The Story of Saint Nicolas

There are many holidays coming up in December, a little something for everyone and I have one more you can easily add to your list. 

On the evening of December 5 children in Europe and the north and eastern side of France leave their shoes out at night hoping to wake up and find some sweets and treats waiting for them. Saint Nicholas day begins the holiday season in Europe, much like our day after Thanksgiving in the US.

Saint Nicholas was an actual person and the basis for the modern day Santa Claus who was born on March 15, 270 in Lycia, Turkey today. The 3rd century saint was devoted to the church from a very early age and lived a life of selfless giving. When his parents died he gave all the money they had away helping those that had nothing. 

Not a lot is known of his life and his many deeds are of course disputed as most stories are from so long ago but they are all wonderful tales of the man that would become the most beloved by children for centuries. 

Nicholas learned of a man that had three daughters but had lost all of his money. Without a dowry they were destined to a life of prostitution. To keep his identity secret and to not embarrass the father Nicholas walked by in the dark of night and dropped a small bag of gold coins in their open window. The oldest daughter was married shortly after when she had the much needed dowry.

Nicholas returned another night and did the same thing again. Now the second daughter was able to marry. The father wanted to find out who this generous person was and stayed up all night long and as the bag was dropped he discovered it was Nicholas. He thanked him profusely and promised to keep it a secret. 

However, the most famous of all stories is a slightly gruesome one, but with a happy ending. Three boys were lost in the woods and after days without food they wandered into the door of a butcher. He promised to give them food if they came in, but had a dastardly plan in mind. Killing the three boys he stuffed them into a barrel of salt and planned to sell them off as pork later. Nicholas found out and arrived in time to revive the boys and save them. 

That butcher is known now as Père Foutteard and was forced to spend eternity with Saint Nicholas and see him bring treats to all the children. He is often seen in art holding switches and lumps of coals for the bad kids. Sounds much worse than the threat of the Elf on the Shelf to me. 

Nicholas died on December 6, 343 and his feast is celebrated each year. Today he is the patron saint of children and prostitutes, which is very fitting from the legend of his life.  In medieval times nuns would leave baskets of food at the homes of the needy continuing his generous gifts. Today you will find children leaving their shoes to wake up to find an orange and some chocolate coins and treats. I wonder if Saint Nicholas would also bring some new shoes? 

Saint Nicholas of course morphed into Father Christmas in England and Santa Claus in the US, however all derived from the kind man that delivered gifts to those that really needed them. Come this Sunday night, start a new little tradition and leave your shoes out, after all we could all use a nice little treat these days.

What to see in Paris this Winter

In the last two years the museums of Paris, just like everything and everyone else, had to deal with all sorts of changes. Exhibitions were set up when museums were closed. Many never happened and a few pushed through and were able to be seen by a few as lockdowns eased. 

Now, the museums are slowly getting back on track and this winter some great new shows are opened and ready for visitors. Here are just a few with even more listed on my website or else this newsletter was going to be six pages.  

We start with my beloved favorite, the Musée du Louvre, 

In honor of the 200th anniversary of the Greek Revolution the Louvre is holding an amazing exhibit that includes painting, antiquities and statues spanning over 240 years. Paris Athènees Naissance de la Grèce Moderne  1675-1919 runs until February 7, 2022. As the first major exhibit after the lockdowns it was a welcome sight to see. The exhibit begins with pieces and books from the exploration by the two ambassadors appointed by Louis XIV, Comte de Choiseul-Gouffier and Antoine Galland Marquis de Nointel in the 17th century. The two men brought back manuscripts, antiquities and art and shared a part of the world few had seen at the time. 

Greek sculptures are well known in the lexicon of art around the world and the exhibit focuses just as much on the art that tells the story of Greece as the beloved art we have been blessed with for centuries. After the fall of the Byzantine Empire the icon paintings remained popular for five more centuries and spanned artists from Angelos Akotanos to El Greco and Nikolaos Kantounis.  These paintings are brilliantly displayed and glisten in the light. 

Michael Damaskinos L’Adoration des Mages vers 1583

Two of my favorites were Michael Damaskinos L’Adoration des Mages vers 1583 and El Greco’s La Dormition de la Vierge vers 1566, which is very different from the El Greco’s we are accustomed too. 

In 1821 the Greek War of Independence began and influenced the French Romantic painters. Delacroix, Ary Scheffer and Horace Vernet were inspired and painted some beautiful paintings bringing the emotions of the people to life. Ary Scheffer Les Femmes Souliotes  depicts the women clutching to their children as they decided on mass suicide instead of giving into the Ottoman troops. 

