October 4, 2011 by Sara Rahman
Parisian shops devoted entirely to a single specialty (like olive oil, honey, or communist literature) are considered obvious fixtures in an urban landscape where commercial efficiency is, if anything, an afterthought. So, when my roommate Winnie showed me a place on our street specializing in piñatas, of all things, my only thought was, “Of course. Naturally.” It was, incidentally, just across the street from our radical left-wing bookstore.
Winnie, a journalist, was covering the shop in a story with an unusual social twist. The piñatas, it turns out, are made by prisoners.
Continue Reading »
Posted in Arts, Design, Shopping | 10 Comments »
September 30, 2011 by Ariel Kocourek
There are so many tours to choose from in Paris… Whether you want to be whisked off on your adventure by bike, boat, balloon, Segway or foot (I have yet to find a horseback tour, but I’m sure someone, somewhere is cooking one up), a tour exists to help make that dream come true.
Having that many options at your fingertips can be overwhelming. That’s why we make it our duty here at Haven in Paris to scour the city tirelessly for the very best tours to recommend to our clients. I’ve been lucky enough to meet more than my fair share and have compiled a list of four of my favorites, chosen because they are so original, in depth and because the people behind them are amazing characters themselves!
Time Travelers Tours
Sara Towle’s “Time Travelers Tour” StoryApp (downloadable to the iPhone) is one of the most original Paris tours I’ve experienced. This labor of love started out as a book geared towards children and has evolved into an fully interactive, fact-filled, historical adventure through Paris. The first tour in the series, “Beware of Madame la Guillotine”, reveals the stories behind the landmarks and personalities associated with the French Revolution. It’s perfect for adults and children alike (I had a great day out following the tour with my husband)!
You can download the Time Travelers Tour App for your iPhone here or here. Continue Reading »
Posted in Arts, Tours and Classes | 2 Comments »
September 6, 2011 by Amy Thomas
Art and food. Food and art. Of course the two dance deliciously together in the City of Light. But with this past year’s additions of the Gilles & Boissier-designed eateries inside the contemporary auction house Artcurial and the Mini Palais within the landmark Grand Palais, Paris’ art scenes are crossing over into prime dining destinations. Here are five top-notch spots to sample when you’re as hungry for good food as you are for fine art.
Tokyo Eat at Palais de Tokyo
This versatile restaurant inside the contemporary art museum is a favorite haunt of Parisian hipsters. That’s because, with its super-sized dining room, UFO-shaped lanterns and colorful mid-century furniture, it’s cool without trying too hard. The food and ambiance are also atypically refreshing. Open non-stop from noon until 1 in the morning, you might opt for a freshly squeezed carrot-ginger juice in the morning, a lunch of inventive coconut and pineapple ravioli, or a standard steak with plump frites at any hour. It’s great for solo dining as well as big crews.
13, avenue du President Wilson, 16eme, 01 47 20 00 29. Open every day except Monday, from noon until 1 a.m.
Mini-Palais at the Grand Palais
With a menu created by Michelin-starred chef Eric Frechon and overseen by executive chef Stéphane d’Aboville, dining in this elegant, lofty restaurant—designed in neutral colors like an artist’s atelier—goes way beyond your typical museum offerings. It starts with a warm brioche that’s as decadent as a southern popover, and then moves on to just about anything you’re craving. The roast chicken is generous and succulent, the cabillaud is delicately poached in ginger and lemongrass, and the burger is topped with foie gras, bien sur. Get there before autumn descends to take advantage of the magnificent outdoor terrace, with its grand imperial columns, mosaic floors and sheltered views of the Petit Palais.
3, avenue Winston Churchill (enter on the Seine side), 8eme, 01 42 56 42 42. Open daily from noon until midnight. Continue Reading »
Posted in Arts, Restaurant Reviews | 9 Comments »
July 28, 2011 by Amy Thomas
Baccarat House (Hotels Paris Rive Gauche)
Most visitors to Paris don’t know what they’re missing by not knowing the word fondation. I know I didn’t when I moved from New York. When I heard about the Yves Saint Laurent or Henri Cartier-Bresson fondations, for example, I just assumed they were boring non-profits or something. Silly girl.
