back on track

finally, back in the saddle and in the swing of things ... and what could that mean, you may ask?

air france flight 7, of course. a boeing 777 cruising through the atlantic skies, traversing the well-worn route between gritty (delicious!) new york and the french capital. we've been way-laid a bit, here on the north american continent - mired in political quagmires, election push and pull, and an economic meltdown. which curiously has brought on a new, more affordable euro for us 'over here'.

alors, three nights basking in the november air, hopping from patisserie to foie gras house, relishing a glass of wine late in the afternoon, a café creme in bed in the morning. and of course, many a macaron shall be enjoyed also. a cliché - a late afternoon lunch in the jardin du luxembourg?

a much needed break, finally coming our way!

bon voyage!

a snapshot

what a joy the lovely maison europeenne de la photographie is. welcoming the guest with a lovely jardin, on a quiet side street in the southern marais, the site is a real gem. a short stroll from hotel de ville or ile st. louis, this exposition space is cool, calm, and (well) collected. it's even open late - until 20h00 (a rare treat for those of us coming from nyc, where galleries and museums rarely hold evening court).

the contemporary collection of works is appealing and thought provoking, and the ancillary spaces supporting the overall theme are likewise well executed.

some go for the wow factor when on a crusade to expose themselves to high art. this institution defies it's larger siblings by keeping it simple ... quality materials, hushed tones, and a lovely, intimate feel. a great forum for reflection.

see what develops -

maison europeenne de la photographie
ville de paris
5/7 rue de fourcy 75004
+33 1 44 78 75 00

clara-tin

we fondly recall a dalliance (lasting a few years) with our beloved café clara - alas, no more (sadly!). rue christine has never been the same since it's mysterious demise ...

this gem of a place, all hushed with exposed stone walls, dogs milling about, and the ever glamorous patrone herself, was a staple of our stops in paris, circa 2000 to 2003. the large, shiny green doors, the script writing bearing the name of the place in beige elegance, and the simple tartines and petit dejeuners were all a favorite in those times now gone. this was before era of the ever-expanding lina's, the muji's popping up here and there, and the commercialization of poilane.

ahh, the simple pleasures of a quiet breakfast with a lover before venturing out into the january crisp air ... warm, and dare is say, sensual ... café clara is forever missed for it's ease, charm, and understated sophistication.

falling in love

once upon a time, the only impressions i had about paris were culled from scenes in an obscure movie i saw as a child, filmed at orly airport. les aventures de rabbi jacob (1973) was the source of the only vision i had, and that was from a singular, jewish focus ... so funny!

and even funnier still, as the way i truly found my love of paris came via my first (of many) screenings of the film private benjamin (another singular, jewish focus). when judy benjamin, the movie's subject, has the fortunate opportunity to move to the location of her choice, she selects western europe (bruxelles) - to be close to a new lover (paris). aside from the deliciousness of goldie hawn (sublime - as she searches for champagne piping on her ottoman, not mushroom piping please!), the editing of the movie as judy swoops into france is intoxicating. that first view of the eiffel tower, her effortless movements through the cobblestoned streets, her broad strides on the broad boulevards - fantastique!

and what, tell me what, could be better than seeing this young budding francophile pick up her proud parents at charles de gaulle, terminal one, and glide through one of the fenestrated, suspended, criss-crossing escalator tubes with them touching her (newly colored) red mane (as it cascades onto her fur coat)!!

yes, there's the ubiquitous french maid, the citroen-riding soccer buddies, and other trappings of french clichés, but for me, this movie was in fact the beginning of a beautiful thing! and to this day, everytime i land in paris, i think of judy benjamin - a young american caught in the throes of passion and love ... and what better place than paris for such affairs!

thank you judy. thank you goldie!

i can see clairely now

ah, the joys of being in l'eclaireur.

on one of the regular runs to paris (that is, run away from new york), we are shopping for the little ones at du pareil au meme - in st. germain. and what should pop up in front of us? a lovely and wonderful magasin - l'eclaireur!

