Newsletter #85: August 2008

IN THIS ISSUE:

* La Rentrée is here!
* Meet the Parisians
* Paris Hotels Update
* Some Paris Websites I Love
* Parisian Art: Where to Find It
* High Tech News: Disposable Portable Phones
* Versailles Update
* Naughty Paris Guide News
* Secrets of Paris Blog & Calendar
* Heather’s Tours and Vacation Planning

* La Rentrée is here! *
While Americans are taking one last long weekend for Labor Day, tomorrow life starts again for the French. It’s back to school and back to work for those who escaped in August. Although the city doesn’t really “close” anymore like it used to in August, it definitely slows down, especially for those of us trying to get any real work done. But the renewed energy of the Rentrée more than makes up for the crowded metro cars (and the fact that everyone has a tan but me). Don’t miss the calendar of events to see all of the upcoming events, starting next weekend with La Parisienne 6k race and open house at the newly restored College des Bernardins. Expect general traffic mayhem when the Popemobile makes its way around the Left Bank during the visit of Benadict XVI the weekend of the 12^th.

* Meet the Parisians *
It used to be hard to find ways to mingle with the locals, but now there are so many MeetUp groups in Paris it would be a shame to miss out, no matter how short your stay. If you’re not familiar with MeetUp, visit www.meetup.com/cities/fr/paris/ and sign up to see all of the different interest groups. Just this week are groups for cooking, acting, stand up comedy, Chamber music, Yoga, movie junkies, Paris expats, British, Australian and Canadian meetups, entrepreneurs, singles, French language, photography, and student exchange. There are also the regular Sunday night “salons” organized by Patricia LaPlant-Collins (www.parissoirees.com), the Sunday Dinners with Jim Haynes (www.jim-haynes.com), and the Thursday afternoon Café Metropole with Ric Erickson (www.metropoleparis.com). Yes, these are events organized by Americans in many cases, but they are often Americans who have lived here longer than some of the Parisians themselves. ;)

* Paris Hotels Update *
New hotels open all of the time in Paris, but there is a whole new crop of unique hotels this season. Parisians have been waiting impatiently for the Philippe Starck designer budget hotel, Mama Shelter, to open this September (rates from €79; www.mamashelter.com). It may be on the edge of town (across from the Fleche d’Or nightclub), but it has free computer access, coffee maker and microwave in each room, and 5-star bedding. After the success of the One by the Five (www.onebythefive.com) in the Latin Quarter, another “one suite hotel” has opened in the Marais, Le Studio 22 (www.lestudio22.com), but how to reserve it? Try emailing marie.thevenin@free.fr. Another hotel to watch (opening in fall) is the Apostrophe (www.apostrophe-hotel.com), a 16-room boutique hotel for poets and artists tucked on a tiny street between Luxembourg Gardens and Boulevard Montparnasse. I’m currently updating the Fodor’s Guide Paris hotels, so check back regularly on the Secrets of Paris website’s Hotel Reviews (www.secretsofparis.com/hotelsaccommodation) for the latest news.

* Some Paris Websites I Love *
Yeah, I know I’m supposed to tell you to read *my* website, but these are so cute I can’t resist recommending them:
Paris Breakfasts (http://parisbreakfasts.blogspot.com) has beautiful watercolors (for sale!) of all of my favorite things (macarons, chocolates, Parisian tearooms).
Le Fooding (www.lefooding.com) has sound effects you can’t turn off, but it’s the best place for foodies to find restaurant reviews, and special fooding events (“Foodstock” is coming in October, stay tuned).

Chic City Rats (www.chic-cityrats.net) if you can read in French and are looking for the latest in design, fashion and art by two Parisian journalists.

* Parisian Art: Where to Find It *
Paris is full of art museums, art galleries, art festivals, artist ateliers…yet it can all still be a big confusing mess if you’re actually shopping for some Parisian art. Easy browsing places include the Place du Tertre (18^th), the Antiquaires du Louvre (1^st), Place des Vosges (4^th) and the weekly open-air “Marché de la Création” art markets at Place de la Bastille (M° Bastille, every Saturday 10am-7pm) and Boulevard Edgar Quinet (M° Edgar Quinet, every Sunday 10am-7pm). Most contemporary art galleries are concentrated around the north end of St-Germain-des-Prés, the north Marais district, and scattered around Montmartre.

