Thursday, January 27, 2011

Sneak Peak! "Limbo" by African-American filmmaker Julian Johnson

Are you traveling to Paris in 2011?  Take advantage of Discover Paris' Entrée to Black Paris™ SPECIAL OFFER for a discounted tour!  Click here to read more...

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Over eight years ago, Julian Johnson did me the honor of asking me to participate in a project that he now calls Limbo. Though he began with neither the experience nor the intent to make a film, being in France stripped away his inhibitions and released his creativity, allowing him to produce a powerful cinematic vision of contemporary black life in France.

I asked Julian to provide some background on himself and on why he was inspired to produce Limbo. Here is his reply:

Julian Johnson and his daughter NoraJane
© Kristina Naslund


"France and French have been in my life forever, beginning when my parents would speak French so that we kids couldn't understand what they were arguing about.

Charles Aznavour and Jacques Brel spun on my dad's turntable - constantly - so love of things French was complete.

We were odd birds: a black tennis family! My grandfather coached Althea Gibson and Arthur Ashe. This meant that all of my siblings had to carry on the family business. We were often the only black kids at the tennis tournaments we played. Confusion about identity, race, class, where I fit and with whom, ensued - for decades.

Fast forward thirty five years. A racial profiling lawsuit has provided enough capital to stake me on a Paris sojourn for three months. I came to reflect, write, escape, as have so many others. I had no experience and intention of making a film.

But I kept meeting people who were questioning things, as I was, and as we spoke, I felt compelled to create something out of this questioning.

In the US, I had always felt shackled, tethered, hindered internally/spiritually, unable to create. Suddenly in Paris, I was planning a film, writing, collaborating, then working solo, asking fascinating people who I didn't know to sit down and talk about identity, home, race/racism, hair.

By depositing myself outside of the United States, I had acquired a freedom that I'd never felt before. I could do it."

Just a few days ago, Julian honored me again by allowing me to share an excerpt of his film with you.

Here's what he has to say about the film clip:

"I wanted to ask some French people questions similar to those I was asking the black subjects in the film. So these people were found randomly: the two African brothers while walking near Père Lachaise and the French woman sitting in a cafe on the Bastille circle. The music is by Mic Crenshaw, with Jana Losey "Under the Sun."

Watch the film clip here:



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Entrée to Black Paris!™ is a Discover Paris! blog.



Thursday, January 20, 2011

A Weekend in Paris

Are you traveling to Paris in 2011?  Take advantage of Discover Paris' Entrée to Black Paris™ SPECIAL OFFER for a discounted tour!  Click here to read more...

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What could be more exciting than a weekend jaunt in Paris? Here is a walking itinerary that will give you a taste of the charm and beauty of the city as well as a glimpse of the African-American history that has unfolded there.

Day 1 – Plan on an inspiring combination of sightseeing and shopping with a visit to the Louvre, the neighboring Tuileries Garden and the Champs Elysées. The Louvre Museum and its glass pyramids juxtapose the beauty of Renaissance and modern architecture, while the commercial center under the pyramids will satisfy many of your shopping impulses. While browsing here, reflect upon the fact that African-American David Harmon was charged with completing a major part of the renovations done on the Louvre during the early 1990s.

Inverted pyramid in commercial center at the Louvre
© Discover Paris!

Emerge from the commercial center to view the splendid Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel and visit the Tuileries Garden, then head for place de la Concorde.

Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel
© Discover Paris!

Jardin des Tuileries
© Discover Paris!

Once at the place, take a moment to look at the Palais Bourbon across the river – home to the French equivalent of the U.S. House of Representatives, where distinguished politicians such as Martinique’s Aimé Césaire served and French Guiana’s Christiane Taubira continues to serve. Gaze upon the Luxor obelisk, where diva Jessye Norman sang France’s national anthem in celebration of the 200th anniversary of the French Revolution in 1989. Then look to the northwest corner of the square to see the Hôtel de Crillon, where Reginald Lewis launched his takeover of TLC Beatrice to become the first black billionaire in the history of the United States.

Obelisk of Luxor
© Discover Paris!

Proceed up the avenue des Champs Elysées for a look at its gardens dotted with pavilions that now serve as theaters and exclusive restaurants. Beyond the Rond Point (roundabout), the gardens give way to clubs, movie theaters and more restaurants and shopping as you approach the Arc de Triomphe.

Champs Elysées Gardens
© Discover Paris!

A detour onto avenue Montaigne will take you into the world of haute couture, where the greatest names in fashion await you. At the far end of this street is the Théâtre des Champs Elysées, where Josephine Baker and Sidney Bechet took Paris by storm in the wildly successful show La Revue Nègre in 1925.

Dior - avenue Montaigne and rue François I
© Discover Paris!

Théâtre des Champs Elysées
© Discover Paris!

Day 2 – Spend the day exploring areas frequented by famous African Americans in Paris. The 5th arrondissement (district) is home to the Sorbonne, where several conferences on African-American culture were held in the 1990s. Venues such as the Salle de la Mutualité where Malcolm X spoke and place de la Contrascarpe where Chester Himes frequented a favorite café are among many that are significant to African Americans. Plan to have lunch at an Ethiopian restaurant near the Sorbonne before taking a stroll past the bouquinistes (the book vendors along the Seine), where you might find a surprise gift for an art or literature aficionado back home. From the quay, you will have an excellent view of Notre-Dame, which so inspired Richard Wright upon his arrival in Paris in 1946.

Sorbonne
© Discover Paris!

Bouquiniste
© Discover Paris!

Notre Dame Cathedral
© Discover Paris!

