KRAKOW FOOD DIARY

I just blogged below about my trip to Krakow to meet Lucas friends and Family. We were there a few days ago for a 6 day trip.
We had so much fun eating, drinking, shopping and sightseeing. I LOVED POLAND. Its a old world city with amazing food. I kept a food diary of Poland to remind me of some of the fantastic food that I had, so that I could look up recipes and make some of the meals when I got back to the states. Favorite include Perogies, stuffed cabbage golobki, grilled polish sausage, polish bread is amazing especially Obwarzanki, grilled trout with fries, split pea soup called grochowa, and pork cutlets.

SHARON SUH IN KRAKOW

I went to Krakow a few days ago to meet some of Lucas' family and to check out the city he grew up in. We stayed in the the city for a few days and I fell in love with this city.nKrakow was filled with european tourists but not too many of them, amazing art, food (Heavy...but delicious) and an old world charm but without the crowds like in Paris or Florence. The people are very nice, very hip and good looking! Supermodels everywhere...hot girls.
We were visitng with Radek and his brother Bartek Rogowiec, and their girlfriends Heather and Fabianna. Check out some of the moments.

When I was planning this trip to Europe, I was more excited about Paris than I was Poland. However, after spending 6 days there, I like it better than France. The history is fascinating, and despite the hardships and all that this country has been through, this city is thriving and hopeful, and very hip!

Poland's turbulent and violent past is now part of the past. In 1989 Poland became the first of the eastern European countries to overthrow Communist rule, following years of demonstrations, strikes and underground political movement. Despite strong Russian objections, Poland joined Nato in 1999 and has been formally invited to join the EU in 2004.

THINGS TO DO IN PARIS

This is a list of things that I have compiled of things to do if you are going to to go Paris anytime soon.


Museums and Operas :
The musée d'Orsay : http://www.musee-orsay.fr/en/home.html?S=acc
near from it, The musée Rodin : http://www.musee-rodin.fr/welcome.htm
Le grand Palais : http://www.grandpalais.fr/en/Homepage/p-617-Homepage.htm
Beaubourg, Pompidou center : http://www.centrepompidou.fr/Pompidou/Accueil.nsf/Document/HomePage?OpenDocument&L=2

The Louvre : http://www.louvre.fr/llv/commun/home.jsp?bmLocale=en
Expo Annie Leibovitz : http://www.mep-fr.org/us/actu_3.htm
The Opera Garnier : http://www.operadeparis.fr/
La place des Abbesses : Metro Abbesses, http://www.lepic-abbesses.com/
Les catacombes : http://www.catacombes-de-paris.fr/english.htm
Le musée des egouts de Paris : http://www.egouts.idf.st/visite.html
Le musée de la photographie http://musee-photo.voyaz.com/
EXPO RICHARD AVEDON http://www.pixys-design.com/spip.php?breve13 (just till mid-Sept)

The gardens :
Le jardin des plantes, in the 5e arr., there's a door Rue Linné, m° Jussieu.
Le jardin du Luxembourg : ReR Luxembourg
Buttes Chaumont : from home take bus 60, in direction of Montmartre. http://www.gardenvisit.com/garden/parc_des_buttes_chaumont
Père Lachaise Cimetary : M° Père Lachaise, http://www.pere-lachaise.com/

Shopping and drinks :
Les Champs Elysées
Le Boulevard St germain
M° Odeon
M°Place du Visages
M° Rue St. Honore (must got to COLETTE!)

Gifts to bring home:
Honey from Pain De Epice in the 13th arrondissement
Coffee from La Brulerie de Gobelins in the 5th arrondissement ...same coffee that Yves Camdeborde's Le Comptoir du Relais)
Olive Oil and seeds from Etablissement Lion in the 18th...items made from monesteries
Wine from Nicholas in 13th arr. or Chapeau Melon in the 19th (my new favorite is Bordeaux's...I think I am ready to move on from Pinot Noir's and Syrah's)
Cheese Pascal Trotte in the 4th, Coop.Latte Cisternino in the 9th, Alleosee in the 17th, Laurent Dubois in the 5th, Joel Meurdesoif in the 14th

NAUGHTY BETTY CARDS

I was laughing out loud by myself reading these cards online at 1:30am in the morning in Paris. I saw this on a random European blog and then figured my friend Lizzie Garrett from DesignWatcher.com, must have blogged about these cards cause they are out of Chicago. Hysterical for all of you that are old enough and know better, but young enough to remember it wasn't that long ago.
Check more of them out by clicking on the title above.

