I Prefer Paris

Grand Hotel du Palais Royal

Vincent and I took a mini staycation last Saturday night and we were guests of the Grand Hotel du Palais Royal.

Situated on a quiet side street next to my favorite garden in Paris, Palais Royal, the hotel is a gem. The check in staff at the front desk was welcoming and friendly and I had to fill out a minimal amount of paper work. The tastefully decorated lobby has a long corridor lined with an Oriental tapestry and a wooden table piled with magazines and art books. Off the corridor there are two cozy inlets with velvet loveseats and a club chair, a relaxing spot to read or have tea.

 We were escorted to our room on the fourth floor and the first thing my eye was drawn to was the lovely southern exposure view from the floor to ceiling windows with a shallow ledge with just enough room for me to stand on. The glorious details of gold painted swirls of wrought iron, fine carvings on the limestone façade, gray and striped awnings and four-tiered windows with tie back drapes of Palais Royal were in plain view. On my right was a Mansard roof with a series of terracotta chimneys.

The room was appointed in soothing neutral tones, taupe on the faux suede bedspread and the curved wall behind us, brown carpet with beige horizontal stripes and drapes of natural linen with a pattern of cheerful green leaves.

A nice touch was a white ceramic tray with two delicious macarons and two flavored Madeleines and a bottle of red wine from Burgundy.

There was a mini-bar and an electric teapot and tea bags but surprisingly I didn’t see any coffee. I asked at the desk if there was coffee and they said there were instant coffee packets next to the tea, which I failed to find. The manager said would you like me to send up a Nespresso machine and I said, “That would be great!” An extra thumbs up for that excellent service gesture.

I took a long, hot shower, lathering myself with Pomelo Paradis soap and wrapped myself in extra plush, soft white towel. Getting under the covers to go to sleep, the sheets of white on white stripes were crisp with a high thread count. A number of years ago we bought an expensive memory foam mattress from Italy, and I’ve never had such a comfortable mattress, so when I’m not home and stay elsewhere I always compare mattresses. After I great night’s sleep, it was right up there with my home mattress.

The next morning a soft light peaked from our window with a muted view of the Palais Royal.

We headed to the breakfast in the cheery dining room lined with Bertoia stainless steel chairs with white cushions. (One of my favorite chairs of all time).

The extensive buffet breakfast had me filling my plate twice over with flaky croissants, country bread, goat and Comté cheese, smoked salmon, fresh squeezed carrot juice and finally softly scrambled egg with gooey cheese.

We reluctantly headed back home mid-morning after our relaxed stay at Grand Hotel du Palais Royal, wishing we could stay another day.

Grand Hotel du Palais Royal
4 Rue de Valois, 75001
http://www.grandhoteldupalaisroyal.com/

 Christmas & New Years in Paris-My Apartment for Rent December 24 to January 3(dates flexible)

How would you like to spend a magical Christmas and festive New Years in Paris?

I am renting my apartment out from December 24 to January 3,  (dates are flexible) a total of 10 nights for $2500.

Centrally located in the heart of the Marais near the St. Paul metro station, it's a spacious one-bedroom 750 sq. ft. loft style apartment with 12 ft. ceilings, decorated in chic Mid-Century Modern furniture and sleeps one or two people in a Queen size bed. Amenities include A/C, washer/dryer, 16" flat screen TV, dishwasher, internet connection/Wifi and free long distance calls to the U.S.  The apartment is located on the second floor with an elevator.

Photos upon request. Please email me at [email protected] if you are interested.

Come experience Eye Prefer Paris live with Eye Prefer Paris Tours, which are 3-hour walking tours I personally lead. Eye Prefer Paris Tours include many of the places I have written about such as small museums & galleries, restaurants, cafes, food markets, secret addresses, fashion & home boutiques, parks and gardens and much more.  In addition to my specialty Marais Tour, I also lead tours of Montmartre, St. Germain, Latin Quarter, in addition to Shopping Tours, Gay Tours, Girlfriend Tours, Food Tours, Flea Market Tours, Paris Highlights Tours, and Chocolate & Pastry tours.

Tours start at 225 euros for up to 3 people, and 75 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

 

 

Parisian of the Month: Chris Boicos

I am happy to have my friend Chris Boicos as Parisian of the Month. Chris gives informative weekly lectures and classes www.parisartstudies.com on the latest art exhibits in Paris.

Where were you born and where did you grow up?

Athens, Greece and after 12, Lincoln, Nebraska and 14-17 Paris.

When and why did you move to Paris?

