Jazz soirées at Paris' Cercle Suédois...

It’s coming up to four years that I’ve had the privilege of calling Paris my home. Being a naturally curious adventuring type, as well as a journalist for RIH, I can confidently say that I’ve run in heels around every one of Paris’ 20 arrondissements, and have managed to discover many a treasure along the way. You’ll be hard pushed to find most of the places below in your typical Parisian guidebook, and all the better, because we don’t want these places getting too popular! So, just between you and me, here’s my Secret Paris…

Cercle Suédois

You could walk past the ‘Cercle Suédois’ (Swedish Circle) a thousand times and not notice it’s there. It is tucked away in a residential building, on a street renowned for its glamourous hotels (Crillon, Meurice) and other noble former residences (Louvre…) – the Rue de Rivoli.

On Wednesday night you can be the guests of the Swedes’ Jazz night. At number 242 you buzz, go up to the second floor and knock at the second door on your right. For just 10€, you get entry to an intimate jazz concert as well as a drink. Swedish tipples and nibbles are all available for reasonable prices. It is perfectly underpopulated – think 40 guests maximum, which means you’re almost always guaranteed a space on the balcony which overlooks the Tuileries Gardens, and gives you access to the room where Alfred Nobel conceived his prize. His desk remains in the very same spot. If you fancy having your own time-travelling Midnight-in-Paris experience, this would be a great place to start. 242 rue de Rivoli – Paris 1er.

Le Limonaire

Le Limonaire is one of my favourite spots in Paris. Its central location means it’s convenient for meeting friends from any corner of Paris. There are several metros within walking distance, but you have to know your route around the alleys of the “Grands Boulevards’ to stumble across this gem. It’s basically a cabaret restaurant, which continues a great Parisian tradition which has had the soul ripped out of it at some other more well-known cabarets… You arrive at around 8pm, eat a traditional French meal at an excellent price, and from 10pm onwards you will be impeccably entertained in a musical fashion. The price? Whatever you choose – make your contribution into the hat which is passed around at the end of the night. You can also just come for drinks, and a lovely quiet terrace outside is great for smoking a Gitane or two, or just absorbing the fresh air. I’ve never had a bad night here. Cité Bergère – Paris 2eme.

Terrace of the Great Paris Mosque

The Grande Mosquée de Paris occupies an impressive position in Paris’ left bank, a short walk from the Latin Quarter in an area I much prefer for its lack of bustling. It is the largest mosque in France and the third largest in Europe. As well as being a place of worship with a stunning garden, and housing an authentic hammam (I’ve left there many a time which skin softer than I ever thought possible), it also boasts an exquisite terrace which is absolutely perfect for enjoying an oriental pastry, mint tea and shisha (shisha only after 4pm) next to the open aviary and under various vines. A perfect patch of paradise in Paris. 9 rue Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire – Paris 5eme.

La Pagode

La Pagode is easily one of the world’s loveliest cinemas, with one of the most heartbreaking tales at its origin. It is also one of the rare cinemas where you know you can just drop in and are guaranteed to see something amazing – the programme is always excellent.

Monsieur Morin – the founder of Paris institution the Bon Marché department store – commissioned La Pagode – a replica of a Japanese Pagoda – as a gift for his wife in 1886. However could one repay such a gift, you might ask? Well, Madame Morin choose to do it by skipping off with her husband’s business partner. Monsieur Morin’s loss became our gain in time – after a short life as a reception hall, it became a cinema in 1931. It has since become a key player in France’s cinematic landscape, hosting the premiere of Jean Cocteau’s Testament d’Orphée, as well as being a key champion of the Nouvelle Vague in the 60s, bringing the works of Truffaut, Rohmer, Rozier and others to the attention of the public. After escaping demolition in the 1970s (I can’t bear to imagine it), it remains a champion of quality independent cinema today.

An exquisite hidden Japanese cinema

It’s worth ringing to see if your chosen film is playing in the impressive ‘Salle Japonaise’ before you set off (there is another smaller screen) as you may never watch a film in a more exquisite room than this one. A tea beforehand in the surrounding Japanese garden is also highly recommended. 57Bis Rue Babylone – Paris 7eme.

Jardin Francs-Bourgeois-Rosiers

The Marais is one of the liveliest areas in Paris, not least on a Sunday when the rest of the city is closed up (the Marais is the Jewish quarter and so their day of rest is Saturday). I’ve spent countless weekends here, browsing the excellent thrift stores, eating Falafel and cheesecake and drooling over the apartments, but it was only recently that I discovered the jardin ‘Francs-Bourgeois-Rosiers’. Accessible through former Hotel Particulier, the Hotel de Coulanges on the Rue Francs-Bourgeois (which now houses the Maison de l’Europe), this little ‘espace vert’ has to be one of the best-kept secrets in the Marais. Now is the time to visit it – plans are underway to merge it with two other nearby gardens, which will create something very special, but undoubtedly more popular… So get your falafel and cheesecake to go and bring them here. ASAP. 33-35 Rue des Francs-Bourgeois – Paris 4eme.

