Here is my train of thought: this is a blog about Paris, right? Not France as a whole, just Paris. (Even though it is the only French city in the Metblogs…)

But I thought: Paris is so much more than just “intramuros” as we say (basically “inside the walls”, or Paris sensu stricto if you will). Paris is also about all the wonderful places you can go to so easily from Paris!

So here is a glimpse at Fontainebleau forest. Just some 30 min train ride out of Paris! Perfect for a day out in the sun and the trees :D Lots of nice boulders to climb too!

If you have been around Latin Quarter of late, surely you can’t miss a handful of rather unusual sculptures in and around the Pantheon area. These sculptures in human forms but decorated using strong colours and particular motives by Rabarama are currently on display and will be there for only another 10 days.

Rabarama is an Italian artist that has received wide critical acclaims for her creative way of portraying the human forms and expressiveness, linking the ideas of thoughts (e.g. life being a puzzle, or a maze, or a communicating piece) and geometry (using shapes and lines). Her sculptures have been travelling and on exhibition worldwide, from America to China, delighting modern art fans, including me.

So go on now, and have a look around! Keep your eyes peeled – there should be 7 of them. Or at least that’s how many I’ve found. ;-)

Quite recently, Bij posted a shot of Notre Dame Cathedral by night. And just a few days ago, I found a handful of pictures of the very same Gothic cathedral that I took from a couple of years back. This is a shot of the Western façade from Quai Saint-Michel that I like and so I’m sharing it. :-)

I am thankful that Victor Hugo’s 1831 novel sparked an interest in the public when the city council was considering a demolition, leading to a restoration effort and the saving of the cathedral. Had it not been for this effort, we wouldn’t have this beautiful sight to admire, and readers would have one less amazing book with rich infusion of culture and social standings to enjoy. Even the entertainment industry, they would have lost out on film adaptations, animations, musical theatres etc.

Ps: taken using point and shoot compact digital camera, no tripod, not using flash.

I’ve been meaning to post this picture for a while now :$
For yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaars, this most beautiful tower, called tour Saint Jacques, was hidden under scaffolding… But this summer, the work was over and once more we can admire it! Enjoy :D

If you love modern arts, walk past Jardin du Luxeumbourg and the poster of “De Miró à Warhol” would have caught your attention. Quite easily. It’s bright, and it’s colourful, quite the manifestation of twentieth century art really.

I admit it, my interest mainly lies at the name of Miró. His works which I adore, and he of the fame (well, among my friends, that is) of converting me into an appreciator of modern arts. No other big names captured my imagination as much as Miró. Not even the great Dali, although I have come to learn to admire his art pieces too.

Elated and with great expectations, I was in the queue for the Musée du Luxembourg on a beautiful yet slightly chilly Sunday afternoon with a friend. I should have known, there would be a considerable number of visitor to this exhibition of which 74 pieces of work had travelled all the way to Paris from Berardo Collection Museum in Lisbon. Little did I know, beyond the ticket counter, the arts audience would be uncomfortably packed for leisurely appreciation.

Armed with an audioguide, I found myself unable to move beyond the ticket scanner. Oh yeah, it was packed right from the start. The visit was conducted with a number of snaking manouvers in between the other visitors, while at times tip-toeing to see some of the works behind some 3-4 rows of art lovers. Not easy when one is vertically challenged like me.

There are quite a number of gems on display, and I started a new lesson of contemporary arts. There are a few general sections to the exhibition – eclectic collections (really, quite a mish mash), Surrealism (spotted, two Miró pieces), abstract geometrics (think bold shapes and lines), Pop Art (spotted, two Warhol pieces) and post-war arts explorations (I absolutely love Julian Schnabel’s Portrait of Jacqueline from this section).

All in all, I was impressed with this collection of temporary exhibits, and I found myself jotting down on the back of the ticket (I left my Moleskine at home) of the names of artists/works that I intend to look up more information on at a later stage. However, given the relatively small venue, the crowd in there dampened my enjoyment to some degree. It also was not helped by the fact that I wished there were more than just two works of Miró on display.

The exhibition “De Miró à Warhol” runs now until 22 February 2009. Opens daily (time varied).
Tickets at €11 adults, €9 concessions, free under 10 years old. Audioguide at €4.50 each.

I guess you all know that french people are really proud of their “Cuisine”.

Recently, some french chef and senators proposed that it should be preserved thanks to UNESCO.I had a quick look at the UNESCO world heritage list but I didn’t found anything like that (I might I missed something tho)

So do we need to protect french cuisine? and if so how? and who would choose the meals that are “typically french” and that deserve to be “saved”.

For those interesting in such topic, the American library is hosting a discussion “Is french cuisine worthy of UNESCO heritage status”, tomorrow at 7:30pm. This event is free and open to public (doors opening around 7pm, arrive early to be sure to get a seat!)