Carams

La musique

February 23: Brooklyn rockers Real Estate, whose albums are consistently rated Best New Music by Pitchfork and the like, will perform at Nouveau Casino.

February 24: Pop-dance producers Simian Mobile Disco,  a British duo that broke off from previous band Simian, will perform a DJ set at La Machine du Moulin Rouge.

Dave Bloom

Les arts

Through February 19: Les Femmes savantes, a favorite amongst Molière’s work and a satirical criticism of the ridiculous préciosité that penetrated 18^th century French salons, is showing at the Théâtre de la Tempête.

Through February 19: Chic! Une grande maison at Cité de l’Architecture et du Patrimoine – a look into the history of Paris architecture, specifically the lovely hôtels particuliers that dot the city. Child friendly.

Through March 15: You may know Maxim’s for its resto and boutique, but they also have an exhibition space and this month “Moi, Sarah Bernhardt” is on show. Bernhardt, often thought of as the world’s first and most famous actress, paved the way for female performers to come. Now you can take a peek into her life and passion.

Matt Mansfield

Through March 25: The Maison Européenne de la Photographie’s current special exhibition showcases Brazilian photography over the past 60 years, portraying the country’s consistent search for identity. Don’t forget to stroll through the permanent collections!

Through April 6: If you have an affinity for LatAm photography, be sure to check out FOTO/GRÁFICA at Le Bal as well, a survey of Latin American photography over the past century.

Jules Morgan

Misc.

Every Friday: La Dernière Goutte, an inviting cave in the 6^th, hosts Le Wine-Down, a free wine tasting with noshes from 5-7:30pm. What better way to end the week and rub elbows with locals?

Through February 14: Traveling to Paris with votre amour for la Saint Valentin? The city will be making personal love notes public for the day, so submit your sentiments to the Mairie de Paris by the 8^th see them posted on signs all over Paris.

For more events in Paris in February, check out these links:

• Secrets of Paris
• Bonjour Paris
• Le Best of Paris

Written by Erin Dahl for the HiP Paris Blog. Looking for a fabulous vacation rental in Paris, London, Provence, or Tuscany? Check out Haven in Paris.

When I popped home to the UK in November, London was already in full festive swing with Christmas trees, festive songs and neon lights galore. Sent back with a Cadbury’s chocolate advent calendar adorned with an oversized Santa, I was ready to start the Christmas season with a bang.

Making Magique

Yet once back home across the pond, I realized Paris hadn’t joined in on the fun yet. I was ready to start in on my advent calendar and temperatures were plunging, but where were all those tell tale signs that our favorite mid-winter festival was fast approaching?

This set me thinking. What exactly is a Parisian Christmas? What happens in the cold windy days leading up to the big event? I set out on a mission to discover the seasonal delights that France’s most romantic city had to offer.

Little Brown Pen

Shopping

Although the Christmas shopping frenzy begins relatively late in Paris (thankfully, shops only step into gear at the end of November), once it gets going, it really gets going. Stores go all out with light shows and designer-crafted window displays – always tasteful, bien sur. First stop? Paris’s iconic department stores. Whilst London has toy-filled Hamleys and elegant Harrods, Paris showcases its trademark sophistication with Les Galleries Lafayette and the neighbouring Printemps, where Karl Lagerfeld’s touch marks this year’s displays: think Chanel-clad rock ‘n’ roll dolls strumming their electric guitars and 20m Christmas trees.

Conclusion: a little slow off the starting blocks, but Paris comes through in true style.
Printemps: 64, bd Haussmann, metro Havre Chaumartin
Galleries Lafayette: 40, bd Haussmann, metro Chausee d’Antin – Fayette

Little Brown Pen

Markets
December in Paris wouldn’t be complete without a good dose of Christmas markets. The stalls clustered along the Champs Elysees are beautifully situated (one of the most luxurious streets in the world all lit up with golden lights – what more could you want!) with the roaring traffic detracting only a little from the romantic scene. I highly recommended warming up with some mulled wine, nibbling on roasted chestnuts (a French Christmas favorite) and finishing it all off with a chocolate dipped apple.

