France

A beautiful, personal statement has been posted on the French Goverment’s website:   Jean-Marc Ayrault, Premier ministre, a appris avec une grande émotion le décès d’Henri Dutilleux. Né à Angers en 1916, Henri Dutilleux a traversé le XXème siècle et le début du XXIème siècle avec la profondeur et la légèreté d’une œuvre qui incarna [...]

It’s on ebay, and the pedigree is good: “a very rare, superb French certified cello bow by Francois Xavier Tourte, ca.1820“. But for how much? The price of a small house in the country.  

Chivas Toasts Opening Night at Cannes as one of the Official Suppliers to The Great Gatsby Film Premiere Party Chivas Regal 25, the world’s original luxury whisky, has today announced its coveted position as one of the official suppliers to The Great Gatsby film premiere party on the Opening Night of the 66th Festival de Cannes. Marking a fifth consecutive year as official sponsor to the festival itself, Chivas Regal 25 has a heritage of luxury and exclusivity, making it the perfect drink to toast the silver screen legends and the glamour of the world’s most prestigious film festival.  To celebrate the launch of The Great Gatsby at the exclusive Cannes film premiere party, Chivas will serve a bespoke menu of themed cocktails, named after the well-known characters in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s iconic story. Celebrating the opening of the 66th Festival de Cannes, the event is set to be the pinnacle of the festival program and a sensational night of 1920s glamour. In addition to this event during the festival, Chivas will also host more than 75 VIPs from around the world as part of a unique 24-hour VIP experience that celebrates the legendary glamour of Cannes and Chivas Regal 25. Guests will enjoy a night at the iconic Grand Hyatt Cannes Hôtel Martinez, a red carpet makeover at the Chivas Regal Salon 25, a view of Cannes from the harbour aboard the Chivas 25 Yacht as well as entertainment at Bar 1909 in Chivas House on the legendary Croisette. Guests will also be treated to a private dining experience at two Michelin starred La Palme d’Or where they will enjoy a bespoke tasting menu, pairing Chivas cocktails with the finest seasonal French Cuisine, created by Chivas Global Brand Ambassador Max Warner and chef Christian Sinicropi. James Slack, Brand Director, Chivas Regal said: “We are absolutely thrilled to be part of The Great Gatsby film premiere party at Festival de Cannes as part of our whole program. Our Global Brand Ambassador, Max Warner, has been working to create a bespoke menu of Gatsby-themed cocktails that we’ll serve at the party in honour of this event. As a brand that was born in the time of Gatsby, it is fitting for us to celebrate this look back at a time with the cast of this iconic film. This should be another legendary year at the festival and we are excited to be part of it again.” Chivas Regal 25 – the pinnacle of the Chivas range – pays homage to the world’s first-ever luxury whisky, the original Chivas Regal blend, shipped from Scotland to New York in 1909. Enjoyed today by elite tastemakers around the globe, it is a unique blend of the finest whiskies, aged for at least a quarter of a century. Dating back to the 1940s, Festival de Cannes is today considered the most iconic and glamorous film festival in the world. Warner Bros. Pictures presents, in association with Village Roadshow Pictures, in association with A&E Television, a Bazmark/Red Wagon Entertainment Production, a Film by Baz Luhrmann, “The Great Gatsby.”  The film will be distributed in 3D and 2D by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company, and in select territories by Village Roadshow Pictures. Notes Chivas Regal is now in its fifth year as official partner of the Festival de Cannes – the most exclusive and celebrated international film festival. About Chivas Regal Chivas Regal is a truly global brand, selling 4.8 million 9L cases annually in more than 150 countries across Europe, Asia Pacific and Americas. The Chivas Regal range is the epitome of style, substance and exclusivity and includes Chivas Regal 12, 18 and 25 Year Old. To celebrate its fifth year as official partner of the Festival de Cannes, on the 18th May Chivas Regal will launch the world’s first website to take users on a fully interactive virtual VIP journey through the world’s most prestigious film festival. To experience the Legend of Cannes, from the 18th May guests can visit www.chivas.com/cannes

A flavorful French classic made simple.craving more? check out TasteSpotting

Photographer Edmund Sumner has revealed initial images of the filigree-clad Museum of European and Mediterranean Civilisations (MuCEM) by architect Rudy Ricciotti, which is set to open next month on Marseille's waterfront (+ slideshow). Tying in with the French city's designation as European Capital of Culture 2013, MuCEM is one of several civic buildings set to open there this year and will be dedicated to the history and cultures of the Mediterranean region. Ornamental concrete shrouds the glazed exterior of the museum like a lacy veil, moderating light through to the building's two exhibition floors. Meanwhile, an inclined walkway bridges out from the roof the building to meet Fort Saint-Jean - a seventeenth-century stronghold that will also house museum exhibitions - before continuing on towards the Eglise Saint-Laurent church nearby. Rudy Ricciotti describes the building as a "vertical casbah", referring to its arrangement on the harbour. "Open to the sea, it draws a horizon where the two shores of the Mediterranean can meet," he says. Other projects to open in Marseille this year include a polished steel pavilion by Foster + Partners and a contemporary art space on the rooftop of Le Corbusier's Cité Radieuse housing block. See more architecture in Marseille. See more photography by Edmund Sumner on Dezeen, or on his website. The post MuCEM by Rudy Ricciotti photographed by Edmund Sumner appeared first on Dezeen.

