Out and about in Paris

Decorative ceiling at Galeries Lafayette, Paris, photo by Qingbo Sun

Today I've been out and about Paris, shopping at Printemps and Galeries Lafayette. When looking at fall handbags, I noticed that in some small boutiques such as Chloe and Gucci, barriers were set up to prevent too many people from entering at once! As though, 75 people suddenly were going to rush the handbag counter! Not likely, with those exhorbitant prices - i.e. 1,925 euros (more than $2,000).

At the Burberry counter at Galeries Lafayette, a female salesclerk was extremely rude, leaning directly in front of me to straighten a handbag a man had just put down. So in French, I said politely, "Pardon me for disturbing you." This is the normal expression here, both when interrupting someone to ask a question and when reminding someone they're out of order. She frowned at me and flounced off behind the counter. Was it because I was carrying a Longchamp bag? Needless to say, no sales commission for her today. (OK, I admit I bought a new Longchamp bag).

At the same department store, a dance troupe was performing in the middle of the main floor. So many people gathered to watch the act, the fire department arrived for crowd control. I never did figure out the occasion for the performance.

On the street, a man wearing a pin-striped suit and tie was holding a half-empty bottle of red wine and drinking straight from the bottle. In between swigs, he'd remember a stack of newspapers (similar to the Big Issue in London) balanced on top of a trashcan and offer one to passersby.

A young woman was walking down the street in a tres chic ensemble, complete with short skirt, black tights and high boots - and a jaunty newsboy cap, with the price tags dangling from the back. Evidently in her hurry to complete the look, she'd skipped a step.

And in another of those instances with which we struggle to understand French logic, a friend recently bought a new cell phone. Last week she was in Korea and the phone packed up. As it's still under warranty, she took the phone, along with receipt, warranty and original packaging back to the sales point in Paris. The customer service representative informed her she must write the company a deposit check for 120 euros - just in case the phone problem was caused by something she did wrong and the repairs weren't covered under warranty!

Comments

[Maggie]

This is horribly belated, but I was bored and reading through old beloved blogs and found this post (which I somehow missed when it was originally up). I LOVE LOVE LOVE Longchamps bags and am currently obsessed with my chocolate brown one (I also have a tan and earthy-green one). I love that we share the Longchamp love! xoxo

[Marilyn]

Oh! For YEARS I had a shawl scarf that I'd picked up at Galleries Lafayette. I couldn't wear it without thinking of Paris. And then, like a numskull, I sold it at my yard sale when I moved to the tropics. Idiot.

[boliyou]

oh, that ceiling is astounding! It sounds like a fun, full day. Thanks for sharing.

[Britt-Arnhild]

So you have been exploring Paris while I did my walks in Trondheim :-)

[maryanne]

Too funny! never a dull moment in Paris. I'll never forget the time we were in Paris and my hubby's wallet was stolen. A street person was sitting in a gutter with a sign that said "J'ai faim." Short for put money in my hat. The hubby sat down to explain why he couldn't give him any money and the guy ended up handing my husband his hat which was filled with money!

Only in PAris!

MAryanne

[claude]

Marvellous photos, Tara!
Wonderfull!
Thanks
XO

[Di]

I love your little vignettes.

And I must learn the Dutch equivalent of "Pardon me for disturbing you."

I have need of it here where I'm unaccumtomed to the pushiness of crowds. I guess NZers simply have more space to move.

[diana]

oh I loved getting to go with you today... thanks soooo much tara !!

[Rosa]

How fun for you. I can picture every word. I'm so happy you set that salesperson straight. How "wude." Good for you on the bag. I think I'm in need of changing mine, but I have enough in my closet, thank you very much! hehe. It's almost time to sport my tan leather coat so a tan bag is in order, ya think? I love the change of seasons!! xoxo

[kristen]

I love that store and also Printemps and always, always go when visiting Paris. I can stock up on items that I love and don't cost as much there, as they do here (like Le Clerc powder!!) I would love to know that expression in French as it would be a much better thing for me to say to rude people and would eliminate a need for the potty mouth fund. (=

[Catalina]

I love this place! specially on Christmas!

[Tammy]

I loved the stroll with you and really enjoyed snickering at that chic gal with the tags. Loved that photo!

[AscenderRisesAbove]

what a fascinating day!! Thanks for including us on your stroll

[Lotus]

Tara, thank you for letting us stroll through the streets of Paris with you, it gives me such a thrill to do so! I can't remember when I last bought a new bag - maybe it's time for me to head for our local mall (oh, but after Paris that won't be much fun at all) and look for a new one.