La petite cuisine à Paris

If you’re planning ahead, a much sought-after reservation at culinary creative Rachel Khoo’s Petite Cuisine is an excellent way to spend a lunchtime. As well as enjoying some fabulous dishes you can have a good natter with a Brit who has made Paris her home. La Petite Cuisine has been thoroughly tried and tested by RIH already and you can read all about it here.

Ballon de Paris

So your obvious options for getting a great view of Paris are the following: Eiffel Tower, Montparnasse Tower and Sacré Coeur. All worthy edifices, but all a little too obvious, and dare I say it, ‘touristy’. But how about being able to see all these buildings from above, in a way that you will never find in the guide books? You need to try the Paris hot air balloon. The reason it’s not in the guide books is because it is subject to the weather (hence it can’t be promoted to tourists), but all you need to do is check on their website before you set off and see whether the balloon is running. When you get there, the queue is modest (virtually non-existent mid-week). You go up in the balloon (tethered to the ground) in a group of around 10, for around 15-20 minutes at a time, to take in a panorama of Paris as far as the eye can see. Parc Andre Citroen – Paris 15eme.

And finally, a few more secrets which I’ll let you discover on your own..

● Histoire de Paris and Curiocites will both teach you fascinating tales about Paris that go far off the tourist track (French speakers only).

● Billet Reduc is bursting with discounted (and often free) tickets to every type of show imaginable in Paris (30-year olds and under can find more places at one of the Kiosque des jeunes);

● You could save yourself a small fortune in museum and gallery tickets if you book to come on the first Sunday of the month, when all of these treasures offer free entry (the earlier you go, the shorter the queues!).

● The Rue Cler is a fabulous market street near (but not too close) to the Eiffel Tower which is open on Sundays until lunchtime, and is perfect for stocking up on cheese and other goodies to take home.

A secret garden within the lively heart of the Marais quartier: the beautifully tranquil Jardin Francs-Bourgeois-Rosiers...

Relax in the dark at Dans le Noir? Spa...

The name ‘Dans le Noir?’ may just ring a bell. It is most famously associated with the unique restaurants in Paris, London, Barcelona, New York and Kiev, where punters eat their meal in pitch black surroundings.  Staff at the venues are totally blind, and thus perfectly equipped to manoeuvre in the dark. And the temporary blindness afforded to the clients ensures a unique sensory experience which has proved a roaring success.

The sightless yet visionary founder of the restaurant, Didier Roche, has now decided to extend the idea to a new spa, located in the heart of Paris’ 2^nd arrondissement. The Dans le Noir? Le Spa has a full team of sightless therapists, all of whom have trained at the Espace Beauté Thalgo International School; it is the first spa in the world with a full sightless team all holding nationally recognised qualifications. However, it is not the first spa in the world to employ the talents of blind therapists – they have been popular in parts of Asia for many years.

Dans le Noir? Le Spa offers a wide range of treatments, linked with three respected beauty brands; Cinq Mondes, offering luxurious world beauty rituals and products; Thalgo, boasting marine-enriched products and organic beauty brand Phyt’s. The salon first recommends taking advantage of a ‘hammam’ – a session in the steam room, which prepares the skin for subsequent treatment. After this you can choose from body scrubs, wraps, massages, facials; some of the most tantalising include the papaya purée scrub which will refine and brighten the skin; the paradisiacal cocoa wrap; the Lomi Lomi Hawaiian massage inspired by the rhythm of the tide of the sea; and the Bali flowers facial which relaxes the face, neck and scalp using a Balinese ritual, and cleanses the skin.

After my hammam, I opted for the ‘découverte’ massage, which meant I left the choice to the discretion of my masseuse; she went for a combination of Swedish, Indian and Korean techniques which would both relax and energise my body. As I lay down in the dark (choosing pitch black for the full experience, but you can ask for different degrees of lighting) it was interesting to think that no one would be assessing my body on the table. Whilst I’m not shy about my body, I have on more than one occasion regretted my choice of undergarments when at a salon. But for those who are shy, for whatever reason, this experience would remove much of the anxiety of being semi-naked in front of a stranger. At Dans le Noir, no one can judge you, or your pants!

The first surreal aspect came when my masseuse electronically raised the bed – which seemed to go on for quite some time, so that I almost felt like I was levitating in the middle of the room by the time it stopped. Now, some people might argue that the natural thing to do during a massage is close your eyes, thus anyone, anywhere can almost a massage ‘in the dark’. But that’s missing the point: here I was in pitch-blackness, with no difference between my eyes shut and open. Inevitably, with one sense down, it intensifies the other senses – this applies both to the masseur and the person receiving the massage. As my masseuse got to work, I sensed a markedly greater concentration of energy compared to my previous experiences of massage. This is at the heart of the Asian tradition – blind people being believed to be bestowed with a special gift for massage.