Eugène Delacroix La Grèce sur les ruines de Missolonghi 1826. Delacroix painted many of the stories of Lord Byron and illustrated the English poet's words. In 1824, Byron traveled to Missolonghi to take up arms in the fight for Greek independence but would die there when he became sick. It only led to him becoming an even larger influence on the Romantic painters of the time and the fascination with the plight of the Greek people. Delacroix followed up his Massacres of Scio in 1824 with this allegory of Greece standing on the ruins of Missolonghi, her hands open in sacrifice. So stunning. 

Also on display is an interesting look into the excavation of Milo. The Vénus de Milo may be one of the most recognized images in the world but she wasn’t the only thing found. On Melos in April 1820, a farmer was out looking for some stones for his property and discovered the 2nd century BC white marble wonder. Venus traveled to Paris in 1821 and digging continued for eight more years. Many of the contents were sent around Europe and can be found today in the many museums. A helmet dating to the 3rd century BC , Tete de prêtre from the 1st century BC and Hermes de Milo discovered in 1827 from the 1st c BC. It was fascinating to see other pieces unearthed from the same site as Venus. 

Also at the exhibit were copies of ancient Greek statues the Louvre had copied in their workshops as well as pieces from ancient structures. Colorful drawings of the restaurants of greek structures and the art that ancient Greece inspired the artists of the 19th and 20th century round out the exhibit. 

Paris Athènees Naissance de la Grèce Moderne 1675-1919 runs until February 7, 2022

Other exhibits in the Musée du Louvre are the From Afar Traveling Materials that feature objets d’art and sculptures, many of which are in the permanent collection. Each year the Petite Galerie puts together an exhibit that focuses on education on a subject you may never have thought about before. 

This year’s exhibit From Afar Traveling Materials gives you a new look at things we take for granted today like animals, materials like shells, ivory and silver and how precious they really are. I loved the stories of Clara the rhinoceros and the giraffe that fascinated France and the king. Artists captured them in everything from clocks to statues and gave citizens the first look at these exotic animals. 

From Afar Traveling Materials will be on display until July 4, 2022 in the Richelieu wing 

One of the most anticipated exhibits and one I couldn’t wait to see so was there on the first day was the Musée Marmottan Monet exhibit Julie Manet, an Impressionist Heritage.  Julie Manet was the daughter of artists Berthe Morisot and Eugene Manet, brother of Edouard Manet.  She was her mothers favorite subject and we can see her grow up in the paintings that hang in the Musée d’Orsay and around the world. 

Eugène Manet died in 1892 and a few years later she lost her mother. Julie was just 16 and her “uncles'' stepped in to help watch over her. These included Monet, Renoir, Degas, Sisley and Stéphane Mallarmé that she wrote about in her diary that was later published. 

The exhibit is amazing and includes portraits of Julie by her mother, Renoir and Manet but also a few paintings Julie did as well. After all with those artistic genes she was of course talented. Her mother had first met Edouard Manet in the Louvre as she was training as a copyist and many of the paintings that Manet and her father in law Henri Rouart had copied in the Grande Galerie are also on display which I was very excited about. When her father in law died, she inherited many of his pieces that now are found in the Louvre, Orsay and Marmottan Monet. 

The Musée Marmottan Monet is on the edge of Paris and the Bois de Boulogne and houses the largest collection of Monet in the world including Impressio, Sunrise that gave the entire movement its name. It is pretty stunning to see it up close and in person. 

The Julie Manet exhibit runs through March 20. 

Not far from the Marmottan-Monet is the Fondation Louis Vuitton. The building designed by Frank Gehry is a piece of art in itself and inside is a collection of contemporary art as well as special exhibits that change twice a year.  

The current exhibit Morozov, Icons of Modern Art continues the Fondations focus on sharing the outstanding collections that are rarely seen outside of their home museums.  The Morozov brothers Mikhail and Ivan werehttps://www.fondationlouisvuitton.fr/en/events/icones-de-lart-moderne-la-collection-morozov part of the Morozov dynasty that had art collecting in their blood. The two brothers stepped up the collecting and quickly gathered some of the greatest French and Russian modern art. 

