Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Jungle Paris


Here are two scenes of Paris that are both hard to imagine and fascinating: The Pompidou center on the left and the Eiffel Tower on the right, surrounded by the jungle! I found these two photos at an art gallery opening last evening and I really loved them. They were made by Chris Morin, an artist who likes to depict present places hundreds of years from now, just like we can now visit ancient sites that are surrounded with trees and plants and partly destroyed. Very interesting. See other places on his site.

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

A matter of timing


It's not easy to capture a skate boarder in the air! I guess I was lucky (of course having a continuous mode on your camera helps too LOL). I took this photo at Bastille, where skaters gather during weekends. I wish I could do that!

Monday, November 28, 2011

Eiffel Tower in the mist part II!


Let's start the week from anoter riverside point of view. I took it Saturday evening on a way back from a dinner party in the 15th, from the Pont Mirabeau bridge (this time I remember the bridge I was on!). There is not much to add, is there?

Sunday, November 27, 2011

An evening at Le Pranzo


Last evening (Saturday) I went to Le Pranzo, a small theater where you can see young stand up comedians that are not yet well known. I went to see Alexandre Barbe, a young man who is undoubtedly very talented and truly funny (well to my taste). I had a wonderful evening. Check for yourself (if you understand French).

Saturday, November 26, 2011

The big mosque of Paris


I've showed you many churches on this blog, but I never showed you any mosque. And though we have several in Paris, including THE big Mosque of Paris, a unique monument built in 1916 in honor of the 70 000 Muslims who died soldiers for France during the first World war. The place is a definite must see for it's not only a mosque, but also an ideal place to relax ( at the hammam) and have a tea - or a meal - in the restaurant/tea room. It's located in the 5th arrondissement not far from Le jardin des plantes. More on the website.

Friday, November 25, 2011

Another sunset over Paris...


I've had a hard day I deserve to go to bed early like the sun did over Paris yesterday... I'm not sure what the bridge in the background is - probably the Pont aux Changes. The road on the right is a sort of highway that crosses Paris from the west to the east; the Paris mayor wants to close it by the end of his "reign". Car owners disagree, pedestrians love the idea...

Thursday, November 24, 2011

Winter in one month, really?


I can hear you from here: "I wish so much I'd be in this guy's shoes right now..." I bet you would LOL. Not only is he enjoying a nice baguette sandwich (OK, I'm making up the baguette part...), but on top of that, it's almost like spring in Paris at the moment. Today is November 24 and the forecast says it'll be 14°c (57° F) in the afternoon (+5° compare to a "normal" November)! A-ma-zing! I took this photo near Notre Dame BTW, where they are currently installing the big Christmas tree - which I will show you eventually of course ;-) BTW(2) Happy Thanksgiving to all my American visitors - Go easy on the Turkey LOL!

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

On high horses...


If you visited Paris, here is a scene that will probably remind you of something. It shows La Samaritaine in the background - a department store that was named after a water pump located right by the Pont Neuf - and the statue of King Henri the IVth (of France, not Henry the IVth of England), a king that all French pupils remember for he is said to have made sure that all French households would eat at least a chicken a week (there was no KFC at that time LOL). The Samaritaine is currently closed and is being turned into a hotel and shops, which is a shame because from the rooftop you could enjoy one of the most beautiful views in Paris.

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Sunset on the Ponts des Arts


The light was really beautiful when I passed Le Pont de Arts towards 4 o'clock this afternoon and I could not help, but stopping and taking a photo. It's an easy picture I know, but who cares! FYI le Pont des arts (the original one) was completed in 1804 and it was the first metal bridge in Paris. There was a toll to cross it originally, but I don't know when they stopped it (it would be very odd today if we had to pay to cross the river...). It has been totally renovated between 1981 and 1984 after a péniche hit it.

Monday, November 21, 2011

The perfect walk...


No I did not take this photo in the middle of Le Bois de Boulogne or de Vincennes, but right behind the Bastille place (you can even see the open air metro station sign in the foreground) where boats owners can dock their yacht. This place is called Le port de l'Arsenal, I already mentioned it many times (like last summer), but I'm never tired of showing it! Not to forget that it's a fabulous place to have a walk - or even fish! BTW did you notice the beautiful light and the sun reflection? Well, that's the kind of weather we're enjoying in Paris at the moment. Amazing (I did not even turn on the heating yesterday!). Very unusual...

Sunday, November 20, 2011

Sex in the city


Sex in the city is not the title of a television series, but... the name of an exhibition that just opened yesterday (Saturday) in Paris. Like you can see, it's already very successful (sex is always a good sales boost - even though this exhibition is actually free). What can be seen inside? Well I don't really know as I did not visit it, but a little bird told me you can see all sorts of sex toys, games, lingerie... you name it! All this to raise Aids awareness (yeah, right!). More in these videos.

