Paris truly is the city of lights, and the Pigalle neighborhood’s past comes alive in Hôtel Rochechouart, an oh-so-chic 106-room property on the boulevard Marguerite de Rochechouart, itself a late-night destination and a 1920s hot spot for musicians, intellectuals, and artists. The hotel’s design by Charlotte de Tonnac and Hugo Sauzay of Festen Architecture builds off of that legacy; restored details include the blue mosaic floor in the restaurant and the glass elevator. The classic yet modern rooms are decorated in a fashion that blends the French pastel classics with contemporary flare.

The rooms are truly impeccable and create an air of luxe comfort for the insider traveler, and while we'd love to stay inside and soak up the room's glam, the true fun is found outside. The hotel’s brasserie on the ground floor has become a favorite among Parisians for its soaring ceilings, sleek banquettes, and classic dishes (steak tartare; au bon frites). One floor below the restaurant, Mikado Dancing is a Jazz-era nightclub that the hotel owners brought back to life as a speakeasy-dance hall; it’s open every Friday and Saturday until 2 a.m. We highly recommend their gin tonics, which are crafted with a house gin that is not found anywhere else. Head to the rooftop bar for lunch and views of the Sacré Coeur, a staple of Paris's ode to the past and it's grand future.

Last summer was all about the “revenge” trip. Just throwing caution to the wind and booking that bucket-list vacation. This year things are looking a little… different. Generally, travel is a bit more expensive than last year – but on the positive side, Americans are also taking way more PTO (the average vacation is longer than it was in 2019). We respect that. In an effort to arm you for your upcoming summer travels, we’ve put together the 8 things you need to know, that’ll help you plan a better trip
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1. Tis the season to use your passport.
You know what’s hot right now? International travel. International flight searches are up a whopping 42%, it’s not just flights, both hotel searches (+36%) and car searches (+35%) are up for international destinations, compared to last summer. So hop on the trend.

2. Renting a car is probably the only thing you won’t have to splurge on. 
Trips are an investment – and like the price of eggs, they feel a bit pricier this year. But one bright spot is for rental cars: overall, daily rental rates are down 13% compared to last year. So you can expect to pay less for your ride. To compare, flights and hotels have seen a 35% and 5% increase in cost, respectively.

3. You’re gonna pay a bit more, and you’re gonna be ok with it.
That doesn’t mean you can’t use a budget website to hack your way to a great deal. But if we’re looking just at the data, we don’t see any domestic OR international summer flight destinations that have seen a significant drop in airfare when compared to last summer.* So across the board, expect to pay a bit more. (But it’s worth it, promise.)

4. If you’re traveling for a holiday, travel during the week.
Put in your PTO. The week of Memorial Day is (one of) the cheapest weeks of the summer to travel domestically. Similarly, the week of Labor Day is one of the cheapest to stay in a hotel in the US OR rent a car internationally.* So when everyone is back to the office on Tuesday, use that as your opportunity to be cool.

By Sara Walker

You know that you’re capable of being a top-tier applicant (that’s why you’re here!). You’re the type to take your career ambitions into your own hands—build your network, do your research, rock the interview, and write an awesome thank you note.

But then it’s the hiring manager’s turn, and you have to shift gears from proactive to patient. Isn’t there anything you can do?

The short answer is, making the switch from “full steam ahead” to “wait and see” mode is the most important step (but more on that later). Read on for a breakdown of the dos and don’t’s while you’re waiting to hear back.

Don’t Work Against Yourself
As with most relationships, looking interested is good, but looking too interested makes you less desirable. You may think you’re showing your future company that you’re ready to hit the ground running, but if you come on too strong post-interview (think “checking in” to restate your interest less than a week after the interview or double communicating—emailing and then emailing again without a response from the other party), you look less like a candidate they’d be lucky to hire and more like someone who’s anxious to leave your current role. It’s not fair, but the rules of human nature apply, and someone who seems desperate suddenly seems less appealing.

Need another reason to wait to contact your potential employer? Even if you are a shoo-in, being over-eager will weaken your negotiating stance when it is time to talk terms. If you put too fine a point on wanting to work at this company more than anything in the world, then the company may offer you a lower salary than a candidate it’s trying to entice.

Do Respond in a Timely Fashion
To be clear, you want to step back from your role initiating communication—which you did when you sent your cover letter and thank you note—and let the company be the party to reach out. However, there is a big—read: catastrophic—difference between letting the interviewer take the lead and deserting the dance floor altogether.

Just like you should respond to a request for an interview within 24 hours, if your contact follows up with you (good sign!), be sure to reply within one day (and ideally within a few hours). Going on vacation? Set an away message for your personal email; even consider updating your voicemail message to tell callers you’ll be unreachable. It’s worth it so the company doesn’t think you’ve simply moved on.

Don’t Drive Yourself Crazy
I was recently waiting to hear back about a position, and I’ll admit it: Every time my email dinged, I frantically checked to see if it was news on the job front—or just another retail advertisement. I’d think about the job before I went to bed, and when I woke up in the morning.

That’s not necessarily a bad thing: In part, obsessing over a job is how you know you’re on the right track and applying for a role you’re really passionate about. At the same time, though, you need that proverbial dose of reality—and regularly—so that you’re not crushed if you don’t get the job.