KAIJU STUDIO DESK ORGANIZER

I saw this at one surfing the web. Its pretty cool. The design uses natural materials that are ecologically responsible to house some of our favorite items... its refreshing to see this new i/o Desk Organizer from Kaiju Studios that is made of walnut wood and felt. This modular system allows for constant reorganization depending on your needs, with everything from cable wraps, dividers, picture holders, and more.

MR. JONES WATCHES

This is a clever watch that is a hip item in London at the moment. The watch comes in a MJW presentation box with a specially commissioned illustration by Nadine Faye-James.

The Mantra watch alternates a very positive statement (e.g. "you are amazing") with a very negative one (e.g. "nobody likes you"). Every hour the watch displays one positive message and one negative message (the wedge that you read the statement through is also the hour hand)... inspired by the psychological theories of Émile Coué who promoted the practice of conscious autosuggestion, that is the repeition of positive statements to heal the body or mind.
The watch is 70 euros and has just been restocked after being sold out for a few months. Check it out by clicking on the title above.

THE ORIGINAL APPLE SAC

For $30, you can have this eco-friendly functional sleeve is made from burlap is one of the coolest covers I have seen.
The inside is a soft, scratch free fabric for the safety of one of the most important items in your life.
To purchase this, click the title above.

TIINA HAKALA

I have been looking for a new office desk. This one seemed interesting. This young Helsinki designer resides in London. I LOVE one of her designs called MY TABLE. Its made out of plywood and stainless steel.
She designed this ultra simple and practical desk cause she believed that it is important that your workspace is always clean and tidy...a girl after my own heart. She thought about storing solution for the endless items, lamps, pens, paper folders, etc, we keep on our desks. Check out her multi-functional chair as well!

TIMOTHY SCHREIBER

One of Timothy Schreiber's designs is a digitally designed and manufactured. The PAN_07 chair has often been described as the the first cantilever chair epitomizing the 21st century post industrial age. First introduced during last year's salone del mobile it won a red dot design award in 2006 and numerous other awards. Check out his website...pretty impressive. Click on the title above.

EERO AARNIO

Eero Aarnio is an amazing designer who designed The Copacabana Guitar . The Copa is built with the highest standards in materials and workmanship and with best accessories available. Check it out by clicking the title above which will connect you to the designer's website. Pretty radical creations.

CRESCENDO C2 DESK

Check out this Cresendo C2 desk by stilvoll. Art. Click the title above for more info.

KAWS DESIGNED GUITAR PICKS

Musician John Mayer (slut) got together with NYC artist Kaws to make these cool guitar picks. On one side they carry some of Kaws's signature designs and on the other side signatures by both artists. Check out his work by clicking on the title.

I PHONE WALLPAPERS

i Phone and iPod Touch wallpapers from a selection of designers and illustrators from around the world are purchaseable on POOLGA. Check them out by clicking on the title above.

MAC BOOK TOUCH

According to a MacDailyNews source, we can expect a sort of "MacBook touch" in October. Check out the 411 by clicking on the title above.

LOUIS VUITTON CITY GUIDE BOOKS

For about a decade, the Louis Vuitton City Guides have been navigating the sophisticated and stylish in cosmopolitan cities.
Now with the new 2009 edition, there are many new destinations, a new design, and sections have been edited.

To celebrate ten years of traveling throughout Europe, the new collection of Louis Vuitton City Guides will appear in a revised format on 15 October, available at LV boutiques worldwide. Asia, Europe or just a quick getaway to Miami...if you can afford it, or need an excuse to spend money...Prices range from 25 Euros and up.

CRAIG WARD GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Craig Ward is a London based Graphic Designer who completely rocks my world. Working predominantly in the editorial world, He See’s himself as a typographic illustrator; creating new typographic treatments and continuously exploring the notion of word as image He graduated in 2003. Possibly a new young Fabien Baron to be? I think he is amazing.

LE BARATIN IN PARIS

Lucas and I are staying in an area called Belville... in the 20th arrondissment. ( sort of like the Williamsburg or Greenpoint of Paris.) Its a working class community with a diverse ethnic mix of people, and houses a hip artistic community. No major chain stores in this neighborhood.
We found a FANTASTIC wine bar called LE BARATIN ( which has been written up in a few guide books and was recommended to me by Dorie Greenspan...a food expert and contributor to Bon Appetit Magazine). Owner Philippe Pinoteau and Rachel who is the chef have created a very "relaxed and intimate environment.
You can enjoy wine by the glass, choosing from the list on the blackboard on the wall behind the counter, about 15 different wines. We had: Cairane AOC 2000 "Haut Costias" L'Oratoire St Martin , from the Rhone valley . We also shared a glass of Patapon "boisson d'été" Pineau d'Aunis 2003 from the Loire valley suggested from one of the guide articles I read somewhere.

