Newsletter #113: December 19, 2011
Tuesday, December 20, 2011 
In This Issue:
Christmas in Paris
Holiday Dining Options in Paris
More Francophile Gift Ideas
RIP George Whitman
Charities Need Your Talent
Merry Paris Blog
The Census is Coming
La Poste Goes Mobile
Affordable Pilates Classes
100 Things Parisians Should Do
The Muslims of France
David Lebovitz's Paris Pastry App
Christmas in Paris
Ho ho ho and a bottle of rum! Or better yet, a mug of vin chaud to ward off the winter chill that has finally descended on Paris in all its soggy splendor. It’s looking like it won’t get cold enough to snow again this Christmas, but there are plenty of other fun holiday events around town to keep you distracted through the new year. The usual lineup includes the Christmas Villages (aka Marchés de Noël), the Grande Roue ferris wheel at the Place de la Concorde, ice skating in front of the Hôtel de Ville or on the Eiffel Tower, the carnival rides at the Grand Palais, the kids’ winter sports village at the Stade Charlety, free merry-go-rounds for the kids all over the city, the window decorations of the Grands Magasins, and an exceptional opening of the Carnival Arts Museum at Bercy Village (in the photo below). Find the full details in my article, “Holiday Activities in Paris”.
Holiday Dining Options in Paris
Looking for some dining options for Christmas or New Year’s Eve? Check out the great Paris by Mouth Holiday Guide. Which includes a list of well-known places that will be closed.
If you can afford it, the Yachts de Paris offer two different New Year’s Eve cruises, €€545-€645 with gourmet dinner. Perhaps it’s a bit of a cliché’d thing to do, but only because it really is a beautiful cruise with exceptional food (unlike the blah package dinner cruises usually have).
And for those of you who can’t be bothered with special meals or reservations, you’ll find plenty of places open in Chinatown in the 13th arrondissement (in the Ave d’Ivry, Ave de Choisy, Blvd Masséna triangle).
More Francophile Gift Ideas
The perfect gift for Francophiles (or anyone who could use some convincing that they need to book a trip to Paris) is a subscription to the quarterly France Magazine, just $19.97 for a year of French culture, travel and art de vivre (type in promotion code “joyeux11” for a free issue with any subscription).
And for something you won’t find back home, how about an authentic “Made in France” pair of men’s underwear in bleu, blanc or rouge from Le Slip Français.
For something a bit less, er, intimate, you can also pick up a French rugby jersey at Eden Park (yes, their logo is a pink bowtie, but no one is going to make fun of a hulking rugby player even if he’s wearing pink). The main store is at St Germain des Près, 11-13 Rue Lobineau, 6th.
For French café and brasserie aficionados, most of the city’s legendary establishments now sell souvenirs, including Le Grand Colbert (aprons, glasses, tea cups) and Café de Flore (their hot chocolate set is adorable).
If you’re looking for something special that’s also useful and gorgeous, check out the couture and vintage umbrellas at Parasolerie Heurtault at the Viaduc des Arts (85 avenue Daumesnil, 12th, M° Bastille). There are also sun parasols, elegant models for men, embroidered parasols for brides...you're covered!
RIP George Whitman
George Whitman, the founder of the famous Shakespeare & Company Bookshop, passed away at the age of 98 on December 14th. Originally from America, he opened Le Mistral Bookshop in the Latin Quarter in 1951, changing the name to Shakespeare & Company to honor of Sylvia Beach’s original shop near Odéon, which closed during WWII. Most people know it as the historic home of the Beat Generation poets and writers, or for today's annual literary festival attracting notable writers from around the world. Or for the free bed in the library upstairs that so many backpackers occupied over the decades. I met one of my best friends at this bookshop. But it's not a time to be sad. Now under the careful and dedicated management of his daughter, Sylvia Beach Whitman, I’m sure George Whitman's legacy will continue. The funeral will be held at Père Lachaise Cemetery this Thursday, December 22, at 3pm in the Crematorium, followed by a Champagne reception at the bookshop at 6pm, where “everyone is welcome to share their stories.”
