I Prefer Paris

Paris Window Boxes-2021

It’s my annual edition of the Paris window boxes. For 2021, I concentrated mostly on the window boxes in my neighborhood, Le Marais. Do you have some favorites? 

Eye Prefer Paris 16^th Anniversary 

I want to thank the following people for generously donating to Eye Prefer Paris so I can continue my subscription service. Your donations exceeded my initial request of $540 and I will apply the extra funds towards a second year. I also want to thank you for your kind notes you included in the donation. 

Nancy S., Judith R., Chris K., Kathy G., Carol P., Judy H., Barbara E., Susan S., Liz S., John K., Monique VD., Angela LV., John H,. Edward N., Jan L., Richard B., Kathy M., Dr. J., Joanie S., Leann R., Mary Lynn C., Diane S., Barbara L., Carmen C., Debbie H., Bonnie F., Judy S., Cheryl M., Virginia G., Jerry F., Russ R., Cheryl T., Pete K., Jeanie T., Carolyn A., Michael H., Allan VF., Diane K., Annie P.,Brunie F., Susie F., Peggy and Jim B, and Linda S. 

My apologies if I have forgotten anyone. 

Autumn in Giverny- Part 2

Here’s series two of the photos of glorious Giverny in autumn. Thanks for your comments and feedback from Autumn in Giverny- Part 1. CLICK HERE to view Part 1 if you missed it. 

Autumn in Giverny- Part 1

I took a tour client on Monday to Giverny for a tour of the Monet’s house and garden. It was a crisp, sunny autumn day, the perfect day you dream about when visiting Giverny. I had never been this late to Giverny (it closes November 1) and the color palette of the flowers and plants was so different than what I had experienced before. There were still some dahlias sprouting and other flowers in shades of purple, marigold, and pure white. The weeping willows on the pond were now a mustard color contrasted against the other green trees and the reflection had a stunning effect. The gardens and house were mostly devoid of the usual hordes of people, which was a pleasant surprise. Walking through the village the, the familiar colors of the fall foliage were apparent, as crimson leaves festooned the houses and buildings. 

We had lunch outdoors at a lovely café I had never been to before, Les Nympheas, just adjacent to the house. My clients enjoyed fluffy omelets and had a fresh salad of smoked salmon, foie gras, and baby shrimp. 

I took so many great photos in Giverny, I don’t have room to include all of them today, so stay tuned for part two of next week with more photos. 

Bonus 

When we were returning to Paris, we passed the Arc de Triomphe as the Christo wrapping was being dismantled. I like the contrast between the stone and the fabric and captured in with some photos below. 

Thanks to everyone who submitted their comments for the giveaway of  Paris Blue by Julie Scolnik and congratulations to the winners, Melissa and Carolyn. CLICK HERE  to order Paris Blue on Amazon.

Arc de Triomphe 

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.

Swans and Boats on the Seine

While looking for boats to photograph, I came across a flock of swans floating on the Seine earlier this month. I had seen a few swans individually here and there on the sides of the Seine, but I had never seen a full flock like this before. 

Do you have some favorites here? 

If you would like a photo print of any of these images below is a size and price list. Please email me at r.nahem@gmail.com to order. 

·   11 X 14 inches Price $95 

·    16 X 20 inches Price $125 

·   20x30 inches Price $175

·    Shipping in the U. S. by U.S. Mail is $13 per order 

·    Photos are printed Fuji Archival paper 

Arc De Triomphe Wrapped by Christo

There’s been high anticipation for the unveiling of the Arc De Triomphe Wrapped by Christo, as 1200 workers have been working non-stop, seven days a week for the last month for it to open on time for September 18. 

I went twice, first on Friday night, when it was dramatically bathed in white light, and early on Saturday morning, when the pleated fabric contrasted with the sharp red cord stood out against the combination of clouds and patches of blue sky. The image was quite striking. 

Although the wrapping of the Arc De Triomphe is a triumph, it’s bittersweet because Christo and his wife Jeanne-Claude are not here to witness their final project being realized after 60 years. It wasn’t their first foray into Paris; in 1985 the Pont Neuf and 44 lamp posts were covered in 450,000 square feet in a neutral color fabric for two weeks, attracting three million viewers. 

The arch is wrapped in 270,000 square feet of silver and blue shimmery fabric, polypropylene, which is recyclable and then tied with almost two miles of shiny red cord. 

I noticed that the volunteers were wearing cool uniforms of black, pleated pants, with a bright blue vest and a red belt and accessories. I asked one of them about the outfit, and she said it was designed by Issaye Miyake who was friends with Christo. At one point the volunteer asked me if I would like a piece of the wrapping material, and she handed me a square of fabric, blue on one side, silver on the other. It’s wonderful keepsake to mark the occasion and I have already archived it. 

One of things I most admire and appreciate about Christo’s work is that it’s created for the public. I vividly remember attending the Central Park Gates Project in February of 2005, six months before I moved to Paris. Even though it was a freezing, dreary day, I was uplifted by a sense of pride and community, as New Yorkers shared a moment of wonder and awe simultaneously at the sheer magnitude of the thousands of orange banners enveloping the park. It also came at the right moment, as New York was finally healing from the horror of 9/11.  As I watched the jubilant crowd this morning lining up to cross the Place Etoile to view the arch, I felt the same sense pride and community as I did in New York. After the 18-month scourge and fatigue of Covid, we were able to safely gather and joyously celebrate the stunning results of Christo and Jeanne Claude's swan song. 

Arc De Triomphe Wrapped by Christo is up until October 3. 

Tribute to Christo and Jeanne Claude

In celebration of the upcoming Christo installation on the Arc de Triomphe, I am dedicating this post to Christo and his wife Jeanne-Claude, who together created a worldwide art movement. 

