I wrote in my April Eye Need to Do’s last week about a cabaret show Caroline Nin Hymne a Paris, a tribute to Edith Piaf.
I was invited to the opening last night and brought Vincent and two French friends of mine. The venue was a small theatre tucked away on a tiny street/alleyway in the Marais that in my eight years of living in the area have never been on. The intimate theater was in a cave underneath with ancient stone walls, an almost clichéd place to see a chanteuse singing Piaf.
I saw Caroline once before last year at a cocktail bar and she sang mostly American standards. I liked her voice and style but I felt there was something missing. Perhaps because it was a cocktail bar and I was distracted by people talking in the background.
The show started at 8PM and Caroline looked stunning when she took the stage. She has the face of Catherine Deneuve with blonde hair and deep, dark eyes and the body of Marilyn Monroe, showing her voluptuous curves in a close fitting black, bare shouldered slip dress.
Right away I was mesmerized by her voice and movement and never took my eyes off of her for the entire performance. Her versatile singing style goes from sultry and sexy, to tender and poignant to forceful and dramatic all with ease and grace. Not only is Caroline a gifted singer and song stylist, she is a captivating storyteller. I was on the edge of my seat as she introduced insightful anecdotes about Piaf before almost every song, giving them a whole new meaning. For instance, Caroline told a tragic story about how Piaf’s greatest love, prizefighter Marcel Cerdan, died in a plane crash on his way to see her in concert in New York and how she still performed that night. Another great story was about how Piaf wrote La Vie en Rose and how the song was rejected by some of her peers and almost never got published. When Caroline sang La Vie en Rose, it had a whole new depth to it that I had not experienced before. I love when singers sing a song that I have heard hundreds of times before and make me feel it’s the first time I ever heard it and that’s exactly what Caroline did.
Hymne a Paris captures the true essence of Piaf and I now truly know who Piaf was in a way I never have before.
Vincent, my friends, and I were invited to celebrate Caroline’s triumphant night at a nearby café and we all toasted her with flutes of Champagne.
If you live in Paris or visiting between now and the end of June, I urge you not miss Caroline Nin Hymne a Paris.
Caroline Nin Hymne a Paris
Every Wednesday, 8PM, April 10 to June 26
Essaïon Théâtre
6 rue Pierre au lard, 75004
To book tickets call or text Michelle Lollo at +1 33 (0) 7 77 25 37 64
Please mention Eye Prefer Paris when you book and receive a special discount
I am pleased as punch to announce the launch of Eye Prefer Paris Tours, which are 3-hour walking tours I will personally be leading. The Eye Prefer Paris Tour includes many of the places I have written about such as small museums & galleries, restaurants, cafes & food markets, secret addresses, fashion & home boutiques, parks, and much more.
Tours cost 210 euros for up to 3 people, and 70 euros for each additional person. I look forward to meeting you on my tours and it will be my pleasure and delight to show you my insiders Paris.
Check it out at www.eyepreferparistours.com
New! Eye Prefer Paris Cooking Classes
I am happy to announce the launch of Eye Prefer Paris Cooking Classes. Come take an ethnic culinary journey with me and chef and caterer Charlotte Puckette, co-author of the bestseller The Ethnic Paris Cookbook (with Olivia Kiang-Snaije). First we will shop at a Paris green-market for the freshest ingredients and then return to Charlotte's professional kitchen near the Eiffel Tower to cook a three-course lunch. After, we will indulge in the delicious feast we prepared along with hand-selected wines.
Cost: 185 euros per person (about $240)
Time: 9:30AM- 2PM (approximately 4 1/2 hours)
Location: We will meet by a metro station close to the market
Class days: Tuesday,Wednesday, Thursday,Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
Minimum of 2 students, maximum 6 students.
Click here to sign up for the next class or for more info.
New Eye Prefer Paris Photos for Sale
I am happy to announce the sale of a new set of prints of my Eye Prefer Paris Photos. I am offering 20 of my most popular and iconic images for sale including my doors, architectural details, statues, and monuments. They will make great gifts for all your Francophile friends, relatives, and colleagues but don't forget to buy some for yourself.
Click here to see photos and for full details including sizes, prices, and shipping. Here is a sample of some of the photos.
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