For high school at American School of Paris and after university in 1982 – have been based here ever since.

At what age did you become interested in art?

At college, Syracuse University, while studying architecture – did Masters in art history at Courtauld Institute, London and began doctoral studies at Sorbonne Paris.

You are half Greek and half French. Which heritage do you identify more with?

Both, depends in which country I am in – lately spending summers in Greece running summer art gallery so back in tune with my Greek background.

You used to have a gallery in Paris and now have a gallery in Paxos, Greece. Please tell us about both and the artists you invite to show in your gallery.

In Paris I show more photography and urban subjects, in Greece I need to show works more related to the sea, the Mediterranean and the island of Paxos itself and also ceramics by contemporary creators which sell very well.

You also curate shows for other art institutions. What are some recent and upcoming exhibitions you are curating?

Luttes 12-22 October – photos of boxers, wrestlers and girls leaping into the air from the Paris north suburbs by prominent photographer Tina Merandon (see website for details and photos: http://boicosfinearts.com/exhibitions/tina-merandon-luttes.html

9-12 November Fotofever Photo Fair at the Carrousel du Louvre showing photographic still lifes by Vivian van Blerk, Vadim Gushchin , Jorge Rodriguez de Rivera and Gabriel Stauffer – still life in 4 styles and techniques: maquette photos, straight digital shots, collage and tinted silver prints.

When and why did you start Paris Art Studies?

Started organizing art history lectures for the adult Anglophone public at home in Paris in 1985 – later worked for most of the various women’s groups in Paris, notably WICE (1986-2007) and left them when they tried to lower my fees. So I founded with former WICE friends, Paris Art Studies then at my Paris gallery near Bastille and since that closed in 2013 at home.
I also teach for American universities in Paris and lately USC and the University of California system.

Please tell us about your lectures in the coming months.

We cover all the main temporary exhibitions in Paris museums on Thursdays and have an ongoing cycle on the history of Paris through its art and architecture on Fridays, currently on 18th century Paris. Please check out the autumn program: www.parisartstudies.com

What are the top exhibitions one shouldn’t miss this fall season?

Gauguin coming up at the Grand Palais, Hockney at Pompidou until the end of October, Balthus, Giacometti, Derain at Le Musée d’Art moderne de la Ville de Paris until 29 October, MOMA in Paris at Fondation Vuitton and Dior at Musée des arts décoratifs.

What piece of art that you don’t already own do you most desire?

Manet’s Luncheon in the Studio in MunichNeue Pinakothek.

What do you prefer about Paris?

Buttes de Chaumont Park and the streets very early on a nice Sunday morning before traffic starts.

 Christmas & New Years in Paris-My Apartment for Rent December 24 to January 3(dates flexible)

How would you like to spend a magical Christmas and festive New Years in Paris?

I am renting my apartment out from December 24 to January 3,  (dates are flexible) a total of 10 nights for $2500.

Centrally located in the heart of the Marais near the St. Paul metro station, it's a spacious one-bedroom 750 sq. ft. loft style apartment with 12 ft. ceilings, decorated in chic Mid-Century Modern furniture and sleeps one or two people in a Queen size bed. Amenities include A/C, washer/dryer, 16" flat screen TV, dishwasher, internet connection/Wifi and free long distance calls to the U.S.  The apartment is located on the second floor with an elevator.

Photos upon request. Please email me at [email protected] if you are interested.

Come experience Eye Prefer Paris live with Eye Prefer Paris Tours, which are 3-hour walking tours I personally lead. Eye Prefer Paris Tours include many of the places I have written about such as small museums & galleries, restaurants, cafes, food markets, secret addresses, fashion & home boutiques, parks and gardens and much more.  In addition to my specialty Marais Tour, I also lead tours of Montmartre, St. Germain, Latin Quarter, in addition to Shopping Tours, Gay Tours, Girlfriend Tours, Food Tours, Flea Market Tours, Paris Highlights Tours, and Chocolate & Pastry tours.

Tours start at 225 euros for up to 3 people, and 75 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

September 2017 Instagram Photos

Parisians have returned from their August vacations and the rentree began earlier this month. The streets are bustling and fall weather is already here. Leaves have already started to turn, as you will witness in a few of the photos below.

If you still haven’t followed me on Instagram yet, here are my tags. 