Toulouse-Lautrec, Monet, Pissarro, Renoir, Cézanne, van Gogh, Matisse and many more and the first time the entire collection has returned to French soil. It is a sight to behold. A few of the highlights include Picasso’s Les Deux Saltimbanques Toulouse-Lautrec’s Yvette Gilbert Sings, Linger, Longer, Loo and the one painting that stands out over all of them Vincent van Gogh’s The Prison Courtyard painted during his time at the asylum of Saint Remy. Where van Gogh paints himself into the prison yard walking in a circle with fellow prisoners. What we know of his life and seeing this painting is sad and will take your breath away. 

Covering three levels and masterfully done, allow yourself a few hours to take it all in and not feel rushed. After that, be sure to explore the upper terraces and the view over the Bois de Boulogne. The exhibit ends February 22, 2022 and if you can’t make it there is an amazing coffee table book you can order from Amazon that is beautifully done. 

At the Musée de Luxembourg is holding a photo exhibit of Vivien Maier, the nanny who took thousands of photos and left the negatives and undeveloped film in boxes in a storage unit. In 2007 they were discovered and auctioned off. The photos in black and white are amazing and a slice of time that is long gone. Her story is fascinating and a bit heartbreaking and was also featured in a 2013 documentary that brought her story to the masses. After walk through the gift shop where they are selling cans of Campbell’s tomato soup for almost 8€ and other american canned food for some odd reason. Also find me on a corner in Paris with a case of soup funding my champagne budget soon.

Musée d’Orsay  

Signac, Collectionneur until January 13  Is the fantastic personal collection of the artist. 

Enfen le Cinéma. Arts, images et spectacles en France 1833-1907 until January 16 enlightening exhibit of how much art and paintings inspired cinema.

The double exhibition held at both the Musée Picasso Paris and the Musée Rodin takes on the two artists in a really interesting way. Rodin died in 1917 and Picasso first arrived in Paris in 1900 and while Rodin was in the sunset of his lige their art crosses over each other many times. My favorite parts were when they had a piece by each artist that was of the same theme but with their very different takes on it. Like Le Baiser by Picasso and Rodin seen at the Rodin. La Nageuse by Picasso next to Etude pour Iris by Rodin at the Rodin. Those early years when Picasso was just a young artist he had visited a solo exhibition of Rodin held at Place de l’Alma in 1900. He jotted down a sketch of Rodin that October of 1900 and returned to Barcelona and made a few small sketches and sculptures inspired by Rodin. 

The joint exhibit runs until January 2 but be sure to visit both museums whenever you are in Paris. They are both fantastic and coming on November 22nd tune into our new episode of Paris History Avec a Hemingway on La VIe Creative Podcast all about the Musée Rodin. 

Musée de l’Orangerie  David Hockney, A Year in Normandie  until February 14, 2022  

   Chaïm Soutine/WIllem de Kooning, la peinture incarnée  until January 10, 2022

Musée Jacquemart-André Boticelli, Artist and Designer until January 24, 2022

There are even more starting to be announced for the spring and I can’t wait to visit and share them with you.  

And if you missed my live chat last week about all these exhibits and more you can watch it now on YouTube. 

Travel to Paris with Me and Into the Life of the Artists from Yesterday & Today

What are you ladies doing in October 2022? Want to explore the Paris of the artists and authors of yesterday and today? I am so excited to announce a very special 6 night, 7 day tour of Paris partnered with my friends at Girls Guide to Paris and Krystal Kenney. 

On this tour we will walk in the footsteps of  Hemingway and Delacroix bien sûr. Visit the Musée du Louvre and Musée d’Orsay and see the art in a whole new way through the stories of the artists and history of the painting. We will also visit a few of the current artists in Paris who were inspired by those that came before them. Pair this all with a few of my favorite restaurants and cafes, a photography lesson with Krystal and a gourmet dinner on the Seine as the Eiffel Tower sparkles behind us. 

Limited to just 8 ladies, so we keep it small and customized for a wonderful experience. Airfare is not included, but lodging and all the meals, activities and details listed are. Want to save your spot and chat a bit more about the trip, visit Girls Guide to Paris and schedule a call with me. I look forward to talking to you and showing you my favorite parts of Paris. 

Check out all the details 

• Visit the collection of artist Jacqueline Marval 

• Life of Hemingway with a Hemingway

• Ateliers of the artists past and present 

• Apero at a secret bar in Montmartre 

• Exclusive visit to Paris’s most popular wine bar 

• A deeper look at the Louvre and Orsay with an expert 

• Dinner at the restaurant immortalized by the Impressionists 

• Become an artist yourself behind the lens of your camera or phone 

• Dinner on the Seine by master chef Alain Ducasse 

Day 1 - September 28, Wednesday 

After settling into the elegant left bank Hotel Le Recamier named after Juliette Recamier, the hostess and muse of Revolutionary Paris. We will meet at 7pm for a welcome drink and introduction before heading to dinner at Le Pré Aux Clercs, a short walk from the hotel. 

