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Father Christmas at the Bastille in Paris
One day walking through the Bastille plaza, I saw the Christmas trees being set up around the green July column. By the next evening, purple was once again the sparkling color lighting up the Bastille July column. For the Christmas holiday, Pere Noël was riding the merry-go-round and another day he was dancing with a marching band. Every day is different in the Bastille!
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Paris: Shopping for Essentials – Who decides?
Thinking about the holiday shopping ahead? France is working through a vocabulary issue: what is considered essential shopping and what is non-essential? On the morning breakfast show, Télématin, Gabriel Atal, a government spokesperson, said it was unfortunate the government chose the legal form of the word, essential. In other words, deciding what is or is not essential is very controversial. Small businesses are hurting in November Monoprix, a mini-department store (grocery, household, parapharmacy, clothing, toiletries, etc.) was fully open during the first 55-day lockdown. This time, to be in solidarity with the small business, certain departments are cordoned off: books for example. However, magazines are sold because the magazine kiosks and…
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Bring France Home and Support Small Businesses
“We’re still here,” said Nathalie as she dusted the Paris dust off the shelves and products. Bring France Home is your Made in France shop on rue de Birague and online. Click on the categories at the bottom of their webpage to fill your shopping basket! The Eiffel Tower jewelry (category “jewels”) is unique to Bring France Home from their neighbor jeweler: Galerie UBU. Nathalie is optimistic for this year, but her shop and others need the international tourists back to survive. Chamber of Commerce (CCI) research in October 2019 showed that 80% of a shop’s revenue came from international tourists...... Click on the title to read more and watch…
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Foire de Paris-shopping for home fashion
Making the annual pilgrimage to the Paris Home Show (Foire de Paris) is now mission accomplished. However, we are going back for more. Last year we made contact with the interior architects and chose the style for the new, smaller sofa bed (canapé lit) and chair. After numerous vacations and conferences we are about to squeeze in and firm up our renovation plans to upgrade the nearly hundred year old electricity to accommodate the......
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Quirky Paris Souvenir Ideas
While wandering around BHV/Marais I noticed bits and pieces of hardware, wall paper and cleaning products made in France. Across the street at City Hall's Paris Rendez-Vous boutique concept shop I found unusual souvenirs made in France. A while ago, I found Bring France Home near Place des Vosges that only sells souvenirs made in France. Are you looking for quirky Paris souvenir ideas and inexpensive?
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Prepare Your Visit to Paris, France
Suitcase? Check! Camera? Check! Walking shoes? Check! Reading material? Prepare in advance with some book ideas! Language? Brush up on that French grammar! Frantastique is my Wednesday exercise. Then when I go shopping or chat on the street, those proper verbs just slide right out ... still studying though! Some of the books in my library are Paris walking tours. They provide enough material to stroll through Paris and explore. Another prepares you with a story and history for your Champagne tasting. David Downie's books are walking tours of history. Each chapter of each book weaves a tale of discovery. Tilar J. Mazzeo's book whisks you into Champagne history with…
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Jounaliste, Influenceur or Pigiste for Foire de Paris
It is time to prepare for another gigantic Paris home show. While applying for my 2018 Foire de Paris press accreditation, I found a new category. Joining the list of journaliste (journalist) and pigiste (free-lancer) is the influenceur*. Usually I think of the marketing influencers for Fashion Week. But if you love to cook, design, check out the future through inventions, are curious about appliances and world cultures you probably follow an influencer on social media. The first Foire de Paris, was held in 1904 at Carreau du Temple in the third arrondissement. The annual event moved to its present location at Porte de Versailles in 1924. You can read more about…
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Saying Goodbye to Icons in the Bastille Neighborhood
Living in a small neighborhood of the Bastille, the hardest phrases to hear over the last year have been: "We're closing and retiring" and "They have sold the shop for their retirement": Holmes, the stationery store, and now à la Petite Fabrique, the chocolate factory. Holmes was transformed into an upscale Italian restaurant and word is that Alain Ducasse is buying the Petite Fabrique.... The neighborhood in the area of Hugo's Les Miserables and the French Revolution has gone upscale.
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Champs Elysées Christmas Market No More
Two events will effect somebody this latter part of 2017. Planning on the Champs-Elysées Christmas market? Stuck in traffic? It's like a soap opera or a custody fight in a divorce. Whose side will you be on? Every year Christmas markets attract 30 million people visitors in France. Fifteen million of those visit one or more of the 250 chalets along the Champs-Elysées for the Paris Christmas market. If you are stuck in traffic this week, the carnival operators are conducting an "escargot" (snail) slowing down and blocking traffic with their semi trucks on the expressways. They want to set up their chalets on the Champs-Elysées.
Enjoy Paris Through My Eyes
