Vernissage
Eight days in Paris with treasured friends make for special memories that will always be remembered
Leon Gallery and Salcedo Auctions showcase rare and exquisite works of art
The first time I went to Paris, I went with my parents. I was in high school, and we visited all the usual tourist haunts: the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, and Versailles. Ever since then, I have yearned to be back, but Paris is not my dad’s favorite city, so as a family, we have never returned. I resigned myself to waiting for something like a work trip, if I was lucky, or I figured that perhaps the next trip would be when I had my own family.
Luckily, I did not have to wait that long. My previous boss, Anna Sobrepeña, messaged to say that the Filipina Women’s Network had given her an award recognizing her as one of the most Influential Filipina Women in the World. The ceremony was to be held in Paris. Along with me, she had invited members of the team she had worked with: my former managing editor Bianca Salonga and Chino Hernandez, and one of my current bosses, Suki Salvador.
The prospect of Paris is too enticing to give up, so we all said yes and made plans for the trip. After a few visits the processing center to get my visa settled, one fairy godmother to help me on my way, and a couple of Uniqlo purchases to get me winter-ready, it was time to go.
A SENSE OF JE NE SAIS QUOIS
As in all lines in any airport in the Philippines, the one at Etihad was long and winding, and having arrived early to try to beat it, I was lucky to be able to join Bianca at the Business Class. When she had finished getting her visa settled, the airline representative asked me if I wanted to upgrade to line for Business. They had overbooked Economy, and there was a sale for Business at a ridiculously good price. I snapped it up and never looked back.
It is a rare chance for me to sit in Business; while I travel frequently with family, my dad is of the maxim that it is better to spend money at the location, rather than the destination. So sitting in Business Class for 9 ½ hours was a moment I will never forget, as I enjoyed the food and was able to sleep comfortably. I wandered around the airport in Abu Dhabi before getting on the plane to Paris, which turned out to be just as enjoyable as the previous flight: the couple sitting next to me decided to move to two empty seats ahead, so I was able to sleep for eight hours stretched out on the seat. And then the flight landed, and finally, I was in Paris.
Bianca and I settled at the terminal to wait for Chino, who had arrived on another flight with Anna. As we sat, sipping our chocolat chaud at Paul, we wondered at the endlessly chic women around us. I dress for comfort in flights, French women manage to do comfort and style, a sense of je ne sais quois that I can never seem to replicate.
After meeting with Chino, we drove into the city. Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport is about 50 minutes away from the city center, so we had an hour of chatting with the taxi driver. Bianca is fluent in French, having studied in France a few years ago while I studied it in high school, reaching a level several miles below proficient. I was, in other words, très terrible. But I bumbled along in the car, trying my best to answer back.
Our rented accommodation was in the Saint-Honoré area at the 1st arrondissement, surrounded by all the best in shopping that Paris has to offer, and walking distance to the Jardin des Tuileries and Place Vendôme. When we arrived, the owner of the apartment was not there yet, so we had a meal at Au Bistro, just in front of where we were staying. I had the steak tartar for my first meal in Paris, and I am happy to say it was delicious. The restaurant was crowded and full of lively conversation from loyal patrons.
When the owner of the flat arrived, he let us into an airy, three-bedroom dwelling. There were two bathrooms, a kitchen, and a shared living and dining area. We were very happy with its central location.
Dinner that night was at Cucina Mutualité. Located at the Latin Quarter, this Alain Ducasse-owned restaurant serves high-quality Italian food with a twist. We had three kinds of pasta: the vongole, another one with guanciale with artichokes and the bucatini, and the Milanese-style escalope. While the meal was delicious, we were a little disappointed with the service. The servers were very nice but overworked (it seemed like there were only two of them) so it was a long time before our orders were taken, and the food arrived a bit later than usual. Nevertheless, the meal was delicious.
