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December 14 2011
Co-working in Paris
Last evening I went to a book launch (the French version of a book by American author Nancy Duarte, dedicated to the art of presenting, published in France by Diateino, a publishing house I'm proud to support). The book sure looks interesting, but the place where the event took place was also worth the look. It's called Soleilles Cowork and, as you can deduct from its name, it's a place you can rent by the hour to work or organize a meeting in one of their stunning meeting rooms where I took this photo... I know what you're thinking: "working in a place like this cannot be really work!" And yet, it is...
September 22 2011
Anti capitalism demonstration
Today was another terrible day for the stock market... It seems that the party time is over and that we're going to have to pay off our debt after all. Surprise, surprise! A few people gathered around the Bourse (the old stock market building) in Paris today to demonstrate against capitalism and all this. "Close all stocks markets", it says on the left and on the right, well you can see for yourself, for it's written in "English". I really wonder how all this is going to end to be honest.
July 29 2011
Urban weeds
I love the way people make use of urban furniture sometimes... Hence these poles which primer use is to prevent cars from parking on sidewalks (yes, people in France park on sidewalks if nothing prevents them from doing it!). Well, some people thought it was also the perfect place to grow "things" (which things, I don't know!) - I suppose they had to make the dirt holders to measure. Anyway, it's a clever idea and changes the looks of the street (I took this photo at rue Saint Marc, in the 2nd arrondissement).
July 07 2011
Place des victoires
Hurrah! After several weeks of work, where half of the Place des Victoires was totally hidden by scaffolding, they finally freed Louis the 14th (the guy on the horse in the middle!)! This place is one of the most beautiful ones in Paris for it's not too large, yet extremely spacious - and not too busy with car traffic ;-) For those of you who are into history, you should know that it was first inaugurated in March 1686 and that the law requested that only symmetrical buildings could be erected there.
June 30 2011
Free, at last!
Unfortunately, it's not the first time I mentioned that some French people are held hostage somewhere in the world... (remember Ingrid Betancourt?). Well two of them (Stéphane Taponier et Hervé Ghesquière) have just been freed today after 547 days in Afghanistan, among the Talibans. I took this photo in September 2010, during a demonstration to support their cause, but never used it because I did not think that adding more publicity (even though PDP is not exactly CNN LOL!) would help. Now I'm glad to use it!
April 02 2011
Dinner with PHX-CDG!
Those of you who are long time visitors to PDP all know who PHX-CDG (aka "US Lynn") is... She's had a love story with Paris for some time now, and since her job allows her to come here as often as possible, well she takes full advantage of it! Earlier this week I had the pleasure to have dinner with her at Aux trois petits Cochons (the three little pigs), a very nice little restaurant on rue Tiquetonne in the 2nd arrondissement. I had salmon, as you almost can see ;-) On the way out, I took this photo of her!
March 13 2011
French cars
Don't go thinking this is one of the latest French car models (!) it's a very old one from the 50's - in excellent condition I must say - that I photographed Saturday at rue de Richelieu. Those of you who remember the TV series Columbo (starring Peter Falk) may even have recognized his car (well, his was a cabrio, but same brand and same model: a Peugeot 403). It seems that French cars don't have a super reputation outside of France unfortunately, that's what a survey carried out by several automobile magazines throughout Europe (and Brazil and China) showed recently. I think it's unfair! (But I don't have a car, so who am I to judge!)
March 12 2011
Thinking of Japan
Like you, probably, I have been very touched by the images of the recent Japanese earthquake and tsunami. That is why I felt like I should post a related to Japan photo today, even though, of course, it won't help them much ;-) I did not know what to photograph, so I simply went to rue Sainte Anne, in the 2nd arrondissement, which is known to be the Paris Japanese quarter, with restaurants, bookshops, and even a unique bakery (Aki) and a "K-mart" with Japanese and Korean products. This way, you know where to go if you come to Paris and miss Tokyo!! PS: thank you all for your nice anniversary messages, yesterday., I still can't believe I missed the date!
December 10 2010
It's back!
I know this photo probably reminds you of one you saw last year and the year before and probably the year before! For yes, like every December the big Ferris wheel has returned to the Place de la Concorde. I must say I've found it hard to look for a new angle, so I chose to keep the Obelisk in the picture. Not extraordinary I agree, but good enough to feel the Christmas spirit ;-) As you can see, the snow is already gone (until next week it seems...).
