Paris' Grand Palais Completes Five-year Renovation
PARIS — The Grand Palais has fully reopened following the most comprehensive overhaul ever undertaken of the storied Paris landmark, built for the 1900 Universal Exhibition.
After unveiling the main nave of the glass-and-steel building last year, just in time for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, officials on Thursday celebrated the completion of the five-year, 486 million euro renovation.
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The project led by Paris-based studio Chatillon Architectes involved knocking down a partition wall separating the front and back of the building, increasing the spaces accessible to the public by 140 percent.
The central axis is modular, thanks to a monumental curtain designed and produced by Chanel, the exclusive private sponsor of the renovation, via its craftsmanship hub Le19M.
The mobile partition, which is 49 feet long and 26 feet high, is made up of nine sections and required 720 hours of work by the specialty ateliers, collaborating under the supervision of Studio MTX, the interior design department of embroidery workshop Montex.
'It's the first time MTX has coordinated all of the workshops at Le19M on a joint architecture project,' said Mathieu Bassée, artistic director of Studio MTX.
The sides of the curtain are sewn with 70 ornamental strips, each representing a specific skill set. Lesage embroidered tweed with sequins and pearls, while Lemarié created a marquetry of feathers. Gold- and silversmith Goossens made hammered brass cherry blossoms, while hatmaker Maison Michel assembled sections of felt, grosgrain ribbon and raffia.
The color of the curtain was designed to match the signature grayish green of the building's ironwork.
'We did hundreds of color tests with and without light to ensure that it blended in as much as possible with all the shades of green found in the buildings. We also worked on the transparency of the fabric in order not to block out the light coming from the nave,' said Bassée.
Chanel resumed staging fashion shows at the Grand Palais last fall after a four-year break, and recently held a dinner at the venue's new restaurant, Le Grand Café, a soaring brasserie designed by Joseph Dirand with a terrace that looks across at the Petit Palais.
It will be joined by a mezzanine-level café, led by Michelin-starred chef Thierry Marx, named Réséda after the building's predominant hue.
The Chatillon team also added 40 elevators and lifts, alongside 30 staircases, to provide access to the labyrinth of modernized exhibition spaces on the upper floors.
'Get lost in the Grand Palais, because we keep getting lost here every day, so my guess is the same thing will happen to you,' Grand Palais president Didier Fusillier said jokingly.
Since taking over 18 months ago, he has set about revamping the functioning of the venue, which has a surface area of 775,000 square feet and 20 galleries to fill.
Planned events range from marquee exhibitions staged in tandem with major museums, such as the Pompidou Center, the Louvre and the Musée d'Orsay, to large-scale concerts and popular initiatives, like a temporary ice rink.
The Pompidou Center, which is preparing to shutter for its own extensive, multiyear renovation, coproduced the 'Niki de Saint Phalle, Jean Tinguely, Pontus Hulten' exhibition that opens to the public on Friday, as well as the 'Art Brut' show on display on another floor.
There is also an exhibition on 'Royal Tapestries' featuring 16 large-scale tapestries designed by Danish contemporary artists, coproduced by the Grand Palais with France's Manufactures Nationales and the Royal Danish Collection.
Laurent Le Bon, president of the Pompidou Center, called it a 'magical' moment of unity between institutions.
'There's been a lot of talk about cultural policy lately. Our response is to be stronger together,' he said. 'Despite the criticism, despite the diatribes, more than ever, the Pompidou Center is alive thanks to the genius of Didier Fusillier.'
His pointed remarks underscored the uncertainty facing the Palais de la Découverte, the scientific museum previously sealed off by a non-original partition wall. Its removal restores an original sightline that had not been seen since 1937, revealing the splendor of the adjoining Palais d'Antin, with its Beaux-Arts architecture and vast mosaic floor.
A group of employees of Universcience, which runs the museum, clustered outside on Thursday morning to draw attention to their petition demanding clarity about the fate of the institution, which housed a planetarium as well as another room dedicated to electricity.
Fusillier said that he had no intention of 'ejecting' science from the building, but said it made no sense to have the Palais de la Découverte operate separately from the rest.
'I don't understand why people want it to go back to how it was before, because it didn't work. It was a catastrophe,' he said. 'We want people to be able to see the building in its entirety because taxpayer money paid for this, after all, so I think they deserve to enjoy it.'