costume national. dries van noten. right out of the days of charivari, but on the other side of the atlantic. lovely lighting, gorgeous products, (appropriately) aloof and fantastic salespeople - what more could we ask for.

no concept store, or hipster haven like colette (which we also adore!). no, l'eclaireur began as a temple to style. and when they migrated away from this location, taking over the marais (and other corners of paris) they fit in beautifully with cappellini across the street ... rue des rosiers will never be the same. that shop also seemed well suited to the area - near jo goldenberg, the jewish deli - a while ago they were kitted out with all things hebraic in the window vitrine!

kudos to armand et martine hadida for their divine and entrepreneurial adventure!

we were to visit the tokyo branch next week but we must put that on hold for now ... we'll get there soon enough ...

l'eclaireur paris
3, rue des rosiers 75004
+33 1 48 87 10 22
(for other locations, including tokyo, click here)

cartier's jewel

anyone who enjoys a day at the dia in new york should head directly to the fondation cartier - pour l'art contemporain.

a little bijou set off, set off boulevard raspail, is the architectural work of jean nouvel (institut du monde arabe fame). the steel and glass facade is the front for a series of changing and interesting exhibits which make for a perfect rainy morning. the works are always interesting and exciting, and it is a pleasure to see them in this light. the adjoining garden appears as a natural and welcome extension of the building, firmly entrenching it in the exterior.

a highly recommended stop, not necessarily for the first time visitor to paris, but certainly for the tried and true who like to soak in every corner of the city and all that makes it relevant and modern in this era ...

fondation cartier
261, boulevard raspail 75014
+33 1 42 18 56 50

dog day afternoon

once upon a time, a long, long time ago, a young husband and wife realized that they needed a break from windex, mini-vans, and groceries ... they needed to inject some glamour into their otherwise hum-drum lives.

they decided the only proper thing to do was to go to paris ... air france, their only carrier, hotel d'aubusson their only bolthole, and jacques cagna their preferred choice for dining. they dusted off their most elegant finery, packed it gingerly in their carry-on bags, and arranged for the kids to be taken care of.

for 72 hours, this fine young couple indulged in all of the pleasures that life had to offer - time together, sleeping late, walking along the seine, afternoon coffees, some champagne upon returning to the room, and languishing in the freedom of it all.

one of the things that they rediscovered was that it became possible to remake their image according to their own fantasy. paris had given them that back, and what a gift it was. it also yielded another creature comfort - a handbag for madame from the designs of un apres midi de chien. the couple debated back and forth, the woman decrying the price, the man insisting that it was worth every penny for the sense of elegance it would bestow on her, and they laid down their well-worn credit card.

a shiny, burnished, black leather sac with structure, style, and little chromed 'feet' ... lovely.

the bag was bagged, in an striking felt satchel with the designer's name drifting across ... and the young lady, who would otherwise be at work or bathing the children, gleefully strode out of the shop, purchase in hand, already feeling like another, more interesting person.

and so continued the great love affair.

un apres midi de chien
32 rue etienne marcel 75002
+33 1 4039 0007

filosofi 101

on rue de grenelle,
i fell under a spell,
just off rue du bac,
i saw a large clock

at quarter past three,
it was meant to be -
a quaint little shop,
into which i would bop

that day, all alone,
sunshine had set the tone,
i entered this place -
what a look on my face!

a quick glance to the right,
i saw through filtered light,
all these gorgeous papiers
(which did make my day!)

compositions so fine,
truly the best design,
how i did fall in love,
how it fit like a glove!

filosofi by name,
and oh, what a shame -
there's not one in new york,
or here on the south fork

it really does rank,
the best on the left bank
with papers so cool,
and too, many a tool -

there's stuff for your table,
and if you are able,
with the euro so high,
a pencil you must buy!

i'll have to make do,
when i'm not so blue,
on my visits to france,
which make my heart dance!

filosofi
68, rue de grenelle
75007
+ 33 1 45 49 96 02

les soldes

how i have missed that bi-annual season of les soldes!

