Seraphine de Senlis

Large Daisies, Senlis Museum 

It was in the quaint old town of Senlis that I discovered Seraphine Louis, the female naive painter whose extraordinary life was made into a movie that won seven Cesar awards. The excellent portrayal of Seraphine de Senlis by Yolande Moreau in the film has placed this relatively unknown artist back onto the map of art history.

Seraphine's mysterious and tragic life makes a compelling story. A self-taught artist, she never visited a museum or opened an art book. For many years she worked as a shepherdess and then a housekeeper before her talent was discovered in 1912 by German art collector Wilheim Uhde who was also a supporter of Henri Rousseau.

Seraphine was an artist consumed by an irrepressible urge to create. Her works are predominantly rich fantasies of haunting images of floral arrangement, but they are miles apart from the genre of 17th century Dutch still life. The intensity of her work, both in colour and design seems to parallel her own eccentric psyche, a state of mind that borders between madness and creative brilliance.

Painting by candlelight and in complete isolation with the rest of the world, she was inspired by her religious faith and was driven by her own mystical visions to create amazing and beautiful pictures. Despite her immense talent, her success was short-lived. She died lonely and destitute in a mental asylum.

It is worth noting that women artists in those days did not enjoy the same degree of recognition and creative freedom as their male counterparts. Female sculptor Camille Claudel also had a difficult career working with Auguste Rodin and she too ended up in a psychiatric hospital. Two artists, two women, two lives were left to the institutions and met their fateful death in the 1940s.

Tree of Paradise
Museum of Modern Art, New York

Parisian chef Alain Dutournier

Alain Dutournier in his kitchen whites

The reverence and status accorded to a famous chef in France is no less than a television celebrity. Two-star Michelin chef Alain Dutournier gave a brief but thoughtful speech after serving a splendid 4-course meal to a roomful of starry-eyed culinary students. After three rounds of applause I thought he was that close to receiving a standing ovation!

A cool and contemporary setting

At the Carre des Feuillants which Dutournier owns, his passion for wine and art did not go unnoticed. The exceptional cellar contains more than 3000 bottles, including fine and rare vintages from some of the best wine producers in France. The display of his personal collection of contemporary art in the restaurant provides a modern and sophisticated setting for an innovative dining experience.

Dutournier is renowned for his minimalist, original cuisine based on unexpected textures and complexities. Our first course of salmon prepared four ways was interesting as it explored different approaches and cooking techniques for a single main ingredient. While the most impressive of the lot was the poached salmon cooked sous vide in gelee which was extremely good, both the smoked salmon and the salmon roll were lacklustre for an establishment of this calibre.

Salmon prepared four-ways:
Wild salmon with fresh peas, poached salmon in gelee,
salmon roll and smoked salmon

Then the star of the evening saved the day as the crayfish and scallop ravioli was absolutely amazing. I was a bit surprised to find Japanese enokitake mushrooms in the broth but it was perfect. Any French fungus would have been too overpowering. The clear, perfumed broth had a wonderfully subtle flavour that accentuated the delicate taste of the seafood. C'est magnifique!

Crayfish in a perfumed infusion, ravioli stuffed with scallops

In the world of haute cuisine, you are quite likely these days to be served any number of little portions that make up your tasting menu. At the Carres des Feuillants, it seems that they have adopted a similar concept of sampling.  Most dishes came with three to four elements that had been designed to be enjoyed individually. The third course, for example, comprised small portions of quail, foie gras, truffle and artichoke, as was the dessert which consisted of an assortment of chocolate cake, mousse and fruit compote. In the end, I felt like I have had 12 courses but within half the time.

Quail with a hazelnut crust, panfried foie gras, truffle patties, stuffed artichoke

An element of surprise always does the trick to make our evening more fun and memorable. Well, our surprise was panna cotta drizzled with a hot green tea sauce. A nice touch to prepare us for the dessert heavyweights that followed - baba chocolate, cherry jubilee and creme of verbena.

Punch surprise with green tea sauce

Creme of verbena, cherry jubilee and baba chocolate

An overall satisfying meal with matching wine that accompanied each course. I have to say I cannot ask for more from a school dinner.  That said, my high expectation for a two Michelin star restaurant was not entirely met because I thought the creativity and refinement were lacking at some point.

This is Paris, you know?