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Surprising Roles Actors Auditioned For
Sometimes, an actor is so perfect in a role that it's impossible to imagine anyone else playing their part. However, it's interesting (and sometimes a little weird!) to find out who else was considered for it! Here are 40 surprising roles actors auditioned for: Adam Brody told The Hollywood Reporter, "I really wanted Blue's Clues early on when I first moved to LA...I tried real hard. It's like 1999. I didn't get it. But I would've had it. I would've loved it." The role instead went to Steve Burns, who hosted the show from 1996-2002. Halsey was considered for the role of Mary in Sinners. They told the podcast In Your Dreams with Owen Thiele, "I did read the script. There's not a lot of white-passing Black girls in Hollywood. So I did read the script...[The vampires were a] huge surprise reading the script. I was like, 'This is a period piece.' I was like, 'This is gonna be like, you know, we're on the plantation. This is a deeply surface-level, period piece about racial politics.' And then there was vampires, and I was like, 'What the fuck is going on?'" She continued, I thought I was hallucinating at the table. Because they give you a little bit of time to read the script, and you don't get to go away with it when it's that high-profile of a project. You read it, you give it back, and then you go. So I left being like, 'Am I okay?' Like, I couldn't even double-check my work. I just walked out of there with this memory and was like, 'Did I make the back half of that whole movie up in my mind?' It felt like they printed the first half of, like, a different Ryan Coogler movie and then stapled it to the back half of Blade. And it worked. That's not a criticism of it. It was amazing. But for a second, I was like, 'Am I getting punked?'" The part ultimately went to Hailee Steinfeld. Halsey said, "She's incredible. I don't think I knew [she has African American heritage], but when her casting was announced, I was like, that makes perfect sense. She's stunning. I've seen clips, and she's so commanding and powerful in the role. And she's amazing." Gossip Girl creator Josh Schwartz told Vulture, "We did not realize this at the time, but Jennifer Lawrence really wanted to play Serena and auditioned. This story came to us secondhand, but we were told she definitely auditioned and was bummed to not get it." Blake Lively, of course, played Serena van der Woodsen. Blake Lively auditioned to play Karen Smith in Mean Girls — and she seemingly made it pretty far in the casting process! Amanda Seyfried, who was ultimately cast as Karen, told Vanity Fair, "I had worked with this comedic director on my Karen audition because I'd first auditioned for Regina, and I'd flown out to LA for the first time with my mother. It was very exciting. I met Lacey Chabert for the first time, and Lindsay Lohan was in the room. And Blake Lively was playing Karen, and then I was Regina. I flew home, and they were like, 'You know what? We think you're more correct for Karen.'" Ashley Tisdale was also in the running to play Karen in Mean Girls! She told Watch What Happens Live!, "Gosh, it was so long ago. I just remember screen-testing, and it was me and Blake Lively and someone else. But yeah, I screen-tested. That was, like, eons ago, obviously." On The Howard Stern Show, Seinfeld actor Jason Alexander revealed that Danny DeVito was offered the role of George Costanza. Theorizing why he turned it down, Jason said, "His career, when we started Seinfeld, would've been at its apex. So, he probably didn't wanna do a sidekick role." Jason Alexander also said that Chris Rock turned down the role of George on Seinfeld. He said, "Why Chris wouldn't do it, I don't know. Maybe it didn't get to an offer stage. I don't know." Michael Keaton told The Hollywood Reporter's Awards Chatter podcast that he was offered the role of Jack Shephard on Lost. However, the original version of Jack was much different — rather than a main role, he would've been killed off in the pilot as a shocking twist. However, when Jack evolved to a more permanent role, Michael declined because he didn't want to sign on to something that would last for an indeterminate amount of time. The role was played by Matthew Fox. Harry Styles turned down the role of Prince Eric in the live-action The Little Mermaid remake. In 2023, director Rob Marshall told Entertainment Weekly that the singer "really felt like he wanted to go off and do the movies that he ended up doing, which were sort of darker." The role went to Jonah Hauer-King. Beyoncé was originally signed on to play Ally in A Star Is Born. Producer Bill Gerber told The Hollywood Reporter, "There was a moment where that was the best version of the movie, and then all of a sudden, Beyoncé got pregnant. Do we wait? She was amazing about all this stuff. She always understood if we were going to take a different direction. And then Clint [Eastwood, the original director] went off and did another movie." He added that, in his initial meeting with the two actors, "I'm sitting there thinking, 'I'm watching something historic about to happen,' and then it didn't. It's just the movie business." She was replaced by Lady Gaga. Disney Channel's former Vice President of Casting and Talent Relations, Cornelia Frame, told the podcast Magical Rewind, "Zendaya did audition many times for Descendants, and that was a big deal. It was a really big deal. She auditioned over and over and really wanted it. It