Conclusion: Christmas markets are a key Parisian Christmas ingredient. They may not be big or overly original, but they are brimming with seasonal good cheer (with a little help from the steaming vin chaud).
November 19 – January 2, 2012, Avenue des Champs-Elysées to the Place de la Concorde ( Metro Champs Elysées-Clemenceau or Concorde)
For a full list of Paris’ neighborhood Christmas Markets, click here

Carams

More Christmassy excitement

What else does Paris have store for Christmas-lovers? Having diligently wandered the streets, I’ve definitely had my festive fix for 2011.  My highlights include:

-    The illuminated Ferris Wheel at the Place de la Concorde
-    The elegant lights in the cobbled rue Montorgueil
-    The giant Christmas tree outside Notre Dame cathedral
-    The temporary ice skating at Hotel de Ville
Although Christmas cheer may hit the French capital a little late, Parisians certainly know how to do the festive run-up with taste. If we’ve missed anything, please drop us a comment with your favourite Paris Christmas moments below!
Wherever you are this Christmas, I wish you all a joyeux Noël!

Stop by the Corner

Related Links:

• The NY Times has some great tips on what to do in Paris on Christmas Day
• Here’s a funny post on the French love for fake Christmas trees… truly inexplicable. 
• Paris By Mouth has a great list of restaurant recommendations open for Christmas in Paris

Written by Victoria Wall for the HiP Paris Blog. Looking for a fabulous vacation rental in Paris, Provence, or Tuscany? Check out Haven in Paris.

It’s 1905 in Paris. Visitors to the Salon d’Automne are outraged. Who is that flamboyant woman with the audaciously colorful hat? Or rather who could have painted such a daring work? Matisse’s Woman with a Hat shocked most viewers. However, it was avidly appreciated, and swiftly purchased, by two new art connoisseurs; Gertrude and Leo Stein, sparking a fabulous legacy of 20th century art patronage and perhaps the greatest collection of Modern art of the era. This collection is currently brought together for the first time in decades in Paris, in a special exhibit at the Grand Palais.

The Stein family, based in San Francisco, first came to Paris in 1878 when the siblings Gertrude, Leo and Michael were still children. This initial visit must have struck a cord, as they each eventually gravitated back to Europe as adults by 1904. Having sold off their family’s holdings back in the U.S., the Steins could live a comfortable bohemian life in Paris and were quickly drawn to collecting art.

The Grand Palais exhibit opens with some fine examples of their earliest acquisitions, several works by late impressionist masters, in particular Renoir and Cezanne, purchased during their first visit to the Salon d’Automne in 1904. These works would not only adorn the walls of the Steins’ respective apartments on rue Madame and rue Fleurus, they would also serve as inspiration for the next generation of young artists who started frequenting the Steins’ Saturday night Salons, lively evenings of conversation and debate over the ensuing new ideas of the modernist movement.

The next year’s Salon d’Automne also featured the more “traditional” artists, however, just as the impressionists had shocked the art world with their innovative works forty years prior, new artists such as the bold Fauves were causing a stir. While it was Gertrude and Leo who purchased Matisse’s aforementioned masterpiece, it was Michael and Sarah who became avid collectors and friends of the artist. Over the next few decades, they almost exclusively focused their collection on his works, many of which are shown here, several displaying the unique bond Matisse had with Michael and Sarah such as the two portraits he made of them and some paintings featuring their son Allan.

Matisse might have been one of the most important leading artists of the turn of the 20th century, however, he was fervently rivaled by another visionary artist; Pablo Picasso – who in turn was greatly supported by Gertrude and Leo. Gertrude first met Picasso in 1906 and they quickly formed a strong, if not turbulent, friendship. The exhibition features a number of wonderful Picassos from their collection, including the imposing Cezanne inspired pre-cubist portrait of Gertrude, but perhaps the most intriguing are eight original sketches and studies for Picasso’s first cubist work Les Demoiselles d’Avignon (1907), tightly displayed together on one wall, just as they might have been hung on the walls rue Fleurus.

