be outdone, the neighborhood is also home to Giorgio Armani’s own designer restaurant, L’Emporio Armani Caffé. Set-up by the fashion icon himself in the mezzanine above the deluxe Armani boutique, expect elegant, chic décor, easygoing atmosphere, slick, charming service and Milan-inspired gastronomic Italian cooking using only the finest ingredients. The White Truffle Risotto is famous draw.
149, Boulevard Saint-Germain, 75006 Paris, France
4. Le Crazy Horse
Posh and racy, this legendary cabaret captures the alluring ambiance of Paris. A fixture since the early 50’s, Le Crazy Horse cabaret bar introduced its very first guest star a mere two years ago. Shock-rocker Marilyn Manson’s former flame, Dita Von Teese did the honors. The sultry siren steamed up the stage with a series of captivating burlesque shows.
Following her lead, Pamela Anderson made her strip club debut at Le Crazy Horse on V-Day with two sold out shows in an homage to sultry 50s sex symbol Brigitte Bardot. The famed Baywatch babe performed a raced-up rendition of Bardot’s classic hit Harley Davidson before a packed house of 500.
With elaborate, little—ok miniscule—costumes, Louboutin heels, specimens of female form perfection and charged numbers like those dubbed Teasing, and Upside Down, a night out at Le Crazy Horse never disappoints. You might even end up taking in a show rubbing elbows with Jay-Z and Beyoncé known to be among the stylin’ and profilin’ in the audience.
12 avenue George V, 75008 Paris, France | www.lecrazyhorseparis.com/
5. VIP Room Paris
Rounding things out, the VIP Room Paris is one of the hottest dance clubs in Europe, and it’s always raging. From Bono to Lagerfeld, it is most def the place to be and be seen. Party it up with the moneyed crowd, society peeps and big celebrities. Expect superstar DJs, designer threads and big-ticket events running the gamut from a material girl Madonna’s album launch to Fendi’s fashion show after party. P. Diddy was among the latest to breeze in and throw things into overdrive rounding out January 2011 with a stop at the club as part of a promo tour for his new Diddy Dirty Money effort, Last Train to Paris.
188 bis Rue de Rivoli, 75008 Paris, France | http://www.viproom.fr/



























Great piece! Love Paris. thanks for the info!