At no point did the masseuse’s hands leave my body, creating a real bond through a sense of reassurance. From the tips of my toes to the top of my head, the attention to detail was impeccable. By giving my masseuse a free rein, I felt like I wasn’t receiving a massage she had done many times before. This was a massage specifically tailored to my own body and its needs using her expertise. After an hour on the table I felt incredibly relaxed and refreshed, and on leaving the salon I felt ready to take on anything.

If you’re not in Paris or planning on passing through soon – Dans Le Noir? Le Spa will be setting up in both London and Kiev before the end of 2011. Meanwhile, founder Didier le Roche tantalisingly suggests that we can look forward to more extensions of the Dans Le Noir brand in the near future – I, for one, am intrigued and will be watching this space!

For more information, see the Dans le Noir? Le Spa website. Bookings are via +33 (0)1 83 95 46 77 or lespa@danslenoir.com

Try a bespoke massage experience that truly intensifies the senses with Dans le Noir? Spa's selection of rejuvenating treatments

The restaurant's fresh, modern interior

From time to time I find myself wandering around Paris’s ‘Golden Triangle’ – the area around the Champs Elysées. Whilst the area is undeniably rich in landmarks and quality shops (this is designer zone), I’m always surprised that there aren’t more quality restaurants. Visitors are forced to choose between the extremes of the bank-breaking likes of Fouquet’s (one of Sarkozy’s favourites…) or the depressingly bustling McDonalds on the Champs.

Well the tide might just be turning because I’m about to tell you about an absolute gem of a new restaurant in the vicinity. If you want to go to this restaurant in Nice you have to reserve at least two weeks in advance. I predict that in 12 months’ time, its Parisian counterpart will see the same popularity… which means that you need to go now!

Le Velvet par Le Bistrot d’Antoine is located on the ground floor of the trendy new Hotel Beauchamps on the Rue Colisée, just parallel to the Champs Elysées. The story began when chefs Alain Parodi and Armand Crespo joined forces for the second time around five years ago, setting up Le Bistrot d’Antoine in Nice (they had previously worked together at the Michelin-starred Lou Cigalon restaurant in Valbonne). Parodi and Crespo later teamed up with Grace Leo, founder of the GLA luxury hotels chain, and some months later, Velvet par le Bistrot d’Antoine was born at the Hotel Beauchamps in Paris.

The restaurant has been serving lunch since February 2011 but expanded to welcome an evening clientele at the beginning of May. Décor is elegant, and contemporary in relaxing hues of beige and grey. The floor is of black slate, while the walls feature wood and glass cabinets, and large blackboards display the handwritten daily menu and wine specials. Besides the standard tables, two high-backed semi-circular banquettes are perfect for privacy while tall tables with bar-height chairs accommodate groups of six to eight, or individuals who could easily make some new friends.

Interpreting Alain Parodi’s dishes is talented Pierre Denoyer, a graduate of the prestigious L’Ecole Hôtelière de Grenoble and numerous interesting international addresses. Alain spends one week per month with the Paris team, refreshing the Mediterranean-inspired menu and ensuring its immaculate execution. I was immediately spoilt for choice by the starter menu, which included a salad of four different types of tomato with goats cheese on warm brioche; the Antoine salad which offered a special spin on the Niçoise, and a cocotte (mini-casserole) featuring fried foie gras, peas and Serrano ham, which I nearly succumbed to. Instead I opted for the cooked foie gras with its dried fruit pastilla. It melted in my mouth.

Mains included chorizo-spiked Bilbao cod-fish casserole with fennel, herbs and spices and Pluma de Pata Negra (Spanish pork) which comes with fresh vegetables. Classics like beef tartare are also available. I went for the royal dorado fillet with its fine carrot, orange and artichoke salad – succulent, tangy and light enough to leave room for a third course. The dessert menu provides a refreshing change to Paris menu staples such as tarte au pommes and mousse au chocolat… Fruit underlines many options – strawberry melba, raspberry and yoghurt sorbets, apricot blancmange, or my choice, the praline, mango sorbet and crumble verrine. For the more alcoholic choice, there is the Rum Baba – brioche-style cake soaked in three-year-old rum  – yum!

On the drinks front, there are a number of creative house cocktails which you shouldn’t pass up – I went for the alluring ‘Violet Bubble’ which did not disappoint with its combination of violet and champagne. There is a fine selection of French and international wines by the glass and the bottle, but it would be a shame not to opt for a wine from the South West, designed to complement the cuisine (well-informed staff are on hand to offer sound advice about which one to choose).

All dishes are made from high-quality, fresh ingredients, are presented impeccably and are served with a politeness and friendliness rare for this area of Paris. I for one am already planning a return trip ASAP to snare the dishes I missed out on before the menu is updated again!

Velvet par le Bistrot d’Antoine is open every day for lunch and dinner in the evenings except at the weekend. More information is available online here.

Velvet par le Bistrot d'Antoine's décor is elegant, and contemporary in relaxing hues of beige and grey...

