I Prefer Paris

Chefchaouen, Morocco- The Blue City

 

In the past few years, photos of Chefchaouen, Morocco have been popping up in my social media accounts. The old part of the city is painted a gorgeous hue of blue and Chefchaouen has been on my travel must-see list. 

While doing research for my trip to Tangier, I discovered it was only 2.5 hours from Tangier, a very doable day trip. 

We hired a car and driver and as we drove, we passed through the Rif Mountain range along with small villages, and flat, desert-like land. 

Chefchaouen was founded in 1471, by Moulay Ali Ben Moussa, as a fortress to protect from invasions by the Portuguese and later in the century, it was settled by the Ghomara and Moriscos tribes, and the Jews. The main reason the city was painted blue was it represented the blue sky connecting to God and heaven when Jews fled to city during WWII to escape persecution from the Nazi occupation in Europe. Other reasons I read include the blue color repels mosquitoes, it keeps houses cooler from the heat, and it reminds them of the color of the Mediterranean Sea. 

The driver stopped at a bridge for us to get a panoramic view of the city, and we could see the blue dotting the hilly landscape. 

We walked through the town, climbing the twisting stairways, uncovering doorways, curved stone walls, and floors, painted in similar shades of blue. Merchants were selling handcrafted rugs, tapestries, jewelry, artworks, sculptures, and paint pigments. We bought a hand- painted ceramic tile. 

Once we decided to stay for lunch, we were aggressively courted by different restaurants to try their food, and we finally sat at a festive café in the town square, having a simple meal of cheese omelets, potatoes, and strong coffee for a ridiculous price of $10 for the both of us. 

 

 

 

Trip to Tangier, Morocco

 

Last month Vincent and I took a quick, three-day trip to Tangier, Morocco for a change of scenery and to escape the gray, winter days of Paris. 

It’s 2:45 minute flight from Paris, and when we arrived, it was warm and sunny, about 69 degrees Fahrenheit. 

The taxi driver stopped at the taxi stand, and walked us through the lively, narrow alleyways of the medina. We arrived at Riad Arous Chamel, an authentic, 200-year-old riad (bed and breakfast). The living area on the main floor had handsome, thick wood furniture, tall stone columns, and a beautiful marble floor in red and white marble. Our room was on the third floor and had mini-stained glass windows and Moroccan style carpets and a tapestry bedcover. Breakfast was on the rooftop with views of the entire city with uneven rooftops. The room rate was an incredible 50€ a night, including breakfast. 

The next few days we roamed the maze of the medina and its crafts, tapestry and rug shops, always losing our way home. We also toured the more modern part of the city, hung out in cafes and coffee houses, went to a museum and a few galleries, and feasted on Moroccan cuisine. Our first day, we had lunch at a worker’s restaurant, which served mounds of couscous and large tagines, with a bill for 12€ for the both of us. 

Tangiers is very hilly, and I climbed stairway after stairway, discovering hidden alleyways, and lots of cool doors. Spain is only an hour boat ride from Tangier, separated by the strait of Gibraltar and there’s beaches outside the city. 

We took a day trip to a very special place, which I will write about on Thursday. Stay tuned. 

Café of the Month, February 2024: Café Benjamin

 

 There’s a kind of comfort and reliability in certain Paris cafes. 

Café Benjamin on rue de Rivoli, in between Chatelet and the Louvre, is one of them. The corner storefront wraps around rue de Rivoli with an extended white awning, trimmed in cherry red and bold, capital letters spelling out the name. The white waxed rattan chairs, with red and blue woven through, and the familiar chalkboard menu are another sign that you are in a typical Parisian café. 

Inside is a curved, zinc bar and the barman was busily making coffee and washing and drying white porcelain coffee cups. The people in the inside were a combination of tourists desiring the French café experience by ordering croissants and coffee, and locals, standing at the counter chatting up the barman and sipping expresso before going to work. 

Café Benjamin has existed since 1933 and the authenticity of that time is reflected in the floor: a jamboree of small tiles overlapping each other in a circular pattern in attractive colors of tan, pale and medium blue, blush, apricot, slate, and cranberry. 

I ordered my requisite café noisette, served with hot milk in a silver pitcher, and watched the people outside scurrying past. 

Café Benjamin has a full brasserie and café menu. 

53 rue de Rivoli, 75001

Perhaps 1933?

Egyptian Pharaohs at Atelier des Lumieres

 

Pharaohs and ancient Egypt come alive on the walls of Atelier des Lumieres for the new 2024 exhibition. 

It’s an unusual departure for Atelier des Lumieres, as they have presented shows by major artists of the 19^th and 20^thcentury in the last seven years including Van Gogh. Monet, Cezanne, and Klimt. 