there is a true anticipatory excitement in the air, as one prepares for the government-sanctioned sales which take place (incredibly - only) twice each year. preceding this period, parisians have been known to scout locations, try on different sizes, reflect on colors, think about patterns - all in the hope of getting ready for the monumental sales which are only permitted during the soldes period.

for many years, we have been happy to have an annual paris-pilgrimage in mid-january, returning daily to the hotel with a jumble of crisp bags - comme ca des halles (now defunct), un apres midi du chien, le bon marché - and plopping down on the bed from the sheer exhaustion of it all! not only the delight of new and wonderful things harvested, at great prices, but enjoying the indulgent experience of just having the time and energy to do this!

but this year, for les americains, it is not so simple. the decline of our country, thanks to the prowess of our current, and mercifully outbound administration, has resulted in the loss of our purchasing power abroad (not to mention our good name!). long gone are the days of the 80 cent euro - now at close to double that, the prospect of buying things in europe seems like a poor value, even during the days of les soldes. besides, wouldn't one really rather spend those bucks on delightful tartes and meringues?

we'll be back, fear not, to join parisians from all walks of life in this adventure - that is, if we can still fit into anything after all of those obligatory pastries!

feeling royal

what i wouldn't do for a taste of galette des rois!!!

oh, to pass by the vitrines of the multitude of patisseries, staring at the flaky-pastry encrusted tarts, wearing their cheesy metallic paper crowns - so quaint, so SWEET! it's like having an epiphany - wait, that is FOR epiphany!!! marked in 2008 on 06 january, it starts the barrage of degustation coming your way ...

each delicious and weighty pie is both delectable and tantalizing, and promises an additional treat inside - like a box of cracker jacks, each galette is baked with a signature ceramic feve (literally, 'bean') hidden amongst it's almondy, frangipane interior. this prize appears in a single slice, and the recipient is literally the 'king' and gets to wear the crown (not to mention that they get their chose of 'queen' from those assembled in the room!).

much has been made of the famous confection - in france, serious contests are held annually to determine who is the king of the king cakes! the reigning bakery is subsequently graced with throngs of people - the masses line up not only to taste and purchase the subject of all this fuss, but to meet and congratulate the artist who gains near-madonna-fame status!

often times, the tradition of creating the galette is passed down from generation to generation, although there are always rogue chefs who pull off an amazing coup!

one is either addicted to this treat or not - i fall into the former category, i am thankful to say!

vive la tradition!

je te manque

my darling paris -

please do not feel slighted by my absence. how i miss you so.

i was prepared to come and embrace you, to hold you in my arms, but alas, our love was foiled. not by another, but by SN brussels airlines.

you see, ma chere, i had devised an ingenious plan. on my way home from africa, i had intended to surprise you, in the wee hours of the morning. i would fly into bruxelles from kigali, and stealthily take the thalys, veering quickly into nord to take you by storm.

ahhh. to be together, even if for a brief 24 hours - long strolls, a glass of cabernet, some AOC cheese - and maybe even a movie at MK2. but the stars were not aligned. whilst dreaming of our moment together, even while tending to things in rwanda, the airline decided our time was not yet ripe. they abruptly terminated the flight, rescheduling it for the next day. caught between a roche and a dur place, what could i do? i needed to be home for my daughter's birthday - a priority of course - so i was forced to concede defeat and give up on you.

i am certain you will see how impossible this situation was for me, and will know in full confidence that i shall make amends shortly. soon i will be in your waiting arms again, feeling the warmth of your full bosom!

with love,

h

the thrilla' in manila

when in paris (frequently!), i always stop by IF on rue jacob, in the 6ieme. i love this little boutique on this little street in this little quarter. the store is chic, understated, and thoroughly pleasant. it also bears the same name as the store in new york where i purchased my richard tyler tuxedo for my wedding - so i have a good feeling about the spot.

just up the street from this store, at the intersection of rue jacob and rue bonaparte, is ladurée - always good for a 'snack'. there's also the hotel la villa, which our friend dani combed through to secure jane and i the perfect room in 1989 (we were relatively unversed in all that is paris back then, but willing pupils!).

