Thursday, December 27, 2012

A Very Merry Paris Christmas!

Hello everyone,

I hope that you enjoyed your Christmas as much as I did!

Monique celebrates Christmas
© Discover Paris!

I am taking some well deserved time off over the holidays. So for today's blog, I simply want to share with you some visions of Christmases past and Christmas present in Paris.  Check out the Discover Paris! Pinterest board to see more photos.

A Very Merry Paris Christmas! on Pinterest
Photos by Discover Paris!


HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO YOU!


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Entrée to Black Paris!™ is a Discover Paris! blog.
We are proud to have been selected as one of 10 BEST Paris blogs!

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Thursday, December 20, 2012

Jamaican Jubilee in Paris


Jamaica obtained its independence from Great Britain in 1962 and has been celebrating its 50th anniversary as a free nation with events being held throughout 2012. In Paris, the latest of these events is an art exposition called Jamaica 50 - Paris: Three Artists Celebrate. The artists - Alecia McKenzie, Hanniffa Patterson, and Constance Wood - all currently live in Paris. They represent Jamaica with a vibrant palette of colors and expressive black & white photographs.

Alecia McKenzie, Hanniffa Patterson, and Constance Wood
© Discover Paris!


Alecia McKenzie is an award-winning fiction writer and journalist as well as an artist. She has participated in exhibitions in Alabama, New York, Brussels, London, and Singapore, and has held several exhibitions in Paris, including one to celebrate the life of Bob Marley. Hanniffa Patterson has been living in Paris for the past four years. She teaches English and has launched a social media management firm here. Involved in the creative arts since her youth, she draws, sings, and acts. She recently participated in the exhibition The Kingdom of Glottis by Damir Ocko at the Palais de Tokyo as the voice of “Spring.” Constance Wood has lived and worked as an artist in Paris for over 30 years. The foundation of her art work lies in the influences of both her Caribbean and European cultures. Many private collectors own her œuvre.

The exposition is being shown until 15 January 2013 under the patronage of Jamaica's ambassador to Belgium, France, and the European Union, Vilma McNish. Her Excellency, who is stationed in Brussels, attended the opening for the exposition. She addressed a happy crowd, expressing her pride in her nation and calling it "the biggest small country in the world."

Ambassador Vilma McNish addresses the crowd
© Discover Paris!


Crowd scenes
© Discover Paris!


McKenzie is a painter, Wood is a sculptor and painter, and Patterson is a photographer. Here are some of the works that they are displaying in the exhibition:

Woman & Child
Alecia McKenzie
Limited-edition print of original oil on canvas
Photo courtesy of the artist


Hellshire Beach
Hanniffa Patterson
© Discover Paris!


Star Apples
Constance Wood
Oil pastels on paper
© Discover Paris!


A section of McKenzie's Woman & Child graces the cover of her novel Sweetheart, which won the prestigious Commonwealth Book Prize for the Caribbean region in 2012. McKenzie has created the artwork for other book covers as well. Those interested in purchasing copies of Sweetheart can do so at the exposition.

The Jamaican community in Paris is a small but closely knit group, numbering approximately 300 at present.

Ambassador McNish (center) and members of the Jamaican Community
Photo courtesy of the artists


Many Jamaicans come to France to work as teaching assistants and end up staying here. They maintain close ties with their homeland, both fiscally and culturally. They have formed an association called Jamaicans in France whose mission is to promote Jamaican culture in France and at the same time maintain a link with Jamaica. For information about the group, write to jaminfrance[at]gmail[dot]com.

Jamaica 50 - Paris
Parenthèse Restaurant and Salon de Thé
47, rue de la Motte-Piquet
75015 Paris
Telephone: 01.47.34.86.25.
Metro: La Motte-Piquet - Grenelle (Lines 6, 8, and 10) or Ecole Militaire (Line 8)
Entry is free.

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We are proud to have been selected as one of 10 BEST Paris blogs!

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Thursday, December 13, 2012

Walking in the Footsteps of Josephine Baker

Those of you who are familiar with Entrée to Black Paris tours know that we have a tour dedicated to Josephine Baker called "The Black Pearl Walk."  It covers two different areas of Paris and includes the sites where Josephine began and ended her career.

