• ham and cheese sandwich the croque monsieur at the grocery store
    History,  Let's Explore,  Life in Paris & France

    How did le Croque-Monsieur get its name?

    Le croque-monsieur (croak-missyou) is THE real French sandwich. It is not just a ham and cheese sandwich made with two pieces of bread. It is toasted and it is famous. Le croque-monsieur is one particular sandwich that has made it's way from the brasserie and bistro to the microwave in France. Diners take photos of meals exquisitely arranged on the plate. Not many take a photo of a sandwich. These foods, however, do share something in common. They are available in the refrigerated section of the grocery store.

  • facade view of Hôtel de Mayenne Rue de Rivoli and a Philippe Starck history marker
    History,  Let's Explore

    Paris History One Translate App Away

    The upside down paddles on the sidewalks around Paris are history markers of the city. The Philippe Starck-designed paddles are in French. When walking and not speaking French you can read them. Shocking? No. Simply install the Google Translate application on your smartphone. How to do it follows this short story. Background story The paddles first appeared in 1992, the year I moved to Paris. The city of Paris contracted with JCDecaux to install the “pelles Starck” to inform the strolling passer-by about a monument, an event, an historical moment, a theater, a passage, etc. Jacques Chirac, then mayor of Paris, initiated the project. For me the shape of the…

  • Two angels and a pigeon - all have wings - Angel holding a caduceus, Mercury's emblem for commerce and negotiation; palm leaves behind the cherubs symbolize victory Hôtel de Soubise, Paris
    Guided Walks,  History

    Angels of Paris Tour Marais

    Scattered around the third and fourth arrondissements of Paris are sculpted angels on buildings. The buildings range in century ages from 1400s to 1600s to 1700s to 1800s to the early 1900s. After 1914, the angels become living relics of the past yet still enjoyable...

  • Grefflhe Galliera image
    History,  Museum exhibitions

    Inspiring Comtesse Greffulhe at Galliera

    The Comtesse Greffulhe did not follow fashion, she dictated fashion for all in Paris society to follow. She inspired Marcel Proust and fashion designers. Until March 20, 2016, Palais Galliera, Musée de la Mode, is displaying Comtesse Greffulhe's wardrobe collection "La Mode retrouvée" (Finding lost fashion). The collection moves to New York's Museum at FIT in September 2016 under the title "Proust's Muse". As with most women who are "clothes horses" ....

  • Beauford Delaney exhibition in Paris - groupings of some of his works. Exhibit in 2016 Wells International Foundation
    History,  Museum exhibitions

    Artist, Beauford Delaney Exhibit in Paris

    The works of Beauford Delaney, a figurative, abstract expressionist, i.e., modernist painter, are being shown in the first solo exhibition since 1992. The exhibit, Beauford Delaney: Resonance of Form and Vibration of Color, opens February 3 with a Vernissage in Paris in the Grande Salle at Columbia Global Centers Europe at Reid Hall (Columbia University’s Paris facility), 4 Rue de Chevreuse, 75006 Paris, Metro: Vavin line 4. Any questions or want an invitation to the vernissage......

  • cover of Rosemary Flannery's Angels of Paris Architectural Tour through the history of Paris
    Book Reviews,  History,  Seeing Paris,  Videos

    Rosemary Flannery’s Angels of Paris

    How do you view Paris? With an angel on her shoulder, Rosemary Flannery views Paris through angel eyes. Rosemary is the author of the book, "Angels of Paris, an Architectural Tour through the History of Paris". Rosemary wrote the text and took the photos, even if it included carrying a ladder around to get the best angle of an angel. I only recently discovered this book, a little slow on my part, but that shows the timelessness of a subject that dates back....

  • Photo of lecturer Edith during Coco Chanel lecture
    History,  Seeing Paris

    Roaring Twenties Paris with Edith

    Often it is the Expats who write Paris blogs. Now you can get the true French stories directly from a Parisienne's pen. Her pen name "Edith" comes from Edith Piaf. Both women were born on the same rue de Belleville street, although as Edith says on her Edith's Paris blog, they are not of the same vintage....

  • The gardien ending his day at Square Louis XIII - Place des Vosges in the 4th arrondissement of Paris walking toward the statue.
    History,  Neighborhoods

    Paris Parks begin Winter Hours

    Walking through Square Louis XIII (also known as Place des Vosges), my short cut route was cut short. The route became the long way around! The corner where I usually exit was already locked! And then I heard a hint of why."Le square ferme. Mesdames, Messieurs et Mesdemoiselles*, le square ferme," he called out. To my surprise the 7:30 pm closing time was no longer; it was now 5:45 pm! The majority of Paris park changed to winter time when the clocks fell back an hour. ...