Paris // City Guide

Paris is the city I know better than any other on earth... probably even better than my home town. I have spent months scouring and exploring. The crazy thing about Paris is that it is almost endless- I don't think I could ever experience every beautiful cafe, or every museum or every park. I am constantly getting asked for recommendations- so here they are- more a list of the places where I hang out weekly, than a must-see-guide. 

Eating:

+ Candelaria- best tacos in Paris. Great little resturaunt, A few blocks from the Cirque d'Hiver in the Enfants Rouge neighborhood. They also have a super-hip bar in back. During Fashion Weeks this place is packed. 

+ Le Nemours- When I want coffee and polite conversation and people-watching- this is the spot.  It is right next to the Comedie Francaise and the Palais Royal. Classic Paris. Metro: Palais Royal 

+ Joli Deli- The cutest sandwich shop. Moderately priced lunch. I go here all the time because it owned by family friend, and also because it is just adorable. Try their deserts. Metro: Arts et Metiers

+ Cafe de L'Industrie- my favorite resturaunt in Paris. it is legendary. Always a hip crowd. get their early (8pm) and plan to stay till 11ish. Great atmosphere. The decor is pretty much exactly how I would style my own home or parisian apartment. the food is inexpensive but classic. they have two locations across the street from one another. Metro: Bastille. 

+ L'Imprevu- my favorite hideaway in Paris. It is on Quincampoix- a little alley near the centre Pompidou. Best chai in Paris. very bohemian. dark and cozy. This is my go-to spot in inclimate weather. whenever I need to meet up with someone who does not know Paris very well- I have them meet me at the nearby Stravinsky fountain (centre pompidou) and then walk over here. The kids who work here are always in a good mood, so I can bring american friends  to practice their manners. 

+ Lunch Spots- One of the best things about Paris is that it is perfectly acceptable to sit on the steps of a church or on a park bench and eat your lunch. Do so. Enjoy the weather and the fact that the person setting next to you could be a countess, or a street sweeper. In Paris they use the same benches. 

+ The Markets- really there are fresh food markets all over the city, every day of the week. find one. bask in the colors and sounds and diversity. my favorite are Bastille, Edgar Quinet, Maubert Mutualite, and Place des Fetes. Check online for days and schedules. also here is a handy guide.

Sites: 

+ St. Thomas D'Aquin- my favorite church in Paris. Quite, beautiful. It is a church you can actually sit and pray in. very peaceful. Great Art. just off the Rue du Bac and the BLVD. St. Germain. 

+ Musee Du Art Modern du Ville de Paris- great art museum. rarely crowded. very few tourists. wonderful collections. Housed in the Palais du Tokyo. Metro: Pont D'Alma

+ The American Church in Paris- All of their services are in English. They also have a contemporary service at 1:30 on Sundays and pizza nights for young adults. When you move to Paris and want to make friends- this is the place to start. instant community of people from all over the world under 30. 

+ La Flèche D'Or- Former metro station turned indie club… sometimes they have free concerts. This is the spot to hear everything from bluegrass to indie rock. Now and then they get acts like Cat Power and Over The Rhine. 

+ Square Samuel Rousseau is my favorite little park. head there towards sunset. children playing. old people chatting. it is tranquil and divine. directly across the square from the Basilica of Sainte-Clotilde on the Rue Las Cases. 

Shopping

+ Puces St. Ouen- a labyrinth of flea markets- antiques, african crafts, cheap clothes. I go at least once a week. There is a moroccan family there who custom makes all of my bags. go. explore. Metro: Porte de Clingancourt. 

+ Deroyle- Fantastic taxidermy shop on the Rue du Bac. check out the treasures on the second floor. This place is magical. 

+ Kilo Shop- second hand clothes sold by weight. This is where the cool kids shop. Metro: Hotel De Ville

+ Merci- one of the most wonderful shops in Paris. clothing, home goods, bookstore, cafe. Beautiful and tranquil. You will not regret a trip here. Metro: Bastille. 

+ Collete. If you want to hang with the fashion kids, you will check out this place. Boutique, books, cafe, art gallery. crowd in crazy clothes. I once saw Grimes perform here. Rue Saint Honore

also: 

+ Explore the Marais- great cafes and tiny streets.

+ Walk down the rue Mouffetard

+ Lounge in the Luxembourg Gardens
+ Hang out along the Canal St. Martin- there is a cool crowd and you can get
   Pizza and beer delivered to wherever you are setting. 

+ Get Lost. 

 

Most of these pictures are from a rather drippy day when I ventured with Megan and Mike Gilger and Michael Newsted through the Puces St. Ouen. Mike captured the photos while we browsed through antiques and listened to music. 

Jonathan Randall Grant

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Culture Keeper

Inspiration Board // An Ode to Tan

Here are some of the inspiring pics that have been popping up on my Pinterest feed. Some Evelyn Waugh, Picasso, Taxidermy... Its a pretty great collection. Tan can be underrated... but today we pay it tribute.

Jonathan Randall Grant

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Culture Keeper

Bosphorus Adventures // Hidden Cove

Even in a city that feels like it must be the busiest on earth, there are spots of quite, calm, and peace. Istanbul has quite a few of those spots. One day, after mistakenly purchasing the wrong ferry tokens... Ricky Cohete and I discovered a distant island and a hidden cove.

