Textiles and Fashion Discoveries of Paris and London, Part 1

When you travel for work, it's easy to get stuck into the same old 'the Milk Run' (as a friend calls it) of staying in same trusted hotels, strolling the same favourite routes and neighbourhoods; browsing at the same beloved boutiques; dining at the same restaurants (with friends who love them as much as you do) and even visiting the same museums. 

But every now and then it's important, I think, to step off the Milk Run and discover cities anew—just as you did the first time you went overseas. Changing the pace and the paths you take can renew your sense of wonder at places, and make you fall in love with destinations all over again.

This happened to me this week. 

In the spirit of this new 'Gratitude Attitude' that we're all joyfully adopting, I decided to try and uncover parts of London and Paris I'd never seen. 

I'm here for a few days to source textiles and fashion places for new books, including the Paris book that's been stuck behind a writer's block. For the last few months I've been reluctant to leave my partner at home after a few very sad months, but the state election is on, our house is in chaos because of it (my partner works in politics part-time), and so it seemed like a good time to finally GET OUT OF TOWN and find inspiration again!

As it turned out, the last week of November is the perfect time to travel: Paris hotels are dirt cheap (I found many for $100/n), the Christmas lights are twinkling, and the weather is still gentle. More than that, people are busy and so things that would normally be booked out are available. But the most wonderful thing about getting off the ol' Milk Run is discovering a new side to Paris and London.

Let me show you what I mean.

Every month, the V&A Museum has a tour of its archives. I'd never bothered with it before as it's often over-subscribed, but this week there was a place, so I cleared a few hours to try it.

Oh my. What a textile lover's dream.

Held at Blythe House in West Kensington, the archives are where the museum's collections of fashion and textiles are stored when they're not on show. Our group only saw one room but there were 54,000 pieces in that one room. Rows and rows of vintage Dior, Givenchy, Balenciaga, Chanel and so on... I can't tell you how amazed we all were. The gasps seem to rise higher and higher.

I dare not show you much as I'm not sure how much we're allowed to reveal (the security was tighter than MI5!), but I can tell you it's well worth it. If you love fashion and textiles, it's an incredible place to see. The V&T has always been held in high regard by fashion and textile lovers but this team should be applauded for their dedication to preserving such magnificent history.

Another little-explored section of London—at least for me—is the northern part of Notting Hill, and having heard about the wonders of The Cloth Shop, a fabulous fabric resource in W10, I decided to head north. 

(Tip: If you want to see Portobello Road, go on Fridays when there are no crowds. It's bliss.)

The Cloth Shop is a secret treasure trove of textile goodies in the midst of the bustling markets: a store full of beautiful linens (some as little as 12 pounds) and striped bolts galore.

The staff is also lovely. There's a cat too, who happily sits on all the expensive trimmings.

While you're there, pop around the corner to Alice Temperley, a designer loved by both British celebs and Australian expats for her intricately detailed pieces. (link) 

She has stores in King's Road and Mayfair, but this is her original, and is still her private atelier.

This house is on the way to Temperley.

 If you look carefully, the brass plaque says 'BANK ROBBER'. 

Clearly a thief with wit and style.

I'd also never really stopped to notice the flower stalls in London before. This as one filled with Christmas bouquets in shades of crimson and magenta. Just beautiful.

More London cuteness. I can't believe I've never seen this side of Notting Hill before.

But perhaps my biggest London 'discovery' has been the bedrooms of Blakes Hotel. 

Which have to be seen to be believed.

Most design lovers and hotel hedonists know about Blakes—it was the first 'boutique hotel' in the world. Like many, however, I'd never really spent much time here. Until now. With cheap November deals (try Sundays and Mondays for the best bargain prices), I booked a night. 

They kindly gave me the red-and-white room. Which was like walking into an urban oasis on a cold London afternoon.

This is the bathrom. Balcony and all. 

(Can you see the ceiling? It's all lined in fabric. Incredible.)

The detail in the curtains, curtain pulls and door handles was enough to make a design lover gasp.

