As luck would have it, Christmas fell on a Sunday this year and that meant Christmas dinner at Jim‘s. As long as it is Sunday, Christmas or not, Jim still opens his home and his heart to anyone who wants to join in on the fun. One of Jim Haynes inspirations for his legendary Sunday dinners …
When I surfaced from the Guimard designed Eglise d’Auteuil metro station, there was a sense of serenity, a gentle hum, unlike the bustling crowds of Le Marais. The Auteuil quarter, in the westernmost part of Paris, a former town, between the Seine and the Bois de Boulogne, is now a part of Paris. Rue d’Auteuil, …
About 26 years ago, Paris was up in arms. There was talk of building a pyramid in the main courtyard of Le Louvre. Now I M Pei’s creation is a reality and has become another iconic landmark in Paris. When the Pyramid was a mere conception, that was the last time I visited Le Louvre. …
Three of George Whitman’s favourite books were offered to mourners as they filed out from the chapel after his service. The Idiot, Don Quixote and Leaves of Grass. A man who clearly loved literature and shared it with so many, no doubt would have wanted it this way, a parting gift. By the time I …
The 9th arrondissement is mostly, a pretty swanky part of Paris, at the base of Montmartre. It encompases, the Palais Garnier, the Opera House, Boulevard Haussmann, Galleries La Fayette and some seriously good food shops. Feeling like a kid in a candy shop, walking across one side of the street to the other, peering …
Sometimes it is just the simple things, that pleases us. I encountered a few simple things today. After leaving my umbrella at Jim’s on Sunday night, I needed to venture back over to his place today, in the 14th arrondissement, to retrieve it. I have only visited Jim’s home in the evening, when it is …
Marche aux Puces de Montreuil and Parc des Buttes Chaumont was on the agenda today, even although by the time I left the apartment at 10am, it was still only -1 degree. The weather was freezing and the wind was bitter but I was determined to act out my plans. Staying in the Marais, with …
Jim Haynes in his usual position, perched on a stool near the stove, donning an apron – connecting people Dinner at Jim’s is obviously so good, people come back for more, myself included. Jim Haynes, an American living in Paris, has opened his apartment, every Sunday, since the 70’s, to anyone who would like to …
There is something about Sundays in Paris I love. Apart from the odd person walking their dog, or another scurrying off to market, the streets are quiet, in the morning. I took this opportunity to take some photos before the crowds hit the street for church and Sunday brunch. At numbers 11-13, on rue …
Christmas Tree Made from Drink Bottles Strange; when I am working, I am waiting for the weekend to come. Time to rest, get things done around the house, go out, be with friends. It is no different in Paris. People want to get out, meet friends and shop, the streets are busy, the shops pumping, …