Yousuf Karsh

On this chilly, non-descript evening where I'd been cooped up too long in my room (to the point where I was lumbering around, bleary-eyed and questioning the meaning of my existence after having read 3 Samuel Beckett plays in as many days), I decided that enough was enough and ventured out for a spot of culture.

Too...much...existentialism....

I'd been wanting to go to the "Icones du XXe Siecle" exhibition at the Mona Bismarck Center (featuring photography by Yousuf Karsh) for ages, and the perfect opportunity arose in the form of the international students' event. Entry was free and we were promised a cocktail on the house. Even with a test looming the next day, I couldn't resist!

The Eiffel Tower doing its thing on the way there! Hooray for the light show :)

On arriving at the gallery we were treated like V.I.Ps, ushered inside and invited to begin our own private tour of the gallery. Instead of taking a programme (like everybody else!) & reading the histories of each model as we went along, my friend and I guessed at who the famous faces were.

It was fun to see how many we could recognise and put some famous names to faces - I had no idea what Andy Warhol looked like before! Bill Clinton's real name is William? ...Oh! 

This turned out to be a much more fun decision, leading to a lot of giggling over botched biographies and crazy stories of where we'd come across each name. 

Definitely a bear rowing a man in a boat....(not an old man with a beard)!

Next we headed upstairs for a free glass of wine, nibbles, live music and a dance show. My friend took more photos upstairs so I'll pop them up on the blog when she puts them online.

 

We couldn't stay long for the entertainment, but a big round of applause for a completely free event run by students at The American University in Paris! It seems like the Mona Bismarck Center runs this as an annual occasion, so by sure to check the events calendar here next time you're in Paris! Nearest metro is Alma Marceau.

I hope this inspired you to make the most of a boring evening! Carpe Diem!

À Bientôt !

x

Steeped in History

Anxious to make the most our time, I hurried Sarey & Tommo out of the door & onto the Boulevard St. Germain, where we spent some time peaking into the windows of classy shops.

Beautiful old original posters - I don't want to think about the price!

Before long we had reached "Les Deux Magots" and were seated outside. Whilst I naïvely baked in the lingering glory of the literary heavyweights who frequented the cafe, Sarey & Tommo more realistically begrudged the lack of pain au chocolats and pain aux raisins. 

Unembarrassed, the waiter shrugged     

off this disappointment as I guess that the combined fame of Hemingway, Sartre, de Beauvoir, Picasso, Camus and other famous guests is more than enough to keep this cafe's good reputation alive..! 

The nearby Musee du Moyen Age.

Continuing down the Bvd. St Germain, we ended up at The Sorbonne where I am studying this year. I was worried that we wouldn't be let in as tourists are sometimes turned away, but luckily my student card was enough for all 3 of us to be let in with a wink and a smile from a cheery security guard.

Inside the Sorbonne - I'm so lucky! No one would look twice at the university buildings back in Durham! Was particularly chuffed to see the statue of Victor Hugo who I'm studying this year :)

Back on the banks of the river, we headed towards The Louvre where the promise of sickeningly decadent hot chocolate at Angelina beckoned. I'll leave you there, the rest of the story is for another day!

 À Bientôt ! x

Dipping my Toes...

Today I braved the drizzle, (forgot my towel, headed back to my chambre-de-bonne, collected my towel), & made it to the swimming pool.

I'd promised myself that I would get into some kind of regular exercise routine, and buying a new swimming costume (it's not quite as bright as this in real life!) was the guarantee that I would have to get my money's worth in the pool!

At a 15 or so minute walk away, I picked a municipal pool which promised it would only be a €3 swim at the full rate, and about €1.70 for a student in Paris - one just off the rather lovely street of Le Boulevard St. Germain in the hope that the pool might be a little nicer! 

In the grey rain, I walked past two famous cafes, Les Deux Magots and Cafe de Flore which I've seen already on postcards during my compulsive browsing of papeterie shops & newspaper stands for cards to send home! Wikipedia does a better job of detailing the historical importance of this boulevard, but after my philosophy studies I was happy to see a square named after Sartre and De Beauvoir (this Haussmannian street was the centre of left-bank life and Existentialist thought - De Beauvour, Sartre, Hemingway & other literary heavy-weights frequented these cafes).

 

The swimming pool was great! The water wasn't too cold, the staff not too bemused when I asked if it was obligatory to wear a swim cap & then blurted out: “this is completely new to me, I'm English!”. After a shortish swim, I exited & the increasingly bemused staff told me that the swim was free. As to whether it was free simply for me, or free in general, I am still none the wiser.

I wandered back after a brief browsing round some 'librairies', 'papeteries' and Gap. The road has some lovely shops, from Emporio Armani to children's toy shops - so check them out if you have the chance.

Delighted with my new discovery!

More about the Cafe de Flore and Les Deux Magots when I (hopefully) pay them a visit!

À Bientôt! 

x