Monday, September 21, 2009

Les Mystères de Paris




OK, it's been a little while but I have a (lame) excuse. I was in Paris last week (not this one but the one before), and as always when we travel when we came back we had to catch up with work. As usual we went to Première Vision, this time to see the fabric trends for winter 2010/11 (felt seems to be the big thing, but it's not something really new, is it?), and did some "shopping": buying garments for "inspiration" and looking at every seam, trim and cut of the stuff we can't afford (the really nice stuff, that is), or asking one of the girls (all but one of my colleagues are girls so I'll refer to them like that, as a group) to go into the fitting room and sneak some pictures... terrible, I know, but has to make a living, right? Anyways, Balenciaga and Marni had some really nice pieces and we went completely crazy at COS, I wish they opened a store here soon. Then on the other hand I can't stand Balmain anymore, if I see another stud or pointy shoulder-pad I think I am going to scream.

But it wasn't all work, almost everybody at our office decided to go the previous week-end to enjoy the city by ourselves. My colleagues stayed at a hotel and I stayed with some dear friends of mine. I spent some time with my parisian friends and had dinner with the girls at Café Ruc -which by now has become a tradition- and then went for a drink, but didn't have much fun... I mean, the place was nicely decorated, the music was good, the people were good looking, but it was so formal. We had some cocktails with strange names and even stranger colors (mine was a fluorescent "Blue Lagoon", the only ingredient I am almost sure about is Curaçao) served by an incredibly good-looking waiter. One thing has to be said, they don't know how to party as we do but they are good looking. On sunday I met the girls again and we went to see the Madeleine Vionnet exhibition, I don't have words to say how interesting it was, if you go to Paris before January don't miss it. We came out with mixed feeling: on one hand we were impressed with the beauty and modernity of the clothes (most of them could be worn today), on the other we were a bit depressed when we compared it to the limitations of our work. Ah, well...

One thing I like when visiting I city I know already (and Paris I think I know pretty well since I spent my childhood there) is to look at it from a different angle. When we passed the Hôtel Lutetia on our way out of Le Bon Marché I was told that it had been a nazi headquarter during the war, where people were imprisoned and tortured, and that it was believed to be haunted. Now, I don't believe in ghosts, but peeking into it's dark lobby and it's deserted "brasserie" did give me a bit of a chill. And Paris does have this slightly sinister history of graveyards, catacombs, underground phantoms, strange murders and hidden mysteries, and as I took a close look at it's beautiful architecture I couldn't help noticing the masks and gargoyles that lurk form the dark side of the City of Lights...



Vale, he tardado un poco, pero tengo una (pobre) excusa. Estuve en París la semana pasada (no esta sino la anterior), y como siempre cuando viajamos al volver teníamos trabajo acumulado. Como siempre fuimos Première Vision, esta vez para ver las tendencias de tejidos para el invierno 2010/11 (se impone el fieltro, pero tampoco es una novedad ¿no?), e hicimos un poco de "shopping": comprar prendas para "inspirarnos" y mirando cada costura, adorno y corte de lo que no podíamos comprar (es decir, lo más bonito), o pidiendo a una de las chicas (casi todas mis compañeras son chicas, así que me referiré a ellas así, en grupo) que haga unas fotos robadas en el probador... terrible, ya sé, pero hay que ganarse la vida ¿no? En todo caso, Balenciaga y Marni tenían cosas preciosas y nos enloqueció COS, ojalá abrieran tienda aquí. Por otra parte ya no soporto a Balmain, si veo otra tachuela o hombrera puntiaguda creo que voy a gritar.