Read some excellent tributes to George in the LA Times, the New York Times, and The UK Guardian.
Charities Need Your Talent
Living in France and looking to volunteer your time? Have you ever considered donating your professional talents to help others? The organization Passerelles et Compétences helps bring together professionals in marketing, law, accounting, sales, information technology, graphic design, translation, human resources, and administrative management to help out non-profits who need a bit of your brain power for specific projects (making a website, recruitment, creating a marketing campaign, logo creation, etc)
Merry Paris Blog
Merry Paris is a new site for residents of Paris (in French) from the Mairie de Paris. It’s a casual, ad-free blog that serves to highlight the many services the City Hall provides (without seeming too dry), organized into six main topics: Solidarité, Logement, Parents, Sorties, Humeurs and Travail. Do check out their handy downloadable PDF's on these topics as well.
The Census is Coming
From January 19 through February 25th, government agents with their tricolored ID cards will be knocking on doors to ask 8% of the country’s population questions for the census. If you’re a foreigner living in Paris, be sure to answer the questions so we can be counted! Not convinced? Here’s an interesting article on why it’s important to participate in your national census.
La Poste Goes Mobile
Looking to reduce your monthly phone bill? La Poste now offers mobile phone packages with better rates than the major carriers. For example, the Smartphone package with unlimited phone, text and MMS is only €59/month, with no minimum engagement, and Android phones starting at €1 (you can also use any unblocked smartphone and save €5/month on 3-hour and 6-hour packages). For those of you just visiting, you can buy a pay-as-you-go phone at any post office for €30.
Affordable Pilates Classes
Pilates classes are usually quite pricey in Paris, especially if you’re just looking to keep up your practice while visiting. But the municipal classes at the fitness center of the Josephine Baker pool are just €10 per session, or €80 for 10 classes. And the views over the Seine are fabulous!
100 Things Parisians Should Do
The French daily newspaper Le Figaro just published, in its Figaroscope weekly entertainment guide, a list of "100 Things All Parisians Should Do at Least Once." I scored a 46 out of 100, not bad for a foreigner (even if I’ve had 16 years to accumulate a better score). It’s all in French, bien sûr, but I’ve translated a bit of the list (and the snarky comments by Parisians who hate being told what to do) in my article here.
The Muslims of France
The English news network Al Jazeera World has produced a fascinating three-part documentary on the Muslims of France. “As issues of immigration and integration raise Europe's political temperature, this three-part series examines the history of Muslim immigration to France - a country where debate continues to rage over how to reconcile a long-standing tradition of secularism with religious diversity. Today, there are an estimated five million Muslims living in France. A century ago, they were referred to as "colonials". During the 1960s, they were known as "immigrants". Today, they are "citizens". But how have the challenges facing each generation of immigrants changed? The third and final part of the series tells the stories of the young Muslims who grew up in France and entered adulthood at a time of economic crisis, massive unemployment and rampant social problems.” It’s one of the best documentaries in English I’ve ever watched on the topic, highly recommended.
David Lebovitz's Paris Pastry App
If you haven’t yet heard the news, last month was the launch of the new iPhone app Paris Pastry, featuring over 300 of the best pastry, chocolate, candy and hot chocolate shops in Paris, with reviews and photos by pastry chef and author David Lebovitz. Now you can also get a free sneak preview of the Top 25 with the Paris Pastry Lite version, also available in the iTunes store. If you already have it, or plan on going on a diet starting January 1st, then why not buy it for a friend? Don’t have an iPhone? Stay tuned for the eBook version readable on any portable device. www.paris-pastry.com
George Whitman, Muslim, Noel, holidays, pastries, phone, pilates, wine | in Newsletter 
Reader Comments (2)
There is a lovely picture of Christmas tree, could you please advise where it has been taken? Thank you