MAC/VAL – Vitry sur Seine
19 janvier 2017 § 2 Commentaires
Musee d’Art Contemporain du Val-de-Marne = MacVal, an incredible discovery! Built in 2005, it is the first contemporary art museum outside of Paris, in the banlieue (suburbs). The building stands out from the surrounding area’s architecture: clean, modern and spacious. This museum has such a peaceful and « breath-able » atmosphere. Just the day before I was at the Orangerie and my experience there was not the best due to the crowd. If you want to discover french contemporary artists without looking like a tourist, MacVal is for you. 
Among the exposed artists: Jean-Luc Verna with his intimate illustrations in a black shiny room, the claping hands by Melik Ohanian and Morgane Tschiember with « Six Soleils »: a beautiful installation with a mirror game +ropes, which was definitely my friend’s favorite as well as mine. The suspended moon shaped mirror in the middle of the exposition room gave a floating feeling to visitors. 
Each artist has played with the museum’s spacious architecture to propose a very consistent presentation. 
There is a nice garden with a little water fountain housing a duck family where you can sunbathe, if the weather allows it.
Where? Place de la Libération, 94404 Vitry-sur-Seine – To go there: RER D, then local bus. For more infos, check here.
SAam – Paris
19 novembre 2015 § 2 Commentaires
Not really korean food, rather fusion, « bao » or « bun » are having their glory days in London, New York and now Paris. Pac-Man shaped bread filled with meat/tofu/fish with a spread of caramelized sauce and crunchy veggies, the pillowy texture of the bread can leave no one indifferent. 
At SaAm, near Canal Saint-Martin, the buns get the korean influence from the chef Kim Yoonsun with Bossam, Gochujang and kimchi. If you want to try something else than just buns, take the fried Gimbaps to share. 
For lunch, there is a menu with two buns of your choice, a drink and a dessert for 15euros. The restaurant is suitable for coaeliacs and vegetarians. 
Where? 59bis rue de Lancry – Paris 75010
Le Bal – Paris
8 novembre 2015 § 3 Commentaires
Left in abandon for decades, the City of Paris has decided in 2006 to renovate the space and transform it into a photography gallery. It is hard to believe that there is such place in this area: a children playground is facing the modern building and the surroundings are mostly kebab joints and clothing shops. 
But most importantly, you will have to stop at the Bal’s Café as the food is really really.. awesome ! Two chefs, Alice Quillet and Anna Trattles are cooking british inspired dishes with lots of creativity. The week end brunch is quite popular here: pancakes, scones, bacon & eggs.. For cakes, they are the same sold at the coffee shop Ten Belles: pumpkin muffin topped with yogurt, crunchy cookie and the chocolate-raspberry tart. 
Enjoy!
Where? 6 Impasse de la Défense – 75018 Paris
Claus, the Breakfast shop – Paris
1 novembre 2015 § 1 commentaire
Just near Christian Louboutin – the red sole shoe master, you can find Claus breakfast shop. I regularly go there to buy my Mini Magoo’s granola, the only place in Paris to sell them. They have coffee beans from Coutume, Christine Feber jams and a big choice of various product from tea to eggs, dedicated to the most important meal of the day.
Also on the take away menu: coffees, pastries, cakes & flowers.
Where? 15, rue Jean-Jacques Rousseau – Paris 75001
Shakespeare and Company Coffeeshop – Paris
30 octobre 2015 § 6 Commentaires
Shakespeare & Company, the worldwide famous bookshop located on Paris’ left bank has associated with Marc Grossman from Bob’s Kitchen–(also Bakeshop-JuiceBar) and Café Lomi for their new coffeeshop. 
Founded by the American expatriate George Whitman in the 1950s, it is not a library you go for finding a book in particular but rather for its bohemian atmosphere and browse inside the historic building. Few Parisian know this place as they avoid Notre Dame, considered to be « Trop touristique! » – too touristic for them! This coffeeshop should help them reconcile with Paris’ most attractive landmark.
There is a terrass but the inside is really comfy, and you can also grab one of the books available on the shelves while enjoying your mug of coffee and a slice of pumpkin pie.
Where? 37, rue de la Bûcherie – Paris 75005
This week : celebrating Chuseok in France and Korea Now! at les Arts Décoratifs
27 septembre 2015 § Poster un commentaire
During this week end is the celebration of the Eid for muslims and also Chuseok 추석 or Hangawi 한가위 for Koreans, which is a three day celebration for a good harvest. The date is chosen according to the lunar calendar and changes every year. Koreans living in the cities return to their grandparents’ house and take time to visit the tombs of their ancestors. 
The symbolic food eaten during Chuseok is the « Songpyeun » 송편, a rice cake filled with red bean paste, sesame seeds, sweetened with honey. Chocolate did not existed yet, the red bean paste was an excellent substitute before chocolate was introduced by the Americans. Songpyeun has the shape of a full moon and is perfumed with pin needles while they are steamed. They can be lightly colored with natural tints such as blueberry or carrot. 
Next year Chuseok will be September 15th! I hope to be in South Korea to celebrate it with my family, I have not seen my cousins reunited all together for a while.
If you are interested in Korean culture, there is the exposition « KOREA NOW! Craft, design and fashion » held at les Arts Décoratifs until January 3rd, 2016. I have never seen so many beautiful korean pieces of pottery gathered in one place.
For those interested in fashion, you will see how South Koreans have changed the Hanbok for more contemporary and minimalist outfits inspired by designers like Juun J.
Sugarsheet 
