In this issue:
* Two Americans in Paris
* Dining with Stars (or Parisians)
* Affordable Loire Cycling Trips
* Cocktails & Classical Music
* Marathon de Paris Entries
* French Coffee, Meat, & Wine
* French Student Exchange
* The French Version of Netflix
* French Start-Up & Incubators
* The Sharing Economy
* Donate Your 2013 Tickets Restos
* Community Gardens in Paris
* French Farmers on Social Media
* Last Chance to Win Paris Novel
* Secrets of Paris Calendar
In case you’re new or confused, the Secrets of Paris Newsletter has been a monthly newsletter since 1999, but since this year is our 15th anniversary, I’ve decided to do two newsletters each month (posted on the website a week after being mailed). As usual, half of the tips are written for newcomers and visitors, and the other half are more useful for Paris residents. If you’ve been forwarded this newsletter and would like to receive it directly in your email, just sign up here.
* Two Americans in Paris You Won’t Want to Miss *
American culture is on show this season in Paris, with two noteworthy exhibitions worth checking out (even if you’re an American yourself). L’Atlantique Noir, the first of four American-themed exhibitions this year at the fabulous Quai Branly Museum, is about the Anglo-American heiress Nancy Cunard who publishedNegro Anthology in 1930s Paris. “Nancy Cunard was a poet, model, editor, collector, militant, journalist and anti-conformist who symbolizes a period in which the artistic and literary avant-garde became intertwined with the political world. Through the great themes examined in Negro Anthology we will present the transnational artistic, literary and political networks constructed by Nancy Cunard in the years between 1910 and 1930, and which have made this anthology a monument to black history.” The exhibit poster is her portrait by Man Ray. Through May 18th, closed Mondays (open until 9pm Thu-Sat night), entry €9-11.
You can then cross the Seine on the pedestrian-only Passerelle Debilly to the Mona Bismarck American Center for Arts & Culture for the first exhibition, Superheroes: The Art of Alex Ross. In case you’re not familiar with the name, Ross is “the Norman Rockwell of the comics world.” The exhibit features his personal collection of paintings, drawings, photographs and sculptures, including Superman, Batman, Spider-Man and other classic comic book superheroes. Through June 15. Open Wed-Sun 11am, 6-pm, entry €7 (kids under 12 free).
* Dining with Stars (or Parisians) *
The latest Michelin-starred restaurants were announced the end of February, with 27 total restaurants in France receiving one-to-three stars. You can see the whole list at this Eater.com article, or read an excellent breakdown of the best-value Michelin-starred restaurants in Paris in a Thrillist.com article. Looking for something a bit more informal, home-grown and down-to-earth? Check out the website VizEat.com, which arranges dinners in the home of real Parisians: “People are the soul of their city, dine in their home!” You can also sign up to become a host in your country (currently they have France, Germany, Belgium, China, US and UK).
* Affordable Loire Valley Cycling Trips *
There are many international tour operators offering astronomically-priced packages for cycling vacations in the Loire Valley. If you’ve got a few thousand spare dollars burning a hole in your pocket, go for it. But for everyone else there’s Loire à Vélo! a locally-managed tourism association which organizes turn-key and custom cycling vacations which take advantage of the flat, 800km stretch of the bike paths along the Loire River. Orleans, Blois, Chinon, Chambord, Amboise, Saumur, Tours, Angers, Nantes…you’ll see castles, vineyards, gardens, and some of the most adorable French villages. Prices start at approximately €100/day for weeklong packages including train station pick-up, bike rental, hotels, transfer of luggage between hotels, all breakfasts and half of the dinners, and bike maps. Weekend trips, food and wine tastings, chateau excursions and private guides can also be arranged. Think of all the fun you could have with the money you’ve saved!
* Cocktails with the Classical Music Stars of Tomorrow *
Last night I went to my second “Cocktails & Conversations” evening with Sinfonietta, a “Paris-based collaborative ensemble of highly accomplished young professional chamber and orchestral artists from all parts of the world committed to a fresh and relevant programming mission of rediscovery through excellence in ensemble performance.” That’s a fancy way of saying that this is a classical music series for people who usually find them a bit…dull. Imagine a concert series held in small venues and private homes, where you get to sit right up by the talented young musicians as they perform many of the exciting yet lesser-known works by the world’s greatest composers. Then afterwards we all get to mingle with the musicians over wine and hors d’oeuvres. It’s fun, dynamic, and a great way to see the rising stars in the classical music world. The next events are April 28-29; sign up for the newsletter so you don’t miss out, the spaces fill up fast! Note: They’re always looking for sponsors, individual and corporate donors, and venues in Paris to host their concert series; for more information contact artistic director Michael Boone (office@sinfonietta-paris.org)
* Last-Minute Entry for the Marathon de Paris *
Desperately seeking a dossard (aka bib) for the Marathon de Paris on April 6th? It’s not too late if you’re willing to do some fundraising for one of the official charities participating this year through The Alvarum Challenges, including the Red Cross, OXFAM, and Doctors without Borders. I’ll be cheering on fellow runners from the sidelines, so if you’re in town supporting a runner come join us; the more the merrier!
