Posts by author Theadora Brack
The view of the Opéra from the rooftop café at Printemps. Photo: T. Brack
Got passion for fashion? Cuckoo for a steal? Join the club! Nothing gives me more pleasure than finding quality garb at a discount price. For years, I’ve celebrated bargain shopping in the City of de-Light, like there’s no tomorrow. Based on my experience, here are a few tips on how to experience a guilt-free shopping » Read more
Waiting for takeoff -- and to be Wowed -- at BWI Airport in Baltimore. Photo by T. Brack
Editor’s Note: Wow Air ceased operations in March of 2019. Thinking about taking a flight with Iceland’s Wow Air? Well then, halló from the other side! This year, I’ve taken multiple flights along the budget airline’s Paris (CDG) – Baltimore (BWI) route, always with a brief layover at the Keflavík International Airport (KEF). My airfare » Read more
Gazing down the Seine is not to be missed. Photos by Theadora Brack
By Theadora Brack in Paris— Rumor has it you’re planning a trip to Paris! So bless your soul and grab my hand. I have a few recommendations for a dreamy Parisian bucket list, big or tall. Here is where I find my inspiration! 1. Book it! While kicking down the cobblestones, why not pick up » Read more
Bargain bin shopping at Sympa in Montmartre. Photos by Theadora Brack
Tripping to Paris? Do you plan to shop? Well then, look and listen! Throughout Paris, there are shopping zones where you can buy anything, as well as scattered districts where clusters of stores carry similar items. Shopping fanatics, unite. Here’s a mini-guide. So dust off the printer! But first, a few tips: 1. In France, » Read more
Shopping for toiletries and cosmetics at Beauty Monop'. All photos by T. Brack
It’s almost summertime, and soon the touring and discount shopping in Paris will be easy. Feeling the love, rhythm, and a bright new mood, here are few tips to help you ease into your first day in the city. I will take you there! Related: How to spend your first day in Paris 1. To » Read more
Strolling the Tuileries, a royal creation. All photos by Theadora Brack
Visiting Paris soon? If so, don’t forget to stop and smell the roses! Throughout the city, you’ll find parks, squares and gardens. While on holiday, time is precious. I hear you! So to help out, I’ve created a list of favorite parks, along with the monuments, museums and shopping districts that surround them. Day tripping just » Read more
Classic kitchenware at Cheapo prices at the Porte de Vanves flea market. All photos by Theadora Brack
By Theadora Brack in Paris— Cuckoo for classic French dishes, pots and pans? Join the club! I, too, possess a mad penchant for collecting kitchenware from yesterday. Fret not, I’m okay! You’re okay! So where to find the beauties in Paris? I recommend trekking it to the Porte de Vanves flea market. I’ve been shopping » Read more
Mouth-watering window shopping outside Chez Virginie fromagerie. All photos by Theadora Brack
Who doesn’t want to be a big cheese whiz? But with so many enchanting fromageries in Paris, how to make a cheese selection? Like hemlines, the variety of cheeses is seasonal and never-ever-ending. I have been there. So to help out, I’ve created a shopping list to use as a starting point. Crank up the » Read more
Vintage reading lamps, antiques and books at the Librairie Robert Jonard. All photos by Theadora Brack
By Theadora Brack in Paris— Bookworms, ignite! This week, we’re headed to my new favorite bookshop in Paris. Located in historic Montmartre, the cozy, century-old Librairie Robert Jonard softly glows with vintage reading lamps, books, art and antiques. Truth unfold, the shop’s ambiance and eclectic collection stole my book-collecting heart immediately. For the love of » Read more
A view of the Moulin Rouge from, gulp!, Starbucks. Photos by Theadora Brack
I’ve decided to kick-off the grand New Year with another shot of what’s red-hot and what’s not in Paris. I’ll also include a few cool tips. So grab a chair and a spiked cuppa because it’s about to get real in the City of Light! 1. Je ne regrette rien—NOT. Dear Musée Edith Piaf, You » Read more
The view from the Pont Alexandre III in Paris is heartbreakingly beautiful. Photos by Theadora Brack.
