The French Like to Read
Photograph by Discover Paris!
A woman relaxes in the sun with her favorite book while a waiter brings her a beverage. Ça c’est la vie à Paris!
The French Like to Read
August 14th, 2017 Queen Marie de Médicis Surveys Her Garden
August 13th, 2017 
Queen Marie de Médicis Surveys Her Garden
Photograph by Discover Paris!
Queen Marie de Médicis, who founded the Luxembourg Garden four hundred years ago, surveys her creation. The Luxembourg Palace, which she also built, stands in the background.
Discover Paris! offers a walk of the garden. Called “Black History in and around the Luxembourg Garden,” it recounts the the histories of such luminaries as Richard Wright, Alexandre Dumas, Victor Séjour, and Henry O. Tanner. Learn about the myth of the black Statue of Liberty, and see the contemporary sculpture that commemorates the abolition of slavery in the French colonies.
Traveling to Paris soon? Click here to view our schedule for the walk: http://discoverparis.net/scheduled-walking-tours.
The Taste of India is Not So Far Away! by Samantha Gilliams
August 11th, 2017 There is no longer an excuse to skip over foreign ingredients in the Indian recipes you attempt! Velan, an Indian grocery store and wellness shop in the 10th arrondissement, has brought over all the spices and herbs necessary to make authentic Indian dishes at home.
Entrance of Velan Grocery Store
Photograph by Samantha Gilliams
Velan is situated in Passage Brady, an arcade filled with Indian restaurants and shops. Just steps from Strasbourg-Saint Denis, a quarter of Paris that hosts a diverse mix of people and cultures, Velan is one of the many businesses in Paris that are foreign yet embedded in the fabric of the city.
Left: Entrance to Passage – Right: Interior of Passage
Photographs by Samantha Gilliams
Velan caters to those who want authentic Indian ingredients and goods. They sell everything from Ayurvedic oils to hot green chilies to traditional Indian bangles. And the spices… They are all there.
Top: Ayurvedic Oils
Bottom Left: Jewelry – Bottom Right: Dried Goods
Photographs by Samantha Gilliams
I decided to purchase a few ingredients during my visit, as I was planning to host an Indian dinner party that night for friends with whom I traveled to southern India last December. I was able to find all the ingredients I needed to make the dishes that we ate at our hostel daily. Curry leaves, mustard seeds, lentils, spice mixes, naan (flatbread), coconut, okra… I used all these ingredients, plus some produce I picked up at another market, to make dinner for nine.
The ingredients I bought from left to right: whole coconut, MDH’s “Kitchen King” spice mix, sugar-coated fennel seeds, mustard seeds, idli mix, curry leaves, garlic naan, veggie chips, okra, turmeric, and lentils – Total cost: approx. 20€
Photograph by Samantha Gilliams
My friend Zoe, an ex-chef who had been in India with me, helped me prepare the dinner. We ended up making a vegetable curry with dal (using the MDH “Kitchen King” spice blend we bought at Velan), okra with a spicy tomato and chili sauce (similar to bhindi masala), buttery polenta with onions, mustard seeds, and curry leaves (inspired by Ven Pongal), and my favorite coconut chutney, from scratch.
All of the ingredients from Velan made it possible to make these dishes for nine people, in my 15-square meter studio apartment nonetheless!
Our Dinner!
Photograph by Samantha Gilliams
The dinner ended up being a lovely affair. The food was so comforting and a nice reminder of the flavors of my trip last December. I would recommend Velan to anyone who is missing or dreaming of the cuisine of India.
Velan
87, Passage Brady, 75010 Paris
velan.paris
01.42.46.06.06
Paris Is for Dancing
August 10th, 2017 
Dancing in front of the Garnier Opera House
Photograph by Discover Paris!
A couple dances to recorded music in front of the Garnier Opera House. Photograph taken last Friday around 9 p.m.
#ThisIs40Paris Crew Takes Our #JosephineBaker in Le Vésinet Tour
August 10th, 2017 
On the Way to Le Vésinet
Photograph by Discover Paris!
On Saturday, Samantha John (pictured front and center) and her #Thisis40Paris crew ventured out with our own Monique Y. Wells to take our #JosephineBaker Tour in Le Vésinet. The day started out cool and cloudy, but by the time they emerged from the metro and the RER, they had brilliant sunshine.
A good time was had by all!
Click here to learn about our #BlackHistory in Paris tours: http://discoverparis.net/entree-to-black-paris
10 Things to do in Paris – August 2017 by Hanna Gressler
August 8th, 2017 
Open-Air Cinema
Photograph by Marc Bertrand for the Paris Office of Tourism
Open-Air Cinema Festival
Until August 20th
Parc de la Villette
211, avenue Jean Jaurès
75019 Paris
Website: www.lavillette.com/en/evenement/open-air-cinema
Price: Free
This summer, as dusk falls, relax on the bright green lawns of the Parc de la Villette in the 19th arrondissement and enjoy the Open-Air Cinema Festival, where you can watch new releases, cult films from the past, and independent films, all on a giant outdoor screen.
Exhibition: Jamaica Jamaica!