 Day 2 - September 29 

Thursday The Female Artists of Paris 

 We shall begin our week together with a visit to the Comité Jacqueline Marval to see the exclusive collection of the artist,  Apollinaire called her “one of the most remarkable artists of our time”. 

 Lunch will be at La Boite Aux Lettres for a quintessential Montmartre lunch  on Rue Lepic where artists from Van Gogh to Degas once lived. 

 After lunch we'll take a stroll back in time through Montmartre ending at the Musée de Montmartre. The museum is where many of the artists lived and painted including Renoir and Suzanne Valadon whose studio is still intact. Walk into her life and get a glimpse into the 19th century. 

Working up a thirst we can enjoy an early apero at the relaxing private hidden Hotel Particulier which will be followed by an early dinner at the Moulin de la Galette which was immortalized on canvas by many an artist.

 Day 3 - September 30 Friday 

Hemingway in Paris & Saint Germain des Prés

 In the life of Ernest Hemingway, his Paris years are the most known, but not always the most accurate. Claudine Hemingway, a descendant of the famed author, will take you on a tour through many of the important addresses of his time in Paris filled with the story of those years. 

 Afterwards we will enjoy lunch at an authentic and wonderful French restaurant Chez Fernand, nestled in the historic Odéon area. The small family owned restaurant is steep in all the classic French dishes. 

 We are in the shadows of the great Romantic artist Éugene Delacroix and so we visit his small museum that resides in his former home and atelier which marked the final years of his life while he worked on the frescos in Saint Sulpice. Afterwards, we will visit the stunning church that holds said frescos as well as so much history. 

 For our cocktail hour, we will visit one of the hottest places in Paris, once beloved by Anthony Bourdain. The small but mighty L’Avant Comptoir de la Terre. Created by Yves Camdeborde as a way to enjoy a glass of wine or small plate. This is Claudine’s favorite place in Paris!

 The rest of the night is yours, we will give you a few nearby spots for a casual dinner.  

Day 4 - October 1 Saturday  

The New Artists of Paris 

 On day 4 we will step into the atelier of Alison Grace Koehler. Alison is a poet, stained glass artist, and vibrant member of the Parisian artistic community. Mixing poetry into her stained glass gives it a fresh new take on the age old art that once was only seen in the churches and cathedrals. 

 For lunch we will dine at the casual artsy French Brasserie L’Arrosoir beneath the Coulée Verse René-Dumont walkway that inspired the High Line in New York.

 From the past to the artists of today, we will visit painter Stephanie McKenzie who is just one member of an eight level atelier Le 100 Establishment a community of painters and artists. 

 After a proper French sieste, we will head back to the right back tonight to dine at Willi’s Wine Bar near the Palais Royal. One of the first wine bars in Paris which opened in 1980. A personal favorite, the food is fantastic, the wine list is long and the atmosphere and staff charming. 

Day 5 - October 2 Sunday 

The Impressionists that changed the art scene

 We will start off the day viewing the art of the Impressionists in the morning light of the upper floor of the Musée d’Orsay. Monet, Degas and all their friends shook up the art world back in the day pulling it out of its classical realism tracks. 

 From one beautiful piece of art to another we will enjoy a classic and amazing crepe at Breizh Cafe before venturing through the Jardin du Luxembourg with our very own artist Krystal teaching you all the best tips and tricks when taking photos in Paris on your phone or camera.  We will explore the gardens and hidden spots while you capture some of the over 100 statues dedicated to the artists, authors and infamous women in French history. 

 Relax in the garden or back at the Hotel Recamier before we venture over to the shadows of Notre Dame to the classic Chez Julien for dinner. If you love profiteroles and homemade chocolate sauce, this is your heaven.

 Day 6 - October 3 Monday 

The great artists that still inspire today 

 The Musée du Louvre was previously a former palace of kings that would transform into the largest museum in the world. For hundreds of years artists have stood in front of a canvas copying these masters. Manet, Morisot, Valadon and many more learned how to paint from the artists that came before them. We will explore many of these paintings and treasures of the Louvre guided by Claudine.

 After soaking in the beauty of the Louvre we will enjoy lunch just near the Palais Royal at the lovely Le Nemours. Famous for its wonderful setting and delicious Croque Madame and some of the nicer servers in Paris. 