@eyepreferparis


@parisian_doors

Luxembourg Gardens

Palmiers

Monnaie de Paris

Repetto ballet slippers

Prince de Galles Hotel

Paris Olympics 2024

Montmartre

Flower shop rue de Richelieu

Flower shop rue de Richelieu

Champs Elysees/Clemenceau next to Grand Palais

Hotel de Soubise

Petit Palais

Fig tart from Bontemps patisserie- rue de Bretagne

 Christmas & New Years in Paris-My Apartment for Rent December 24 to January 3(dates flexible)

How would you like to spend a magical Christmas and festive New Years in Paris?

I am renting my apartment out from December 24 to January 3,  (dates are flexible) a total of 10 nights for $2500.

Centrally located in the heart of the Marais near the St. Paul metro station, it's a spacious one-bedroom 750 sq. ft. loft style apartment with 12 ft. ceilings, decorated in chic Mid-Century Modern furniture and sleeps one or two people in a Queen size bed. Amenities include A/C, washer/dryer, 16" flat screen TV, dishwasher, internet connection/Wifi and free long distance calls to the U.S.  The apartment is located on the second floor with an elevator.

Photos upon request. Please email me at [email protected] if you are interested.

Come experience Eye Prefer Paris live with Eye Prefer Paris Tours, which are 3-hour walking tours I personally lead. Eye Prefer Paris Tours include many of the places I have written about such as small museums & galleries, restaurants, cafes, food markets, secret addresses, fashion & home boutiques, parks and gardens and much more.  In addition to my specialty Marais Tour, I also lead tours of Montmartre, St. Germain, Latin Quarter, in addition to Shopping Tours, Gay Tours, Girlfriend Tours, Food Tours, Flea Market Tours, Paris Highlights Tours, and Chocolate & Pastry tours.

Tours start at 225 euros for up to 3 people, and 75 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

 

Lunch with Lynn/Under 20 Eats: Balagan

It seems as though Israeli food is having its big moment.

It’s been on the rise since Israeli born chef Yottam Ottolenghi put contemporary Israeli cuisine on the map in recent years with his innovative, sometimes daring food plus a chain of restaurants in London and four best selling cookbooks.

Some of his former employees and disciples have gone on to open their own restaurants, further extending the appeal of the distinct flavors of middle-eastern cuisine.

Earlier this year I wrote about Tavline, an Israeli restaurant in the Marais, which has become a regular haunt.

Yesterday, I went to Balagan, the hot restaurant ticket in town near the Tuileries. Opened in June, trendy Parisians flocked to Balagan all summer.

Chef Assaf Granit and his partner Uni Navon (who own Palomar in London) have teamed up with Experimental Cocktail Club, the trendiest, most successful cocktail lounge and restaurant chain in Paris. Pre-destined to be a hit, Balagan was smart to locate their restaurant in the Paris Vendome Hotel, a magnet for the fashion crowd during Fashion Week.

I went with a friend for an early lunch at 12PM, as they don’t take reservations at lunch and didn’t want to risk having to wait for a table. A pile of fire engine red chiles and a bowl of end of summer tomatoes almost too perfect to look real, were an appetizing welcome at the entrance to the restaurant. We were warmly greeted and escorted to our table immediately.

We were pretty much the first people to arrive, so I was freely able to take photos of the gleaming open kitchen with hanging copper pots and bins of enticing fresh spices, vegetables and greens.

Our waitress explained the menu in great detail, even telling us how to mix the ingredients in certain dishes once they arrived.

I had a starter of chicken livers and a hard-boiled egg served in a Mason jar. (I think the Mason jar trend is getting quite tired by now). The waitress told me I had to smash together the egg and chicken livers vigorously to attain the best flavor possible. As I started to mix it with a spoon, she asked if she could help, as though I wasn’t getting it right and I replied I think I can handle it. The results were worth the exercise, as the pairing of the egg and livers formed a nice texture and rich taste.

My friend had a beet salad with sweet Marscapone cheese and coriander. It was difficult to photograph as the beets were hidden underneath the greens.

A tender veal was served on a bed of risotto or possibly orzo with mushrooms and aromatic herbs and my friend enjoyed daurade stewed in a enamel pot with tomatoes, carrots and chickpeas which she said had a spicy kick to it.

The dessert menu lacked variety, only offering two choices and seasonal fruit plate. We chose the biscuit tart served in a Mason jar (it actually worked well for this particular dish) which had a creamy filling with the texture and taste somewhere between tiramisu and cheese cake, topped with crushed shortbread biscuits.

As we were leaving the restaurant, there was a tall, nice looking man and his young daughter sitting next to us. I briefly locked eyes with him for a moment and said hello! and then I blurted out, you look familiar and have we met before. He said he was from New York and we started chatting, discovering we grew up in bordering neighborhoods in Brooklyn. His father owned a famous pizzeria on Ave J in the Midwood section of Brooklyn and we were both Jewish.