Of all places in Paris, the last destination I would imagine myself visiting is a police station. Well I suppose to experience the full spectrum of city life means I have to accept whatever is thrown at me - the good, the bad and the ugly.

Police on patrol at Gare Montparnasse

Stories of tourists being mugged and pickpocketed in Paris are alarming enough but to hear it coming from a police officer is quite a different matter. This time, I can speak of it from my personal experience.

Petty crime is such an everyday occurrence in the streets of Paris that the police seem to have resigned themselves to failure in dealing with this problem that is giving Paris a bad name. Bringing the culprits to justice is not in the least their interest as I was not even asked to give a physical description of the thieves who stole my wallet in the metro station. The officer on duty reprimanded me for letting my guards down and in his nonchalant manner, he told me, " This is Paris, you know?" I wanted to retort by adding,"Yes, I also know thieves target Chinese, in particular."

Tourists are easy targets for pickpocketing

A group of two teenage girls and a woman, possibly from Eastern Europe, pushed me into a semi-empty carriage and within seconds, my wallet was gone. Back home, I did a bit of digging myself and found out that these activities might have been linked to a large European network of pickpockets, mostly girls from the Balkans aged between 12 and 16.

A press report in last December revealed that the French police had broken up a network of some 100 girls which accounted for half of all cases of pickpocketing in the Paris underground metro system since 2008. It was also known that male leaders mostly kept their distance from the pickpockets, leaving the task of overseeing them to hardened female handlers who lived with them in Parisian hotels.

This sounds exactly like the trio who nicked my wallet in June this year. Mystery solved. Crimes unsolved.

Sunday brunch at Pause Cafe

With its sunny terrace, Pause Cafe seems like the perfect spot to chill out on a lazy Sunday afternoon. It is situated right on Rue de Charonne, which is one of the nicest streets in Bastille, with plenty of galleries, boutiques and bars. Ever since its appearance in the cult Parisian movie Chacun cherche son chat (Everyone's looking for their cat), the cafe has attracted a fashionable Bobo (Bourgeois Bohemian) crowd. 

Within a five minute's walk from the Marche A'ligre, a neighbourhood joint such as this is exactly what I need to recharge my battery after a morning of food shopping. On Sundays, a brunch is served here on top of the a la carte menu which offers a nice selection of dishes, including their very good l'entrecote and fries. 

Taking the brunch involves only one decision, that is, either tea or coffee. Otherwise, the set menu comes complete with a fresh orange juice, cafe au lait, a range of home-made pastries and breads with marmalade and chocolate spread, a fresh fruit yoghurt and a large plateful of green salad, smoked salmon, fried potato chips and an egg benedict with bacon. Everything was delicious with the pastries and chips being exceptional. The portion was so generous that I actually had to skip dinner that evening. For 19.50 euro, this is quite a bargain, at least in Paris terms.

Cite de l'Architecture: Is the largest necessarily the best?

Hailed as the world's largest architectural museum, the Cite de l'Architecture et Patrimoine opened in 2007 at Palais de Chaillot, a 1930s art deco structure that faces the Eiffel Tower across the River Seine. It is a vast site that houses three galleries which give an overview of architecture, predominantly French, from the Middle Age to the present day.

A view from the Palais de Chaillot

A portal of the Chartres Cathedral

The museum has a diverse collection mainly of casts of historical buildings, wall paintings, stained glass windows and models. The plaster cast gallery on the ground floor makes an impressive display of 350 life-size statues and sections of important buildings such as a portal of the Chartres Cathedral, a pillar of the Strasbourg Cathedral and the portal of the 12th century church of Saint-Fortunat.

Flamboyant gothic architecture

On the scale of 1:1, most of these casts were commissioned in the late 19th and early 20th century by the famous architect and theorist, Eugene Viollet-le-Duc, as a means to educate the French public about national heritage. Since the 1937 International Exhibition, the collection has been held in the Musee de Monuments Francais, now a part of the Cite de l'Architecture.

Beyond these magnificent reproductions, I have to admit I was underwhelmed by the lack of depth, breadth and coherence of the galleries. The narrative, if any, should at least show some consideration of the major architectural trends in the rest of Europe. There is little context, with styles seeming to develop out of the blue, unconnected to people, politics and society.

