June 4, 2013 by Erin Dahl
Music
One of the welcome harbingers of summer has to be the season’s music festival circuit. After a long winter and a dreary, cold spring, all anyone really wants to do is pass the days outdoors. Add some great music and dancing, and everyone feels a little better. There is truly something for everyone as far as summer concerts go, but a few of my favorites this month include the Paris Jazz Festival (June 8 – 28), Fete de la Musique (June 21), and Solidays (June 28 – 30). Sounds will vary from laid-back jazz to popular names like Parov Stelar, The Hives, and Django Django, to name just a few.
Food
Last month pop shop Merci opened its online boutique, and this month Frenchie intends to serve up a to-go menu… I am loving this democratization of Parisian favorites. Frenchie has been touted by foodies and taste makers as one of the top Parisian restaurants over the past few years, and I can only imagine their to-go dishes, rumored to include casual fare like bacon-sprinkled doughnuts, fish and chips, and a Pastrami Reuben made with house-cured meat, will be some of the best in the city as well.
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May 3, 2013 by Erin Dahl
Shopping
Merci Goes Global: Merci has garnered a wide following, and rightfully so. Well, there is exciting news for (some) non-Parisians…Merci just launched its online retail shop, with shipping now available to Merci-lovers in the States, Great Britain, Australia and New Zealand! Shrieks of excitement and sighs of relief from fans of this impeccably curated fashion and interior design haven are totally appropriate here.
Food
Ongoing: Ma Chere et Tendre: Traditional French cuisine is known for, among so many other things, successfully incorporating a wide range of meats and their various cuts into everyday meals. This sometimes involves discovering more parts of the animals than many Americans might prefer. Those diners will appreciate a recent surge of vegetarian, gluten-free and other diet-specific options popping up around the city. Don’t get me wrong, I love this trend as much as the next person, but the opening of Ma Chere et Tendre, a new steakhouse tucked away in the 17th with a menu perfectly tailored for unapologetic meatlovers, really whet my palate. Ma Chere et Tendre, Beef Club, the recent Hotel de Ville BBQ…I think we’re seeing a resurgence of meals made for the loyal carnivore and I definitely don’t object.
May 10 & 11, New Friends Table: We covered New Friends Table nearly two years ago when it had just landed on the underground Paris food scene. Now the team is back with a new offering. They still host their beloved dinners – the goal of which is to bring like-minded foodies together around a great meal in a real Parisian apartment – but they’re now doing food tours around the Beaubourg neighborhood, home to the Centre Pompidou (and HiP’s Marais Triplex flat). The tour begins with a collective cafe and ends with a dejeuner consisting of products purchased throughout the morning… Perfection. Continue Reading »
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March 5, 2013 by Erin Dahl
Art
Through July 21: A Chagall exhibition opened at the Musée de Luxembourg last week, the first of the artist’s in France in years. The show, Entre Guerre et Paix (Between War and Peace), focuses on the several wars the artist lived through and the various countries in which he experienced these periods of turmoil. A must-see, for sure.
Artwork by Chagall (Cea.)
Until May 20: Soleil Froid (Cold Sun) also opened last week at the Palais de Tokyo, the perfect locale for such a show. The exhibition features pieces by a slew of artists working in varied media that, when experienced together, result in a sort of alternate world. Using vintage cars, concrete human forms, light shows and other abstractions, visitors will recognize a hint of the world we understand in this amalgam of unknown. The show is open particularly late – until midnight – making this one of my top March-weekend-nighttime to-dos.
Until July 6: The world of French haute couture is the kind of club that most only preview through magazines, film, television or literature. The show that opened at the Hotel de Ville this week, however, invites novices and specialists alike to delve into the world of haute couture design through photos and statement garments created by some of the most renowned classic designers. Continue Reading »
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February 8, 2013 by Erin Dahl
February is the time to be in Paris, so why not be a part of it? We’re offering some exceptionally special discounts on our beautiful Paris apartments in February and March, and though it may be a bit cliché, we can’t think of a better Valentine’s Day gift than surprising your chéri(e) with a trip to Paris. Let us know if you want to plan a last-minute getaway here.
L’Amour: This Valentine’s day you could dine at the Eiffel Tower or stroll through St Germain tasting all the heart-shaped sweets, or you could indulge in a little quirk and collective romanticism. Join fellow lovebirds on the Pont au Double for the Freeze Romantique, a sort of reverse flash mob where couples are invited to join in five minutes of public smooching. Don’t get me wrong, I definitely would recommend a stroll over to Laduree, Pierre Herme, et al afterwards – if only to make up the calories.
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January 3, 2013 by Erin Dahl
Fashion
January 9 – February 12: Winter Soldes: Making good on New Year’s resolutions is in full-force at this time of the year and perhaps a wardrobe update is on your list? Even if it isn’t, tackling the winter soldes is a must! These nationwide sales happen only twice each year – in the winter and summer – so brace yourself for the crowds and hit your favorite shops during these few weeks!
January 19-21: Salon de la Lingerie at the Porte de Versailles: Paris is a city of many names, and for me it’s always been the queen of beautiful lingerie; decorative, carefully-crafted lace and silk wares that are true investment pieces. For a few days this month, Paris will formally become the Capital of Lingerie with a giant exposition at the Porte de Versailles entirely dedicated to beautiful under-garments. And guys needn’t be shy, menswear is au rendez-vous as well.