By Theadora Brack in Paris— According to my movie producer pal, George, the world boils down to two basic categories: the best and the worst. Anything in between isn’t worth talking about. Mediocrity is a crime, he often quips. As you can well imagine, his dinner parties in Paris are always quite lively, dramatic and » Read more
The Café de la Mairie, one of the author's "happy places." Photos by Theadora Brack
’Tis the season to be jolie, so I’ve decided to whip up a little something special for you, Cheapos. Here are a handful of my favorite hangouts in Paris. They’re all food-related and drool-worthy, but that’s no big surprise as I eat, love and pray daily for an abundance of treats. Ho-ho-ho! (By the way, » Read more
Posing in front of Paris' Hotel de Ville. Photos by Theadora Brack
Golden leaves are falling in Paris, making it the perfect time to roll out another batch of iconic French backdrops for photo ops, perfect for your social media portraits and status updates, too. Celebrating my favorite street photographers—Brassaï, Robert Doisneau, and Eugène Atget—I’ve meshed the old with the new, fully appreciating the dynamic, overlapping, ever-changing » Read more
Look for Princess Anna Troubetzkoy at the top of the Tower. Photos by Theadora Brack
Snuggle tight, because it’s high time to throw a few ghost tales your way. It is, after all, Halloween today in the United States. So I thought we’d spend a minute discussing some of the women and men who haunt the most famous sights in Paris. Grab the flashlights, marshmallows and sleeping bags while I » Read more
The Monoprix at 95 Boulevard Sébastopol (the Félix Potine building). Photos: Theadora Brack
Calling all fashionistas and fashionistos! Last week were you caught madly zigzagging between utter love and frustration with Target by Missoni’s recent launch? Well, lean in because this Paris insider tip is for you. (Target by Missoni’s 1960s Italian film-inspired campaign featuring Margherita Missoni was pretty marvelous, I must say. It definitely caught my eye. » Read more
"Seductive Fashion" department at Galeries Lafayette. All photos by Theadora Brack
Cozy up because this week we’re going lingerie shopping in Paris. Lightweight and affordable, they’re my favorite souvenirs. Truth be bold, if buying dozens of French slips and strings is wrong, I don’t want to be right! But first things first, let’s prepare for our voluptuous quest. Looking for discounts? Schedule your trip during either » Read more
Avoid crowds by photographing Sacre Coeur in the morning. Photos by Theadora Brack
Got 24 hours to spend in Paris? Grab the cameras and bucket lists, and let’s shoot the city like there’s no tomorrow. Here are six of my favorite iconic backdrops for photo ops, perfect for your social media portraits and status updates, too. There’s no sin in boasting. Besides, it’s free. Channeling photographers Robert Doisneau » Read more
Dam, Dim, Dom, the author's new favorite vintage clothing shop in Paris. Photos by Theadora Brack
This week, let’s go-go vintage clothing shopping! Throughout Paris, you’ll find “friperies” (second-hand clothing shops) and “depôts-ventes” (consignment shops). Possessing a mad penchant for collecting the garb of yesteryear but on a budget, I’ve three favorite hunting grounds: Abbesses, the Marais, and the Porte de Vanves flea market. But first, let’s look to Oscar Wilde » Read more
Button up for some fabric shopping in Paris. Photos: Theadora Brack.
By Theadora Brack in Paris— This week, let’s go fabric shopping in Paris. Whether your place is in need of a supreme makeover, with some classic French upholstery retouches, or you’re on the make for material worthy of a wedding (New Yorkers, I’m talking to you!), Paris has what you need. One of my favorite textile » Read more
Falling for Notre Dame at dusk. Photos by Theadora Brack
By Theadora Brack in Paris— Toots, I did it again. I fell head over heels in love with Paris all over de nouveau. Setting the scene, I had just finished inspecting a slew of hotels in the Latin Quarter, and was headed to meet friends at the wine bar 5ème CRU. This Cheapo haven is » Read more
Let's hear it for JB Guanti, 59 Rue de Rennes. Photos by Theadora Brack
By Theadora Brack in Paris— Recently one of our Cheapo readers asked us for a few shopping tips. Emily plans to visit Paris with her teenage daughter in July, which is the parfait time because “Les soldes d’été 2011” (the big summer sales) kick off on Wednesday, June 22, 2011 and last through Tuesday, July » Read more
The wonderfully dated facade of the Grand Hotel du Loiret. Photos by Theadora Brack
I was so adorable and well-behaved at the age of three that the man sitting next to us in the dining room at the Congress Hotel in Cape May, New Jersey, reached over and gave me a dollar. I was infatuated with hotels from that moment on. Ever since that first seaside jaunt, I’ve obsessively » Read more
Who makes the best macaron in Paris? Read on! Photos: T. Brack
Who’s the top macaron in Paris? Two names I often hear during heated gastronomical debates in my circle are the historic old school favorite Ladurée, and the flashy newcomer Gérard Mulot. While both are certainly splurge-worthy, I’ve often wondered if one had a bit of an edge over the other. So this week I’ve taken » Read more
Cantal baguette at the Café de la Mairie. Photos by Theadora Brack
It’s (sigh) time for another confession. On my very first trip to Paris years ago, I ate practically nothing but baguette sandwiches, both night and day. Even then, see, I was already a Cheapo in spirit! And soon I was hooked. Still after all these years, my love for the classic French “sammiches” (as my » Read more
Wendy taking a break in Saint-Germain des Prés. All photos by Theadora Brack
Recently my sister Wendy flew to Paris for a short jaunt, so I spun a special day tour, tailor-made to suit my very stylish and au courant sibling. With a little pre-planning, we were able to visit two fashion-related exhibitions, three historical monuments, four grand magasins, along with five prime (and oh-so-affordable) shopping districts. And » Read more