Today, I am thrilled to inform you that Entrée to Black Paris has created a new Josephine Baker walk called "Josephine's Suburban Paradise." It unfolds in the Paris suburb of Le Vésinet, where Josephine lived during the height of her long and illustrious career.

With a population of about 17,000, Le Vésinet lies a mere 20 minutes to the west of Paris on the RER A line. Charming, quiet, and dotted with lakes and parks, the architecture of its private homes is magnificent. One of its prizes is Le Beau Chêne, the mansion that Josephine owned for eighteen years.

Le Beau Chêne
© Discover Paris!

Though there are not many stops on this walk, we think that you will thoroughly enjoy the leisurely stroll through this idyllic town. We begin with a private lunch at Villa La Riante, a 19th century mansion that has been transformed into a beautiful bed and breakfast by Americans Jim and Kristie Worrel.

Kristie Worrel at Villa La Riante
© Discover Paris!

Kristie is the chef and she lays a magnificent table!

Table set for lunch at Villa La Riante
© Discover Paris!

Over dessert, our guide will present an overview of Josephine's life to whet your appetite for what you will see on the walk. After lunch, you'll be ready to stretch your legs and walk off a bit of Kristie's scrumptious cuisine.

The highlight of the walk is the visit to Le Beau Chêne. The property is private, so we are limited to a view of the mansion from the gate and a stroll around the perimeter of the 3.7-acre grounds. We provide detailed descriptions of the interior as well as anecdotes about events that took place at the mansion. You'll be transported inside by virtue of your imagination!

Front gate at Le Beau Chêne
© Discover Paris!

Other points on the tour include a plaque featuring a photo of Josephine at the opening of the Tour de France in 1933. At the town hall, you will learn about Josephine's efforts to re-establish residency in Le Vésinet when she was facing eviction from Les Milandes, her chateau in the Dordogne.

This combination private luncheon and walk is designed for groups of 10-15 persons and is available only on special request. For more information, contact us at info[at]discoverparis[dot]net.

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We are proud to have been selected as one of 10 BEST Paris blogs!

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Thursday, December 6, 2012

A Five-Star Review for Black Paris Profiles


A couple of people have contacted me to say that they've tried to post their comments about the new release of Black Paris Profiles on Amazon.com and found that the system has not accepted them. If this has happened to you, send me an e-mail message to let me know. I'll be pleased to post them here!

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5-star review by Marian Hayes (Yeye Lynvonne)

Marian Hayes
Photo courtesy of Marian Hayes


Black Paris Profiles by Monique Y. Wells, is, for a media person like me, a Press Pass to some of Paris's most prolific artists in all fields and genres. Twenty-four stories told within ninety-four pages , most sharing the same pattern—visiting Paris and fulfilling a soul's craving to return. Wells has showcased a unique mix of American Blacks experiencing what it means to go beyond the fifty states.

Extremely multi-talented, these New Millennium Blacks appear to be Renaissance people channeling the likes of da Vinci in their capacity to master skills in the fields of photography, film making, and visual arts, all the while navigating the world of French culture. Page after page, reading the lives of these expatriates is like hearing a siren's song, beckoning all to join the Soirée!

Black Paris Profiles showcases the Black American French from the view of a 40-year expatriate to a bevy of hip-hop generation young (B)arisians. Reading BPP, at times, seemed like a page from the wave of Black artists who lit up the City of Lights in the Jazz age! My hopes rose higher and higher each time I read how accessible each Black profiled is to the internet. It was refreshing to have Mrs. Wells include the questions of publishing the old standard way or going electronic and D.I.Y. One thing for sure—Black Paris Profiles has fueled my desire to return to France and this time Paris will be, like the Blacks profiled, my beck and call.

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Entrée to Black Paris!™ is a Discover Paris! blog.
We are proud to have been selected as one of 10 BEST Paris blogs!

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Thursday, November 29, 2012

Black Girl in Paris Coming to the Big Screen

Shay Youngblood's novel Black Girl in Paris (2000, Riverhead Books) is coming to the big screen.