MALI - La Chine a annoncé ce mercredi 22 mai qu'elle était prête à fournir 500 hommes aux forces de l'ONU présentes au Mali. Il s'agit de sa plus forte contribution à une opération de maintien de la paix.Cette annonce, si elle se réalise, pourrait permettre à la France, qui intervient au Mali contre les rebelles islamistes depuis le 11 janvier 2013, de passer la main aux troupes onusiennes en juillet prochain.More...

Tom Perrotta, Wall Street JournalThe general consensus about this year's French Open is that the moment Roland Garros swings open its gates Sunday, Rafael Nadal and Serena Williams will begin a slow and inevitable procession to the men's and women's titles. Barring an uprising from Novak Djokovic, this outcome is considered a fait accompli. But take a moment, if you will, to ponder a more louche scenario: that this year's French Open could mark the return of a type of player who used to win this clay-court spectacular all the time, the type of player whose name is probably escaping you at the moment....

Jaipur-based Intap Labs, which runs online language learning platform CultureAlley, has raised an undisclosed amount in funding from KAE Capital, the Mumbai-based early stage investor, reports Mint. The firm has picked up a minority stake in the company, said the report. Founded in 2012 by Nishant Patni and Pranshu Bhandari, CultureAlley uses live videos for one-on-one student-teacher interactions. Students can learn Punjabi, Spanish, Hindi, Mandarin or French and currently offers free self-study modules to start off. Each live lesson costs a minimum of $15 or $20, depending on the package, and individual lessons last for 60 minutes. The platform enables students to connect with teachers in India and overseas and there is a money-back option if students are not satisfied with their lessons. KAE Capital, founded by former BlueRun Ventures India head Sasha Mirchandani, raised its debut fund with a $25 million corpus in March last year. The firm is backed by larger venture capital firms Sequoia Capital, SAIF Partners and Omidyar Network, among other investors. It typically plays in the pre-Series A stage, with per deal ticket sizes pegged at between $200,000 and $500,000. Some of the investments it has made since raising the fund include storage software startup CloudByte, career assessment platform My Talent, and apps development platform ShepHertz. Image credit: CultureAlley Read the original post here.  (c) StartupCentral 2013.

When there are only two days of sun in a month, you savor the moments. For me, those precious days were spent in two of the most beautiful parks in and around Paris.I spent the first sun day at the palace of Versailles with the Royal Molecatcher (Curious? Find out more here).The sculpted trees and statues, artfully arranged by Le Nôtre, were graced with soft light and sweeping clouds (and, of course, a few dead moles … not pictured here). It was a good day.The second appearance of the sun was at the Jardins Albert Kahn (although rain drops ultimately took the stage). Here, one falls into a zen trance--surrounded by elegant reeds, lush greens, free-floating koi, and tranquil pools. No matter what the weather, it's always a soothing experience.Since I don't know when the sun will shine again, the Paris mantra of the moment is Carpe Diem. Seize the Day. (Or better still, Seize the Sun.) (Not that I'm complaining . . . well, yes I am). Meredith Mullins is a fine art photographer, photography instructor, and Director of the International Fine Art Photography Competition. Her work can be seen at www.meredithmullins.artspan.com  or in her award-winning book, In A Paris Moment. She is also available for private photography instruction/exploration in Paris.Contact her at meredithmullins@earthlink.net. I am pleased as punch to announce the launch of Eye Prefer Paris Tours, which are 3-hour walking tours I will personally be leading. The Eye Prefer Paris Tour includes many of the places I have written about such as small museums & galleries, restaurants, cafes & food markets, secret addresses, fashion & home boutiques, parks, and much more. Tours cost 210 euros for up to 3 people, and 70 euros for each additional person. I look forward to meeting you on my tours and it will be my pleasure and delight to show you my insiders Paris.  Check it out at www.eyepreferparistours.com New! Eye Prefer Paris Cooking ClassesI am happy to announce the launch of Eye Prefer Paris Cooking Classes. Come take an ethnic culinary journey with me and chef and caterer Charlotte Puckette, co-author of the bestseller The Ethnic Paris Cookbook (with Olivia Kiang-Snaije). First we will shop at a Paris green-market for the freshest ingredients and then return to Charlotte's professional kitchen near the Eiffel Tower to cook a three-course lunch. After, we will indulge in the delicious feast we prepared along with hand-selected wines. Cost: 185 euros per person (about $240)Time: 9:30AM- 2PM (approximately 4 1/2 hours) Location: We will meet by a metro station close to the marketClass days: Tuesday,Wednesday, Thursday,Friday, Saturday, and SundayMinimum of 2 students, maximum 6 students.Click here to sign up for the next class or for more info.

Recipe: french silk pie I was packing a few last kitchen items Tuesday evening when I looked up to see a nice rosy glow on James Peak. It’s been a while since I’ve had the leisure to notice sunset because our time has been sucked up with a project of sorts. sunset on james peak [...]