What’s Been Happening

TRAVELLING EIFFEL TOWER. We’re in Canada for the summer, sipping cocktails, chowing down at BBQs, driving fast cars, roaming in wide open spaces, and saying ‘eh’ a lot. Whenever I travel from France, my Eiffel Tower comes with me. My petite tour has been kidnapped, held for ransom and used as a bribery pawn on various occasions. Sorry people, you just have to come to Paris and buy your own! So we hope you enjoy our Paris-infused Canadian photos. Olivia Fermi continues to contort her body in all kinds of impossible positions as our official Vancouver photographer, accompanied by her faithful and joyful assistant, Qalba, her movie actress dog.
English Bay, Vancouver, Canada. Photo: Olivia Fermi, www.fermi.ca.

Inukshuk, a stone landmark used as a milestone or directional marker by the Inuit of the Canadian Arctic. Over time, the inukshuk has become a symbol of hope and friendship, an eternal expression of the hospitality of a nation that warmly welcomes the people of the world with open arms every day. The emblem for the highly-anticipated Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games is a contemporary interpretation of the inukshuk. Click here for the official Olympic website.

FRENCH KISSES. From Journeywoman May 2007 Newsletter:

A GREAT GUIDE IN PARIS — writes Heather in Seattle, USA — My friend and I recently hired Karen Henrich of Nuit Blanche Tours for her one day Paris orientation. Karen first told us lots of things by email even before we arrived, including the best way to get from the airport and how to choose a hotel which saved us a lot of hassle and money. Also before we arrived she determined our likes/wishes and then picked us up at our hotel and escorted us all around the city, made us comfortable using the public transportation, showed us her bargain shopping places and wrote down many things which helped us plan the remaining days of our stay in Paris. I would highly recommend using this guide; we felt instantly comfortable with a fellow English speaker who, because she lives there, knows the ropes of Paris intimately. We had lots of laughs and heaps of fun too! Her website is www.NuitBlancheTours.com.

Dear Karen, Hello! We met last Novembre at the Cafe Laurent, you were there with your friends, and you gave me a lift home. Your words of advice kept ringing in my ears regarding my dream of moving to Paris, and I quote, "Oh, blah, blah, blah! Just DO IT!" So I did it! As of March the 24th. I settled in Meudon (for now). Thanks for the kick in the ass oh wise sage….hope to see you soon!

Cordially, Elizabeth from San Francisco

Journeywoman also picked up our HEMA article about a great shopping excursion in Brussels, see the full article here.

HOT SHOPPING TIP: SUMMER 2007 PARIS SALES. Unless Sarko’s new government makes any changes, the summer soldes are set to start Wednesday 27 June and continue until Saturday 4 August 2007.

INSIDER SCOOP: UPCOMING PARIS DESIGNER. Poised to hit the international jewellery scene, talented, beautiful, young Parisian designer Kareen mesmorizes us with her Tahitian-inspired jewelery line, KbyKareen. Kareen makes her own hand-blown glass beads and demonstrates on HGTV how to make the beads with a blow torch (merde! it seems downright dangerous to me, but she does it without a bat of an eye!). See the step-by-step demonstration here. Kareen’s bijoux can currently be purchased in Paris at Billito; 12 rue du Roi de Sicile, 75004, and at Zen Beaute; 32, rue de Lyon, 75012. Visit her site here. 

MICHELANGELO-ETTES! ITALY PAINTING TOURS. Canadian West Coast artist Ursula Medley hosts her wonderful Tuscany Painting Tour from Sept. 12 to 22, 2007, with an optional ‘Venice with a Venetian Tour’, from Sept. 22 to 26, 2007. Urs is famous for teaching the Italian masters’ techniques, which she swears anyone can learn! For more information and to register, please visit the site here.

WOMEN’S TRAVEL CLUB. On June 10th, 100 women gathered at the Ambrosia Event Centre in Victoria, hosted by Totem Travel, for a special, fun brunch and talk about Paris presented by moi. Got a group you’d like us to speak to? Just email us at info@NuitBlancheTours.com. We love to share fun stories, pictures and tips and tricks about our beloved City of Light. We’re also passionate about borderless entrepreneurism, women in business and mentorship.

HOW I KNOW I AM NOT IN PARIS: -Tim Horton’s double chocolate-covered donuts, not pain au chocolat -Please, not s’il vous plait -2010 Olympic game construction, not museum renovations -Cold shoulder, not shameless flirting -Real estate discussions, not philosophical discuter -Rising Canadian dollar glee or dismay, not continued complaints about the French Franc to Euro conversion rip-offs