We’re going to do things slightly differently in the Fashion Explorer this week. With my recent trips to NY, London, and Paris, I still have loads of tips that I didn’t get to share on Amayzine.com. Such a waste so today I’m sharing the greatest addresses for drinks & bites in the fashion capitals of the world. Take out your notebooks and note, here we go.
New York
INDOCHINE
We were so tired in New York every night that we hardly partied. On Tuesday evening I decided that I had to go to a party and called my New York friend Noah to go to Indochine for some wine & gossip. Indochine isn’t particularly inviting from the outside but once you’re inside, everything looks like an animated street style section on style.com. Like you’re observing everything through Tommy Ton’s lens. Especially during Fashion Week everyone’s so pretty.
I saw Miroslava Duma sit somewhere, Karolina Kurkova just arrived, and the men from the shoe brand Aquazurra were having dinner with friends. Indochine is where everything happens, honestly.
THE CARLYLE HOTEL
Feel like old New York chic? Go to The Carlyle and especially their bar. A pianist plays the piano every evening from 9 PM onwards. Dimmed lights, the room divided into small corners, and old ladies everywhere who shakily transport their martinis to their mouths. Not just any old ladies, the real upperclass sits here, quite different from an elderly home. Don’t worry, there are also lot of young/hip/pretty folk so you won’t end up in between fossils.
London
THE SOHO HOTEL
When we arrived in London, we went straight to this hotel. Both Jet and my favourite hotel. For more than 5 hours we sat behind our MacBooks typing and working had never been so much fun. A room starts at around 1000 pounds, but a sandwich is only a measly 12 pounds (still way too much), but trust me, it’s absolutely worth it.
THE EDITION HOTEL
I just screamed that The Soho Hotel is my favourite yet now I’m talking about The Edition Hotel — which is a good runner up, anyway. The restaurant has the most beautiful interior I’ve seen in years. Insanely tall ceilings with photos and paintings from floor to ceiling, in the middle of the room an enormous chandelier and everything in warm brown oak wood with waiters in white shirts that served the most delicious food without making a sound. About 12 hours after we’d left, Brad and Angelina arrived for the BAFTA after party. So also a good place if you want to spot celebrities.
THE BOX SOHO
Still not done with spotting celebrities? Take a taxi to The Box in Soho. This club is just as famous as infamous with types like Rihanna, Kate Moss, and Cara Delevingne regularly rolling outside. All the mystery and hullabaloo are completely appropriate (because the door policy is stricter than Obama and Beyoncé’s security guards together), once inside you’re entering a world of sex and seduction, beauty and horniness, a pure ode to hedonism. Naked tissue artists, rather obscene shows, very wealthy and famous folk, the most strict no-photo-policy ever. Only once you’ve entered, you’ll understand why. Go. There.
Paris
CAFÉ DE FLORE
Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir always used to go to this café together, and Camus also liked to come drink a cup of coffee. As a graduate in literature, I’m always keen on finding out stuff like this and to realise that there’s still all kind of interesting folk in 2014. Especially during Fashion Week very pretty people come and go. Last Saturday, I didn’t know where to look, and May-Britt took over my seat on the terrace this afternoon. Café de Flore serves the best (and most expensive, but soit) fried eggs in the city so come at around noon for brunch and afterwards liquid lunch. And spotting beloved celebrities is often only a table away…
CAFE LES PHILOSOPHES
I’ve never been inside because I like the terrace so much, it’s so typically French that you don’t really need to go inside. Small round tables practically on top of each other and big warm heaters right above your head. Order the ‘Charcuteries And Cheese Plate’ for a table filled with French bread, cheese and delicious hams whilst you’re gaping at the people passing by in the lovely buzz of Le Marais.
L’AVENUE
Who really wants to get rid of her money has to go to L’Avenue. This business is famous because there are always always celebs. Just say a name and he or she has been there. Mario Testino? Beyonce? Jay-Z? Rihanna? Kate Moss? Kim Kardashian and Kanye West? Katy Perry? Pink? Great, you get the picture. The waitresses are all model-like women (quite intimidating) and the menu is way too expensive, but hey, stop whining, you’re at L’Avenue! Whenever I was there on my own account (otherwise I’d be there on a press trip, hate my job), I would order the gazpacho and a glass of white wine and still had to pay about €50, but hey, stop whining, you’re at L’Avenue!
