Like finding a needle in a haystack!

I know this is a pretty surprising photo! It's just that I wanted to draw your attention on an interesting, odd artist performance that took place in Paris on November 13. Sven Sachsalber, an Italian artist, spent 29 hours and 30 minutes in the Palais de Tokyo (the home of the Paris modern art museum) actually looking for a real needle in a haystack! I'm not kidding, check out the video!

From Kazakhstan, with love...

As you're all aware, I'm sure, it's currently the week of Kazakhstan in Paris ;-)) and, well I could not miss that, of course. So I went by the Louvre where they have a big exhibition - and a stage to listen to Kazakhstan music! - and well, it was the occasion to meet NOT camera shy people, which is a nice change from Parisians... The tents in the back are Yurts, a sort of local condominium... Have a great Sunday everyone, in Kazakhstan and everywhere in the world ;-)

The vegan "food truck"!

Here is the most amazing "food truck" you can find in Paris at the moment! And when I say "at the moment" I really mean "at the moment", for it'll only be here until October 26... After it'll probably go back to London (in Soho, more precisely) where it normally belongs. As you noticed, it's a genuine doubledecker bus: the kitchen is downstairs and the dining area is upstairs (and outside, when the weather allows it). The food is apparently very good, but I haven't tried it. Maybe this weekend.

Paris farm

Did you know there is a real farm in Paris? A piece of land in the Bois de Vincennes, with fruit trees, vegetables, cows, chickens and... pigs! And I'm not talking about the Salon de l'agriculture, the trade show I often posted a photo of on this blog, but a real real farm!  The actual purpose is not to allow Parisians to buy farm products, but to teach the children (and grown ups?!) where their food originally comes from! Really cool!

A Remnant of Paris from... 1312

There are several Moulins (windmills) in Paris (Moulin Rouge, Moulin de la galette...) but they're all "fake" or rather old windmills that have been turned into restaurants or cabarets. This one remains in its original state, and it's called Le Moulin de Rouvray. It's located in the Bois de Boulogne (the woods around the Western part of Paris). It was built in 1312 within an Abbey founded in 1255 by Isabelle de France, the daughter of Louis the 8th. The Abbey was destroyed in 1795, but the windmill survived until now (it has not been used as a real windmill since 1809 though! It cannot be visited unfortunately, but you can see it from the street where I was yesterday.

The only Paris fire escape?

You could almost think this photo was taken in an old American city and though I took it yesterday in the 10th arrondissement in Paris. This is, as far as I know, the only fire escape that exists in Paris! I really don't know why they have it on this particular building, except that it's a theater (but no other theaters have such fire escapes in Paris, so that does not really explains it). I looked on the web and could not find anything about it. Anyway, I'm glad we don't have more of these in Paris, because they are not exactly beautiful...  

Let's get married!

"Hurry honey, we don't want to be late, do we?" I can think of a zillion silly caption to go with this photo that I took yesterday around six on the the Pont Louis Philippe - a bridge that goes to the Ile Saint Louis. Of course this couple was not on their way to the church or the town hall, but in between two photo shoots with their photographer! But I thought it was a cute, funny scene. 

What's the trick?!

I know there is a trick to do this, but I really wonder what it is! I saw several of them in Paris these past weeks (I think also last year) so I suppose it's the new trend (the fake still statues are so passé now!) - I photographed this one at the Beaubourg center. It's quite impressive anyway - If ever you have an explanation, please let us know! Have a nice week everyone... Here, it'll be raining until at least next Sunday!

Flower 2.0!

Who said nothing grows on concrete! Look at what I found at La Defense, the business district of Paris where there is far more concrete than grass! OK... They are not real flowers, but flowers made of recycled plastic bottles that are part of an exhibition by Pierre Estève. It's also a "crowdsourcing" event, where everyone is invited to contribute and bring their own bottles! Cool isn't it?

The most valuable service station in Paris!

OK, this place may look a little messy - and there's a car in the middle - but don't you think this would make a cool loft? Well, I'm saying this because, I'm sure this is really how it's going to end for guess where I took this photo? At rue des Archives, in the heart of Le Marais, one of the most expensive areas of Paris. I'm sure that a zillion realters are on the watch, waiting for the owner of the place to sell it, so that they can turn in into a super cool apartment! In the meantime it makes a cool photo too ;-)

Shaking the Pagoda tree...