Image from ShayYoungblood.com

The book presents the story of Eden Daniel, a young woman who journeys to Paris as part of her voyage to find herself.  Here's a description from the Reading Guide on Youngblood's Web site:

Black Girl in Paris wends its way around the mythology of Paris as a city that called out to African-American artists. Like James Baldwin, Langston Hughes, and Josephine Baker before her, Youngblood’s heroine leaves the American South nurturing a dream of finding artistic emancipation in the City of Light. She experiments freely, inhabiting different incarnations—artist’s model, poet’s helper, au pair, teacher, thief, and lover—to keep body and soul together, to stay afloat, heal the wounds of her broken heart, discover her sexual self, and, finally,to wrestle her dreams of becoming a writer into reality.

Twelve years later, the tale is being filmed in the streets of Paris.  Tracey Heggins of Medicine for Melancholy plays the role of Eden.  To view still shots of various movie sets, click here.  

The projected release date for the film is 2013.

Shay Youngblood is a novelist, short-story writer, playwright, artist, and professor.

Shay Youngblood and Patricia Laplante-Collins

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Entrée to Black Paris!™ is a Discover Paris! blog.
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Thursday, November 22, 2012

Moving to Paris – One Woman’s Story



HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

On this special day, I am pleased to bring you the story of Anne Denise Stills, a woman who was inspired by this blog – and particularly by the Black Paris Profiles published here – to take definitive steps to move to Paris.

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Anne Denise Stills
Photo courtesy of Anne Denise Stills

The idea of moving to Paris took me by surprise. It was a buried, long-time dream, first nurtured as a young girl growing up in Brooklyn, New York by my love affair with haute couture fashion. Over the years and into adulthood, the dream continued to grow subconsciously, quietly, through international travel, a fascination with beautiful ancient buildings, and a curiosity about all things French.

One year ago, I made a decision to start seriously thinking about living my life in Paris. Perhaps it was because I was feeling overreached by the hustle and bustle of New York life. Maybe I needed a change that would nourish my spirit. Possibly it was that my son would be completing college soon and on his own, and I would have my life back to do as I pleased. Whatever the reason, the dream of living in Paris was rekindled vividly and invaded my thoughts day and night.

Three months later, I was on a red-eye flight on my first trip...April in Paris. Going through the Charles de Gaulle airport terminal and hearing the music of Louis Armstrong singing “La Vie en Rose” put a smile on my face and made my heart sing. I felt like I was coming home! As a temporary resident and self-assured New Yorker, I hopped on the metro and local bus with ease and went to a private flat in the 15th arrondissement.

Every experience and interaction I had during this trip was magical. The first time I saw the Eiffel Tower, it took my breath away! I stood in awe of the ancient architectural masterpieces, cobblestone streets, the beauty and history of the treasures at the Louvre and the Musée d’Orsay, and the peacefulness of the River Seine. The food was divine and the language was music to my ears.

The kindness of strangers at every turn was contrary to the reputation of the French being unfriendly and snobbish. From the lady who got off the bus with me to direct me to Galeries Lafayette, to the gentlemen working at the museum who after a delightful conversation invited me home to dine with him and his wife, to the Paris Opera Ballet ballerina whom I accidentally ran into while trying to find the entrance to Palais Garnier and who pleasantly answered my many questions about her life and training, then kindly showed me the entrance door…all these are lovely, touching moments and memories.

Upon my return home, one thing was crystal clear: there was a life waiting for me in Paris. I had a burning desire that I could not quell. It propelled me forward to take action to follow my desire to live in Paris.

The first step I took was to research on the Internet other African Americans living in Paris. One of most significant sites I found was “Entrée to Black Paris.” The historical, events, art, and restaurant information was extremely informative and made the city come alive for me. In particular, the Black Paris Profiles were very relevant. They document the lives of ex-pats who created a new life for themselves in the City of Light. Perusing them gave me the idea for my first step in my plan to move: build a network of people living and working there who have done what I am trying to do. As a result of reading their stories, I reached out to some through LinkedIn and start building a network. All were warm, welcoming, and positive and offered to assist in any way they could.