so, back to IF. sweet. and this is where i pick up a copy of intramuros - design paris ... a great magazine, purporting the values of french design and art, architecture, and furniture trends in general. the intramuros design paris guide lists the newest shops and places of note by area, making it comprehensive and put together. i thumb through this guide continuously between visits, smiling at where i've been and thinking about where i'm going ...

unbeknownst to me, intramuros is also the name ('within the walls') of the original spanish settlement that comprised the city of manila, philippines. the district is one of the last authentic places in this metropolis that has not been touched by modern builders, for the most part.

if you find yourself at IF, do drop in an pick up a copy ...

h

euro-star-not-so-far

today heralds the beginning of a new and improved high-speed rail connection between london (st. pancras station) and paris. this trip shaves extra minutes off of the already speedy trip, reducing the traveling time between the two capitals to 2 hours, 15 minutes - incroyable!

so, you blaze across the channel, find yourself in france, and voila! you need to walk, scramble for bike, or beg to get to where you're going ... because there is practically no public transportation today ... rail and transit strike!

bad timing, unless you're on the bargaining end of the stick - resisting proposed reforms to the much beloved social services, brought to you by the government. will the pressure work? qui sait? but one thing's for certain - you probably won't be happy riding the eurostar from england knowing that you're hurtling towards a high-speed mess!

bonne chance,
h

constantinople

suppose for a moment that you were not totally enamoured with the work of constantin brancusi . a very strange thought indeed. a precursor to martin puryear, whose work is currently on exhibit at moma, mr. brancusi makes a convincing case for simplicity of form and a boldness of expression.

besides this, his prolific nature, released in his paris studio, left the planet with a profusion of great works, in my humble estimation. luckily for us, many of the maquettes for the pieces on view at world class institutions can be found at their final resting place, the atelier brancusi at the centre pompidou.

the plan is ingenious. encroach upon the near perfect plaza fronting this venerable institution. the sloping cobblestones draw one into the main building, and just off to the side lies a the aptly formed pavilion which wraps the work of this fantastic artist. the building, designed by renzo piano, is clad in stone, and literally leaves a strolling corridor around the glass enclosed studio rooms of brancusi, who bequeathed these works to the french capital upon his death.

it is both inspiring and fascinating to see the work in situ, along with the tools employed in the creation of the pieces.

i once was asked, by suzanne stephens (then home editor for the new york times) if i had been inspired by brancusi, sensing that there was something in my own designs which seemed to draw upon his attitudes - a resounding and delighted 'yes' was my most grateful reply!!!

a first rate exhibit space which should be at the top of the list of any visit to paris.

charlot & charlotte

charlot, my darling (and charlotte, my other darling)!

charlot one.
a lovely smallish street in paris, in the 3ieme arroundisement. just a bit 'up' from the marais, but really kind of an extension of this gentrified district. fine, elegant, around the corner from the musée picasso - so sweet, and so easy to bypass. it's charms do not bite, although to me they are plainly obvious. firstly, passage de retz. jacqueline frydman's terrific gallery perched on the courtyard side of a door off of the rue. a great space with a small but adorable canteen, a mini design store, a desk which serves as the lobby, and an always titillating array of modern and provocative art. further afield, up towards republique and oberkampf, this place continues to grow on me.

charlotte two.
gainsbourg. how sweet and fresh she is. almost died in a u.s. waterskiing accident? non! this we cannot allow! not our little impish charlotte, star of films too numerous to mention (but i can start with prete-moi ta main, l'un reste l'autre part, la science des reves). bared shoulders thrust forward, intense and flip at the same time. always sexy, always funny, always french, even in english! merci, charlotte, pour tous!

bon nuit,

h

voice les titres de ce journal - olivier galzi

ahhh, the joys of streaming.

when we first were married, jane and i decided, no, affirmed, that we would never have a television in our bedroom. closing in on 19 years later, we've stuck to this dogma - magazines (i don't read books), newspapers, jane's stack of novels - all okay distractions. but tv - never!

