Colón et Garnier

With the publication of my latest travel article for The New York Times, 36 Hours in Buenos Aires, six months after being in that fabulous city, I wanted to share some photos of Teatro Colón, their grand opera house, that I never posted.

Magnificent, no? While the exterior is not nearly as grand at L'Opera Garnier, it still brought back some wonderful memories.

Memories of art, magic, history and awe. Awe at the beauty and romance of it all.

Almost everywhere you go in this world, there's a beautiful reason to think of Paris.

Graffiti Art

Paris has nothing on Buenos Aires in terms of the street art.

In fact, it seems the city is partially defined by its graffiti.

You could walk for hours and miles and days on end here and constantly discover new art.

A few snowy hours ago in Paris...

... Simon Procter snapped these photos at Dior.

I became a fan of his two years ago, when I first saw the 2011 spring/summer collection. His photos aren't just great because they capture the beauty and magic of haute couture. 

 But because they show the beauty and magic of two art forms together.

P.S. How many Vegan Mondays do you think you have to do to get arms like that??

On the streets of Paris

I discovered new art in Paris.

Have you seen it before?

Beautiful, beautiful plane trees. Even prettier in the rain.

Just another day in Paris

It was a day of art.

The Musée d'Orsay. The last time I was inside was September, 2001. I've been deterred on past visits because of long lines. I hate waiting in lines. But look, Van Gogh! No crowds! Incroyable!

Of course half the joy of going to the d'Orsay is the architecture. And the views.

And it was an evening of perfectly-pitched Frenchness.  

Cocktails at Glass avec the coolest girl in Paris, Mel.

Followed by dinner at L'Office. By this point, alcohol and soul-pouring had put the camera to rest. But still, as I rolled into the 7eme well after 1 a.m., I got my final smile of the night.

 

A million dollar question

Take a look. Do you know where this mural is?

How about this one?

One is in Paris. The other is in New York. Do you know the connection??

A wee sampling of street art

I didn't see as much street art in Paris as I did on my last visit. Probably because my head was always stuck under an umbrella.

But I loved the irrepressible romantics...

... the creepy-cool skeletons that stretched in front of Les Invalides...

... and the dance of evil and beauty...

Louis & Marc

In 1854 a country boy named Louis Vuitton launched an eponymous trunk company in Paris.

In 1997, Marc Jacobs, a skinny kid from downtown New York was tapped creative director of the famed House.

The current “Louis Vuitton Marc Jacobs” exhibition at Musée Arts Décoratifs is a bright, brilliant showcase of these two men and the couture and culture they’ve created for the House of Vuitton.

The first floor of the exhibition is devoted to Vuitton, the origin of the company, and the nineteenth century.

Move upstairs to second floor for Marc Jacobs and all his modern glory.

It's bold, modern, fun and riveting. Along with Helmut Newton at the Grand Palais, it's a seasonal must-see.