Overseas: Macaron Madness

SHIPS LOG: A introduces the great Garet Garcia who shares some Gallic style and shopping tips. Also, some sweets for the sweet with a photographic selection of Parisian pastries. Ah, alliteration.Friends, meet Garet Garcia, a girl B and I have known since we were four years old. We used to pick macopa fruits from our school gardens and play M.A.S.H. to see which characters from Harry Potter we would marry (I always got Percy Weasley. Yay!) and whether we would own Nimbus 2000s or hand-me-down brooms. For the last year, shes been studying in Paris and she kindly, nay, awesomely, let me kip on her studio floor. I seriously had the best nights sleep on her sofa cushion and camping bag nest. I thought you all might be interested in learning a bit about the city of light from the perspective of a Filipino-Parisian. So enjoy the macarons and welcome to Garets Paris.Why did you decide to move to Paris?To complete my masters degree, get international working experience, make lots of money so I can come home to Philippines and start my own business, find love and bring home an exotic husband. Your top style tip for Paris?To get the Parisian look, wear a casual blazer with folded cuffs and a lightweight scarf with everything (dresses, skirts, jeans, etc. it goes with anything). You need to walk A LOT in Paris, so comfortable shoes are a must. I see a lot of French girls wearing ballerina flats, mocassins and Bensimon sneakers (A French girls Converse or Keds). Pull your hair up in a messy bun or if you want to leave it down, dramatically part your hair to one side. Always apply mascara and wear red lipstick as a final touch.Where is the best place to shop?Start from Opera Garnier, the converging point of many famous shopping streets, and from there the shopping possibilities are endless. Just a few blocks away youll find Grand Magasins (its very touristy though) which is the pulse of designer fashion. Rue Faubourg Saint-Honoré (my personal fave) is lined with classic designers like Versace, Hermes, and Yves Saint Laurent, but also some concept shops such as Colette. Best shopping season is January and June, when the sales are up, designer brands are 50% off, no joke. Always ask for the 12% detax to make the shopping experience more enjoyable.Do tell us about a typical day in Paris?A typical, lazy weekend for me would be to grab a huge crepe for lunch in Rue Mouffetard, have a coffee break in St, Michel, take a stroll in Jardin du Luxembourg and lie down in the grass while reading a book/magazine/taking a nap. Depending on the season theres free ice skating rings, markets, concerts, exhibitions to visit as well for the afternoon, and Ill go to those. For a casual dinner, I head out to Bastille then have an ice cream for dessert at Amorino or another coffee.Whats your favourite pastry shop? I absolutely love Lenôtre for the chocolate-y cakes but Ladurée for the delectable macaroons. Classic flavors are best: vanilla, pistachio, salted caramel, chocolate, rose and cafe. Light as air and eggshell thin, they shatter in your mouth - like eating nothing but happiness. The first time I ever stepped inside a Ladurée Salon du Thé, I told my friend "This is ridiculous, we have to line up this long for macaroons?! This better be good stuff." A French teenager beside me overheard and turned around to say "They are. Its really worth it." Needless to say, Im a believer of Ladurée macaroons.And Garets absolutely right about the macarons. The interesting thing is that each Ladurée branch has completely different atmosphere from the other, something unusual when it comes to chain shops. Ladurée Rue Royale was how I imagined a Parisian cafe to be—low ceilings, potted palms, and marble top tables next to well-worn chairs upholstered in dark and dreamy patterns—while Ladurée on the Left Bank (a ten-minute walk from the Musée dOrsay and its Van Goghs) was a bright conservatory with Japanese-inspired wallpaper and bamboo and teak furniture. Both were beautiful, and I suppose you can go to every Laduree shop and be surprised!Fauchon26-30 Place de Madeleine, 75008I would call this Paris version of Harrods, though remembering the historical enmity between France and England I may be pelted with bread and sent off to the gallows for the comparison. Fauchon sells freshly baked bread and pastries, specialty cheeses, and take-away for those too lazy (or busy!) to make lunch or dinner. It also has a slick department store behind the Madeleine, but I didnt go inside. Please do, and take pictures!Laduree16 Rue Royale, 7500821 Rue Bonaparte, 75006Dont just go for the divine Saint-Honorés (get the orange blossom cream puffs like I did!) and pastel-coloured macarons. Ladurée also serves light, fruity teas and gourmet coffees. The rather twee-ly named Marie Antoinette mix, a mild afternoon tea with a touch of rose and spice, is a better bet than the bland house blend.Do you have a favourite pastry shop? Would you choose that marvelous indie-love, macarons, or some other cake or sweet? Moi, je préfère une crêpe noisette.