Gertrude considered herself not merely as a patron of artists, but rather as their equal, a literary modernist, gaining inspiration for her writing from their new concepts on composition as she was developing into one of the most reputed American female writers. After WWI, Gertrude’s rue de Fleurus salon reflected her increasing interest in writing, as the artists started being replaced by the Lost Generation writers.

The end of the exhibit shows her appreciation for newer artists such as Juan Gris, then Francis Picabia and Balthus. This feels like a slightly weak closure to the amazing artistic odyssey of the Steins, who helped shape the direction of art history. Overall, the exhibit, is an exciting way to take an artistic trip back in time to one of the most creative moments in modern history … and then experience a little bit of bohemian Paris yourself, wandering the streets of the Left Bank or Montmartre in the footsteps of the Steins, Picasso, Matisse and Hemmingway.

Context Travel is arranging small group and private visits of the exhibit led by modern art historians. For more information and dates click here.

Written by Lily Heise from Context Travel for the HiP Paris Blog. All images courtesy of the Grand Palais. Looking for a fabulous vacation rental in Paris, Provence, or Tuscany? Check out our website Haven in Paris.

The possibilities for private dining experiences in Paris continue to expand with yet another new addition: New Friends Table. This ‘secret eating and meeting club’ appeared on the scene last spring thanks to a multi-national group of friendly and fun, food-minded locals.  With my penchant for new and unusual eating experiences, I requested a booking as soon as it popped up on my radar.

Cozy ambiance at the New Friends Table

To secure an invitation, you introduce yourself by email with some basic background information such as food preferences, interests and what languages you speak.  While some might consider the necessity of introducing themselves a nuisance, it’s completely in line with the principles of this club.  New Friends Table is about more than just putting something tasty in your belly. It’s about conversation, interaction, getting to know your fellow diners, and hopefully even fostering new friendships.

Homemade parmesan chips and cocktails - Forest Collins

Dinner locations rotate and each meal varies depending on what’s fresh, who’s coming and who’s cooking.  On this visit, I was welcomed into a cozy loft decorated with fun brocante curios by our hostess for the evening, a friendly Englishwoman.  Our group was a mix of Americans, French, English and Italians, with an even split of locals and visitors.  We settled into sofas and chairs and started to get to know each other over an apero of negroni sbagliato (Campari, martini rosso and cremante d’alsace)  accompanied by homemade Parmesan biscuits edged with poppy seeds.

The Beautifully set New Friends Table

After cocktail hour, we were invited to move to an exquisitely set table where we were seated apart from those we came with to encourage us to chat with our ‘new friends’ for the night. Our group of eight (nine when our hostess had a moment to join us) was large enough to allow for intimate, one-on-one conversations, but still small enough for group table talk as well.  To my left I was entertained by a friendly traveling American – who occasionally broke off to translate for two of the Italian guests – and to my right I was charmed by a delightful Englishman.

Stuffed mini-pumpkins at Erica’s new Friends dinner

The meal began with an amuse bouche of lamb kidneys braised in sweet Madeira celery leaves, quail eggs and a warning from our hostess that this would be the last “small” dish we’d see for the night. Keeping with the convivial spirit of the dinner, the next courses were served family style.  First was the salad of rocket, fleshy figs, fresh Ewe’s milk ricotta and ‘wet’ walnuts served with a Medoc wine.

The next course shook things up a bit with a smoked mackerel paté alongside an orange and grapefruit salad paired. The dish was paired with a somewhat sweet Gewurzttramminer, and I admit to being surprised at the switch from red to this particular white, but the resulting flavor combination was impressive. Back again to red wine, the meat-and-veg girl in me devoured the next course of polpette (veal and pork meatballs) and stewed fresh cannelini with tomato and basil.

