Gastronomy: Lounging at Les Sabias

Lounge music, I guess I am just a sucker for lounge music. Evokes images of chilled out cocktails on friday nights, lazy saturday afternoon barbecues and  late sunday lunches. The association is always culinary. Sundays have become either late morning brunches, or late lunches, when not actually making making lunch from the sunday market bounty (a whole other post yet to be written there). For now, we are still fairly new in our city so on a voyage of discovery on the restaurant front.
Les Sabias, in Neuilly did not disappoint. It was the lounge music playing in the background that got me.

Chinese Artists in Paris

Writers, artists, designers, foodies and your average francophile are drawn to Paris by one thing-  Inspiration. There is something about the city that is deemed a mecca of inspiration for the creatives, and it has always been the case. In some cases , destination Paris was a result of political and social circumstances forcing people to seek out refuge in a democratic, liberal country that not only allowed but encouraged their creativity. Chinese artists made their way to Paris in the early 1900s, with the formation of the Franco-Chinese Education Society in 1915 and establishment of the Franco-Chinese Institute in Lyon in 1921, encouraging further influx. The current exhibit at Musée Cernuschi was refreshing in that it revealed artists that not only drew inspiration from the city, but worked that inspiration around the art forms that were familiar to them, lithographs, ink on paper and silk as canvas.

Gastronomy: Le Bistro de Neuilly, Neuilly-sur-Seine

Discovering my neighbourhood has never been such a pleasure.
Le Bistro de Neuilly is on rue du Commandant Pilot in Neuilly-sur-Seine. A very quiet street. The restaurant is small, but has really friendly hosts, and it was apparent that the diners were mainly regulars and of course us, the newbies. Jazz music playing in the background, every so often there was laughter and dancing from the back to a popular song - it is that kind of place. Young families, older couples, young couples.
The food was great! I have yet to write up on a bad experience - actually, I will not, if the food's not good, I won't recommend a place.

Fête de la gastronomie

While I was busy walking around yesterday doing my best impression of 'tourist with camera' I had completely forgotten it was fête de la gastronomie. Launched in May this year, it is the inaugural event that looks to promote French cooking - not forgetting that we are talking of cuisine that this year won its status on UNESCO's World Heritage List. Yes, that is how seriously the French take their cuisine.

'Chasing Shadows' with Santu Mofokeng

I almost missed this, but it is still on for two more days. Santu Mofokeng, renowned South African photographer has an exhibit on until Sunday 25th Sept. at Jeu de Paume titled, 'Chasing Shadows'.
In my month here I have become used to all things French, then this afternoon I was transported back to SA through a series of Black & White photos in works spanning 30 years. He started his career capturing images pre- and post-apartheid in South Africa, but moved away to document religion and its practice by black urban people; practices that were a mélange of christian and pagan ceremonies, in cities, mountains and at times in caves, reserved solely for worship.
Must see, if for nothing else than his landscape images, yes, I know, landscapes.

The splendour of Palais Garnier

I went on a tour of the Opera house; Palais Garnier on Monday. This is home to one of France's most splendid historical artchitecture. Home of the Opera and Ballet and a name synonymous with French culture, it was founded by Louis XIV in 1669, who was not only an actor but also a talented ballet dancer. The Opéra Garnier is the thirteenth theatre to house the Opera, and was designed by Charles Garnier, who due to a bureaucratic error resulting in a missing invitation, on the eve of the opening of the building was the only person that had to pay for his ticket.

What makes a neighbourhood?

In Paris most neighbourhoods are defined by firstly, whether they are on the left or right bank, which determines whether there are leanings of conservative or liberal, bourgeois or bohemian, artsy, tourist hot-spots or not; and then by the usual determinants, of race - yes, dare I say it in the country that defines itself around its liberté, égalité, fraternité even race will always be there - and religious affiliation, although to a lesser extent. When you find yourself in certain neghbourhoods race does become a determinant, the 18th is populated by a predominantly African population; Chinatown in the 13th, and the Marais district is often referred to as the Jewish part of Paris. Even the banlieu's are known for the most part as home to immigrant (or not) North African populations.

Gastronomy: La Villa Corse, Paris

Here I was thinking that Wanderlust! would gradually move away from its food theme...Had a fantastic lunch at La Villa Corse in the 16th a couple of weeks ago. Quiet neighbourhood the 16th, fairly upmarket, in fact very upmarket and très bourgeois - but it has a wide offering of restaurants from the formal and expensive to the more casual and inexpensive. La Villa Corse is somewhere in the middle, not exactly brasserie dining but won't break the bank either. With a lounge bar, a library with books laden on dark wood shelves and a formal lounge- it speaks of long lingering dinners, but lunch worked just as well though.

C'est la rentrée!

Today my kids went back to school- after almost two and a half months off! Am I the only person who thinks that the summer school holidays are far too long?
They have been fortunate enough to enjoy their holidays in three different countries- Ghana, South Africa and France; and I have been quite the organizer of 'Things to do with kids between 6 and 11'...in fact that's what my next post should be about-there's been enough organization in these quarters. Despite all the activities across the three countries, by last week they just wanted to get back to school, or in their case, start their new school.
I experienced my first dose of 'the madness of the school supplies shopping'.