NICOLAS WINE BAR in PARIS

We read about and visited one of the Nicolas wine stores in France.
There are many locations, over 200, throughout Paris and the best thing about this place...great selection at inexpensive prices. Many of them, have an area in which you can drink the bottle purchased, with casual food, which also cuts down on the price of drinking great wine with some delicious food. We went to the one below.

Chai 24 , Cour St Emilion (ph. 01 42 68 00 16) . Metro : Cour St Emilion (on the sleek and automated new subway line 14).

Cour St Emilion is a pedestrian alley with on both sides restaurants and trendy cafés . It leads to the multiplex movie theater "Cité Ciné Bercy" with its 18 screens . The place is open seven days a week for the wine shop and the wine bar , and the restaurant serves meals each day noon-3 pm and 6 pm-11 pm .

PHOTOS FROM TUILERIES PARK

Les Tuilleries is the most central park in Paris and I think it is one of my favorite parks in this city.
It stretches its "à la française" alleys and lawns along the Seine river from the Louvre museum to the Concorde square.
Its an amazing place to go to after after a few hours in the Louvre Museum or just to hang out and eat lunch. Its pretty breathtaking. We went there after seeing the Avedon Exhibit. It was a great afternoon.

LOUVRE in PARIS

The Louvre is the world's most famous art museum which houses the most famous paintings such as - Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa, The Virgin and Child with St. Anne, and Madonna of the Rocks; Jacques Louis David's Oath of the Horatii; Delacroix's Liberty Leading the People; and Alexandros of Antioch's Venus de Milo. I think that I was not as blown away by these pieces as I thought I would be. The piece that I was impressed by was Richard Serra's Clara Clara (1983) outside the museum in the Tuileries Gardens.
Also, this place is HUGE. Its was overwhelming. The museum lies between the River Seine and the Rue de Rivoli on the Right Bank in the 1st arrondissement neighborhood. The museum, which contains some of the world's most celebrated artworks, is divided among eight curatorial departments. I really wanted to see the Mona Lisa in person. It was sort of a dissappointment. Small painting in a big room with hundreds of people.

RICHARD AVEDON IN PARIS

I am in Paris right now and i happen to be here at a good time. There are some amazing exhibitions going on right now. I have been running from gallery to art museums with much excitement!

This is Avedon's first exhibit in France, and its showing at teh Jeu de Paume. This Magor exhibition covers the whole career of Richard Avedon, starting with his first steps as a fashion photographer at the end of the Second World War. It traces the photographer's career begininng with his fashion work with Harper's Bazaar in the early 1940's which revolutionized fashion photography by bringing models out of the studios and in random locations, recreating and making moments and end with the American West images.

ITS AMAZING. Avedon is the reason why I am so passionate about photography. I know I like to throw that word around alot, but he is seriously...my idol. His work has inspired many other photographers in a way that no other photographer ever will. Avedon was part of a wave of American Photographers who came to Paris after WWII to photograph the European fashion collections. Noticably in the sixties he changed his approach and headed back to the studios using what became his trademark white background in order better highlight his subjects.

FAVORITE PRINTS IN THE EXHIBITION... his Suzy Parker Paris images from the late 40's, Marilyln Monroe (1957), William Burroughs (1977), his iconic Beatles (1967) portraits, Andy Warhol and Members of the Factory, New York (1969), and finally Dovima with Elephants (1955), which may well be one of the most famous fashion photographs of all time.
Also unforgettable was the commission in 1976 from Rolling Stone to photograph America's power elite for the magazine's special bicentennial edition. The sixty-nine photo series titled "The Family" is a flashback for anyone who lived during those times.

If you happen to be visiting Paris in the new few weeks, you should come and see in person the large format prints. Its one of the best exhibits I have ever seen in my lifetime.
Richard Avedon. Photographs 1946 - 2004" To Sept 28, Jeu de Paume, Concorde, 1, place de la Concorde, 75008 Paris, Open Tues. 12-9p,. Wed-Sat. 12-7pm, Sat-Sun 10-7pm. 7E/4E http://www.jeudepaume.org

COLETTE PARIS

I have been in France for about a week now. I have been busy running around the city trying to see all the design shops, and cool flea markets for vintage pieces for my apt.

I have to say of all the places and districts that I have seen and visited, this one particular store blew me away. I have never seen so many carefully selected and cool items in one store.

