A classical bistrot with charm

parisdiaRestaurants & Hotels

The decor is cosy and the waiters handsome at Café Max

I was complaining last week end to members of Club des Cent, a very exclusive French association of gourmets founded in 1912, that there were no real bistrots left in Paris, when one of them told me about Café Max. A place where you can bring anyone, for a confortable dinner with good service, nice white tablecloth and traditional cooking for under 70€. So I went for dinner with an old friend and we both enjoyed the atmosphere and the owner, Valdo Riva, very much.Read More

French artists in exile in London, at Petit Palais

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James Tissot, “Empress Eugénie and the Prince Imperial in Camden Place park”, Chislehurst, 1874-75

Some of you might have already seen this exhibition in London but if you haven’t, please rush to the Petit Palais to discover the variety and lush of “Impressionists in London, French artists in exile, 1870-1904″. It starts with a very dark room of paintings of Hôtel de Ville and Palais des Tuileries destroyed by the fire of the Commune in 1871, and takes us on a ferry to London where some artists had fled with the Emperor and his family and others like Carpeaux were exiled by the Communards. The mix of sculptures and paintings is perfect and one goes from discovery to discovery with a whole room devoted to James Tissot.Read More

In Chantilly racecourses also hang on the walls

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His Highness the Aga Khan inaugurates the exhibition curated by Henri Loyrette at the Jeu de Paume of Chantilly

The calm was very extraordinary on the eve of the Prix de Diane Longines, the greatest racing event in Chantilly and also a major social day. His Highness the Aga Khan, who reigns over the castle with his Foundation, was happily cutting the ribbon with his daughter Zahra and Henri Loyrette, former President of the Louvre who curated the show. A group of Friends from the National Gallery in London had previously enjoyed the visit of the castle with Nicole Garnier, head curator.

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“L’Envol” takes us flying at la Maison rouge

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Frédéric Prado, “Bouddha invisible”, 1968-69, collection Antoine de Galbert

What a wonderful title, “L’Envol” (The flight) for a last exhibition at La Maison Rouge! Antoine de Galbert, who started this contemporary art foundation 14 years ago, has decided, after 131 exhibitions, and 100 000 visitors a year, to devote his energy and love to artists and institutions without the daily worries of running his own house. The occasion of the evening was the award of a decoration of Chevalier des Arts et des lettres to Pauline de Laboulaye, first President of the Friends of la Maison Rouge, who is also an art writer. The whole evening was a tribute to artistic talent,  family values and generosity without fuss.Read More

The “Ryokan collection” or 39 small Japanese hotels to dream of!

parisdiaHappy moments, Restaurants & Hotels1 Comment

Ritsuko Nakamura, Akemi Nishimura and Sachiko Nakamichi in Paris

Japan exudes poetry and mystery (largely due to the language) like no other country I know and when I received the invitation to discover the Ryokan Collection, a sort of Japanese Small luxury hotels group, I rushed to a funny little house on avenue George Mandel where four Ryokan owners had gathered. There are 39 members of this very exclusive group and it is very tempting to disappear on a tour all around Japan.

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Be the first one to buy Jove-Paris shirts!

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Joséphine von Klitzing just started Jove-Paris with Uzbek shirts

It’s always fun to see your friends’ daughters become adventurers or fashion moguls and when Joséphine von Klitzing invited me to see her new collection of Uzbek shirts, Jove-Paris, I ran. She had a presentation at la Folie Saint Martin, a unique little house near Porte Saint Martin, where you can entertain, organise concerts or lectures and discover a new side of trendy Paris. Her colorful shirts made of Ikat, a coton/silk fabric, are out of this world and reminiscent of the Silk Road refinements.Read More

Hubert Le Gall plays with animals and Pinocchio

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Hubert Le Gall with one of his new mirrors at Galerie Pierre Alain Challier

Designer and set director Hubert Le Gall has been exhibiting with Pierre Alain Challier since 2002 at Artcurial. His new show at the gallery on rue Debelleyme is devoted to “Eternal Spring” and golden branches grow out of red velvet armchairs, wooden cabinets show nature through their shelves and rabbits become cozy seats. It’s all very whimsical.Read More

James Nachtwey, photographer of the world’s drama

parisdiaPhotography

Afghanistan, Kabul, 1996 © James Nachtwey Archive, Hood Museum of Art, Dartmouth

James Nachtwey is a photographer who witnesses drama. Drama everywhere and the retrospective of his work as a photo reporter at Maison Européenne de la photographie, “Memoria” is so tragic that I would recommend that you go on a sunny day and with a good friend. I can’t even imagine what opening night was like with trendy ladies on their Louboutin heels being confronted to children dying of hunger in Somalia. It is the most important photo show of the moment, so don’t miss it.Read More