Labor Day Weekend Special Trip Report: Europe 2010--Nick Verreos Does Paris!!!

Je T'Aime Paris!!!!!

Gay Pareee: A Paris Window Display showing Rainbow Eiffel Towers

Well, since I am in a post-photos-of-my-traveling sort of mood--being that it is Labor Day Weekend, when lots of people do some traveling---I also decided this would be the PERFECT time to finish off my "Europe 2010 Nick and David Travel Blog" with a Recap of the last city we visited a month and a half ago, when we went to Europe: Paris.

Petit Prince: Nick Verreos at the Golden Gates of the Petit Palais Museum, Paris France

To catch you up to speed--in July--I was invited to do a lecture for the Miami University of Ohio Summer In Europe Program (for a second year in a row!) in Florence Italy. After my stint there, David and I decided to spend some R & R at the AMAZING Amalfi Coast, and then, before returning to the good ol' US of A, we finished it all off with a quick trip to Paris.

The Petit Palais Museum, Paris France

Our main goal was to see the Yves Saint laurent Retrospective Exhibit at the Petit Palais Musee Des Beaux Arts De La Ville De Paris. That was it! No other excuse.

David Paul, outside the Petit Palais Yves Saint Laurent Retrospective, Paris France

Last year we went to the top of the Eiffel Tower (in pouring rain!), we did the Seine, the Marais--"been there done that". It was ALL ABOUT Yves and his Haute Couture. The exhibit opened in March and was to close August 29Th so we made it just in time! Three words: It was INCREDIBLE!!!! There are FIFTEEN different rooms showing the Master's Art from his days with Christian Dior, to...

Le Controversial: Yves Saint Laurent's much-maligned Spring 1971 Haute Couture Collection

His controversial 40's-inspired (some say he glamorized World War II) Collection. There is an amazing room which recreates Catherine Deneuve's "private closet" of Saint Laurent Couture, plus his Atelier Desk which looks as if it was lifted from his office the day he retired. And of course, various tributes showing how he "revolutionized" fashion, such as: Introducing pants into the female wardrobe, The Safari Jacket, Transparency as well as Le Smoking:

There was an entire WALL devoted to what seemed like HUNDREDS of Le Smoking (see above)--from tuxedo suits to skirt suits to gowns.

The Pièce de résistance , for me, was walking into the "Ball Gown Room" (see above)...

I actually began to heave and cry uncontrollably (not joking!!!). I don't know what came over me. Well, I actually do: It was the sight of over ONE HUNDRED Yves Saint Laurent Haute Couture Gowns that did it! David turned around and saw me crying and just smiled. Oh Yves, look what you do to me!!!

Nick Verreos and David Paul, outside the I.M. Pei Pyramid Louvre Museum

The following day (I couldn't do anything after THAT!), David and I decided to head toward the
Louvre...

.

And check out the Exhibit in the "Histoire Ideale de la Mode Contemporaine Vol. 1: 70-80"Musee des Arts Decoratifs, which showed a range of fashion encompassing the 70's and 80's. It was a nice exhibit but I must admit, it was VERY Francophile...no US designers, who by the way, were SOOOO important to the 70's and 80's. Can you say "Where was Halston, Calvin Klein, Perry Ellis, Diane Von Furstenberg, James Galanos, Nolan Miller, etc.?" Nope, none of them. Just A LOT of Lacroix, Mugler, and Castelbajac. Which was OK, but there were LOTS of omissions.

Afterward, David and I decided to do some sightseeing and shopping (of course!): We headed to the Arc du Triomphe (above), and then checked out the Summer Sales at...

Printemps as well as Galleries Lafayette. Printemps is more upscale--like a Neiman Marcus or Saks Fifth Avenue. Galleries Lafayette is more Bloomindales/Macy's. We didn't buy anything but we tried LOTS of stuff on (the Euro exchange is still NOT happy with us Americans!).

But there was one thing I was FASCINATED by:

All the Middle Eastern DIVAS in Paris!!! There were TONS of them: All shopping, all in groups, every other one featuring Hermes head scarves, their traditional Abaya--or cloak/overdress--and Marc Jacobs or Fendi sunglasses and TONS of shopping bags!! Now, I'm not talking H&M or Zara. Nope kids: Chanel, Dior, Louis Vuitton. Oil Money Makes Women Shopping Happy!

