Golly, Christmas is really making its presence felt. It’s exactly 5 weeks and 1 day for the big ol’ celebration, so you have exactly 5 weeks of shopping days left. Have you started? Or are you just making lists right now, what to buy for whom? Or will you be making some gifts yourself, especially edible ones? (I love edible gifts, yum yum)

Tales of Christmas

• There’s nothing prettier in winter in Paris than Champs Elysées all decked up in festive illuminations and the lights will be turned on coming Monday, 23 November at 6.30pm, with help from Charlotte Gainsbourg. And there’s something different this year too – fuschia (instead of white) lightings are awaiting instead!
• Christmas market at Champs Elysées opens its doors on Friday 20 November and there will be some 170 vendor huts in place. If you’re there on the 9 and 10 December, note a change in the hut designated for Ateliers de Paris. Until 28 December; open daily from 10am to 10pm, and to 11pm on Fridays and Saturdays.

In the News: Last Week

• I’m sure by now everyone have heard about the riots and disturbances after the cancellation of Mailorama money giveaway. Videos from news outlet and civilians (such as this) show the damages sustained. I can understand the disappointment, but to start attacking other individuals who were in the same position? That’s just so not cool.
• France is through to the World Cup in South Africa next summer. They won the first leg of the World Cup Qualifier against Ireland in Dublin, and they drew 1-1 with Ireland during the second leg match in Paris. Winning 2-1 by aggregate, it is not without controversy. Ah, the hand of Thierry (not Maradona, not God) struck this time. Is there a glory in such a win?
• An article was published last week on the Guardian, of this extraordinary tale of a former captain of French football team, who betrayed his country and his people, during the World War II.

Foodies’ Goodies

• We at Paris Metblogs love bagels but hunting for good bagels is really not easy. We’ve tried a few so-so ones so far. Ann Mah has recently found I <3 Coco Bagel Store and thinks it’s pas mal du tout.
• A croissant tasting session certainly sounds a lot of fun. And for the record, the Ispahan croissant from Pierre Hermé may be unconventional but it tastes soooooo good.
• Le Fooding Guide 2010 is now out! Get it from your nearest newsagent, for €9.50 each.

Coming Up: Next Week in Events

• Ok, technically, this is not upcoming. It is currently taking place. Salon Créations & Savoir-faire is just the place to go for anyone big into arts and crafts, get some tips and inspirations, and just in time for the home-made Christmas gifts idea to take off.
• Michael Schürmann of Paris Movie Walks will be leading an hour-long free tour of Paris film locations on 25 November at 4pm. The tour starts and ends at the bookshop Shakespeare & Co. (37 rue de la Bucherie, 5ème). A book signing follows the end of the tour. A quick book take if you’re interested in knowing further.

That’s it for today. I know it’s delivered a day earlier than usual, but I’m travelling tomorrow and wouldn’t want to miss writing this edition. Oh, don’t forget, it’s Beaujolais Nouveau day today – chin chin!

Had you noticed today is a Friday thirteenth? Do you think it’s a lucky day? Or rather unlucky? Or maybe just like any other day… Funny thing is, apparently, there is necessarily at least 1 such day every year!

This week:

• I guess most people have heard about the wedding salon in Paris, but did you know there was one dedicated to divorce last week-end?
• Other than the concert mentioned last week, there were other ways to commemorate the fall of the Berlin wall on Monday, such as this mock wall destruction party in a parisian bar
• Also this week was the 11th festival of amateur theater, which was a good opportunity to enjoy live theater!
• Did you get any chocolates from the Galeries Lafayette on Thursday?
• Also, most of the week, traffic has been difficult first on both RER A and B and then mostly on RER B. Find out why the RER B was more affected

Coming up:

• This week-end, artists open their doors to you in Montmartre!
• Next week is the “festival de films gays, lesbiens, trans et +++” (do I need to translate?) at the Forum des Images in Les Halles
• Also next week is the science festival, mostly for schools during the week days and for everyone during the week-end

Various:

• A giant tunnel is being built along the Seine, in order to have a bigger storage capacity for rain water and avoid flooding in the city
• Now in Paris? Wish you could stroll around? Find out about virtual sightseeing of the city…

What with the daylight savings time change and now November upon us, it’s getting difficult to pretend winter is not getting closer. The weather has also been trying to drive the point home as it’s been raining on and off and drizzling in the mean time… But there are also highlights to autumn:

• More fall foliage pictures in Paris
• An interesting way to walk around the city: Paris Movie Walks suggests 10 walks following different movies shot in the city of lights! (camera! action!). Sounds ideal for any movie buff looking for an excuse to walk around!
• Paris, the city that sleeps? A petition by artists seems to hint that Paris is indeed likely to become the European capital of sleep, after a number of laws make it harder to organise music events at night in the city. The petition (in French)
• Some three-star chefs have gone cooking in the metro, wish you were there no?
• So the French are slow to pick up on Twitter? But they get artsy about it: a graphic designer has made a poster of his 1000 first tweets and they are now visible on some street walls in Paris
• Apparently, ordering café is more complicated than I thought. Here are nine types of coffee you could order in Paris. I never drink coffee so I don’t know about this but I was definitely surprised to hear the basic coffee is made out of chicory…
• Up until the 10th of November, it’s National French week in the US and this led me to find this nice article explaining what is verlan
• An interesting view of what NOT to do when you come visiting Paris, which does make a number of good points
• An open air (free) concert on the place de la Concorde will take place next Monday in order to commemorate the fall of the Berlin Wall
• Also next week is the 11 novembre bank holiday commemorating the armistice of 1918. Check out all the events that have taken place on that day over the years on Wikipedia from a French point of view (differences with the English version are interesting as well)

As October turns into November, the autumn rain tapping lightly on the window, this weekend on la Toussaint we’ll take a moment to remember those who lived before us. And for American expats, Happy Halloween!

• Eating out with foodies can be a trying experience (not always, it just can be). We’ll make you wait until photographic evidence is taken before you can eat, and we’re probably attracting plenty of weird looks from the other diners too. Still, culinary photography can be rewarding. Case in point – the very first International Festival of Culinary Photography! OK, these folks are professionals but the topic remains the same – beautiful food-related photographs. The festival runs from 6th to 15th November at Bercy Village.
• BBC correspondent, Vincent Dowd took the “Van Gogh Express” to Auvers-sur-Oise just outside of Paris, to follow the footsteps of the famous post-impressionist master.
• Boris Johnson (Mayor of London) wants to build something to rival the Eiffel Tower. Seen as an ambitious vanity project, we’ll see what the winning design will be in the next couple of weeks. And if it’ll be in place by the time Olympics 2012 starts.
• Marché d’Art de la Bastille is currently underway and will remain in place at Place de la Bastille, Place de l’Arsenal, Boulevard Bourdon and Boulevard de la Bastille until Sunday 1st Nov. Ticket costs €8 and hundreds of artists are displaying their works for your perusal, and hopefully, purchase.
• How well do you really know Paris? Get your hand on this book and take the 400-questions quiz. (I need to get me a copy.) In the mean time you can try this simple quiz from National Geographic.
• Paris by Appointment Only brings us back to Deyrolle, ahead of the launch of 1000° C: Deyrolle.
• Hmmmm, a Hamlet-inspired cabaret… Ham. & Ex by Matthias Langhoff will be performing from 5th November to 12th December at Odéon Theatre. To go or not to go, that is the question.
• I may have been watching Ratatouille once too often. After seeing this blogpost on Etablissements Julien Aurouze I pegged it right away as the pest shop featured in the animated movie. A quick google said I was right, yay!
• Interestingly-named exhibition at the Conciergerie, somewhat Halloween-related, is Le sort probable de l’homme qui avait avalé le fantôme, roughly translated as “the probable fate of the man who had swallowed the ghost”. Weird, right?
• Versailles was the centre of political power in France under the reign of King Louis XIV but it is only now that the very first exhibition of the Sun King is being held at the palace which he once held supreme. Some 300 artworks have been gathered to show the king as a leader in war, a patron of arts, a defender of the church and of course, a royal who lived lavishly and in style. “Louis XIV, l’homme et le roi” runs until 7th February 2010, and opens daily except Mondays (and although there’s no mention, I believe it’ll be closed at Christmas and New Year too).