The mesmerizing light show traces the history of Egypt, beginning with the remains of old Egypt that were uncovered by French scientists during the Egyptian Campaign of 1798 to 1801, with drawings by artists David Roberts. It continues with depictions of the enormous construction sites used to build the pyramids and chronicling the workers. The wondrous temples from Luxor to Abu Simbel are also displayed along with the Valley of the Queen’s and King’s.

A shorter show of 15 minutes, The Orientalists, Ingres, Delacroix, Gerome… follows Egyptian Pharaohs. When the gateways of the Orient began allowing painters from Western civilization, it opened a new world for artists such as Ingres, Delacroix, and Gerome and a host of lesser-known painters. Their exotic paintings come to life as we enter a world of mystery and fantasy.

Until January 5, 2025

28 rue Saint Maur, 75011 https://www.atelier-lumieres.com/en

Experience Eye Prefer Paris live with Eye Prefer Paris Tours, which are 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, Shopping Tours, Food Tours, Flea Market Tours, Paris Highlights Tours, Emily in Paris tours, and Chocolate and pastry tours.

Tours start at 275 euros for up to 3 people, and 85 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 

Lunch at Maxim’s de Paris

I was invited to Maxim’s de Paris last week for lunch by the Paris Society group, which has recently taken over the management of the historic restaurant. 

In 1893, the bistro Maxim’s, was opened by a former waiter, Maxim Gaillard, on rue Royale. Preparing for the 1900 Universal Exposition, Maxim’s was transformed into an Art Nouveau showplace with stained glass ceilings and screens, Tiffany lamps, and hand-painted nymphs on the walls. It became the most fashionable restaurant in Paris and a magnet for international celebrities.

When Pierre Cardin was refused entrance to Maxim’s because he wore a turtleneck instead of a tie, it caused a media scandal. Ironically, years later Cardin was invited to buy the restaurant and took it over in the early 1980s. He turned Maxim’s into a worldwide brand with over 30 products and opened branches internationally, much like he did with his own brand. The expansion paid more attention to the brand and the international expansion, and the the maintenenace of the the Paris restaurant eventually weakened the name and Maxim’s became a tourist trap. It greatly needed new management and definitely some TLC.

The Paris Society hospitality group owns over 70 restaurants, hotels, and event spaces throughout Paris and France. Their restaurants are some of the most popular and sought after in Paris, including Gigi, Monsieur Bleu, Girafe, Bonnie, and Beau Coco. 

I had only been to Maxim’s once for a press event about seven years ago. Walking through the restaurant again, I remembered the grandiose and glamorous interior. I am a huge Art Nouveau fan, and Maxim’s is the epitome of that wildly ornate style that will never be replicated. 

The menu has mostly classic, French dishes and a few modern-day specialties.

I stuck to the classics and ordered the Dubarry soup, which is a rich soup of cauliflower, veal stock, egg yolks, and heavy cream, and Maxim’s version had added an extravagance, truffled crème. My friend had a half lobster with salad and truffled dressing. For my main, I had Albert-style sole, which is cooked with vermouth, and the waiter skillfully fileted it in front of us. Dessert was a heavenly chocolate souffle, perfectly cooked.

I toured the two floors of the restaurant to take in the magnificent décor and discovered the stained-glass ceiling in the rear of the main floor dining room, the dazzling Tiffany glass, the decorative red and green flowered carpeting, the beautiful mirrors, and red velvet banquettes. Going to the bathroom on the second floor, I uncovered a fabulous lounge and bar with a grand piano, and I thought what a great place to throw a blowout party someday.

 3 rue Royale, 75008

https://restaurant-maxims.com/

Experience Eye Prefer Paris live with Eye Prefer Paris Tours, which are 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, Shopping Tours, Food Tours, Flea Market Tours, Paris Highlights Tours, Emily in Paris tours, and Chocolate and pastry tours.

Tours start at 275 euros for up to 3 people, and 85 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 

 

 

Iconic Avedon: A Centennial Celebration of Richard Avedon

Gagosian Gallery Paris is celebrating the master photographer Richard Avedon on the centennial year of his birth. The timing was perfect; it opened during haute couture fashion week at the end of January. 

The exhibit starts with superb photos of models in Paris and the following rooms reveal iconic, black and white portraits of celebrities, models, musicians, and movie stars from Marlene Dietrich to Elizabeth Taylor to Bob Dylan to Twiggy to the Beatles. The standout is the massive, horizontal panel of Marilyn Monroe in various, lively poses. 

The second floor has a wall of photos of politicians and U.S. presidents. 

My partner Vincent had the special privilege of working with Avedon on an ad campaign for the rebirth of Hush Puppies shoes in the mid-1990s. The ads appeared in the Vanity Fair Oscars issue.  Avedon insisted Vincent be in the photo and cast him as the director.