just ended up not going her way. Now that I think about it, I'm like, 'Would Spider-Man have happened right at that same time?' Things happen for a reason, and you do often book this other thing that's amazing when you don't get something else." She didn't disclose exactly which role Zendaya auditioned for, but the Descendants franchise starred Dove Cameron as Mal and Sofia Carson as Evie. Elizabeth Olsen auditioned to play Daenerys Targaryen on Game of Thrones. She told BuzzFeed, "I forgot I auditioned for it." Emilia Clarke got the part. A behind-the-scenes video from Peacock revealed that Seth Rogen auditioned to play Dwight Schrute in The Office. You can watch his audition at the beginning of the video below: Of course, Rainn Wilson ultimately played Dwight. Modern Family actor Eric Stonestreet tried out to play Kevin Malone on The Office. His audition is at the 36-second mark below: The role went to Brian Baumgartner. And Kathryn Hahn read for the role of Pam Beesly! Her audition starts at the 46-second mark: Jenna Fischer landed the role. One last interesting audition for The Office — John Cho tried out for the role of Jim Halpert! You can watch his audition at the 1:24 mark: The part went to John Krasinski. Long before playing an alternate reality version of Reed Richards in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, John Krasinski was in the running for the titular role in Captain America. He told The Ellen Show, "The truth is, they hadn't offered it to [Chris Evans] yet, so they were like, 'Let's see who else is out there before we offer it to Chris Evans.' And um, I went in, and I tested for Captain is a true story. I was putting the suit on, and the [costume] guy was like, 'This is really momentous.' And I said, 'Yes.' And I was putting the suit on, and I was halfway up — not wearing any clothes other than this — and [the suit] was halfway up. And right at that moment, Chris Hemsworth walked by, and he was like, 'Ya look good, mate.' And I was like, 'Nope. You know what, it's fine. We don't have to do this.'" He continued, "He was just, like, jacked! He was like, 'You're gonna look great in that suit.' And I was like, 'Don't make fun of me, Hemsworth.' So I just walked away right there. No, I didn't. I acted my heart out that day. And it didn't work out, so." Chris Evans played Steve Rogers until passing the Captain America mantle to Anthony Mackie (as Sam Wilson) in Avengers: Endgame. According to the Guardian, there's a longstanding rumor that Elvis Presley was in the running for the role of Tony in West Side Story, but his manager, Colonel Tom Parker declined on his behalf. George Chakiris, who played Bernardo in the 1961 film, told Fox News, "No, I never heard anything like that. But I'll tell you something. Back when we were doing the play in London, there was buzz about the movie. And I remember the two star names being considered were Elizabeth Taylor and Elvis Presley for the roles of Tony and Maria. Of course, none of that happened, but that's the only time I ever heard his name and his connection with the possibility of doing the film long before it started. But I personally think it's just a rumor that caught some kind of life over the years. It's my understanding that Elvis didn't want to do A Star is Born, so I can't imagine that he would want to do West Side Story." The role of Tony went to Richard Beymer. Another surprising role Elvis was reportedly considered for: Willy Wonka in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory! The part went to Gene Wilder. Initially, George Clooney was supposed to play Noah Calhoun in The Notebook. Paul Newman was going to play the older version of Noah. George was excited at first, but after watching a few of the other actor's movies, he felt too intimidated to play the younger version of him. He told Deadline, "He's one of the handsomest guys you've ever seen. We met up [again], and I said, 'I can't play you. I don't look anything like you.' ... We just wanted to do it because we wanted to work together, [but] it ended up being not the right thing for us to do." The studio struggled to find other actors who were interested in the role because Noah didn't have much of a character arc. However, director Nick Cassavetes ultimately offered Ryan Gosling the role because he thought he was "not like the other young actors out there in Hollywood" and not "handsome" or "cool." In her memoir The Woman in Me, Britney Spears wrote, "The Notebook casting came down to me and Rachel McAdams, and even though it would have been fun to reconnect with Ryan Gosling after our time on the Mickey Mouse Club, I'm glad I didn't do it. If I had, instead of working on my album In the Zone, I'd have been acting like a 1940s heiress day and night. I imagine there are people in the acting field who have dealt with something like that, where they had trouble separating themselves from a character. I hope I never get close to that occupational hazard again. Living that way, being half yourself and half a fictional character, is messed up. After a while, you don't know what's real anymore." You can watch Britney's audition tape — which was released by the Daily Mail — here. Reneé Rapp auditioned to play Glinda in the onscreen adaptation of Wicked. The part went to another pop star — Ariana Grande. On WWHL After Show, Reneé said, "Ariana's gonna be — can I cuss? Okay, she's gonna be [bleeped] amazing. I'm so excited." According to Page Six, before director Stephen Daldry departed Wicked, he reportedly