It is ironic that a museum of architecture itself could have such a poor layout. The access to different floors was convoluted at best and at times, it was so hidden that I completely missed the floors consisting of mural paintings and stained glass windows. An inexcusable design fault.

An element of the facade for
the Institut du monde arabe

By comparison, the top floor gallery of modern and contemporary architecture is a small space that showcases models, building elements, drawings, photographs and archival films of buildings and urban developments from 1850s onwards. The unevenness on the emphasis of the display is problematic. Personally I think it is largely because of the fact that these exhibits have been thrown together without a real effort to integrating them into a cohesive entity.

Models on view at the top floor gallery

Shop like a local at Marche D'Aligre

There are literally a dozen of food markets in every arrondissement in Paris that it is hard to miss them. These temporary markets operate mostly twice a week in the morning and offer fresh produce from the farms, or more likely from one of the wholesalers. Depending on where you live, you might even have two or three such markets serving your neighbourhood.

Spending a morning at a market can be great way to practise my French as well as to stock up a weekly supply of fresh fruits and vegetables. Not to mention that the Paris market experience is always a colourful and stimulating one. I find the most popular and centrally located ones tend to be frequented by tourists, hence their high prices. So I am keen to explore other areas that might give me better value for money.

Cherries sell for 3 euros per kilo

Marche D'Aligre, in the 12th arrondissement, is no doubt a place for the locals. It is by far one of the most affordable markets in Paris. Oranges, the size of a grapefruit, can be had for 50 cents each and girolle mushrooms are priced at 4.95 euro for 500 grams. Fruit and vegetable stalls dominate the open-air market in Place d'Aligre, while the meat, poultry, fish, cheese and charcuterie are sold indoor at the adjacent Marche Beauvau.  At the other end of the square, there is a small flea market that sells bric-a-brac and the sort of antiques that could only have come from a car-boot sale. I was actually surprised to see there was a demand for old photographs at one euro a piece.

The covered market at Marche d'Aligre

Products nicely displayed inside the market

Skate wings are wonderful if you know how to cook them

Whilst in this vicinity, Sabah would make a nice stop to pick up some oriental products. Located near rue d'Aligre, this famous grocer carries all the spices and herbs necessary for cooking Asian, African, Indian, North African and Middle-Eastern dishes - effectively catering to all the ethnic minorities in Paris. Their large selection of herbs, nuts and dried fruits or even rice and oils are considerably less expensive than what they would be sold at supermarkets. No wonder the place is always packed.

Sabah specialises in oriental spices and herbs

Alain Ducasse's gastro bistrot

Aux Lyonnaise is one of those gorgeous bistros that is imbued with an ambiance of Parisian eateries of the 1910s. The belle epoque space is decorated with ornate mouldings, mirrors and tiles that evoke a sense of nostalgia for the Golden Age.

The menu is nothing short of all the classic fare from Lyon. Popular dishes such as boudin noir, quenelles, tripes, foie de veau are served a la lyonnaise, authentic and prepared with great attention.

A dip made of creme fraiche and herbs

The line up for the seasonal menu presents some enticing possibilities. It features egg cocotte with girolles and lardons, and pan-fried sweetbread of lamb, which I was more than happy to try out. Gutsy flavours blend well with the style of cooking that brings out the best of the ingredients. The souffle is probably the best I have had in France.

Panfried sweetbread of lamb

Egg cocette with girolles and lardons

Souffle with Kirsch and cherries

The set lunch menu at 28 euros provides limited options for those who do not have the stomach for pig's ears, calf's head or blood sausage. I have no problem eating them especially when I know perfectly well that I will never get them cooked in the same way outside of France. Go for it as far as your cholesterol level permits.

Monet and his fascination with Japanese art

Gare St-Lazare, 1877

The journey into Claude Monet's world in the 1870s should start with the Gare Saint-Lazare. Anyone who is visiting Monet's house and garden in Giverny by train will come through this station situated in the northwestern part of Paris.

The development of the Gare Saint-Lazare and its vicinity at the time attracted many artists who found in the modern environment of the train station an appropriate setting for their exploration of new pictorial forms. Monet painted this scene many times, as did Edouard Manet. What makes better subject matter for the Impressionists than the fleeting lights of a cityscape or a train station.

Monet's house in Giverny

Monet lived in Giverny for more than 40 years and created some of his most celebrated pictures, such as his Water Lily and Japanese Bridge, based on the direct observation of his surroundings. 