A brief walk to the adjoining 6th arrondissement reveals sites such as the Odéon Theater where Ira Aldridge played Othello, the Café de Flore where James Baldwin socialized and rewrote Go Tell It on the Mountain, and the La Louisiane hotel that was home to numerous African-American jazzmen.

Théâtre de l'Odéon
© Discover Paris!

Café de Flore
© Discover Paris!

Consider complementing your promenade with a visit to the cafés and gourmet food shops on the rue de Buci to round out your brief but exhilarating stay in the City of Light.

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Entrée to Black Paris!™ is a Discover Paris! blog.



Friday, January 14, 2011

Entrée to Black Paris™ Tours - Special Offer!

Are you traveling to Paris in 2011?  Take advantage of Discover Paris' Entrée to Black Paris™ SPECIAL OFFER for a discounted tour!  Read more below...

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Discover Paris' Entrée to Black Paris™ (ETBP) tours and activities reveal the story of Paris through the black experience. We are developing them to help increase awareness of Paris’ rich black heritage among all people – particularly those who already know and love Paris, and are seeking new avenues of exploration to enrich their cultural appreciation of the city. We have received many positive reviews for our tours (given by our guides Monique and Tom) , and invite you to read about them here:


Monique giving her "Black Paris after WWII" walk


Tom giving his "Black History in and around the Luxembourg Garden" walk


As an introduction to our Entrée to Black Paris™ tours and activities, we are offering:

• a 10% discount on the tour or activity of your choice
• a free downloadable DP! walk (a $25-$30 value)
• a special online viewing of a video entitled “Images of Contemporary Black Paris”

to those who engage us to provide a self-guided ETBP itinerary or private ETBP walking tour, museum tour, or presentation in 2011.


"Black Paris after WWII" with the American Club of Paris


Celebrating Josephine Baker on "The Black Pearl Walk"


To take advantage of this special offer, send us an e-mail prior to January 31, 2011 at

info[at]discoverparis[dot]net

indicating that you would like to reserve this “ETBP Special Offer” for your trip. Then, contact us six weeks prior to your trip so that we may prepare and ship your self-guided itinerary or assure the availability of a private guide for your desired tour.

We look forward to hearing from you very soon!

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Entrée to Black Paris!™ is a Discover Paris! blog.



Thursday, January 13, 2011

Senegalese Baker Makes the Best Baguette in Paris

Each month, our Paris Insights newsletter presents the hidden jewels that comprise the "real" Paris – the people and places that are the true heart and soul of the city.
Click here to sign up for the Paris Insights newsletter announcements and to receive our free Practical Paris guide!

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Since March 2010, Senegalese baker Djibril Bodian of Au Grenier à Pain has enjoyed the honor of being the baker of the best baguette in Paris. Among the 163 candidates who entered the 15th edition of the competition organized by the Mairie de Paris, he emerged victorious in that year’s contest. He won a 4,000€ prize and the distinction of supplying the Elysée Palace (home of the French president) with baguettes for a year.

Djibril Bodian
© Discover Paris!

First Prize for Paris’ Best Traditional Baguette
© Discover Paris!

Bodian arrived in Paris from Senegal at the age of six. He learned to appreciate the baking trade from his father, who is also in the field. While playing at his father’s workplace after school, he developed a love for the aromas of baked products and for the art of transforming the simple ingredients that comprise dough into delectable breads and pastries. He went on to obtain certificates in baking and pastry making, and has been a professional baker for the past twelve years. He is no stranger to the Best Baguette in Paris competition, having entered for the past several years and placed among the top five runners-up each year.

Bodian’s baguette was selected because it had the thinnest, crunchiest crust, the most fragrant aroma of wheat (not masked by excess salt), and the most beautiful honeycombed interior. During an interview with Le Parisien, he stated that the secret to his success is simply to follow the recipe and avoid taking shortcuts to save time. He said that one also has to know how to let the dough rise.

Baguette varieties and ficelles
© Discover Paris!

Bodian is currently director of Au Grenier du Pain at 38, rue des Abbesses in the 18th arrondissement, where he leads an impressive team of bakers, pastry makers, apprentices, and salespeople. The bakery produces roughly 1,900 baguettes every Sunday.

Chalkboard displaying the names of the members of Bodian’s team
© Discover Paris!

Au Grenier du Pain
38, rue des Abbesses
75018 Paris
Tel: 01 46 06 41 81
Metro: Abbesses (line 12), Blanche (line 2)
Hours: Thursday through Monday 7:30 AM to 8 PM

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Entrée to Black Paris!™ is a Discover Paris! blog.


Thursday, January 6, 2011

Black Paris Profiles™: Miles Marshall Lewis

Each month, our Paris Insights newsletter presents the hidden jewels that comprise the "real" Paris – the people and places that are the true heart and soul of the city.
Click here to sign up for the Paris Insights newsletter announcements and to receive our free Practical Paris guide!

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Miles Marshall Lewis
© Discover Paris!

I have been curious about the world of hip-hop for several years, and have found Miles Marshall Lewis to be a window into that world. I joined his Furthermucker Facebook page and found myself reading his on-line, autobiographical serial French Like Me. It was completely serendipitous when I published the first Black Paris Profile™ about Priscilla Lalisse-Jespersen in November and immediately received a message from him saying that he had just launched his own profile column called The Furthermuckin Expat Q. He asked me if I would like to be interviewed, and I promptly agreed, saying that I would like to have the opportunity to interview him during the same session.

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Black Paris Profiles is now available on Kindle.  Only excerpts are available on this blog.
To get your copy of Black Paris Profiles, click HERE.

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Entrée to Black Paris!™ is a Discover Paris! blog.