Archive for November, 2009
Thursday, November 26th, 2009
Sarkozy, the Left and the reburial of Camus at the Pantheon
Imagine a conservative President in the United States embracing a leftist intellectual figure (or several) in order to burnish his own intellectual credentials and position himself as a worthy heir to the 20th Century intellectual tradition of France. … Given the Panthéon’s function as the final repose for France’s greatest heroes, it’s perhaps not surprising that efforts are now afoot to relocate the ashes of writer and philosopher Albert Camus to a site beneath the 18th century Paris building’s cupola. … President Nicolas Sarkozy said last week that he wanted to add Camus to the giants of French history who are buried at the Panthéon — figures like Voltaire, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Victor Hugo, Emile Zola and Louis Pasteur — as a way of revering an author whose defense of the downtrodden and veneration of the individual over the oppressive forces of society earned him fame and respect around the globe. But the announcement outraged Camus’ son, Jean, who saw a motivation of a different sort — an attempt by Sarkozy to “requisition” the legacy of a ferociously independent thinker who has long been a hero of the intellectual left.
…As for myself, as a long long time fan and student of Camus, I think anything that keeps the memory of this thinking and work alive in the minds of the French and foreigners is a good thing.
No Comments » - Posted in In the News, Understand France and the French by Paul
Wednesday, November 18th, 2009
Tokyo is the new Paris, says Michelin
So say the revered gastronomes at the Michelin Guide, who have awarded three stars to 11 restaurants in the Japanese capital, one more than in Paris. Yesterday’s announcement, made days before the launch of the Michelin Guide Tokyo 2010, cements the city’s deserved reputation as a spectacular place to dine. “Tokyo has become the world culinary capital, ahead of Paris,” gushed Jean-Luc Naret, the guide’s director general.
… But, I guess if they are giving the title of Paris to the city with the most 3-star restaurants, it might as well be Tokyo. … I still would rather live, eat, and breathe in Paris for everyday eating than anywhere else in the world, even Northern California, where we live.
No Comments » - Posted in Food, Restaurants by Paul
Monday, November 2nd, 2009
Touring “The macarons of Europe”
Again the Patisserie AOKI below our apartment gets the highest marks: Patisserie Sadaharu AOKI 35 rue de Vaugirard 75006 PARIS. €16 for 12 macarons approx AUD$2.60 each. … They were a bit too crispy on the day we bought them, but by the time they travelled home to Australia – they were pretty perfect texture-wise. … It’s around the corner from Pierre Hermé so we went there at about 10:30, but all I got was a photo of the outside of the shop. … Luckily, we ended up back in the 6th later on in the day and I was able to pop in for my fix. I was told off for trying to take photographs in the shop though so you’ll have to trust me when I say that it was full of beautiful chocolates and dainties.
