Monday, November 10, 2008

Le Palace's new life


Le Palace was a mythical place when I was young. It was the equivalent to what Studio 54 was in New York in the 80's 70's: the club to be! It was closed in 1983 after its owner died and did not really reopened until a few days ago, after it's been turned into a theater again (see more of its history here). I'm also happy to post this photo today because it brings me back to when I started PDP with my little Sony compact camera: I posted a photo of Le Palace on April 8, 2005 ending the caption with "Nobody knows what the Palace is going to become." Now I know! Time flies and PDP has already a history!

38 comments:

  1. Oh, I love such historical markers, with the link to your first post. The squared-on composition is a favorite of mine too. And the colors! The touch of green on the chairs, and the yellow in the left window are just right.

    We need to remember your blog anniversary this coming year - 4!

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  2. uselaine -- I've been refreshing for an hour or more, but I just got distracted by the people in my house -- and you got it fair and square.
    That said, I don't really know this place, Eric (after my time?) -- but I did used to be at Regine's or Chez Castel practically every night (in fact, Castel would give up about 3 or 4 AM, hand us the keys, and say "Help yourselves to whatever you want, and lock the door when you leave."
    Do love this photo -- so colorful, so graphic, so Eric!

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  3. Lovely, colourful photo, Eric and how interesting to look back. The most amazing thing is on the first photo you made of this, you only had 2 comments! Just look at you now, there are queues of us on here, fighting for space and making friends in the process. What a marvellous catalyst you have been for international friendship.

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  4. Eric, what a cool story and retrospection,ie April 2005 photo and this one. Merci for your efforts on our behalf. A daily dose of PDP with a cup of strong Joe makes my day. Besides, what's not to love about mythical places and palaces in Paris...that suddenly become realities? ;-)

    High five USElaine!

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  5. Oh how wonderful! PDP is such a great part of Paris' history now, I love it!

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  6. How fun to revisit the past with something that has been revitalized and brings such fond memories. :)

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  7. Eric, I think you meant "Studio 54 in New York in the 1970's. I went there only once. The owner of Penthouse magazine had bought it for the night, and he invited me (just as a guest, he was married). I think it was 1973 or 1974. It was during it's "Hay Day". When it closed, it had become infamous because of all the drugs and related lawsuits. During the end, I would see articles in the newspapers a lot about the arrest of the owners, etc.

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  8. Hope you don't mind, but I've posted yesterday's photo on my blogpost today -- I've given you full credit, of course, and linked to the Tea Time post. It's such a wonderful shot, the black-and-white so well suited to the subject, the respectful distance of the camera balanced with a hint of intimacy -- very warm! And the woman herself so chic in that marvellous hat. Merci!

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  9. We went there often in '89, (my student year in Paris: Les Bains was supposedly notoriusly difficult to get into...) Grace Jones was there one night...

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  10. Very cool photo. I'd love to see a night photo of this some day; all that neon lit up would be fantastic! Neat that they renovated this place and turned it into a theatre. I would love to see Valerie Lemercier here; I think she's a very funny actress. (Carrie any interest in going and giving us a report?) I liked her in "Fauteuils d'orchestre" (called "Avenue Montaigne" in the US).

    Uselainie I'm happy to pass the GF crown to you. I could have just driven it up to you from Berkeley!

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  11. I find this photo to be very appealing, largely due to the colors and the lone cafe table at the bottom right. It is fun to imagine what may have taken place there during the drug and sex days of the disco period.
    Je vous remercie, Eric.

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  12. Alexa - I couldn't believe the "0" comments when I saw it and the time signature of the post. I even typed really slowly...

    Coltrane - Back atcha bro! Hey, what's the deal with Missouri?

    Katie - I have yet to meet a single PDP/CDPB person in meatspace. I'm starting to question your reality. Meanwhile, I'm having the rim of the crown fitted with a band of neon.

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  13. I love this photo! It is so...French. Great stories, too.

    "Meatspace"?

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  14. Wow!! I love Valerie LeMercier!!! The old place hardly looks the same!! Both pictures are terrific and April 8th is a very important but sad day for me. Great colors...

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  15. After our second trip to Paris in May 2005 (avec Craig et sa femme), he found PDP and sent me the link. I've been an addict ever since, which led to badgering him to host...well, the rest is PDP history. I will need to see Le Palace next time. Now, can you imagine M. PDP et notre Reine up on the balcony at night, waving to the crowd? What a scene. I suppose I wouldn't get in--only the very chic are allowed.

    Two hands tonight. Wow.

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  16. I love the composition of this and the whimsical feel of the structure. Gorgeous, graphic shot. (And Elaine... meatspace?!?)

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  17. Meatspace = Not cyberspace, aka The Real World, breathing the same air.

