Jodie and I have gone to Paris three times now for work, and unfortunately it never lived up to its reputation until our most recent visit.  The first two times I attributed our discontent to three things: 1. We don’t speak a lick of French (Bonjour and Je T’aime won’t get you by) 2. There was no romance (just Jodie and I) and 3. We worked the entire time so we never got to really explore the city.

In case you’re planning a trip to Paris, be sure to check out these few restaurants that we absolutely adored:

1. ANAHI (Restaurante Sud-Americano/Argentinian) 49, rur volta. Tel. 01 48 87 88 24

The steak is out of control. Its always busy so you’ll have to call in advance for a reservation, but still be prepared to wait.  It’s a hole in the wall and super cozy.  Totally worth the wait.

2. 404 (Moroccan Cuisine) 69, rue des Gravilliers. Tel. 01 42 74 57 81.

Great ambience in a cozy setting.  Delicious Moroccan food. Get their recommended dishes (we had something with lamb and loved it).  Gets crazy late night, so get there on the earlier side if you’re not in the mood to party.

3. CHEZ RENE 14 Boulevard Saint-Germain.

French bistro with adorable ambience and classic French food.  Unfortunately, Jodie and I ordered the wrong thing (again, we don’t speak French, but Jodie swears she’s going to learn).  Stick to classic French Steak and Frites (which everyone around us seemed to have), and you’ll go home happy.  Our saving grace was the chocolate mousse and homemade icecream… and lovely maitre d (who spoke English).

4. FOUJITA 2 Restaurant Japonais 7 Rue du 29 Juillet. Tel 01 49 26 07 70.

Authentic Japanese. It’s an absolute hole in the wall but the sushi is heavenly. Our concierge grew up in Paris and swore by this restaurant. Be sure to finish off with the Green Tea icecream. We had two servings back-to-back because it was just that good.

5. ANGELINA (Tea Room) 226 Rue de Rivoli.

Great for an afternoon tea break and a pastry or two. Loved the ambience–so regal and ornate. I wasn’t a huge fan of Mont Blanc (their signature dessert) or their famous l’Africain chocolate, but we enjoyed ourselves nonetheless.

6. HEMINGWAY BAR at Hotel Ritz.

You have to walk through a long hallway decorated with sponsors’ weird clothing and jewelry to get to Hemingway Bar, but don’t let that deter you from your mission. The drinks are (obviously) way overpriced, but it’s such an incredible world in there, that you have to at least have a drink. We love the Serendipity (the Hemingway House cocktail) and the Dry Martini.

Hemingway Bar's menu

At Hemingway Bar with designer Fiona Knapp and Michael

We didn’t have enough time to check out a few highly recommended restaurants (by reputable sources, of course), but we will for sure next time.  Here they are:

Le Coup Chou, Derrière, and Apicius.  Stay tuned for our favorite French brands and shopping spots…

Thumb through your favorite fashion magazines this month and you’ll find the pages filled with DANNIJO love. So which pieces did the editors choose to complete their Spring looks?  We’ll give you a sneak peak…

The Dexter necklace makes a statement in Glamour Magazine

Cosmopolitan accents an emsemble with the Demetra Cuff in their April issue

Dean Cuff and Astrid bracelet accessorize this look in VOGUE Latino America

Natalie Portman and Jake Gyllenhaal co-hosted the Hungry In America Project held at Colicchio & Sons Restaurant in New York City on Sunday night (February 21).  The Hungry in America Project is a multimedia awareness campaign to end hunger in the United States, centered around a documentary of the same name.  Natalie looked effortlessly beautiful in a Rodarte dress and her DANNIJO Lilith necklace.

Natalie Portman in DANNIJO Lilith necklace 2/21/10

Lilith necklace

Click here to get the look.

BOHO DOMINATES: the revival of effortlessly cool

TIBI

A favorite look at Tibi Fall 2010

We loved pretty much everything about this show (rave review alert).  It’s runway but wearable.  We especially loved the au naturel makeup (rosy cheeks, pale pouts, porcelain skin), big whimsical ringlet hair, suede clog platforms and use of layering (ie. long sleeve shirts under tube dresses and 3/4 length jackets).  Great color palette and attention to detail.  And Javier Peral’s deejay beats were icing on the cake. (more…)

If you couldn’t make it to NYFW (or if the craziness is too much for you), you’ll literally be able to experience the magic from the comfort of your own home.  Be sure to tune in for the Walter Fall 2010 runway show (featuring yours truly) at 3pm ET. It will be LIVE streamed here: www.mycontent.com/style360

We’re looking forward to seeing how stylist Grace Koo (who styled the DANNIJO lookbook) works her magic for the Walter show.  Check out behind the scenes from Walter’s Spring 09 show here in case you missed it.

a Walter Spring 2010 look featuring DANNIJO

Homeward bound late last night after a whirlwind of fashion week adventures,  Jodie turned to me in the cab and said, “our lives are not normal.”  There hasn’t been a dull moment in past 48 hrs of fashion week here at DANNIJO.

peek-a-boo: Kristen Bell trying on DANNIJO for 1st time

It’s been a real race against time to cram everything in, but we’ve managed to have a lot of fun.  From meeting bombshell Brooke Shields (now a brunette) and chatting about her favorite vintage jewelry to sitting next to Bon Jovi (more…)

ABC Home and Carpet is a favorite destination of ours on its own, but when we heard that Erin Wasson would be showing her collection for RVCA amongst stacks of gorgeous Persian rugs we were floored (no pun intended). Erin is known for her laid back rock-inspired style, and after the epic psychedelic performance by Gang Gang Dance at her show last season, we had a feeling we were in for a musical treat.

(more…)

Emma Roberts, Julia Roberts’ niece and teen starlet, nails old Hollywood glam on the red carpet for the LA Valentine’s Day movie premiere.  It’s refreshing to see young, up-and-comers dress with such class and vintage sophistication while still maintaining a playful, flirty vibe.  Check out her latest red carpet ensembles, where she finishes each look with sparkling DANNIJO.

at premiere in DANNIJO Garbo earrings

Click HERE to get the Garbo earrings

(more…)

When W Hotels approached DANNIJO and asked if we’d create an exclusive limited edition collection for the Global Glam Project inspired by the architecture of W Barcelona, we jumped at the offer.  Having lived in Barcelona, it has been a huge source of inspiration for DANNIJO since our inception. (see former ELLE write-up on DANNIJO/Barcelona inspiration HERE)

If you’re going to be in New York on Wednesday, Feb 17th, be sure to come by the W Hotel Times Square from 7PM-9PM and join Jodie and I along with designers Rebecca Minkoff, Deepa Gurnani, Dolce Vita, Yumi Kim, Suzanna Dai and Wink for the launch of our Global Glam Spring/Summer 2010 exclusive collections.   Be the first to pre-order items from the limited edition collections.  Shhhhh scroll down for a sneak-peak on what’s to come

W NEW YORK-TIMES SQUARE * THE LIVING ROOM * 1567 BROADWAY * RSVP to GLOBALGLAM@THINKPUBLICRELATIONS.COM