Of course, most of the actual artist ateliers are closed except for annual Portes Ouvertes, such as in Belleville each May (check the Secrets of Paris calendar for updates), but if you find an artist whose work you like, you may be able to arrange for a visit. I visited American-born artists Linda McCluskey (www.lindamccluskey.com), who does beautiful Parisian scenes, and Marcus McAllister (www.marcusmcallister.com) who has a weekly “afternoon tea” every Sunday afternoon.

Most of the big galleries are reopening this weekend, so if you want to find out about the latest “vernissages” check out the Officiel des Arts (www.officieldesarts.com), Curiositel (www.curiositel.com), and Paris eVous (www.paris.evous.fr), searchable by arrondissement (under “culture” then “Expositions dans les Galeries”).

* High Tech News: Disposable Portable Phones *
The French company BIC, whose disposable pens and razors already clog landfills around the world, now offer disposable cellular telephones (not that “normal” cell phones are built to last more than a year) in France. For €50 you get a white and yellow plastic phone with 60 minutes of calling time (that’s calls out; in France it’s free to receive calls). Available exclusively (for the moment) at the trendy concept store Colette (213 rue St-Honoré, 1st, www.colette.fr).

* Versailles Update *
The Château de Versailles (www.chateauversailles.fr) has been undergoing extensive renovations over the past few years (the front of the palace remains covered in scaffolding, not great for photos). The Hall of Mirrors is finished, most of the façade facing the gardens is scaffolding-free, and the gilded “Grille Royale” gate has been restored to enclose the Cour Royale in front of the palace. The new visitor’s welcome center is finished, but it certainly doesn’t seem to have made it any easier to navigate the many lines at the entrance. When you first enter the square in front of the château, you’ll see a huge line on the left for he suckers who didn’t buy tickets in advance. The line in the center (going to the wood and glass welcome center) is for those with museum passes and Versailles Passports, and the lines on the right are for groups. If you plan on visiting the palace, then the gardens, then the Trianons and Marie Antoinette’s Hamlet (closed for winter beginning November), consider having a Versailles taxi pick you up at the Porte St-Antoine (at the far end of the Hamlet) to take you back to the train station (or all the way to Paris if you can afford it). Otherwise, you have to walk all the way back (even with the little train in the park, you still have to walk a LOT). Taxi Abeilles: 01 39 50 50 00.

* Naughty Paris Guide News *
Heather’s “Naughty Paris: A Lady’s Guide to the Sexy City” will be on shelves starting this month in North America, and in English bookshops in Paris (such as the Abbey Bookstore, rue de la Parchiminerie, 5^th). You can also buy a signed copy directly from the author at www.naughtyparisguide.com. Stay tuned for launch events and the US book tour in the fall!

* Secrets of Paris Blog & Calendar *
Don’t forget to have a peek at my blog (www.secretsofparis.com), where you’ll find news and photos from Paris in August including the Rock-en-Seine festival, Éclair Weekend, nightlife suggestions, hotel reviews, and the latest news around town. The calendar has just been updated for September as well, don’t miss any of the great events (www.secretsofparis.com/paris-calendar).

* Heather’s Tours and Vacation Planning *
Coming to Paris and want to make the most of your trip? Don’t have any friends here to show you around and give you the lowdown on all of the best places to eat, shop and go out at night? Read about my custom tours and vacation planning services on the Secrets of Paris website: http://www.secretsofparis.com/customtours/ Secrets of Paris tour prices haven’t changed since 2005!

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This is an opt-in and opt-out newsletter managed by YourMailingListProvider.com (www.YMLP.com). If you want to change the address that this newsletter is sent to, then you need to click on the “unsubscribe” link at the bottom of the newsletter, the go to the subscription page http://www.secretsofparis.com/subscribe.htm to enter your new e-mail. I’m still getting emails from people asking me to do this for them. Or at least that’s what I hear, because it seems those emails get lost to the Spam Recycle Bin before I get a chance to do anything about it…. ;)