New Friends Table and new friends at the table

Always my favorite course, the cheese plate did not disappoint with a nice hunk of comte and charouse fermier served up with a 2009 Brouilly. I generally pass up the sweets for savory, but my curiosity was piqued by warm pitchers of sauce, freshly whipped English jersey cream and cake that appeared on the table as I was greedily taking one more ‘tiny’ cheese slice. I had never had sticky toffee pudding before.  Why had I never had sticky toffee pudding before? I have no idea. It was a blissful experience that made me regret missing out on this treat for so many years.

Interesting people and conversation at the New Friends Table

After I inhaled my substantial portion of sticky toffee pudding (ceremoniously leaving one little bite untouched so as not to appear a glutton – which my dinner date then happily finished off for me), tea and coffee were served with silky, dark truffles laced with Campari and lime. The wink to our aperitif cocktail brought our meal full circle, a gesture meant to echo the meal’s seasonal symbolism: we enjoyed the last of summer’s bounty while welcoming fall’s new offerings.

As much as I enjoyed the meal, the biggest draw for me was meeting new and interesting people, and I fully expect to spend a bit of time in the future with some new friends I made that evening. During the meal I even got word of an entirely different private dining experience in Paris, but I’ve promised to keep mum on that one for the moment. In the meantime, solo diners, curious gourmets and open-minded folks seeking new food fun in Paris, with a healthy dose of socializing on the side, should seek out this Table for tasty family style meals.

Forest Collins

New Friends Table; suggested donation: approximately 50 Euros (prices may vary depending on meal)

Related Links:

• Prefer a quick bite to a complicated meal? This Paris butcher is serving house-made meals up on his butcher counter
• For a comprehensive list of Paris’ best private dining options, check out Bryan’s article on HiP Paris here
• If you’re confused by the dining options in Paris, check out this comprehensive guide from Parisien Salon

Written by Forest Collins for the Hip Paris Blog. All photos by Erica Berman unless noted. For our amazing rentals in Paris, Provence & Tuscany check out our website Haven in Paris.

Nessa B.

Cupcakes have slowly been invading Paris since 2008. By the time French frozen food chain (and Parisian institution) Picard started carrying them, it was pretty obvious that these trendy cakes were on the French foodie scene for good.  They are part of the same cross-cultural exchange that has resulted in the opening of legendary macaron-maker, Ladurée, in New York.

As with most things that cross the Atlantic, certain aspects of the cupcake Carrie Bradshaw enjoyed outside of Manhattan’s famed Magnolia Bakery were lost in translation…

Alisa Morov, Sensational Cupcakes; Island Girl 4 Ever

1.  French cupcakes are often served with a small fork or spoon.  Why?  Half the fun is taking a big bite and licking the icing off your fingers like you did when you were seven.  Maybe the French fancy themselves too refined to sport the inevitable icing lip-glaze, or maybe they just really like silverware.

2.  French cupcakes often have a coeur, a filling of sorts, often jam-based, that likes to escape out of the bottom as if your cupcake had a trap door.  American cupcakes, devoid of this sophisticated yet messy upgrade, must be therefore be more superficial and less spiritually concerned with what’s on the inside.

Pumpkin cupcakes (Honey & Jam)

3.  French cupcakes come in a bouquet of flavors, including rose, jasmine, poppy, and violet.  The French excel at perfecting floral flavors instead of interpreting American classics, like peanut butter and carrot cake. Maybe it’s because even the French have to admit they won’t beat out an American red velvet… Although I’m intrigued by flower flavors and love to indulge in a Rose macaron once in a while, I have to admit I find them better suited to soaps and air fresheners.

4.  American cupcakes evoke childhood memories and grade school birthday parties (or a certain popular, NY based TV show). Their French counterparts, with their obscure flavors and elaborate designs, evoke exotic sophistication. Unless you grew up scooping birthday cake with a silver spoon, we warn you: it’s not the same thing.

