"We'll always have Paris."
- Casablanca
Like any typical girl who hasn't been to Paris, I often find myself fantasizing about the first time I'll get to see this city. I remember getting excited in high school and college classes when we were assigned a report on a country or city. I always found a way to choose Paris. My presentations even included a barret and the serenading of Louis Armstrong's La Vie en Rose.
Most of what I've been watching lately has been referencing Paris so I've totally got macaroons on the mind. I was very close to having the best language software on my computer to learn French over the summer. Instead I've settled for any DVD available with French subtitles or just films that take place in France.
Sabrina (1954) is on my list of top Parisian favorites. Audrey Hepburn originated the role of Sabrina in 1954. A modern day fairytale, Chaeuffer's daughter lives above the garage and watcehes as the love of her life and his family live their life of luxury and fortune. Her father, who feels she needs to find herself away from her fantasy beaux, sends her to Paris. Nobody was ready for who returns.
French Kiss(1995). Starring Meg Ryan and Kevin Klein. Kate rushes to Paris to win back the love of her life, along the way she encounters con-man, Luke Tessier.
Something's Gotta Give (2003) although this film doesn't take place in Paris, Diane's character, Erica, has some kind of soul connection to Paris and the French culture. With soft frech music as the soundtrack and the occasional conversation in French, this film has a way of picking me up when I'm feeling blue. Even with a 10 minute long crying montage.
One of my guilty pleasures is the TV show, Sex and the City. A show that MANY people try to make me ashamed of. I agree it is chalk full of the cheesiest puns ever. But I connected early on with these girls and have learned a lot of life lessons from the show.
I think it was very appropriate to end the series in Paris.
Who didn't love Moulin Rouge(2001)?
My girlfriend Jen took a trip to Paris, a brilliant writer, she documented her travels on a fashion heavy and charming blog:
Paroozing etsy is bittersweet at times because you run the risk of coming across little gems such as:
Twice I've toyed with the idea of ordering this little slice of heaven and both times they've been completely sold out. You'd think I'd learn my lesson and just order it. That's where life steps in and a blown tire ruins the day...
I know I've mentioned my favorite type of film plenty of times, and here is another mention. Anthology films! One of the first I saw was,
Paris, je t'aime (2006). I'm very excited to watch New Year's Eve (2011) tonight.
When traveling I take advantage of food I don't get back home. My absolute favorite snacks are pastries, especially croissants. To have one homemade from it's motherland would be the icing on... a pastry! (that was a very Sex and the City pun)
If I haven't argued my case enough about Paris being one of the greatest cities in the world then let's chat about the history of film... again. France is easily considered the birth place of cinema. The Lumiere Brothers invented the cinematographe in 1895. Their silent documentary film, The Arrival of a Train at La Ciotat Station is considered the birth of cinematography. There were 4 firms in the early days of the industry: The Lumiere Bros, Georges Melies, Freres, and the Gaumont Co. Although is was the first to bow out, Georges Melies is my favorite of the early pioneers. In my earlier blogs, thanks to my editing class and American Cinema, I blogged tirelessly about Georges and the Lumiere Brothers and then again when I saw Hugo(2011). The French film industry suffered after World War 1. This allowed for the Us to step in.
There are a million places to visit in Paris, I'm sure as in New York. But I have my own little list of places I have to see, starting with the most obvious.
1) The Eiffel Tower
2) The Louvre
3) Bohemian Paris
4) Notre Dame
5) The Sorbonne
6) Seine River (Sunset cruise)
7) The Catacombs
8) The Champo Theatre
9) The Luxembourg Garden
10)and probably a double decker bus tour of EVERYTHING!
This video couldn't have graced my inbox at a more perfect time thanks to Austin for sharing.
For those not making the connection, Beauty and the Beast takes place in France. :)
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