Candice Mathis

You read that right : in 1920s Paris, a woman walking into a bar unaccompanied was not simply unusual. It was socially unacceptable. Bars were male territory, and a woman arriving alone would be refused entry or assumed to be a pr******te.

The Ritz changed that.

Tucked at the end of a long corridor on the Rue Cambon side of the hotel, Le Petit Bar opened in the 1920s as the first upscale bar in Paris where women could walk in alone and be served without question. It seated just 25 people. The décor was dark wood, leather chairs, intimate lighting. It was, by design, a room where women could simply exist in a bar and drink in peace.

Over the years, as social norms shifted, men began drinking there too. The bar became a gathering place for writers, journalists, and artists (among them Ernest Hemingway), who made it his Paris headquarters from the 1920s onwards. He befriended the bartenders, spent hours there with F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald, and famously declared: "When I dream of afterlife in heaven, the action always takes place in the Paris Ritz."

The legend grew in August 1944, when Hemingway arrived at the Ritz at the Liberation of Paris and, according to the story, ordered champagne for everyone in the bar.

In 1994, Le Petit Bar was renamed Bar Hemingway in his memory. The décor has barely changed since the 1920s. The walls are lined with his photographs, handwritten letters, and fishing rods.

One detail survived from the original ethos : today, every woman's drink is served with a single rose.

I have so much to say about and so much more content to share, but today: here’s the requested FIT CHECK

Comment below if you want any links ✨

From ✨

“Ask your hairstylist for warm/neutral base of level 8 with highlights, root shadow and a toner. This may be impossible first try if you have previously dyed your hair a darker color. In which case, trust the process of your hairstylist.

We use 8-0 and 8-1 schwartzcopf Igora royal plus 20 volume to achieve Candi’s base. Then I highlight a very fine weave using 20 volume Oligo Blacklight Extra Blonde for the pops of lighter blonde, and tipping out around the face for impact.
At the bowl…we root shadow using 7-0 with 8-11 vibrance plus 6 volume gel from Schwartzcopf (only the first inch or so and only for 3-5 minutes) It’s just a whisper of shadow at the root, not a full coverage dark root.
Then run a soap cap (left over lightener and shampoo) only through the midshaft/ends to remove impurities along with any of the root shadow color trapped on the ends. Follow with a gentle shampoo to remove lightener.
Last we tone using 10p Colorance from Goldwell…for literally 2 minutes or less just to seal the ends and add shine.
Always deep conditioner to seal and end the service at the bowl.

Maintenance appointments alternate between just a base color touch up or a base, highlight, root shadow and toner.

This is a great option for full grey coverage with natural base levels of 6-8.”

is doing something really special this month.

The Head Tilt Tasting at Picobar is an amazing experience, but don’t expect to stumble into it with just 12 seats, …eight courses, and Chef Gustavo Rios pushing California-meets-Mexico in the most thoughtful and elevated way.

It’s all bite-sized tortilla courses, each paired with something crafted 🍹 to match, and it unfolds slowly over the evening. Intimate, a little unexpected, and worth planning around.

They’re hosting it every Tuesday in April, and if you’re looking for a night that feels a bit more elevated (and a lot less crowded), this is it.

I’d pair it with an overnight at Solage and book it properly.

Two girls who really enjoy the sunshine and getting our hair wet 〰️

hallelujah