Hair In Chignons And Skimpy Sun Dresses
PARLER PARIS: HAIR IN CHIGNONS AND SKIMPY SUN DRESSES
June 19, 2002
*** WINDING DOWN THE NARROW STREETS AND BIG BOULEVARDS
The driver of the 50-seater bus shook his head in amazement
at the curly-Q route we had devised for our afternoon tour
of all 20 arrondissements of Paris…not from monument to
monument, but "quartier" by "quartier."
He followed the path with relatively good humor, with only
a couple of tight spots along the way (one turn onto
boulevard Periere in the 17th was a struggle, even for an
experienced driver, and almost took off half the rubber of
his left tire and the rear bumper of one parked car).
No one has seen more of Paris in one day. Certainly not I,
nor the participants of the International Living "Journey
Through France" tour which began Sunday with cocktails and
a talk by author Polly Platt ("French or Foe?" and "Savoir
Flair") before boarding the bus.
Over five hours, Thirza Vallois (author of Around and About
Paris), barely drew a breath as she commented about the
historical, architectural, political and personable aspects
of each neighborhood, as the cool and comfortable bus wound
through the narrow streets and down the big boulevards.
Barely a single spot of Paris was missed, so even "seasoned
habitants" like me, who may be jaded by the "everyday"
beauty of Paris, were reawakened with new vistas,
viewpoints and memorable images.
Along the way at the five or six parks we passed, hundreds
of people were sunning themselves on the grass. Parisians
clearly are taking advantage of the retraction of the "keep
off the grass" laws. Parisians are bearing their skin in
skimpy sundresses and shorts, women with their hair in
chignons and the men in sandals to bear up to the record
heat and sun. The sky was blue, the air warm and the city
was more alive than I can ever remember it.
Monday, the group stayed in the cool "climatisé" conference
room at the Holiday Inn Saint-Germiain-des-Prés to hear
experts Glenn Cooper, Jean Taquet, Samina Arnoult, Rose
Burke and Olivier Devergne speak about owning and renting
an apartment or home, the legal aspects of purchasing
property, how to finance your purchase, how to easily make
the move to France and insuring your health, property and
car (respectively). The afternoon was spent with real
estate agents visiting apartments for sale in the chic 6th
where properties are the most expensive (about 5,300 euro
per square meter) and the trendy Marais (second
most-expensive) where properties have risen in value up to
22% in one year.
These folks are serious about staking a claim here, whether
in Paris or the south of France where the livin’ is slower
and the climate warmer. Today they head to Provence to get
a taste of the rosé wine, the smell of the fresh lavender
and the sights of the vivid colors.
A la prochaine fois…
Adrian
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Parler Paris /parlerparis/
Written and Edited by Adrian Leeds
Published by International Living
http://www.internationalliving.com
mailto:[email protected]
Issue Number 43, June 19, 2002
In this issue:
*** The English-Speaking-Writers’ Community
*** The Best (Free) Music Festival
*** Danses Academy
*** Which Art Class is For You?
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
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*** FAVORITE QUOTE FOR THE WEEK
"I’m not going to die before I walk down the Champs
Elysées."
Jeanie S., Delray Beach, Florida
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
*** WHERE TO FIND OTHER WRITERS: THE ANGLOPHONE COMMUNITY
by Elizabeth Reichert,
http://www.insiderparisguides.com/writers/index.html
Finding community among one’s fellow expatriates is a
natural response to the feel
ings of exile, loneliness and
creative excitement which one feels as an artist in Paris.
Since the beginning of the writer’s Paris myth, the
Anglophone literary scene in Paris has followed the
historical trends of being experimental and transient, made
of numerous individual parts or groups. After the 80s, the
expatriate community died down quietly and only until
recently, with the influx of new journals and bookstores,
have writers and observers been inclined to state that a
new era of expatriate writing may be in the making.
With the vague formations of a literary community come both
its blessings and its distractions. As poet Ethan Gilsdorf
has nicely stated, "The exile community is a paradox whose
individual parts react in response to encountering–or
avoiding–each other. Usually an important, even necessary,
aspect of the writer’s life, a sense of community can
dilute the strength of one’s exile. It’s ironic to escape
to Paris, where some writers treasure and covet their
anonymity and then get pressured into attending
events–book launches, readings, soirées, philosophical
discussions, all in English–that can keep the most
disciplined writer busy three or four nights a week."
Yet it remains comforting to know that a Paris forum is
waiting for your work, that a community of listeners and
equal-interest friends are relatively easy to locate once
you have arrived. Furthermore, the community here has
always had its distinguishing qualities which separate it
from those similar gatherings in other big-city locations.
Many Paris-based writers often remark, however generally,
on the accepting nature of the community, the lack of
commercial-based competition replaced by support,
open-minded experimentalism, and an undiluted commitment to
the art itself–qualities which have been characteristic to
the Paris expatriate community since the start of the
twentieth-century and are less evident in larger
communities, such as New York, where the sheer number and
lack of a tangible commonality (i.e. being foreign) tends
to create a less homogenous and accessible group. The
relative accessibility and smallness of the community,
qualities which one can assume have not really changed
throughout each generation, are truly warm welcomes.
Although one will find today that there is less a feeling
of outright and cohesive criticism against the Western
World, America in particular, as well as the lack of a
pertinent sense of artistic exile due to the global modern
world, one can still uncover a burgeoning, though disparate
sense of creation and revolution around the Kilometer Zero
events, several active literary journals, the monthly
newsletters and soirées and frequent public readings–so
much so that at the least, one can determinatively state
that artistic possibilities are being realized, the
rumblings of which are felt and ready to be added to by new
incoming writers if this is something you so desire. Beyond
public-community forums, there are also a couple of writing
courses which provide specific education (and social) needs
if you are looking to brush up your word techniques.