wanted Lady Gaga to star as Elphaba. An alleged source told the outlet, "They had meetings, the two of them, about the character and who she would be. [Lady Gaga] was essentially cast in his version, and then it fell through." With director Jon M. Chu at the helm, the role of Elphaba went to Cynthia Erivo. Page Six also reported that the original Wicked director wanted Shawn Mendes to play Fiyero. Jonathan Bailey ultimately played the role. Victorious actor Daniella Monet was one of the finalists in the running for the titular role on Hannah Montana. In a TikTok, she explained that, after the success that followed her one-season show Listen Up, her "absolutely incredible" manager, Elaine Lively (yes, Blake's mom!), "made things happen." Daniella's agent wanted to push her towards feature roles, but that wasn't what she wanted for her career. She explained, "So, I tell Elaine at the time. I'm like, 'Elaine, all I wanna do is Disney and Nickelodeon.' She's like, 'Well, let me see if I can get you a general [meeting].'..So, we go to Disney, but, you guys, it was not really a general. It was the testing session for Hannah Montana." In a follow-up video, she said that she saw Miley Cyrus — who got the role — and Taylor Momsen at the audition. Friends actor Matt LeBlanc declined to play Phil Dunphy on Modern Family. He told USA Today, "I remember reading it, thinking, 'This is a really good script, [but] I'm not the guy for this. I'd be doing the project an injustice to take this. I know what I can do; I know what I can't do. Plus, I'm having too much fun laying on the couch.'" The part went to Ty Burrell. Macaulay Culkin turned down an unspecified leading role on The Big Bang Theory. In 2018, he told the podcast The Joe Rogan Experience, "They pursued me for The Big Bang Theory, and I said no. It was kind of like, the way the pitch was, 'Alright, these two astrophysicist nerds and a pretty girl lives with them. Yoinks!' That was the pitch. And I was like, 'Yeah, I'm cool, thanks.' And then they came back at me again, and I said, 'No, no, no. Again, flattered, but no.' Then they came back at me again, and even my manager was, like, twisting my arm...I'd have hundreds of millions of dollars right now if I did that gig. At the same time, I'd be bashing my head against the wall." Though he didn't say which role he was offered, it was possibly Sheldon Cooper or Leonard Hofstadter, who were played by Jim Parsons and Johnny Galecki, respectively. Whitney Houston declined the role of Denise Huxtable on The Cosby Show. Actor Darryl M. Bell told Red Table Talk, "Now I'm sure everyone knows there's a Cosby/Different World connection and what most people don't know is that there were two actresses who were being considered for that role of Denise. When The Cosby Show was originally being cast, the role of Denise came down to Lisa Bonet and this other actress." He said that Whitney turned down the five-year contract because she wanted to pursue a music career instead. Director Jay Sandrich told the Archive of American Television, "This girl we brought back from New York said to me, 'I can't sign this contract.' And I said, 'Why?' And she said, 'Well, I wanna be a singer.' And I said, 'Yeah, huh?' She said, 'I can't be in every show.' I said, 'Why not?' She said, 'Well, I have to be able to tour.'" "So I said, 'Do you have a record contract?' 'No.' 'Have you ever toured?' 'No.' 'You know, this show, if it gets on, it's successful, it'll help your singing career.' [She] said, 'No, I'm going to tour.' And I said, 'Well, who told you you could sing?' She said, 'My mother and my aunt.' And I said, 'Well, you can't do the show or sign the contract. You're in every show because it's about a family.' [She] said, 'I won't sign the contract.' Whitney Houston!" he said. Lisa Bonet played Denise. Matthew McConaughey auditioned to play Jack in Titanic, but contrary to popular rumors, he was never actually offered the part. On Literally! with Rob Lowe, he said, "So I went and read with Kate Winslet, and it was not one of the auditions. They filmed it, so it was, like, into screen test time. After we left, you know, it was one of those ones where they, like, followed me, and when we got outside, they were like, 'That went great.' I mean, kind of, like, hugs. I really thought it was going to happen. It did not..." "I asked [director James] Cameron about this, because the gossip over the years that I heard and would see written about me was that I had the role in Titanic and turned it down. Not factual. I did not get offered that role. For a while I was saying, 'I gotta find that agent. They're in trouble.' I did not ever get the offer," he said. The role, of course, went to Leonardo DiCaprio. Leah Remini came super close to starring in Friends, making it thorugh until the network approval round. She told Media Village, "I had auditioned for the role of Monica. As an actress, you go on each audition thinking, 'This could change my life. I could get my car out of repo, or get a nice apartment that's not backed up to a bar in Hollywood,' so everything rides on those moments...I was devastated that I didn't get it. We all knew it would be a huge hit. We just knew it." She later made an appearance on the show, playing Lydia, a pregnant women whom Joey helped, on "The One with the Birth." Monica was played by Courteney Cox. Kathy Griffin was in the running to play Phoebe Buffay on Friends. She told HuffPost, "I've known Jane [Lynch] since we were both auditioning — I think we were