Apparently Lady Gaga stays in a similar red-lined room here. A room that, incidentally, has just been voted The Most Romantic Hotel Room In The World by Mr and Mrs Smith Guides.

Here's another room, which Amelia, the gorgeous reservations girl, kindly showed me. 

The price for this room is incredibly cheap, considering the design.

If you love fabrics, this is the London hotel for you.

Trust me. You'll be as ga-ga as Lady Gaga.

I'm back in London next week, so will post more textile gorgeousness then.

I'm now in Paris for a few days to source fashion, style and design destinations for the new Paris book (just to finish it off), and will post many of my Parisian discoveries this week.

If you'd like to follow on Instagram, the link is here: instagram link

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Glamour In Manhattan: Travel Insights

Unlike Paris, New York doesn’t seduce you with its Haussmanian sophistication or its seductive wardrobes and ways. It doesn’t have the history, dignity and grace of London, nor the sunny glamour of Sydney—although it does have its own unique sheen. What it does have is confidence and unending energy, and with that drive and determination New Yorkers have built one of the most thrilling and inspirational destinations in the world. If you're feeling tired, overworked, in need of new direction or creative/business ideas, or just want  a glamour boost, this is the city for you.

Most of the creative professionals I know go to New York several times a year, and not just because they can claim the trip on tax. It's stimulating, reinvigorating, inspiring, and enlivening. 

A week here will turn you into a new person. 

Furthermore, New York is going through enormous aesthetic changes at the moment as New York entrepreneurs revive once-staid neighbourhoods with glamorous new hotels and spectacular new stores.

Three of these rapidly changing neighbourhoods are the Flatiron, the Garment District and the Upper East Side. All three are going through a kind of revival, although the Flatiron is attracting the most attention. Named for its ironic (and much-loved) cheesegrater-style building, this bustling quarter has become the city's new design hub, with gorgeous home stores, edgy hotels, and whimsical boutiques. (Don't miss the Marimekko fabric store, the elegant new J Crew store, which has a mini bookstore, and Rizzoli's stylish new bookstore due to open in spring 2015.) 

Here are a few travel insights to help you discover the most memorable sides of Manhattan.

Oh – and my lovely publishers have said to tell you that if you'd like to buy the new New York in Style book directly from them, they'll give you a 30% discount.  

Just go to www.mup.com.au and enter the promo code NYSTYLE30 on checkout.

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NEW YORK TOUR

Of course, if you really want to know where the great little fashion museums, design stores, fabric stores, vintage Chanel stores, flea markets, fashion boutiques and fabulous restaurants and bars are, come on our Gardenesque Tour in late April 2015. Numbers are limited to 15 people per tour, and we've already had serious interest from five times that number, so it's likely to fill up quickly.

Alternatively, you could book the New England tour (see previous post), and tack on a few days in New York before or after the New England tour.

Links –  www.gardenesquetours.com
or Reho Study Tours

WHEN TO GO

My favourite month to experience Manhattan is late April, when the streets burst into blossoms and the park break into bulbs – it always surprises me how many flowers there are here in spring and how a metropolis of skyscrapers can be softened by all those beds of perennials down below. 

{Our Gardenesque tour is scheduled to see New York in April – when the city is at its best.}

WHERE TO STAY

The NoMad was one of the first to inject a modern dose of glamour into the rapidly changing and newly fashionable Flatiron 'hood. Other places, such as the Shake Shack, The Ace and Eataly had already moved in, but The NoMad seemed to pave the way for a whole lot of new high-end retailers and businessman. (Even Rizzoli's new bookstore is moving downtown to the Flatiron quarter.) Service can be a bit off-hand at the NoMad, but the fabulous interiors and furnishings are worth it.

