I Prefer Paris:

« June 2014 | Main | August 2014 »

July 14, 2014

Best of Eye Prefer Paris: Meredith Mullins: Pomp and Freedom

I am taking a blogging break this week to enjoy Paris in the summer. I am running some of my popular past blogs, The Best of Eye Prefer Paris. Enjoy and next week I will have exciting and new stories to tell.

Quatorze Juillet (also known as Fête Nationale or Bastille Day) always opens with a roar. The jet flyover streams tricolor patriotism through the sky and makes me think of a French Rapunzel, letting down her long blue, white, and red hair. I watch the spectacle from my home bridge (Pont Louis Phillippe) and then wait around for the horsemen of the Republican Guard to clipclop their way home to the stables after the Champs Elysées parade. It’s a time when I feel a little française (a tug of pride deep inside), just as I feel American pride when the National Anthem is sung by someone like Aretha Franklin (not Brittany Spears or Roseanne Barr). I’m bi-pridal.

This year I watched the evening fireworks display from the comfort of a friend’s apartment, and had the added pleasure of singing along to my favorite musicals while photographing. No one was sure why the theme of the show was mostly anglophone musicals, but it hit home. In fact, I had to put down the camera from time to time to sing with full voice, like I did when I was eight years old in the privacy of an empty living room, with a broom for a microphone. Don’t cry for me Argentina. The hills are alive. Let the sunshine in.

Even the smushing crowds on the way home played their roles impeccably (that is to say, we lived through it). And I ended the day full of pomp and a good understanding of what it means to be free.

Meredith Mullins is a fine art photographer, photography instructor, writer for OIC Moments, and Director of the International Fine Art Photography Competition. Her work can be seen at www.meredithmullins.artspan.com or in her award-winning book, In A Paris Moment. She is also available for private photography instruction/exploration in Paris. Contact her at [email protected]. Her solo exhibition, Free Floating, opens at the Pacific Grove Art Center in California on July 18.

Tourslogo4

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

Click here to watch a video of our famous Marais tour

July 14, 2014 in Meredith Mullins | Permalink | Comments (1)

July 10, 2014

French Cooking with Wini Moranville: An Easy French Recipe for Bastille Day

If you’re in France on Bastille Day, you’ll want to be out in the world celebrating. But if you’re anywhere else, why not bring a taste of France home—and raise a glass to Modern France, which truly began on July 14th, 1789.

Here’s a super-simple menu that’s great for four people, but easily doubled or tripled for more guests:

• Tapenade on Crackers with Crémant d’Alsace
• Roasted Salmon on French Tabbouleh (see recipe)
• A Cheese Course (see my article on how to serve a cheese course)
• Crêpes, of course (make them in advance, if you wish. I’ll show you how).

Recipe: French Tabbouleh

To make this into a main dish (as pictured): • Grill or roast some salmon (or any fish that looks its freshest best at the market). You can also use shrimp. • Toss some spinach and/or arugula with your favorite vinaigrette and scatter on a large patter. • Top the spinach with the couscous salad. • Top the couscous salad with the salmon, and drizzle some high-quality olive oil atop all; finish with some pepper and fleur de sel.

Makes 4 servings.

1   cup chicken broth
1/3   cup water
5   tablespoons olive oil, divided
1   cup plain quick-cooking couscous
1   tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
   Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2   cup sliced Kalamata or Niçoise olives
1/2   cup thinly sliced green onions
1/2   cup snipped fresh mint, parsley, or a combination
1/4   cup roasted red pepper, cut into strips.
   Fleur de sel (to finish) (optional)

In a medium saucepan, bring the chicken broth, water, and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil to boil. Stir in couscous. Remove from heat. Cover and let stand 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a serving bowl, stir together the remaining 4 tablespoons olive oil, the lemon juice, and salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Fluff the couscous with a fork. Add the olives, green onions, parsley, and red pepper strips to the couscous; stir gently to combine. Add the couscous mixture to the dressing in the serving bowl; toss gently to coat. Refrigerate for 2 to 24 hours. Stir well before serving.

What to drink: Try a rosé Crémant d’Alsace. These are made from the same grape (Pinot Noir) and using same intricate, time-intensive methods used to make great French Champagnes. Look for one of my favorites, Lucien Albrecht Brut Rosé Crémant d’Alsace (around $20).