auditioning for Phoebe on Friends like all my other girlfriends did." However, Jane told the outlet that her supposed Friends audition was just a "Hollywood urban myth." The role, of course, went to Lisa Kudrow. John Travolta declined the titular role in Forrest Gump in favor of starring in Pulp Fiction. The part went to Tom Hanks, and John had no regrets! He told MTV, "No, because if I didn't do something Tom Hanks did, then I did something else that was equally interesting or fun. Or if I didn't do something Richard Gere did, I did something equally well. But I feel good about some I gave up because other careers were created." According to Digital Spy, the Die Hard producers were contractually obligated to offer the leading role of John McClane to Frank Sinatra, who was 70 at the time, before any other actors could be considered. The offer had to be made because he starred in the 1966 film The Detective, which was based on the book that preceded Nothing Lasts Forever. Die Hard was adapted from Nothing Lasts Forever, making it a loose sequel to The Detective. However, the singer turned it down — as did Clint Eastwood, Sylvestor Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Richard Gere, James Caan, and Mel Gibson. Bruce Willis actually declined the role at first, but after his show Moonlighting had to pause production to accommodate his costar Cybill Shepherd's pregnancy, he accepted. The Big Bang Theory star Jim Parsons tried out for the role of Barney Stinson on How I Met Your Mother. He told Live with Kelly and Michael, "It was one of the stranger experiences of my life. Because you know how it is to audition for things. They come out with character breakdowns and stuff, and on this one, it specifically said, 'Barney, a big lug of a guy.' And I remember thinking, I got it and was like, 'Who the hell looked at me and thinks 'big lug of a guy?' And it wasn't offensive. I thought, 'This is silly.'" The role famously went to Neil Patrick Harris. Jim continued, "Look, it all worked out better for the part, let's be honest, and it all went that way." Jake Gyllenhaal told The Hollywood Reporter, "I remember auditioning for The Lord of the Rings [the role of Frodo] and going in and not being told that I needed a British accent. I really do remember Peter Jackson saying to me, 'You know that you have to do this in a British accent?' We heard back it was literally one of the worst auditions." Elijah Wood played Frodo Baggins. In the docuseries Arnold, The Terminator writer/director James Cameron said, "I had been told by [Orion Pictures cofounder] Mike Medavoy that the movie was all cast. 'I got this all worked out. O.J. Simpson and Arnold Schwarzenegger.' I said, 'Well, which is which?' Those two names just sounded so wrong to me." Recalling his meeting with the director, Arnold added, "During our conversation, it became clear no one was hooked to O.J. Simpson playing Terminator because he could not be sold as a killing machine." Arnold Schwarzenegger played the Terminator. Liam Hemsworth auditioned for the titular god of thunder in Thor. The part went to his older brother, Chris Hemsworth, who told Wired, "I think my audition sucked. I think that was the response I got. And then my younger brother auditioned, and he got very close. He got down to the last five people and then didn't get it. And they were like, 'Look, he's great, but he's a bit young.' My manager then said, 'Well, he does have an older brother,' which was me. I came back in, re-auditioned a few times, and just had a different attitude. Maybe I had a little more sort of motivation that my little brother had got a look in and I hadn't. I also had done a couple of films in between those two auditions, so I had a bit more experience and confidence in what I was gonna do." Their oldest brother, Luke, played an Asgardian actor playing Thor in Thor: Ragnarok and Thor: Love and Thunder. Additionally, Chris's twin sons, Sasha and Tristan, shared the role of young Thor in Love and Thunder, making Liam the only Hemsworth boy who hasn't played Thor! Will Smith turned down the role of Neo in The Matrix. In a Facebook video, he said, "The Wachowskis, they came in, and it was like, they had only done one movie. And they came in, and they made a pitch for The Matrix. And, as it turns out, they're geniuses! But there's a fine line in a pitch meeting between genius and what I experienced in the meeting." Unimpressed by their pitch, he made Wild Wild West instead. You can watch Will reenact the pitch the Wachowskis gave him here. The role famously went to Keanu Reeves. Nicola Coughlan told BuzzFeed, "I auditioned for Stranger Things a number of years ago. I auditioned to play Robin." She continued, "Maya Hawke got it. She was far better than I ever would have been. It's a good lesson to actors: Watch the stuff you didn't get, because you'll totally understand how it's not personal. You're just right for some things, and you're not right for other things." And finally, Matt Damon turned down the role of Jake Sully in Avatar — which would've earned him $250 million — because he was contracted to a Bourne movie at the time. In 2023, he told Entertainment Tonight, "It's the dumbest thing an actor ever did in the history of acting...I've probably done, like, 50 movies. I've never been in a movie that made $1 billion." The role went to Sam Worthington. Which of these audition stories surprised you the most? Do you think any of the actors would've been a better fit for the role? Let us know in the comments!
