Today marks the official beginning of the last leg of the Fashion Month marathon—Paris Fashion Week. And while most of us will be busy shuttling from one runway to the next, we believe it s important to also take a moment to experience all those things that one can only do when in the City of Light. Who better, naturally, to let us in on the best restaurants, art shows, shopping, and more in Paris than four French (or Francophile, as the case may be) women with impeccable style and taste? Find out **Sofia Sanchez Barrenechea **s favorite lunch spot, the hidden garden that blogger Jeanne Damas just loves, the store where Lauren Santo Domingo tells all her guests to go, where Caroline de Maigret gets her enviably effortless-looking hair done, and more in our slideshow below.
Anahi, an Argentine steak bistro, is one of my favorites. Toyo has great French-Japanese fusion—the former personal chef to Kenzo Tekada opened it. And like the design house, the restaurant is having a moment. Breakfast in America is exactly as advertised. Chateaubriand, Frenchie, and Septime are all pretty incredible for a proper dinner. I hate to be so obvious, but I usually end up at Caviar Kaspia most nights. Are there any are exhibits you’re excited to see? Musée des Arts Décoratifsnever fails to entertain. They have a French lacquer and Chinese objet exhibition now, which is right up my alley. Musée du Quai Branly usually has great exhibitions. I hear they have something on Nancy Cunard s African book that sounds compelling. The exhibit opens March 4. Is there a hidden corner, park, or street in Paris that you absolutely love? I used to live near AUP in the Fifth Arrondissement, right off of the Rue de Grenelle, when I studied in Paris, and it always draws me back. I do my food shopping there as much as possible. What are some of your favorite shopping stores in Paris? Paris is a mecca for children’s clothes, but La Chatelaine is the gold standard for traditional dress. Noël in the Sixteenth Arrondissement is great for something very, very special. You can choose a pattern from its archive, and they will teach you how to do the embroidery by your own hand. Even with my limited knowledge from when I was young, it’s not quite like riding a bike, but it does comes back. Muriel Grateau is the ultimate resource for tabletop. Dior Home is the spot for an extravagant hostess gift. I recommend all my houseguests stop here before unpacking their suitcases. For those sleepy Sundays . . . Paris shuts down on Sundays; Publicis pharmacy at the top of the Champs-Élysées, however, is open and has saved my life countless times. Everything in the Marais is open for business. Amen. And Rose Bakery for brunch is the spot.