The webzine for English speaking Parisians
Shakespeare imagined many famous families but the odd foursome bound to its lonely island in “The Tempest” is not one of them. Between Ariel and Caliban, Miranda and Prospero, there are no few barriers to love or even friendship, beginning with the master-slave dynamic which colors their relations and which has come to define them in readings of the text over the last 50 years. Continue reading “Irina Brook’s “Temptête!” Lite”
With the exhibition “Les Petits Metiers” at the Fondation Henri Cartier-Bresson Irving Penn’s photographs come back to the city where the legendary series began. Penn started his “Small Trades” photographs while on assignment with Vogue France in 1950. The magazine rented a sixth floor walk up studio for Penn with natural light on rue Vaugirard where in addition to doing his fashion shooting that season he brought Parisian tradesmen to pose before his trademark neutral backdrop. He later continued the project in London and New York. The exhibition includes approximately one hundred photographs, Penn books and a copy of French Vogue Magazine where the pictures first appeared.
Paris pays homage to French humanist photographer Willy Ronis with an overview exhibition of his work at La Monnaie de Paris. The photographer, who died recently would have turned 100 this year. He was the last of a generation of post-war photographers whose poetic black and white photographs immortalized the city. During the fifties he was included in two legendary exhibitions “Five French Photographers” at the New York Museum of Modern Art, which included Cartier-Bresson, Doisneau, Brassaï and Izis and “The Family of Man.” Continue reading “Homage to Photographer Willy Ronis”
Stephen Clarke, known for his popular novel “Year in the Merde” depicting the indisputably laddish protagonist, Paul West and his expat adventures in France, was in Paris recently promoting his latest book “1000 Years of Annoying the French.” Continue reading “Stephen Clarke… Annoying the French?”
No-one knows a city like the people who live there – so who better to relate the history of Paris than its inhabitants through the ages? Taking us from 1750 to the new millennium, Parisians introduces us to some of those inhabitants: we meet spies, soldiers, scientists and alchemists; police commissioners, photographers and philosophers; adulterers, murderers, prisoners and prostitutes. We encounter political and sexual intrigues, witness real and would-be revolutions, assassination attempts and several all too successful executions; we visit underground caverns and catacombs, enjoy the view from the top of the Eiffel Tower, are there for the opening of the Metro, accompany Hitler on a flying visit to the French capital – and much more besides. Continue reading “Parisians, An Adventure History of Paris”
A new affordable book (6 Euros) from Parigramme by Catherine Jarrige with tips on where to feast in Paris without spending a fortune! This is the insider’s guide to dining in Paris: genuine neighborhood bistros, casual “no-frills”gourmet restaurants, delis and wine bars which source products carefully and prepare them artfully. This guide will help you avoid tourist traps and make your Parisian stay a succession of savory marvels… at reasonable prices. Great Meals! Great Deals!
Just in time for springtime and for those who dream of a “romantic rendezvous in the City of Light” here is an updated “tongue in cheek” guide by Thierry Soufflard (Parigramme) which romps through all the clichés of romantic Paris while giving advice on such topics as how and where to kiss at museums (and keep out of sight of the attendants!)… Or, how to imitate Doisneau’s famous smooch shot “The Kiss at the Hotel de Ville.”
Uncorking the mysteries
You know the scene: after finishing a great French meal, you’re feeling a little tipsy and definitely very full. You find yourself being offered more to drink. This time, the bottles your host opens bear mysterious labels: Cognac, Armagnac, Calvados, Eau de Vie, Crême, Genepy, Cointreau,. What is in those bottles? Why are they only served after dinner? Known as digestifs, these French after-dinner drinks are served after a meal because that is when your stomach is full enough to handle their high alcohol content (at least 35%)! Continue reading “French Digestifs”
A new book from Debra Oliver the author of the popular book ” Entre Nous: A Woman’s Guide to Finding Her Inner French Girl.” Here Ollivier goes beyond familiar ooh-la-la stereotypes about French women, challenging cherished notions about sex, love, dating, marriage, motherhood, seduction and flirtation. Less a how-to and more a how-not-to, Peppered with anecdotes from its Franco-American author and filled with provocative ideas from French sexperts, mistresses and maidens alike, it debunks longstanding myths while talking about life-affirming alternatives from the land that knows how to love.
One of the things that makes this book of recipes special is the life story that comes with it. “It is a collection of recipes” says author Eleanor Garvin “that I have cooked for clients and friends during the 25 years that my husband, Denis, and I have lived in France.” Her husband Denis Sherman, a wine specialist, provided photos and wine notes for the book. Continue reading “At Home in Burgundy…”
One of the things that makes Paris exceptional is that in the more poetic neighborhoods such as the Latin Quarter the streets sometimes seem haunted by ghosts of the people who have lived there. Continue reading “Paris and Her Remarkable Women”