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7 hours ago
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24 Products You'll Want If Your Kid Is Half Fish
A spacious inflatable pool so they can enjoy a refreshing dip to stretch their fins, even if you don't have an in-ground pool. But honestly, who needs to deal with the upkeep of that if you can just whip this bad boy out whenever you please?! Or, a splurge-worthy above-ground pool because you don't have the space or moolah to put in a traditional pool, but you still want your kiddo to have a place to swim that doesn't require a car trip and lugging a bajillion things to the community pool. A pack of pool noodles perfect for floating, making rafts, or having (harmless) sword fights. Promising review: "At first, I thought, who would review pool noodles? Then I realized - because no one does, you don't realize how magnificent these pool noodles are. Over the past few weeks, I have really put these to the test. First, they float like nobody's business. You can't ask for better floating foam noodles. Even when you try to sink them, they float right back up. They never give up. But then, the real test — mock sword battles. I was the terror of the household. I could not be defeated. It was like I *WAS* the Immortal. There can be only one, and it is me. (cue Queen music now). But the most amazing thing of all is that after that — THEY STILL FLOAT! They just bob along the top of the water, waiting for their next assignment. I have used them to lie on, sit on, you name it. They just float and don't give up. So if you really want pool noodles that float, get these. You will not regret it, and your neighbors will want to be you." —N. Tara SmithGet five from Amazon for $24.99+ (available in 12 different color combinations). Some goggles with a click-open clasp and mirrored lenses, because it's 2025, and someone finally invented a version that doesn't fog up or pull your hair out when you take 'em off. Gone are the days of fighting your kiddo to get out of the pool just to have to wrestle their goggles off, yanking their hair in the process, and making an already grumpy kid grumpier. Those wails will never be heard again. Or a pair of Frogglez that have fully redesigned the goggle game. Like, seriously, who thought it was a good idea to make the strap a piece of plastic that gets wrapped around your hair and then rips HUGE clumps out when you take them off?! These are made with a neoprene strap and have adjustable Velcro so they can actually fit each kiddo's head comfortably. A one-piece swimsuit rash guard with a zipper that goes the entire length of the bathing suit 'cause there's nothing worse than trying to wrestle a soggy baby to change their diaper or get them into dry clothes and having to pull off their bathing suit. That's basically like a giant finger trap, but with their entire body. Struggles, begone! It's also UPF 50+! UPF (Ultraviolet Protection Factor) is a measure of how much UV radiation reaches your skin through a fabric. UPF 50 means it's designed to block 98% of the sun's review: "I absolutely love this long-sleeve UPF 50+ swimsuit for my 2-year-old daughter! The flower print is so cute, and the full-coverage design is exactly what I was looking for. It even has longer legs that go past her knees, which is a huge bonus. Living in Hawaii, I'm very aware of the risks of sun damage and skin cancer, so having a suit like this gives me peace of mind. I don't have to use as much sunscreen, and she stays protected while still being comfortable and stylish. Fits true to size, and she moves around easily in it. Highly recommend for any parent who wants a cute and functional suit for sun safety!" —Lauren Day | Hawaii Mom LifeGet it from Amazon for $19.99 (available in six sizes and 19 patterns). A four-pack of Toypedo Bandits, which are like the main toy I can remember playing with my whole childhood. These bad boys can glide for up to 20 feet so your little one can have fun chasing them all around. For ages 5+.Promising review: "Really fun for the kids — keeps them in the pool longer, and I like that these sink quickly and move a bit from where they enter the water so kids have to look around a bit for them they aren't just literally right below where tossed in. That can be tricky for little kids just learning to dive for stuff because they may travel deeper than intended, but I'd say for 7+ these are super, and good for 5–6 if experienced in swimming underwater/diving for toys." —MeeeeeeeeGet it from Target for $5. An easy-to-pack, UPF 50+ wide-brim bucket hat to help shield their face when they refuse to get out of the pool to reapply sunscreen on time. This way, you'll know they are shaded from the hot sun while they're in the pool, turning into a prune for hours on end. A pre-swim hair cream that can help protect their hair from the damaging chlorine while they're swimming laps or playing mermaids. This stuff will help prevent their strands from getting dry and brittle and can save anyone with blonde locks from the dreaded greenish tint that sometimes makes an appearance in the summer. An inflatable basketball hoop set so they can practice their game without getting out of the water. It even comes with the ball so you're ready to get dunking right away. Promising review: "This was by far the hit of my child's pool party. The kids played with it for hours. It stayed inflated throughout the summer. The basketball that comes with it is heavy enough to bounce on the pool deck and also easy and light enough to shoot when swimming in the pool. I hope it reinflates without any issues next summer. That said, I will happily buy another one if it doesn't — it was that much fun." —NEReviewerGet it from Amazon for $49.99 (available in two colors). Huggies Little Swimmers diapers with easy-to-open sides so you can whip them off when you're in a hurry to change them into clothes when they finally agree to come out of the water. An underwater search and find game equipped with 64 colorful gems and cards so your fish (ahem, I mean kid) can memorize the card, dive down, and rush to be the first to find