Things to do in Paris

Exhibitions

On l’appelait « Chocolat »

On the occasion of the movie release “Chocolat” in the French cinema, the Maison des Métallos comes back on this character’s singular destiny.

Thanks to historian Gérard Noiriel, the curator of the exhibition, we discover Rafael, a young Cuban slave who came to Europe at the age of 10, sold to a Spanish shopkeeper at the end of the XIXth century. Noticed by a famous English clown, Footit, while he was dancing in a bar, he comes to Paris, where he will become the first black artist having known fame in France. King of the Parisians nights, at once clown, singer and dancer, he will be painted by Toulouse Lautrec or filmed by the frères Lumière. This retrospective presents for the first time to the public photographs, posters, films extracts, newspapers, caricatures, sound archives and advertising images. “On l’appelait Chocolat” (“We called him Chocolate”) also enables to understand all the importance that Afro-American slavery plays in the development of spectacle in France.

 



On l’appelait “Chocolat”, sur les traces d’un artiste sans nom (We called him “Chocolate”, on the marks of an artist without name) exhibition, from February 3rd to 28th 2016.
Open Tuesday-Saturday from 2pm to 8pm and Sunday from 2pm to 7pm.
Nocturnal on February 5th and 11th 2016, until 10pm.
Closed on Monday.
Free admission.

Maison des Métallos (in French)
94, rue Jean-Pierre Timbaud
75011 Paris
Tél. : +33 (0)1 48 05 88 27
Metro: Parmentier (line 3), Couronnes or Ménilmontant (line 2).
www.maisondesmetallos.org 

Kiss me, Kate at the théâtre du Châtelet

The famous American musical created in Broadway, “Kiss me, Kate” is coming to Paris on the stage of the théâtre du Châtelet.

This classic was the first musical to obtain a Tony award in 1949, and adapted to the cinema in 1953 by George Sidney. Staged by Lee Blakeley, this spectacle is an incessant back-and-forth of the theatre in the theatre. On Cole Porter’s songs, actors revisit La Mégère apprivoisée (The taming of the shrew) by William Shakespeare, one of his first plays. On stage, the characters’ life is disrupted between the real life and their role. During the repetitions, they will live romantic toings-and-froings, along with numerous events each one more comical than the last. The show mixes jazzy musics with pastiches of Viennese waltz with brio.

 

“Kiss me, Kate”, from February 3rd to 12th 2016.
Rate: from 20 euros.

Théâtre du Châtelet
2, rue Edouard Colonne
75001 Paris
Tél. : +33 (0)1 40 28 28 28
Metro: Châtelet (lines 1, 4, 7, 11 and 14).
chatelet-theatre.com 

Musicora: the jazz and classic show is back in Paris

Musicora comes back for its 27th edition from February 5th to 7th 2016, at the Grande Halle de la Villette.

This show dedicated to classical and jazz music offers the opportunity to music lovers to meet the professionals of the sector: sheet music publishers, stringed-instrument makers, music labels, music schools and conservatories etc. This 2016 edition is sponsored by opera singer and actress Marianne James. During three days, the public is invited to attend more than 25 concerts and musical events, but also workshops of instrumental practice (piano, guitar, harmonica etc.). Conferences, signatures and participative concerts will complete this rich and various programme. 200 exhibitors will be present on site, near which we can observe new instruments, buy books dedicated to music and lots of surprises.

 



Musicora, from February 5th to 7th 2016.
Open on Friday from 9:30am to 9pm, on Saturday from 10:30am to 9pm and on Sunday from 10:30am to 6pm.
Full rate: 10 euros / Concession (12-18 years old): 6 euros / Free for under 12 years old.
www.musicora.com 

Grande Halle de la Villette
211, avenue Jean Jaurès
75019 Paris
Tél. : +33 (0)1 40 03 75 75
Metro: Porte de Pantin (line 5).
lavillette.com  

Crédit photo : Musicora – 2016 edition – © Dorota Dolenc

Traces: Circus celebrated at Bobino

After being acclaimed throughout the world, the “Traces” show from the Compagnie Les 7 doigts de la main is back in Paris, on Bobino's stage.

