SSD Part II

The Indian culture is also very present in SSD. This year, for Thanksgiving, Y and I dediced to eat at an Indian place called Kahmir Café located at 63 Rue du Faubourg de Saint Denis.

It is a halal restaurant, meaning they do not serve alcoholic beverages and all the meat is prepared according to Muslim tradition. My husband is Muslim and eating out is sometimes difficult, but this restaurant was perfect!

The menu for two people was 35 euros including chicken and lamb tandoori, a fish dish, and the speacial, plus dessert.

It was Y's first time trying Indian and he loved it.

 Restaurants are not the only Indian specialty in SSD, there are covered markets (hidden street passages) and most are shops with the smell of Indian spices.


If you like to eat exoctically and oriental, check out this restaurant or others on the street and let your tastebuds go wild!

One of my Favorite Things!

Favorite area: Strasbourg Saint Denis Part I

It may be surprising to some that my favorite neighborhood is SSD, because it has a shady reputation (I will discuss this later in Part III).

 My husband and I go there at least once a week because it is the one of the biggest Turkish neighborhoods and there are many authentic Turkish restaurants.

Restaurants to check out:
Corba Salonu at 15 rue du Faubourg -Saint Denis
An all you can eat soup restaurant, with a never-ending breadbowl. As soon as you make your decision for which soup, it is served steaming hot before your eyes in less than a minute. All for the low cost of 5 euros.

Genc Ura Dorum at 13 rue du Faubourg - Saint Denis
A small sit-down restaurant with less than 10 tables. The staff is really nice, they speak French, English, Turk, and Kurde. We usually eat a stack of 8 pizzas or lahmucan, that is nothing like the pepperoni and cheese variety, but rather lamb with a mix of spices and tomato sauce. and try it with some fresh ayran (a yogurt drink)

Urfa Dürüm 63 rue du Faubourg-Saint Denis
Another small sit-down place, where one can see their lunch cooked before their eyes. It is a traditional kurde restuarant with little chairs that are kind of difficult to sit on. They offer pizza as well, but the adana kebab is to die for.








If you are looking for something new to try head to Strasbourg and get ready for a mouth-watering adventure!

Joyeux Nöel

This ecard made with Smilebox

Do you like the new layout?

It is still a work in progress. The places with undefined will be taken care of shortly.

I changed the layout to that of a café table, because that is how I write. I write my posts with a coffee or tea next to me and also, because cafés are part of daily Parisian life.

Please send me your feedback, adventurers!

White Christmas à Paris

It is snowing in Paris (il neige), and it really came down yesterday! and now it is all icing over creating one big ice skating rink!

Be careful on the stairs

starting to build a snowman

watch the ice

our Christmas tree

If you are planning on travelling to Europe or Paris in particular, remember your warm clothes and good shoes!

Now Playing: Cadmus et Hermoine

This week at Opéra Comique, Lully's tragic opera will be playing Cadmus and Hermoine till the 5th of november. It is an opera in 5 acts, the music is played by Le Poème Harmonique, they have performed this opera once before at the Opéra Comique, most of the opera can be found on youtube as the performance was filmed.
Below is a snippet of the opera for this year, with a brief introduction in French by Benjamin Lazar, the producer.



A little history about the opera:
The French-language libretto is by Philippe Quinault, after Ovid’s Metamorphoses. It was first performed on April 27, 1673, at the Paris Jeu de Béquet.


The prologue, in praise of King Louis XIV, represents him as Apollo slaying the Python of Delphi. The opera itself concerns the love story of Cadmus, legendary founder and king of Thebes, Greece, and Hermione (Harmonia), daughter of Venus and Mars. Other characters include Pallas Athene, Cupid, Juno, and Jupiter.

With Cadmus et Hermione, Lully invented the form of the tragédie en musique (also known as tragédie lyrique). From contemporary Venetian opera, Lully incorporated elements of comedy among the servants, elements which he would later avoid, as would subsequent reformers in Italian opera. A contemporary transcription of the overture by Jean-Henri d’Anglebert remains a possible part of the harpsichord repertoire.

For information about ticket registration, check out Opéra Comique's site.

