This is a little gem off the beaten track. It is where Pigalle and Montmartre locals, regulars, party animals, incognitos, famous people, and well advised tourists mingle. You will find a unique mix of people enjoying themselves in this convivial and relaxed atmosphere. You will even find smiling waiters, yes, that is possible, those places exist in Paris!

The decor is original, designed by young owner Lapin ( Rabbit). A retro bedroom with vintage wallpaper, wooden furniture, so inviting for a nap. But this place is buzzing so much at night you would never be able to. If you’re a budding artist you can even submit your artwork to exhibit on the walls.

Free Wifi.
Every Sunday, « ciné-comptoir », a film is screened at 6pm.
Happy Hour from 4pm to 8pm

Marlusse et Lapin
14 Rue Germain Pilon
18th arrondissement Paris
Area: Montmartre – Pigalle
Transport :
Abbesses Métro ligne 12
Blanche Métro ligne 2
Pigalle Métro ligne 2 Métro ligne 12

Contact :
01 73 75 07 13

Hours :

Monday 16:00 – 02:00

Tuesday 16:00 – 02:00

Wednesday 16:00 – 02:00

Thursday 16:00 – 02:00

Friday 16:00 – 02:00

Saturday 16:00 – 02:00

Sunday 16:00 – 02:00

Genre :
Cocktails – Concerts – DJ

Prices
Cocktail : 6 €
1/2 Pint : 2,40 €
Café : 1,30 €

The first large retrospective exhibition dedicated to Yves Saint-Laurent the fashion designer is taking place until August 29th at the Petit Palais.

“I’ve always had the highest of respect for this profession, which isn’t an art form per se, but which needs an artist in order for it to exist” – Yves Saint-Laurent.

The Fondation Pierre Bergé-Yves Saint Laurent and the Petit Palais (City of Paris Museum of Fine Arts) are showcasing the first Yves Saint-Laurent retrospective exhibition since the fashion designer passed away in 2008. A total of 307 haute couture and prêt-à-porter models are on show, ranging from the designer’s beginnings at Dior in 1958, with the famous “Trapèze” collection, to the splendour of the evening dresses from 2002.

In 40 years of creating, Yves Saint-Laurent revolutionised women’s wardrobes, by drawing on aspects of the male evening suit, trouser suit and safari suit to dress women, thereby passing attributes of power from one gender to the other.

The designer took inspiration from the streets (1971 scandale collection), his dreamlike journeys (Russia, China, India, Spain, Japan, Africa and Morocco) and interaction with art (Modrian, Picasso, Matisse, Van Gogh).

Numerous photographs and films shed light on the historical background, the development of the Yves Saint-Laurent style and the aspects underpinning his creations.

From 11 March to 29 August 2010

Petit Palais

Avenue Winston Churchill – 75008 Paris
Metro station : Champs-Elysées-Clémenceau or Concorde
RER C, Invalides ; RER A, Charles-de-Gaulle-Etoile
Bus lines : 42/72/73/80/93

The museum is open from Tuesday to Sunday: 10am to 6pm – Late-night opening: Thursday until 8pm.
Closed Mondays and public holidays

Paris, 1912 : meet Adèle Blanc-Sec, a fearless young journalist who’ll stop at nothing to get to the bottom of a mystery – even if it means turning up in Egypt and battling with mummies that come back to life.

In Paris, meanwhile, panic reigns. A 136-million-year-old pterodactyl egg has inexplicably hatched in a display case at the Natural History Museum, and the huge bird is spreading terror as it swoops over the city. But nothing fazes Adèle Blanc-Sec. Just as well, because there are lots of other astonishing surprises in store…

“The extraodinary adventures of Adèle Blanc-Sec”, is a movie directed by Luc Besson ( The Big Blue, Nikita).
Adapted from the comic book by Jacques Tardi, a hit in France since its parution in 1976.

Follow the Paris Film Trails and explore famous, unusual or historic parts of the city that feature in classic movies. Over 800 film shoots take place in Paris each year, and some 4,000 different outside locations have been used. The Film Trails are pocket guides for lovers of Paris and the cinema.

