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Autumn is traditionally a busy time in France, and this fall term is no exception. It is the season to work hard and cultivate oneself, and Paris is filled with divine exhibitions. Tout Paris is talking about what shows they are going to or have already seen.
Lone Wolf and I did double duty at the Grand Palais on Wednesday, seeing the De Byzance à Istanbul Un port pour deux continents and Renoir au XXe siècle. We adored the first, which was full of gorgeous and intricate splendors and shown beautifully as if one is in the ancient palaces and sumptuous tents where the objects were used. Oh, the chanting and the changing of the Istanbul domes!
We enjoyed the Renoir, but it didn't have as much zing as we had hoped. Renoir was a hero to many of the younger artists of his days who were inspired by the old master. Several Picassos were included. We only found one Matisse. I love Renoir--thought I'm not in love with his work--and the exhibit didn't give the artist the blast into the 21st Century that the curators promoted. The Wolf and I have seen Renoir's charming house in Cagnes-sur-Mer, which would be a dream to live in, as well as his museum in Madame Renoir's home town of Essoyes in Champagne. The lives of artists never cease to fascinate us.
Grand Palais
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In France, and I suspect in any nation that was once ruled by royalty, the culture of "king" never really dies. When 23-year-old student Jean Sarkozy, son of President Nicolas Sarkozy, sought the presidency of the organization that runs France's most important business district, located in La Défense, a cry rang out that “Prince Jean” and the “dauphin,” King Sarkozy's heir, was riding into this job on his father's dark horse of nepotism. And last Thursday, the Pretender to his father's throne was obliged to go on national television to take himself out of the running.
On Saturday, Lone Wolf and I were at a vernissage for an artist called Patrice Meriot in a cool loft space in the Marais . Loved the space and admired the images the artist had chosen.
I asked a French filmmaker we met what he thought about young Jean. He proclaimed himself a Sarkozy supporter and said that France needed changing, and that was what Sarkozy was doing. He didn't mind that Jean had been seeking this post that a 65 year old had been booted out of to make room for the young Turk. I commented that a 23 year old would never get a position like this in the U.S., and an American friend with me agreed. The filmmaker said that Donald Trump's children worked in high-level positions for their father. Oh, yes, I said, but that is for their father's own company.
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If you don't know the website My Little Paris you're missing a digital treat. It covers our French capital with an eye to good design of quotidian lifestyle as well as hot cultural happenings.
My Little Paris doesn't just skim the rich surface of Parisian lives. It provides an entree into the arts and culture of the universal experience. Last week the site featured a review of a one-woman show called "La vie va où ?" or "Where Is Life Heading To?
...It all starts with the questions. "Why is the heart so heavy when it is empty? If human beings are always looking for novelty, why are they so afraid of change?" Michèle Guigon is a woman with questions: poetic, comical and serious ones too. It’s all about life, love and illness. The kind that grab you and make your head turn. But don’t be afraid to fall, Michèle is there to catch you. When it's over, we sip a cup of coffee at the Lucernaire's café and share our feelings and meditations about the play. Then we dial our friend's numbers and tell them "Just go and see the play and you'll get it..."
--My Little Paris
Click here to get more information.
MLP's newsletter comes in French and English, and the brand is so successful, they have their own iPhone app (which you can access on the lower left side of my main page under "My Paris Apps and Podcasts.") The My Little ... has also expanded to include My Little Lyon and My Little Marseilles. Who can resist them?
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I'm not going to spoil the dreamy video by telling you anything--but it is one of the most beautifully designed, clever, and musically perfect website/movies! A Must See: www.susanhochbaum.com/pastryparis Thanks, Mimi Dunne for sending it to me!
And lastly for this Monday but still retro-ly as well as mobile-y rewarding:
Somehow, I found the @Sno_man on twitter and connected with him. Here's what he's up to: founder mobile ski holiday website www.SNO.mobi - the whole ski resort in your pocket! - currently on Grand Alpine Tour in vintage Airstream, www.sno.travel/blog. I'm not a skier or a camper, but a Grand Alpine Tour in a vintage Airstream sounds like quite a ride! Check @Sno_man out on twitter, too.
Please give me your thoughts:
What do you think of Jean Sarkozy? Should he have gotten the job--or not?
Which fab exhibition do you most want to see in Paris now?
What are some of your favorite websites?
Voyez-vous bientôt!
Unless otherwise indicated, photos by Beth Arnold
---Beth Arnold in Paris
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