Paris vs. New York

I am not sure if you have heard the buzz about the blog that compares Paris and New York, but it is really cool. Some of my favorites include:
Paris vs New York, a tally of two cities: l'obsession
Paris vs New York, a tally of two cities: le taxi
Paris vs New York, a tally of two cities: le tip

Paris vs New York, a tally of two cities: le pain

Enjoy! and feel free to share yours!

The PatriMap

Paris and the I-Phone II, the patrimap, an app from paris.fr, about walking tours without the tour guide found directly on your i-phone and its free.


It is available in English, so do not fret. First depending on your location, you can search for walking tours nearby, or other directly go to the itineraries page. There are strolls about knights and horses, the mosaics and bridge tours. Also there is a game, for each site you get a point and then there are prizes according to the points gained.

I found this useful as well, because if I am looking for a stroll, it's available at my fingertips! Also, if something comes up in the middle, I can always start back where I ended. Most walks are only an 1 hour and they usually stay in the same area, so it is not like you are walking the Champs-Elysées all the way to Bastille, (if you would want to go ahead).

Another great walk not listed is walking from Pont Royal to St. Michel just following the same road until you reach the Seine, the architecture is great and it is a chance to see Jardin de Luxembourg, the Cluny Museum, the characters of St. Michel, and so much more!

Thanksgiving in Paris

For all my American adventures, this one is for you!

Are you in Paris for Thanksgiving? Or are you looking to celebrate Thanksgiving in Paris?


Check out the grocery store Thanksgiving near St. Paul M°1! It has all of your "Thanksgiving needs". I first discovered Thanksgiving a few months ago, and would recommend it to anyone who is looking to satisfy their cravings.

It is a southern grocery store, they have Cajun mixes and sauces, definitely a nice reminder of Kentucky comfort food! Baking products, pancake mix and syrup, Cream cheese ( it exists in France, but never the same), peanut butter (you never realize how much you miss it), pop tarts, dr. pepper, etc etc etc. Also, there is a Cajun restaurant as well, reservations are recommended because it is small, but it is all home cooking!

They are even supplying turkeys for Thanksgiving, the farm fed kind that come from France (no they did not ship a Butterball, haha).

Check it out on your next visit to Paris, especially for those cravings of anything spicy, yummy, or sugary!

20, rue Saint Paul 75004 PARIS Tel: 01 42 77 68 29

store hours: Tues-Sat 10:30am to 7:00pm, Sun 11:00am to 6:00pm

restaurant: Saturday brunch 12:00 to 2:30pm, Sunday brunch 11:00 to 3:30pm reservations recommended

Illumination aux Champs-Elysées

The best part of the Christmas season not to miss in Paris is the illuminations aux Champs-Elysées (yes you have my permission to break out into song)


is the Illumination and the Marché de Noël. This week it opened it's doors, Mélanie Laurent, a French actress, was in charge of pressing the button, along with Bertrand Delanoe, the mayor of Paris. Check the video out here!
There are 415 trees on "the most beautiful avenue in the world" from Place de L'Etoile to Place de la concorde, so more than 2km of lights!

The Marché de Noël

So, if you are looking for a fun time, and want to do some Christmas shopping or shopping of any kind, check out the marché, sip some hot chocolate, cider, or vin chaud, and capture the brightness of the Champs-Elysées.
Pratical Information http://www.parisvillagedenoel-champselysees.com/

19 november 2010- 3 january 2011

Sunday to Thursday 12h00 à 23h00
Friday to Saturday12h00 à 24h00
Station Métro: Champs-Elysées / Clémenceau Lignes : 1 & 13

Paris and the I-Phone

I am sure most of you adventurers have an I-Phone or something similar to it, so take advantage of this next series "Paris and the I-Phone". A series dedicated to the many applications that one can use when touring, visiting, or living in Paris!

The first one is Musées Paris, it is free for a limited period and then costs, 0,79 euros. The first page is dedicated to the exhibitions, most known museums are listed.

Clicking on the expo reveals its summary, location, and all important information relative to the museum. It even has a location device and shows directions on how to arrive at the museum!

The second page is dedicatd to all of the museums important to visit, and the third page shows some art galleries as well as auctions. The final page is the catalogs or books dedicated to the expositions, along with the price.