Other new hotel openings schedule for 2014 include: The Archer Hotel, which will pay homage to its Garment District location with a mix of fabrics (6 Times Square; www.archerhotel.com), the Knickerbocker Hotel, which will re-open to show off its glorious, Beaux-Arts architecture, literary links and distinctive mansard roof (142 West 42nd Street; www.theknickerbocker.com), and the new SLS Hotel New York – another newcomer to the NoMad/Flatiron neighbourhood  444 Park Avenue. www.slshotels.com But perhaps the most anticipated newcomer is the luxurious Baccarat Hotel, which opens late 2014. Housed in a 45-storey glass tower opposite the MoMA, it’s the first US Baccarat Hotel and likely to be as shiny and fine as its sister restaurant in Paris. 20 West 53rd Street. www.baccarathotels.com

If you want to fork out for a truly memorable hotel room, book into the F. Scott Fitzgerald Suite at The Plaza. Designed by Oscar-winning costume designer and Baz Luhrmann’s other half, Catherine Martin, this dramatic Art Deco space was inspired by Scott and Zelda, both devoted patrons of The Plaza. The suite features photos of the duo, Scott’s complete works, documentaries and movies, and beautiful coffee-table books that evoke languorous summers on Long Island and New York in the roaring twenties. 768 Fifth Avenue. www.plazany.com

WHERE TO EAT AND DRINK

The NoMad's Library Bar (above left) is one of the most beautiful spaces in Manhattan. 

Other must-sees include Balthazar in SoHo (above right), Benoit, Caffe Storico, Harlow, Eleven Madison Park, and The Lion. 

We'll also be visiting a few secret and extraordinarily beautiful rooftop hideaways with gorgeous views on our Gardenesque Tour. {www.gardenesequetours.com}

WHERE TO SHOP

Quite possibly one of the best sources of vintage Chanel in New York is Jewel Diva, situated within the equally wondrous New York Showplace. It’s a tiny stall, barely bigger than a Chanel earring, but the owner is clearly well connected when it comes to vintage designer jewellery—and clearly informed. You can tell she knows her stuff: the last time I visited she was carrying a lot of vintage Chanel pendant necklaces, which are very ‘in’ at the moment. She also stocks Dior and many other fine French jewellery pieces, some of which date back to the 1920s. Her tagline is ‘From deco to disco, Victorian to modernist, Haskell to Chanel’, which sums it up, really. 40 West 25th Street – but check hours, weekends are often closed.

Other great places to source gorgeous things include Ralph Lauren's Home store (above), where you can find elegant accessories to luxe up your flea-market finds, Anya Hindmarch’s new Upper East Side store (which now offers a bespoke handbag service), the D&D Building (a fabric lover’s mecca), and ABC Carpet and Home (a must for interior design lovers). {All details in New York book}

WHAT TO LOOK UP FOR

New York is mostly a city where you try and get high in order to look down, but here's one place where it pays to look up! A signature feature of the Fifth Avenue skyline, The Pierre's ornate Mansard roof (above, building on left) is an architectural treasure. It was once the most glamorous ballroom in Manhattan—and a place for high society to escape Depression-era New York. The ballroom was shuttered in the early 1970s and forgotten about for nearly twenty years. Lost to time, it was regarded by Pierre staff of as a kind of ‘grand attic’ to shove unwanted furniture. It was finally sold in 1988 to Australian heiress Lady Mary Fairfax, who converted it into one of the most opulent private residences in the city. (It included a 3500-square-foot ballroom, a Belgian marble double staircase, a 20-foot-high Palladian windows, a curved 23-foot ceiling and huge terraces overlooking Central Park.) It was later re-listed for US$70 million; at that time the highest price ever for a New York residence. It was such a symbol of wealth that the makers of the film Meet Joe Black cast the penthouse as the residence of Anthony Hopkins’ character. To locate it, look for the French-style Mansard roof on Fifth Avenue. 2 East 61st Street.

Hundreds more New York insights are available in the new book New York in Style out next week, or on our Glamour & Grandeur Tour – 

www.gardenesquetours.com

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Paris Travel Tips

Lots of people have emailed about Paris, both this week and over the past few years, asking for ideas and travel tips. I never know how to reply because people, of course, are very different, and everyone likes doing different things. I love gardens, fabric stores, vintage fairs and fashion boutiques, and unusual museums, but others may want to see les grands magasins (the famous department stores), before ticking off the the most iconic buildings, the most idyllic side streets and the prettiest photo opportunities. 