 Take the afternoon off for some shopping, a rest or take a walk through the lovely Palais Royal before we meet for dinner. 

 For our last meal we will have a celebratory dinner with a view to die for as we roll down the Seine on the famed chef Alain Ducasse floating restaurant. The Eiffel Tower sparkles for us as we talk about the discoveries and new memories we made during this magical week in Paris.

 Day 7 October 4 Tuesday  

Breakfast and departure.

 “America is my country, but Paris is my home” Gertrude Stein. Paris lives on in the hearts of everyone that has visited. After a morning cafe and croissant we will bid you adieu or hopefully á bientôt

Hemingway's arrive at Rue Cardinal Lemoine

Ernest and Hadley Hemingway had been married for less than three months when they set sail to Paris on 8 December 1921. Arriving on 20 December they spent their first night in the Hôtel Jacob on Rue Jacob in Saint Germain. On 9 January 1922, the Hemingway’s moved into an apartment on the top of Montagne Saint-Geneviève in the shadows of the Pantheon thanks to the help of fellow expat Lewis Galantiere. Lewis had pushed the couple to look at Montparnasse but they were drawn to the Latin Quarter a short walk away on the Rue du Cardinal-Lemoine. Located in what was once the moat of the ancient Philippe-Auguste wall, was the first official home for the couple. 

Their 4th floor two rooms were considered a “cold-water walk up” with a “toilet” in the hall at each floor. Saying it was a toilet is really romanticizing it, it was not much more than a hole in the floor. Oddly shaped rooms, floors that bent and slanted and no hot water. Even with these bleak descriptions, Hem later said, “With a fine view and a good mattress and springs for a comfortable bed on the floor, and pictures we liked on the walls, it was a cheerful, gay, flat”  They were happy at this time, and didn’t need much. 

For just 250 francs or $18 a month it came furnished and with their own femme de menage, Marie Cocotte who would cook for them each night. The small two room apartment was small but had just enough room to add a piano for Hadley. 

Below them was the Bal du Printemps, a bal musette dance hall that would keep them up on the hot summer nights with the windows open. This is also where the reference in the Sun Also Rises comes from.  Just steps away was the Place de la Contrescarpe where the Café des Amateurs that he would sit and have a café and watch the characters of the square. Although he thought it was a “cesspool” and avoided it because of its smell and disruptiveness. In the Snows of Kilimanjaro, he wrote that Harry was sitting watching the “drunkards and the sportifs”. This was far away from the fashionable cafés Rotônde and Select of Montparnasse.  The ghost of Hemingway is all over Paris. If you are going to be in Paris in April and May message me. I will be doing some guided tours in the steps of Hemingway, and other Paris tours (hopefully) 

Calendrier de l'Advent - 23 Decmber

When it comes to how we spend our money it is so important to give the gift of time and experience rather than another physical gift that ends up in the back of a closet. Finding these experiences this year has been difficult but thankfully because of the internet we can bring the world to our couch. 

 Recently Krystal Kenney, my podcast partner and I started bringing Paris to you each Sunday. Each LIVE walk through Paris is filled with the history of the streets, buildings and the many people that walked before us. For that friend (or yourself) that has everything we are offering an exciting custom gift.  We will custom design a live private  walk and bring it directly to you. You tell us which part of Paris you want to see and we will design the route and fill it with all of the history and you can sit back and enjoy it. 

Have a special spot that holds a favorite memory or a street that you walk down every time you are in Paris? Let us know and we will bring it to you. Krystal, Giuseppe and I handle all the details and also send you a gift certificate to wrap up.

Check out my website for details 

Calendrier de l'Advent - 22 December

Located in my favorite little area in Paris you will find the cutest little store. On the carrefour de l’Odéon just steps away from the best wine bar in Paris is the Zoé Ferdinand boutique. Filled with distinct pieces you can take home to mark your trip to Paris and also a collection of great shirts based on some of the best books ever written. I could be a bit biased about that but, c’est la vie. Last spring walking by the lovely facade of the store covered with flowers in the window I spotted this great t-shirt and HAD to have it.  We know the great Hemingway book published after his death as A Moveable Feast, documenting those early years in Paris and the friends that filled it, it is a must for any Francophile. However in France the book is known under the title “Paris est une fête”. So spying this treasure in the window I had to grab it. 

This great store has many other shirts with titles and sayings from some of your favorite books and you can even pick up a candle to really get the creative inspiration flowing. You can spend an entire day in this small triangle, eating, drinking and shopping.

