Monique Y. Wells, co-founder of Discover Paris!, was interviewed by Marion Hayes on Café YéYé last month. Click on the image below to listen to the 12-minute interview!
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Monique Y. Wells, Co-founder of Discover Paris!, Interviewed on Café YéYé
July 22nd, 2012 Meet Bertrand Guillemain, Chef and Proprietor of Le Vin Sobre
July 18th, 2012 
Bertrand Guillemain, Chef and Proprietor of
Le Vin Sobre
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net
Last month we dined at Le Vin Sobre, a neighborhood restaurant that has been open since 2003. We talked with chef and owner Bertrand Guillemain, who got started in cuisine at a very young age. Read about the restaurant and the chef in this month’s Paris Insights.
Our review is the only one on the Internet that features a review of the restaurant as well as interesting details about the chef and his passion for his work.
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Bonne Lecture…et Bon Appétit!
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The Amazingly Fertile Mind of Pierre Cardin
July 13th, 2012 
Photograph Courtesy of the Pierre Cardin Museum
Last week I had the opportunity to join a group for a guided tour of the Pierre Cardin Museum, located in the nearby town of Saint-Ouen. Organized by the Saint-Ouen tourist office, the visit represented an opportunity to take a peek into the world of high fashion.
The tour was given by Renée Taponier, who is not only conservator of the museum, but also the personal assistant of the great fashion designer himself. Her manner of presentation is informal and upbeat. Most importantly, she was very informative, giving fascinating detail about the apparel that was displayed on the mannequins. She told us that Mr. Cardin chose the town of Saint-Ouen for his museum (opened in November 2006) because he foresees a great future for the city.
I have never been much interested in haute couture. One has to be very rich and very thin to be able to purchase and wear those clothes. Yet, from the moment I set foot in the door, I was astounded by the garments that I saw displayed on the mannequins. By looking at the clothes as works of art, rather than as adornment for the frivolous, I couldn’t help but think that Mr. Cardin must be one of the greatest artists of our time.
Photograph Courtesy of the Pierre Cardin Museum
Madame Taponier took us by some 200 mannequins that were dressed in garments that had been created from the 1950s up to the last decade. Women’s clothes were predominant, but there were mannequins dressed in men’s apparel as well. Most of the clothing looked to me as if it would be uncomfortable to wear, but then the people who wear these garments are probably more interested in dressing to impress rather than in dressing comfortably. And impress they do! There is no denying that a man or woman wearing Pierre Cardin high-fashion apparel will attract attention. Incidentally, Mr. Cardin did not forget the masses in creating his designs. According to information that I found on the Internet, in 1959 he was the first high-fashion designer to attach his name to ready-to-wear clothing. He was expelled from the Chambre Syndicale for that offense (but was soon reinstated).
As well as clothing, Mr. Cardin has designed furniture, lamps, beds, lights, sofas…; jewelry, rings, necklaces, watches…; accessories such as purses, gloves, eyeglasses; and more… Ow! All of this creativity makes my head hurt! Many examples of these works are on display in the museum.
Mr. Cardin has won countless awards and honors. His Web site is a good place to start for those who want to learn more about his fascinating life.
Even the most jaded traveler will find a visit to the museum to be an unforgettable, and quite possibly a mind-blowing, experience.
Pierre Cardin Museum – Past, Present, Future
33, boulevard Victor Hugo
93400 Saint-Ouen
Tel.: 01.49.21.08.20
Metro: Mairie de Saint-Ouen (Line 13)
Open Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
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Beer…It’s Not Just a Guy Thing Anymore
July 11th, 2012 Sorry to break this to you guys, but beer isn’t just a guy thing anymore. Nor has it been for quite some time!
Meet Elisabeth Pierre, bièrologue, a French woman who is an expert on beer, and more specifically, artisanal beer. We had the occasion to meet her at Qui Plume la Lune restaurant in Paris where we asked her to talk about her career while we captured it on video. In the video, she talks about how she first became interested in beer, what she does as a beer expert, some of the top chefs with whom she has collaborated, and the history of beer brewing in France.
Pour yourself some suds, sit back, and enjoy the video!
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A Great Day for a Fourth-of-July Garden Party
July 4th, 2012 Every year at this time the American ambassador in Paris holds a garden party at his residence to celebrate Independence Day. This year was no exception. Although rain was forecast, the weather turned out to be largely warm and sunny, with only a smidgen of rain. It was, then, a great day for a Fourth-of-July garden party!
The theme this year was American food, and there was lots of that!
I went to the corn dog stand and got two delicious corn dogs, one after the other, served with mustard.
Corn Dog Stand (in foreground)
Photography by www.DiscoverParis.net
Make Mine with Mustard
Photography by www.DiscoverParis.net
Then, I made my way over to the beverage stand where I saw that three American beers were being served. I opted for the craft beer Blue Moon. Nice!
Three American Beers
Photography by www.DiscoverParis.net
After the beer it was time for fried shrimp. I walked past the hamburger stand…
Hamburger Stand
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net
Serving Hamburgers to an Eager Crowd
Photography by www.DiscoverParis.net
…and made my way to the fried shrimp stand.
Serving Fried Shrimp
Photography by www.DiscoverParis.net
Then, over to the Häagen-Dazs stand for some ice cream…
Häagan-Dazs Stand
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net
…where I ordered a MiniCup Macadamia Nut Brittle. I went back later for a Cream Crisp Cookies & Cream. Heavenly!
I had eaten my fill, so I could safely walk around and look at the desserts without feeling tempted for more. There was an American flag made out of colorful puddings. What a great idea! As people took the dessert, a server behind the counter would immediately replace the empty space with an appropriately-colored pudding.