Whatever our preferences there is no doubt that Paris charms, beguiles and delights us all. As my next book on Paris is likely to be my last it will cover places I've never written about before; places I've tended to keep close to my chest (and heart). I'm also doing maps and illustrations to help readers locate all the places. If you have any suggestions for places to see or go, do let me know. I always love hearing about new destinations.

Here are a few tips for people travelling to Paris this summer or indeed in the future. (I can't give too much away or my publisher will admonish me.) If you are heading off soon, I hope you have a really wonderful time! And please don't hesitate to email me if you have any questions: I'll always try and answer them.

Pack your most comfortable shoes.

 This may seem obvious, but people still pack heels for day use. Paris has far more cobblestoned streets, stairs and changes of level than, say, London, and the pavers and steps will tire your feet surprisingly quickly. I wore what I thought were comfy boots this trip but still had to go and buy the ubiquitous ballet flats the third day in. Ballets aren't as comfy as proper walking shoes, but when you're desperate they'll do. The cheapest ballets are in the markets (such as Clignancourt), and in the many discount shops of the Left Bank and the Marais. One tip for buying ballets: the closer into the inner city you go the more expensive they'll be. I found lovely pairs of ballets in both Le Bon Marché and nearby Jet Set (which has very glamorous shoes) for 200 euros; similar ballets were just 10 euros a short walk around the corner down the Rue de Rennes.

Another tip: Buy up big in plasters, bandaids, foot files, etc, before you leave home. Pedicure bits and pieces are incredibly expensive in Parisian chemists – I once saw a foot file for 30 euros and bandaids/plasters are often eye-wateringly expensive. Before travelling to Paris, I always buy supplies from Boots in London, where bandaids and basic foot files are only 2 pounds.

Hotels versus apartments

Lots of travellers are jumping on the apartment bandwagon, and sites such as One Fine Stay offer truly beautiful places to bed down, but I hate paying a deposit and worrying about being charged for damage I haven't caused – which does happen with some agencies. If you're in Paris for less than 3 days a hotel is still the best option. (I'll do a post on Parisian apartments soon.)

My favourite cheap-to-middle-priced hotels are the cheap 'n' chic Hotel des Marronniers, which is right in the heart of Saint Germain-des-Pres and has a pretty garden, Hotel de Buci (above), which is slightly more expensive but has lovely interiors, and the more-expensive-again L'hôtel Récamier on Square St.-Sulpice, which is one for a special occasion. The Hôtel Abbaye Saint Germain is also a lovely place with a gorgeous rear garden and front courtyard entrance.

Try new hotels for cheap prices.

When hotels open, they usually offer a 'friendly' rate for the first 3 to 6 months and sometimes for a year. I stayed in the Hotel Paradis this past trip for just 100 euros a night, which is cheap for peak summer season. Keep an eye out on HotelChatter.com for new openings.

Try the markets for memorable fashion.

Lots of people adore shopping on the grand boulevards, but you can find equally extraordinary pieces in the markets. Try the stalls of Marché Paul Bert and the Serpette (www.marcheserpette.com) for beautiful old designer pieces from the likes of Balenciaga, Chanel, Dior and Saint Laurent.

Wander though Paris' passages.

Don't miss wandering the old passages of Paris for authentic atmosphere – and great photo ops. They're also great for avoiding the rain during showers. Try Passage Verdeau and the cluster of other charming arcades to the east of the Palais Royal.

 Tracking down authentic Chanel, Hermès, and other covetable names.

Not surprisingly, one of the most popular souvenirs for women travellers visiting Paris is something from one of the grand French names. You only need to go to the flagship Hermès store to see this. However, you don't need to pay big money for your Parisian pleasures. If you want some authentic Chanel or Hermès (and don't have time to trawl the flea markets), try the resale stores, which often have brand new, never-worn items with tags still attached alongside the carefully loved clothes. Catherine B. on the Left Bank is a favourite with fashion editors but another great store is Reciproque, at 95 Rue de la Pompe in the 16th. I've found Chanel jackets in both stores for less than 1000 euros – still too much for me (I ended up buying some vintage Chanel jewellery instead) – but significantly less than in a Chanel store.

