There’s no better way to start a new season in the fashion capital than with a whole new look. True, Paris can be pricy, but during the two yearly sales, prices are slashed to invite some healthy indulgence of retail therapy. The summer sales (called soldes in French) go to July 25. Continue reading “Paris’ Summer Sales 2023”
Sarah Bernhardt… a star is born
The “Sarah Bernhardt. Et la femme crea la star “ exhibition at the Petit Palais revisits the life and times of one of the first international celebrities (with photos, posters, paintings, costumes and memorabilia) marking the centenary of her death in 1923 (to August 27, 2023). Continue reading “Sarah Bernhardt… a star is born”
Espace Frans Krajcberg
Art meets nature in a hidden-away bucolic Montparnasse alley at the Espace Frans Krajcberg. The small exhibition space is Krajcberg’s former Paris art studio. It features work by the artist and temporary exhibitions by other artists dealing with environmental issues. Continue reading “Espace Frans Krajcberg”
Gutenberg at Paris’ BNF
The Bibliotheque Nationale de France (BNF) revisits Johannes Gutenberg’s discovery of movable-type printing with the exhibition “Imprimer! L’Europe de Gutenberg” (to July 16, 2023). Though not the first printing press, Gutenberg’s version was the first to spread across the world. Woodblock printing in China dates back to the 9th century and Korean bookmakers were printing with movable metal type a century before Gutenberg. Continue reading “Gutenberg at Paris’ BNF”
Anna-Eva Bergman Revisited
The Musée d’Art Moderne de Paris presents a major retrospective of work by Norwegian artist Anna-Eva Bergman (1909-1987, who lived in France with her husband Hans Hartung for many years. Her work marked a step forward for non-figurative painters and ranks with other great women artists such as Hilma af Klint, Georgia O’Keeffe and Sonia Delaunay (to July 16, 2023). Continue reading “Anna-Eva Bergman Revisited”
Thomas Demand… Stuttering History
Paris’ Jeu de Paume hosts “The Stutter of History,” a major retrospective of German photographer-sculptor Thomas Demand’s work (to May 28, 2023). The German-born artist who works in Berlin and Los Angeles, makes photographs of three-dimensional models that look like real images of rooms and other spaces. Continue reading “Thomas Demand… Stuttering History”
Ruby & Loulabelle’s Cannes Couch
The Festival de Cannes will soon be reported (May 16-27, 2023) by 4000 international journalists from around the planet. Among them is reporter Ruby Boukabou who is teaming up with Louise Prichard (of Loulabelle FrancoFiles podcast) to take you behind the scenes of the renowned film festival with stories, reels, interviews, news updates and more. Continue reading “Ruby & Loulabelle’s Cannes Couch”
Loire Plein Air Painting Workshop
Treat yourself to a week of water color painting taught by Paul George (May 27-June 3, 2023) while discovering the magical troglodyte village of Trôo. Perched above the river Loire in the northern Loire Valley this remarkable village features unique cave houses dug into the hillside that provide stunning views over the village, river and valley. Continue reading “Loire Plein Air Painting Workshop”
Jazz Pianist Lenore Raphael Swings into Paris
One of the things we love about Paris is the opportunity to hear so many top jazz performers. Lenore Raphael, who jazz critics have compared to Oscar Peterson, Bill Evans and even Thelonious Monk, will be in town playing her brand of modern swinging jazz (April 19, 2023) at the Cercle Suedois. Performing with Lenore is bassist Hilliard Greene who was music director for Little Jimmy Scott and joining them is top guitarists Wayne Wilkinson. Considered by many as one of great Steinway artists, she has performed at some of the world’s top jazz venues and festivals such as The London Jazz Festival, Jazz at Lincoln Center, Ronnie Scott’s (London) and the Blue Note. Continue reading “Jazz Pianist Lenore Raphael Swings into Paris”
The Latin Quarter Revisited
Discovering the 5 & 6th district
Romantic myths of Left Bank intelligentsia which date back seven centuries are brutally shattered on today’s busy bd St-Michel, the main artery of the Latin Quarter, where the 5th and 6th arrondissements meet.
The venerable Sorbonne, the quarter’s historic seat of intellectual life, is still there, but these days the forlorn chime of its chapel bell, which has punctuated the studies of generations of scholars, is drowned out by the din of passing traffic. Indeed most people who stream past the place de la Sorbonne seldom notice its beautiful 17th century chapel with its graceful dome. Continue reading “The Latin Quarter Revisited”
French Like Moi
Scott Carpenter’s memoir “French Like Moi” revisits B.C Paris (before corona virus) with wit and humor. Carpenter, who teaches French literature at Minnesota’s Carleton College, tells a traveler’s tale that is both funny and full of cultural insights. His saga is sure to evoke a chuckle from anyone
who has spent some time in Paris. As the French might say, the book is… “très amusant.” Continue reading “French Like Moi”