Partager Paris Brocantes de Printemps

The sun is finally staying out in Paris, and everyone feels the urge to clean out their greniers ... and make a bit of money while they are at it!   I am an avid visitor at these affairs, looking for that perfect treasure.  

Scanning all the tables for small oil paintings, rounds of lace, old buttons, limoges perfume bottles, a Lustre for the salon, dinner knives from the 1930s .. actually anything from the 30’s, Moroccan book ends, old cooking books, netsukes ... the list goes on ...  

Today’s treasure from my afternoon at the brocante in the 14th arrondisement was a beautiful vase from the 1930s ... a real success!

If you don’t have time to go all the way to the famous Marché aux Puces St-Ouen de Clignancourt, take a look at what is going on in central Paris:

http://vide-greniers.org/  

http://brocabrac.fr/ 

http://www.francebraderie.com/

Ce sont les petites réussites de chaque jour qui fabriquent le bonheur !

PPxx

Partager Rollerblading

I am  too much of a debutante to participate in the Sunday 20 km, 3 hour Roller event, but it sure looks like fun!  There is also the Friday night 25 km. event for the real thrill-seeker.  They are free and open to the public.  Maybe the weather will cooperate and you can join in !

Once every two months they even take on the Champs Elysees. 

The day before the tour, get all the details to roll around Paris at www.pari-roller.com.

PPxx

Partager Salle Pleyel

I usually buy the Pariscope, although I have from my french friends, that real Parisians buy the L'Officiel Spectacle for all their weekend plans ... but I still prefer the Pariscope.  And now that I can pronounce it correctly when I ask for it at my favorite kiosk, I really prefer it.

Each week I like to read the Rencontre Avec .... where they interview some somewhat famous person that lives in Paris.  They ask things such as :

Which bank, right or left, do you prefer?

What is the symbol of Paris to you?

Your favorite place to take a walk,

Bistro of grand table?

Your last great time out in Paris

What would you like to see for Paris’ future ....

followed by a page of the person’s favorite “fetiches”

All quite informative for my "research" about Paris.

Another favorite section of mine in the Pariscope is the weeks’ agenda of classical concerts.  This past week, I noticed a concert Gratuit at the Salle Pleyel, which is a place I have been yearning to go ...  The Orchestre Symponique du CRR de Paris was playing ... My big chance to visit this lovely 1930’s salle with red velvet seats and perfect acoustics!  


A little about the Salle Pleyel ... 

The Salle Pleyel became the most celebrated concert location in Paris. It was there that Stravinsky returned to direct Agon in 1957, then Threni in 1958, and where Otto Klemperer gave his highly intense spiritual interpretations of Mahler’s 9th Symphony and Beethoven’s Heroica. It is there that the Orchestre de Paris took up residence and conquered a wide audience with Daniel Barenboïm. It is there that musicians ranging from Louis Armstrong to Ravi Shankar, from Sviatoslav Richter to Jorge Bolet, from Jascha Heifetz to David Oïstrakh; all of the great interpreters who have marked our perception of music have played.

So, when you are visiting Paris, pick up the Pariscope ... (Pareescope), and take a look.  You might find your perfect night out, too.

PPxx