* The Latest on French Coffee, Meat, and Flavored Wine *
There’s often a lot of blog posts about the sorry state of French coffee or the average steak-frites, but whining is a bit unproductive, non? Thankfully these two excellent articles are worth a read to get the full story, from the historic reasons why French coffee and steaks are so bad, as well as the best places in Paris to find the quality you’ve been looking for all these years: Why is Coffee in France so Bad? (Anna Brones at Slate.com) and Your Imported Beef is Served (Elaine Sciolino at the NYTime.com). Some journalists miss the mark a bit, though. The LA Times writer who described the popularity of flavored wines in France as “shocking!” has obviously never heard of the popular aperitif known as a Kir (white wine flavored with black currant liquor, but it can also be strawberry, raspberry, peach, red grapefruit, etc), which the French have been drinking since the 19th century. In fact, the French love to add flavored syrups to all kinds of drinks, including Champagne, beer, sparkling water, and limonade (a bit like Sprite). It’s interesting to see that they’re finally selling flavored wine in a bottle, but the only thing that's “shocking” is how often articles about Paris written by people who obviously don't know the city are published in "prestigious" newspapers.
* French-American Student Exchange *
Are you an American family looking for a French exchange student opportunity for your child? A Parisian friend of mine is looking for a host family in the US for his “very serious” 14-year-old daughter this summer for 2-3 weeks so she can practice her English. They are willing to host an American student who would like a French immersion experience in exchange. If you’re interested, contact mefor more details.
* The French Version of Netflix *
The French company VideoFutur, which used to be a bit like Blockbuster, is now offering a very affordable Netflix-style system for watching movies at home in France. In addition to their huge library of à la carte VOD (video on demand) films you can watch instantly from €2.99 with no subscription, if you sign up for La Box for €10 (you can cancel anytime), you get instant access to thousands of films (most available in VO), children’s programs, and TEVO-style access to cable television channels including Paramount, as well as the option to have DVDs or Blu-Ray videos sent to your house within 24-hours (€1 for every two videos ordered). There are many interesting options, the latest films (within 4 months of appearing in the theatres), and you can access one account from all of your devices, televisions, computers, etc. I haven’t tried it yet, but after perusing the list of all the movies I’ve missed over the past few years, I’m tempted to give it a try just for a month to see how many I can cram in! Note: If you want to visit any website that is usually blocked because you’re outside the US, just get the free ZenMate for Google Chrome. It slows your computer down a bit, but it masks your location to whichever country you want.
* French Start-Up Jobs & Incubators *
Despite the silly rumor that the French don’t have a word for entrepreneur there is quite a lively start-up community in Paris, meticulously documented in English by the website Rude Baguette. They’ll be hosting their second Paris Startup Job Fair on April 5th with 50 high-growth tech startups based in Paris looking to hire “coding ninjas, growth hackers, UX aficionados & product gurus.” Entrance is free for job hunters. If you’ve got your own business startup idea and need a bit of support to get it going, check out Bryan Pirolli’s article for Smart Planet: The French Hope that Incubator Spaces Bring More than Hype and a round-up of incubators on the website Invest in Paris.
* The Sharing Economy *
One vibrant corner of the French economy that has been getting a lot of press lately is the collaborative economy. The monthly Co-Tuesday networking soirées bring together the pioneers in this growing sector with the general public (free entry, sign up on the website to get on the list; the organizers all speak some English). The March meeting featured OuiShare, who are hosting their 2nd annual OuiShare Fest from May 5-7, the first European event for the Collaborative Economy: “At this year’s OuiShare Fest, entrepreneurs and social innovators, non-profit and company leaders, grassroots activists and public officials will gather in one place to build a common vision of a collaborative society.” If you can’t afford the tickets to attend, you can also participate as a volunteer or team member. Check out their French/English website for more info.
* Donate Your 2013 Tickets Restos *
Most places no longer accept your 2013 Tickets Restaurants, so why not donate them to La Croix Rouge’s Operation Tickets Solidaires? Just write “Croix Rouge” on each ticket, put them in an *unstamped* envelope, address it to “Operation Croix-Rouge, Libre Reponse n°13935, 92249 Malakoff cedex”, put your return address on the back to receive your “reçu fiscal” for 50% of the value, and pop it in the mail before March 31st. Each ticket goes towards the French Red Cross efforts to feed those in need. Spread the word!
* Community Gardens in Paris *
It seems the warm weather and blooming spring bulbs have brought out the gardening bug here in Paris. I posted an Instagram photos earlier this month of the cute little community garden in my neighborhood where I drop off my kitchen compost scraps each week, and a lot of you wrote in to ask where to find one in your neighborhood, how they work, and how to join. There are three excellent websites (all in French), which are useful: Jardinons Ensembles is a stylish portal site for community gardens with an Annuaire des Jardins d’Ile-de-France. Jardins Familiaux only has two community gardens listed within Paris (a few more in the suburbs), but they also have info on how to start your own. The website for the Mairie de Paris also has regular news on the city’s gardens, including this article on the newly opened garden on the Rue des Poissonniers. (18th, M° Simplon).
* French Farmers on Social Media *
Did you miss the Salon de l’Agriculture last week? Check out Mon Veau s’Appelle Hashtag, a short series on four French farmers who use social media to share images and news from the farm with the public (in French). Baby cows are so adorable!
* Last Chance to Win Paris Novel *
How has Paris inspired your creativity? Share your story (in 200 characters or less) in the comments section of the article Does Paris Still Inspire Creativity? by March 12th to win a copy of the novelChasing Sylvia Beach, by creative coach and author Cynthia Morris.
* Secrets of Paris News & Calendar *
Don’t forget to check out the latest events happening around town on the Secrets of Paris Calendar, but don’t be alarmed if it suddenly looks “strange,” since I’m experimenting to find the best, easier-to-read calendar format (any suggestions welcome). I’ll also be on the road next week, traveling to New York City for a few days (Paris is just too darned sunny and warm right now, yeah), but the next Secrets of Paris Newsletter will be back in two weekscomme d’habitude on March 24th.
Thanks for reading! - HSH
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