    I got that term from a professor of medical pathology who lives in Cleveland, and was active on Librivos. I never met him either.

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  18. It's great how places reinvent themselves constantly (especially in Paris) and sometimes come around full circle, as this place is doing. Lovely post.

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  19. Yesterday is History, tomorrow is mistery and today is a gift...the Palace revival is indeed a real gift!

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  20. Since we're talking about the 70's (you're right Lois, I meant the 70's not the 80's even though the Palace was big in the 80s too) here is a little surprise, especially for you! Will you spot me?

    Alexa, it's weird you don't know the Palace after what you told me in NYC. But yes, it was probably after "your time" (It opened in the late seventies if I remember and was closed for good in 1996 (actually after Regine tried to buy it!)

    Materfamilias. Of course I don't mind. Quite the contrary, I feel honored ;)

    Jakubowski. Yes Grace Jones was the one on stage on the opening nigh (in March 1977) and she probably appeared several times after.

    Katie. Yes, I wanted to take a night shot too, but at the moment it's not easy for me. I will eventually. I love Valérie Lemercier too.

    Guitare Manouche "It is fun to imagine what may have taken place there during the drug and sex days of the disco period. " Yes, but it ended pretty badly...

    Tonton, sorry to hear the 8th is a bad memory for you.

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  21. BTW. if you read French, here is the most comprehensive website I could find about the Palace.

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  22. Looks a little small for a Palace ;) Cute shot, though. Nice paint job, too ;)

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  23. Eric, Yes -- I see you! You are in the front row, the 3rd gentleman from the left or 2nd gentleman from the right. Almost dead center. Merci for sharing your school memories -- I just adore this B&W school photo.

    Merci for the links too!

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  24. I'm way to young even remember .Studio 54 or much less the 7o's.
    I'm still really young{25}..heeetee
    anyway-- hmmm I can only imagine what this much of been like in it's hay day!! It's amazing it's still got it's orignal color+such a great paint job on it still.

    When I clicked on the site
    'Le Palace'.I epesh.like this photo <3
    http://www.lepalace.info/sommaire.html
    {the black/white photos}

    and I love history!!

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  25. Merci Eric!!

    We had the same haircut in the 70's...and I wore glasses in High School and University also!! LOL!!!

    Were you at FAC or Lycee when this shot was taken?? I finished high school in 1971..and College in '75..Ohhh..Memories!!

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  26. That certainly required courage, M. PDP! Great photo. Those are always good for a laugh--in my case, it chokes!

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  27. LOL Jeff

    Tonton, it was apparently 79 (I thought 78), my last year of high School. What we call "Terminal" (at the end of which you have to take "Le Baccalauréat")

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  28. Nice classmate photo, Eric! Those are always fun. I don't know if I'd have the courage to post mine on an active blog!

    Gorgeous photo of Le Palace. I wish I could get as good of a makeover! Love the red, love the little bistro table. It looks out of place.

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  29. Oh Eric! I love the photo from the 70's! You look so pensive.

    What a walk down memory lane - I remembered the first photo of the Palace from having gone thru the old posts. I was shocked to see the inside -- I expected a club, not a theater. It surprised me to see this space open up behind what looks like a storefront to those of us not from the city. I went to a lot of clubs in the 80's (too poor in the 70's (!) and they did leave a lot of memories.

    I worked on gaining some memories today: shopping to set up house at Monoprix, trying to get a metro card, trying to get tickets to Versailles, walking the islands, eating a Berthillon ice cream, and taking some twilight photos that I hope came out. Many things were tougher than I hoped, abut still, a great day. Tonight I made a huge pot of vegetable soup and tomorrow I'm going to go at 7 to the street market to replenish the veggies. Saturday there is a free concert at St Merri near me. Its been two days and seems like two weeks! What a city!! Time to faire dodo.

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  30. Gosh I knew you immediately - you've not changed a bit. lol! How handsome, how relaxed, casual, like nothing is ever going to phase you. Ah, Er-ic! Love it. x

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  31. Lucio if you call in; I couldn't leave a comment at your site but the Little Prince is one of my favourite stories! :)

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  32. Ah, well, you are a year younger than me after all. I was born in February, '59. I suspect you have a birthday coming up in January(?). It's marvelous how our postures and gestures endure, and probably echo the specifics of a thread of our ancestors.

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  33. UsElaine you are just two months older than I. Wow we're all of an ilk, aren't we, a lot of us here!

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  34. Hahahaha!!! That's a great picture!!

    I recognized you right away, too, (it's actually pretty hard not to! ;) Pretty cool. I do hope this was not the "official" yearbook photograph, though ;)

    These kinds of photographs are priceless!

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  35. Carrie! Have a fabulous time in Paris. Shopping the markets for veggies. What a simple pleasure. Walking the islands. Is it cold? Does it matter?

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