A moment later he took out a deck of playing cards and asked me to think of a card. I thought of a card and presto, he pulled it out of the box. I was impressed and when I looked closely at the box, the imprint was www.davidblaine.com . BINGO! That’s why I recognized him; David Blaine is one of the top magicians and illusionists in the world. As we chatted he started to do some card tricks with my friend and the waitress. A few moments later, his six-year old daughter got in on the action, and began accurately guessing the five cards in my friend’s hand.

We chatted for a few more minutes and he asked me for my card. My big star moment for the day.

I went over my usual under 20€ budget by 9€ but my friend kindly invited me.

Two course lunch, 23€, three courses 29€.

Balagan
9 Rue d'Alger, 75001
Open everyday for lunch and dinner
http://www.balagan-paris.com/en

 

Christmas & New Years in Paris-My Apartment for Rent December 24 to January 3(dates flexible)

How would you like to spend a magical Christmas and festive New Years in Paris?

I am renting my apartment out from December 24 to January 3,  (dates are flexible) a total of 10 nights for $2500.

Centrally located in the heart of the Marais near the St. Paul metro station, it's a spacious one-bedroom 750 sq. ft. loft style apartment with 12 ft. ceilings, decorated in chic Mid-Century Modern furniture and sleeps one or two people in a Queen size bed. Amenities include A/C, washer/dryer, 16" flat screen TV, dishwasher, internet connection/Wifi and free long distance calls to the U.S.  The apartment is located on the second floor with an elevator.

Photos upon request. Please email me at [email protected] if you are interested.

Come experience Eye Prefer Paris live with Eye Prefer Paris Tours, which are 3-hour walking tours I personally lead. Eye Prefer Paris Tours include many of the places I have written about such as small museums & galleries, restaurants, cafes, food markets, secret addresses, fashion & home boutiques, parks and gardens and much more.  In addition to my specialty Marais Tour, I also lead tours of Montmartre, St. Germain, Latin Quarter, in addition to Shopping Tours, Gay Tours, Girlfriend Tours, Food Tours, Flea Market Tours, Paris Highlights Tours, and Chocolate & Pastry tours.

Tours start at 225 euros for up to 3 people, and 75 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

Abstract Metro Photos-Opera

The RATP, the organization that runs the bus and metro services in Paris, is doing a major overhaul of the metro system and the ambitious project will last till 2030. Many metro stations are being renovated and updated with new lighting designs, sleeker platforms and new seats.

The Opera station for line 7 looks like it’s about to be renovated. I noticed all the posters on the platform had been stripped, usually a sign that the station will be renovated. For anyone else it’s no big deal and would probably not even notice, but for me it was hitting the jackpot. As you know for the past four years I’ve been astutely taking photos in the metro and I am always looking for new posters or stripped down walls.

The frames at the Opera stop provided a rich photographic opportunity with fragments of color, cement, typeface, faces and graffiti and below are the results. Some almost look like maps or even abstract paintings.

What are your thoughts about them and what do they represent to you. Would love your feedback.

 

Christmas & New Years in Paris-My Apartment for Rent December 24 to January 3(dates flexible)

How would you like to spend a magical Christmas and festive New Years in Paris?

I am renting my apartment out from December 24 to January 3,  (dates are flexible) a total of 10 nights for $2500.

Centrally located in the heart of the Marais near the St. Paul metro station, it's a spacious one-bedroom 750 sq. ft. loft style apartment with 12 ft. ceilings, decorated in chic Mid-Century Modern furniture and sleeps one or two people in a Queen size bed. Amenities include A/C, washer/dryer, 16" flat screen TV, dishwasher, internet connection/Wifi and free long distance calls to the U.S.  The apartment is located on the second floor with an elevator.

Photos upon request. Please email me at [email protected] if you are interested.

Come experience Eye Prefer Paris live with Eye Prefer Paris Tours, which are 3-hour walking tours I personally lead. Eye Prefer Paris Tours include many of the places I have written about such as small museums & galleries, restaurants, cafes, food markets, secret addresses, fashion & home boutiques, parks and gardens and much more.  In addition to my specialty Marais Tour, I also lead tours of Montmartre, St. Germain, Latin Quarter, in addition to Shopping Tours, Gay Tours, Girlfriend Tours, Food Tours, Flea Market Tours, Paris Highlights Tours, and Chocolate & Pastry tours.