Alisa Morov

5.  American cupcakes are usually less kitsch than the Smurff or teddy bear-topped creations you’ll see in Parisian bakeries like Berko. Magnolia in New York does color a lot more frosting than its Parisian counterparts, but French bakers make up for it by going to town on sugar decorations, dried fruits, glitter, and all other sorts of seemingly non-edible decorations.

6.  Most notably, French cupcakes don’t have the overly sugary sweet icing that Americans love (and their dentists hate).  French cupcakes are more focused on meringue or cream cheese icings, and frostings that don’t call for pounds of butter and sugar (blasphemy, we know.) With over 350 cheeses to choose from, it’s easy to imagine resourceful Frenchies would think up a few of them to pair with a chocolate cupcake or two.

Nessa B.

Looking to see them battle it out for a good cause? And no, we don’t mean just your taste buds. At Paris’ second annual Cupcake Camp, October 2 2011, American and French bakers meet up to share their creations and to raise money for the Make a Wish Foundation. Of course, cupcakes are available for viewing, tasting and judging. The HiP Paris blog is also an official sponsor. For more information, visit their website here. You can also order VIP passes via Colunching here.

Related Links:

• For more details on the event, check out the Paris Cupcake Camp website
• For American-style baked treats in Paris, check out Sweet Pea Baking
• American made to order cupcakes in Paris with Sugar Daze
• David Lebovitz claims credit for the cupcake craze
• For pics from last year’s event, check out Lost in Cheeseland’s flickr album

Written by Bryan Pirolli for the Hip Paris Blog. For our amazing rentals in Paris, Provence & Tuscany check out our website Haven in Paris.

Even the French say that Paris is a hard city to crack socially. This may have been true once upon a time, but with the recent wave of foodie groups and networks bringing adventurous diners together in secret and not-so-secret Parisian locations, however, there’s no reason anyone should be eating alone these days.  For every linguistic level and budget, there’s a way to meet the locals and experience authentic French cuisine.

All it takes is a few clicks:

Small, sophisticated bites at a Very Swell gathering (Lost in Cheeseland)

Super Marmite is a social site that puts the emphasis back on local cooking, literally.  Users browse the site to locate neighbors who have made extra portions of quiche lorraine or who have a few crème brulée in excess on their counters.  You can then purchase the servings (prices are indicated on the site), swing buy, say hello, and buy your homemade, locally produced French dinne

COlunching: Getting back to basics, COlunching started as a way for freelancers to escape their home offices for lunch and meet new people. Now the online network includes brunches and dinners in a number of international cities, allowing foodies and travelers to join eat and mingle in Paris, New York, and beyond.

Treats at the Super Marmite Improv Brunch (Super Marmite)

Voulez-Vous Diner: This site brings together French hosts and international travelers at – where else – the dinner table.  For 65 euros per person, guests can sign up to dine in the French home of their choice.  Simply browse the meals available and make a reservation.

Live My Food: This open network brings locals and travelers together to dine in a local’s home and, ostensibly, enjoy a more authentic culinary experience than a restaurant could provide.  Diners are required to pay for their meals, but contributions are generally more reasonable than with similar, more exclusive networks.

Spoon Trip offers a members access to foodie events, including chocolate tastings (Spoontrip)

Spoon Trip:  Spoon Trip goes beyond eating to connect users with a network of foodie events sponsored by locals, including market tours, cooking classes, wine tastings, and meet ups with food producers and chefs.  It’s another way to explore Paris, eat French food,  and meet some like-minded locals while you’re at it.

Private Events – RSVP, Please

Mingling at a Un Artiste a la Table get together (Un Artiste a la Table)

New Friends Table:  If you’re into the VIP underground vibe, then you might want to check out the New Friends Table. You have to send in a fairly detailed description of yourself in with your reservation request, which makes me think there’s a secret password being whispered through a door somewhere. Dates set up in advance with a suggested donation of around 50 euros, so RSVP with your best bio and hope that you are interesting enough meet the criteria.

Un Artiste à la Table:  This one distinguishes itself from the lot by adding a celebrity dimension to the dinner. Participants reserve online to enjoy a gourmet meal in the presence of a writer, musician, chef, or other artist who will discuss their work over the course of the dinner.  Dates are set in advance and you should expect to pay up to 70 euros or so for the multi-course cultural feast.