An illusion typically created by retouching

Let’s start with a couple of facts: according to the British Journal of Psychology, nowadays half of all 3 to 6 year old girls worry about being fat. These children can look forward to growing up and being part of the 90% of women who overestimate their body weight. These facts have another significance – they are two of thirty reasons filmmaker Elena Rossini has cited as the motivations for making her forthcoming feature documentary, The Illusionists.

So what is The Illusionists about? In Elena’s own words: “The Illusionists will trace the evolution of beauty ideals through the centuries and will examine the economic motives behind the marketing of unattainable beauty. Through advertising and mass media, multibillion-dollar industries (most notably cosmetics, fashion, dieting and cosmetic surgery) saturate our lives with images of idealized, unattainable beauty, of an “Official Body” that does not exist in nature and that can be obtained only through cosmetic surgery – or digital retouching. The Illusionists will explore the influence that corporations have on body image, showing how mass media, advertising and several other industries manipulate people’s insecurities about their bodies for profit.”

It’s a massively important subject, and it makes you wonder why it hasn’t been the topic of a high profile documentary before. But when you think about its potential to rock the media world, suddenly things become clearer. In fact, Elena originally pursued the more traditional funding channels to try and get the documentary made, but many broadcasters and other media bodies seemed a little too afraid to risk ruffling the feathers of other media players… She therefore made the decision to turn to crowdfunding site Kickstarter, where individuals are encouraged to make donations based on the merit of the project. In this way, Elena can be sure that the people funding the project are 100% behind it, while she retains all creative control and is not subject to censorship. The movie’s style will be similar to recent documentaries like Inside Job, Food, Inc, and The Corporation. The ultimate goal is for the documentary to become an educational tool, making viewers empowered consumers of media.

The support is coming in thick and fast – after just two weeks, Elena has raised just over half of the $33,000 she needs to get the film going. At the time of writing, 152 backers have pledged $17,139 between them, with contributions at every level from the minimum $10 right through to the $5000+ bracket. As well as the satisfaction in knowing that they are supporting a great cause, all donors receive a gift in exchange for their contribution: examples include a special edition DVD and coffee table book all the way through to an associate producer credit on the film.

The project’s merit is not only validated by financial support, but also by the impressive list of esteemed experts who have agreed to interviews for the film: author & filmmaker Jean Kilbourne (best known for her iconic film series “Killing Us Softly”), psychotherapist Susie Orbach (best known for her books “Fat is a Feminist Issue” and “Bodies”) and Jenn Pozner(author of “Reality Bites Back”), amongst others.

Italian-born filmmaker Elena Rossini

Elena Rossini’s credentials for tackling the subject are unquestionable. An Italian-born director, cinematographer and editor, she completed her university-level education in Boston. She wrote, produced and directed her debut fictional feature film, ‘Dove sei tu’, at the age of 25. Since then she has been involved in many projects related to the subject of The Illusionists, such as the short documentary, “Ideal Women”, commissioned by the Louvre museum and ARTE Web, which juxtaposed beauty ideals in the art world versus the mass media arena.

In addition to her film work, Rossini created No Country for Young Women, an ongoing multimedia project striving to connect women across generations and nationalities on the topic of their careers.

The future for The Illusionists looks very bright, but nothing is guaranteed. If Elena doesn’t reach the $33,000 funding target on Kickstarter, she receives nothing – this is a condition of the site. If you think you have $10 or more to spare, Running in Heels highly recommends supporting this campaign. After all, to conclude with number 30 of Elena’s 30 reasons why she is making this film:

“A small group of thoughtful people could change the world. Indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” – Margaret Mead

For more information, see The Illusionists’ Kickstarter page or website. You can also follow The Illusionists on Twitter and Facebook.

The Illusionists: a feature-length documentary about the commodification of the body and the marketing of unattainable beauty around the world

]]> http://runninginheels.co.uk/articles/illusionists/feed/ 1 http://runninginheels.co.uk/articles/hotel-beauchamps-paris/ http://runninginheels.co.uk/articles/hotel-beauchamps-paris/#comments Thu, 23 Jun 2011 07:03:27 +0000 Pippa Rimmer http://runninginheels.co.uk/?p=24978

A Privilege suite at the Hotel Beauchamps

The Hotel Beauchamps is one of Paris’ newest and loveliest boutique hotels, perfectly situated for a Parisian visit, in the heart of the 8^th arrondissement, just behind the Champs Elysées.

The property remained dormant until hotel-renovator extraordinaire Grace Leo was given carte blanche for a complete renovation of the property. Known for her unconditional passion for Paris and her talent for creating a unique atmosphere in each hotel she represents, Ms Leo set out to bring Hotel Beauchamps to life.

Two townhouses became one six-floor 89-room hotel which opened in March 2010. The décor is by award-winning French interior designer Pascal Allaman – a favourite of the GLA hotel group which operates the hotel – and is classy and cosmopolitan with a literary twist. They have created a distinctive and playful theme with all objects in the hotel meant to have been collected on the travels of fictional adventurer Balthazar Beauchamps. The idea really comes to life in the lovely library room, full of esoteric objects and books, both modern and antique, which can be enjoyed from the deep 50’s style sofa in front of the cosy fireplace.