Tours start at 225 euros for up to 3 people, and 75 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

Door(s) of the Month: Brighton

My love of doors has expanded beyond Paris in the past few years. I’ve been photographing doors in my travels including Italy, Bali, Prague, Bordeaux, Colmar and Bruges, which I have shared with you.

Today is a selection of doors from my recent trip to Brighton. The doors in Brighton aren’t as ornate as Parisian doors; it’s more about the colors and lacquered finish plus the contrasting color of the houses. I also extended the frame of the photos to include the houses next door to each of the doors to again show the contrasting colors between the buildings. Some of the stairways leading to the doors featured patterned ceramic tiles, a bonus detail.

These doors were mostly in the North Laine neighborhood, which I wrote about last week.

Do you have some favorites in this series?

Christmas & New Years in Paris-My Apartment for Rent December 24 to January 3(dates flexible)

How would you like to spend a magical Christmas and festive New Years in Paris?

I am renting my apartment out from December 24 to January 3,  (dates are flexible) a total of 10 nights for $2500.

Centrally located in the heart of the Marais near the St. Paul metro station, it's a spacious one-bedroom 750 sq. ft. loft style apartment with 12 ft. ceilings, decorated in chic Mid-Century Modern furniture and sleeps one or two people in a Queen size bed. Amenities include A/C, washer/dryer, 16" flat screen TV, dishwasher, internet connection/Wifi and free long distance calls to the U.S.  The apartment is located on the second floor with an elevator.

Photos upon request. Please email me at [email protected] if you are interested.

Come experience Eye Prefer Paris live with Eye Prefer Paris Tours, which are 3-hour walking tours I personally lead. Eye Prefer Paris Tours include many of the places I have written about such as small museums & galleries, restaurants, cafes, food markets, secret addresses, fashion & home boutiques, parks and gardens and much more.  In addition to my specialty Marais Tour, I also lead tours of Montmartre, St. Germain, Latin Quarter, in addition to Shopping Tours, Gay Tours, Girlfriend Tours, Food Tours, Flea Market Tours, Paris Highlights Tours, and Chocolate & Pastry tours.

Tours start at 225 euros for up to 3 people, and 75 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

 

 

Parc de Belleville

I rarely go to Belleville and don’t know it very well. It’s always been a neighborhood that intrigued me because it embodies three arrondissements, all of which have something different to offer.

A few Saturdays ago I decided to venture to Parc de Belleville, which I read has spectacular views of Paris. Located in the 20th arrondissement, Parc de Belleville sits 108 metres above the city, the highest park in Paris. Designed by architect François Debulois and landscaper Paul Brichet, it was launched in 1988 and boasts a 30 metre terrace at the summit, 1200 trees and shrubs and a 100 metre waterfall.

It was a partly sunny day with fall like temperature of about 65 degrees when I arrived at the park at about 11:30AM. One of the first things I noticed was an insect hotel with wooden coils and wasn’t sure of the purpose. Do the insects need to book the hotel on Expedia? Is it a five-star hotel and do the insects get free Wi-fi?

As I traversed upward it looked like a typical Saturday in a neighborhood park with kids playing in the playground and their parents hovering over them, two men playing a fiercely competitive game of ping pong, joggers circling the running paths lost in their music, a nearly naked man in just a bikini soaking up the last rays of summer sun to maintain his tan, thinkers contemplating life, lovers cooing by the fountains and picnickers laying out their feast on the grass.

Where's the spa?

A long climb to the top

and down...

When I reached the top, there was the much talked about view. Clouds resembling big bales of cotton covered the sky while the Eiffel Tower and Tour Montparnasse pierced the skyline with their tallness and the bold colors and industrial pipes of the Centre Pompidou gave a horizontal focal point.

After my climb my appetite kicked in and I searched for a lunch spot. The Art Bakery Coffee is an adorable sandwich shop, bakery and coffee bar. I rewarded my climb with a mozzarella and sun dried tomato sandwich on a crusty, flaky, well-browned baguette and a cafe noisette.

Winding my way down the park to get to the metro, I came upon a well-known attraction in the park, a wooden maze-like structure on an incline. It has a climbing hill, a sliding pine, tunnels to crawl through and in winter, it becomes a ski slope.

I also discovered gardeners tending to their gardens, preparing their flower beds for the Summer Floral Decoration Festival which takes place in September. Their designs have won many prizes in the past.

I later learned there’s an operating vineyard with 140 Pinot Meunier vines from Champagne and Chardonnay, which produce approximately 300 kilos of grapes during harvest.

Lookout for more posts about Belleville in the near future.