They were ALL OVER Printemps! I was especially fascinated by the silhouette of their hairstyles under their Hermes scarves: Very "Alien" (the movie)-esque, pulled back High bun. I dubbed them "The Dubai Women". Recently (after returning from Europe at an event I hosted) I met a 20-something woman living in the Middle East and told her about these women in Paris. She corrected me and said that they were probably from Kuwait (because of the high-back bun under the scarves, she said). Wherever they were from: They had LOTS of money, were FABULOUS, and LOVED shopping VERY EXPENSIVE brands.

Wish I was them! With that, it was time to go back to our hotel, rest and get ready to return to the States. I look forward to my next trip to Europe--and hopefully, more run-ins with my "Dubai Divas", better (non-humid) weather and yes, a better Euro-US Dollar Exchange....Wishful thinking!

Click below for a video of International Herald Tribune's Suzy Menkes and a Tour of the YSL Retrospective Exhibit:


Click below for the ENTIRE YSL Retrospective Runway Fashion Show: Part 1:

Part 2:

Part 3:

Part 4:

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Europe 2010: Florence Part Due!

Hot & Humid in Firenze, an 8-Euro Step-Climber and Cocktails at the Continentale BarPanoramic Duo: David Paul and Nick Verreos, top of the Duomo Florence Italy

Last weekend, my Nikolaki partner-in-crime, David Paul and I returned home to Los Angeles from our almost two week work-and-some-R-&-R trip to Europe. We first went to Florence, where I was invited by Miami University of Ohio to give my Lecture to the European Summer Program students, along with Project Runway Season 6 Finalist Althea Harper. You can read my recap of that HERE, in case you missed it. Tourist Chic: Nick Verreos in Florence Italy

So since we were in Florence, after the lecture we decided to hang out an extra day and night and well, take in some of the sights and sounds (and tastes) of the city--as well as even climb the almost 500 steps to the famed Duomo/Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiori. Entrance to Hotel Lungarno, Florence Italy

We decided to "treat ourselves" for our one extra night in Florence and stay at a very nice hotel, the Hotel Lungarno, located right on the Arno River. Even though we paid a "nice Euro" for a supposed "Deluxe Room" with a view, we were surprised A) to find the air-conditioning to be less than the standards for a 4-star hotel (could not go below 20 Celsius/about 70 degrees Fahrenheit) and B) our supposed view (which was the only reason we booked the hotel) was...Less than fabulous (see above photo). Time to rate Hotel Lugarno a "Not-so-much" on my next Trip Advisor review. I guess we should have complained and maybe they might have upgraded us but we just weren't in the mood.
Well, at least, we were right next to the Arno and the Ponte Vecchio (above photo).
So, what does "Uncle Nicky" do: He goes shopping! David, as well as myself, decided to get out of our not-so-cute 4-star hotel room and go shopping. The weather was very HOT and HUMID so we just wanted to be INSIDE a place that had proper air-conditioning, preferably anything below 20 Celsius thank you!After a nice lunch, we wanted to go to the Duomo and maybe consider going up to the top. Duomo Interior: Vesari's fresco, completed by Federico Zuccaro

Last year, when we came to Florence, we didn't do the Duomo, so this was our chance.
We walked around the Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiori and found the line to go up not so bad so we paid 8 Euro each and ventured up the 463 steps. Yes, you read right, 463 steps! It took about 45 minutes to get up there--including the in-between "breaks". But we finally made it, breathless and heaving. But we made it:
Better Lungs Than Me: David Paul poses with a panoramic view of Florence in the back, top of the Duomo
Take the Photo, I'm NOT Sweating: Nick Verreos, top of the Duomo, Florence Italy

The view was spectacular, I must say, and we were happy that up there, the weather was much milder. We spent about 20 minutes at the top --enough time to regain our normal heart rate and take some photos. then , it was back down 463 steps! Apres Duomo Happy Hour: Nick Verreos enjoys a cocktail at the Continentale Bar and Sky Lounge, Florence Italy

To finish our extra day/night in Firenze, I took David to my new favorite bar, the Hotel Continentale Bar and Sky Lounge (I had gone there two nights before with Althea Harper). they are part of the same chain as the Hotel Lungarno that we were staying at and now we realize that we should have stayed there! Note to self: We will the next time we return!

Next up: Amafi Coast R&R Heaven in Positano...Stay Tuned.

Below is a video BEFORE we began our climb to the top of the Duomo:

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