Fondations are Paris’ little artistic gems. Often housed in magnificent old hotels particuliers or modern spaces designed by world-renowned architects, these “foundations” are like miniature museums, dedicated to preserving the memory and achievements of influential movers and shakers. Here are some not to be missed.
Fondation Cartier
Fondation Cartier (Tim Brown Architects’)
By far my favorite is the Fondation Cartier. The modern, airy Jean Nouvel-designed building invites the lush cedar and fig trees surrounding the building inside, and the surrounding wild gardens make for a perfect pit-stop after taking in the art. And then there’s the art. Seeing as it’s the hoighty-toighty French jeweler’s fondation, the work is nothing short of sterling. Exhibitions are really well curated, ranging from Japanese megastar Beat Takashi Kitano’s kitschy-controversial paintings to the wildly popular 2009 graffiti art exhibition to William Eggleston photographs.
261 Blvd Raspail (14th arr.). 01 42 18 56 50. Open every day, except Monday, from 11am-8pm; Tuesdays until 10pm.
Fondation Pierre Bergé Yves Saint Laurent
Exhibit at Fondation Pierre Bergé Yves St. Laurent (Virginie Arnoux, Tulio Borges)
Yves Saint Laurent is a god to the French, to fashionistas and to feminists. So it only makes sense that there’s a fondation devoted to the iconic fashion designer in one of the city’s chichi-est arrondissements. Don your finest and dive deep into four decades’ worth of original sketches, accessories, haute couture and ready-to-wear. While many of the rotating exhibitions are devoted to YSL, not all of them are. Past standouts include shows by painter David Hockney, interior designer Jean-Michem Frank and American socialite Nan Kempner.
5 Avenue Marceau (16th arr). 01 44 31 64 00. Open Tuesday – Sunday from 11am to 6pm. Continue Reading »
Posted in Arts, Design | 8 Comments »
July 22, 2011 by Eric Goldschein
A typical Parisian night out can mean any number of things. Some people like the club scene, while others prefer a quiet drink along the Seine. Some can knock back shots at the bar, and others look for a cultural infusions via acoustic guitar sets or art gallery openings. To accomplish all of these things in one night would, at the very least, tax your Navigo pass as you zig zag across town. Most likely, it would drive you crazy.
However, Hip Paris readers, I recently visited a place that is so all-encompassing, so varied in its vibe, décor and mission, that you and any number of your difficult-to-please friends can enjoy yourself, no matter what you’re looking for that night — or even that moment.
Entrance to La Halle Aux Oliviers (Kygp)
La Bellevilloise is an expansive, multi-tiered space in the hills of Belleville that, with seeming ease, incorporates every type of good time to be had under one roof. It is a jack-of-all-trades, where bar meets restaurant meets dance floor meets performance space meets brunch spot. Walking into each different area of the space brings a new experience, and I was drawn from doorway to doorway in a pleasant yet mildly schizophrenic frenzy of entertainment.
Le Forum
Entering from the street into the Forum drops you into a cavern-like club, dark and inviting. It’s like an Art Deco museum with a pulse. It’s a casual setting, and the various, mostly acoustic sets trade places up on the center stage for a packed room. Multiple floors of seating on both sides of the room allow patrons to watch the staff move with symphonic rhythm through the space, delivering tapas (the salmon wraps caught my eye more than once) and strong mojitos out from behind the imposing bar. The mood, despite the low lighting, is vibrant, cheery and unpretentious. On my last visit, I saw trenchcoats mixing with Nikes and flannels and fitted caps bumping hips with mom jeans…
La Terrassee
After the cavernous Forum, emerging onto the Terrace, with its relaxed atmosphere among the Belleville rooftops, is a breath of fresh air. Gorgeous evening light is the setting for another bar, a partially covered deck, abundant greenery and wheelbarrow tables. Reminiscent of a Brooklyn beer garden, this space offers a reprieve from the energy and intensity of the other rooms. The rumblings of upright bass from the Forum are just a whisper out here. Everything about this cozy balcony says: take your time, have a drink. So I did. Continue Reading »
Posted in Arts, Food, Restaurant Reviews | 3 Comments »
June 9, 2011 by Tory Hoen
Woody Allen’s latest film, Midnight in Paris, is about – what else? Midnight in Paris! Inspired by her recent run-in with the director himself, Tory reminisces about how living the romantic, literary dream also means taking stock of the realities of life in the city of lights… -Geneviève
“I don’t deliberately make a film a year, but that seems to be what happens,” Woody Allen told me when I caught up with him at an event last December in New York. “Eventually I will stop working or keel over, but so far everything’s been going along fine.”