Parc de Belleville
47 rue des Couronnes – 75020
Metro: Couronnes

Art Bakery Coffee
10 Rue des Envierges, 75020

Christmas & New Years in Paris-My Apartment for Rent December 24 to January 3(dates flexible)

How would you like to spend a magical Christmas and festive New Years in Paris?

I am renting my apartment out from December 24 to January 3,  (dates are flexible) a total of 10 nights for $2500.

Centrally located in the heart of the Marais near the St. Paul metro station, it's a spacious one-bedroom 750 sq. ft. loft style apartment with 12 ft. ceilings, decorated in chic Mid-Century Modern furniture and sleeps one or two people in a Queen size bed. Amenities include A/C, washer/dryer, 16" flat screen TV, dishwasher, internet connection/Wifi and free long distance calls to the U.S.  The apartment is located on the second floor with an elevator.

Photos upon request. Please email me at [email protected] if you are interested.

Come experience Eye Prefer Paris live with Eye Prefer Paris Tours, which are 3-hour walking tours I personally lead. Eye Prefer Paris Tours include many of the places I have written about such as small museums & galleries, restaurants, cafes, food markets, secret addresses, fashion & home boutiques, parks and gardens and much more.  In addition to my specialty Marais Tour, I also lead tours of Montmartre, St. Germain, Latin Quarter, in addition to Shopping Tours, Gay Tours, Girlfriend Tours, Food Tours, Flea Market Tours, Paris Highlights Tours, and Chocolate & Pastry tours.

Tours start at 225 euros for up to 3 people, and 75 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

 

 

 

Le Camondo Restaurant

Last week was le rentree, the time of the year in early September when everyone returns to work and children go back to school after taking their vacations. Everyone is calm, rested, tanned and in a good mood; Parisians at their best.

Le rentree was in full swing last Tuesday on the garden terrace of Le Camondo restaurant as some of the chicest and best dressed Parisians I’ve seen in years gathered for lunch. Businessmen wore a uniform of slim, smart navy blue suits with pale blue shirts, dark blue silk ties and brown or whiskey colored leather oxfords with slim toes. Women were wearing up to date designer clothes, the highest stiletto heels (and miraculously not turning their ankles on the rocky cobblestones) and carrying the most luxurious purses.

Le Camondo is part of the Nissim Camondo Museum, a former private mansion from the early 1900s owned by Moise de Camondo, a Parisian banker of Sephardic Jewish heritage and is now a museum containing the family treasures.

 Opened in June the terrace of Le Camondo instantly became the hot spot go to terrace for summer. It was a little bit cloudy and cool the day I went, that time in between seasons when you are note sure what to wear. Luckily I wore a casual sport jacket and black cotton pants, as most of the men were far more formally attired.

I could see why the terrace is so popular; it’s quiet, except for the din of diners next to us, and the décor of white canvas umbrellas, black wrought iron patio furniture, and palm trees in those familiar green French planters had the feel of being at a garden party rather than a busy restaurant.

I had a starter of smoked salmon with a light herb flavored cream and my friend had two jumbo shrimp tempura served on a bed of raw zucchini strands. My plat of beef tataki prettily fanned out on a gray ceramic plate was tender and tasty along with a tad of quinoa. Beef cheeks in an unusual green sauce, was not to my friend’s liking as he prefers a more traditional red wine type of sauce. The menu offered two categories of dessert; a selection of pastries from the of the moment pastry maker Christophe Michalak and simpler desserts from the chef. I chose to stick all the way with the chef and had a perfectly good but not special rice pudding with figs. My friend had strawberries so perfect looking they seemed fake, topped with a flavored cream.

Twenty-five year old chef Alexis le Tadic has put together a crowd-pleasing menu with familiar dishes rather than creating something special or original. My friend and I agreed that the overall experience at Le Camondo was excellent and still worth going despite the hit and miss food.

The front dining room with high ceilings is a hybrid of an industrial space and an elegant salon with worn Oriental carpets, golden velvet sofas and linen loveseats with rattan frames.

Le Camondo
61 bis rue Monceau, 75017
Metro: Monceau
Open for lunch and dinner
Closed Sunday evening
Tel. + 33 (0)1 45 63 40 40
http://lecamondo.fr/?lang=en

Christmas & New Years in Paris-My Apartment for Rent December 24 to January 3(dates flexible)

How would you like to spend a magical Christmas and festive New Years in Paris?

I am renting my apartment out from December 24 to January 3,  (dates are flexible) a total of 10 nights for $2500.

