Marché Blanqui in the 13ème
I think that it’s rare to find all that you need at one marketplace and let’s face it, it’s just inviting to mark the difference or similarities between anyplace, let alone Parisian markets.
Bigger, rambunctious, definitely more produce to choose from than Marché Glacière and just as delightful. I had the pleasure of meeting Pierre, the traiteur Italiens extraordinare here and was charmed into buying about 50 dollars worth (aucun regret) of Proscuitto de Parma and delicious pasta. My friends and I enjoyed every bit of it.
I’m so glad that I was given a Paris Fêtes ses Marches canvas shopping bag by Pierre! The city of Paris partnered with The International Market of Rungis and Syctom de l’Agglomeration Parisienne to give away 200, 000 cotton shopping bags to get people to do their part in helping to preserve the environment. The bags come in various colors, are not associated with a top designer and can easily be tossed around a door knob for the next trip to the market. Love it! Paper and plastic are no longer options, it’s canvas now, baby. Tant mieux!
Marché Blanqui also feels like a place to see and be seen albeit by friends, neighbors and sometimes family members. I love its energy, great produce and of course, its people.
Merci, Pierre!
Where: Paris, 13th Arrondissement, rue Auguste Blanqui
When: Tuesday, Friday and Sunday
Catherine fait des courses: Catherine goes to Market
How can a close friend of mine like Catherine (pictured) make going to the market sexy and chic? I long to go shopping at a outdoor market.
My hometown of Portsmouth, VA. would be the perfect place to start a real Farmer’s Market, but all that I see are a bunch of condos and townhouses being built everywhere. Washington, D.C. has Eastern Market which brings out local farmers, foodies and stylish arts and crafts. We could bring a Farmer’s Market to the historical and tony, Old Town Portsmouth. It would revive interest in our downtown area which used to be THE place for shopping and entertainment when I was a child.
There’s something comforting about searching for good food, being educated by farmers and watching a chicken being “prepared” right in front of you.
Do you have a local market where you live?
Schapiro’s Heros
Mr. Steve Schapiro
I had the honor of attending a much talked about showing of Steve Schapiro’s latest book and photographs in Paris, entitled: Shapiro’s Heros. Muhammed Ali, the much beloved Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr and the late Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as well as James Baldwin are just some of the faces that you will find in this thought provoking book. Mr. Steve Schapiro covered the Civil Rights Movement, followed James Baldwin and Andy Warhol and captured some of the most iconic men and women in art, politics, sports and entertainment during a time when our country was on the cusp of change that would alter the way we live and think for generations to come. Some of what you will experience while thumbing through this book is a sense of innocence, blind truth, but most of all, hope. I cannot describe to you how it felt to view a photograph of a freedom fighter of the Civil Rights movement. The look in his eyes brimming with tears with the word VOTE written across his forehead was to me the most moving photograph of them all.
If it weren’t for this young man as well as the millons of others who dared to stand up for what they believed in, you and I would not live in the society that we know today.
Steve Schapiro’s photographs have a way of not only transporting you back in time but also encouraging you to continue to look forward, be brave and most of all, tell and show the truth.
Mr. Schapiro and I share the some of the same heros and I was fortunate enough to speak with him at length about what he’d experienced and what he is currently working on. I thank him for the invaluable advice that he gave me about my own career and future as a photographer. Thanks to you Mr. and Mrs. Schapiro for taking time out this successful vernissage to point a fellow American photographer in the right direction.
A special thanks to Mr. Thierry Marlat of Galerie Thierry Marlat, for inviting me to view such an incredible vernissage. Thanks also to Christophe Lunn (Curator) and Nathan (Intern Indispensable)
You may still view Steve Schapiro’s work at:
Galerie Thierry Marlat
2, rue de Jarente (Le Marais)
Paris, Paris Region F-75004 France
Tel. +33 01 44 61 79 79
Fax . +33 01 44 61 79 89
Water is Life
I awoke this morning with serious cottonmouth. Don’t you hate waking up and realizing that you’ve slept with your mouth open?
As I’m going through 8 thousand of my photographs scanning Europe, Asia and North America, I came across these and immediately was taken back to moments of pure bliss. I will return to Seoul in a couple of weeks (that’s the plan, at least) an amid all the hustle and bustle of that dynamic city, I will try to remember when I sat down for a great meal in Bangkok as well as walked in the drizzling rain in Chiang Mai, Thailand.
Marché Glacière: Yes! More Italians!
My dear friend Catherine lives in the 13th arrondisemont of Paris and everytime that I visit her and her wonderful family, my appreciation for her neighborhood grows even more. The 13eme (treizieme) is not a tourist destination (thank goodness) but has something more, a certain ease, a self-assuredness that instantly lets you take in what it really means to live in Paris. This is Paris, day in-day out, steadfast, straight no chaser, the way that I love it.
Being the kind of food enthusiast that I’ve become in recent years, luckily for me Catherine cooks everyday, lunch and dinner! Take that fast-food nation! No sooner had I unpacked and showered did we glide down to the marché to pick up that days ingredients for lunch: Prosciutto di Parma! Melon! Great vegetables and Wine!
First things first, we headed directly to meet with Michele Botti who represents the finest food that Italy has to offer to patrons who love all things Italian. He and his business partner reminded me of why I love Italian food. The balance that I create in my life seems ever present in the aromas, textures and tastes of Italian cured ham, handmade pastas and the warmth of the smiles that I found on my first day back in Paris.
Is it any wonder that I kept going back for more?