American Flag
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net
Then there were cookies and doughnuts…
Cookies and Doughnuts
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net
And cheesecake…
Band Admirer
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net
Oops! Wrong photo. And cheesecake…
Cheesecake
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net
And cotton candy…
Cotton Candy Stand
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net
A Fourth-of-July celebration wouldn’t be complete with flags, speeches, and music…
Bringing up the Colors
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net
The official choir of the American Embassy, The Dip Notes, sang the “Marseillaise” and then the “Star Spangled Banner”. Great harmony, ladies!
The Dip Notes
Photography by www.DiscoverParis.net
Both American Ambassador Charles H. Rivkin and French Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault gave speeches about the importance of French-American friendship in confronting the problems of our strife-torn world.
Ambassador Rivkin and Prime Minister Ayrault
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net
And finally, The Diplomats, the U.S. Naval Forces Europe band, played rock, funk, rhythm and blues, and pop.
Band Admirer
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net
Oops! How did that photo get in again? Here is a picture of the lead singer belting out “Flash Light” by Parliament. Awesome!
The Diplomats
Photography by www.DiscoverParis.net
It was a great day to be an American in Paris!
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Musicians in the Metro – Part II
July 1st, 2012 
Tim Puckett (left) with his group Don LaRue
Photo by www.DiscoverParis.net
Antoine Barret
Photo by www.DiscoverParis.net
In last month’s Paris Insights we looked at the selection procedure that musicians must go through if they want a permit to perform in the corridors of the Paris metro. This month we take a look at two of the musicians, one French, the other American, who went through this process.
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Paris Insights is published monthly as a downloadable PDF file. It is available only to paid subscribers for an annual subscription fee of $30.
If you are not a paid subscriber and would like to download the newsletter, please click here. Enter promotional code 11473309154 to receive a $5 discount off the price of an annual subscription.
Bonne lecture!
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Mary Campbell Gallagher’s Call to Action to Save the Skyline of Paris
June 29th, 2012 On Sunday, May 27, Mary Campbell Gallagher gave a talk in Paris to raise public awareness about high-rise threats to the city skyline.
We met her the following day to record her appeal on camera. In this short video, she describes City Council plans to build towers inside Paris and explains how to oppose them. Will you help?
Click on the image below to view!
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Celebrating the Memory of Carole Fredericks
June 28th, 2012 
Photo of Carole Fredericks
Carole Fredericks was an American woman who moved to Paris in 1979 and achieved considerable success there as a singer. After her death in 2001, she was buried in the Montmartre cemetery. Yesterday, friends and acquaintances met in front of the apartment building where she lived, at 91bis, rue du Mont-Cenis in the 18th arrondissement, to celebrate her memory.
Daniel Vaillant - Mayor of 18th Arrondissement
Photo by www.DiscoverParis.net
The Plaque
Photo by www.DiscoverParis.net
The mayor of the 18th arrondissement, Carole’s sister Connie Fredericks-Malone, Carole’s brother Taj Mahal, and the master of ceremonies Timothy Ramier, Esq., gave speeches about Carole’s life and how she has been an inspiration for so many. Following the speeches, a memorial plaque affixed to the wall of the apartment building was unveiled.
Taj Mahal and Connie Fredericks-Malone
Photo by www.DiscoverParis.net
After the ceremony, a concert in Carole’s honor was given at the Centre Musical Fleury Goutte d’Or – Barbara. Among the performers were her brother Taj Mahal and her sister Connie. It was both a stirring and an inspiring event!
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Video of Jacky Ribault, Chef of Qui Plume la Lune Restaurant
June 27th, 2012 We met Jacky Ribault, chef of Qui Plume la Lune Restaurant, and produced a short video about him. Click on the image below to view!
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Celebrating Darkness in the City of Light
June 22nd, 2012 
François Parisi and Cybèle Castoriadis
Photo by www.DiscoverParis.net
The annual Fête de la Musique was held in Paris yesterday, with musicians and singers appearing on street corners and in bars, pubs, and restaurants throughout the city to celebrate the beginning of summer.
For my part, I chose to attend a unique concert at the Bibliothèque des Litteratures Policières, where I heard Cybèle Castoriadis sing not happy, joyous songs that the official arrival of summer would occasion, but brooding, sinister songs about the darker side of life in Paris. Indeed, apart from the Paris Police Museum that stands only a few blocks away, there would be no better place to perform these songs but at the Bibliothèque des Litteratures Policières, a city library dedicated to the crime-thriller literary genre.
For over an hour, Cybèle, accompanied by accordionist François Parisi, regaled the audience with such French chansons as “Le Boucher de la Rue de Flandres,” about a butcher who turned to murder and deboned his victims; “La Vipère du Trottoir,” about a woman who willingly submitted to prostitution and betrayed her pimp, who, in turn, murdered her; “Le Chat Qui Miaule,” about a burglar whose victim is awakened by the meow of a cat and, consequently, gets strangled by the intruder. There were eighteen songs in all, and the topics seemed to get more shocking as the concert progressed. It was enough to send chills down one’s spine! Which is the point, of course, and is exactly what people seek when they pick up a crime thriller…or attend a cabaret to hear these songs performed.
I had a chance to speak briefly with the accordionist. He told me that he recorded two melodies for the soundtrack of the movie Midnight in Paris. Later, I searched his name on the Internet and found their names: “Ballad du Paris” and “Le Parc de Plaisir.” To hear a sample of his music, go to the landing page of his Web site. The melody “Annie-Zette” that plays immediately is a wonderful example of Paris musette at its best!
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