Centrally located in the heart of the Marais near the St. Paul metro station, it's a spacious one-bedroom 750 sq. ft. loft style apartment with 12 ft. ceilings, decorated in chic Mid-Century Modern furniture and sleeps one or two people in a Queen size bed. Amenities include A/C, washer/dryer, 16" flat screen TV, dishwasher, internet connection/Wifi and free long distance calls to the U.S.  The apartment is located on the second floor with an elevator.

Photos upon request. Please email me at [email protected] if you are interested.

Come experience Eye Prefer Paris live with Eye Prefer Paris Tours, which are 3-hour walking tours I personally lead. Eye Prefer Paris Tours include many of the places I have written about such as small museums & galleries, restaurants, cafes, food markets, secret addresses, fashion & home boutiques, parks and gardens and much more.  In addition to my specialty Marais Tour, I also lead tours of Montmartre, St. Germain, Latin Quarter, in addition to Shopping Tours, Gay Tours, Girlfriend Tours, Food Tours, Flea Market Tours, Paris Highlights Tours, and Chocolate & Pastry tours.

Tours start at 225 euros for up to 3 people, and 75 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

 

AD Interieurs 2017- L’art de la Matiere

The city is abuzz this week with Design Week Paris, which kicked off this weekend with the Maison & Objet trade show. In addition to Maison & Objet, there are 180 venues including showrooms, exhibition spaces, galleries and cultural institutes displaying the latest trends in the design industry.

On Friday I went to the AD Interieurs 2017 exhibition at Monnaie de Paris. This is the second exhibition Architectural Digest Magazine has mounted which showcases European designers. This fall the theme is focused on use of materials and the editorial staff has selected 10 designers to design various spaces including a bedroom, living room, bathroom, laundry room and kitchen. Each designer was requested to create an interior using a specific material. Designers include Elliott Barnes, Maurizio Galante & Tal Lancman, Denis Montel pour RDAI, Mathieu Lehanneur, Thomas Boog, Gert Voorjans, Isabelle Stanislas, Oitoemponto, Rodolphe Parente, Suduca & Mérillou.

The results are fabulous. I loved how each designer had such a unique viewpoint, not just creating rooms but a total environment. A showering of lavish chandeliers from various periods against the backdrop of the marble, wood, stone and gold of the former palace was a true showstopper. The most clever of the rooms was the laundry room with a washing machine built into the wall and a multi-faceted floor with shards of color and texture. Red took center stage with a canopied bed and sheets to match in a bedroom with carpeted walls, floor and ceiling in a pschyadelic 60s pattern and a furry chair and ottoman had fake eyes embedded in them(first photo above).

AD Interieurs 2017- L’art de la Matiere
Till September 20
Monnaie de Paris
11, quai de Conti, 75006
Metro: Pont Neuf
https://www.monnaiedeparis.fr/en/expositions-temporaires/ad-interieurs-2017

Christmas & New Years in Paris-My Apartment for Rent December 24 to January 3(dates flexible)

How would you like to spend a magical Christmas and festive New Years in Paris?

I am renting my apartment out from December 24 to January 3,  (dates are flexible) a total of 10 nights for $2500.

Centrally located in the heart of the Marais near the St. Paul metro station, it's a spacious one-bedroom 750 sq. ft. loft style apartment with 12 ft. ceilings, decorated in chic Mid-Century Modern furniture and sleeps one or two people in a Queen size bed. Amenities include A/C, washer/dryer, 16" flat screen TV, dishwasher, internet connection/Wifi and free long distance calls to the U.S.  The apartment is located on the second floor with an elevator.

Photos upon request. Please email me at [email protected] if you are interested.

Come experience Eye Prefer Paris live with Eye Prefer Paris Tours, which are 3-hour walking tours I personally lead. Eye Prefer Paris Tours include many of the places I have written about such as small museums & galleries, restaurants, cafes, food markets, secret addresses, fashion & home boutiques, parks and gardens and much more.  In addition to my specialty Marais Tour, I also lead tours of Montmartre, St. Germain, Latin Quarter, in addition to Shopping Tours, Gay Tours, Girlfriend Tours, Food Tours, Flea Market Tours, Paris Highlights Tours, and Chocolate & Pastry tours.

Tours start at 225 euros for up to 3 people, and 75 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

 

Krug Pop-up Champagne Bar at Shangri-La Hotel

I was invited on Monday night to the Krug Pop-up Champagne Bar at the Shangri-La Hotel.