SPINNING IN FRENCH
I got up early the next day to get some exercise in at one of Dynamo Cycling’s five locations, this one located at Rue Saint-Agustine, near the Paris Opera. The sun had not yet risen as I walked over, and the air was quite chilly. Indoor cycling is my favorite form of exercise, and I was glad to see that it was en vogue in Paris too. The classes are taught in French, so I sat in the second row (a first for me, as I usually prefer to be right in front in the middle, or at side court) so I could follow along with the instructions while looking at the riders in front of me. My rudimentary French served me well, as I could understand some of the simple instructions (“à droite à gauche…un, deaux, trois!”).
Back at the apartment, we had a breakfast of baguette and cheese, before we decided to hit the shops. Saint-Honoré is lined with shops that will clean out your credit card if you are not careful, so I made sure to buy things I only truly wanted, like a cream sweater at & Other Stories (I liked it so much, I bought the black version when I went to New York a month later). We also stopped in Chanel, where I tried on a pair of shoes I was deciding on. Other purchases included a black Acne scarf, which is truly a basic choice out of all the colors you could imagine buying but I have wanted a black Acne scarf for a while now. I also went to WHSmith and picked up two books: Andre Aciman’s Find Me, the sequel to Call Me By Your Name (I have since read this and do not recommend it at all) and the Emily Wilson translation of The Odyssey.
Dinner took place at Nomad, across the street from the apartment. This French, contemporary spot was decked with mid-century style furnishings, and the food was enjoyable. I had the warm gray bowl here, and I had a bite of Chino’s food as well. On the way home, we drove past the Notre Dame, and it was nice to see that rebuilding efforts have gone well for the historical cathedral.
A CHEERFUL WALK
On our second full day, we took a trip to the Champs Élysées. This historical avenue located on the 8th arrondissement is filled with restaurants, theaters, and luxury shops, and while Chino embarked on a DVD haul, Bianca and I bought a few essentials at Sephora. We also took a peek at the Monoprix located a block away. We met up with Anna and her fellow awardees at the Musée d'Orsay, and while her group had lunch, she joined us for a walk along the Seine as we made our way to the Eiffel Tower. Along the way, we encountered such sites as the Thomas Jefferson statue and the Pont Alexandre III, a deck arch bridge built across the river and most recently known as the location for Adele’s Someone Like You video (I had fun pretending to be Adele when we walked along). This is one of my fondest memories of the trip, chatting and catching up with Anna as we took in the sites. The phrase “Paris is Always a Good Idea” makes me cringe, but it was here where I realized how true it was.
When we finally made our way to the Eiffel Tower, we took a break for lunch at Café Gustave. I am normally quite nervous when it comes to eating at restaurants so close to a major tourist attraction because I tend to think that the food will not be good, but I am glad to say, that was not the case, and my beef carpaccio was very delicious.
We walked around the Eiffel Tower with Anna and dropped her off with her group, as we returned to the apartment to meet up with Suki, who had arrived while we were having lunch. After a rest, we decided to go to the Montmartre district. A few train stops away, Montmartre was once teeming with artists like Renoir and Picasso, and was a source of inspiration for Van Gogh and Degas. Today, it is home to hip shops and quaint restaurants. We had dinner at the Brasserie Royal Turenne near the Place des Vosges, and I had a wonderful spread of foie gras with bread.
CHIC AT CHANEL
The next day, I had another early morning indoor cycling session at Dynamo, and after breakfast, we walked to Palais Royal. Located just a stone’s throw from The Louvre, this former royal palace was once home to Cardinal Richelieu, followed by members of French ruling houses, and finally, the Galerie d’Orléans, a famed shopping arcade. While the gallery was knocked down in the 1930s, rows of side columns were left to frame the ceremonial courtyard and the Palais Royal gardens. On one side of the square is the final home of the legendary French writer Colette (unfortunately, this is not open to visitors). The inner courtyard is currently the location of Daniel Buren’s
Le Deux Plateaux. This once-controversial installation features black and white striped columns with different heights dotting the courtyard’s floors in a grid pattern and is a favored place for those looking for Instagram-worthy shots. I have always wanted to see it, so it was wonderful to be able to visit.