The Sales are happening January 9 – February 12 in Paris (Melle Bé)
Art
Through January 20: Impressionism and Fashion at the Musee d’Orsay: I had never really thought of the Impressionists as illustrators of modern fashion, but this exhibition at the Musee d’Orsay has changed by mind. Pieces by the greats – Monet, Degas, Renoir, etc. – are shown to highlight the fashion and beauty trends that were popular during their day. Continue Reading »
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December 1, 2012 by Erin Dahl
Whether you’re going to Paris for the holidays or just for some wintertime fun, there’s plenty happening this month to keep you entertained! – Genevieve
Christmas displays in Paris (abrunete)
Holiday Fun
December may be the best month to take in Notre Dame. They have their classic Christmas tree up in the square and a light/music show inside the nave each hour throughout December. Go on December 18th and stay for the Monteverdi Vespers concert. Beginning December 12, a special seating structure in the square will be open to the public, offering visitors a different perspective on the cathedral’s beautiful stained glass windows.
Lucky enough to be ringing in the New Year in Paris? There are evening concerts at churches around the city, like St. Eustache, La Madeleine and more. Continue Reading »
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November 2, 2012 by Erin Dahl
Through December 16: A self-proclaimed “wandering space for the undiscovered, unintentional and untrained artists of our times,” The Museum of Everything’s Paris exhibition – and concept at large – are bucking the norm and showcasing pieces that may not otherwise see a museum’s walls. “Exhibition #1.1,” as its called, includes works of over 500 self-taught creators, working in various media and with inspiration that spans the globe.
Through November 4: Salon du Chocolat: Likely the most delicious event this month, the Salon du Chocolat offers a little something for anyone with a sweet tooth. There is an entrance fee, but once inside the expo space you will be greeted by the wafting scent of cacao, and visual displays of all the chocolate your heart could desire. Normally, picking up these kinds of specialty items would include a day of traipsing around Paris, but here they are all congregated, ready to be tasted and taken home. Continue Reading »
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October 3, 2012 by Erin Dahl
Art-lovers and appreciators of beautiful things, rejoice! October runs on art & design shows in Paris, and there is a lot to see. With several hip artsy events on our agenda – and all within walking distance of each other – I think we’ll all be welcoming November feeling a bit more enlightened. The weather has cooled in Paris, but rather than buy a new coat and some warm boots, I may indulge in new-restaurant-testing and dance my way through the chills at several concerts instead. At least for now.
La Bouffe
Anne-Sophie Pic just opened her first restaurant in Paris, La Dame de Pic, and she’s being warmly welcomed to the city. High gastronomy has always been a bit of a boys’ club, but Pic challenged that norm and is the only woman in France with three Michelin stars. As Pic announced on her blog – how much do we love that she writes a blog? – her Paris resto is dedicated to pleasure and simple, spontaneous, emotional food. A meal here is definitely in order.
Cutlog at the Bourse du Commerce (Cutlog.org)
L’Art
October 6: Nuit Blanche is in its 11th edition, but I have a feeling this year’s will up the ante. Laurent Le Bon, notorious for putting Jeff Koons sculptures in Versailles, curated this year’s events. The theme is “Paris à l’infini” and the events utilize city spaces to offer visitors different perspectives on Paris’ literary, artistic and architectural elements. Some of the evening’s happenings will occur in places usually off limits to the masses, and all will offer stimulating takes on everyday Parisian fixtures: an astounding view of the city from the 24th story of the Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Bach played on the Île Saint-Louis, six hours of Philip Glass in the 5th, dancers depicting Parisian monuments interspersed along the Seine, and a giant crescent moon hauled on the top of the Eglise St Eustache. And this is only a small sampling. Continue Reading »
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September 5, 2012 by Erin Dahl
I have a lot of fond memories of Paris in September. It’s been a few years since I studied abroad there, but I distinctly remember the late-August excitement of leaving for my favorite place in the world, knowing I’d get to stay for more than a handful of days. There is a lively buzz around the city in September.
Everyone has just come off long vacances and is duly rested and ready for fall. I’ll be heading back to Paris in a few days, the same week I left for my study abroad program several years ago, and I may be as excited as I was then. Here are some of the events I will not be missing:
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June 4, 2012 by Erin Dahl
Fête de la Musique
June 21 brings the Fete de la Musique back for its 31st year. This year the festival celebrates 50 years of pop, and with a full lineup of gratuit concerts, there is certainly something for every taste.
Musique
June 5: Magnificat: Polychoral music at Notre-Dame de Paris. An extraordinary opportunity to enjoy a concert in one of the world’s most famous cathedrals. This show celebrates the works of famed composers Michael Praetorius and Giovanni Gabrieli, who drastically shaped the transition from Renaissance to Baroque music in Europe.
June 6: Brooklyn synth pop duo Chairlift is playing at La Gaîté lyrique. If ethereal harmonies (and the Apple ad featuring their 2008 “Bruises”) is your thing, this is your show. Continue Reading »
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