I find this app useful, its like paris.fr in one click. There is a variety of expositions and they change accordingly. If the museum isn't listed on the expo page I can click on the museum page and find all the necessary information. Plus, the location device is awesome, I will not tell you how many times I have gotten lost, while looking for a museum (the unknown to tourist kind).

Check it out! and do not hesitate to comment about it!

Paris by Car

Every single time I walk around the quartier (Opéra, La Bourse) where my school is I see 4 roues sous 1 Parapluie.

taken from parisinfo.com " —or in other words how to tour Paris in the comfortable backseat of a chauffeur-driven 2CV convertible — is an original way to discover the French capital. Choose from themed visits with their highly evocative titles: “Eternal Paris”, “Cinema Paris”, “Paris by Night”, “Garden Paris”…; its “Little extras” (Paris Weekend » and « Gourmet Paris »), and its à la carte walks for all occasions. " It is a little on the expensive side: outings for 1 hour is 54 euros a person, and for a 3 hour tour it is 83 euros for person. Guess, these are gas guzzlers!

Or how about Paris by a tandem (like those taxis we see in Indian movies?).


A modern tricycle powered by electricity so at least you are visiting Paris eco-friendly! 30 minutes = 25 euros, but you have an guide who is dedicated to you and your questions!

Or another eco-friendly idea is ecovisitparis.com, a tour of Paris in a Prius; not only do you see the tourist attractions, but also a look at Paris's green areas! starting price is 80 euros, they even provide services to and from the airport.



Checking out Paris by bus is cheap, especially when it is the transit system. The down/up side is there is no guide telling you all of the highlights, plus it costs only 1,60 for a ride from the starting station to the ending station. Check out ratp.fr at the interactive map to see all the bus lines! You will be surprised how much you can see!


Share your thoughts, have you ever done one of these tours?

Walking Tours 2

This is the second part series of walking tours, Paris has a lot to offer, so it is nearly impossible to post about every single tour that is offered. I am hoping to give you, the adventurer, some ideas for a future trip to the city of lights!

The cute little chimp!

Most people do not come to Paris to see lions, tigers and bears (oh my!), but if you are, definitely check out the zoo at the Jardin des Plantes (metro stop - Gare d'Austerlitz). When I first heard of the zoo here, I was expecting some tiny little petting zoo: but I was wrong. The zoo is not as big as the one at Château de Vincennes which is closed till 2014, but there is still lots of cool animals to see. One of the reasons, Y and I went was because he wanted to see the snakes!

It's an iguana, not a snake, but in the reptile house!

There are even picnic spots and it is not that expensive 6-8 euros! And there are hills etc. Definitely a fun-filled child adventure

For those who love shopping, check out frenchforaday!
The tours are offered in four languages, Russian, English, French and German, and it is like an introductory tour of shopping in Paris, buying is not obligatory. The French For a Day tour includes a stop at a market, a cooking lesson, a shopping tour and then tea hour in the chic parts of Paris (Madeline, St. Honoré and the Marais). Yes the price may be a little steep, of 200 euros a person, but if you are an adventure who wants a
crème de la crème experience, this is your walking tour.

And for those of us, who prefer to take the cheap route, no tour guide is needed for these great walking tours, proposed to us by the city of Paris. I love printing these little guides out and taking an hour to two hours to explore Paris through it's architecture, it's gardens, and it's cemetaries (more to come on this)!

Comments are welcome!

Hindi Zahra

I first discovered Hindi Zahra when I was interning (or rather volunteering) at Rock en Seine in 2008, an annual rock festival held the last weekend in August, Blink 182 and Macy Gray are past performers. I didn't get to hear her concert but I knew that I had to find more out about her.

This summer, I got a chance to see her up close and personal while interning at the Festival de Saint Denis (see other posts). I was in charge of organizing and setting up the catering for her!

For me, her music has a great flavor, and in three languages. Of course she sings in English, French, and Arabic and sometimes in Spanish. It has this flowing rhythmic feel like one is in a café in the south of France or Spain, or a coffeehouse during open mic night. It is like she combined all sorts of music into her songs - jazz, Afro, rock, folk (a Simon and Garfunkel kind of feel). She even writes her own melodies - a rare jem these days.

Check out her video Stand up.


 For the official video, check out this! The brillant colors of the video are powerful as well as energizing and makes me want to "stand up" and dance. The soung reminds me of South American or Native American tribal music as well as her choice of costume.