Through the social network I have reached out to almost 200 people. I continued to build upon my professional connections in the industries in which I have worked – airlines, hospitality and financial services – as well as industries I have an interest in so that I can attract employment opportunities. I realize it will not be easy and I will be sacrificing the comfort of a successful, well-established career in New York to take a leap of faith towards the unknown. However, my spirit has already embraced a new life in Paris and I feel compelled to follow that path.

I have given myself a timeline of 36 months towards my goal to move to Paris. Meanwhile, I am doing practical things such as taking French language classes at the Alliance Française and listening to conversational tapes. I visit every 3 to 4 months because I feel “homesick” and I move around the city to familiarize myself with the different districts and get a feel for where I would live. At the suggestion of a few ex-pats, I am gaining a TESOL certificate as an option for a quick means of income. I am formulating a plan on how I can use my professional background, interests and skills and create my own business as well. I have also compiled a list of firms to approach to explore employment opportunities.

As I patiently take these steps, I feel empowered and know that I am moving toward my destiny. With courage and passion, I am following my dream and feel excited about the possibility!

Anne D. Stills
20 November 2012
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Thursday, November 15, 2012

Cooking and Walking with Black Paris Divas

For the second time this year, Black Paris Divas enjoyed a gourmet experience with Discover Paris! during their visit to the City of Light. Group organizer Kat St. Thomas had the following to say about the day:
Last April, those that participated in the Gourmet Food Walk on the island of St Louis here in Paris were slightly disappointed because they assumed they would be sampling tasty treats along the way so therefore basically went hungry. So to avoid that issue, this time, Monique Wells of Discover Paris! decided to offer a cooking class where group members could eat what they prepared and then begin the walk; stopping outside the gourmet shops (cheese, chocolate, pastry, ice cream, foie gras, wine) that she selected for the tour. Monique planned to meet us at the school – La Cuisine Paris – and take pictures of our group as we worked.
Invitation to come into La Cuisine Paris
© Discover Paris!

Just before noon, we donned our coats, hats, gloves, scarves and we on our way by metro. In less than 25 minutes we were at our destination. We waited a short while in the lobby chatting with the receptionist until handsome 6'2", Chef Eric greeted us and escorted us to his kitchen. At each place there was a chopping board, knife, all 3 recipes and an apron. After washing our hands and introductions were completed, we were ready to begin.

Chef Eric
© Discover Paris!


Recipes and chopping board
© Discover Paris!

A few months ago I took the liberty of selecting the lunch menu: duck with an orange reduction sauce, roasted vegetables (parsnips, orange & purple carrots, squash – all julienned – and diced potatoes), wine with the main course, and for dessert – Tarte Tatin (which is an upside down apple pie).
Root veggies and pie fixins
© Discover Paris!

In our short time, we all learned so much and got so many helpful hints. We prepped the vegetables for roasting, prepared and rolled out the dough for the pie.
Chopping veggies and making the Tarte Tatin
© Discover Paris!

We were shown how to prepare the duck breast by first cutting away the fat and then cooking it in a heated skillet.
Preparing the duck breast
© Discover Paris!

We started after 12 pm and by 1:20 pm we were all enjoying a fabulous lunch with Chef Eric and Monique.

Lunch is served!
© Discover Paris!

Chef Eric is not only a handsome, knowledgeable chef but a natural comedian as well. The group had such a good time that I have specifically requested him for the group when we return in March 2013!

Chef Eric and the group
© Discover Paris!

After the class, I led members of the group on the gourmet tour. Because it was their last day in town, only two people from the cooking class – Lucia Watson and Lynda Session – opted for the second part of the gourmet experience. Contrary to the saying “the more, the merrier,” in this case, “less was more” because we were able to enter boutiques since our numbers were small.

Lucia, Lynda, and Monique!
© Discover Paris!

Olive oil was the star attraction of the day, as Lucia and Lynda tasted several varieties in two shops and took away tasty souvenirs of their visit.

Tasting olive oils
© Discover Paris!

