Last year, Sue Hilton and Bobby Chitwood weren't any different than my usual Secrets of Paris tour clients. Visiting from Dallas, they'd already been to Paris several times and wanted to see "real" Parisian neighborhoods, vintage shops, and artist ateliers. I met them in their apartment rental in the St-Germain-des-Prés district, and we spent two days touring around Paris, finishing in the charming Butte aux Cailles neighborhood.
A typical street in the Butte aux Cailles
Bobby is a musician and artist, and both of them enjoy good wine. So when we passed by L'Espace 35, where my friend Phiippe Catz conducts private wine tastings and hosts art shows, I thought it might be nice to pop in and say hello (I also wanted to return a book he had loaned me, "Thomas Jefferson on Wine", which describes Jefferson's wine education while living in France as the American Ambassador). We enjoyed a bottle of Saint-Aubin, a Burgundy white, while talking about Paris, art, travel, cultural differences, music...a typically wonderful meeting of internationally-minded people where time just flies by as the bottle empties.
It's moments like these that friendships are formed, and ideas for collaboration spontaneously discussed. So it was no surprise to me when Philppe offered Bobby the opportunity to show his jazz-theme paintings in his gallery space. Happily, despite the trans-Atlantic logistics necessary for this type of show, Bobby and Sue are now back in Paris this week for his show at L'Espace 35, "Scenes from a Solo". At the vernissage on Tuesday there was a packed gallery full of local art lovers and American friends of Bobby and Sue's in town for the show.
Bobby with some of his paintings, oil on wood panels.
Needless to say, the (exceptionally fabulous) wine and Franglais flowed freely, more friendships were forged, I got to humbly take credit for introducing Philippe and Bobby, and even got to meet Rhonda, Sue's friend who originally recommended my tour services -- merci!
If you're looking for something to do this Saturday the 21st of April, come on down to the Butte aux Cailles (the gallery/wine cave is at 35 rue de l'Espérence, métro Corvisart or Tolbiac) for the final day of the show (open 2-7pm). It's also a great time to explore the Butte aux Cailles, its tiny cobblestoned streets, cute garden houses, laid-back cafés, and charming boutiques.
See Bobby Chitwood's art at www.chitwoodart.com.
For wine tastings or the latest art shows at L'Espace 25, contact Philippe Catz at Vinissime.
Bobby Chitwood and Philippe Catz at L'Espace 35.
Monday, May 21, 2012 
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