Bites served at an Un Artiste a la Table gathering (Un Artiste a la Table)

Very Swell: The verySWELL project focuses on theme-based soirées, with guests mingling around cocktails and canapés. Participants are expected to dress the part according to the event’s theme, be it a swanky Mad Men cocktail party or an 80s sock hop.  Events can cost up to 60 euros for drinks, food, and dancing in various venues throughout the city.  Participants are mostly Anglophone and largely international. Our sources tell us the next event is scheduled for October 2011, so stay tuned for an update on the website.

Shimmer cocktail at a Very Swell Mad Men party (Lost in Cheeseland)

And we’re not forgetting these popular Paris favorites:

Hidden Kitchen: Hidden Kitchen is one of the first private supper clubs.

Lunch in the Loft: Lunch in the Loft is a more intimate way to lunch with new people.

Jim Haynes: Jim Haynes has been organizing Sunday dinners for the past 30 years

Related Links:

• Meg Zimbeck writes about her first encounter with David Lebovitz at a Hidden Kitchen dinner
• Here is a great list of underground dinners in cities all over the world
• The NYtimes also covers Paris’ underground dining scene

Written by Bryan Pirolli for the Hip Paris Blog. For our amazing rentals in Paris, Provence & Tuscany check out our website Haven in Paris.

August. An ideal time to be in Paris, as long as you don’t expect endless days of sunny hot weather or being able to work on the perfect tan. Yes, as the current season has shown, Parisian summer weather can be unpredictable! Being in Paris in August is still fabulous (and my favorite month of the year by far), as long as  you don’t need to:

•    Receive medical attention of any kind…
•    Get a haircut
•    Order furniture
•    Perform administrative tasks
•    Renovate your apartment or fix a small leak

Picnicing at La Villette before a movie

As of July 1, the French are either on vacation, planning vacation or dreaming of vacation. When August 1 rolls around, they are pretty much all truly en vacances (if not physically, at least mentally).  Nothing serious is possible in Paris before September and la rentrée. One must know this and plan accordingly.

You can forget about ordering the new couch you’ve been coveting anytime between July 1 and Sept 1. “Oh là là Madame… the factory where the couches are manufactured is closed until the end of August! Zut, alors the 6-8 week delay will bring you to at least mid- October before delivery can be made.”

You can try to get to the dentist to repair the filling that inconsiderately fell out over dinner. Another chorus of “Oh là là Madame, ze dentist is on vacation and will be back September 1.”

Strolling on the Canal St Martin

Summer flu? Need a doctor? “Oh là là Madame le cabinet medical is closed until further notice.”  Note: Don’t expect forthcoming referrals or sympathy.

Need a haircut and color… “Oh là là Madame…” you get the picture.

That said, once you are familiar with the rules, you can plan accordingly and then relax, knowing you won’t get anything serious done in Paris in August anyway. Just make sure not to fall ill or need root canal surgery. **

Notre Dame and tanning along the Seine in the sun

Visitors to our lovely city may rejoice in the fact that, since they are blessedly on holiday, they don’t have the day-to-day worries of living in Paris and not being able to accomplish anything in August, and thus can jump right into all the fabulous Paris August activities.

Here are some suggestions for not-to-be-missed culture and entertainment events happening in Paris in August: (Please note these are 2011 dates and will vary slightly in following years)

St Sulpice

August festivals

• La Villette, July 19- August 21 -Picnic galore and free movies as soon as the sun sets.
• Clair de Lune, August 5-22 –  Free movies all around Paris based on where they were filmed
• Paris Quartier D’été. Culture, danse, music… It’s too late to catch this great event in 2011, but mark it in your 2012 calendar now! It runs every summer from around mid July until the end of the first week of August.
• Paris Plage, July 21-Aug 21
• L’Eté du Canal summer festival – another Paris plage in  the hip Northern Paris area just beyond the Canal St Martin, June 25- August 28th.
• Theater and music in the gardens and streams of Chantilly, every weekend from July 16 – August 18.
• Les Grandes Eaux Nocturnes in the gardens of the Chateau de Versailles. This spectacular water festival takes place every Saturday evening starting  9 pm from June 18 – September 3.
• Carnival in the Tuileries gardens through August 21st.