Visit this charming market on Wednesdays and Saturdays and get there early!
Ciao!
Who: Michele Botti, Traiteur Italien and Tango Enthusiast
Marché Glacière
Where: Metro Stop: Glacière, 13eme arrondissement
When: Wednesdays and Saturdays
Pasta Linea: Little Italy in Paris!
While in Paris I had a meeting with a gallery owner just before hopping the Eurostar to London. I was starving. There was no way that I was going arrive in London on an empty stomach. I’m not one to eat at the train station as I feel that whatever I eat there will probably turn to its original state as soon as I unwrap it: Sawdust.
I’m famous for skipping meals or forgetting to eat altogether.
So, “Monsieur T” guided me to my private heaven, presently known as Pasta Linea where I would not only eat the best damn Italian food I’ve had in a while but where I would also have a bel rencontre avec Silivia Pronzato, the owner and founder. A succulent dish of penne pasta with shredded ham was gleefully taken back to the gallery. Little did I know that I was about to fall in love…with the pasta. It it weren’t for the fact that I was sitting among originals of Irving Penn, Walker Evans and Friedlanders in a tasteful French gallery, I swear I would have devoured my pasta take-out like a former French boyfriend kisses me each and every time I’m Paris: Shamelessly. It was that good.
Four days straight I returned Pasta Linea to taste authentically made pasta, surround myself in the warmth and calm of this establishment and of course, get to know Silvia more and more. I walked into someone’s pride and joy and learned that “people slap the word bio on everything nowadays and it’s really des connneries”. Thank you for educating me Silvia. You taught me what authentic food is and not to blindly trust “bio” and to be a more discerning eater and shopper. From the floor tiles (each handmade and designed to fit the surface of the resto) to the homemade creme de la menthe that her husband so graciously offered me, I was enchanted, bewitched. Places like Pasta Linea are very hard to find these days: high quality products prepared in house in a warm, convivial atmosphere. Silvia enjoys what she does and it shows.
Cheers to Slivia and Pasta Linea!
P.S. Whatever you’re doing in this life, I hope that you’re happy doing it, if not, drop by Pasta Linea and you’ll find the inspiration you didn’t even know that you were looking for.
Pasta Linea
9 rue de Turenne
75004
Paris France, Tel : 01 42 77 62 54
The London Eye-Millennium Wheel
Even though it’s too hot here in my hometown of Portsmouth, Va. to layout on the lawn, Alessandro and I certainly enjoyed the atypical heat and sunshine in London, just next beneath the London Eye located along The Thames.
I spent four incredible days with Alessandro and had the pleasure of visiting plenty of art installations, markets and of course, museums! This particular day we needed to warm our bones and relax. Sometimes the best thing to do in a city is just find a park, take off your shirt (he did this, not me!) frolick and doze off. That we did.
Wherever you are I hope that you find a great park to share with someone near and dear.
Have a great weekend!
Habitat: Geisha Mugs
Whether living in Paris or just visiting, I always find my way to a local Habitat store. Habitat is a reasonably priced furniture store but provides better design than say, Ikea.
Before I even enter Habitat I ponder actually settling in one place simply because this store has a way of making you feel as if you could actually have a place as lovely as the ones beautifully photographed in Elle Decor, Dwell or Domino magazine.
My favorite things to shop for are bed linen (I will never forget the threadcount at Seven Hotel in Bangkok!), towels (must be plush) and kitchenware (anything that strikes my fancy)
I came across these mugs and it immediately made me think of my former home, Seoul, South Korea.
I’d fill them with green tea of course.
Rue de la Roquette: Aisha!
While strolling through my old neighborhood, making my way to the Isabel Marant (my favorite French designer) boutique, I turned to the left and saw someone with so much style that I just had to snap her!
I ran across the street and her male friend was taking pictures of her himself and who could blame him, this belle femme had style and I just found her look quite refreshing.
Her name is Aisha, she’s French and currently lives and studies in California and isn’t she stunning?
Thank you Aisha!
Velib forever!
A windy day it was!
Allo Allo!
While I’m busy working on close to two thousand photos taken over my 2 1/2 week vacation in Paris and London for a wonderful new client, I simply must share my new found infatuation: Velib!
Velib just celebrated it’s first anniversary some days ago and believe me even on the hottest days it was more refreshing to glide through the streets of Paris with Velib than traverse the city dans le metro.
If you haven’t heard of Velib: velo (bike) + liberte (liberty) then you’re in for a treat the next time you visit Paris. I left Paris in 2006 and now I cannot imagine Paris without this new mode of transportation. During the many years that I lived in Paris, I could have bought my own bike but I didn’t and now with pollution and traffic jams on the rise Velib is now the smartest and la plus chic way of jetting across my lovely city with ease and style.
Velib, created by the Mairie de Paris was launched July 15 2007 and fits so well into the everyday lives of French citizens and tourists that I wonder how this city ever lived without it.
This video explains the pros and the cons of Velib but I found more pros than anything else. It’s inexpensive, bike stations are everywhere leaving you the ability to obtain or return your bike in a jiffy and did I say it’s inexpensive?
Daily, Catherine and I would put on our summer dresses or skirts, drop our purses into the bike’s baskets and head off to our favorite shops, neighborhoods, etc. With all the great food (mostly Italien!) that I ate while home in Paris, I never felt the least bit worried about my waistline expanding because I had my Velib and my dear friend Catherine to keep en forme!
Visit their official website if you want to practice your French.
We need Velib in America!