Mixing singing, dancing and acrobatics, we are transported to a makeshift shelter where seven characters are strolling about and seem to live their last moments, by this show. In a last survival instinct, they find in creation the way to leave a mark of their passing. At once poetic and high in vitamins, this entertainment is magnificently interpreted by Lucas Boutin, Kevin Beverley, Anne-Marie Godin, Yann Leblanc, Kai Johnson-Peady, Harley Mcleish and Enmeng Song. Staging and choreographies are directed by Shana Caroll and Gypsy Snider, artistic co-founders and co-directors of the 7 doigts de la main.

 



“Traces ”, from February 3rd to April 23rd 2016.
Rates: from 26 euros to 58 euros.

Bobino (in French)
14-20, rue de la Gaîté
75014 Paris
Tél. : +33 (0)1 43 27 24 24
Metro: Gaîté (line 13) or Edgar Quinet (line 6).
bobino.fr  

Crédit photo : Traces - Bobino – Traces - Traces - acrobatics - Credits: Alexandre Galliez

Best places

The best Chinese restaurants of Paris

Discover the best Chinese restaurants of Paris, to celebrate the Chinese New Year which will begin on February 8th 2016 and marks the year of the Red Monkey. Dim sum at Yoom, cooking of Xi’an at La Taverne de Zhao, or traditional Chinese and Thai cookings at Chez Ly, embark for a gourmet tour of the Middle Kingdom!

 

Crédit photo :Best Chinese restaurants - Paris - La Taverne de Zhao © ZHU Xi

La Taverne de Zhao

Since 2011, this Chinese restaurant offers to Parisians and tourists to taste the cooking of Xi’an (province of Shaanxi), capital of Chinese street food.

Inevitable à la carte: bread with Baiji meat, a sort of crunchy and soft pitta with porc meat and jus, and the liangpi, translucid noodle salads served with julienne of cucumber, a trickle of vinegar and a jot of chili. We appreciate the simple spirit of the place and its reasonable prices.

Open Tuesday-Sunday from 12pm to 2:30pm and from 7pm to 10:30pm.
Closed on Monday.
Bread meat: 4.50 euros / Liangpi: 7.50 euros.

La Taverne de Zhao
49, rue des Vinaigriers
75010 Paris
Tél. : +33 (0)1 40 37 16 21
Metro: Jacques Bonsergent (line 5).
latavernedezhao

Yoom

Behind Yoom are hidden two friends who decided to revisit the dim sum, these steamed dumplings both popular and refined.

The room, with its brick walls, looks like a New York loft. Concerning the menu, the traditional recipes (beef satay, vegetables etc.) or the revisited one’s (chicken and lemongrass, wild shrimps and smoke Saint-Jacques) are served in a very graphic contemporary Japanese crockery. The dim sum are even adapted in dessert, either with lemon curd and Cointreau or grilled with apples in a tarte tatin style.

Open Monday-Saturday from 12pm to 2:30pm and from 7:30pm to 10:30pm.
Menu: from 15 euros to 26 euros.

Yoom (in French)
20, rue des Martyrs
75009 Paris
Tél. : +33 (0)1 56 92 19 10
Metro: Saint-Georges (line 12).
www.yoom.fr

Chez Ly

Since 1988, Parisians can savour traditional Chinese cooking and Thai specialities made by Mrs Ly and her family.

Here, a single keyword prevails: elegance. In a modern setting far away from the classic Chinese restaurants, we let ourselves be tempted by a leg of lamb in the Sichuan style, a peking duck in the Cantonese style, or a crunchy chicken with honey. Each dish is an invitation to travel, and by the way, the family Ly lived in Cambodia, in Vietnam, in Taiwan and in Hong Kong. The family settled in Paris, in the 8th and 17th district, but also in Neuilly-Sur-Seine.

Open daily.
Dishes from 20.50 euros.

Chez Ly (in French)
25, rue La Boétie
75008 Paris
Tél. : +33 (0)1 42 65 42 99
Metro: Miromesnil (lines 9 and 13).
www.chezly.fr

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