La Villette

All major museums and tourist attractions remain open in Paris in the summer. You will also find that many food shops, restaurants and boutiques are open as well. You will not go without baguette, red wine or culture when visiting Paris in August!

** Please note: I am slightly exaggerating above. You CAN, with a bit of ingenuity and persistence find that random Frenchie who IS working in August. For the record, I successfully secured a haircut appointment the first week of August, found a handy man to fix my semi-broken fuse box with two days notice, went to the doctor AND managed to have my two new arm chairs re-upholstered and delivered last weekend, just in the nick of time before Monsieur le tapissier went en vacances!

Paris Plage Canal de L’Ourcq

Related links

• Do it in Paris also has some great tips on what to do in Paris in August
• Paris by Mouth has a list of restos that are open in August
• Jadis chef Guillaume Delage opens a new restaurant in the 6th

Written by Erica Berman for the Hip Paris Blog. All photos taken by Erica Berman. For our amazing rentals in Paris, Provence & Tuscany check out our website Haven in Paris.

Julian Brezon

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.

GuiGui Les Bons Skeudis

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

Malias

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. Avant-garde heavyweights on the bill for the May 28th-29th shows include Caribou, Oxbow, Suuns, Kode9 & the Spaceape, Group Doueh, Hype Williams, James Pants, Action Beat, Antilles, The Feeling of Love and Hifiklub & Arnaud Maguet. Anyone who hasn’t yet enjoyed a warm afternoon on the grass of the Parc de la Villette must add it to this summer’s to-do list, tout de suite.

Villette Sonique – Caribou, Oxbow, Antilles, Hype Williams, 28-29 May 2011, Parc de la Villette (75019), 14h30, 20h, Free

Villette Sonique (Les Sens Ordinaires)

Ah, springtime in Paris! Each time I whizz between the Seine and the Bibliotheque Nationale (BNF) on a Vélib, it brings back memories of chancing upon the tango dancers on the Square Tino Rossi as a 20 year-old student. From mid-May, pleasant nights bring out amateur guitarists, accordionists and singers who gladly serenade passers-by in unison with the drifting Seine.

Seafolke

Rounding out the list is L’International in the Oberkampf neighborhood. Entry is always free, and with 3-4 bands per night spanning folk n’roll, French pop, toxic rock and every mutation in between, you’re bound to land upon a new addition to your list of favorites.

L’International, 5-7 Rue Moret, 75011 Paris, Free 7/7

Seafolke

In this city where even daily doses of espresso can cost an arm and a leg, I hold my breath for the first day of spring and the freebies that annually accompany warmer months. A word to the wise; in summer 2011 I plan to indulge more than ever. Grab some wine, a blanket, and a friend or two. The season of free music is a downbeat and a guitar lick away.

Related Links:

• HiP Paris reader Hannah Judson is playing at Les Déchargeurs every Friday night until June 1. Check out her music here.
• Vingt Paris Magazine covers the Villette Sonique
• And don’t forget, June 21 means the Fete de la Musique in Paris!

Written by Stephanie Wells for the HiP Paris Blog. Looking for a fabulous vacation rental in Paris, Provence, or Tuscany? Check out Haven in Paris.

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 5^th 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.

Assuming success of this first foray into the Paris’ trendy underground dining scene, each subsequent hidden dinner (2-3 per month) will be entirely theme-based. Accordingly, everything will follow suit from the food, drinks, and décor to the attire of the guests and music.

Although the first event is by invitation only, all subsequent suppers will be open to the public for a participation fee of 70 euros. The lofted space is tucked into a small courtyard near the Montparnasse Cemetery holds up to 35 guests per  cocktail dinner.

