Hauteling in Paris

Oscar Wilde said, "when good Americans die they go to Paris." I say when good Shangri-La employees are on the verge of China breakdowns they go to Paris.

My involvement with our Paris project began as simple exploitation of my French language capabilities (yes, translating documents somehow became part of my ever expanding job scope). And before I knew it French documents kept piling higher and higher on my desk until somehow I was writing contracts and choosing art pieces for the hotel?? It's all still unclear to me. But what is clear is that I've been able to tap into my French roots that have been dormant for much too long. There is a good reason my brothers call me "frenchie"....

8 days in Paris (conveniently only 6 of those were working days) was the cultural rejuvenation I had no idea I needed. Everything about this dazzling city was even more ravishing after being primarily in Asia for the past 15 months. Beyond beautiful, legendarily stylish, embarrassingly fine cuisine, a richesse of high fashion, beauty and culture, stunning architecture... and all of it just seemed to magnify the areas where Asia is lacking.

I found myself permanently high on the lingering scent of French cologne, second hand smoke, and freshly baked baguettes, and lulled into a state of happiness from drowning in French accents (strongly preferred over the Chinese accent) and beautiful European people. Extreme sensory overload for me, and a welcome change at that. Such a pleasure being able to walk down empty sidewalks and stop to smell the Paris-scented roses (and admire the random photoshoots along the way, see photo below).

The hotel project I have been working on in Paris is truly spectacular - part Napoleonic palace, part 1930's architectural masterpiece, it has completely re-instilled a love for the hospitality industry back in me. Not that I was losing it, but weekly China trips were starting to grate. Even clad in my hard hat and boots, maneuvering through scaffolding, it somehow all still felt so palatial. The mosaics...the stonework... the gilding.... the intricate carvings....you just can't find that in China folks. And even the neighboring site office was an aesthetic retreat, complete with fireplaces, hardwood floors, and high moulded ceilings. Yes, I think I needed this reality check to recalibrate my design sense (and also find myself ever more unappreciative of my bland and stifling cubicle back in HK).

Shangri-La's crane and La Tour Eiffel

The 35 hour French work week was also a very welcome change after the 168 hour Hong Kong work week. And witnessing the cultural clashes between my Chinese co-workers and our French counterparts deserves a whole new blog post...

Highlights of the trip included the Guimet Museum, farmers markets, Christmas lights at the Galeries Lafayette, getting lost in the Marais district, finding myself in the middle of a mobbed Champs Elysees during a French soccer victory, and rendezvousing with my college friend Heidi.

Heidi and I at the Centre Pompidou

I took a vacation from my gluten-free-dairy-free-sugar-free diet that I [pretend?] to follow back in HK as I stuffed my face with baguettes, cheese, hordes of pastries, even foie gras - and I loved every minute of it, Paris is all about living in the aujourd'hui, non?

Now to find a way to convince le boss that monthly trips to Paris will be required to complete my work, and in the meantime attempt to introduce more French elements into my lifestyle. Au revoir colleagues, I'm just going to go take a 3 hour lunch break and then start my weekend at 4pm on Friday....

Paris tu me manquais, J'espere que je peux retournerai beintot!