Heidi Ellison
Ai Weiwei
AI WEIWEI AT PLAY
Ai Weiwei, the superstar Chinese artist and courageous activist, left China and moved to Berlin following the return last year of his passport, taken from him when he was jailed by the Chinese authorities for three months in 2011. His … Read More
Botanique
Upstairs, Downstairs: Gourmet Tasting and Tapas
A friend with a sharp eye spotted Botanique even before it opened, when its pretty little two-story yellow-brick building with a long row of windows was being renovated. A couple of months after the opening, she invited me to dinner upstairs in the “gastronomic” dining room, where a tasting menu is served in the evening.
Doggy Bags
WOOF!: AN ANTI-WASTE DEVICE
Until I ordered a steak that turned out to be the size of a 33-rpm record at the bistro Savy a few years ago, I never felt the need to ask for a doggy bag in a French restaurant. Servings … Read More
Brasserie Thoumieux
Plus Ça Change… Old/New Brasserie
Once upon a time, Thoumieux was a much-loved brasserie with a wonderful, rather rundown old-fashioned decor and mediocre food. Whenever I found myself in the seventh arrondissement with a group of friends, it was the fallback restaurant; they all wanted to go there.
Le Marais en Héritage(s)
The Marais: Before and After
It’s difficult to believe that the Marais, today a bastion of elegance – as it was when its graceful hôtels particuliers were built in the 17th century – was for much of the 20th century a grimy, dilapidated, poverty-stricken quartier … Read More
Sepik: Arts of Papua New Guinea
SURREAL INSPIRATIONS Only two weeks left to see a spectacular exhibition at the Musée du Quai Branly: “Sepik: Arts of Papua New Guinea” (through Jan. 31). The surprising and fascinating objects are beautifully displayed and arranged according to the way … Read More
Café Pélican
Breath of Sea Air at New-Style Café
I really didn’t know what to expect from Café Pelican, a new restaurant in the 10th arrondissement, mainly because I knew nothing about it. It had been chosen by my food-blogger friend John Talbott, and I always trust his choices.
Villa Flora: Les Temps Enchantés
Collectors of Art and Artists
Wealth combined with good taste and an eye for the new often leads to the creation of a great art collection. That was the case with the Swiss couple Hedy Bühler and Arthur Hahnloser, who in the early 20th century … Read More
Musée de Minéralogie
Crown Jewels or Fancy Minerals
The best of what’s left of the French Crown Jewels – most of which were sold off by the Third Republic in the late 19th century to mark the end of empire – can be seen in the Louvre, but … Read More
Régalade Saint Honoré
Good Eats Upstairs, Downstairs
Bruno Doucet has moved the Saint Honoré branch of his restaurant La Régalade across the street from its original location. The handsome space is larger, with exposed beams and stone walls, red banquettes and dark-wood furnishings.