For all cinema lovers, Cannes Film Festival is THE place.

This year the competition was consistently of high standard, offering master films by talented authors.

Among the highlights…

Tim Burton was President of the Jury this year, the Festival’s 63rd edition. To celebrate his presence, the Palais des Festivals was bedecked in Tim’s own colourful drawings, extracted from his movies’ storyboards and scenarios.

“Wall Street Money never sleeps” directed by Oliver Stone made a sturr, one of the very few films to talk about the current financial crisis.

The highly antecipated Jean Luc Godard didn’t come but Mick Jagger did.

Ridley Scott presented a new version of Robin Hood, featuring Russell Crowe and Cate Blanchett, opening the film festival.

Worthy of note: Iranian filmmaker Jafar Pahani, jury member, couldn’t attend the festival as he is currently jailed in his country, accused of being an opposant to the regime. 

Cannes is also the place to revisit the classics on restored prints, eg. The Leopard by Luchino Visconti (1963), Boudu Saved from Drowning by Jean Renoir (1932) or Tristana by Luis Buñuel (1972).

Last night, the Cannes Film Festival awarded its “Palmarès” rewarding an international crowd of talentuous filmmakers and actors.

And the winners are :

Palme d’or for feature film awarded to Uncle Boonmee who can remember his past lives (Lung Boonmee Raluek). 

Grand Prix awarded to Of Gods and Men (Des Hommes et des Dieux) by Xavier Beauvois

The Prix du Jury for feature film awarded to A Screaming Man (Un Homme qui crie) by Mahamat-Saleh Haroun

The Caméra d’or awarded to Año Bisiesto by Michael Rowe

Best Director awarded to Mathieu Amalric for On Tour (Tournée)

Best Actress awarded to Juliette Binoche in Cettified Copy (Copie Conforme)

 by Abbas Kiarostami

Best Actor awarded in tie to Javier Bardem in Biutiful by Alejandro González Iñárritu

Best Actor awarded in tie to Elio Germano in Our Life (La Nostra Vita) by Daniele Luchetti

Best Script awarded to Lee Chang-Dong for Poetry

The Palme d’or for short film awarded to Barking Island (Chienne d’histoire) by Serge Avédikian

The Prix du Jury for short film awarded to Bathing Micky (Micky Bader) by Frida Kempff

Un Certain Regard Prize – Groupama Gan Foundation for Cinema

HAHAHA directed by HONG Sangsoo

Jury Prize – Un Certain Regard

OCTUBRE (OCTOBER) directed by Daniel VEGA, Diego VEGA

Un Certain Regard Award for Best Actress

LOS LABIOS (THE LIPS) played by Victoria RAPOSO, Eva BIANCO, Adela SANCHEZ

Last night, «La nuit des Césars» took place, the annual French Film Awards Ceremony was opened by Marion Cotillard (Oscar for Best Actress for « La Môme », 2009).

Unsurprisingly, the excellent « A Prophet » won almost all categories ( 9 Césars in total) Best Film, Best director (Jacques Audiard), Best script, Best editing…and an exceptional first in French cinema history : Both Best Newcomer and Best Actor awards went to debutant Tahar Rahim for his performance as a prisoner.

Fortunately there was not an actress nominated for « The Prophet », otherwise Isabelle Adjani wouldn’t have received her fifth César for « la Journée de la Jupe ». This French icon was yesterday back in the limelight after a long retreat.

I was glad « Le concert », a compelling feature about a fake Bolchoï orchestra who leave Russia for a performance in Paris won Best Music and Best sound.

Worthy of note, Harrison Ford received a Special Award for his career from the hands of Sigourney Weaver who speaks perfect French.

« Gran Torino » was prefered to « Avatar », and received the Best Foreign Film award. Clint Eastwood’s son thanked the Academy in the tongue of Molière.

Trailer for A Prophet

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SiZSIQwNk3k

It’s time for Chocolate ! Between Valentines day and Easter, I will introduce you to a bit of Chocolate History and some of the best places for chocolate in Paris.

