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.