Walking Tours of Paris

After an almost two-week vacation, pictures of the new apartment coming soon, it is now time to get back to posting!

This week is dedicated to different tours available for visiting Paris whether it  be by bus, walking, bike, segway, or balloon!

Today is a two part series of walking tours of Paris (because there are lot of different tours that exist). The perfect site to check out before leaving is Parisinfo, they have classified each tour according to taste.

The first walking tour is Parisiandujour, is unique because it only accepts groups of 6 or less for a personal experience with a real volunteer Parisian and its FREE! The tours are 2 to 3 hours and there is no specific place they go, you, the adventurer decide where you want to go. They even do tours in the suburbs so if you are dying to see Roland Garros ( the tennis courts), le Stade de France (most soccer games are here), etc. Make reservations two weeks in advance. and these tours are available in English, Spanish and Italian etc.


The next company to check out is Classic Walks with an array of themed walks. Such as the DaVinci code, The French Revolution, The World War II or the classic walk. Most of these visits do not require reservations, but they are not free like the one listed above. They cost between 12 to 20 €. These tours are only available in English. They also have a round trip tour to the D-Day beaches that does require a reservation, and you as the adventurer would see the Beaches, the cemetary, Pont Hoc, etc, all for the price of 120€ a person

Check out tomorrow for the next series of walking tours! and do not forget some great walking shoes!

Absence

For all you adventurers, I would like you to know that I will be taking a week vacation from posts. I have been very busy with school, my internship, family life, getting robbed and dealing with that and moving yet again.

There will be a few interesting posts coming as soon as I have time to sit down and write them.

If you are interested in something in particular, do not hesitate to ask.

See you soon!

Using a credit card in France

Sorry to tell you, but NOT everywhere accepts a debit or credit card even though they have the machine that looks like it will charge your card. Alos, when travelling abroad remember to tell your bank, if not the card gets rejected or your account is frozen and that would be a bad trip!

The reason why most american cards or other foriegn card don't work is because there is a chip in European careds.

When to carry cash:

• paying for metro/RER/bus tickets - avoid standing in lines for the booths and rather pay at the automated counters and yes you can buy your tickets in your language and more than likely your card does not work in the machines :(
• the market because 95% of vendors do not have the machines available
• museums - some don't offer credit card services and finding an atm is often difficult and in the tourist areas the lines will be long
• restaurants if they are mom and pop run, cash is better

Where you can more than likely use your card:

• Starbucks, Sephora, Galeries Lafayette
• big chain restuarants
• train tickets for the Eurostar or to go around France

But I think that it is better to carry around cash and to be safe rather than sorry!

A Whole New World of Monet

I have yet to go, but soon my ticket will be bought to see a new show of Monet's! I believe there is a quote that says "once you see one Monet you've seen them all", which is partly true. His countless paintings of Japanese waterlillies and churches at all hours of the day, but in Paris I hope to see another side of the artist. A hope to see the real painting through my eyes and not just a reproduction.

I did once see the Monet waterlillies at the Musee de l'Orangerie, and they were gorgeous.

The expo at the Grand Palais, should be a box office hit with 160 screens all dedicated to Monet, and it includes the 2 hour wait in line. Plus, do not miss out because Grand Palais expos are not something to miss out, the last few years have been quite successful: Picasso and Renoir.

To get a real sight of the old Paris, and French life, take a 8-12 euro stroll, and it will be well worth it!
Now showing till January 24, 2011, and tickets can be bought at Carrefour, or FNAC in advance!

Yes, it may be getting cold outside

but the best ice cream place is Berthillon and all the Parisians would agree!

With flavors like grapefruit, pear, blueberry, and of course the originals vanilla, double chocolate (brownie on a stick) the list continues to go on and ALL should not be missed. Check out the stores on Ile Saint Louis which is next to Notre Dame. Take my advice and walk farther down the street for cheaper prices and better selection, or better yet check out the headquarters, that even has a restuarant!

Even though the scoops may seem small, they taste amazing!

and even though the French might stick up their nose for eating in the street, an idea that I find very strange, walk or sit by the Seine and watch the tourist boats go by!

Check out Berthillon on your next visit.

