The Paris Traveler

I went to see a good friend of mine at her workplace who was retiring after years at a job she loved. I can still remember when JJ first started working there and how happy she was. It was a dream job right off the Champs-Elysées. Not because she met celebrities all the time; she did, but she’s use to it. (Afterall, her niece is a famous French actress and her sister has been married to music royalty for more than thirty years, so for JJ it’s the norm.) No, it was a job she enjoyed doing.
If you’ve spent anytime in …read more

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I spent an interesting afternoon with Martin Boumendil watching him work his keyboards and other instruments in an orchestration of sound, as images on a screen coordinated and blended the visual with the audio. It was quite fascinating to say the least! Martin is a young musician and composer with a nice melodic voice who also has that gift of imagination and creativity and doesn’t put himself into any one genre of music. Instead the versatility of his compositions is what I found to be most interesting.
Is it any wonder that Martin would be drawn to the film industry as …read more

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Many people may hesitate to venture under the bridges of Paris in the evening, even the Pont Alexandre III, which happens to be the most beautiful. Thinking goes that many of the homeless sleep under the bridges at night, but think again as there are exceptions to the rules. Underneath the Pont Alexandre III is a new night club which opened in January.
Week days the club usually cater’s to private parties, but on weekends (Fri. and Sat.) you can get a queue going up the stairs and onto the street. If you arrive before midnight, there’s no cover charge; after …read more

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Music is similar to Paris in so many ways. In Paris everyone has a favorite café, restaurant, romantic spot, boutique, or museum that they love. It’s the same with people and music. It’s so versatile, there’s something for everyone. At b5media there is now a blog for any and every music lover around the world.
The Music Channel has been officially launched and no matter if you’re a Jazz and Blues aficionado like me, or still a Hippie at heart, like I am, or you remember The Beatle Invasion, like I do, or you’re into the whole New Age Vibe, like I am….hmm, I …read more

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One of my favorite parks outside of Paris is the Parc de Sceaux, located just south of the city. With its château, large park, fountains, and walking paths, it’s easy to spend the day here. The town itself is quaint with plenty of little shops, boutiques, bookstores, and bakeries. One of my exes and I use to love coming here regularly on week-ends and each season brings with it, its own special beauty.
So, what can be more magical than an opera under the stars with the Château de Sceaux as the backdrop? For the past seven years, these open air …read more

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Are you looking for a place where you can have a drink, listen to music, or perhaps just strike up a conversation with an interesting person? No, I’m not suggesting a trendy bar this time around, but you can drop into the Virgin Megastore on the Champs-Elysées where you’ll be able to do all three.
It’s one of those places where you can just hang out; put on headphones, listen to some great cds, all the while looking out the window, and watching the people strolling down the avenue. (Hundreds of thousands of people walk up and down the Champs-Elysées everyday!) …read more

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Someone asked me yesterday where they could find a place in Paris that had everything close by. I responded, “Do you mean like a mall?!” What they were looking for was a place where you could shop, eat, visit a museum, and sit outside without walking all over Paris to do it.
I had just the place for them! No don’t worry, I didn’t tell them that the Place des Vosges, which happens to be the oldest square in Paris, was a shopping mall! It is not! But…it does have places to shop, a number …read more

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Think nightlife in Paris and many people will think of the Lido, the Crazy Horse Saloon, or the Moulin Rouge, but if you’re looking for somewhere to laugh and have fun, and is a little outside the norm, then Michou’s is the place to go.
Michou who’s been an entertainer for years, started his cabaret in the 60’s and is still the director of his show. Quite the character, Michou is always dressed in blue; his large spectacles are no exception.
The stage is rather small, but the entertainment by a bevy of transvestite performers is anything …read more

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If you want to go to a great party while you’re in Paris, then the Quai Saint-Bernard is the place to go! Every year while the weather is warm, the Tino Rossi Square turns into a free dance for all.
It started around twelve years ago. I remember walking along the quay with a friend of mine, when we saw a group of about ten to twelve people mingling around. Someone turned on a cassette player and wonderful latin music began to play. Before we knew it, everyone started dancing and I don’t mean just moving your arms and legs; I mean like real ballroom …read more

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Some of the best concerts I’ve ever been to have been at the Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy in the 12th arrondissement. A few of the top names appearing in concert in May and June 2007 are: Beyonce, Indochine, Patrick Bruel, Marilyn Manson, The Who, and Aerosmith.
My pick, however, is Michel Polnareff, one of the most interesting and enigmatic entertainers of his time. With much controversy and scandals in the 60s and early 70s, Polnareff left France in 1973, but lost none of his faithful fans. Throughout the years and much of his career, Polnareff remained exiled in California, but his …read more

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