PS: I’m pleased to announce that my new e-book, The French Pasta Cookbook, will be published this September. To keep track of its progress, follow me on Facebook: Chez Bonne Femme, or check out my blog at http://chezbonnefemme.com. And be sure to check out my book, The Bonne Femme Cookbook: Simple, Splendid Food That French Women Cook Every Day. A bientôt!

Photo Credits:
• Book jacket photo by Richard Swearinger.
• Tapenade photo by Sarmale / OAyuso via flickr.

I want to thank everyone so much for the great feedback and comments about my Louvre-Rivoli Metro photos. I am now offering the photos to purchase for $75 per print plus shipping. Prints will measure 11" by 14" with a 1" white border and will be printed on Fuji crystal Archive metallic paper with a rich satin gloss finish. Email me at [email protected] if you would like to order some.

COOKBOOK-LOGO-little 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.

Tourslogo4

Click here to watch a video of our famous Marais tour

July 10, 2014 in French Cooking with Wini Moranville | Permalink | Comments (0)

July 08, 2014

Metro Station of the Month: Louvre-Rivoli

I always thought the Louvre-Rivoli metro station was so cool with the fabulous fake treasures of the Louvre lining the platforms. I attempted to photograph it many times but the lighting was too dim. A few months ago they stripped the station bare to renovate it and the platforms now look like an art installation, somewhere between an archeological dig and Robert Rauschenberg paintings with remnants of phrases from old posters and splotches of bright paint on the dirty white tile.

I am curious what you think of my more abstract photos, a direction I’ve found myself very drawn to in the last year or so.

Louvre-Rivoli
Metro line 1, Direction Chateau de Vincennes- La Defense
Note: This is not the metro station for the Louvre

Tourslogo4

Click here to watch a video of our famous Marais tour

July 08, 2014 in Métro Station of the Month | Permalink | Comments (5)

July 07, 2014

Paris Window Boxes 5

This is the fifth edition of my popular window boxes series. From the hills of Montmartre to the hotel de particulier’s in the Marais, I have captured the most luscious plants and flowers in full bloom all over Paris this spring and summer. Enjoy!

Tourslogo4

Click here to watch a video of our famous Marais tour

July 07, 2014 in Parks, Gardens,Outdoors | Permalink | Comments (1)

July 03, 2014

Winners of the Eye Prefer Paris 8th Anniversary Quiz

I want thank everyone so much for taking the time to answer the quiz questions. I also want to thank everybody for your warm and encouraging words.

The winners are……………(Drumroll please!)
1.   Barbara Lallas- First Prize- A Hand Painted Rive Gauche or Rive Droite Tote Bag by Kasia Dietz
2.   Connie Webster- Second Prize - A copy of The Food Lovers Guide to Paris by Patricia Wells
3.   Cheryl Matzker- Third Prize- A copy of Hungry for France by Alexander Lobrano

Big congratulations to the winners!

The correct answers are highlighted in pink.

What country did I visit for two weeks and fell in love with? (2013)

1.   Israel
2.   South Africa
3.   Belgium
4.   Syria

What gallery did Vincent have his exhibition in, where his mother came to visit? (2013)

1.   Perrotin
2.   Thaddeus Ropac
3.   NEC
4.   Peanut Gallery

What sporting event did I watch with my friends? (2006)
1.   Wimbledon
2.   World Cup
3.   Olympics
4.   Potato sack races

Which Parisian of the Month danced with Gene Kelly? (2011)
1.   Catherine Deneuve
2.   Leslie Caron
3.   Kim Kardashian
4.   Louise Brody

What is the name of the documentary about the pastry competition and The Meilleurs Ouvriers de France? (2011)

1.   Kings of Pastry
2.   Pie in the Sky
3.   Chef
4.   Ratatouille

What’s the name of the holiday cake I write about every January?

1.   cronut
2.   Paris Brest
3.   Chocolate fondant
4.   La Galette de Rois

What fashion designer decorated the rooms at the Hotel Bellchasse? (2007)

1.   Yve St. Laurent
2.   Sonia Rykiel
3.   Christian LaCroix
4.   Puff Daddy

What famous French actress had a series of windows at Le Bon Marché? (2012)

1.   Jeanne Moreau
2.   Catherine Deneuve
3.   Marion Cotillard
4.   Shelley Winters

Tourslogo4

Click here to watch a video of our famous Marais tour

July 03, 2014 in Contests, Eye Prefer Paris Contests | Permalink | Comments (1)

