WORK • Friday Routine
EMMET CLIFFORD • hairstylist • David Mallett
Neighborhood you work in: 2nd arr
Neighborhood you live in: Charonne in the 11th arr
It’s Friday morning. What’s the scene at your workplace?
I work at David Mallet hair salon in the 2nd arrondissement (you can also find us at the Ritz Paris). Friday mornings are always busy with everyone coming in for those last-minute appointments before the weekend. The salon has a great energy, so it’s really fun to be in the rush.
What’s on the agenda for today?
Today I’m hunting for a new coffee table at Les Puces de Paris Saint-Ouen, the enormous flea market just outside of the city where I find everything I do (and don’t!) need.
Any restaurant plans today, tonight, this weekend?
Tonight is dinner in the neighborhood at Au Petit Panisse. It’s a cosy restaurant with a delicious, always-changing menu. Another place I like is Bouillon Julien for easy, classic French food in a beautiful setting. It’s also great for larger get-togethers. And just a few doors down is the Turkish restaurant Urfa Durum, where they do super delicious wraps. Tomorrow morning I’ll pick up croissants from Union Boulangerie and I’ll probably stop by COMETS (see below) at some point over the weekend. They do great coffee, a great egg and avocado breakfast bun, and sell vinyl as well, so it’s a really cool Sunday hangout spot.
How about a little leisure or culture?
I most recently went to the Jeu de Paume to catch an exhibition about film director Chantal Akerman before it ended, and I’m hoping to go to the Centre Pompidou this weekend, they always have cool exhibitions on. I try to see live music as much as I can. There are always different and alternative concerts going on at Supersonic, so it’s a good way to discover new music. The last concert I went to was Vampire Weekend, who were just playing the Adidas Arena, and that was great.
Any weekend getaways?
I’m not long back from a week in Bordeaux. It’s a great place for enjoying city life as well as getting some fresh air out near the coast. Bar à Vin is a super cool wine bar in the city centre to try a range of wines from the region. They also have a school upstairs, L'École du Vin de Bordeaux, if you want to sign up for more serious tastings.
Outside of Bordeaux in Castets et Castillon there’s a restaurant I like called L’Écluse 52, hidden down along the canal de la Garonne en Gironde. It’s a typical French restaurant in a beautiful setting. I recommend eating outdoors when the weather is nice, then going for a walk down the canal afterwards. Another spot I like, more west on the coastline, is Arcachon Bay. There are some beautiful walks around there, and places to stop and eat fresh oysters with a glass of white wine, like La Cabane 57.
What was your last great vacation?
I was in Marrakech for the first time for my last holiday and it’s an incredible place. I booked a private riad with some friends, Dar Inès, in the Palmeraie area just outside the city. Aziza who runs the house is so kind, and offers a bespoke concierge service, so we had a private chef prepare dinner for us one evening. It was one of the best meals we ate while we were there. We also caught a fantastic exhibition about the life of YSL and his love for Marrakech at the Musée Yves Saint Laurent Marrakech. The Jardin Majorelle which is just next to the museum is also stunning, it’s a haven of exotic plants. Order a peppermint tea at the cafe and enjoy the view. We also went to Les Terrasses d'Agafay. It’s a hotel where you can spend the night in the desert, but you can also just go for the day like we did, have a great lunch and enjoy the pool. And one night we went for drinks at La Mamounia, which was just breathtakingly beautiful.
What’s a recent big-ticket purchase you love?
My winter coat from the Copenhagen brand Sunflower. It’s going to stay with me forever.