Manceeeeeeep

Merci New Concept Store in Paris

Front Window Merci

Flowers Christian Tortu Merci

Ground Floor Merci

Library Cafe Merci

Books Merci

Interiors Merci

From First Floor Merci

Ground Floor Merci

Fashion Merci

Children's Wear

Photo Corner Merci

Detail Photos Merci

Annick Goutal Perfume Lab Merci

Cute bags Merci

Flynn Corbett getting his teeth into the furniture

Flynn Corbett working the crowd

Flynn Corbett blowing bubbles in the window

Flynn Corbett still in the window

Flynn Corbett encore

We Love Merci, Flyn Corbett getting up close and personal at Merci

Merci, merci and encore Merci to the wonderful people that have designed and opened Paris's newest, most beautiful store with profits going to a childrens charity in Madagascar. This gem is on the edge of the Marais (super handy for me) and is a more accesible concept store than Collette (you don't feel as you though you will be kicked out because you don't have big black Michael Caine glasses). Merci is pure joy, it has the feel of a warehouse crossed between a private home. Christian Tortu is the Florist in residence, Annick Goutal has the perfume lab, there is a wonderful bookstore cafe with used books that cost as little as 2 Euro! Downstairs is a fab low key restaurant with affordable prices that looks out onto a herb garden. On the ground level is fashion and bed linen on the second floor is interiors with a little photography corner and glam kidswear, fabrics and wool. I met my darling friends the Corbett's there today, Shay is my glam friend from the Lido cabaret, Bryce is the author of A Town like Paris and you will see by the last photos that their son Flynn was just as thrilled to be at Merci as we were. He was stopping traffic on Boulevard Beaumarchais and had a crowd gathered loving his antics, not sure whether he was just another cool installation.

Merci

111 boulevard Beaumarchais

75003 Paris

tel +33 1 42 770033

Marcello Mastroianni

I love Marcello Mastroianni. Slowly Francesco and I are working our way through the Marcello files! There are plenty of them. Marcello was discovered by the famous Italian director Luchino Visconti and went on to make 120 films. Thats a lot of films.

Marcello was handsome, charming and never let fame go to his head. Federico Fellini literally fell in love with Marcello and cast him in La Dolce Vita in 1960 and they made numerous films together including 8 and a half and the touching Ginger and Red. Marcello and Sophia Loren starred together in Matrimonio all'italian, divorzio all'italiana, ieri, oggi e domani.

The beautiful Marcello who gave so much to the Italian film industry and was nominated three times for an oscar died of cancer in 1996. He is famous for saying the following...

I don't understand why these Americans have to suffer so much to identify with their characters. Me, I just get up there and act. It's great fun. There's no suffering in it.

(When asked what keeps him going in his theatrical endeavors) In front of a camera, I feel solid, satisfied. Away from it I am empty, confused.

They come for you in the morning in a limousine; they take you to the studio; they stick a pretty girl in your arms... They call that a profession? Come on!

I only exist when I am working on a film.

Paris Metro

When I strike a ten piece band playing slav music in the bowels of the Paris metro whilst changing lines it is enough to make me want to break in to song and do a little dance. One of the reasons we love Paris.

Happy St Patrick's Day

Wishing you a wonderful St Pat's Day. Carla x

David La Chapelle at La Monnaie Paris

Elton John

Kylie Minogue

Yesterday, along with a gazillion Parisians I went to see the David La Chapelle retrospective at La Monnaie (the Mint) on Quai Conti in Paris. Our first gorgeous Parisian day for yonks and the whole city was out. The queue was long but worth the wait. Inside a dream Parisian building decorated with frescoes and panelled walls are the intricately staged photos of pop culture. The man has a great sense of humour. Fashion shoots staring Jesus surrounded by a bunch of home boys and his interpretation of The Judgement by Michelangelo featuring broken burger king signs, victims of plastic surgery and gorgeous men. La Chapelle works as though creating a film, building intricate sets, using numerous models, make up, lighting and styling but with an underlying story. David La Chapelle's film Rize, a documentary style about a Los Angeles dance phenomenen born in the south central suburbs - it is fantastic. If you are in Paris his retrospective is a great diversion.

. Check it out if you can.