October 13, 2010 by Tory Hoen
Julien Hausherr – La Pagode theater’s Japanese style garden
While this list might appear to be a whimsically chosen, feel-good assortment of Parisian places and experiences, I’ll have you know that I agonized over the decisions herein. For instance, I couldn’t bring myself to include two houses of taxidermy (for fear of revealing myself to be a complete freak), so I had to make a heart-wrenching choice: Deyrolle or the Musée de la Chasse? A weighty conundrum indeed. Regardless, I’ve done my best to crystallize my love affair with Paris into ten snippets. Enjoy!
1. Bang-for-your-buck meal: The 12-Euro prix fixe lunch at Robert et Louise. Entrée, plat, roaring fire, convivial conversation with neighboring diners. Can’t do much better than that.
2. Inner-child indulgence: Is it just me, or does the Musée de la Chasse et de la Nature make you believe in magic? I’m convinced that the taxidermy fox curled up on a Louis XV chair knows the meaning of life, if only I could get him to open up about it.
3. Street food: Roast chicken from the place on rue Mouffetard (just south of the produce stand on rue de l’Arbalète). Simply put: the chicken that changed my life. Pair with a little Dijon and you will instantly be transported to heaven. Chicken heaven.
Julien Hausherr – La Pagode garden and gilded screen room
4. Rainy day activity: Sneaking off to a film at La Pagode, a charming art house theater that was originally erected as an Eastern-themed ballroom in 1896. Dusty and elegant, it’s the perfect escape. Continue Reading »
Posted in Food, Parisian Living | 13 Comments »
April 26, 2010 by Parisien Salon
As sunny days gain hold in Paris, an excellent, and somewhat secret, transportation alternative shines through. Linda Donahue, HiP Paris friend and founder of Parisien Salon, details a sun-and-scenery-filled metro substitute: Paris by boat!
Photos Erica Berman
A few years ago, during one of Paris’ notorious strikes, the metro and the buses were shut down for nearly a week. After a few days of going à pied, I realized I needed to figure out some alternative transportation to get across the city to the Marais. That’s when, after years of getting around Paris, I discovered the Batobus. It was a revelation.
Batobus Paris is a hop on, hop off shuttle service on the river, offering eight stops along both the left and right banks: Tour Eiffel, Musee d’Orsay, St-Germain-des-Pres, Notre Dame, Jardin des Plantes, Hôtel de Ville, Louvre and Champs-Elysees. You can buy a one-, two- or five-day pass that lets you get on and off the bus as many times during operating hours as you’d like. There are no guided commentaries offered, but it’s as good a way to sightsee as any other. Continue Reading »
Posted in Parisian Living | 1 Comment »
April 6, 2010 by Tory Hoen
Erica Berman- Bonpoint Boutique Paris rue de Tournon
There’s no doubt about it: Parisian kids have a good thing going on. They’re well-dressed, well-fed and, by virtue of being French, are destined for terminal coolness.
I used to spend afternoons at a little park in the 5th where the same group of schoolchildren always had their post-lunch play hour. In retrospect, I probably looked incredibly creepy as I sat there observing them, but I was totally mesmerized by the scene: their demeanor (distinctly Parisian, but innocently so), their adorable school clothes, their clear, deliberate French. I’m convinced that Paris—with all of its sensory pleasures—would be a fascinating place to grow up.
But what about Paris for visiting kids? Continue Reading »
Posted in Parisian Living | 4 Comments »
February 19, 2010 by Tory Hoen
When I lived in the 5th arrondissement, I spent hours pounding the pavement (or the cobblestones, as it were) just exploring and trying to make sense of the diverse elements that make up the neighborhood: the historic Place de la Contrescarpe with its charming cafés, the lively market street Rue Mouffetard, the wild Jardin des Plantes, the magnificent blue-and-white-tiled mosque (La Mosquée de Paris), and the unexpected Arènes de Lutèce (a first century Roman amphitheatre). But more often than not, my walks ended with me staring up at the breathtaking Institut du Monde Arabe (Arab World Institute), my face tilted skyward as I struggled to take in the awesomeness that is this structure. Continue Reading »
Posted in Design, Parisian Living | 3 Comments »
September 29, 2009 by Haven in Paris
Guest blogger Richard Nahem (of Eye Prefer Paris tours) offers insider tips for eating, drinking, shopping and strolling within minutes of the city’s major railway stations in his article for The Guardian…
Canal St Martin – courtesy of france.jeditoo.com
Gare du Nord – Gare de L’Est
Head south down Boulevard de Magenta and you’ll find the trendy Canal Saint-Martin neighbourhood. Stop at Galerie Impaire (galerieimpaire.fr) at 47 rue de Lancry, an outpost of the innovative Creative Growth Art Foundation from California, and view the impressive artwork from self-taught artists and artists with disabilities. Feeling peckish? Worth waiting in line for are the delicious pastries at the boulangerie Du Pain et des Idées at 34 rue Yves Toudic (specialities include a delicious puff pastry with chocolate and pistachio paste). For a quick beer or some light eats, La Marine on quai de Valmy and Chez Prune on rue Beaurepaire are good bets right on the canal.
Continue Reading »
Posted in Travel | 1 Comment »