At the time, he had just wrapped Midnight in Paris, which headlined this year’s Cannes Film Festival in May (and is now in theaters in France and the United States). I had been anticipating this film ever since my friend caught a glimpse of the crew shooting on one of the quais last fall, and I was curious to see how Allen would interpret (or misinterpret) Paris.
In short, Midnight in Paris follows Owen Wilson’s character, an earnest American novelist, as he is unexpectedly lured into a magical world, populated by the likes of Hemingway, Fitzgerald, Picasso, Gertrude Stein, Dalí, Luis Buñuel, Man Ray, T. S. Eliot, and the list goes on. Late in the film, a spin through the Belle Epoque has Wilson rubbing shoulders with Gauguin, Degas and Toulouse-Lautrec.
Like many of Allen’s films, the whole thing was pretty far-fetched, but I must admit, it totally captivated me in the watching. More importantly, it made me laugh at myself—if only because it played with so many of the stereotypes that lure starry-eyed Americans (myself included) to Paris. Owen Wilson’s literary-inspired naïveté struck a serious chord with me. It’s no coincidence that when I first arrived, I named my blog A Moveable Beast in honor of the bohemian, writer-ly existence I planned to cultivate. Continue Reading »
Posted in Arts | 16 Comments »
May 25, 2011 by Stephanie Wells
Here in Paris, the warm days and longer nights have got us yearning for carefree summer fun… To tide us over, HiP Paris contributor Stephanie Wells shares her list of Spring/Summer concerts here. We’d love to hear from you too! If you know of any great gigs, feel free to leave them in the comments… -Geneviève
Having been either a student or an intern all of the five summers I’ve spent in Paris, it’s easy to understand why my entertainment budget is virtually non-existent. So when the pink cherry blossoms on the Canal Saint Martin turn the luscious green that signals the real beginning of spring, the promise of free concerts draws me like a magnet.
Last year’s Caetano Veloso concert at the La Défense Jazz Festival was a sun-blazed highlight of my summer. I’m chomping at the bit to see what musical gems are on this year’s program (under embargo until the end of May). What lucky folks we Parisians are that we can just hop over to the Esplanade de la Défense from June 18th-26th for a top-quality musical extravaganza – for free!
La Défense Jazz Festival 2011, 18-26 June 2011, Esplanade de la Defense, Free
While I’m waiting for the Jazz Fest’s unveiling, as if on cue, the Villette Sonique publicized their festival lineup a couple weeks ago. Continue Reading »
Posted in Arts, Events | 2 Comments »
May 23, 2011 by Badaude
HiP Paris friend, contributor and wonderful illustrator Badaude is coming out with a gorgeous book, London Walks, chock-full of witty drawings and snapshots into the lives of Londoners. In honor of the book launch happening next Monday at Shakespeare & Co, we asked Badaude to give us her top spots to hit up in London for a weekend getaway… Check out her list below for the places to stay, eat, drink, shop and stroll. PS: And if you’re in Paris, feel free to stop by Shakespeare & Co next Monday night to celebrate the launch of London Walks and more! -Geneviève
Badaude’s new book, London Walks
Stay at The Zetter Townhouse:London’s newest and hottest hotel is a clutter-chic bijou Georgian townhouse in the quiet square behind the original Zetter Hotel. Bedrooms are a riot of eclectic 19th century fun. Mine had a bedhead and wall panel taken from a French 3rd Republic carousel, an ipod dock housed in a red retro radio and, most stunningly, as well as the state-of-the-art drench shower in the bathroom, a mahogany-pillared bath set into an alcove in the bedroom.