Your personal timeline will depend on your circumstances, but if I make it to the final round for any given job, I give myself one week when I’m allowed to think about it non-stop. For an entire week, I don’t apply to other jobs (assuming I don’t have anything else in the works), almost as a show of confidence in myself. For the skeptics who think this means I’ll miss my chance elsewhere, the second part of the one-week rule is that, after a week, I go back to job-hunting business as usual, and pick up right where I left off.

Do Move on Graciously
Okay, ideally, you hear that the job is yours, and then all you need to do is negotiate your salary and prepare to leave your current role. Another, somewhat more depressing scenario—though one you’ll get through just fine—is that one to two weeks go by and you hear that you didn’t get the job. If this is the case, graciously thank the hiring managers for their time and, if appropriate, ask to be kept in mind for future roles or to stay connected on LinkedIn.

Perhaps the hardest scenario, of course, is when an employer who tells you you’re a finalist then follows the “never contact the applicant again and he or she will get we went another way” protocol. (Personally, I prefer when company procedures mimic that of what they’d expect of their employees—being timely and honest—but that’s really not up to me.)
So what should you do? How do you know whether a company passed on you or if the hiring process is simply taking longer than expected? It’s OK to send one follow-up email, and from there gauge your contact’s response (if any) and response time, and then reply if appropriate. And if you’ve sent a thank-you note, followed up once, and haven’t heard a peep—well, it’s probably best to keep exploring your options.

Waiting to hear back about a job is nerve-wracking. But use the steps above to stay sane—both for yourself and in the eyes of the company.

The highly-anticipated release of Bonjour Beau: Monti has been all the rage thus far. The subject matter, 23 year-old physique and underwear model Monti, captured by the talented internationally-recognized Jorge Zavala (@BROMOISH), is shaking the internet by storm.

The marvelous photo-story book, which was recently unveiled in Los Angeles, is officially on-sale online and will be in several book-stands throughout the United States this summer. The notable qualities of the book, in addition to the high-res images of outstanding work by @BROMOISH, is the simple essence of the je ne sais quoi of life: the simple beauty of the gym-buff next door.

Boys will be boys, and cupcakes will always be delicious. Well, so long as The Cake Studio makes them. The Cake Studio, a locally-sourced cupcake design and gastronomic wonder, opened its doors in Chicago and has launched, with the help of #PdMModels, one of the season's most-anticipated campaigns: #BoysAndCupcakes.

The Cake Studio, one of Chicago's trendiest avenues to get the most-delicious custom-made cupcakes, macaroons, and cakes, is taking Chicago by storm this spring and is collaborating with several fashion powerhouses, including 2(X)ist, Allez Magazine, and Hennessy, to bring savory treats to every household in Chicago, and beyond.

The #BoysAndCupcakes campaign, which officially launches this spring, is a campaign to bring awareness to #TCakeStudio's brand new couture concept for macaroons, cupcakes, and cakes. Some of the style-savvy brand's most popular items include double-chocolate caramel cupcakes (featured above) and the velvet rose wedding cake (by order only).

To learn more about The Cake Studio, visit their website and follow the fun on Facebook!

Follow #PdMModels and #TCakeStudio on Instagram and hashtag your pics, #BoysAndCupcakes for a chance to win a custom-cake!

By Jorge Zavala | Creative Director

As Chicago enters the heart of gala and charity event season, there are numerous events across the city, from River North to Highland Park, that raise funds for a worthy cause. However, one event truly stood out this season: Fashion, Compassion, and Cocktails, organized and graciously delivered by Moxie Strategies, one of Chicago's leading events marketing companies. The industry-insider event took place at the Godfrey Hotel in River North on October 29, 2015.

The highly-anticipated event, which began promptly with a premier cocktail reception, attracted the attention of business gurus, media insiders, fashionistas, and fashion models, among other notable groups.

The soiree benefited the Israel Idonije Foundation, which provides a plethora of programs for empowering children across Chicago, the needy in Africa via Project Africa, and fostering community unity among urban youth and law enforcement via the highly-talked-about program, Shop with a Cop. Additionally, the IIF's All Star Football and Cheer Camp is renowned for its quality work with youth and the program's ability to foster strong leadership skills and confidence in tomorrow's leaders.

Attendees enjoyed an evening of delicious hors d'oeuvres, free-flowing premium champagne, and savory cocktails, which included the I|O Rooftop Lounge's special Moscow Mule.

In addition to savory evening elixirs, decadent desserts were provided by some of Chicago's top patisseries and restaurants for attendees to enjoy. This sweet treat, obviously enjoyed in moderation, was a top contender for many guests.

Some of Untitled Chicago's dining team was present to showcase their delicious bourbon and southern-inspired delight. Their food was a delight and definitely worth checking out.

Fashionistas and models adorned both the stage and the crowd as the who's who industry soiree boasted some of Chicago's most notable individuals within the fashion, lifestyle, and society social-circuit. Glenn Marshall, a current model represented in Chicago, enjoyed a glass of bubbly throughout the evening while working the crowd.

Guests, from one side of the rooftop to the other, wouldn't stop discussing the allure of the evening. Top insiders from the industry made their way to the event not just for a wonderful night out, but also for the opportunity to raise money for a worthy cause. Bravo to Moxie Strategies for hosting a top-tier event full of successful marketing opportunities, delish bites, and enticing spirits.

Cheers! We look forward to the next one.

Buried Alive, a mezcal infused cocktail, is the ideal drink for one of Chicago's cold winter days.