Spotted: Dezir

before  it was at Paris Auto Show

My sister came to visit back in August and we were strolling towards Place du Vendome, where all the expensive jewelry stores are located, plus you never know who or what you might find hanging around. and voila, it was the Renault Dezir

There is only one that exists in the whole world and the company is not interested in commercializing it.



Have you ever seen anyone famous or something famous, while walking the streets of Paris? feel free to post your pictures!

Happy Strike week 2

This post is for those of you, who are currently on vacation in Paris or are coming sometime soon...beware of the transports (metro, bus, train).

Today starts week 2 of the transport strike and let me tell you it is not fun. Most of the metros, trams and buses iinside of Paris work so if you stay in the city, you shouldn't have problems. But for those who are like me, living in the suburbs or arriving at CDG, getting into Paris, may take longer than usual!

CDG-ers avoid the RER B at all costs, after a long fight, I would imagine you do  not want a headache, so take a taxi (only the ones that say taxi and have the lights, no black-market ones) usually around 40-70 euros depending on your luggage and the number of people. Also, avoid the RER when you need to go back to the airport, there are certain weekends when the train is not even going to the airport and instead there is a bus, again not worth the headache and getting in a  bad mood.

Going to Disneyland should be fine, the RER A is not on strike and is working normal, so no problems there!

same with RER C and going to Versailles, there does not seem to be any problems.

If you are thinking  that you can make a fast connection on rer e from Haussmann St. Lazare to Gare du Nord, avoid it. I take this train everyday (both ways) and it is not worth the zoo it becomes plus people aren't very nice.

To have a great trip in Paris without the headache, walk! The stroll from the Louvre to Arc de Triomphe is not that long and there are lots of exciting things to see along the way. Plus check out these other walking paths!

For more information about trains, metros and trams check out ratp.fr or transilien.fr

Arman at Centre Pompidou

Chopin's Waterloo

Accumulation series

coupes series

Who is he? A contemporary artist who is regarded as being less and less revoulutionary and radical today than in past years. Showing now at the Centre Pompidou till 17 january 2011 at the low price of 8 euros.

Check out this video about his expo:
Arman
envoyé par centrepompidou. - Futurs lauréats du Sundance.

Little more facts about him: He was discovered by Pierre Restany, an art critic, in the early 60's as a memeber of the New Realities group.  Arman's  objective was to redifine the art world, as the video shows. Most pieces of art include burnt objects and destroyed musical instruments that are often exploited. Thanks to him, his work is becoming the norm of 20th century artists!

For all those musicians out there like me, now we have a new use for our old instrument! 

Have you ever seen his works before in an exhibition?  What do you think about his artwork?

It's a new season in Paris

meaning new leaves! and new expos!

Here are some expos to check out when you are sick of walking the Champs-Elysées or sipping cafés.

Reporters with no borders    
Petit Palais

Photos from the collection of Pierre and Alexandra Boulat which opens the universe to photography and contemporary images of often unseen parts of the world.

Closed Mondays -9 September to 27 February 2011

Romantic Russia
Musée de la Vie Romantique

From the Tretiakov Gallery as a celebration of the year of Russia in France. Art galleries and museums are opening their doors to the culture of the North and this expo in particular covers the reigns of Alexander I and Nicolai I.

28 september to 16 January 2011 - closed Mondays

Travel the Capital: Louis Vuitton and Paris
Musée Caranvalet

In 1854, Vuitton opened his first store at Rue de Capucines, and in 2010, the brand has become known worldwide. This expo features the early days of Mr. Vuitton and his family and travels until today, like a suitcase opening its time capsule.

13 october to 27 february 2011, closed Mondays


Louise Bourgeois
Maison de Balzac
3 november to 6 february 2011

Works dedicated to Eugenie Grandet.
"I'm working on a show about Eugénie Grandet for the Maison de Balzac in Paris, opening next november. I love that story. It could be the story of my life." Louise Bourgeois pour The Guardian Newspaper, Londres, 19 septembre 2009.

Larry Clark   
Museum of Modern Art

8 october to 2 january 2011, audience under 18 - not allowed

 
From Tulsa, Texas, this photographer's work is showcases troubled teenagers from drugs to sex.

For more information, check out the links above or to find more expos in the Parisian area: paris.fr