Paris

Sanraku at the New Metreon Mall was a place I loved in November and elected to bring Colette and a French pal back to.  It's neat as a pin and looks out on the lovely Buena Yerba Garden.                 I seem to have had some shakiness in potographing our seafood salad, edaname and miso soups but they were anything but shaky - better than stanard by a long shot.                 For mains we went our separate but quite satisfied ways - Colette with a "dynamite" roll of yellow tail, shiso, cucumber, jalepeno, onion and yuzu-soy-sesame sauce; our french friend with his "combo" of California roll and shrimp tempura and me with another chirashi of sushi rice with about 10 fish and/or their roe on top.  All were exemplary. With two Sapporo draft beers, no bottled water, tea or coffee or dessert, our bill came to $52.94 a couple before tip. Go?  You bet.

Shoes: Rolando Santana | Jeans: DL1961 | Bag: Neri Karra Oh the weekend, what a wonderful time!!!. Well, its past midnight in Europe now which means its Monday already but I wanted to share some of my look details from today -or yesterday- (?). I could wear my jeans every day, I really could but this time I chose to mix them with a sexy shoe by my dear friend Rolando Santana. See you tomorrow! FACEBOOK ? TWITTER ? BLOGLOVIN'

I of course already (on my previous blog) posted about Opera Garnier. However, being in the entrance hall the other day, I could not resist against taking some more shots of this almost “overdecorated” place. (Another preprogrammed post, while I’m away in the south, looking for sun.)

The Paul Bert & Serpette Markets present: Jardins à la Fran?aise. 2013 is André Le Nôtre's 400th birthday (no darling, nothing to do with the pâtissier). Architect and landscape designer, he was  gardener to the King, King of gardeners, founder of the “Jardins à la Fran?aise” movement. While at Les Puces check out the Starck designed brasserie, Ma Cocotte. And we're keeping an enthusiastic eye on young talent Thibault Sombardier on Quai de New York, chez Antoine. Read More...

Jumper: Monki | Coat: ZARA | Boots: Chloé | Bag: Proenza Schouler | Jeans: DL1961 FACEBOOK ? TWITTER ? BLOGLOVIN'

Today we return to Ceintures Losco, in the Marais. The workbench is in the main room and I was fascinated with how well it was organized, and of course the French touch....the roses.Losco5 rue de Sèvres75006 Paris

A mosque in the 5th arrondissement Americans are not very familiar with Arabs and Muslims, on the whole, and tend to regard them as foreign and possibly threatening. But that is not the case in France. For starters, there are lots of “Arabs” in France; ten percent of the population is Muslim, quite a few more than are Protestant (2%). Most of the picturesque little grocery shops like the one above are run by “Arabs” (actually in Paris they are usually North African Berbers, who do speak Arabic). They are open much longer hours than when they were run by French people, in my experience. Detail of the Institut de Monde Arabe Although there are many French Muslims, they are not yet completely Frenchified and are not seen as 100% French by large segments of the rest of the population. I would say they are in much the same situation in France that, for example, Italian-Americans were in the U.S. in the 1930s and 1940s. As a result of the large Muslim(ish) population, French people do not find the Arab world as odd and threatening as Americans do. For one thing they are a lot closer to it and have often visited it. Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria are part of the family history of many French families; others just go there on holiday. >more

The European Night of Museums (or la Nuit européenne des musées in French) began in 2005, created by the French Ministry of Culture and Communication. It takes place every year on the Saturday nearest to International Museum Day. This year both occasions fall on the same day - today, May 13th! Tonight, museums will close much later, allowing people to experience the cultural institutions by night. Access is most often free to the public. This photo was taken at Paris' Musée d'Art Moderne during last years event. Two million visitors participated in la Nuit des musées in 2012. Read More...

The team behind the much-lauded restaurant Septime (which featured again this year on the World's Best Restaurant list) has opened a wine shop cum wine bar just around the corner from their main address in the 11th arrondissement. Pop into the charming Septime La Cave to pick up a bottle from their vast selection from not just France, but also Italy and elsewhere in Europe, no matter what

You must think I have a door fetish(!) for I posted several ones on this blog already, but what can I say... Paris has a lot of beautiful doors and I can't help noticing them! This one belongs to the Hôtel de Ville (the Paris town hall) and I was lucky enough to photograph it while there was a cool reflection on it (I doubt it was the sun though for it's been a long time since we've seen it here! Anyway, have a great Sunday everyone (it's the museum feast in many countries this weekend, so how about a little visit to your favorite museum?)