Monday, June 1, 2009

Jugetsudo - the art of japanese tea

Paris is full of salon de thes. There is La Duree, Mariage Freres and a variety of other fancy cafes that serve tea. So the other day my husband and I were walking around the St. Germain area and we ran into this beautiful little pocket of Japanese culture.
The space is very luminous, stylish and cozy. It is a traditional Japanese tea room where they serve you different types of tea and a small little cake or rice cracker that compliments your choice. The water is kept hot in a kettle in front of you and each type of tea is served with a teapot and tea cup meant for that specific tea. They also serve matcha and froth it right in front of you which was really entertaining since I have failed miserably in frothing it myself.
It feels very civilized and they give you small bamboo forks to eat your cake delicately and everything is very organized in front of you. They also sell very high quality teas, teapots, and other accessories for the tea connisseur in all of us.
Jugetsudo, 95, rue de Seine, 5e
jugetsudo.fr

APC - outlet



APC is always in the mags and I always think, I really need to have some pieces. The style is decidedly french preppy with a touch of garage sale glam. Some of the clothes remind me of something Chloe S. would probably wear or something you would find at a very cool vintage store. Alas, the clothes are well-made, great materials and seem really simple. It is a strange thing to find in Paris. But....I never seem to buy anything at the stores??? I find a piece I like and I always think, "I feel so unglamourous" !! The clothes are super utilitarian and nice, but the prices are hardly for the average socialist. The price points range from a blouse for over 100 euros and dresses for 300 and up. So when I found the stock, I was really excited.
The entire store is half off the price on the clothes. This made it super interesting. I grew up in suburbia in the States and when I see something like the GAP, my first thought is always, "it will go on sale soon" and it always does. It may just be a block in my thinking (or maybe because I am chinese?!) but I have a hard time paying alot of money for a pair of khakis.
Anyhow, the stock is great. Amazing selection, very hip boutique and the sales person was super nice. Plus is it close to Sacre Coeur which is beautiful and it is in the 18e which makes it a pretty funky experience.
APC surplus, 20 rue Andre del Sartre 18e