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The 23-year-old owner of Poilâne, France’s most successful bakery, takes Anna Brooke to some of her favourite places in Paris for a shopping spree
IBU Gallery
When it comes to trinkets, I am biased. IBU was my mother’s gallery and she sold her own jewellery there. It’s still great and doubles as an art gallery. When I’m at Palais Royal, I also look in on Salons Shiseido for perfumes by Serge Lutens. 166 Galerie Valois, +33 01 42 60 06 41
Gallerie Jean-Jacques Dutko
The Left Bank is full of antique stores and art galleries, but this is one of the most eclectic. They have a wonderful mix of art deco and modern. 13 rue Bonaparte, +33 01 43 26 96 13, www.dutko.com
Iris
I always shop at Iris – I like their selection of designers, which includes Marc Jacobs, Ernesto Esposito and Chloé. I also like the contrast between the black exterior and the bright white interior. 28 rue de Grenelle, +33 01 42 22 89 81
Marianne Robic
For flowers, Marianne, Robic’s boutique feels like Paris’s best-kept secret, tucked away on rue de Babylone. The window displays are dramatic and the presentation is always sumptuous. She simply has the most exquisite taste, not to mention beautiful flowers. 39 rue de Babylone, +33 01 53 63 14 00
Cuisine de Bar
When I am out shopping, I always call in here to eat open-faced sandwiches – made with my family’s bread. It can fill up quickly, so it’s best to go around noon or after 1:30pm to avoid the rush. Otherwise, on a bright afternoon, Bar de la Croix Rouge, at the end of the street – on Carrefour de la Croix Rouge – has a relaxing, sunny terrace. 8 rue du Cherche-Midi, +33 01 45 48 45 69
Le Bon Marché
Paris’s oldest department store is very near to Poilâne and I like to make a quick tour after work. Mila at the Shu Uemura counter does an amazing manicure. 24 rue de Sèvres, +33 01 44 39 80 00, www.lebonmarche.fr
Aleppo à la carte
Paris would be top of most lists for gastronomic excellence, but which city would come next? For the International Academy of Gastronomy, based in the French capital, there was no contest and, last month, it awarded its annual Grand Prix de la Culture Gastronomique to… Aleppo.
The Grand Prix can be presented to a country, region, town, personality or institution that has “achieved distinction in the field of gastronomic culture” – but Aleppo is only the second city to be honoured since the awards began nearly 20 years ago (the first was Paris). It came as no surprise to Georges Husni, founding president of the Syrian Academy of Gastronomy, based in Aleppo. “The people of the city are always discussing food and methods of cooking,” he says.
Located at a crossroads of ancient caravan routes that ran between Europe and China, and Arabia and Central Asia, Aleppo’s cuisine is deeply rooted in history and includes delicacies such as kibbeh (minced lamb mixed with spices and burghul) served with quince.
The award makes mention of the city’s efforts to preserve its heritage by collecting and documenting traditional recipes – and considering Aleppo’s first cookery book, Kitab al-Tabikh, dates back to 1226, that’s quite a feat. Matthew Teller
DUBAI - Going veggie
Magnolia, the new restaurant at Madinet Jumeirah resort, is a little bit different – it’s vegetarian. The dishes are made with organically grown ingredients and flavoured with herbs grown in Magnolia’s own garden. Chef Gabriele Kurtz says: “Taking time out to refuel our bodies with healthy, wholesome, organic foods cannot be underestimated.” But you can also still enjoy iced cardamom coffee cream with fresh figs in a vanilla grapefruit syrup…
ILLUSTRATION: BILL WOOD; PHOTOS: ANNA BROOKE
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