during the period leading up to the commencement of the current iraq guerre, i found the joys of french news. visual news. i discovered france 2 on new york's channel 22 at 19h00 each night - and truly cherished having a fresh (and french) perspective on world events. coupled with bbc and occasionally the times, i was able to distinguish what was us media propaganda, and what was actually happening (remember colin powell's snow job?).

i clearly recall the vilification of france - unite behind a common enemy in an effort to deflect attention from a misguided war. while we were slinging expressions around ('freedom fries' etc.), the french news was offering fact without editorializing. when the war began, they presented an objective picture of what was going on - without bashing the us or britain. i was extremely impressed with both the stance of the government - they never did become embroiled in the war - and dominique de villepin's staunch refusal to be drawn into it (despite being lambasted by the bush administration).

then came along real player - a gift from friends abroad who wanted us to stream some footage of their young daughter being interviewed on german tv. in order to get that 'feed' i downloaded said item, and voila - there was tv5, france 2, and more recently, france 24. eureka.

unfortunately, there ended the no-tv-in-the-bedroom policy. every night, i duck into bed with my glass of wine, my tiny laptop, my earphones, and stream french news. what a delight to catch up on the greves (strikes), political maneuvering of the ump, the sans-abris camped out on the edge of canal st. martin, and the latest stories on labor unrest as france lurches towards a 37.5 hour work week!

and the best part, bien sur, is a dose of paris daily; a real shot in the arm that keeps me connected to my most favorite city on the planet!

h

papier plus

in a tiny corner of paris, shoehorned in between the lovely ile st. louis and the marais, is a charming and typical parisian 'rue'. on this sweet street, just north of the equally charmant and agreeable pont louis philippe, lies a gem of a shop which has been situated in this local for as long as i can recall.

papier + is a special and unique place. the french, our newly found 'allies' in the post-chirac era, are notorious for their love of the finer things that life has to offer; this boutique is no exception. i can recall a happy, simpler time some twenty years ago when jane and i ambled through this area, pinching ourselves and realizing at that moment how lucky we were to be alive in this place. we stumbled upon our beloved papier +, and spent a great amount of time thumbing through photo albums, journals, and cahiers. i never managed to leave the place without having the shopkeeper weigh me out about a kilo of paper clips, all in sculptural forms, on an old fashioned scale - on one end lay my booty, and on the other end of the scale he would gingerly drop and add calibrated weights to calculate my cost (thankfully, not the method employed at weight watchers!).

everytime i used one of those many paper clips, it was for a special occasion - a card to a loved one, to which a photo was attached; a shot of my work going off to a gallery or museum, or just affixed to a piece of my clothing as a good luck charm.

and do you know what? things didn't turn out too bad - merci, papier + !

h

marry par-ee

yes, i love paris!

some of you do too, and continue to ask for my faves, beyond the obvious ... had enough of jim morrison's grave, mona lisa's smile, and romantic strolls along the seine? here are some of the things that i love about the city of light - this is NOT paris for dummies:

.the late air france flight back to JFK - an 'extra' full day and a 9pm return (that's 21h00 for you!)
.macarons at ladurée ... okay, they're owned by the more commercial 'Paul' but who can resist that pistachio green and all those flavors, without the preciousness of pierre hermé's shop?
.dinner by the fire at maitre albert avec guy savoy
.rue etienne marcel and the galerie vivienne
.pylones, the ubiquitous object store even invading NYC!
.amorino gelato at the buci market ... and while i'm at it, the cheese tasting room (don't forget the wine and daily specials) at fromagerie 31
.the food hall, absolutely first rate, at le bon marché on boulevard raspail (la grande epicerie)
.passage de retz gallery at 3, rue charlot
.my new fave hotel, marceau bastille - the best hotel breakfast spread in paris, and the most thoughtful layout of tiles in the WC
.still, the tour eiffel
.parc andré citroen
.the palais de tokyo, and dinner at tokyo eats
.foie gras on brioche toast - never seared!
.the promenade plantée, for a nice elevated stroll
.riding the new grey bicycles put out by the mairie de paris
.movies at MK2 at the bibliotheque nationale de france (francois mitterand) - dinner in the red restaurant first, then snuggling up with a partner in the love seats during the show
.movies at MK2 on canal st. martin - the late show in summer, then a glass of wine and green salad at the restaurant
.antoine et lili
.café sesame on the edge of canal st. martin
.st. germain des pres
.my favorite street in paris - rue st. sulpice
.cheese, wine, cheese, wine, cheese, wine (repeat frequently)
.cobblestones
.gerard mulot for slabs of goat cheese quiches
.G20 supermarchés (grocery stores) - very pedestrian but a great selection of everyday things you need
.the now defunct samaritane department store
.nicolas sarkozy's likeness to napoleon (both in stature, ambition, and temperament!)
.french 60 year old women with elegant hairdo's
.french cinema (one basic plot, all featuring daniel auteuil and juliette binoche)
.the look on french people's faces when an american can engage them in french about local politics
.rue pont louis phillipe and the adjacent store papier plus
.charles de gaulle
.goldie hawn at charles de gaulle terminal 1, riding the criss-crossing escalator with her flowing red locks during a critical scene of private benjamin
.outdoor tables all year long
.pression - draft beer
.lovers kissing
.walking along the lower portions of the seine
.les bouquinistres
.the grande arche further afield from the arc de triomphe
.french friends - intelligent, unflappable, liberal
.falafel in the marais
.atelier brancusi, the best musée in paris
.coulis and fromage blanc at colette
.l'eclaireur shops
.the pagoda cinema
.tadao ando's meditation space at unesco
.les invalides
.rue de cherche midi
.french windows
.rue de jour
.agnes b.

wouldn't you like to marry par-ee too?

bon nuit,

h

macarons

ladurée ou gerard mulot?

although others may argue that there are more venerable institutions for macarons (fauchon, pierre hermé), our family stays with the tried and true. we are partial to the macarons, those delectable confections that bear no resemblance to the passover macaroon (double 'o') comprised of coconut and more coconut (also delicious - have you ever had dean & deluca's chocolate coated version?). i digress. the parisian macaron lies somewhere between heaven and earth - two cookie like rounds sandwiching a delicious fruit or ganache filling. we love the packaging of these treats at le bon marché, but we really are stuck with the two shops noted above.

now admittedly, i've soured on ladurée a bit since jane told me that they were bought by the french chain paul (in my opinion one step up from starbucks' brand model). that notwithstanding, who can resist the shopkeepers on rue jacob dolling out these nuggets in many flavors, packaging them beautifully in the prada green boxes bearing the script logo? not i, nor the kids for that matter. we seem to pair these macarons - delicate, somewhat 'crusty' - with a palmier ('elephant ear') for good measure.

on the other hand, the ritual of purchasing macarons at gerard mulot on rue de seine is like a family pilgrimage for us now. standing patiently on line, ordering the brightly colored treats, going to the cash to pay, returning with ticket in hand to 'pick up' our goods - all lovely and delightful, and oh-so-civilized. you couldn't possibly think that they'd LET you carry your package up to the register to pay, now. that would just sully the whole process.

so, please decide for yourself - and if you have your own thoughts, feel free to try and sway me by fedexing a box of macarons to me - anytime!!!

bon appetit,

harley

open sesame

how much do we love café sesame?

it's demure presence, at the edge of canal st. martin, belies it's robust charm. i discovered it one sunday morning, despite having passed it numerous times - and took note, much as one suddenly discovers a new love - voila, there you are!

a weekend away in paris, tout seul, left me wandering the streets - after searching for the perfect place to take my petit-dejeuner, i was thrilled indeed to have been introduced to this gentle home. with tartines, salads, café, fromage, etc., and bundled in a total lack of self-consciousness, it was and still is the best spot for that easy stop.

just down the quai are the original antoine et lili shops (now ubiquitous throughout paris) ... a nice stop nonetheless ... just don't venture too far north, towards the gare ... it becomes far less attractive, at least until one reaches the very tame and lovely spot for the pair of MK2 cinemas flanking the canal ... but more on that later -

h