Black Paris Divas and Discover Paris! are forging a gourmet tradition! To be continued in March 2013…

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Entrée to Black Paris!™ is a Discover Paris! blog.
We are proud to have been selected as one of 10 BEST Paris blogs!

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Thursday, November 8, 2012

Black Paris Profiles™: Monique Y. Wells


As the author / compiler of Black Paris Profiles™, I debated whether I should include my story in this book. Then someone said to me, “How can you NOT include your story? It is one of the most unusual of those in Paris’ African-American community today.” I had to agree that this is true, so I am presenting it below.


Monique Y. Wells
Photo courtesy of Kim Powell

I first came to Paris in 1989. I was with four of my dearest friends, sorors from the undergraduate chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority at the University of Pennsylvania, and we came here as part of a three-city jaunt to London, Paris, and Amsterdam.

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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.
We are proud to have been selected as one of 10 BEST Paris blogs!

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Thursday, November 1, 2012

Entrée to Black Paris is One of 10 BEST Paris Blogs




Entrée to Black Paris has been named one of 10 BEST Paris blogs!

Mike Gerrard is a full-time, award-winning travel writer and publisher. His numerous publications about Paris include the Top 10 Paris - Eyewitness Top 10 Travel Guide (DK Travel; penned with his wife, Donna Dailey), Colors of Paris (Thunder Bay Press), and Paris: A City Revealed (Metro Books). As a man who knows the city intimately, he recently made his selection of 10 BEST Paris blogs. We were thrilled to find our blog among them!

Here's Mike's description of Entrée to Black Paris:
What it is: Monique Y. Wells covers a fascinating niche subject – black history, culture and contemporary life in Paris.

Why we like it: Specialist passions make for some of the best blogs, and the relationship of Paris with its black population (for better or worse) provides some stimulating reading. Monique doesn’t just cover the well-documented ground of black writers, musicians and other artists in Paris’s past, like Chester Himes and Josephine Baker, but keeps it current by interviewing black chefs, lawyers and other prominent figures.
Find Mike's entire list of 10 BEST Paris blogs on the Web site 101 Holidays.

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Thursday, October 25, 2012

Angela Davis in Paris

Angela Davis first came to Paris in 1962 during the summer prior to her sophomore year at Brandeis University. She and a friend sublet a chambre de bonne (maid's quarters) on the top floor of a building that she describes as being so close to the Eiffel Tower that "you could see the elevator rising and falling" from the tiny window of the room. On July 5th of that year, she was present at a demonstration held at Place de la Sorbonne in celebration of Algeria’s newly-won independence. She reported that the French police broke up the gathering with high power water hoses, saying that "they were as vicious as the redneck cops in Birmingham who met the Freedom Riders with their dogs and hoses."

Angela Davis during her junior year at Brandeis in the 1960s
Image from Amazon.com

For her junior year abroad in 1963-64, Davis returned to Paris and lived with a family in a building in the 16th arrondissement, very near the Arc de Triomphe. Her program was organized by Hamilton College and housed at Reid Hall, but she took classes at the Sorbonne because of her advanced level of French. In her autobiography, she remarks that she always felt as though she was in church when she was at the Sorbonne. She frequented the Théâtre de la Huchette on rue de la Huchette as part of her theater course - the only one that was organized by Hamilton.

Years later, after her prison ordeal, Davis returned to Paris. On May 16, 1975, Bernard Pivot interviewed her, Gaston Monnerville, and two other writers for his televised literary talk show, Apostrophes. (The French translation of Davis' autobiography had recently been published and Monnerville's biography had just been published as well.)

Angela Davis and Bernard Pivot on Apostrophes
Screenshot from Ina.fr video

Angela Davis on Apostrophes
Screenshot from Ina.fr video

Davis and Monnerville held opposite views on racism, which they discussed on camera before a studio audience. Click here to view the first seven minutes of the broadcast (in French).

Gaston Monnerville on Apostrophes
Screenshot from Ina.fr video

The encounter is described in Alice Kaplan's book Dreaming in French. Kaplan says that as Monnerville "talked about the universal values of the French Republic, Angela Davis looked at him with an absolute interest and curiosity, with respect."

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