Another round of Metlinks for you, with several events to take note if you’re an art junkie like me. I hope you have a lovely weekend ahead, and oh, if you have something interesting that you wish to share with us, feel free to leave a comment or email us at paris.metblogs@gmail.com :)

• Recognise Mr Chat above? If you can’t have enough of him, Galeries Pierre Cardin is the place to be between now and 5th November. (Sorry about the slightly blurry image above, which was taken on Rue Bonaparte a few months ago.)
• Well the big news a few hours ago – Jean Sarkozy finally caved and abandoned the pursuit of the presidency of EPAD. Business folks at La Defense – a sigh of relief.
• Poor France had to go through a round of play-off in order to play in the World Cup next year in South Africa. They’ll be playing Ireland in a couple of weeks. Ensues torn loyalty for me, as someone who loves both countries. Anyway, in a bid not to have Irish fans overrun Stade de France on match day, only 8,500 tickets would be allocated to Football Association of Ireland.
• Do you find the tales of King Arthur fascinating? If so, here’s something for you. The exhibition La légende du Roi Arthur is currently running at Bibliothèque nationale de France (BNF), until 24th January 2010.
• Two new exhibitions also started this week in Musée d’Orsay which I personally believe to be very interesting. The Art Nouveau Revival is quintessentially French in essence and spirit, and James Ensor’s works on Expressionism are simply haunting and dramatic. Both exhibitions will end on 4th February 2010.
• If sculpture is more of your thing, you should go to Musée Rodin. Pairing 2 masters – Matisse and Rodin – with about thirty years separating them, see how they drew inspirations from and for each other.
• Astérix is turning 50 next week (29th October) and to celebrate this special occasion, about 30 pieces of original works that chronicle Astérix’s adventure, along with some related objects, will be on exhibit at Musée Cluny (aka Musée National du Moyen Âge) from 28th October 2009 to 3rd January 2010.
• Oooo have you heard – La Tour d’Argent are auctioning off some of their finest from their wine cellar! Yes, some bottles would inevitably be overpriced… but if you’re still interested, the address is Salons Hoche (9 avenue Hoche, 75008) and the auction will take place on 7th-8th December.
• Were you at the fake snowball fight while cruising down the Seine?
• Leonora Epstein has just moved to Paris last month and is testing the water in the dating scene. How tricky will it be, with the cultural and language differences? Already, she has just broke up with the guy that she had been seeing in the last month or so. By choice, mind. I can see her logic, being non-French myself, but isn’t all relationship somewhat complicated at one point or another?

So, have you been taking advantage of the Tasting Week and check out any new restaurants? Have you notice the operatic theme to this year’s Salon du Chocolat? Have you sense the city returning to some sort of normalcy now that who’s who in fashion are away from Paris?

• The Paris Fashion Week is over. Since we’re a bit clueless on matters like fashion, we leave you in the good hands of Mademoiselle à Paris who must have like attended a gazillion runway shows. Respect!
• The exhibition “We Want Miles” come to Paris for 3 months, starting today and will run until 17th January 2010, at Cité de la musique. Jazz lovers and Miles Davis’ admirers rejoice!
• Not sure if there’s anyone here who plays around with web design and the likes, but if you do, here’s a font called Parisian that you can download.
• A leading trend in Twitter this past week for Paris is Jean Sarkozy. On the 11th, 12th, 13th… you get the idea. Since the news broke on the 11th, plenty has been written on this as an issue of nepotism. As Times Online said, Sarkozy rules, okay. Of course, the French first family doesn’t think this is nepotism at all… no surprises there.
• Carnavalet fait sa révolution! The Carnavalet Museum is running an exhibition on all things related to the French Revolution. From prints and documents to Marie Antoinette’s shoe, and those in between, numbering approximately 250 items in total. The exhibition will close on 3rd January 2010.
• The International Contemporary Art Fair 2009, niftily acronymed as FIAC 2009, is taking place next week from 22nd to 25th October. The tickets for the exhibits in the Grand Palais and Cour Carrée of the Louvre won’t come cheap, but you can always enjoy the in-situ projects presented at the Tuilleries Garden for free.
• Clotilde Dusolier from Chocolate & Zucchini was live-chatting on Times Online last week, and here’s the Q&A if you missed the event.
• Drat – our radar missed the Pariscience Film Festival! It took place last week from 7th to 11th October, and about 40 scientific films competed for the Grand Prix Pariscience 2009. Congratulations to the crew behind The Music Instinct!
• David Lebovitz has some tips for newbies in Paris, and some of them are absolutely delicious.
• Ugo Rondinone, a Swiss mix-media artist currently has 2 installations in Paris for all to enjoy, for free, as part of the Festival d’Automne. “Sunrise East” features 12 totem-like sculpture at Tuilleries Garden while “How Does It Feels?” at Le Centquartre is a contemporary interplay of neon lights, voice and architecture. Both installations run until 15th November.

