• Full moon over the Louvre pyramid Colleen's Paris
    Monuments

    Full Moon Traveling Over the Louvre Pyramid

    Were the children at the Louvre on the night of the full moon aware of the Moon Knight? The Egyptian god of light in the night is Khonsu. The name Khonsu means traveler. Khonsu is depicted as a falcon with a moon above its head or as a child in the human form. In the Marvel comics series, the spelling is changed to Khonshu. The avatar for Khonshu is Moon Knight. A few nights ago, a colleague texted me that he was with friends near Saint-Michel. I sent him back a message to watch for the full moon. He wrote they went to Notre Dame and took selfies with the…

  • Image of Man taking selfie at Louvre Pyramid
    Let's Explore,  Neighborhoods

    Springtime Silence in Paris for 55 Days

    It is time to turn the page on Chapter 2020. Who would have guessed that one would feel a bit nostalgic for the Paris Springtime in 2020!? All of the ups and downs and changes during the Springtime in Paris lockdown from total confinement to mostly open for summer and back to partially open; having to differentiate between what is essential (food) and non-essential (books) and back to semi-partial of partial and curfews. Aiiieee!! A Nostalgic Period? One Parisian confinement period stands out among all the rest of 2020. Between March 15 and May 11, 2020 Paris went silent.

  • image of Jewish rabbi cookies Thierry Heil guided walks
    Let's Explore

    Paris: Marais and the Louvre Concerts Virtually

    Feeling like a walk through the Marais, visiting famous Paris restaurants or listening to a concert at the Louvre while staying cozy at home with a glass of French wine? If so, then save these dates: Louvre Concerts November 10 and 12; The Jewish Marais November 18; Famous Parisian Restaurants December 3.

  • Metro Poster of 20 years Les Acquisitions du Musée du Quai Branly
    Let's Explore,  Museums

    Musée du Quai Branly – Timely Exhibition Opens

    Musée du Quai Branly is free to visitors until October 11 in memory of Jacques Chirac. A timely exhibition of the acquisitions over the past 20 years opened September 24, two days before former President Chirac passed away. In 1990 while still mayor of Paris, Mr. Chirac wanted to highlight the African Arts. When he became president in 1995, the Louvre was his target for the collections from two other Paris museums: Musée de l’Homme and the national museum Musée national des Arts d’Afrique et d’Océanie. Employees of the Musée de l’Homme went on strike in 1999 against the closure. The Musée des Arts d’Afrique et d’Océanie closed in 2003.…

  • Image in front of Hotel de Ville in hommage to Jacques Chirac
    Let's Explore,  Seeing Paris

    Notre-Dame Bell, Emmanuel, Rings for Chirac

    Walking along the narrow rue Galand the sound of a muffled bell ringing reverberated against the walls. Sitting at the café, looking at my watch, it was around 11:20 on a Monday morning. My friend guessed it was a church nearby; I guessed Notre-Dame. Couldn't be.... perhaps the towers were damaged. The constant soft ringing was not signalling the quarter, half or full hour. Earlier I had heard on French television the time for the funeral ceremony that would pass from Hôtel des Invalides to Saint-Sulpice.  We walked toward Notre-Dame from where the mystery sound originated. Emmanuel, the 300 year old was ringing.  The ringing was manually orchestrated. The first…

  • Claude Monet - Gare Saint Lazare Crédits photo © RMN (Musée d’Orsay) Hervé Lewandowski
    Museum exhibitions

    Paris Exhibitions of the Past

    The Paris Mayor’s office has a list of Paris museums and their links to check for current exhibitions. You can also check for current exhibitions at the city/municipal museums. The Paris Tourist Office provides a list of museums. And l’Officiel des spectacles provides museum information in their weekly magazine and online (Use Google Translate.) The following two exhibits are at the same Hotel de Ville – one entrance fronts rue de Rivoli and the other is around the corner on the street, Lobau. The Impressionists at the Hotel de Ville Until July 23, 2011. “During its renovation work, the Musée d’Orsay is loaning out several dozen canvases and drawings. Most…

  • Lunch with a view at 58 Tour Eiffel
    Archive

    Lightness of being at the 58 Tour Eiffel restaurant

    This story has been archived. Some of the information may have changed since first published. A restaurant with distinct styling Go to one of the Eiffel tower’s restaurants, 58 Tour Eiffel, to see the style and design of a well known Parisian designer. Buy your ticket on line and save yourself a possible one and a half hours waiting in line. On this second visit to the restaurant 58 Tour Eiffel, I want to feel the ambiance of Patrick Jouin‘s design and style as well as enjoy the restaurant’s picnic-in-a-basket lunch. Around Paris, you see the works of Mr. Jouin either on the street with the Velib’ bicycles or the…