Heidi Ellison
Substance Restaurant
Substance and Style
The restaurant Substance, in Paris’s 16th arrondissement, is well-named: the food is substantial in both quality and quantity. It is also highly popular in the business world, judging by the number of suits lunching there on a recent Friday, maybe … Read More
The Pushkin Museum: Five Hundred Years of Master Drawings
An Impressive Array of Drawings
Anyone who loves drawing must not miss the current exhibition at the Fondation Custodia, “The Pushkin Museum: Five Hundred Years of Master Drawings,” a survey of 200 works by some of the greatest artists from the 15th to the 20th centuries. … Read More
Henri II: Renaissance à Saint-Germain-en-Laye
The Luster of Grandeur and Gallantry
Henri II, king of France from 1547 to 1559, is probably best-known for two things: his brazenly open relationship with his beautiful mistress, Diane de Poitiers – to the great chagrin of his wife, Catherine de Médicis – and his … Read More
Le Cadoret
Brother-Sister Act
In Paris, you never know where you’ll find a good restaurant. Busy streets and boulevards are often lined with mediocre ones, while a little treasure might be hidden away on a quiet backstreet. That was the case for Le Cadoret in … Read More
Gumbo Yaya Restaurant
In the Comfort Zone
Sometimes you just want comfort food and health be damned. If you’re American, Gumbo Ya Ya, specialist in chicken and waffles, is the place for you. I’m not sure how authentic it is as a soul food restaurant, but it … Read More
Black Models: From Géricault to Matisse
Diversity in Art History
For its latest temporary exhibition, “Black Models: From Géricault to Matisse,” the Musée d’Orsay has scoured Western art history for examples of people of color posing for artists and has conducted extensive research to learn more about these models and, … Read More
Franquette Restaurant
Frankly Good Small Plates
On a tip from a reader, I recently checked out a new restaurant in the 17th arrondissement with a couple of friends. Franquette, located near the Place de Clichy, is yet another bistro serving small, shareable dishes. I’m not complaining … Read More
Théâtre du Châtelet
Shape-Shifting Onstage
Finally, something truly exciting is about to happen in Paris’s rather too-staid performing-arts world. The city-owned Théâtre du Châtelet, which has been closed for renovation since 2017, will reopen in September with a program unlike any the venerable auditorium has … Read More
A Vision for Painting
It’s Alive!
Painting has been declared dead many, many times – and not just by the Constructivists in the aftermath of the Russian Revolution (see our review of the exhibition “Red” at the Grand Palais) – but the patient always makes a miraculous … Read More
Quedubon Restaurant
Offal on Offer
One of the few noteworthy restaurants around the Parc des Buttes Chaumont in the 19th arrondissement, Quedubon is a classic bistro that was well known for its wine selection under longtime owner Gilles Bénard. He has now gone on his … Read More