Saturday, November 19, 2011

Without a shadow of a doubt


I took this photo at the bottom of Tour Saint-Jacques, the tower they renovated recently and that I showed you several times (here, here, here and here!). You'd think this would be a statue of Saint Jacques, but... it is not. It's the one of Blaise Pascal, a famous French mathematician and philosopher who, among other things, invented in 1642, the first calculator (mechanical at that time, obviously...). Why is here there? Because he is said to have prevented the destruction of a church that was previously on these premises. BTW, around this tower, there is a little square, which apparently was the first square in Paris (1856).

Friday, November 18, 2011

Giant dog


Here is a dog that won't leave any nasty droppings on the pavement... I found it in the 17th arrondissemen, inside a little courtyard. from what I could see, he belongs to Aastroem Munier BBN, a communications agency ;-) FYI since 2002 dog owners must pick up after their "Medor" (Medor is kinda like "Rocky", a generic name for dogs), ,so the streets of Paris are not that polluted anymore (well at least in some neighborhoods!)

Thursday, November 17, 2011

Golden Blog Awards night


I'm just back from the... French Golden Blog Awards night that was taking place at the Hotel de Ville (city town hall). Huge event, very successful, so successful I had to wait 3 quarters of an hour outside before entering (see the little red square at the end of the line? The entrance was way beyond that point!). It was worth it though, the event was nice, the scenery was too (remember the ceiling?) and the company even more. Did I win an award? Nah, I did not, but the competition was really tough, so it's fair. Sorry I cannot show you the winners yet, because they haven't been posted on the Golden blog awards site yet, but I will (yeah, cause that's the kind of guy I am ;-))

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Music!


No Paris scenery, no historical facts... today, just a lifestyle photo. I see more and more people with huge - well I consider to be huge! - headsets like this in the streets of Paris and I can't helping thinking of the "old times", when headsets used to be more like ear plugs ;-) Am I showing my age? Er... yes probably LOL! I like the photo though.

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

The Messenger


Ossip Zadkine is a French sculptor of Russian origins who died in 1967. There is a museum dedicated to his work at rue d'Assas (in his former home), but there are also several of his sculptures throughout Paris. One of them is called Le Messager (the messenger) and it's located at Quai d'Orsay ; from what I read, it was made after a wooden sculpture that was made for the World exhibition of 1937. As you can see, the weather is still lovely in Paris at the moment...

Monday, November 14, 2011

Sunday at rue Montorgueil


Lovely day in Paris again this Sunday... I went to rue Montorgueil, a famous street near les Halles, that used to be a working class area in the old times and is now a "Bobo" hangout (bobo stands for BOurgeois BOhème, that is people with money who want to live the Bohème lifestyle). It's a very nice street, no cars - or almost none! - lots of little cafés and shops, historical restaurants like L'Escargot-Montorgueil that was founded in 1875, or the famous Stohrer patisserie founded in 1730 that Queen Elisabeth visited in 2004 (they are pretty proud of it!). It's also the street where this video clip was shot!

Sunday, November 13, 2011

Mélodie & Nicolas!


I took this photo in front of La Comédie Française, a theater which facade they are currently redoing. On this facade someone wrote Mélodie & Nicolas (probably the names of two lovers who wanted claim their love to the world ;-)), but when I took the photo, I caught these two kids on my "film". It's very unlikely that they are called Mélodie & Nicolas, but I think it makes a real cool photo.

Saturday, November 12, 2011

Sacré Coeur in the mist


Those of you who have been following PDP for some time now will probably remember the Eiffel Tower in the mist photo (big hit!), well, now look at what I saw yesterday evening on my way to dinner at Montmartre... It was really stunning. Let's us not forget that the Sacré Coeur is located on a hill  (130 meters - 426 feet). Not very high, but it does play a role when it comes to "'touching the clouds...". Have a nice weekend everyone.

Friday, November 11, 2011

11/11/11!


Today is November 11, the day we celebrate the end of WWI (this year it's also a palindrome date, but that's another story). We have no more alive veterans from that war, so in theory no more reasons to continue celebrating its end, but I think it's good we still do so. 1) because it's a holiday ;-), 2) because it reminds us that about 100 years ago (and 60 if you consider WWII) there were still wars between European countries. Something that is now totally unthinkable. This, by the way, is a statue of Maréchal Foch, the very one who signed the armistice with Germany on November 11, 1918. You can see it at Champs de Mars, near Ecole Militaire.

Thursday, November 10, 2011

The PDP calendars are out!