After the "forest" house I found in the 20th arrondissement, here is another odd looking building that can be found at the corner of rue de Courcelles and rue Rembrandt, a pretty chic neighborhood where you find more high-end Haussmannian buildings than... Pagodas! For yes, lady and gentlemen, this is a real Chinese Pagoda, built by a rich Chinese art dealer (Ching-Tsai Loo) in the 1930's (I've been unable to find the exact date). The place is still an art gallery nowadays, it has been recently renovated and can also be used for private parties. But it cannot really be visited, like a museum or a monument. Too bad, for the inside really looks interesting! Check for yourself on their website.

The little house in the Paree (part II)

Here is a very unusual house that I spotted at Place Martin Nadaud, in the 20th arrondissement. If you look carefully you'll see it has a "forest theme" : the steps are shaped like tree logs, there are several "branches" embedded into the walls and  even the entrance "grid" is shaped like a little wooden fence! I read that it was built in 1900, but nobody knows why the architect used this theme. Anyway, I thought it was photo worthy. BTW nobody really lives there, it's a day care facility. 

Snow storm

The Northern part of France and many countries in Northern Europe suffered a huge snow storm today! In Paris in snowed all day long, causing trouble in train stations, airports and in the streets. I personally love it, but that's because it gives a certain atmosphere to the city, leading people to behave with a much more friendly attitude than usual. Hence this cyclist who obviously was happy to be photographed! On a different note, I really want to thank you all for your very nice comments after yesterday's post. Thank YOU for being such true visitors - and Paris lovers ;-).  Update: make sure you have a look at this litlle ski at Montmartre video!

Living poet society

What are these people dressed in black are doing with their umbrella in the sun?! A bit surreal isn't it? Surreal  maybe, but before all poetic, as... they are precisely taking part in the 15th Printemps des poètes (poets' spring), an event that has been taking place in France for 15 years now and during which all French poets (foreigners are welcome too I suppose) are invited to celebrate poetry and recite a few verses altogether. I came across this group by pure chance in front of the Beaubourg center, where they currently have en exhibition about Dali (as you can see in the background), another poet!  

Casino de Paris costumes auction sales

Call me lucky, because I am! Yesterday (Friday) I attended the exhibition of the Casino de Paris costumes that is currently held at the stunning Elephant Paname center for the arts (look at the ceiling!) in view of this weekend (Saturday and Sunday) auction sales. Mistinguett, Jane Avril, Joséphine Baker, Line Renaud... and all the fabulous dancers that performed at Le Casino de Paris wore one of those costumes and/or accessories at some stage (and on stage!). Of course I could not help but taking a zillion photos (and videos), so that you can have a much more comprehensive view of this exhibit. Check it out here. And if you're interested, well, hurry, as it will only last 2 days!

Paris SketchCrawl

Do you know what a Sketch crawl is? I did not... Until last Saturday, when I witnessed one at the La cité de l'architecture et du Patrimoine, I was telling you about yesterday. Principle: anybody who enjoys sketching - and is aware of the meetup - gets to meet in a place and spend some time drawing what they see. The result is then published on the Internet! Cool idea, isn't? Check it out, there might be one of these events near you soon... I took many photos of sketchers, here is a little patchwork.

More snow...

Less original than yesterday's photo, maybe even a little tacky(!) but this is such an unusual scene in Paris that I did not resist posting it. Those of you who know Paris will probably have recognized the Grands Boulevards metro station... How? Because of the Hard Rock Cafe sign in the background,  precisely located on the Grands Boulevards. Pretty cool isn't it? FYI, there should be more snow tonight in Paris...

Somebody must have hit the bottle!

"Funny" scene I witnessed today near my home, by pure chance. One of the trucks that collects used glass lost its load on the pavement! Needless to say that it caused a huge traffic jam. I grabbed my camera and took several shots including this one that shows a pretty cool scene (even though it was not really cool for the poor guys who drove the truck).  

Last robbery of the year...

Imagine! On new year's eve, right by the opera house, one of the Apple stores in Paris was robbed! By today's standards robbing Apple is like robbing a church or a temple ;-), so it made the headlines right away and the news channels even sent a crew to witness... well to witness nothing since the robbers had long time gone! The bottom line is that they robbed for about 400 000 € worth of iphones, iPads, etc. I'm sure Appe will get over it.

Nativity Scene

I bet the title of this post probably surprises you, and though this is... a nativity scene that I photographed at the Madeleine Church. And before you think this is crazy or even Blasphemy, think twice: it was created by artist Gaetan Duthu and scenographer Pierre Bourgois who imagined what it would be like if the Christ would be born today. Television networks would certainly play a large role, wouldn't they? I personally love it. More photos here.