July 02, 2014

David Burke's Writers in Paris: Monsieur Nicolas On The Ile Saint-Louis

One of my favourite characters on my “Notre Dame and the Ile Saint-Louis” walking tour is the self-described “perverted peasant” Nicolas Edmé Restif de la Bretonne, the most prolific writer of the 18th century. The secluded quays of the Ile Saint-Louis in those years were popular places for lovers’ trysts. But they were not as alone they thought, thanks to Monsieur Nicolas. Every night this obsessive nightwalker (an owl was his emblem) would cross from his lodgings in the Latin Quarter, spy on the doings of couples, scratch coded notes on the walls, and continue his rounds. The next day he would come back and copy his notes for use in his chronicles Le Paysan perverti and Les Nuits de Paris. But the scratches are gone, erased over the centuries by prudes and the elements.

Monsieur Nicolas was the first writer to see ordinary Parisians as worthy subjects for literature, launching a genre. Les Nuits de Paris, his vibrant, accurately observed multi-volume chronicle of his prowls in pre-Revolutionary and Revolutionary Paris, was wildly successful. But forced into retirement by ill health, he ended in poverty. All the same, two thousand admirers, from streetwalkers to duchesses, followed the “perverted peasant” to the cemetery after his death on February 3, 1806.

David Burke is the author of Writers in Paris, Literary Lives in the City of Light, and the personal tour guide of David Burke’s Writers in Paris Walks /http://www.writersinpariswalkingtours.blogspot.fr To learn about the book and the walks and the writer go to www.writersinparis.com. David is also a documentary filmmaker and former 60 MINUTES writer/producer who came to Paris for what he thought would be a year, but turned into more twenty. He now divides his time between Paris and New York. Checkout the Time Out rave review of David's walking tours. http://www.timeout.com/paris/en/walks-tours/writers-in-paris-walking-tours

Tourslogo4

Click here to watch a video of our famous Marais tour

July 02, 2014 in David Burke's Writers in Paris | Permalink | Comments (0)

July 01, 2014

July 2014 Eye Need to Do’s: The 1950s, Paris Jazz Festival, Paris1900, and Groovy Paris Pop Up Show

The 1950s- Fashion in France, 1947-1957
The launch of the New Look by Christian Dior in 1947 ushered in a new golden era of haute couture in Paris in the late 1940s to the 1950s. Over 100 outfits have been pulled from the archives of the Palais Galliera collection and designers include the old guard of the day including Jacques Heim, Chanel, Schiaparelli, Balenciaga, and Jacques Fath plus the newcomers Pierre Balmain, Christian Dior, Jacques Griffe, Hubert de Givenchy and Pierre Cardin.

July 12 to November 2
Palais Galliera
10 Ave. Pierre 1er de Serbie, 75116
Metro: Alma-Marceau
Open Tuesday to Sunday 10AM to 6PM, Thursday till 9PM
http://www.palaisgalliera.paris.fr/en/exhibitions/50s

Paris Jazz Festival
Now celebrating its 20th season, The Paris Jazz Festival gets better every year. For the 2014 edition, the festival has added a Circus Jazz day plus Latin Jazz, and an acoustic jazz Saturday. Best of all the musical events are free, you just pay for admission to the park. You can also have a picnic while enjoying the music.

Till July 27
Parc Floral de Vincennes
Metro: Chateau de Vincennes
http://www.parisjazzfestival.fr/fr/accueil

Paris 1900-The City of Entertainment
Discover the splendor of the richest time in French history for art, industry, design, and entertainment, 1900. It was the year of the Paris Exposition Universelle, when Paris culture was at its peak during the era of La Belle Epoque and Art Nouveau. Over 600 works including, objets d’art, costumes, posters, photographs, films, furniture, jewelry and sculptures will transport you back in time.

Till August 17
Petit Palais
Ave. Winston Churchill, 75008
Metro: Champs Elysees-Clemenceau
Open Tuesday to Sunday 10AM to 6PM, Thursday till 8PM
http://www.petitpalais.paris.fr/en/expositions/paris-1900-city-entertainment

Groovy Paris Pop Up Show
The Adah Rose Gallery from the Washington DC area is having a pop up show in Paris of its emerging artists. The show includes work by Jessica Drenk, Brian Dupont, Alan Steele, Chris Trueman, Alison Rash, Pat Goslee, Angela Kleis, Julie Wolsztynski, John James Anderson and Laila Jadallah.