Downstairs mixologist Tony Conigliaro’s hot cocktail bar looks like a London pub (busy Victorian paintings and pleasingly eccentric taxidermy) only more comfortable. Kick back on one of the cozy sofas and let staff serve you tapas-style snacks as you study the innovative drinks menu. With so many clever inventions it was a tough choice, but I wasn’t disappointed when I ordered a Somerset sour (apple brandy, cider, gomme and lemon) – a heavenly ice-cold balance of sweet and sour. My date went for a sharp Richmond (Chivas Regal, apple honey & Lillet blanc ). Both arrived in cute retro glasses — the perfect finishing touch. We picked at a platter of delicious pates and Parma ham, fresh buttery radishes, English cheeses and sardines on toast pimped with a pimento puree, accompanied by a carafe of aromatic Jurancon sec (£30 for 50cl). We felt too full to make use of the bar’s table tennis room afterwards.
Rooms from £185. The Zetter Townhouse Website.
Eat at: St John.This is hardly news to residents, but if you only eat out once in London, you won’t find an experience more British than Fergus Henderson’s legendary ‘nose to tail eating’. If the whitewashed restaurant pushes the abbatoir look a little beyond your comfort zone, the meaty menu lives up to the ‘everything but the squeak’ premise. The last time I was there I had a roasted marrow bones with parsley salad (£7.10) followed by Calf’s liver and shallots (£18.40) . Was there a part of the menu that wasn’t offal? The British cheeses and Eccles cakes (£6.80) were sublime.
Continue Reading »
Posted in Arts, Travel | 4 Comments »
May 4, 2011 by Tory Hoen
Coco Chanel gets a lot of credit for being the grande dame of Parisian fashion. But guess what? There’s a new sartorial sheriff in town. Although I suppose she’s been there all along…
Madame Grès—one of the pioneers of Parisian haute couture—hadn’t really been on my radar until I hit the retrospective (La Couture à l’Oeuvre) that’s currently going on at the Musée Bourdelle. To be honest, the Musée Bourdelle hadn’t really been on my radar either. Tucked away in the 15th, it’s housed in the charming gardens and dusty ateliers where sculptor Antoine Bourdelle (1861-1929) once lived and worked.
From now until July 24, the museum has turned its attention to high fashion, displaying 84 of Madame Grès’ jaw-droppingly gorgeous designs, alongside 50 original sketches and numerous editorial photographs. Grès, who got her start as a costume designer, was known for her sculptural aesthetic. Eschewing traditional corseting, she used artful draping and strategic twisting, roping, and pleating to create graceful shapes that enhanced the female form.
It’s no wonder that after launching her design house in 1932, she gained a loyal following of celebrities and icons (Jackie Kennedy, Greta Garbo and Dolores del Rio were clients) looking for customized designs that both moved and flattered. Continue Reading »
Posted in Arts | 5 Comments »
May 2, 2011 by Erica Berman
When Sweet Pea Baking in Paris followed me on Twitter I was intrigued by the idea of an American baking for Frenchies in the city of light. Upon meeting Sweet Pea (aka Alisa Morov) I was seduced by her vivacious personality and her innovative new project Very Swell not to mention sated by her sinful 2-pepper chocolate cookies.
Themed dinners, afternoon teas, original artwork, and creative food are on the menu of this ‘retro but modern’ concept launch designed by Alisa and her partner Louise Brody of the Atelier 7 gallery.
This hip, and happening supper club/ art gallery/afternoon tea, gathering space will kick off its first event May 5th with a Mad Men themed dinner (appropriate dress obligatory and taken very seriously).
Alisa is a transplant from LA who has lived in Paris for 9 years and has two dessert cook books on cupcakes and meringues (a third on birthday cakes coming soon) under her belt. She will be cooking up a storm of Mad Men reminiscent food with a modern twist (no cool whip or processed mayonnaise). Louise, a UK native who has spent her formative years in the US and now calls Paris home, will style and host the event.
Signature champagne cocktails, straight bourbon whiskey, old-fashioneds, vodka gimlets, in theme music, dancing, Mad Men wall projections and original artwork will round out the much anticipated soirée. Continue Reading »
Posted in Arts, Design, Events | 2 Comments »