At la Philharmonie de Paris
Until August 24th
Webiste: www.philharmoniedeparis.fr
Price: 5€ – 10€
This temporary exhibition at the Philharmonie de Paris presents the political and musical history of Jamaica. Pictures, paintings, rare films, and music are all on display to document the island’s extraordinary place in the history of music.
Tréteaux Nomades
August 21st to September 3rd
Website: www.treteauxnomades.com
Price: 9€ – 16€
Organized by the Compagnie du Mystère Bouffe, Tréteaux Nomades is a travelling festival that visits Paris’s most unusual venues, such as the Arènes de Montmartre, in order to give a series of shows including a variety of performing arts, burlesque theatre, music, poetry, and more. Check out their website to learn where to find them.
Exhibition: Olga Picasso
Until September 3rd
Musée Picasso
5, rue de Thorigny
75003 Paris
Website: www.museepicassoparis.fr
Price: 12.50€
Located in the heart of Paris, the Musée Picasso’s new exhibition draws focus on Picasso’s relationship with his first wife, the dancer Olga Khokhlova, and highlights the romantic perspective of his masterpieces.
Paris Plages – Pop-Up Beach on the Seine River
July 20th to September 3rd
Price: Free
Website: en.parisinfo.com/discovering-paris/major-events/paris-plages
Enjoy the beach in the middle of the city at Paris Plages, a full-fledged beach along the Seine with sand, games, cafes, and perfect tanning spots.
Festival Jazz à la Villette
August 31st to September 13th
Parc de la Villette
211, avenue Jean Jaurès
75019 Paris
Website: www.jazzalavillette.com
Price: 8€ – 40€
With a range of artists from jazz and blues to hip-hop and funk, the Jazz Festival at la Villette is providing all the good beats for those who can’t get enough of good music. This year’s edition of the festival presents up-and-coming artists, as well as swing bands and free jazz quartets.
Festival Classique au Vert
August 5th to September 17th
Bois de Vincennes
Route de la Pyramide
75012 Paris
Website: www.classiqueauvert.paris.fr
Price: 1.50€ – 2.50€
For its 19th edition, the Festical Classique au Vert is back at the Parc Floral in the 12th arrondissement, with the theme of Unexpected Journeys (“Voyages Inattendus”). Here, you can experience classical music in the sun and in all its forms, from symphonies to chamber music, and even some choir.
Portraits by Cézanne
Until September 24th
Musée d’Orsay
1, rue de la Légion d’Honneur
75007 Paris
Webiste: www.musee-orsay.fr
Price: 9€ – 12€
Although this impressionist artist is most known for his still lifes, Cézanne was also a gifted portraitist. All summer long at the Musée d’Orsay, the temporary exhibit of Cézanne’s portraits will allow you to discover the talents of the artist.
Summer House
Mona Bismarck American Center
34, avenue de New York
75116 Paris
Until September 30th
Website: www.summerhouse.fr
Price: Free
Welcome to the incredible hôtel particulier in the 16th arrondissment that unites Paris and the U.S. by dedicating itself to American Pop culture in all its forms: music, art, cinema, and the American way of life. Check out their website for the full list of open air concerts.
La Nuit aux Invalides
Hôtel National des Invalides
Place des Invalides
75007 Paris
Website: www.lanuitauxinvalides.fr
Price: 16€ – 19€
La Nuit aux Invalides presents an immersive and sensational 3D show that is projected along the façade of the grandiose Hôtel des Invalides. This sound and light show will take you through the history of Paris through the most lavish way possible, while you stand in the historic and monumental site of the Invalides courtyards.
About the author: Hanna Gressler is a Wells International Foundation summer intern.
Our Weekly Restaurant Review – Café de la Paix
August 7th, 2017 
Café de la Paix
Photograph by Discover Paris!
“Glamorous” and “opulent” are words that will come to mind when you enter this famous restaurant located across the street from the equally famous Garnier Opera House.
Click here to read our review: http://www.parisinsights.com/restaurant.php?pid=424
Finding True Love in the City of Light
August 6th, 2017 
Finding True Love in the City of Light
Photograph by Discover Paris!
With the Eiffel Tower as a backdrop, a couple finds an ideal spot to pose for a photograph.
Sunday Morning on Rue Mouffetard
August 6th, 2017 
Sunday Morning Rue Mouffetard
Photograph by Discover Paris!
Seemingly oblivious to passersby on the busy rue Mouffetard market street, a man enjoys reading a book at the sidewalk terrace of a café.
Samantha John’s #ThisIs40Paris Crew Takes Our #JosephineBaker in Le Vésinet Tour
August 5th, 2017 
Samantha John’s #ThisIs40Paris Crew
Photograph by Discover Paris!
Our own Monique Y. Wells (kneeling) poses with Samantha John’s #ThisIs40Paris Crew in front of the #ArcDeTriomphe. The group, hailing from Washington DC, Maryland, Philadelphia, and New York, took our #JosephineBaker in Le Vésinet tour today just after this photo was taken. Samantha (third from right) is celebrating her 40th birthday in the #CityOfLight. Last night, the group dined at Les Ombres, a restaurant on the roof of the Quai Branly Museum with a fabulous view of the #EiffelTower.
A good time was had by all!
Traveling to #Paris soon? To learn more about our Entrée to #BlackParis walks, click here: http://discoverparis.net/entree-to-black-paris.