December 02 2010
A must visit building
I may have found a more beautiful ceiling than the one of the Sistine Chapel in Rome! OK, I'm kidding, but it's really worth the look (besides I don't think it's in many Paris guidebooks...). It's located in the Paris Bourse du commerce (commodities market) that is located near Les Halles. It is built on the former wheat market and from what I read this glass ceiling is the only remain of this early building. The painted part is also stunning: it was made for the world exhibit of 1889 and it shows the history of commerce on the 4 continent. You HAVE to see this if you come to Paris.
November 02 2010
Inside Le Grand Colbert
If you're looking for a good,typical restaurant in Paris, I suggest you pay a visit to Le Grand Colbert; a typical brasserie that first opened in 1900 (during La Belle Epoque times). I went there last Sunday for lunch with friends and really enjoyed myself. Not only is the food excellent, but more than that the decor is really worth the journey... (not to mention that after your meal you can wander in the neighborhood which also worth the look!). Price wise, let's say it's affordable but not cheap... Last time I mentioned Le Grand Colbert (2005) they did not have a website, but now, they do!
October 21 2010
Another party at La Bourse
It is extremely rare when I don't carry my camera with me... And though, last evening, as I was passing by La Bourse (the stock market) I realized I had left it at home. Shame, because they were having another of these company parties there and the whole building was beautifully decorated and lit. So I had to use my camera phone... As I already mentioned here, this building - often called Le Palais Brongniart, after the name of its architect: Alexandre Brongniart who built it in 1813 - is no longer used to trade stocks (since 1986), but to host company parties or conferences.
August 16 2010
Rotten summer!
I came back Sunday evening from Nice to find this terrible weather (I took this photo Monday afternoon). They say in some areas it rained in 2 days the equivalent of 2 months of rain... The poor tourists don't need to worry about getting to much sun, like a at the begining of August, but what to do in Paris when it rains (not that we're short of museums mind you!). As for me, I'm off to Trouville again (Normandy) and something tells me the weather there will be quite similar to this one ;-).
August 01 2010
The end of the Summer Sales
Today is a bad day for shoppers... Not only is tomorrow (August 3rd) the last day of Les Soldes (Sales) in Paris, but on top of that a lot of shops will close for the month... Parisians usually go away in August for their summer holidays and shopkeepers do too... Don't worry, though, if you're a tourist and plan to come during August, the big retail stores and department stores are open of course. I found this cute little Sales announcement in a shop called Desigual at rue du 4 septembre, near the Opera.
May 28 2010
A meeting with a view
This morning I had a meeting in a communication agency in the center of Paris. It was the first time I visited them. A nice lady opened the door showed me into the main office and told me to wait in the meeting room upstairs... What she did not know is that I would take advantage of it to... takes photos! No matter where I looked, the scenery was absolutely stunning. So I took several photos, of course. I chose to publish this very Parisian one, where you have one the main landmarks of Paris together with the rooftops in the foreground.
May 19 2010
Art performance really?
Sometimes, when it comes to art - and art performances in particular - I don't always get it... Hence, this little number that I came across with last evening in front of La Bourse building (the one you see in the background). A certain Miss Dora O'range was surrounded by a little crowd watching her doing her performance (light up a fire, playing golf with an orange she had just covered in petrol like in this photo...). The leaflet that was distributed there by her "assistants" says that "Miss Dora likes to play with the boundaries of normality". You bet! More on this website if you're intrigued.
March 16 2010
Hurrah, Spring is back...
I've been waiting a while for it and now here: spring! To celebrate I took a photo of my favorite square in Paris: La Place des Victoires (Victories Square). It's a wide square in the 2nd arrondissement, dedicated to the victories of Louis the XIVth (who's the the guy on the horse by the way!). This Square was inaugurated in... 1686, and if you wanted to erect a building around it you had to comply to the strict rules set by Jules Hardouin-Mansart (1st architect to the king), that is only erect symmetrical buildings. There are lots of urbanism rules like this in Paris (have a look here, if you can read French, it's interesting); it's a constraint, but it is also the reason why it is such a beautiful city.
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