As I mentioned a few times before, I regularly take a power walk along the Seine. Last week I noticed an installation of a group of billboards commemorating the various art installations Christo and Jeanne Claude had created over many decades. After looking through them, I was astonished by their prodigious output and feats of marvel, from the orange gates in Central Park (I was there), to the blue umbrellas in the U. S and Japan, to the draping of the Pont Neuf in Paris, to the pink fabric circles surrounding the Key Biscayne Islands in Florida, to the orange fabric colored walkway floating on a lake in Italy. 

Bravo to Christo and Jeanne-Claude and Iam a little sad they aren’t alive to see this longtime project finally come to fruition.

I will post photos of the Arc de Triomphe wrapping next week. 

Paris Window Boxes 2021-Part Two

I’ve collected more photos of window boxes since the last ones I posted in July. Enjoy! 

https://www.ipreferparis.net/2021/07/paris-window-boxes-2021.html

Les Jardins d’Etretat

When I was in Etretat in June filming the Lupin video for Atout France, I was fortunate to visit the Les Jardins d’Etretat. 

The gardens were launched in 2017 but date back to 1905, when they were part of Villa Roxelane, owned by Madame Thébault. She was good friends with Monet and so inspired by his work that she designed the garden to reflect his artistry. 

The beautiful gardens are on top of one of the cliffs of Etretat and the site where Jean-Baptiste Camille Corot, Eugène Delacroix, Edouard Manet and Vasily Polenov were inspired by the views and landscape. 

The stunning landscape of the gardens has won many awards including the European Garden Award for “Best development of a historic park or garden” and also a Michelin star in their Green Guide. 

Besides the gorgeous greenery of the gardens, there’s also contemporary sculptures and artworks dotting the grounds by world-renowned artists. There are seven gardens nestled within the multi-level main garden including Avatar, Impressions, Amont, Aval, Emotions, Zen, and La Manche. 

https://etretatgarden.fr/en/

Boats on the Seine 2

As many of you know if you have followed Eye Prefer Paris for several years, I get inspired by something new, and then fixate on it for a period of time. The fixations have included doors, courtyards, lanterns, window boxes, drainpipes, and a host of other subjects.My latest photo fixation is boats on the Seine. I featured my first photos on a post in May, and since then I have been photographing boats on the Seine all the time when I take my almost daily power walk along the river. 

Here’s my latest collection which includes police and fire patrol boats, barges, tourist cruise boats, and cargo boats. 

Shall I continue with my new fixation of boats on the Seine? 

CLICK HERE to view my first series of boats on the Seine. 

 

Paris Plage 2021

Paris Plage, the Paris beach, has been a major summer event since 2002. Now in its 19^th year, it originally was just in one location in the Right Bank, but in recent years has been extended to the Left Bank near the D’orsay Museum, the Basin de Villette and this year they have also added the Trocadero Gardens. 

I strolled on the Right Bank plage just by my house between Pont de Sully and Pont des Arts early last Saturday evening and it was a hotbed of activity. People were partying, picnicking, bicycling, walking, jogging, hanging out with their friends and family, drinking cocktails and wine, snacking,  and playing petanque. It was such a joy seeing people out and about having pure, unadulterated fun and I captured those exuberant moments in photos. 

Paris Plage - Until August 22, 2021

https://en.parisinfo.com/discovering-paris/major-events/paris-plages

La Vie D’Artistes Photo Exhibit At Tour Saint Jacques

I’m always delighted to see the outdoor photo exhibits in Paris at various locations including the gates of the Luxembourg Gardens, Hotel de Ville, and Tour Saint Jacques. 

The latest exhibit is La Vie D’Artistes, a series of black and white photos by photographer Paul Ullman. During a 40-year period, Ullmann photographed dozens of artists, singers, and musicians in a room underneath the famed Olympia Theater. There’s also gallery show of the photos in the Marais at the Galerie Basia Embiricos in Saint Paul Village- 14 Rue des Jardins Saint-Paul, 75004. 

.Artists included in the exhibit: Barbara, Charles Trenet, Nino Ferrer, Serge Reggiani, Gilbert Bécaud, Coluche, Renaud, Bernard Lavilliers, Georges Moustaki, Georges Brassens, Yves Montand, Matthieu Chedid, Cali, Alain Bashung, Jeanne Cherhal, Françoise Hardy, Anne Sylvestre, Michel Sardou, Johnny Hallyday, Jacques Brel, Arnaud, Guy Bedos, Alain Souchon, Guy Béart, Vincent Delerm, Julien Clerc, Dominique A, Hubert Felix Thiéfaine, Jean Ferrat, Claude Nougaro, Michel Polnareff, Benabar, Jacques Higelin, Raymond Devos, Léo Ferré, Michel Jonasz, Claude François, Dalida, Juliette Gréco, Charles Aznavour, Francis Cabrel, Christophe, Serge Gainsbourg.

Until July 28, 2021 

Tour Saint Jacques 

39 rue de Rivoli, 75004

 

 

SAVE THE DATE: Thursday, July 22- Making Tarte Tatin Live Facebook Event

I am reposting yesterday's blog post because I made an error on the date for the event below. 

Please join me for a very special event in the Loire Valley, on Thursday July 22, where I will be live, filming  how Tarte Tartin is made, at the original house of the Tatin sisters, who invented the recipe. We are going to discover this new hotel on the site and give you a demonstration of how to make the authentic (and delicious!)Tarte Tatin at home!

Warning: Do not watch the video with an empty stomach! 

I will also be exploring the surrounding area of the hotel and the Loire.  

Date: Thursday, July 22 

Time:  10am EST (east coast time), 9am Midwest time, 7am, West coast time, and 4pm Paris time

CLICK HERE to join the tour