a shade of Chartres blue

In honor of the Christmas holiday, or simply for the sake of adventure, we took the train to Chartres, 88km southwest of Paris. This medieval town boasts an incredibly impressive 13th-century cathedral, crowned by one Gothic spire and the other Romanesque. This unique architecture is due to the Romanesque cathedral being destroyed by a fire in 1194 (along with much of the town) and being rebuilt in the Gothic style over the following 30 years. Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Chartres is France’s best-preserved medieval basilica.

Most impressive, aside from the ‘Holy Veil’, said to have been worn by the Virgin Mary when she gave birth to Jesus, are the stained glass windows. Almost all of the 172 windows dating back to the early 13th century, and several even to the 12th century, are renowned for the depth and intensity of their blue tones, famously called ‘Chartres blue’.

After hours spent lost and frozen amidst the cobbled streets, dreaming of a gourmet candlelight dinner in this most historic and romantic town, our adventure ended at a British pub feasting on burgers. Fine dining will have to wait.

Joyeux Noel!

Christmas in Paris. The many customs of my childhood came to mind as I prepared my first traditional Polish Christmas eve dinner (in France with an Italian, mind you), consisting of homemade borscht (beet soup) and pierogi (a sort of dumpling typically filled with cheese and potato). This dish became a melange of cultures as I could not find the commonly used farmers cheese and concocted a combination of fresh chevre and parmesan. C’est pas mal! I have created a new recipe. Post international feast we were led by a serene path of stars into the melodies of a choir filling the air of Cathedral Notre Dame, followed by midnight mass. No translation was necessary. I was completely taken with the feeling and tradition of Christmas.

bright lights…

In honor of the holidays, every corner of Paris is magically lit.

From Hôtel de Ville to the Champs-Elysées, Paris is transformed into an even brighter ‘city of lights’.



skyscrapers on the Seine

The ultramodern architecture of La Défense looms large, reminiscent of a mini-Manhattan. It encompasses over 100 buildings, home to one-third of France’s 20 largest corporations. The Grande Arche, the most impressive of these structures, is a monumental cube composed of Cararra marble, housing government and business offices. There exists a unique and intense energy in this high-rise business district, isolated in the west of the city. It does not feel at all like the Paris of postcards, refreshing on those days when I desire an escape.

Every store imaginable exists within this inclusive universe of silver walls and layered malls. Majestic renowned sculptures by Calder and Miró, among others, add an element of color and culture.

These wintry afternoons, a holiday market fills the walkways as familiar Christmas carols fill the air. My lunch visits to La Défense remind me of the many years I spent gainfully employed amidst the skyscrapers of New York City. I miss working. More accurately, I miss the team dynamic of working towards a common goal and the satisfaction that follows. These days my greatest goal is to learn a language, not to mention a culture. I have decided (finally) to attend courses, to share this grand and often intimidating task with those in a similar predicament. I may even enjoy the experience, and learn French!



a blanket of white

This morning I awoke to discover my first Parisian snowfall. As if Paris needed any additional beauty, the city is enchanting beneath it’s blanket of white. The streets are empty aside from vagrant shoppers and children ducking behind cars with snowballs in hand. A perfect afternoon to find refuge behind the large picture windows of cafe Les Philosophes, indulge in a chocolat chaud and collect my thoughts, as varied as the snowflakes.

my life with Picasso

Picasso once said “I am the greatest collector of Picassos in the world.” This much revered collection of over 3,000 works ranging from sketches to finished masterpieces is exhibited upon walls located only meters away in the Musée Picasso. What is most impressive about this collection is the number of works Picasso painted after his seventieth birthday. This imposing display is complemented by Picasso’s own personal art collection of artists including Cézanne, Degas, Rousseau, Seurat, de Chirico and Matisse. On a recent morning I learned that many of Paris’ museums were closed due to workers strikes. (Ah yes, the French love to strike!) Immediately my desire to view the works of one of my most admired artists grew, as I had not been to this hôtel particulier in several years. As luck would have it, there was no strike at the museum, rather, it was closed for renovations until 2013. Surely by then I will become a weekly visitor.

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