Until March 2, 2024

4 rue de Ponthieu, 75008

https://gagosian.com/exhibitions/2024/iconic-avedon-a-centennial-celebration-of-richard-avedon/

Vincent, second on the left

Brigitte Bardot

Twiggy

Dovima

Experience Eye Prefer Paris live with Eye Prefer Paris Tours, which are 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, Shopping Tours, Food Tours, Flea Market Tours, Paris Highlights Tours, Emily in Paris tours, and Chocolate and pastry tours.

Tours start at 275 euros for up to 3 people, and 85 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 

 

Paris Writers Workshop 2024

Today is a guest post from Meredith Mullins about an excellent and informative writer's workshop.

Many of us dream of being a “writer in Paris.” You may be jotting notes on a café napkin; journaling to keep the adventure of Paris alive for more than a moment; writing (like Richard and Eye Prefer Paris) to share Paris discoveries with the world; or focusing on your novel, memoir, or screenplay project.

Even as you wander the Paris streets, you might feel the spirit of Hemmingway, Baldwin, James Joyce, Proust, Henry Miller, Victor Hugo, Zola, Oscar Wilde, and so many more. Whatever your path, Paris is a city full of inspiration.

Writing groups abound. Well-known and emerging writers live and work in Paris and often appear at local bookstores, libraries, and events. And writing workshops and retreats are prevalent, ready to move you to that next step toward your literary goals.

One of the best—the Paris Writers Workshop (PWW)—has just opened its early-bird registration for the summer program (June 2–7, 2024). The PWW is the longest-running writing workshop in Paris and is sponsored by WICE (a nonprofit education organization) and the Columbia Global Centers. The workshop will be held in the heart of literary Paris at CGC’s Reid Hall in the Montparnasse neighborhood.

The week offers daily masterclasses with six award-winning writers in Fiction, Creative Nonfiction/Memoir, Screenwriting, Speculative Fiction, Poetry, and Travel Writing. In addition to the small-group masterclasses, the program includes individual meetings with the instructors and literary agents, practical guidance for work in progress, panel discussions focused on tools of writing and paths to publishing, a literary walk, social gatherings, and the camaraderie of a literary community.

WICE has kept the fee lower than most workshops—an early-bird price for the week is 975 euros. More information about what is included can be found here.

Don’t wait too long to register. The small masterclasses will fill quickly and the discounted price ends on March 15. Join the fun on this week-long adventure . . . and revel in the literary past and present (and future?) in the inspiring City of Light.

The dynamic masterclass faculty for PWW 2024.

Reid Hall—a great location for PWW in Montparnasse. (Photo courtesy of Columbia Global Centers)

A literary bond and a lasting network of friends.  

 

 

February 2024 Eye Need to Do’s: 1,001 Orchids, La Traviata, Ahmet Ertuğ, and YSL Transparences

1,001 Orchids

Some of the rarest and most exotic orchids will be on display in the greenhouses of the Jardin des Plantes.

February 8 to March 4, 2024

Jardin des Plantes

https://www.sortiraparis.com/en/what-to-visit-in-paris/exhibit-museum/articles/58630-a-thousand-and-one-orchids-2024-in-paris-a-floral-stroll-in-the-jardin-des-plantes-greenhouse

La Traviata

Australian director Simon Stone updates the beloved, classic opera La Traviata by setting in the 21^st century and the lead character is a modern-day influencer.

February 5 & 8, 2024

Opera Bastille- Place de la Bastille

https://www.operadeparis.fr/en/season-23-24/opera/la-traviata?gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIw7b_9daHhAMV61FBAh2o3QWkEAAYAiAAEgLdA_D_BwE&medium=search#calendar

Journey Through Light and Stone- Ahmet Ertuğ

Turkish architect and photographer Ahmet Ertuğ fills the ancient walls of La Concergerie with 20 magnificent photos of architectural wonders from France and Italy.

February 9 to May 20, 2024

La Concergerie 2 Blvd de Palais, Ile de la Cite, 75004

https://www.paris-conciergerie.fr/en/agenda/voyage-dans-les-pierres-et-la-lumiere-photographies-de-l-artiste-ahmet-ertug

Sheer: The Diaphanous Creations of Yves Saint Laurent

This new exhibit explores Yves Saint Laurent’s use of sheer materials in his fashions, which sometimes provoked controversy.

February 9 to August 25, 2024

5 Avenue Marceau, 75116

https://museeyslparis.com/en/exhibitions/yves-saint-laurent-transparences

Experience Eye Prefer Paris live with Eye Prefer Paris Tours, which are 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, Shopping Tours, Food Tours, Flea Market Tours, Paris Highlights Tours, Emily in Paris tours, and Chocolate and pastry tours.

Tours start at 275 euros for up to 3 people, and 85 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