[miss*R]

thankyou for my little walk through Paris. ooh I hate rude sales people. a pet hate of mine. what a gorgeous photo! thankyou xo

[Willow Grace]

I've coveted Longchamp bags for years, they are so sleek and well made. Burberry's up there too but lower on the list. I totally enjoyed hearing about your day and fun encounters.

[Nina]

The famous l'logique francais! You've got to give it to them for trying...(the €120 for your friend's phone).

I so love longchamp bags too, in different sizes and colours please. Not quite a channel but hey, I get to change bags everyday and match my colours and remove the price tags (nothing big to flaunt around).

Wonderign if teh weather is going to stay cool enough for me to wear my riding boots today. Shall I apply my logique francais?

NXXXXXX

[tongue in cheek]

The sales tag hanging!! Lol, I am glad to know that I am not the only one to miss a step!
Oh the life in Paris and its many colorful events! As always the domed ceiling offers another touch of beauty to a wonderful city of adventure.

[tinker]

How annoying, but still, more interesting shopping than at the local Galleria!
Thanks for the entertaining tales of your shopping excursion.

[Deborah]

I love walking with you during your narrative outings in my favourite city! Wonderful pic for the post, as well. Many good thoughts ... xo, d

[Donna]

I love reading your blog, it floods me with memories of our week in the City of Light. I thought that was the most beautiful ceiling ever, never mind it was in a shopping mall!

[Kim G.]

OK - my favorite was the fellow in the pinstripe suite who was taking to heart the Alan Jackson/Jimmy Buffett song, "It's five o'clock somewhere . . ." Now that's a job!

Thanks Tara for the colorful tour of your day!

[Alexandra]

Some of these warranties are terrible rip-offs! What a delight to have your day shared with us! I can't believe you LIVE in Paris, that you can just walk out your door and within a short amount of time go to Luxembourg Park! I got so sick when I went there (food poisoning) so out of seven days there, being that I got sick so quickly, I saw just the park and a few streets! And as for customer service, I remember when I lived in Bulgaria it felt like I was a nuisance for walking into a store sometimes. Its so drilled into our heads in the States that our jobs depend on being courteous at all costs. Even if it might be phony, maybe I still prefer it to rudeness like what you unfortunately experienced today.

[Lisa(oceandreamer)]

Thank you for that guided tour Tara...I love getting to experience Paris through you. I will admit to a bit of a handbag "thing" but unfortunately replicas are as close as I've gotten to high end designer. How great you get to cruise and paw and perhaps buy from actual Paris boutiques...I will live vicariously through you in that way too.
Tags still on chic woman's clothes? Isn't it funny, I wonder if anyone at anytime stopped to tell her.

[Pam ARIES]

Oooohh...thank you for that little piece of Paris!!! hee hee! My friends have returned and filled me with stories of Paris!!Now , as the purses go....I cannot for the life of me understand why anyone would pay so much for them!! And I gotta say...I think LV makes the ugliest ones! go figure! Pardon!!!

[twitches]

Wow - amazing picture!!

[Colette]

You brought back memories of being marched to both Printemps and Galeries LaFayette to be outfitted by my aunt, who lived in Paris. She let me pick what I wanted for the most part (I was a child). And then we would to Madame de Sévigné for tea. I don't know if that tea shop is still there, but it was in the vicinity of the grands magasins.
xoxo

[Amber]

I think that tres chic outfit sounds great... without the tag, hehe. Am I too old to wear something like that?

The picture is so pretty!

:)

[susanlavonne]

MOST of this was parfait (bien sur!)...especially the bit about the tres chic Minnie Pearl look...but I will admit that I'm dying to hear the details of the briefly mentioned Longchamp bag!

Oooo la la! Can't wait to see the Printemps and Lafayette Christmas decorations..you WILL post those when the time comes, won't you, pretty please???

[leonie]

(giggle) A young woman was walking down the street in a tres chic ensemble, complete with short skirt, black tights and high boots - and a jaunty newsboy cap, with the price tags dangling from the back. Evidently in her hurry to complete the look, she'd skipped a step.
---
that made my day. i can just picture it.

[awareness]

I love that photo. It's breathtaking and would love to be seated just below it admiring the sun rays filtering through.

One of my favourite pastimes is observing the absurdities that occur all around us. People are so interesting and rude and accomodating, and complicated and fun.

[Sophie]

Such a pretty ceiling!!!!
What a lovely meander with your
on your day -
i love "pardon me for interrupting you"

i am going to use that:)

and i love the word "flounced"

i am going to use that too.

smiles!