The Diamond as Big as the Paris Ritz
Nancy Mitford’s character Walter in her 1931 novel Highland Fling affirms, “Paris to me means the Ritz.” Colette refers to “The dim continual hubbub of the fully awakened Rue de Rivoli” in Cherié, her novel of 11 years earlier. She adds, “But the weather over Paris was fine.” Strolling down Rue de Rivoli, The Boulevard of All Our Dreams, we are so doing Christian Dior at Galignani.
There Will be a Moon in Paris Tonight
Cultured Parisiennes like Maud Rabin always comment how Paris is constantly under construction; the city as cathedral. Perhaps that’s how it can lean towards an old architecture yet expressing l’esprit nouveau. Chaneling Channelling our inner Inès (de La Fressange), chic to chic, air kissing and French embracing, we stride along Boulevard Haussmann to a Gershwinesque cacophony of taxi horns. Tout-Paris, tout suite! Palais Garnier is on our right. “It’s full of ghosts!” whispers Maud. “Paris has two opera houses. The other opera house, Bastille, was built in 1989. Très moderne!” Paying homage to the late great Karl Lagerfeld, we head for his favourite bookshop, Galignani. Danielle Cillien Sabatier, Directrice Générale, will later say, “Thank you so much for this really nice publication.”