So, have you seen the Turkish-colour version of Eiffel Tower? What do you think? Do you like/dislike it? Anyway, here are a few links that caught our attention last week that we’d like to share. And until the next edition, have a good weekend!

• La Fête des Vendanges is back for a 5-days festivities in Montmartre and this year’s theme is “Cabaret – Montmartre celebrates Les Trois Baudets”. The harvest celebration runs from 7th to 11th October (i.e. from a couple of days ago until this weekend). Here’s a nice write-up in English for non-Francophones.
• Guimet Museum is currently hosting “In the land of the Dragon : Sacred Arts of Bhutan.” Not only religious items will be on exhibit, there are also two monks who perform their daily rituals on site, in a specially created space. The exhibition runs until 25th January 2010.
• A new exhibition opens tomorrow at the Grand Palais, entitled “From Byzantium to Istanbul“, and will remain open until 25th January 2010. Like all exhibitions at the Grand Palais, one piece of advice – buy your tickets ahead if you don’t want to queue forever.
• The Arts of Islam : Masterpieces from Khalili Collection is currently underway in Institut du Monde Arabe. About 470 pieces are on exhibit for the first time in Europe, until 14th March 2010.
• Wee fashion news. While celebrated designers showcased their collections during Paris Fashion Week, fashionistas not in attendance flock to the shiny and brand new Uniqlo flagship in Paris. With names like Jill Sanders and Gilded Age, but at a reasonable price, it’s a bargain one wouldn’t want to miss!
• Is Chase Emery Davis one of the youngest bloggers of Paris? Here’s his adventures while Chase’n Paris.
• The circus village is back! A month full of fun and entertainment for families and kids in particular, head to Pelouse de Reuilly and clown about. ;)
• A couple of weeks ago, we asked for help to locate the Cool French Dude. We’ve just found a site that helps “missed connections” like this – courtesy of Invisible Paris – known as Croisé dans le métro.
• A slight diversion but this could be helpful to new residents of Paris. With the healthcare debates ongoing in the USA (have you heard all the crazy things, like “the reform will kill your grandma” etc) Julie Getzlaff is taking a look into healthcare in France, and has so far written Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 and Part 4.
• The 20km of Paris run, in its 30th edition, will be taking place this Sunday, 11th October. The registration has closed but nothing is stopping you from going out and cheer the runners along! It starts at 10am, Pont d’Iena.

“There is but one Paris and however hard living may be here, and if it became worse and harder even – the French air clears up the brain and does good – a world of good.” – Vincent Van Gogh

• Do you know about the scheduled change of colour of the illumination of Eiffel Tower as part of the programme of Saison de la Turquie? The event will take place between 6th-11th October.
• In honour of Brigitte Bardot’s 75th birthday, a special exhibition is running from 29th September 2009 to 31st January 2010 at the Espace Landowski (Boulogne-Billancourt).
• Some of the best chefs of Paris were at Le Fooding event in New York last week. Wish we were there.
• I adore the books of Petit Nicolas and the movie Le Petit Nicolas is now in the theatres! Follow the film trail in Paris with this PDF guide (French/English bilingual).
• Will the presence of a Windows Cafe (and free internet) generate enough buzz to market the upcoming Windows 7 in the city of light?
• Foodbloggers house-swap! Heidi (101 Cookboks) and Clotilde (Chocolate and Zucchini) move to each other’s gaff for 10 days, and this is the account of Heidi’s adventure in Paris.
• 5 day trips from Paris recommended by Viator Travel Blog.
• An innovative idea to get to know Paris, and to see it from a new perspective. See some of Ami Sioux’s Paris by map recommendation.
• The Paris Cycle Show 2009 takes place this weekend at Porte de Versailles. Unfortunately the Paris Motorcycle and Scooter show for this year will not take place and have been rescheduled to next year.
• Last but not least, don’t forget, tomorrow is Nuit Blanche 2009. Check the full programme and plan for a long cultural night out. You can even tour Paris with famous French actresses! ;-)