The Shangri-La Hotel has partnered with the eponymous House of Krug, one of the most prestigious Champagne makers in France since 1843. The intimate 300 square terrace with a jaw dropping view of the Eiffel Tower and the Paris skyline only seats 16 people, so you must reserve in advance.

I met a friend at 8:30PM in the lobby and we were escorted upstairs. As we walked down a long corridor, we approached a discreet sign with Le Bar a Ciel Ouvert by Krug written on it. Once inside, we were pleasantly greeted and shown to the terrace. You would think since I lived here for 12 years and have seen this view countless times I would be jaded but that evening the view just knocked my socks off. Perhaps it was the coolness of the late summer evening sky with shards of gray clouds running through it or the special glow the tower emits on the horizon with its golden hue.

The terrace turns out to be part of one of the most exclusive suites of the hotel and has been refitted by Krug for the occasion, including the installation of a temperature controlled wine holder.

Although there were some tempting cocktails on the menu, my friend and I opted for Krug Champagne. There was also a selection of enticing appetizers including caviar, Bellota ham and smoked salmon but we had just had dinner. The wait staff person first brought out two already chilled glasses. A few moments later she returned with a bottle of Grand Cuvee. She poured just a tad into my flute for me to taste; it was dry with just a hint of sweetness. She continued to fill our glasses after my nod of approval and we clinked our flutes, making a lame toast, not sure in the moment who or what to toast.

The head bartender, Clément Emery, kindly introduced himself and asked if we were enjoying ourselves, in which we emphatically said yes! He also invited us to the bar downstairs later in the month to sample his newest fall cocktails.

A few moments later at 9PM the sparkle lights did their synchronized dance, sending the tower into a mesmerizing light show.

The magic of the lights to lift me up still prevails after 12 years of living in Paris.

This experience doesn’t come cheap: one glass of Champagne is 55€ but it’s worth the splurge. Go for it.

Le Bar à ciel ouvert by Krug/ Krug Pop-up Champagne Bar at Shangri-La Hotel is open 6PM to 11PM, every night till September 16.

Reservations recommended.

10 Avenue d'Iéna, 75116
Metro: Iena
Tel. +1 33 (0) 1 53 67 19 98
http://www.shangri-la.com/paris/shangrila/

Clément Emery

Update on After Louie Screenings

Many of you asked when you could see Vincent's film After Louie. After Louie will be screened at a number of film festivals in the U.S. and internationally. Below is a list of screenings in various cities, along with dates and link to purchase tickets. Thanks for your support.

Sydney, Australia - Queer Screen Film Festival September 19 & October 7
http://tix.queerscreen.org.au/session_mgff.asp?sn=Opening+Night+Gala+-+After+Louie&s=234

Chicago- Reeling LGBTQ Film Festival Friday, September 22 7:30 PM
http://reelingfilmfestival.org/2017/films/after-louie/

Atlanta- Out on Film – Sunday, October 1 @ 7:15PM
http://www.outonfilm.org/afterlouie

East Hampton - Hamptons Film Festival –October 7
http://hamptonsfilmfest.org/ (tickets not on sale yet except for members)

After Louie will also play in New York City, Key West, New Orleans, and Rehoboth, Delaware in October and November. I will post about those in a few weeks.

Christmas & New Years in Paris-My Apartment for Rent December 24 to January 3(dates flexibl

How would you like to spend a magical Christmas and festive New Years in Paris?

I am renting my apartment out from December 24 to January 3,  (dates are flexible) a total of 10 nights for $2500.

Centrally located in the heart of the Marais near the St. Paul metro station, it's a spacious one-bedroom 750 sq. ft. loft style apartment with 12 ft. ceilings, decorated in chic Mid-Century Modern furniture and sleeps one or two people in a Queen size bed. Amenities include A/C, washer/dryer, 16" flat screen TV, dishwasher, internet connection/Wifi and free long distance calls to the U.S.  The apartment is located on the second floor with an elevator.

Photos upon request. Please email me at [email protected] if you are interested.

Come experience Eye Prefer Paris live with Eye Prefer Paris Tours, which are 3-hour walking tours I personally lead. Eye Prefer Paris Tours include many of the places I have written about such as small museums & galleries, restaurants, cafes, food markets, secret addresses, fashion & home boutiques, parks and gardens and much more.  In addition to my specialty Marais Tour, I also lead tours of Montmartre, St. Germain, Latin Quarter, in addition to Shopping Tours, Gay Tours, Girlfriend Tours, Food Tours, Flea Market Tours, Paris Highlights Tours, and Chocolate & Pastry tours.

Tours start at 225 euros for up to 3 people, and 75 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