Remembrance of Things Past - The Proust Paris Tour

Youth is wasted on the young, said an old friend of mine. I wish I believed him. You are young and then one day you are not. Youth is innocence. Though innocence can be lost at any age I assume. Holding on to some part of it is like holding on to a lifeline. On another hand, Proust said "True paradise, is the one we've lost". I must be in paradise than!!!

If like me, you too are In Search Of Lost Time, and perhaps in search of some part of Proust himself, than I will share a little find I have discovered recently. Kind of a cool concept actually, if you are part nerd, and part adventurer. So,  there are tours "by the book" where you can follow your favorite authors' lives and works while visiting the city. Now, I wouldn't advise signing up for this particular tour, unless you are a woman on a mission and over 50 - as this seems to be the focus - no offense of course. But I will assume some Proust fans are young-ish.  So this site makes it a bit easier, and is more all-encompassing. The five walking tours presented reflect the circularity of Proust's existence and of his novel's design. They also provide a wonderful way of discovering the Paris.

http://www.nysoclib.org


I thought these nostalgic images from my mom's student years in Paris would be appropriate for the theme of this blog!

Stuff Parisians Like

When one of the marketing tools of a wine bar is hiring the chef from Top Chef France, Tiffany Depardieu, I'm thinking Yuck! The mere thought of Top Chef France is scary in principle. Globalization stops at nothing! The show is of course airing at my former place of employment, the young and "hip" French  channel M6. In reality it is a French MTV rip off, with much bad reality TV and even worst music - for the most part. I'm thinking, that this place has got to be for Parisians who desperately want to be Americans, catering to Americans, who want to be Parisians. This can't be good. I can smell the marketing plan from afar!

 The wine bar in question Ô Chateau is located in a historical building tucked in a tiny street near the Louvre (more tourist alerts). There are 40 wines by the glass and 400 by the bottle including some of the biggest labels in France. The chef (again, of Top Chef France) has created a menu around elements of French terroir. Skeptically, I review the pages of the website, reading up on this Americanized French wine tasting spot, but the more I read, the more I am drawn in. The about page, though pretty long, is really funny. I end up reading the whole thing cracking up alone to the humor. I end up finding out that the author, is the owner of this wine bar, and his blog - Stuff Parisians Like - filled with irreverent jokes, draws so much attention, that it is now a best selling book “Dessine-Moi un Parisien“.

Yes, the owner, Olivier Magny,  has smartly positioned himself for a global public, using tools that will appeal to both the French and American public. His media links surely help him shamelessly promote his brand. And even though, at first glance all these tactics remind me of some sterile bands like Starbucks, which void of character, are all about commerce, and over all are a total turn off, but the vibe I get here is definitely a fun one. I was swayed and thought it was worth exploring. At the very least, it's an entertaining read!

68 rue Jean-Jacques Rousseau. Near Etienne Marcel.  
01.44.73.97.80
www.o-chateau.com

Hermès Museum

Recently I stumbled upon a little treasure of an event. Hermès organized a traveling Festival Des Métiers: A Rendez-Vous with Hermès Craftsmen. I witnessed artisans working the leather for purses and saddles, diamonds being set, and most importantly, the meticulous work that goes into creating each scarf, sometimes taking thousands of hours. I was so fortunate to stumble upon this expo. I knew some of my aquaintences visited the ateliers in Paris, but I wondered if there was something ongoing (like this expo) and open to the curious.

I found out that there is a museum. The downside; it is not open to the general public! However the secrecy and exclusivity surrounding the establishment makes it only more appealing. You either have to be invited, or write a letter to the manager and request a visit.
According to this article www.architecturaldigest.com among countless objects, "is a great 19th-century statesman’s traveling case, complete with ivory- handled razors and silver drinking vessels; there, a beautifully decorated rocking horse, a Russian coachman’s velvet hat, an empress’s embroidered saddle, a lady’s ancient but well-preserved purse, now containing only the dust and poetry of the past." And that's just a little preview. The private collection seems to be vast.

I am highly tempted to pull out my old fountain pen,  and my best stationary, to begin writing this request letter. However, another source sates that this hidden museum was closed for remodeling, and whether it is reopened remains a mystery. Something to look into and post about very soon!!!

The museum is apparently located on the, 2nd floor of
24 Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré
75008 Paris, France
01 40 17 47 17

Diptyque Candles

My scented obsession. Really. Nothing smells as good as this. Nothing should smell anything less than this.
I'm really not a great fan of scented candles because frankly, 99% of the time they smell like a chemical wasteland, a fake strawberry field on steroids, or something close to that. It always makes me wonder what's in them, and what i am inhaling. But this is an exception.

The St-Germain store, which still exists, opened in 1961. It was the creative business venture of three friends, painter Desmond Knox-Leet (whose drawings grace the boxes and labels of the products), set designer Yves Coueslant, and architecture worker Christiane Gautrot.  The name Diptyque (from Ancient Greek) refers to a painting or sculpture composed of two panels or parts. The original store has two identical window after which the brand was named. Initially a spot for fabrics and decor, it quickly became a home and personal fragrance mecca, with stores and products sold all over the world.

If you haven't tried these yet, find a place near you, or go to Paris and purchase a few. Now they offer mini candles as well, which is a great way to discover new scents. That's what I am doing currently, though I am still faithful to my main fragrances: Figue and Baies in candles, and the fig derived perfume Philosykos.

Diptyque. 34 boulevard Saint-Germain
5th Arrondissement, Paris 75005.
Tel: 01 43 26 45 27
www.diptyqueparis.com

Strictly Konfidentiel

Strictly Konfidentiel and clearly kitsch should be the full name of this newly opened hotel establishment. It seems to be somewhat of a pale knockoff of other popular boutique hotels like the Costes or Lacroix. Thematic rooms are evidently still the rage. Here the six suites take the spirit of historic French figures. Marie Antoinette wallpaper, red carpets, and chandeliers make it seem like the perfect hotel for the kind of traveler who is rich, but tasteless, and who unabashedly engages in souvenir shopping. If your idea of spending time in Paris is basking in replicas of parisian clichés, then you're in for a treat. Just don't forget your Eiffel Tower snow globe on the way home. On the bright side,  the hotel is situated in a 15th-century building off the Rue de Rivoli. You'd be only steps away from the Louvre, Rue St Honoré, Place de la Concorde and many other attractions. Complimentary wireless Internet access is available in public areas, and also, breakfast is delivered to your room.  A little bit of kitsch never hurt anyone.

Hotel Konfidentiel, 64 Rue de l'Arbre Sec, 1st arrondissement (00 33 1 55 34 40 40). 
from about $330 - $500.
www.konfidentiel-paris.com