Monet's studio-sitting room

His studio-sitting room on the ground floor of the house also served as a gallery to display his work as well as a place to entertain his friends. Notice how different paintings were hung at that time. The tiered configuration was modelled after the exhibitions held at the Salon where young and established artists alike sought to show their work. On the first floor are the private apartments that overlook the garden.

Prints depicting foreign merchants 

It is a well-known fact that Japanese art became very popular in France particularly towards the mid 19th century and Ukiyo-e woodblock prints were widely collected by French artists. Walking through Monet's house is a testimony to the artist's obsession with Japanese art. There is not a single wall or an empty space that is not covered with masterpieces from Edo Japan. His remarkable collection of Japanese prints features some of the most representative works by prominent artists of the period - Utamaro, Hokusai and Hiroshige plus others that amounts to 243 pieces in total. Monet took a special interest in landscapes, courtesans and scenes depicting foreign merchants.

Monet's bedroom shows imageries of courtesans 

It may take a leap of imagination to explain how Japanese prints reached the West.  Believe it or not, they were used as packing material for trade goods. By the Meiji period (1868), the introduction of photography in Japan directly led to the demise of Ukiyo-e as an art form. They became so out of fashion that they were worthless. But as these prints made their way to Europe, they became a major source of inspiration for the Impressionists and the influence is termed Japonisme.

The dining room is filled with Monet's prized Japanese prints

Monet's passion for Japanese art did not stop with woodblock prints. The inspiration he drew from the Japanese art of gardens is clearly visible in the planning of the pond which he transformed into a spectacular water garden. The footbridge spanning this stretch of flower-covered water is reminiscent of the Japanese bridges omnipresent in Ukiyo-e imageries.

Man on horseback crossing the bridge, Hiroshige, 1834-1842

The Water Lily Pond, 1899

The water-lily pond as it is today

During the last thirty years of his life, Monet worked on "series" paintings, in which a subject was depicted in varying light and weather conditions. Increasingly, his garden at Giverny became his most painted subject and his series of Water Lilies totalled approximately 250 paintings. Some of his murals are massive works. For instance, the Water Lilies in Musee L'Orangerie measures 2 m x 6 m.

Monet at work in his studio

A view of the lily-pond

In a way, visiting Monet's garden was like reliving the moments when the artist put his brush to canvas. The first stroke that defined the composition was followed by the gradual emergence of an impression of light, reflections and colours as Monet had envisioned.

Mozart continues to rock

I did not quite know what to expect when it comes to rock concerts in France, but I was certainly interested to find out what makes French music fans tick. In fact, Mozart L'Opera Rock is a rock opera with a storyline created around the musical genius, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

Music, love and humour are the main ingredients of this show which is played in two acts. The lavish production combines the ornate world of the late 18th century with the rock music and curious hairstyles of the modern era. Fifty or so artists, singers, dancers and musicians, all in period costume, make their entrance on the stage at the Palais Omnisport de Paris Bercy. Quite a theatrical extravaganza that sets out to dazzle.

Since Mozart L'Opera Rock premiered in 2009, its success has been phenomenal. I think much of it has to do with the effective marketing of the music, the characters and the show through facebook, twitter, and youtube, as well as the mass media like Music TV and podcast.

As one would expect, the music features a fresh updated score that is based on Mozart's thematic material from several of his more famous pieces, plus pop-rock compositions that would appeal to a young audience. The first single album, released almost one year before the show had its premiere, made it to number one on the French charts for seven weeks. Hits after hits the songs stayed in the top five positions for nine consecutive months. By making music video part of their publicity campaign, the exposure the show receives from the airtime on music TV and the internet is immeasurable. And that is clever marketing.

Of course, this is all perfectly crafted for professional entertainment and the making of a blockbuster. Personally, I was not impressed with the lack of any noteworthy vocal skills, except for the diva who was the only person with a voice in the live performance. The lighting and stage designs are glittering. The brilliant choreography is a spectacle to watch. The good-looking cast is definitely a pull.

Perhaps more amusing and thought-provoking was what happened off the stage - it was hard to miss a score of elated teenage fans dressing up in their fancy garb of the 18th-century. The fascination and identification with pop idols and celebrities all over the world are reshaping our society and values in more ways than we care to acknowledge.