And if you do want something to remember Paris by, try finding some vintage Chanel jewellery (ie less than 1980s and preferably older). Anything old is becoming coveted among collectors, with prices are rising every year.

Always look up.

The best parts of Paris are often high above the streetscapes. This was a scene on the Seine that I captured while walking back to the hotel one evening. Bookending three otherwise ordinary Parisian apartment buildings were two remarkable penthouses with amazing conservatories. It's these sorts of scenes that make up the architectural fabric of Paris. 

Don't miss the classics.

Even if you can't afford Chanel, still try to pop into the iconic Rue Cambon store. It's the flagship store and the only one that gives out white bags rather than black. The window displays are always chic, and the staff are lovely, so you won't feel intimidated. Spray some (free) Chanel No. 5 and embrace the joie of Paris.

Seek out the more unusual museums.

I love discovering Paris' secret museums, which are not only devoid of queues but often far more interesting than than their grander counterparts. My favourite is YSL's atelier (above), but you could also try the Carnavalet, the Mona Bismarck American Center, the Delacroix Museum and the Arts Decoratifs. There are many others, too, which I'll detail in the book.

Don't pack much in your luggage.

Again, this may seem obvious, but I still overpack, even after years of travelling, and then find I have no room for purchases! 

And lastly, separate your clothes and other things in your luggage using the new fabric and canvas packing bags that are starting to be sold everywhere (such as this one above). They're so innovative. They keep your clothes separate from your toiletries, so that if your white talcum powder and Chanel somehow end up loose from their containers, they won't leave a heartbreaking white powder on your favourite black Armani blazer! 

Lastly, if you need more room, try rolling your clothes (as the experts dictate) because it squeezes out all the air. 

Of course, you could simply take a little carry-on case and then buy another bag in Paris!

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How To Travel, Cheaply

Readers write the loveliest emails. This week I received half a dozen notes from some truly inspiring women. One was off to live in London for the summer and autumn months. (I've done that before and desperately wish I could do it again.) Another had borrowed a friend's house in the South of France for a little while. She was reading the Provence book, and hearing the excitement in her emails made me wish I was returning to the Riviera again this year. Oh for the money (and time) to be able to travel in such style!

Some people are really bad at travel. They whinge and grumble about everything. Most of us realise travel is difficult at times, but the thrill of seeing new places should always overcome the displacement. Even in my darkest hours, when I've stood on the Pont des Arts bridge in Paris and cried tears of weariness; when I've flown into a hurricane in the Bahamas (on the last flight into Nassau before the airport closed) and wondered if I'd ever get home?; when I've wandered a snowy road in Denmark and felt a homesickness for Australia that was so deep it caused my heart to ache, I've never regretted travelling. Never. 

Even this morning, while trying to book / rebook an international flight (having postponed a trip that really needs to be done) and failing, and then having to ring overseas five times to chase the refund (FIVE times; from Australia!), and then announcing to my partner that I was NEVER getting on another plane again, I knew in my heart there were lots of rewarding places I still wanted to explore.

Over the years, friends have given me great tips on ways to lighten the travel experience. So here are a few, to keep you inspired and motivated, too.

SEE DIFFERENT DESTINATIONS

My parents, who travel the globe like the rest of us have cups of tea, rarely return to the same place twice. It's my father's philosophy, and it's a good one. If you always tread the old London-Paris-Italy-New York routes, think about seeing somewhere new. Go somewhere you've never been. 

We're trying to get to Raja Ampat (above) before it explodes with tourism. My niece just returned from Costa Rica. When today's papers announced that "Sri Lanka is the new Bali" I thought: Oh no, there goes another place I've missed, and now it's too late! 

But it's never too late to get off the beaten track and find the side roads of life.