Find all Zoe’s treasures on her website.

Calendrier de l'Advent - 21 December

Another wonderful person to follow that fills your feed with lovely inspiration is Katherine of @rue.dauphone.paris. Living in the Northwest but inspired by the City of Light as so many of us are. This year her posts have been a lovely break from the stress and negativity that has filled social media. In her lovely home she lives the joie de vivre of France each and every day and shares it with us all.

And for even more inspiration she also has a Francophile book club, because we all need more books in our life. (At least I am sticking with that thought)

Check out her Instagram

Calendrier de l'Advent - 20 December

Janise Commentz has been painting all her life. Raised by an artist, she would pursue her love of art and sharing it with others. A high school teacher of art and English in the Mojave Dessert and later Joshua Tree but always inspired by the romance of Paris.

Janise now creates beautiful watercolors of many of the beautiful sights in Paris and I was so excited to be gifted one of her lovely calendars. January starts out with a dreamy watercolor of Mont Saint-Michel, my grandfather’s favorite place he ever visited. Janise doesn’t just paint France she also has many other images of the desert as well as portraits. And for all of you that want to become an artist in your own right, check out her online classes. Oh how I wish I could paint like this.

Find Janise and her beautiful work here. and her Etsy shop

Calendrier de l'Advent - 19 December

Need a great gift idea from France and created by a group of talented friends? Since 98 is a collection of t-shirts with one of a kind designs that are each embroidered on?

Straight from Cannes, you could hear the waves lapping against the shore when you wear one of these wonderful shirts. Purchase a shirt and support my sweet friends that I wish everyday we were back behind the bar at L’Avant Compoir de la Terre.

Order a shirt for a friend or yourself here .

Calendrier de l'Advent - 18 December

Jacqueline Marval was a 19th & 20th century artist that followed her own rules. Arriving in Paris in 1895 she would meet and mingle with the biggest artists of her time including Matisse and Picasso. In 1901 she took part in her first Salon where she was noticed by art dealer Ambroise Vollard. Vollard noticed many of the artists very early and was also the art dealer to Gertrude and Leo Stein. Later she would work with dealer Berthe Weill who championed women artists at a time when very few did.

In Paris today you can view the largest collection of her work at the lovely Comité Jacqueline Marvel. Raphael Roux has amassed more than seventy of her paintings, the largest collection in the world. With his wonderful daughter Camille they have taken on the life of Marvel and her legacy to share it with everyone.

Be sure to contact them and check out the amazing gallery at 4 cité Malesherbes in the 9th. Reservations are required but it will be worth every moment

Coming soon we will have an episode of La Vie Creative - Paris History Avec A Hemingway all about Jacqueline Marvel and also an episode on the quiet but amazing life of Berhe Weill.

Calendrier de l'Advent - 17 December

At your wits end on what to cook for dinner tonight? Our Sicilian in Paris Giuseppe can zoom straight into your kitchen and help you create an amazing meal to share with friends and family. From arancini and home made gnocchi to delicious Italian cookies you can impress everyone with your new skills.

The classes are very fun and you may even pick up a little French and Italian while you cook and at the end you have a wonderful meal or treat. You can choose from a private one on one class, group class with your friends near and far and even a combo cooking class and downloadable cookbook. What are you waiting for, grab some classes and step up your cooking game.

Also don’t miss his weekly cooking classes from their Paris kitchen resuming in January. I have taken quite a few and they are a great way to spend an hour of your Sunday (after our live walks in Paris of course).

Find all his cooking classes here

Calendrier de l'Advent - 16 December

Nestled into one of the most picturesque nooks in Paris is the Musée Delacroix. Dedicated to the great French Romantic painter Eugene Delacroix it was also his last studio and home. As he was getting older, the man that believed in the large historical paintings health began to fail. Commissioned to paint three frescos in the Eglise Saint Sulpice he moved his studio and home from the Rue Notre Dame de Lorette to the Place de Fürstenberg.

On December 28, 1857 he moved and wrote in his journal: "My apartment is decidedly charming". Within just a few blocks of Saint Sulpice he would until 1861 spent all his time working on the three paintings he said would eventually kill him. Less than two years later on August 13, 1863 Delacroix took his last breath in his sweet apartment in Saint Germain des Pres.

In 1865 another master painter moved into his former atelier. Claude Monet spent a few short months staying with fellow artist Frédéric Bazille. Many many years later, another group of artists joined together to open the former studio and home into L'Atelier Delacroix. In 1971 it became a national museum and later attached to the Musée du Louvre.

