Paris For Men

 Rachel Bajada told me about this book, Paris For Men by Thierry Richard. A modern, hedonistic address book for men in Paris full of tips, illustrations and photographs to entice any man to make the most of his time in the 'city of light'. The perfect father's day gift for the man who loves Paris. Short literary texts describe Paris' many small daily pleasures such as smoking a cigar on a sidewalk café terrace, getting his shoes shined, enjoying an espresso in the morning, exploring secondhand bookshops etc.

 This is not the author, Thierry Richard who writes a popular blog, Chroniques du Plaisir. He also works as a food critic for several guides to Paris and as a literary journalist for the Magazine des Livres. I've picked out excerpts to give you a taste of the ambience of this book - very Parisian IMO.

 'Paris doesn't exist.

We all have our own sort of sentimental geography. Our own memory of a Paris enjoyed day by day and dreamt about by night: here in this unique place, we all share our own view of it different places, moods, enthusiasms, and charms. For a change of perspective, all we have to do is take a little sidestep to find new sources of interest in its well-trodden streets. It's this sidestep I encourage you to take following me'.

 'Having breakfast in a luxury hotel.

Some days you'd like to escape from life. To free yourself from the hustle and bustle and just leave. You want to enjoy the change of scenery a spontaneous trip affords, get away from it all. It can be said that luxury hotels were practically made for this. These long immobile steamships, moored to the quays of noisy avenues, await their passengers, offering their white silhouettes to them like landing piers...'

 'Generally the restaurant dining room, of transatlantic dimensions, is empty of people at this unearthly hour. It yearns for a visit, a whisper, for tea and fresh-squeezed orange juice. It dreams of giving itself to the person who leaves his pastry crumbs behind'.

'Cycling

You have to be a little crazy to cycle in Paris. You have to have a derailleur's kamikaze nature, be a handlebar nut. So think about it: terrifying traffic, hoards of pedestrians ignorant of stoplights, foolhardy bikers racing along in the cycling paths, unpredictable weather:...but you have to say cycling in Paris is a rarely found joy.'

 'Walking in Paris without coming across a car. It is possible to go for a jog in Paris without seeing any car at all(or hardly a car), while savoring the soul of the city along the Seine. You have to follow the itinerary below(about 10km):(You'll have to read the book to find out the route)

 'Buying old-fashioned pastries.
Now that pastries are becoming intellectual, at 5 euros a slice, the stars of all things sweet are structuring their cakes like Niemeyer's architectual constructions. Placing one of their 'creations' in your mouth is a matter of acrobatics...When the aces of ganache show their stuff in...their new-look shops take inspiration from the coldness of jewelry stores, it's time to stake a claim for the sweet tooth.(HOORAY) Because that's where the unique pleasure of pastry resides. Finally after all, eating a cake is to bite into memory. To once again find the tastes and coulours of childhood in a polonaise with a slightly soft meringue, And in a madeleine, of course'.

 'Is perfume only for one sex?

Please. If you think fragrances for men exist, you must get that idea out of your head once and for all. A fragrance is a fragrance, full stop...only one thing matters: try the fragrance on your skin, live with it a little, and above all, wear it proudly. In a word, trust your olfactory memory and your own tastes'.

 'Shucking oysters with friends.

To get the most out of them - Empty the first bit of water, as it will be reconstituted by the oyster afterwards. Never leave open shells on a bed of ice, as the cold will neutralize their flavor. It's better to use algae that you've gotten from your oyster shop. For seasoning never use vinegar, which is too powerful. Only lemon...Above all, chew!'

 'Creating a bouquet.

You should always live among flowers. Every week, buy one from the florist below for the price of a pack of smokes, place it in the middle of the table, on a mantle, and live in its fragrance for a few days. It's such a clearly obvious thing, and yet who thinks about it?

 'Flowers make life more beautiful, fill the days with delicate scents and colours.'

'Walking in Paris.

Paris is the city of voluntary disappearances: getting lost there is a vocation. It's a never-ending experience of sheer delight; a priviledge that hasn't been abolished, that's reserved for people who know how to go about it. And it's not that difficult. Every season, every hour of the day and night and every mood offers its narrow streets, forgotten nooks and crannies...Strolling through it is a journey in itself, and its only cost is the time you put into it'.

'Seeing Paris as a painting.

The feeling of deja-vu rises up with the turn of a street, vibrant, unexpected. You stop. The feeling is strong. The walls are tinted with qouache, the skies have the faded look of wash drawings, figures turn to wax. Everything has a smoky pastel look, a look of Impressionist oils on canvas. There is a gleam to the pavement. The geography hovers, becomes flat. It's obvious:Paris is a painting'.

 It's easy to see this is a book not just for men. No matter the title, Paris For Men, is a book anyone can fall into and dream a while. And Richards names names of all his favorite places and his friend's favorites. I've had to leave so much out...but it's best you discover it on your own.
It's like a walk in the parc.
BON WEEKEND