the correct combination of gems. This will help them learn how to dive down and hold their breath! Neutrogena Beach Defense Water Resistant Sunscreen to help prevent sunburn with 70 SPF. It's also water resistant for up to 80 minutes so they can enjoy much more time jumping in the waves or off the diving board. A long-sleeve, UPF 50+ kids zipper rash guard swim shirt that might help prevent sunburns without having to reapply sunscreen every hour and ruining all the fun they're having splashing around. The full zipper also makes it way easier to get it on and off. Promising review: "I've bought two of these so far as my kid has gotten older and will likely continue to buy a new one annually. My toddler wears his every day to the beach; no sunburns yet! The zipper is essential — it makes it so easy to take it on and off when wet. The fit is fairly true to size, but you may as well size up so it'll fit for longer (you can always roll up the sleeves). I've also tried hooded sun shirts but have found the hood to be too much trouble when wet; this version paired with a sun hat and some sun leggings is a good compromise." —TulipGet it from Amazon for $24.99 (available in sizes 0 months–14 years and 29 colors). A Melissa & Doug "Louie Lobster" claw catcher pool toy, which is not only a super fun and unique game, but also helps them work on their hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills. This is great if you're ~in a pinch~ and forgot all your other toys 'cause it'll keep them entertained for a looong time. For ages 5+.Promising review: "My 3-year-old is obsessed with this toy. LOL, worth every penny!" —JpoGet it from Target for $10.89. A three-pack of inflatable pool floats smaller than traditional floats so they're the perfect size for your little ones. Plus, they come in a variety of ~delicious~ designs that make them even more fun. For ages 9+.Promising review: "I bought these not expecting much from them. I thought they'd just be some cheap rings that I'd have to throw after a single the are awesome. The material is very strong, and the rings [are] big enough for an adult. Easy to inflate and very strong. The colors and patterns are vibrant as well. No complaints. I would purchase them again! Definitely!" —JoshuaGet them from Amazon for $14.99+ (available in five designs). A pop-up beach tent with a cutie lil' built-in "pool" area so your tiny, aquatic-loving kiddo can feel the refreshing water without you panic holding them the whole time. It even has UPF 50+ protection so you can feel good knowing your bebe is shielded from the sun while they play in the sand (and water). A six-pack of "Max Liquidator" water blasters to really elevate the pool or ocean to a whole new level. Turn it into an intense game of tag and see who can avoid getting sprayed the longest! Promising review: "I got these for my kids to play in the pool with, and they most certainly didn't disappoint. The maximum range on these (around 30 feet with a little elbow grease put into it) surpasses any Super-Soaker that I've ever tried, and they're extremely easy to use. Granted, they have no water reservoir, so you have to use them in the pool, lake, ocean, etc., for them to be effective, but aside from that, they are a fantastic water toy. Plus, they're brightly colored and float on the surface of the water so almost impossible to lose." —iEspressoGet them from Amazon for $20.14. A set of three collapsible swim-thru rings so they can practice their mermaid skills without requiring you to stand with your legs spread apart while they try to swim through. Promising review: "I got these for my 5-year-old son who just learned to swim this summer, so he can practice holding his breath and swimming underwater. I love that you don't need any extra tools to inflate or deflate. What you need is what you get. Very easy to inflate and deflate, and they actually work very well at different depths. We have a 10-foot deep end, and I was able to keep them 1-foot above the bottom and have my son swim through. My son is a fish now, surprised at how well he is able to swim after only learning a couple of months ago. Good purchase and keeps the kids busy." —AndrewGet them from Amazon for $19.47. A floating cornhole game that'll let them enjoy the classic backyard game while still making sure they don't turn into a fish out of water. Just be warned, the floating aspect might make this a biiit more challenging. It comes with the inflatable corn-hole game board, eight waterproof buoyant bean bags (four yellow and four blue), and a mesh carrying review: "I bought this for the Fourth of July as a fun pool game. It didn't take long to inflate with the little hand pump we had. No issues at all with the actual bean bags themselves. They float, which is great. The fact that the game itself floats and moves around adds a nice challenge element. Great price and I'd say I got my money's worth for the fun we had." —Lauren P. Get it from Amazon for $25.99. A mini sprinkler pool for your kiddos to splash around in and cool off without having to dump what seems like two TONS of water out of a kiddie pool when the fun is over. A deck of waterproof cards so they don't have to choose between a rousing game of hearts and taking a dip in the pool. The card competition is gonna heat up while they still get to cool off. A giant inflatable dinosaur sprinkler that sprays water out of its nose and is a DINO-mite way to cool off when it's so hot outside you feel like your skin could start melting off at any moment. Perfect for your fishy kids who may not be able to actually visit a pool every single day, but still need to make sure they don't dry out being on land without water for too long. A waterproof baby wrap so you can enjoy the pool without worrying about holding on to your kiddo for dear life. This is also great for anyone watching two little ones because you can be hands free and ready to play with the older one. Now, if you have to have your baby attached to your body, it can at least be while you're cooling off in the pool instead of just having your two sticky, hot, and sweaty bodies smushed together.