After a walk in the beautiful gardens, we had lunch at Bistrot Victoires, which was about five minutes away from the Palais Royal. Despite the long line outside, the food was worth it. It was probably the cheapest meal we had but I would say the most delicious. Again, I had steak tartar, and this was the best.
I decided to make my big purchase of the trip at Chanel. Choosing between three pairs of shoes was no joke, and it took me about 45 minutes to decide, but I finally decided to buy a pair of black flats. Nothing feels better than being handed the crisp, white shopping bag with a camellia on it.
Back at the apartment, we got ready for Anna’s event. Dressed to the nines, we walked to the Westin at Place Vendôme (Chino told me not to wear my light puffer inside the coat because “Sara, it’s not chic.”). At the event, we watched a fashion show with the awardees showing off their outfits, and I can honestly say Anna looked the best. Afterwards, we learned about each awardee, and hearing their stories, their hardships and their triumphs were very inspiring. We had a delicious dinner and ended the night with a photo session.
LUNCH BY THE TUILERIES
The next morning, we had lunch with Anna. She was flying home that day, so we had lunch at Le First at the Westin. Chef Gilles Grasteau’s simple and refined menu using local, in-season ingredients was unforgettable. I had the grilled octopus and a lovely view of the Jardin des Tuileries. After the meal, we said goodbye to Anna, and headed off to Avenue Montaigne for more shopping, but not before we stopped at Café Kitsune for coffee to wake us up after the last night shannanigans.
At Avenue Montaigne, we walked around the famed shops, and I mentally listed things I wanted to buy myself in the future (on top of my list is a Loewe puzzle bag). We stopped at the new Galerie Lafayette on Champs Élysées. This contemporary take on the famed Parisian department store was filled with all sorts of things you would want to buy, but I restrained myself to a hair clip from Valet Studios and nail polish from natural beauty brand Kure.
One mistake I made was I allowed myself to sweat in the department store, and by the time, we arrived back at the apartment I had a full-blown cough. I took medicine and hoped I would get better.
SICK LIKE SATINE
Unfortunately, I did not get better. I had a terrible cold that knocked me out for a day and a half and kept me in bed. Chino, Suki, and Bianca went on with their day while I tried in vain to recuperate, although my friends were very nice to me (at some point I joked that I was dying of consumption like Satine in Moulin Rouge, so Chino sang Come What May to me).
The time out I spent sick meant that I missed out on being able to visit d’Orsay, which was a huge shame, as I am a big fan of Impressionist paintings. When I was finally able to move around again, it was too late, I was leaving the next day. I tried to make the most of the last day by going to the original Galerie Lafayette on Haussmann Boulevard, to purchase a pair of Veja sneakers. Still being slightly sick, I was walking slower than everyone else was.
That night, we had dinner at Le Royal, where I finally had some moules marinières, one of my favorite dishes. When we returned to the apartment, we packed our things in preparation for the next day.
AU REVOIR
On our last day, we moved out of the apartment into the hotel room Suki and Bianca paid for to spend their last night. Dragging my suitcase was quite exhausting but luckily, the walk wasn’t that far. We had lunch at Café de la Régence, a charming spot near the Louvre, and I had one more beef tartar. After the meal, I did some last minute shopping and bought a box of Maison du Chocolat and a pack of Nougat de Montélimar for my dad.
It was time to leave for the airport. Despite feeling a little better, my cough seemed to have stayed and I spent the Uber ride hacking and sneezing in the back seat, to the consternation of the driver. Nevertheless, I had fun looking out the window, seeing more of the city as we drove out of it.
I had a harried time at the airport: the lines for check in were full and by the time I reached the front, I quickly checked in and practically had to run to make it to my plane. Thankfully, I made it and soon, it was time to come home.▪