Rooms are divided into the following categories: Standard, Superior and Deluxe, Privilege and Suites. The six one-bedroom Suites feature a separate living room with a sofa-bed as well as a separate shower room on top of the full-size bathroom. Rooms are decorated using warm, earthy palettes: cherry red, chocolate and gold; pale yellow and pearl grey; or sand, cedar and copper. Most rooms feature a large canvas reproduction of a Victor Hugo drawing above the bed. The high, wide, comfortable beds sit on a Greek patterned carpet in saffron and khaki tones. A russet-coloured Chinese-inspired lacquered armoire contains the minibar and safe. I also observed an impressive collection of international chocolates in the mini-bar, perhaps more spoils of Balthazar’s travels…?

The lovely rooms at the Beauchamps may leave you reluctant to step out, but you should go at least as far at the hotel’s own restaurant, the Velvet par Le Bistrot d’Antoine. This brand new eatery has a delicious Mediterranean menu curated by award-winning chefs from Nice. The Nice version of the Bistrot d’Antoine currently has a two week waiting list… We’ll be telling you more about our visit to the Velvet soon – until then, we highly recommend grabbing a table before everyone learns about its fabulousness!

The Velvet also plays host to the copious buffet breakfast with everything you’d expect – fresh juices, toasts, jams, bacon, eggs, cakes, cereals, fruit (this was the first place I’d ever seen an unpeeled lychee – very exotic!) – plus fresh croissants, bien sûr.

If you needed any help, looking out of the windows at the Velvet and watching the world go by in this most glamorous area of Paris should get you motivated to get out and join the chic elite, be it for shopping, sightseeing or commuting elsewhere. You’ll find some of our best tips for what to do in the area at the bottom of this article.

What to Visit Nearby…

Sightseeing: The Arc de Triomphe / Place de la Concorde – stepping out of the hotel you only have to walk 50 metrres in a straight line to hit the Champs Elysées : look to the right and you can’t miss the mighty Arc, to the left and you’ll see the magnificent obelisk at Concorde.

Dancing: Le Queen – this world-famous club was one of the regular stages for David Guetta in the early stages of his career and still guarantees a fantastic night out. It’s also the site for many an afterparty following film premieres at the Gaumont cinema over the road.

Cocktailing:   The Bar of the Plaza Athenée – drinks don’t come cheap here but the bar is sumptuous beyond words and you simply never know who you might run into…

Shopping:      Expensive – The Avenue Montaigne is a real who’s who of designer boutiques, especially French ones: think Chanel, Dior (yes, the one where Carrie fell), Dolce and Lacroix, and you’ll start to get the picture.

Affordable – Contrary to popular belief, the Champs Elysées has a wide array of more high street shops, whether you’re after clothes at H&M or Gap, or looking to spoil yourself with toiletries from Sephora or Marionnaud.

The lovely library room, full of esoteric objects and books which can be enjoyed from the deep sofa in front of the cosy fireplace...

Paula McLain's novel The Paris Wife

Biographical fiction is a genre on the up, with artists – particularly writers – among its favourite subjects: Loving Frank, is the fictional account of Frank Lloyd Wright and his mistress Mamah Borthwick Cheney, Jay Parini’s The Passages of Herman Melville recounts the life of the writer of Moby Dick, David Lodge’s A Man of Parts takes on HG Wells, while David Miller’s Today looks at the death of Joseph Conrad. The subject of The Paris Wife is Ernest Hemingway, and specifically his first marriage to Hadley Richardson, during which they lived mostly in vibrant 1920′s Paris. Like Jean Rhys with Wide Sargasso Sea, Paula McLain creates a companion to Hemingway’s Parisian memoir A Moveable Feast, and in The Paris Wife gives us the same story entirely from Hadley’s perspective.

Hadley grew up in St Louis, and experienced a difficult childhood due to an overprotective and belittling mother. When the latter died, the worldly Ernest Hemingway, back from war, appeared at just the right time. He took her to the most fashionable parties, dazzled her with his charm and intellect and praised all her finest qualities. Although he was 21 and she 28, they had an instant compatibility which swiftly led to marriage in 1921. Hemingway was drawn to Paris – the western literary hub abuzz with many other American writers, which promised a cheap way of life and the right inspiration to kick start his career. They soon upped sticks and settled into the city’s lively fifth arrondissement.

The couple were soon mixing with the city’s literary elite, which is where the name-dropping really begins: Ezra Pound, James Joyce, Gertrude Stein, Scott Fitzgerald and Ford Madox Ford makes regular appearances, and as Ernest’s profile rises, Hadley’s self-esteem starts to descend. She laments being ostracized to the corner to sit with the non-artist(s) – other wives, mistresses and the like. Her role is almost exclusively as companion and supporter of Ernest and his ambitions. Previously Hadley has been a talented pianist and when she eventually starts to play again and is persuaded to perform a public concert, she ends up cancelling. She berates her frumpy, boyish appearance and hangs off her husband’s reassurances. One cannot help but want to give her a shake and tell her to make a change. But each time this thought appeared, I was forced to remind myself that the 1920s woman was not the same as the woman of 2011, or at least did not have the same luxury of independence and liberty. After all, this was a period when society was horrified when women began to wear trousers.