Pero no fue todo trabajo, casi toda la oficina decidimos ir el fin de semana anterior para disfrutar de la cuidad. Mis compañeras se quedaron en un hotel y yo con unas queridas amigas. Estuve con mis amigas parisinas y fui a cenar con las chicas al Café Ruc -lo cual ya se ha convertido en una tradición- y luego fumas a tomar una copa, pero tampoco lo pasamos muy bien... quiero decir, el sitio era bonito, la música era buena, la gente era guapa, pero era todo tan formal. Tomamos unos cócteles con nombres raros y colores aún más raros (el mío era "Blue Lagoon" fluorescente, el único ingrediente del que doy fe era el Curaçao) servidos por un camarero increíblemente guapo. Eso sí hay que decirlo, no saben divertirse como nosotros pero son guapos. El domingo quedé de nuevo con las chicas y fuimos a ver la exposición de Madeleine Vionnet, no tengo palabras para decir lo interesante que fue, si váis a París antes de enero no os la perdáis. Salimos con sentimientos ambivalentes: por un lado estábamos impresionados por la belleza y la modernidad de las prendas (la mayoría se podrían llevan hoy mismo), pero por otro estábamos un poco deprimidos al compararlo con las limitaciones de nuestro trabajo. Pues sí...

Una cosa que me gusta cuando visito una cuidad que ya conozco (y creo que conozco bien París ya que viví allí de pequeño) es verla desde otro ángulo. Cuando pasamos delante del Hôtel Lutetia saliendo de Le Bon Marché me dijeron que había sido el cuartel general nazi durante la guerra, donde encerraban y torturaban a gente, y se dice que está encantado. Bien, no es que crea en fantasmas, pero mirando hacia su oscuro lobby y su "brasserie" desierta me dio un pequeño escalofrío. Y París tiene esta historia algo siniestra de cementerios, catacumbas, fantasmas subterráneos, extraños crímenes y misterios ocultos, y mirando de cerca su preciosa arquitectura no podía evitar ver las máscaras y gárgolas que asoman desde el lado oscuro de la Cuidad Luz...

*Just a note to "anonymous": of course Ladybug is an honored guest at all my Tea-Parties, though you seem to know me (and maybe I start having an idea that I know you too) you ignore the fact that no lady can rival with her in titles, birth, rank and elegance. Voilà.

11 comments:

Gratistotal said...

don pilgrim, lo bueno de conocer una ciudad es poder volver a comer a los sitios que nos gustan, y comprobar que siguen ahi!

no te perdono que no fueras a la mother fucker week, entre otras cosas porque el st style de hombres es muy malo!!!

Anonymous said...

Mr. Pilgrim´s Office informs that Mr. Pilgrim, Baron Von Bittelfeld, has spent sometime in the hotel Geoge V of Paris in order to buy the outfit that he will wear next month of November with occasion of the fastuous ball that will take place in the Admiralty of Madrid in order to celebrate his 50 birthday.
He will assist in the companion of the Hon. Lady Louse of Mountbatten, the delighful and pretty woman he put his eyes on during the tea party celebrated some weeks ago at Burlington Palace.

Mr. Pilgrim Office
Edificio Lexington
C/ Padilla, 1 - 3º B
Madrid, 09, 27th, 2009
Lady Kennington of Gray, Head Speaker

Di said...

Uno de los mayores dramas de mi mileurismo es que tengo pensión completa en París, gracias a un amiguete que vive allí, y no me dan los dineros para irme a pasar unos días allí.
Ains

Anonymous said...

Mr. Pilgrim´s Office.
This beautiful poem was dedicated to Mr. Pilgrim, Baron Von Bittelfeld, with occasion of his 45birthday. Probably he will recite it in the ball of his 50 birthday to honor to his guests.

"The keys to death and life
The ailing kingdom doomed to fail
The bonds of sin and heart will break
The PILGRIM course will take...
Quelling the devils might
And ready for eternal fight
Aching limbs and fainting soul
Holy battles take their toll
Liberty and hope divine
Changing the water into wine
So to you we bid farewell
Kingdom of heaven to hell
Spirit holy life eternal
Raise me up take me home
PILGRIM sunrise pagan sunset
Onward journey begun
To courage find and gracious will
Deliver good from ill
Clean the water clean our guilt
With us do what you will
Then will my judge appear
Bear no false angel that I hear
For only then I will confess
To PILGRIM´S eternal hope
Now give me our holy sign
Changing the water into wine
So to you we bid farewell
Kingdom of heaven to hell
Spirit holy life eternal
Raise me up take me home
PILGRIM sunrise pagan sunset
Onward journey begun..."

