Cool Paris

Not like in the fifties where the Jazz scene was very vibrant in Paris, the live music scene in Paris is not a big hit.

Close to Rue Oberkampf, in the heart of the 11th arrondisment, The International Bar is something of a revelation for the local Parisian live music scene. It hosts two bands a night, every night of the week, completely free of charge with relatively cheap drinks and a laid back atmosphere. The music runs the gamut from rock, electro, folk, pop and world.

The crowd is as eclectic as the music styles but is becoming increasingly popular with young dressed down hipsters, students and ex-pats. Most come for the 4 euro pints at happy hour (finishing at 9pm) and stay on for the free live music. The bar stays open until 2am during the week and until 4am on the weekends. After the bands finish, DJ’s play an eclectic mix of everything from Prince to Joy Division to Lauren Hill.
The space accommodates two separate bars each with their own ambiance. The ground floor bar is warmly lit with rough concrete flooring and simple furnishings. Stencil art and posters hang on the walls along with video projections and abstract sculptures lending it the feel of a messy artist’s studio or co-location. The downstairs bar is a 200+ capacity band room with a low ceiling and the ubiquitous sticky carpets and dark corners that typifies rock’n'roll.
The drink selection includes cocktails and tap beers as well as a couple of decent wines. For snacks, the upstairs bar also does a nice trade in hotdogs and will serve up free popcorn and chips/crisps during happy hour.

From Champs-Elysee to Montmartre there is no shortage of expensive clubs and bars with DJ’s spinning the latest dance music for an increasingly bovine audience but if you feel more in the mood to enjoy a beer, catch up with friends and see a local French band then head down to The International Bar.

Out of the text by Joel Ma

The International Bar,5/7 Rue Moret,75011, Paris, M°: Menilmentant, Parmentier, Rue St Maur

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Tired of shopping, looking for a peacefull heaven, just jump in at Musée E.Delacroix at the nice Place Furstenberg.
At Vingt I read that there is an interesting exhibition. Text by Tiffany Tang
“The Musée national Eugène Delacroix presents its first private collection acquired by Karen B. Cohen – an exhibition encompassing works from exclusive purchases at public auctions to modestly priced paintings, preparatory works, sketches, manuscripts and copies of the Old Masters – offering a panoramic view of the artist’s career through the variety of subjects represented in his works. The selection of 90 works is now returned to the walls of the artist’s studio, on which they once were, until the sale of the premise in 1894.

Aside from the renowned pieces, this exhibition covers the lesser-known works by Delacroix, which includes copies of the Old Masters Raphael and Rubens, illustrations on works of Shakespeare and George Sand, paintings on religious subjects, savage wildlife, as well as glimpses of the Moroccan livelihood and the natural landscapes of Valmont the artist observed during his travel, which are rarely shown in public. These specially selected pieces are presented alongside borrowed works from Musée du Louvre and other public collections, thus offering a comprehensive view on the development of the Delacroix’s artistic maneuver and revealing his source of inspiration. A majority of the exhibited works will return to the collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art of New York after the exhibition, of which Karen B. Cohen is an honorary trustee.

Musée national Eugène Delacroix, 6 ,rue de Furstenberg, 75 006 Paris, M° Saint-Germain
Open every day except for Tuesdays from 9.30pm to 5pm.

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Musée Bourdelle presents an ambitious exposition devoted to Isadora Duncan, one of the sources of inspiration for Antoine Bourdelle. The exposition recreates the intellectual and artistic context of an epoch and celebrating this pioneer dancer. It traces the tumultuous life and career of Isadora Duncan through photographs, works of art and documents.  The exhibition concludes with an examination of the relationship between Isadora Duncan and Antoine Bourdelle and the works of art that it inspired.

Musée Bourdelle, 18, rue Antoine Bourdelle,75015 Paris,M° : Montparnasse – Bienvenüe / Falguière

Open from Tuesday to Sunday from 10am to 6pm until March 14, 2010.

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In the Aerolineas Argentinas Magazine of Dec 2009 :

The sense of smell can stir-up potent memories. Certain aromas allow to relive an infinite array of events, as they transport us to different places and times where memories interact with imagination and fantasy.

Paris, apart from being an elegant city par excellence, is the capital of perfume. While there are thousands of ways to experience this unique place which combines flavors and fragances, it’s the city of Grasse where the finest aromas can be found.

But at Rue Scribe, near the Garnier Opéra House, in an old theater, a museum/boutique reveals infinite secrets and curiosities about the manufactering of fragances. Upon crossing through the doorway, one can admire all the distillation stages involved in the elaboration of the different aromas until discovering the marvelous collection of objects linked with perfume making.  Perfume as it’s known today became a liquid in the late XIV century after having originally been a solid.

With a familiar spirit and the hand crafted values that it represents, Fragonard has succeeded in crossing borders to make the sense of smell a uniquely pleasant experience. There are also free guided tours.

Fragonard, 9, Rue Scribe, 75009 Paris, M° Opéra

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