Every detail  of ‘Very Swell’ has been precisely considered and planned as Alisa a former textile designer in the LA fashion world and, Louise a graphic designer by trade have a clear idea of image and brand. The ladies creative and arty energy coupled with Louise’s excellent curatorship and Alisa’s delectable cooking will most certainly draw an eclectic, arty, international crowd.

Also coming shortly from the Very Swell team Tea and Arsenic an afternoon get together of specialty tea, home made scones and cakes, cocktails and ,of course, gossip. These High Tea-inspired events will also be held in the gallery.

With their original themed take on the hidden dinner concept and their serious foodie, design and art backgrounds, I’m betting on Alisa and Louise to be the hot newcomers on the hidden, themed and foodie block.

Details of upcoming Dinners and Teas soon to be found on veryswell.com

To contact Alisa: Alisa@veryswell.com & Louise: Louise@veryswell.com for more details and reservations.

• Three Underground Hidden kitchens in  Paris
• Alisa’s Sweet Pea Baking where you can place your order for scrumptious treats
• Paris By appointment only talks about Atelier 7
• Cowgirl Chef eats Asian noodles with Louise Brody

Dress code: book required, clothing optional (not really, please don’t do that). The Book Club at Le Carmen was launched this February in order to promote a new literary magazine, A Tale of Three Cities (TOT), which will be debuting this June. The lit-chic fête is held the last Wednesday of every month at Le Carmen near Place Pigale in Paris’ 9^th arrondissement, in the rooms where Bizet composed his most famous oeuvre.

I recently met with Rosa Rankin-Gee, one of TOT’s founding fathers and a talented writer, editor, and purveyor of merriment in her own right. We sat atop a hill this Easter Sunday and chatted about her most recent work in progress.

Naturally, my first question was who attends.

“Beautiful people who read.” Excellent. Those non-prescription Ray-Ban specs are being put to good use after all. Truly, though, the crowd at the two parties I attended was mighty fine looking indeed (see photos).

Now, if that isn’t reason enough, why did TOT decide to do TBC?

“It’s all to do with the magazine which is a join-up of dots between Paris, London, and Berlin. And I suppose it’s the exchange of stories by writers in those cities. The Book Club’s quite a nice way of doing that. We’re sharing books, we’re sharing stories.”

So, what to wear?

Rosa mentioned that you can think of the party’s theme as literature “lite”. “Lite” in all ways, I assume. Balancing a champagne glass with a nice, hefty volume of John Dos Passos could get tricky. And no one really wants to untangle 20^th century American intellectual history while making eyes at the barman. The French are snorting into their champagne flutes.

Did I mention unfounded cultural arrogance is not allowed?

Basically, you can bring what you want and take the conversation wherever you like. If you want to debate the importance of teaching the Western canon, that’s lovely. But if your plan is just to chat up the tall redhead wearing the pocket square, who happens to be holding Huis Clos, which you happen to have read in your high school French lit class, that’s fine, too. His name is Jethro Turner, by the way, and he’s another of the event’s dashing organizers. The third is Hanna Beširević, also comely, of course.

Your book can be in English, French, Braille…the idea is to revisit the days when words in print were cool. Or rather, when they weren’t optional. “We’re trying to go against the demise of the printing press,” says Rosa. “We believe in real paper: touchable, holdable, foldable.”

So leave the Kindle at home!

Scratch that. Rosa says you can bring the Kindle as long as you trade with her first. What’s she bringing? Come and find out at tomorrow’s Book Club.

The Book Club at Le Carmen: Chapter 3. Wednesday, April 27 8:30 pm – 2:30 am. Le Carmen. 34 rue Duperré, Paris 9eme.

Book Clubs in other cities:

• Berlin: May 4^th
• London: Mid-may

Written by Sara Rahman for the Hip Paris Blog. All images courtesy of The Book Club. For our amazing rentals in Paris, Provence & Tuscany check out our website Haven in Paris.