Mr. Pilgrim Office
Edificio Lexington
C/ Padilla, 1 - 3º B
Madrid, 09, 28th, 2009
Lady Kennington of Gray, Head Speaker

Anonymous said...

este bló k taba mas pa llá k las praderas de texas, k animao se ha puesto con la lady kensinton esa, bueno hasta parece un bló paranormal y tó.

Marga Esteban said...

Me ha encantado este post...suena todo tan "chic", como no , c'est Paris...me encanta que compartas...¿y la foto del camarero guapo?...cachissss

ladybug said...

VERY, VERY NICE, REALLY ENJOYED READING YOUR PARIS IMPRESSIONS. NICE PICTURES TOO AND WELL, I AM GLAD YOU HAD SUCH A GOOD TIME. WHAT HAPPENED TO THE MUSIC?

Unknown said...

holaaaaaaaaaa
antes de nada que me encantan tus verdades(las que pones a la derecha)la de madonna es muy buen,pero buen tú ya sabes...
estoy cansado de la moda,de las fashion victim y de Balmain y la moda rock que es lo más(me aburrooooooo)de las hijas de satanás que descolocan todo y dejan las bragas tiradas por el suelo,a la mierda,creo que me voy a hacer asceta y pirarme al monte a meditar....ya te contaré
abrazo hoy menos iluminado que otros dias

oakleyses said...

uggs outlet, uggs on sale, ray ban sunglasses, ray ban sunglasses, louis vuitton, michael kors outlet online, oakley sunglasses wholesale, christian louboutin outlet, louis vuitton, uggs outlet, louis vuitton outlet, polo outlet, prada handbags, nike free, chanel handbags, longchamp outlet, michael kors outlet, replica watches, louis vuitton outlet, oakley sunglasses, michael kors outlet online, prada outlet, michael kors outlet online, longchamp outlet, burberry handbags, michael kors outlet, kate spade outlet, ray ban sunglasses, longchamp outlet, louis vuitton outlet, oakley sunglasses, nike air max, oakley sunglasses, replica watches, ugg boots, polo ralph lauren outlet online, ugg boots, gucci handbags, jordan shoes, cheap oakley sunglasses, michael kors outlet online, christian louboutin uk, burberry outlet, tory burch outlet, tiffany and co, christian louboutin shoes

oakleyses said...

michael kors, nike tn, ralph lauren uk, abercrombie and fitch uk, north face uk, ray ban pas cher, nike free uk, lululemon canada, michael kors, true religion jeans, coach outlet, coach outlet store online, hollister uk, sac longchamp pas cher, vans pas cher, nike blazer pas cher, louboutin pas cher, nike air max uk, michael kors pas cher, nike free run, nike air max uk, new balance, sac hermes, jordan pas cher, true religion outlet, replica handbags, nike roshe, longchamp pas cher, guess pas cher, true religion outlet, north face, polo ralph lauren, coach purses, hollister pas cher, oakley pas cher, timberland pas cher, air max, polo lacoste, nike air force, nike roshe run uk, burberry pas cher, converse pas cher, nike air max, sac vanessa bruno, mulberry uk, hogan outlet, michael kors outlet, true religion outlet, ray ban uk, kate spade

oakleyses said...

doudoune moncler, pandora uk, moncler outlet, vans, converse outlet, montre pas cher, louis vuitton, moncler, moncler, canada goose, canada goose outlet, ugg uk, links of london, barbour uk, supra shoes, replica watches, lancel, nike air max, moncler, moncler, moncler outlet, coach outlet, wedding dresses, canada goose outlet, pandora jewelry, karen millen uk, ugg, marc jacobs, juicy couture outlet, converse, moncler uk, louis vuitton, ugg pas cher, swarovski, pandora jewelry, gucci, canada goose, canada goose uk, ugg,uggs,uggs canada, pandora charms, juicy couture outlet, louis vuitton, louis vuitton, ray ban, ugg,ugg australia,ugg italia, canada goose jackets, swarovski crystal, canada goose, hollister, thomas sabo, canada goose outlet, toms shoes