This great distance between Hadley and her contemporaries, and myself, is for me, where the book’s greatest interest lies. And at no point does it become more apparent than when Ernest and Hadley cross paths with the Pfeiffer sisters. After Pauline Pfeiffer makes Hadley into her closest companion, holidays for the three of them soon begin to take a sinister turn when Ernest and Pauline concoct a terrible betrayal and start an affair. Yet neither of them has any empathy or sympathy for Hadley and the terrible torment she suffers. Ernest – perhaps too used to the open relationship climate of his literary circle – simply cannot comprehend why Hadley won’t happily go along with the arrangement. It is at this point that we begin to see the beginning of the boozy, bullying, boisterous behaviour for which he was famous in his later years. Ask yourself – could you ever imagine being expected to share a bed with your husband and his mistress, and accord her the ‘afternoon shift’? That’s what Hadley had to endure – making for some of the most heart-wrenching passages in the book.

Eventually she can stand it no more, and the couple divorce, making way for Pauline to assume the role of wife number two. There is nonetheless something satisfying about knowing that she too would soon be outed to make way for number three, who was later succeeded by number 4. Hadley and Ernest never had any contact for the rest of his life, with Hadley raising their son alone. It is a sorry end for an affair which began so rich in love, a melancholy which the reader shares with the protagonist:

“It was sometimes painful for me to think that to those who followed his life with interest, I was just the early wife, the Paris wife.”

But before we jump to feeling too sorry for her, she reassures us: “[But] life was painfully pure and simple and good and I believe Ernest was his best self then. I got the very best of him. We got the best of each other.”

Hemingway certainly produced arguably some of his best work during this period, including In Our Time (1925) and The Sun Also Rises, or Fiesta (1926). The fact that Hemingway wrote his autobiographical account of the period some thirty years after it took place suggests that he kept it very close to his heart for a long time too.

The Paris Wife is a beautifully composed tale which begs for a reread and undoubtedly warrants buying alongside A Moveable Feast to get the rare two-angled perspective on the same story. The Twittersphere has been abuzz with praise for the book since its release and its popularity can only increase with the emerging vogue for everything 1920s: HBO’s 1920s-set Boardwalk Empire is making waves as the flagship programme on the Sky Atlantic channel, and Baz Luhrmann’s version of The Great Gatsby is in production. The Paris Wife is an ideal introduction to 1920s Europe which will have you planning your flapper-inspired fancy dress party in a flash.

Paula McLain talks about The Paris Wife

The Paris Wife is published by Virago Press, and available to buy online here.

Oceania (Bjork) – Lynn Fox

All the way from Magathèque 2 – a fashion special, Lynn Fox’s treasure for Bjork garnered them an inclusion alongside music videos and ads alike by masters from Lynch to LaChapelle.

Western Spaghetti – Pes

Back in Magathèque 4 we looked at stopmotion film – films made entirely of photographs. I could have used any of internet sensations Pes’s films, but this unorthodox preparation of pasta and sauce has to be one of my favourites.

If I know You (The Presets) – Eva Husson

In Magathèque 5 we profiled this video by Eva Husson for Australian band the Presets. The theme was of this collection was Kids Gone Wild and this is a great example. I challenge you not to tap your foot, at the very least…

Atelic – Duckeye

Dance film was the order of the day in Magathèque volume 6, featuring talent from Sylvie Guillem to Spike Jonze, as well as the first ever music video shot with a 360 degree panoramic lens. Duckeye created a very worthy inclusion with this piece featuring the Rambert Dance Company and some incredible technical trickery.

The Lunch Date – Adam Davidson

Adam Davidson’s Oscar-winning short film is an unbelievable 22 years old this year, and yet it still remains a key benchmark in short film making. It’s incredible to learn that this was a student film. Featuring in Magathèque 7, whose theme was travel, Davidson reminds us that your prejudices can be challenged at any moment.

J’attendrai le suivant – Philippe Orreindy

Another one from Magathèque 7 (it was a good month…), and another one of Oscar calibre (2002 Oscar-nominee for best live action short). This short film reminds you why keeping your head down on the underground is often the best idea.

Hotel Chevalier – Wes Anderson

Mr Anderson inspired a whole new generation of short filmmakers by going back to the short film whilst at the peak of his feature-directing career. This film was made to be shown before all theatrical screenings of The Darjeeling Limited and the two films are a heady combination. Featuring in the love-themed Magathèque 8, the chemistry between Portman and Schwartzman cannot fail to melt even the coldest of hearts.