Its what Barneys New York, Jeffreys, Maxfields aspire to be. The owner named Sarah curates this amazing store where every item selected is either a limited edition item, new designers such Marni, Lucien Pellat-Finet... or just a cool item like Fabien Baron candles, limited edition Nike's, collaborated items with designers or companies such as the GAP, or furnishings by Tom Dixon and Ron Arad, hello kitty items, amazing art books, designer sneakers, hi-tech electronic items that are hard to find...and it goes on.

When I went for a visit today the store was blasting cool Trendy Music (not quite mainstream yet), filled with flashy UK or American fashion editors, international industrial and graphic designers, local hipsters all hanging out... also in awe of the amazing finds. LA isn't the only place with vapid fashion seeking money spending superficial folks like to hang. What a relief. At least in New York, people try and hide their money, but much like LA, the Parisans like to flash it around.

Best part of the store was the basement WATER BAR and RESTAURANT... fresh quiches, salads, and cakes, plus three-dozen brands of bottled water. This is the hippest lunch place I have seen in years, it makes Ivy look like a joke.
Collette is Open Monday to Saturday 11am to 7:30pm. Its on the hottest shopping area in Paris called Rue St. Honore. Cathy Horyn wrote about it in the NY Times a while ago and I don't regret a minute of my time there.

CLOTILDE'S EDIBLE ADVENTURE IN PARIS

I am in New York this week with Lucas and we will be starting our adventure to Europe soon. We are going to Paris, Poland and the Netherlands for a month. Since I just resigned at Bon Appetit in June, I have decided to take this year off and travel as much as I can. I am taking pictures instead of photo editing at a magazine, so that I can accomadate this lifestyle.

ONe word. LOVE. I love being freelance. Its magificant.

I have purchased few books on Paris to get me started...Hungry for Paris by Alexander Lobrano, Markets of Paris by Dixon and Ruthanne Long and finally the best one...Clotilde's Dusoulier's Edible Adventures in Paris.
This book is very well organized and easy to follow. I very much appreciate the table of contents where this native Parisan and passionate foodie, breaks everything down quite thoroughly on her all-time favorite food experiences, favorite shops and markets and my favorite...affordable meals. You should check out Clotilde Dusoulier's blog for insider reports and Parisan recipes. To get to it, click the title above!

JOHANNA BASFORD WALLPAPER

I am redesigning my bedroom...still. I can't seem to pick a wallpaper and its getting a bit annoying. There are just so many great wallpaper designers...such as Alegra Hicks, Erika Wakerly, Florence Broadhurst, Geoff McFetridge, Cavern Home, and Flavor Paper...I am overwhelmed. I found this JOHANNA BASFORD on Design Sponge and its breathtaking. The detail and the intensity of the patterns are so intense. Check he wallpaper designs, along with her ceramics and lighting fixture by clicking on the title above.

She is pricy, but if you want to stand out...I think she is worth it.

ANNA WOLF

I just had lunch with a photographer/new friend named Anna Wolf. She is this young, amazing, inspiring woman that makes me understand why I am a photo editor. She takes amazing pictures...and she is also, a really down to earth chick. Her work is beautiful, hip and just down right cool.
You should check her website out and if you are hiring for a clothing line, a soulful portrait or just a cool vignette, she can make it happen. She is a special photographer. See her work by clicking on the title above.

TED

Technology Entertainment Design) is an annual conference previously held in Monterey, California, USA but as of 2009 will be held in Long Beach, California, USA.

TED...It defines its mission as "ideas worth spreading", and selected talks given at TED are available free on its website. Its lectures cover a broad set of topics: science, arts, design, politics, culture, business, global issues, technology, and entertainment.
The speakers are from a wide variety of communities and disciplines[1][2] and have included such people as former US president Bill Clinton,] Nobel laureates James D. Watson, Bono which I have attached on the link above, and Google co-founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page. This sort of blew me away and you can rent the DVD that covered the 2005 TED Conference directed by Daphne Zuniga. Check it out. Click on the title above

TED was founded by Richard Saul Wurman and Harry Marks in 1984 and was held annually from 1990. The membership model is now an annual membership fee of $6,000, which includes attendance of the conference, club mailings, networking tools and conference DVDs. Kathy Griffin docu show shows one episode where Rosie O'Donnell is begging her to get her into the conference through her boyfriend former Apple guy, Wozniak.


In 2007, TED uploaded a series of talks on their website, also available on YouTube under the username TEDtalksDirector and on iTunes as both an audio and a video podcast.
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