The Paris Chapter: 29 Jan - 4 Feb
Cannes Emerging Filmmakers, Inès de La Fressange, ping pong & poetry, opera, creativity talks, a dinner debate, language exchange, accountability breakfast and more.
When French people ask me, as they often do, why I left my island paradise (Australia) to live in Paris, my answer is always “because I feel most alive here”.
My Paris Chapter musings lean to creative matters, or those of a philosophical variety, as the city nurtures and enlivens those aspects in me. “All I’ve ever wanted is depth” pulsed its way onto my journal page the other day, and the threads I follow in Paris - the events, the people, the readings - all lead home to a desire to revel in the inner sanctums of the human experience.
My hope is that this newsletter may be a thread of sorts for you, helping you forge your own pathway through Paris and that which it seeks to unveil in you.
A Quote
“If you have a creative mind, it’s a little bit like owning a border collie. You have to give it something to do or it will find something to do, and you will not like the thing it finds to do.” - Elizabeth Gilbert, from this amazing article: Fear is boring, and other tips for living a creative life
and a Question
How might you create more space in your life? In your physical environment, in your calendar, within your mind?
Go Visit
You asked for more Paris recommendations, so each week I’ll be showcasing a place to pop into or base a little exploration around (all hail this warmer, more flaneur-friendly weather).
Buly 1803
An homage to French pharmacy officines from the 19th century, these gorgeous stores (two in the Marais and one in Saint-Germain-des-Prés) house everything from grooming tools to palo santo sticks to clay masks, all exquisitely packaged. They’re truly a treat to spend time in, whether or not you take anything home.
Events
Free subscribers receive my mini selection of events each week, with the full list available to premium subscribers.
Tues 30
American Pavilion at Cannes Emerging Filmmakers, 6.30pm
A special screening of the Emerging Filmmaker Showcase past winners, followed by a Q&A session with the filmmakers and Deadline’s Diana Lodderhose.(EN) Free, American Library (7e). Reservation required
Tues 30
Rencontre avec Colette Maciet et d’Inès de La Fressange, 7.30pm
Colette Maciet will be talking on her career in the world of haute couture, working with designers such as Karl Lagerfeld, Hubert de Givenchy and Yves Saint-Laurent, through to setting up her own company.
(FR) Free, Librairie Lamartine (18e). Reservation requiredWed 31
Cabaret d'impro, 8.30pm
Five talented artists come together to create a unique show “where laughter, tears and wonder combine in a symphony of the unexpected”.
(FR) 5€, Césure (5e)
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