The Last Farm – Runar Runarsson

An eternal favourite, The Last Farm remains the only short film to make me weep. And weep. Portraying love of a different generation altogether, I urge you to lock yourself in a quiet room and open your heart to this devastating tale and beautiful direction.

To Lee, With Love, Nick – Nick Knight

To conclude, another film with tragic overtones, this film was made by Showstudio founder in homage to the late Alexander McQueen and was one of the stars of fashion-themed Magathèque 17. Knight’s direction, Bjork’s soundtrack and McQueen’s artistry combine seamlessly to create a dazzling rollercoaster for the eyes that will have you hitting repeat again and again.

Head to the spa for less with Groupon

Spa treatments, haircuts, museum visits, meals, wine-tastings, pole dancing classes, power plate sessions, weekends away, a horse-riding excursion, a flying lesson, cooking classes (including a macaroon-making class) – nope, this is not my birthday wish-list, but rather just a selection of the activities I’ve done in the past year since Groupon-fever took over France and I became a self-confessed deal addict. But I’ve learned some lessons along the way and I’m here to share them.

You may have been living under a rock if you haven’t come across at least one group-buying deal site in the last twelve months. The principle is simple: every day (or few days for start-up sites) the website publishes an offer, usually related to where you live (although there are national ones too), for a product or service at an astronomical discount. The site must sell a minimum number of vouchers to validate the deal – the premise of economies of scale from group buying. Never yet have I seen a deal fail to get validated.

Groupon is the world leader, but there are countless similar sites – many of which have been bought by the former to facilitate their global expansion. Big names like eBay, Facebook as well as various newspapers have also been getting in on the action. There are almost as many ‘aggregator’ sites which usefully group deals from multiple sites (e.g. Chiconomise in the UK and Deals dans ma Ville in France), as there are individual sites in themselves. To give you an idea of how massive this phenomenon is, Google as their second buyout offer of $6billion dollars rejected by Groupon in December last year. Since rumours suggest that Groupon generates $2billion in yearly revenue, and there is such huge scope for international expansion, the rejection is hardly surprising.

Keen to secure or retain its place as market leader, Groupon has undertaken an aggressive web ad marketing campaign, as well as TV in the US, although the latter probably did more detriment than good (the Groupon superbowl ad deservedly came under fire for being in bad taste). But largely, these sites are spreading by word of mouth like wildfire, boosted by advantageous sponsorship scheme, where you can accrue anything between £6 and £8 per client that you bring to the service. And since many deals are better enjoyed with friends or family, it’s easy to get other people involved.

The discounts offered to consumers are often eye-popping – usually between 50 and 90% off regular prices – to the extent that you have to ask whether they are making any profit on a sale whatsoever. But profit may not be their underlying motive: having spoken to a number of new services providing deals, they have stated that they are planning to build up a client base. I certainly imagine and hope this works for some, but I must say that when I’ve been paying 10euros for a powerplate class through Groupon and the provider has tried to persuade me to sign up for a course at the standard 30euros per class, I’ve simply said that I’d rather keep buying vouchers and change venues…

Tempted by the deals from Groupon?

Other providers have tried to boost their revenue with added extras on arrival – hair salons often have a classic trick of charging up to 10euros for conditioner after washing your hair. I politely declined, but many other voucher-clients likely didn’t, for whatever reasons. Of course, the venue is only out of pocket when a client redeems a voucher – a great many won’t. With ever-shortening validity dates (there has been a trend for decreasing them from twelve down to three months over the last year) it’s easy to forget. And only one site of the dozen I’ve used has ever sent me a reminder. This has been at the heart of ‘experience-gift-giving’ business model for years – buy a gift voucher for a massage for someone and there is a strong chance they’ll forget to ever book it before it expires. The venue got paid anyway, so they’re happy.

There are many other cost-cutting measures that providers can employ: in recent months I’ve witnessed a tendency to exaggerate the original price of the deal, which in turn exaggerates the percentage discount. Emails to customer services which have requested a breakdown of how they reached such an initial figure have usually gone ignored. Furthermore, I’ve also arrived at restaurants with my voucher, only to be proposed an entirely separate ‘voucher menu’. Since the premise is that you’re getting a better deal than regular clients, this ‘special’ menu – no doubt proposing cheaper dishes – can leave you feeling a little cheated. This separate treatment when you bring a voucher is not uncommon – on more than one occasion myself and friends have been convinced that we’ve experienced a substandard service when we’ve redeemed coupons.

Voucher sites are becoming more common, and there is inevitably a dearth of less interesting deals at less favourable providers. But, if you are wise in which ones you pick (I’ve never booked a restaurant or hotel without studying TripAdvisor first) then there are some incredible deals to be had. The other great asset is the range of offers proposed – including many things I’d never think of doing (my plane flying lesson is certainly one of them) – frankly, my social schedule has never been so interesting since I started using vouchers and I can’t promote them enough!

