skyscrapers on the Seine

The ultramodern architecture of La Défense looms large, reminiscent of a mini-Manhattan. It encompasses over 100 buildings, home to one-third of France’s 20 largest corporations. The Grande Arche, the most impressive of these structures, is a monumental cube composed of Cararra marble, housing government and business offices. There exists a unique and intense energy in this high-rise business district, isolated in the west of the city. It does not feel at all like the Paris of postcards, refreshing on those days when I desire an escape.

Every store imaginable exists within this inclusive universe of silver walls and layered malls. Majestic renowned sculptures by Calder and Miró, among others, add an element of color and culture.

These wintry afternoons, a holiday market fills the walkways as familiar Christmas carols fill the air. My lunch visits to La Défense remind me of the many years I spent gainfully employed amidst the skyscrapers of New York City. I miss working. More accurately, I miss the team dynamic of working towards a common goal and the satisfaction that follows. These days my greatest goal is to learn a language, not to mention a culture. I have decided (finally) to attend courses, to share this grand and often intimidating task with those in a similar predicament. I may even enjoy the experience, and learn French!



a blanket of white

This morning I awoke to discover my first Parisian snowfall. As if Paris needed any additional beauty, the city is enchanting beneath it’s blanket of white. The streets are empty aside from vagrant shoppers and children ducking behind cars with snowballs in hand. A perfect afternoon to find refuge behind the large picture windows of cafe Les Philosophes, indulge in a chocolat chaud and collect my thoughts, as varied as the snowflakes.

my life with Picasso

Picasso once said “I am the greatest collector of Picassos in the world.” This much revered collection of over 3,000 works ranging from sketches to finished masterpieces is exhibited upon walls located only meters away in the Musée Picasso. What is most impressive about this collection is the number of works Picasso painted after his seventieth birthday. This imposing display is complemented by Picasso’s own personal art collection of artists including Cézanne, Degas, Rousseau, Seurat, de Chirico and Matisse. On a recent morning I learned that many of Paris’ museums were closed due to workers strikes. (Ah yes, the French love to strike!) Immediately my desire to view the works of one of my most admired artists grew, as I had not been to this hôtel particulier in several years. As luck would have it, there was no strike at the museum, rather, it was closed for renovations until 2013. Surely by then I will become a weekly visitor.

Sunday stillness

I have quickly come to cherish Sundays in Paris. For one simple reason, love. Sundays in NYC, following the sacred ritual of brunching with friends, were most often spent solo amidst the masses, shopping in Soho or sitting in Central Park reading or dreaming. I think too, of the countless Sundays during my travels. Regardless of the continent I inhabited, endless hours were spent in observation (often considered sight-seeing) as the world became suddenly still. Sundays, as I well recall in my childhood, are a day to spend with family (or friends who in the case of my previous life in NYC had become family). Now here in Paris, I feel the warmth of family. It is only he and I, but that is enough to provide the feeling of home.

Today, in our sacred Sunday tradition we woke up to the late morning sun, radiating light from an inviting sky. Most often clear and bright in it’s winter chill. A savory brunch in the Marais, which has become quite a trend in Paris. A late edition of the ‘International Herald Tribune’, much more manageable a read than my esteemed ‘Sunday NY Times’ (though indeed I do miss the Travel and Styles sections to name a few). Upon walking to the Seine to admire the serenity and the awe-inspiring views, we stopped for a moment of reflection at Church Saint Gervais. As though invited through divine intervention, we entered the setting of a performance combining poetry, painting and music. Within this scene illuminated only by candles, I could understand words not phrases, emotions not meanings. Yet, in all it’s abstract obscurity, the experience was deeply enchanting. The flutist sounding the melodies of birds as images of clouds and sea projected above the altar. It is upon such an impromptu path that life most naturally reveals itself.

Marché des Enfants Rouges


France is famous for it’s myriad of markets. I am privileged to live around the corner from the oldest covered food market of Paris. The Marché des Enfants Rouges was created in 1615 by King Henri IV to feed the Marais district, at the time, Paris’ newest district. The name ‘Red Children’ was given to the market by the neighborhood in remembrance of children from the nearby orphanage, clad in red uniform to symbolize charity. I often venture into this market for lunch to indulge in the assortment of cuisines ranging from Japanese fusion to spicy African. This self-contained universe of international tastes is also an ideal place to buy organic fruits and vegetables, an array of cheeses, breads, fresh fish, local wines…even a fresh bouquet of flowers. A little pricey as it’s in the heart of ‘boboville’, but well worth the experience.

organic afternoon

On Sunday we braved the rain and sudden wind and found our way to our much revered pocket of heaven called Village Saint Paul. There we were serendipitously welcomed by a farmers market, making the experience feel much like a journey into the provinces. So many aged and fresh goat cheeses to taste, homemade confitures to savour, mulled local wine to inhale…and the countless varieties of honey! Immediately I became transformed into an excited child with large curious eyes possessing the refined palate of a well-practiced foodie. Surely I needed to try everything. We returned home to continue the feast, bellies and bags filled with organic produce.


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