Here is another photo I took at the Petit Palais while I was visiting in the inside garden. unfortunately I forgot to make a note of the sculptor's name, so there is not much I can tell you about them. Instead I'll seize the opportunity to let you know that the 2012 PDP calendars are just off press (well, off Zazzle!) and that  there is even a 30% off offer until midnight Pacific time. Like last year, there is a  B&W version and a color one. I hope you'll like them.

Wednesday, November 09, 2011

Paris Silhouettes


To be honest, I did not know of photographer Alexandre Vitkine, but when I saw this poster promoting his work at rue Drouot, I took a closer look... Apparently he was born in Berlin in 1910, and became a photographer then a sculptor after he pursued a career in industry as an electromechanical engineer. He played a lot with "silhouettes" in his photo work. I'll probably have a look at them at La Galerie at rue Bonaparte.  

Tuesday, November 08, 2011

Fall/Autumn


Here is my fall/autumn photo of the year! I took it this weekend, when the weather was still nice. The red rectangle belongs to a little "museum" shop that they installed in front of the Museum des arts premiers" (the quai Branly museum) in the 7th arrondissement. I love the game of shadows.

Monday, November 07, 2011

A world premiere?

This may not be the most beautiful photo you've ever seen on PDP, but it's one that is worth remembering... Why? Because it shows an Autolib station being installed. Autolib? It's the car equivalent to Velib. Now I can hear you from here: "What? he dares calling this a world premiere, whereas in my city we have had Car sharing for years now..." All wrong. What you have is "hourly car rental": you take a car down the street, but you have to bring it back where you took it, within a pretty precise time frame. With Autolib, you take the car at the nearest station and you drop it at the closest station near your destination. And when you return, you do the same. This way you only pay for a small journey. The service will open in December, I'll come back to it, of course...

Sunday, November 06, 2011

Another good address...


Here is a place you have to make a note of, if you come to Paris. You'll find it right in the heart of Paris, off the Champs Elysées, but you'll be surprised how quiet it is! Why? Because it's located right in the middle of Le Petit Palais... Tip: when you walk in ask for a free ticket to the "permanent collections", you can then walk in to this little secluded garden and enjoy a two course meal (including a glass of wine and coffee) for 24 € ! BTW, I took this photo Friday morning, as you can see we're having a sort of Indian summer at the moment.

Saturday, November 05, 2011

Building Europe...


President Sarkozy and Obama were interviewed on television last evening and it was a first. This shows how tough the times are. We're trying to build a unified Europe, but it's not easy (like it was probably not easy to build the United States over 200 years ago). They talked about friendship, confidence and trust. Of course these are politician words, but still, it felt good to have some support (even if the US economy is not exactly in better shape than the one of Europe actually. But who's counting?!) Have good weekend everyone, how about a little Ouzo with your Pasta?

Friday, November 04, 2011

A drink by the Palais Royal


If you came to Paris, you probably went to the Palais Royal (Royal Palace), and you probably had a drink at this café called Le Nemours, right by the entrance of the Palace (facing the Place Colette, from where I took this photo) . It's a very nice location to sit and watch the people go by, as I did this morning while I was having breakfast (actually it looks empty in this photo because I took it very early, but it's generally very busy!).

Thursday, November 03, 2011

Escargots


I may be French, I don't remember having ever eaten escargots... And I still haven't, even if I had dinner last night with someone who had some! It was near the Invalides, in a restaurant called Café de l'Esplanade, where they serve them in a very nice way I must say (notice the "mouillettes", these little slices of bread, that you normally dunk into soft boiled eggs, but that can also be useful to absorb the garlic sauce that comes with escargots - and that make them tasty, I'm told...). Bon appétit (pronounced the Julia Childs' way...).

Wednesday, November 02, 2011

Eglise Saint Roch


It's been a while since I've shown you a Paris Church... So here is Saint Roch, a beautiful church located at rue Saint Honoré. It was built between 1653 and 1722, it's one of the largest ones in Paris (even though it is hard to tell as it is surrounded with buildings) and it is known for being "the home of the artists" as many of them are buried there. It's also the place where Marquis de Sade got married, I just saw in Wikipedia!).

Tuesday, November 01, 2011

Theme day : fences (and walls!)


In France - and in most European countries - November 1st is a holiday, as it's the day where living people go and visit the dead, in cemeteries. It's also a theme day (check it here) within the City Daily Photo blog community. And today's theme is Fences! I thought of showing you a fence within a cemetery, but I did not find any... So instead here is a wall, that I shot in Le Marais, at rue des Archives. A little less theme day compliant, but a little merrier ;-) I really wonder what's behind this wall!