Right Place – Kosai Sekine

Kosai Sekine’s light-hearted look at OCD has garnered accolades across the world since its launch in 2005, including Best Short Film at the Cannes Young Directors Awards in 2006. It’s not hard to see why:

Sentimental Journey – Nagi Noda

The world lost an incredible talent when Japanese artist and director Nagi Noda tragically passed away in 2006. This highly original music video for Japanese pop star Yuki helped to catapult her onto the global stage, especially when Coca Cola commissioned a similar format for an advert set to music by Jack White.

Fitness Video – Nagi Noda

Another piece of magic from Nagi, this surrealist clip is a word-for-word parody of Susan Powter’s first workout video except the video’s instructor is dressed in a body suit giving her the appearance of having muscles shaped like the fur of a groomed poodle dog. Nagi explained that she arrived at the poodle concept after noticing that the dogs’ hair cuts resembled muscles.

Watermelon Love – Yoji Koyama

Watermelon Love was the product of the ‘Mesh’ digital animation scheme that brought together a diverse range of talented, young animators, who created twenty-seven award-winning works between 2000-07. In Yoji Koyama’s seductive clip, the viewer is offered an interative and stimulating service that caters to his/her every desire…

Salaryman 6 – Jake Knight

Set in Tokyo, Salaryman 6 shows us its protagonist’s depressing day-to-day routine in detail as he attempts to piece together his life using the aid of a pocket camera, after losing his memory. Reality is stretched and warped to dramatic effect.

La Petite Cuisine's Rachel Khoo...

Last weekend I enjoyed a meal at one of Paris’ most exclusive restaurants. You see, this restaurant only seats two people, only opens twice a week for one sitting, and you have to be very in the know to get a seat. Luckily for you, you are about to get in the know – this is La Petite Cuisine à Paris (The little Paris kitchen).

On Wednesdays and Saturday lunchtimes, Rachel Khoo welcomes two guests into her own home for a three-course meal and free-flowing wine. There is no menu (although special dietary requirements can be passed on in advance) – you will be surprised. Paris residents are rejecting the snobbery of the city’s haute cuisine restaurants in favour of trying to get a coveted reservation at this tiny kitchen tucked away in the bohemian Belleville area of one of the world’s culinary capitals.

So who is Rachel Khoo? Originally from London, Rachel studied art before starting a career in fashion PR. Although dream career for some, Rachel had another dream in mind – becoming a pastry chef. So she made the courageous break and signed up for a 3-month patisserie course at an English-speaking culinary school in Paris (she didn’t yet speak French).

Rachel’s PR background is discernible in her new career path – on her impeccably presented websites she presents herself as a ‘food creative’ rather than a chef. The semiotics are important – “the ‘chef’ network is such an old boy’s club, very masculine,” she says. It is also a somewhat restrictive title given the breadth of Rachel’s food-related expertise – including consulting, food styling, book authoring, workshops and other creative projects related to food.

After completing her course, Rachel took on a variety of freelance projects, whilst also working part-time at cult Paris cookbook shop ‘La Cocotte’, where she would often bake sweet treats. It was through this job that she got inspired to write cookbooks and in an impressively short space of time she had publishers competing against one another to secure her first publications – on spreads and cereal bars – both written in French.

The development of Rachel’s third book – her first in English – gave birth to La Petite Cuisine à Paris (now the working title of the book). Designed to be a more general recipe book, Rachel needed to test her recipes and wanted objective feedback, so she decided to start inviting people to her house to test them.

Frankly, I would not have known if Rachel had cooked our recipe once or a hundred times – it was delicious. Starting with baby leeks drizzled in vinaigrette, with boiled egg and Bayonne ham, this was followed by a ‘Navarin Printanier’ (‘spring stew’) of lamb with seasonal vegetables. To conclude we enjoyed a tonka bean soufflé (tonka bean is apparently the designer ingredient of the moment) – again, sublime. Rachel sits and eats the meal with you, giving you the opportunity to pose countless questions to the chef and learn about the meal and restaurant – something so hard to find in restaurants today.

Beyond accepting reservations from a small number of bloggers, Rachel has done very little PR for her mini-restaurant. It is ironic, and yet also logical, that demand for a reservation has sky-rocketed and French and international press have fallen in love with the concept. Notably, after it was featured in insiders’ guide to Paris ‘My Little Paris’ last month, she received over 200 emails – at two sittings per week (and some weekends off), she would have clients until well into 2013. She has had enquiries from as far as the USA, requests from honeymooners, bribes of flowers and chocolates (none accepted!) – people are desperate for a seat here! But Rachel remains very practical – there is no waiting list and every start of the month she lists her dates for the next four weeks and allocates them on a first come first-served basis.

La Petite Cuisine à Paris: Navarin Printanier and baby leeks drizzled in vinaigrette, with boiled egg and Bayonne ham

If you want to try this unique culinary experience, I advise signing up to the mailing list here, following Rachel on Twitter and keeping your eyes peeled at the beginning of every month – good luck!

For more information, see the La Petite Cuisine à Paris website. You can also check out Rachel’s blog here.