The ferry was packed. We sat in the dinning compartment, and I spent the trip journaling. We landed at a sleepy little town, glowing in the sunlight. We strolled past houses that seemed an odd mixture of Cape Cod, Russian, and Victorian architecture. Everyone seemed peacefully headed to a beach, a mixture of locals and a melange of friendly street dogs. A pup followed us. We named him Giuseppe. He followed us down roads and and through forests. We sauntered on till we discovered a collection of hand-painted signs pointing through a forest to a cliff. we headed that direction. ... down that path we discovered a hidden little cove. An old man tended the beach. From a concrete hut that looked like it had been there for at least 50 years he sold tea and french fries. While we were later to learn that this charming old man also perhaps used the cove to run drugs- but for that day- it was a bastion of tranquility and an escape from the hectic life of Istanbul. There was a guy camping who offered us apples... and a couple sunning themselves on deck chairs. Every person who met Giuseppe offered him water.

Guiseppe stayed with us all day- darting in and out of the forest and always staying near. By the time we got on the crowded ferry, the sun was setting. It was an adventure that was surreal and calming.

Jonathan Randall Grant

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Culture Keeper

Behind the Scenes on the Clyde Oak Shoot

I always love featuring the behind the scenes of a photo shoot. It gives me a chance to credit and feature the wonderful team behind the project. It also sheds a bit of light on the styling-photo process. For the Clyde Oak shoot I got to work with Corey Mason, Mike and Megan Gilger of Wild Measure, and Jenn Elliott Blake. Our models were Justin and Matthew of ArrowHead Collective. The perfect guys to represent such a masculine brand. It was a superb group of creative professionals. Now, I'm already excited for our next project... what will it be?

Jonathan Randall Grant

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Culture Keeper

Introduction to Istanbul // On Adventure

I am one of the least adventurous people I know. 

Seriously. I understand that I have the public persona of a courageous gypsy... but I don't know how much of that is truly me. It is of course who I want to be- carefree and adventurous- but I'm still working on it. Really I desire a comfortable place to create, and to be surrounded by the people who love and inspire me. I tend to shy away from risks unless pushed- I get stuck in routine and comfort. So when Ricky Cohete invited me along to Istanbul I immediately came up with a million reasons why that would be the least responsible decision ever. Thankfully I have friends and family who understand that I also desire to be adventurous- who urged me to go. 

As I sat on the plane from Chicago, I began thinking about all of this. Comfort and security in my mind create a cocoon to heal and prepare you for the next adventure. Some times I get so focused on the recovery phase that I forget about the next adventure. When I get on an airplane I can feel the cocoon being stripped away- exposing me as the person I want to be. 

I am excited to share my trip to Istanbul with you over the next few weeks. While I was there I got to meet several designers, chat with locals in street-corner cafes, and explore to my heart's content. It was a beautiful experience. So many friends gave me suggestions and advice on this trip- Kareen, Peter, Shamila, Katie, and Alara from The Guide Istanbul... They all helped shape my experience and connected me to this fantastic place. 

These are a few of the images that Ricky and I captured on our first day. 

Istanbul has intrigued me for many years. It was the constant focus of my collegiate studies on the crusades, and it has always seemed a complicated and mysterious place. I love cities where cultures converge- and Istanbul has more cultures converging than just about any place I know. There were neighborhoods that felt like the left bank of Paris, parts that felt like Nantucket, entire districts that seemed like they had stopped the progress of time in about 1860, and some that were as modern as New York. Denizens from every corner of the earth seem to converge there- and its growing reputation as a fashion capitol had in no way escaped my attention. 

 If I had to sum up Istanbul in a few sentences (which I feel obliged to do) I would describe it as a very raw city- teeming with life- almost to a dizzying pace. The city seems caffeinated in a way far outpacing New York or London. Perhaps the narrow streets lend to this effect, but on the european sides at least, one cannot seem to get away from the crowds. I loved it. Energy all around. It is a dirty city- I don't say this as a negative aspect- but merely to give you the idea that it resembles an old city- like London or Paris a hundred years ago. It is a city that still has large portions that are un-gentrified and un-modernized. Such a refreshing refreshing aspect in a city today. 

In Beyoglu- the neighborhood where I stayed- this meant that I constantly saw street children running around, and old ladies sitting on my front steps when I returned home at night. It meant that neighborhoods felt like neighborhoods, and everyone hung their laundry to dry over their street. It meant that by the end of the week I knew the street dogs by name, and the girl at the corner shop knew me as "the guy who buys orange juice". I will tell more stories about Beyoglu soon. It was a raw, beautiful, sometimes frightening place.

As if calculated solely to win my heart- Istanbul is full of fresh fruit and juice. Its pretty much the thing there. Local markets, vendors and kiosks full of vibrant delights. I am constantly comparing Paris and Istanbul... and in this area, Istanbul wins the prize for healthy habits.

What we wore this day-

Me- Vintage Gold trousers, Vintage Army Jacket, H+M Tee, Cole Haan Loafers 

Ricky- Striped Shirt he created, Vintage Harem Pants, Vintage Bomber Jacket, Baggu Backpack

This post is simply an introduction to my adventures in Istanbul... more posts are forthcoming. I am excited to share with you all of the exciting finds and stories and people I met along the way.

Jonathan Randall Grant

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Culture Keeper