Yet another wonderful thing about your ticket to the Louvre, it will also get you into the Musée Delacroix within 24 hours of your visit for FREE. It is a small museum and can be a quick visit, but make sure to visit his former atelier and take some time to sit in the lovely garden to take it all in.

Check out their website and upcoming expeditions. The permanent collection changes frequently so if you have gone before, make sure to make another visit if you love Delacroix as much as me.

Calendrier de l'Advent - 15 December

One of the companies I work with in Paris is the custom Paris travel designer American Concierge. Started in 2015 by Sharon Carr, American Concierge can plan your entire visit to Paris or just a private tour. Of course things changed this year and without visitors to Paris, they shifted to virtual tours much different than most people are doing. The wonderful Rosemary Flannery, who also wrote a fantastic book, Angels In Paris that every Paris lover needs also has started a virtual tour of Paris that covers many of the angels in her book.

Other tours to choose from include a photo lesson with Krystal Kenney a cheese tasting with Debbi that will come complete with cheese and a wine tasting with Tanisha. I jumped into the fun and share the real story of Ernest Hemingway’s years in Paris. Check them all out to fill your time before you return to Paris and also a few things to look forward to when you finally return

Calendrier de l'Advent - 14 December

When I began with my first tutor it was all about the basic structure of the language. Learning specific words and then the dreaded conjugated verbs. Once I had that down we went into stories and comprehension.  My former tutor Alice Ayel, a wonderful French woman living in Portugal teaches French through what she calls the Natural Method. When we were little and we were learning to talk our parents didn’t give us a stack of flashcards and books and told us to memorize them. We learned by hearing our parents saying the same words over and over. The Natural Method is just like that. Through a series of stories, starting at the “baby stage” up to more advanced and working with a dry erase board she draws and acts out the words. It is amazing how quickly this method works.  Alice has a wonderful YouTube channel where you can watch any of her stories for free. She also has a newsletter and membership that includes special videos, stories and even books.

And for those of you that want to add a little Christmas cheer to your learning, check out her book 24 petites histoires de l’Avent en français. It accompanies her videos she made of each of the stories and is a really fun way to add more French into your routine. Each story is other YouTube channel and you can easily purchase and download the book. 

Check out her website AliceAyel.com and find her on YouTube

Calendrier de l'Advent - 13 December

I couldn’t have an Advent Calendar dedicated to all my favorite things in Paris and leave out the Musée du Louvre, bien sûr. The famous museum known around the world is often skipped by tourists or they run into see a few of the most famous items, check off their list and onto the next thing. However, there is so much more to the Louvre than the Mona Lisa.

The Louvre itself began as a palace to the kings of France in the Middle Ages. Over time from each king changed it just a bit adding their own take until Francois I revamped the entire idea of the monarchy and the palace itself. Removing much of the medieval structure the Louvre that we know today began to take shape. Mostly left to his son Henri II to carry out, today you can admire the Salle des Caryatides on the ground floor of the Sully wing beautifully created by Jean Goujon and Pierre Lescot. Catherine de Medicis later added her touch with the Petite Galerie and the Palais des Tuileries and Henri IV would build the vast Grande Galerie connecting the two. Louis XIV famously started and left leaving the Louvre open to the rain of Paris and finally completed by the two Napoleon emperors.

Spending countless hours within the walls of the Louvre and studding everything I can get my hands on I can’t wait to share it all with you. Starting in January I will begin to give some live chats sharing all the history of those sacred walls.Are you interested in learning more about the Louvre, well beyond the Mona Lisa? Let me know in the comments.

Subscribe to my newsletter here on my website to keep updated.

Calendrier de l'Advent - 12 December

Krystal Kenney isn’t just my podcast and livestream partner she is also an amazing photographer. When we aren’t in the middle of a pandemic and tourists aren’t roaming the cobblestones of Paris she is busy from sunrise to sunset taking beautiful photos of couples and families in Paris.

Since we can’t get there right now, you can bring a little bit into your home to hang on your wall to remind you of those carefree days in Paris. Now availible to print in ship from the US is a large collection of few of her gorgeous shots. Eiffel Tower, Sacre Coeur the beloved doors of Paris and so many more. It is the perfect gift for your loved one that is desperately missing Paris, or even for yourself. We all deserve a little something special this year.

https://missparisphoto.pixieset.com/printshopparis/

Calendrier de l'Avent - 11 December

It's not hard to imagine that I spend a lot of time on reading everything I can on Paris and her history. Many years ago I came across The Most Beautiful Walk in the World written by Australian John Baxter and devoured it. It led me to find every book he wrote on Paris until one day I looked in the back of the book and found his website just in case there were any books I may have missed. In doing so I found that he also did literary tours in Paris. The thought of a guided walk with an author I admire was too much and signed up right away.

