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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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 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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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 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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