So if you always do London, you could take a train to Bath one day to see the Fashion Museum (above). 

And if you always go to New York for business you could stay an extra few days and get a $100 JetBlue flight to Nantucket island. (Beautiful.) Or hire a car to explore Sharon Springs (site of the Beekman Boys' famously beautiful store) and the villages of nearby Connecticut. 

And if you always go to Paris, you could hire a bike for a day and ride around the gardens of Versailles. Or explore Normandy, and Chateau Brecy, Giverny and Le Musée Christian Dior. 

And if you always fly through Singapore or Bangkok you could tack on a week and hop across to Angkor Wat, or the equally astonishing Borobudur, above. (Bangkok Air often have $20 flights.) 

THINK: CHEAP

If you rack up the dollars before your trip has started, your stress levels will diminish the joy of the forthcoming departure. Find affordable hotels and reasonable flights, and you'll be much happier about heading out. When I gently warned one reader that she may find her Riviera hotel a little austere, she was unperturbed. It saved money for a few days, she said, and the location was perfect. Wise woman.

Two of the lovely women from last year's garden tour are keen to do further tours and so I've been trying to find hotels. There are SO many beautiful places for less than $200/n. Try TabletHotels.com for great deals, or travel a month either before or after peak season (ie May is often cheaper than June). 

If you're looking for some affordable hotels, here's a good list to start with, below. (NB If you need some luxe, book into an expensive place for one night every week; for the other 6 nights save the $$$.)

CHEAP HOTELS IN NEW YORK 

The Marlton, Greenwich Village— marltonhotel.com

The Jade, Greenwich Village — www.thejadenyc.com

The Night Hotel, Times Square — www.nighthotels.com

The Roger Hotel, Midtown — www.therogernewyork.com

CHEAP HOTELS IN LONDON

(Note: Do ensure you research hotels in London as some places don't suit everyone)

The Dorset Square Hotel, Marylebone —www.firmdalehotels.com/london/dorset-square-hotel‎

The Gore Hotel, South Kensington — www.gorehotel.com

The Ambersand, South Kensington www.ambersandhotel.com

The Rockwell, Kensington — www.therockwell.com

The Cranley, South Kensington — www.cranleyhotel.com

The Main House, Notting Hill — www.themainhouse.co.uk

The Spitalfields Townhouse — www.stayinspitalfields.com

La Suite West, Bayswater — www.lasuitewest.com

The Fielding Hotel, Covent Garden – www.thefieldinghotel.co.uk
Fox Club, Mayfair — www.foxclublondon.com

The Grazing Goat, Marylebone (not as cheap as it once was, but still pretty) — www.thegrazinggoat.co.uk

FIND AFFORDABLE WAYS OF GETTING PLACES

Don't assume travel has to be expensive. Even the traditionally expensive long-haul routes, say from Australia to London or New York, can be had for half-price. 

Research and compare fares on Skyscanner.com, cheapflights.com.au, lowostholidays.com.au or one of the other travel sites.

Sometimes there even will be airlines trying out new routes for very cheap prices. For example, while trying to find a flight to Denmark recently, I noticed Norwegian Air are now clearly going into competition with Ryan Air and flying direct from NY to Copenhagen, as well as many other routes, for half the price of the other carriers. It's a great way to see Scandinavia for very little.

If you're criss-crossing the US, try low-cost airlines such as JetBlue for cheap deals rather than bigger airlines such as United or Virgin. 

Or consider breaking up your long-haul flight by grabbing a cheap Jetstar flight to Singapore ($300 return from Australia at the moment) or Hong Kong, then picking up one of the top-tier carriers such as Singapore Airlines from there to your final destination.

Sri Lanka Airlines flies from Singapore to London for just $900, and you can often get a free stopover for a day or two in Colomb -- enough time to pick up a Ceylon sapphire!

Even direct flights, such as Sin-Lon-Sin (return) with Singapore Airlines (the best airline in the world) are only $1000, which will make your return fare from Australia to Europe just $1300. 

Bargain.

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