Another week, and with a blink of an eye, it’s the end of September. As autumnal weather sets in, amusingly enough (at least for a non-fashionista like me), it’s the Spring Summer 2010 Ready-to-Wear collections that will be showcased in Paris Fashion Week (30 September 2009 – 8 October 2009). So how about some links that caught our attention in the last week? (See, we don’t plan seasons ahead) ;-)

• Vogue on Champs-Elysées! 90 years of Vogue covers, some 80 chosen to be exhibited, from 1st October to 1st November 2009. See how fashion evolved, admire the iconic figures gracing the covers and the photographic talent behind them.
• Some 18-19 months after the release of the movie “Paris” in France, it is quite strange to read that the film had just opened in USA on Friday 18 September 2009, with limited release no less. Have you seen it? (I did, and I loved it.)
• Richard Nahem has some recommendations of what to do, when you find yourself with some one hour to spare at a train station in Paris.
• Do you have a question about the French? Ask a Frenchman! And last week his round of bonus answers laced with wonderful wit and tongue-in-cheek responses made my day.
• We love Paris and we’re all for showcasing the city to the world. EnjoYourParis aims to do that, but for visitors to the site to not be able to see anything unless a registration is completed is rather cumbersome in our opinion. What do you think?
• Did you get any free milk on last Tuesday? A rather unusual way to try to win public support by the dairy farmers, but definitely better than just taking to the streets and have a demonstration/strike.
• It’s Fête des Jardins this weekend (26-27 September 2009) so check this interactive map on this portal page and take advantage of the mild autumnal weather to stroll the parks. Take a tour, enjoy free concerts, get gardening tips, etc.
• From 22nd September to 22nd November, let’s honour Iranian photographers among many others from all over the world. Photoquai is exhibiting at Quai Branly (free, open daily) and other galleries around the city (check information here, some are free, some are ticketed).
• Tori Amos and Emilíana Torrini are playing gigs in Paris next week and they shouldn’t be missed. (Links are to FNAC ticketing)
• Last but not least, do you know this Cool French Dude? The search started 7-8 months ago, to no fruition (for now). Can you help? Please pass on the words!

Salut! We return a little early this week with a few more links that caught our eyes in recent days. From “user guide” to Parisians (yes, Parisians) to dining in the sky to kissing intervention (except for the girl who didn’t get the memo).

• Financial Times published an article, sort of an “user guide” to understanding Parisians. Do you agree/disagree with their points?
• The privilege to dine in the air over Tuilleries Garden is €924 per person. Great for the view, terrible for freedom of movements. And great for l’Alliance Maladies Rares that receives a slice of the monies.
• Still keeping to dining with a view, another unusual alternative is to head to Nomiya at the rooftop of Palais de Tokyo. This temporary restaurant will be in place until 1 July 2010, each time (lunch or dinner) seating only 12 person max. The price is more affordable at €60/80 per person for lunch/dinner respectively, wine included. Reservation (do it here) within a month’s time period is essential, and unless you book out all 12 places, expect to share the communal table. You may also book for tours/workshops on the same website.
• No more la bise until the H1N1 flu clears up? The folks are not happy with this recommendation.
• A Taiwanese girl, Yang Ya-ching, however, didn’t receive the no-kissing memo as she’s half-way through her project to kiss 100 men in Paris. She also said on her blog that she wants to write a book, assuming she’s hoping this unconventional project of hers will be published as “Around Paris in 100 Kisses”. Or something like that. On a positive note, the photos look editorial. She has a good photographer.
• During a Dublin-Paris flight, an error made in a turbulence announcement when the cabin crew accidentally played an emergency landing clip prompted panic among French passengers (who either didn’t pay attention or didn’t understand the English announcement). Ops.
• Think of a black and white photograph in post-war Paris, usually of lovers or the theme of life and joy. Chances are, it was the work of Willy Ronis, who sadly passed away last week, at the age of 99.
• For anyone who’s still reminiscing about the 90’s, here’s a party that’s for you! (FB announcement here)
• As Journées du Patrimoine are coming round (19-20 September 2009), Adam (the Invisible Man) recommends the following places to visit.
• Last but not least, some muppets broke into the catacombes and destroyed them, and therefore the place is now shut for the foreseeable future.