Literary detective David Burke explores the most creative quartiers of the City of Light — the Latin Quarter and the Marais, raffish Montmartre, “Lost Generation” Montparnasse, and others – and tracks down the haunts of dozens of the world’s finest and most colorful writers. Continue reading “Writers in Paris”
Richard Avedon Paris Retrospective
Sandra Bennett, from “In the American West” Richard Avedon, © 2008
A major retrospective of photographs taken by Richard Avedon from 1946 until his death in 2004 is exhibited this summer in Paris at the Jeu de Paume. It traces the photographer’s carrer begininng with his early fashion work with Harper’s Bazaar in 1945 which revolutionized fashion photography by bringing models out of the studios and into the streets giving the impression that the pictures were intimate moments captured spontaneously. Continue reading “Richard Avedon Paris Retrospective”
Valentino, Best of Italian Design
In the more than two decades of reporting on fashion collections, I have noticed that the most successful designers are those who turn a deaf ear to the ramblings of the press (both good and bad reviews), while remaining faithful to the aesthetic needs and tastes of his clientele. This is especially true in the world of Haute Couture where the clothes cost a fortune and the number of women affording them a scant few. This also applies to a man whose name is synonymous with high fashion, a man who, for 45 years, embodies all that is great with Italian design….Valentino. Continue reading “Valentino, Best of Italian Design”
“Paris Primitive” by the Seine
This new book by Sally Price explores the story behind the creation of Paris’ newest museum devoted to the so called “primitive arts.” The story begins in 1990 when Jacques Chirac, the future president of France and a passionate fan of non-European art, met Jacques Kerchache, a maverick art collector with the lifelong ambition of displaying African sculpture in the holy temple of French culture, the Louvre. Together they began laying plans, and ten years later African fetishes were on view under the same roof as the Mona Lisa. Then, in 2006, amidst a maelstrom of controversy and hype, Chirac presided over the opening of a new museum dedicated to primitive art in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower: the Musée du Quai Branly. Continue reading ““Paris Primitive” by the Seine”
Homage to Yves Saint Laurent
Adieu to the King of Style —For many of us in fashion, today marks the end of an era. Yves Saint Laurent, the undisputed king of fashion, has been laid to rest and I, like many other style mavens on this planet, mourn the lost of this great fashion legend. Long before there were rebels like Jean Paul Gaultier with his signature conical bras, or innovators like Issey Miyake who transformed objet d’art into sculpted metal bustiers or even Phat Farm’s gritty, hip-hop, “streetwear, there was Yves Saint Laurent who introduced all of this and more to the world of high fashion. “I participated in the transformation of my era. I did it with clothes, which is surely less important than music, architecture, painting … but whatever it’s worth I did it,” the designer said in 2002 upon his retirement. Continue reading “Homage to Yves Saint Laurent”
They’ve always had Paris…
Patricia Wells, long recognized as the leading American authority on French food, and her husband, Walter (former senior editor of the International Herald Tribune), live the life in France that many people have often fantasized about. Now the couple has put together a sort of “scrapbook” of their memories co-writting a new book “We’ve Always Had Paris… and Provence.” (Harper Collins) Continue reading “They’ve always had Paris…”
The different types of “psy” in France
The distinction between psychiatrist, psychologist, psychotherapist, psychoanalyst is very unclear to many people & the qualifications required even less clear which leads to confusion & uncertainty about whom to choose when seeking a “psy”. Continue reading “The different types of “psy” in France”
Edouard Boubat’s Camera Poetry
Photographer Edouard Boubat (1923-1999) is a poet with a camera. His work is part of the great tradition of French photography that includes such masters as Brassai, Bresson and Doisneau. From his pictures of people in post-war France to photos he took late in his life in the nineties there is a continuity in his gentle attitude that bridges both time and place.
French taxes overview
As you would expect in a country with millions of bureaucrats, the French tax system is inordinately complicated and most French people don’t understand it. However, it’s essential to be aware of which taxes you should pay and when. Before you move to France, take expert advice, preferably from someone with knowledge of the tax systems in France and your home country, so that you can benefit from the advantages of tax planning. Once in France, it’s best to employ an accountant (expert-comptable) to handle your tax matters, especially if you’re self-employed. Continue reading “French taxes overview”
Banking in France
Banking in France, like many things French, is a baffling mixture of the ultra-modern and the antiquated. Online banking is widely available but most banks charge you to use a service that saves them man-hours and facilities. New cheque books are issued automatically but you’re expected to collect them from your branch and must ask for them to be posted to you. The following are some of the main characteristics of French banking. Continue reading “Banking in France”
Basic services in France
Refuse collection arrangements are made locally and therefore vary widely, but services are usually efficient and even in rural areas there may be three collections per week: two for waste and one for recyclable material (see below). Collection times also vary. Continue reading “Basic services in France”