Chocolate and France have been having a love story for a long time. The aristocracy particularly prised it because it was exclusive, pricey and it had numerous virtues, including aphrodisiac ones. Chocolate was introduced in France in 1615 by Queen Anne of Austria, the Spanish Queen who married French King Louis XIII.

Marie Therese d’Autriche, wife of The Sun King Louis XIV, said she had two passions in life : The King and Chocolate. At Versailles, cocoa became extremely fashionable and was served three days a week in the Salons of the palace, a luxurious habit at the time.

The Marquise de Sévigné, a literary icon from the 17th century, was a big fan of chocolate, using it as a remedy when feeling unwell. She gave her name to a chocolate bonbons label.

Nowadays, Chocolat making is still considered an Art, using the best organic products. When you are in Paris, do try to taste the delicacies at these addresses, among the top chocolatiers in town:

Patrick Roger
He was elected « Best Chocolate maker in Paris » in 2007. He’s now part of the very exclusive circle of cocoa Artists and creates beautiful chocolate sculptures.

108 boulevard Saint-Germain, 75006 Paris
Tel : 01 43 29 38 42
Website : www.patrickroger.com

He also has a second address, 45 Avenue Victor Hugo, 75016 Paris.

Pierre Hermé
The chef patissier is a real star in Paris. His chocolate sculptures are real artworks inspired by the homelands of cocoa, precolombian statues and african masks. Go for « Art Premier » chocolates bonbons, filled ganaches and pralines. ( 32 euros the selection).

185 rue Vaugirard, 75015 Paris
Tel : 01 47 83 89 96
Website : www.pierreherme.com

La Maison du Chocolat
Unmissable place signing a new collection every year, like for Haute Couture.
I like their creations for Valentine’s day, a single chocolate presented like a gem in a designer box made of chocolate.

120 avenue Victor Hugo – 75016 Paris
Tel : 01 40 67 77 84
Website : www.lamaisonduchocolat.com

Have you ever heard of Serge Gainsbourg ? The man with the cabbage head, as he would call himself ? The greatest dandy and songwriter from the second half of the XXth century is brought back to life in this biopic film.The legend of Serge, real name Lucien Ginsburg, is portrayed between women (Brigitte Bardot, Jane Birkin and Juliette Gréco to name a few), alcoohol, scandals and songs by comic books writer and director Joann Sfar. Starring Eric Elmosnino as Gainsbourg and Laetitia Casta as Brigitte Bardot, choosing our national top model to play the Sex Symbol of the 60s is an interesting choice. A nice way to revisit hit songs like «Je t’aime, moi non plus», «Initials B.B.»… In the BBC series episode III, «Paris», Jane Birkin tells me about the making of the song «Je t’aime moi non plus». A good laugh.

The title is well deserved: this Arts event is Monumental. For three years now, one artist every year is invited to create an Arts installation at the scale of the glass dome of The Grand Palais.

I was happy with this year’s choice, a “tour de force”, your whole being is involved. Boltanski overtook the space and offered a poignant scene under the imposing glass dome. Experiencing the installation in a cold winter night is even more striking.

As you pass a wall made of small rusty containers, a vast field of neatly arranged square sections of clothes lay on the floor. Low neon lights produce a cold glow over the relics. As you walk among the avenues of clothes, the loud beat of pumping hearts invades the space. It’s as if souls have left their corpses, their clothes still resting on the floor.

Dominating the field, a huge pyramid also made of clothes stands in the background. A crane above the pile descends, clutches some pieces, lifts them up and then releases its grip so the clothes fall back on the pile. Its overwhelming presence could only make me think of a blind hand picking people randomly and throwing them back. Not a sweet image, but a powerful stage.

Boltanski works with absence and memory but I’m impressed by his evocative force ; so many pictures come to mind. Mass murder. Ethnic cleansing. Memory and anonymity. Death and life.

Visitors were invited to record their heart beats for a second installation on an island in Japan. I left my heart there to make it beat in Japan for ever…

Download Lonely Planet Magazine December 09 article

(3.5Mb .pdf)

Download The Independent article, 23 June 2007

(576Kb .pdf)