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Yahoo
Paris' Grand Palais Completes Five-year Renovation
PARIS — The Grand Palais has fully reopened following the most comprehensive overhaul ever undertaken of the storied Paris landmark, built for the 1900 Universal Exhibition. After unveiling the main nave of the glass-and-steel building last year, just in time for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, officials on Thursday celebrated the completion of the five-year, 486 million euro renovation. More from WWD Chanel Celebrates U.K. Centenary With a Picasso, Ballet and English Stars Queen Camilla Repeats Her Royal Uniform With Chanel Cap-toe Pumps for Royal Ascot 2025 Mariah Carey Goes All Black in Knee-high Chanel Boots and Knit Tom Ford Dress in London The project led by Paris-based studio Chatillon Architectes involved knocking down a partition wall separating the front and back of the building, increasing the spaces accessible to the public by 140 percent. The central axis is modular, thanks to a monumental curtain designed and produced by Chanel, the exclusive private sponsor of the renovation, via its craftsmanship hub Le19M. The mobile partition, which is 49 feet long and 26 feet high, is made up of nine sections and required 720 hours of work by the specialty ateliers, collaborating under the supervision of Studio MTX, the interior design department of embroidery workshop Montex. 'It's the first time MTX has coordinated all of the workshops at Le19M on a joint architecture project,' said Mathieu Bassée, artistic director of Studio MTX. The sides of the curtain are sewn with 70 ornamental strips, each representing a specific skill set. Lesage embroidered tweed with sequins and pearls, while Lemarié created a marquetry of feathers. Gold- and silversmith Goossens made hammered brass cherry blossoms, while hatmaker Maison Michel assembled sections of felt, grosgrain ribbon and raffia. The color of the curtain was designed to match the signature grayish green of the building's ironwork. 'We did hundreds of color tests with and without light to ensure that it blended in as much as possible with all the shades of green found in the buildings. We also worked on the transparency of the fabric in order not to block out the light coming from the nave,' said Bassée. Chanel resumed staging fashion shows at the Grand Palais last fall after a four-year break, and recently held a dinner at the venue's new restaurant, Le Grand Café, a soaring brasserie designed by Joseph Dirand with a terrace that looks across at the Petit Palais. It will be joined by a mezzanine-level café, led by Michelin-starred chef Thierry Marx, named Réséda after the building's predominant hue. The Chatillon team also added 40 elevators and lifts, alongside 30 staircases, to provide access to the labyrinth of modernized exhibition spaces on the upper floors. 'Get lost in the Grand Palais, because we keep getting lost here every day, so my guess is the same thing will happen to you,' Grand Palais president Didier Fusillier said jokingly. Since taking over 18 months ago, he has set about revamping the functioning of the venue, which has a surface area of 775,000 square feet and 20 galleries to fill. Planned events range from marquee exhibitions staged in tandem with major museums, such as the Pompidou Center, the Louvre and the Musée d'Orsay, to large-scale concerts and popular initiatives, like a temporary ice rink. The Pompidou Center, which is preparing to shutter for its own extensive, multiyear renovation, coproduced the 'Niki de Saint Phalle, Jean Tinguely, Pontus Hulten' exhibition that opens to the public on Friday, as well as the 'Art Brut' show on display on another floor. There is also an exhibition on 'Royal Tapestries' featuring 16 large-scale tapestries designed by Danish contemporary artists, coproduced by the Grand Palais with France's Manufactures Nationales and the Royal Danish Collection. Laurent Le Bon, president of the Pompidou Center, called it a 'magical' moment of unity between institutions. 'There's been a lot of talk about cultural policy lately. Our response is to be stronger together,' he said. 'Despite the criticism, despite the diatribes, more than ever, the Pompidou Center is alive thanks to the genius of Didier Fusillier.' His pointed remarks underscored the uncertainty facing the Palais de la Découverte, the scientific museum previously sealed off by a non-original partition wall. Its removal restores an original sightline that had not been seen since 1937, revealing the splendor of the adjoining Palais d'Antin, with its Beaux-Arts architecture and vast mosaic floor. A group of employees of Universcience, which runs the museum, clustered outside on Thursday morning to draw attention to their petition demanding clarity about the fate of the institution, which housed a planetarium as well as another room dedicated to electricity. Fusillier said that he had no intention of 'ejecting' science from the building, but said it made no sense to have the Palais de la Découverte operate separately from the rest. 'I don't understand why people want it to go back to how it was before, because it didn't work. It was a catastrophe,' he said. 'We want people to be able to see the building in its entirety because taxpayer money paid for this, after all, so I think they deserve to enjoy it.' Best of WWD Celebrity Style at Coachella Through the Years: Taylor Swift, Amy Winehouse and More [PHOTOS] From John Galliano to Paul Smith, Designers Who've Created Christmas Trees at Claridge's The Most Over-the-top Hats From the Royal Ascot Races Through the Years