Depending on whether you are looking to meet people, find
peers to discuss the creation of a new journal, read your
work, or contribute to local literary movements, there are
various groups of current expatriate writers waiting to be
uncovered.
Editor’s note: Elizabeth Reichert is the author of the
Writers Insider Guide to Paris. To read more about this
guide–and to discover where these various writers’ groups
can be found–click here:
http://www.insiderparisguides.com/writers/index.html
*** MUSIC IN THE AIR: FETE DE LA MUSIQUE
by Alison Morris, My Mercredi
Ahh, Paris in the summer…at least it’s finally starting
to feel like it. As I sit here typing, the sun is out, the
air is warm, and the streets are filled with pedestrians
sans umbrellas. It feels as though the summer has really
just truly arrived–yet the frightening reality is that the
longest day of summer is fast upon us. In less than a week
we’ll be starting the descent back to winter again. So,
there’s no better time to get out and enjoy the summer
sunshine. Looking for something a little more upbeat than
sitting on a park bench with a novel? Pas de probleme. Just
ask Alison.
Friday, June 21st is the 21st annual "Fete de la Musique"
in Paris–an outdoor festival of music and concerts that
takes place in Paris (and worldwide) on the first day of
summer. You’ll find everything from rock to funk to hip-hop
here. The festival includes over 10,000 shows of all sizes:
bands range from small-local cover bands to international
celebs. The big show? Lenny Kravitz takes to the stage at
Republique. The best part of the day? It’s all free. For
further details, check out the Fete’s website:
www.fetedelamusique.culture.fr. The site allows you to
search the program of concerts by location, time, and
genre.
Want to keep enjoying the outdoor music well into the
summer? Check out Batofar. Located on the Seine-at Porte de
la Gare in the 13th-this boat turned nightclub is a hot
spot for summer DJs and dancing. Aside from its resident
regulars, Batofar hosts DJs from around the world, spinning
a variety of international tunes. La Cantine du
Batofar–the boat’s restaurant–is open from 5 p.m.-1
a.m….so why not make an entire night of dinner, drinks,
DJs, and dancing? There’s no better place to breathe in the
dewy summer air than along the Seine. If you’re going to be
hot and sweaty (which you absolutely are in Paris), you
might as well have some fun! Don’t be surprised by tech if
funk music is what you’re looking for…find out what’s
happening at Bator each night (and what the cost is) by
logging on to
: www.batofar.org for all you need to know and
more.
There’s a host of outdoor things to do in Par
is over the
summer-gardens, sidewalk cafes, and parks abound. You’re
sure to find something that satisfies. But when it comes to
music under the stars, Fete de la Misuse and Bator just
can¹t be beat. Have fun dancing the night away…and don’t
forget, when you¹re looking for fun in Paris, Alison has
the answers.
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ANSWERS TO ALL YOUR LIVING-IN-FRANCE QUESTIONS
The latest Paris resource answers just about every
living-in-France question you have (over 200, in fact).
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* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
*** HOT DOGS AND BEER ON JULY 4TH
Beer and hot dogs aren’t the only reason to come to the
Parler Parlor French-English Conversation Group–join us
anytime you like for open, fun and often hilarious
discussions between Anglophones and Francophones, three
days a week, 50 weeks a year. Open all summer long!
It’s FREE the first time you come and native Anglophones
get a 10% discount.
For more information and to reserve your place on July 4th,
visit the site at: http://www.parlerparlor.com or email
mailto:[email protected] or call 01.44.19.76.61 or
01.40.27.97.59.
*** LE FESTIVAL SOIR D’ETE
* June 22, 9:30 p.m. Danses Academy, Mairie de la 3eme, 2
rue Eugène Spuller. The Mairie of the 3rd arrondissements
sponsors events all summer long. For a complete listing,
visit http://www.mairie3.pairs.fr
*** THE ANSWERS…AND HOW TO FIND THE ANSWERS FOR YOURSELF
* Many years ago we stayed at the Hotel Scandinavia located
at 27 rue Tournon, very close to the Luxumbourg Gardens. It
was decorated in medieval style and was quite charming. I
am having a great deal of trouble finding this hotel now.
Perhaps it has changed names. Can you help me find out if
it still exists and/or has a new name. Also a website or
email address would be most helpful. Thank you.
The best way to find ANY name, address, phone, location and
even photo of any commercial enterprise in Paris is by
using the online PAGES JAUNES (Yellow Pages).
http://www.pagesjaunes.fr/
What I found is that no number 27 exists, but at number 31,
there is now an antique shop!:
31, La Galerie Scandinave, achat et vente d’antiquités;
tel. 01 43 26 25 32
* I am looking for information on Art Schools in Paris. I
am 55 and looking for some classes…not really a
degree…any suggestions…thanks.
Sure, lots and lots. I use a search engine called COPERNIC.
It’s actually a program that facilitates a META-SEARCH of
many search engines all at once and does a wonderful job of
organizing the information for you.
http://www.copernic.com/index.html
You can download the basic version, free:
http://www.copernic.com/products/copernic/basic/index.html
Here are just a few with art classes you might enjoy:
http://www.ensad.fr/accueil.htm
http://www.ensad.fr/
http://www.parisfashion.org/
http://www.aup.fr/
http://www.paris.ensam.fr/
http://www.parsons-paris.pair.com/
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