Taking a handful of fellow fans, John guides people through the streets of Montparnasse and Saint Germain des Près where the pages come alive before you. Each tour ends in his apartment with lunch and wine while you are surrounded by first editions of F. Scott Fitzgerald, and Hemingway. His apartment just happens to be located on Rue de l’Odeon where from his terrace you see the top of Notre Dame and as you look out you can imagine Hemingway on the same roof, taking out German soldiers that still held Odeon during the Liberation of Paris before he moved onto the Ritz and liberated many bottles of gin. Since that first tour, I never miss a chance to meet up with John, whether it is a long and lovely lunch at a tiny bistro to a quick coffee or wine in his historic building. For me, being in this building holds a huge significance from the generations long before me and walking in the footsteps of another Hemingway from long ago.

On my last visit John gave me his newest book, The Paris Men’s Salon, a collection of stories and his most personal book yet. Self published you too can grab one of these limited editions before they are gone, through his website. (link in my bio). I cherish every moment I can spend with John and has even become a mentor to me in my own writing. We can sit and talk about those old characters of Paris and I always leave him floating on air from such lovely chats.

Check out his website and his large library of books. Each and every one is fantastic.

John’s holiday book Immovable Feast is also our featured book the month for our La Vie Creative book club. Join the club now and at the end of the month on December 27th we will have a live zoom with the author himself.

Calendrier de l'Avent - 10 December

Living in Paris, Landen Kerr fell in love with the lovely antiques found in the flea markets. The dainty flowered plates, delicate napkins and stunning crystal knife rests. Everyone needs a little touch of Paris on their table and Landen is bringing that directly to you.

During the confinement this year, Landen spent two months in Normandy where each and every day involved setting the perfect table for each meal. A ritual sadly forgotten in most American homes but kept alive on the tables of France. It only takes one or two beloved items to add to your table to take it up a notch. Many people keep these items locked away waiting for a special occasion, but there is nothing more special than each and every day of your life.

After those weeks in confinement, Landen created La Porte Bonheur, her new adventure bringing these treasures to your home. Not only that, she has also held two auctions raising money for the beloved Bouqinistes of the Seine that need all our support so they can survive and continue to be a lasting imprint on the city of Paris.

Check out her website and auction at www.Laportebonheur.com

Calendrier de l'Avent - 9 December

On my second trip to Paris I stumbled upon Thierry Givone’s Wine Tasting Paris. Tucked into a small street of the Latin Quarter is his wonderful Wine Tasting Paris. Growing up in Dijon in the Burgundy region wine has always been in his blood and after a few years in the corporate world he decided to return to his roots. Opening in 2014, Thierry’s Wine Tasting Paris filled a void.

Thierry gives you all the tools needed to tackle any wine list like a pro. One of his classes is a Tour de France of wine, learning about each region the wine come from and the perfect pairing for each wine. Focusing on small independent producers, you will taste some wonderful handpicked wines and hear the stories of the wonderful winemakers behind them.

Like so many of us in 2020 Thierry had to switch his focus to online classes. In the comfort of your home you can have the perfect session with Thierry to prime you for your upcoming trip to Paris. When you are in Paris, be sure to take one of his classes and add on a cheese plate, because why not.

Check out his classes and website for more information.

Calendrier de l'Avent - 8 December

Another wonderful person I have met through social media is Francophile Kim Godby. As a flight attendant for Delta, she is lucky enough to return to Paris multiple times a month. On her trips she scourers the flea markets for treasures to share with everyone in her lovely boutique My French Brocante located in Noblesville, Indiana.

Kim and I met through social media and my many stories of Paris giving her a moment back in her beloved city with each post. One day on Facebook she posted a photo of a croissant ornament painted blue, white and red with a touch of sparkle and I about died. Next thing I knew the ornament arrived at my door and now stays out all year long.

Kim’s shop is filled with vintage hard to find items for your kitchen, dining table and walls as well as everything for your home you never knew you needed. With a sharp eye and a lover of the stories and history of each piece she creates a collection perfect for any Paris lovers home.

Check out my website www.claudinehemingway.com for links to her Facebook and Instagram where you can see her beautiful items and even order them.