La Mangerie – Kid Friendly Brunch, Paris

Posted on June 29, 2015 by Jeanne in New York

La Mangerie, is a family restaurant in the heart of the Marais, in Paris, which now has a kid friendly brunch! And wanted to share this with you all as the “go-to place” to take the kids if you are traveling to Paris this summer.

It’s been four years now that La Mangerie has been dishing up portions that are shareable, which is great for group meals. And they are getting better and better.

I used to be in the Marais all the time when I was living there, and they had nothing like this. In fact, it was hard to find a specifically kid-friendly restaurant at all. Well, times are a changing in Vieux Paris.
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Paris by Chanel – Inside Chanel

Posted on October 1, 2014 by Jeanne in New York

I just had to publish this video on Bellissima Kids – a very stylish and upbeat history of the House of Chanel. And I can’t resist because when I was a young fashion design student, Coco Chanel was one of my idols. So much so that I named my first and second rundown student cars after her! Yep. Coco and Coco 2. And my years in Paris on top of it…

Here’s the synopsis: Immerse yourself in the street where it all began, la rue Cambon. Leave the black and white sobriety of the Haute Couture salon and enter the baroque world of Mademoiselle’s apartment. Then, indulge at the Ritz, before opening the door of 18, Place Vendôme to discover the world of Fine Jewelry. Finally, gaze upon the monumental theater of the CHANEL fashion shows: the Grand Palais.

Hope you enjoyed it.

Best Things to Do in Paris with Kids this Summer

Posted on June 19, 2014 by Jeanne in New York

Bateaux Mouches

The French capital is actually a very child-friendly place to visit. Most Parisian kids don’t have garden apartments, so the city ensures there are plenty of things to do for youngsters outside the home. Every arrondissement has spaces with playgrounds, and in the big parks like the Jardin du Luxembourg and Buttes-Chaumont, pony rides, sandpits, swings, puppet shows and boating ponds fill the childhoods of Parisian kids with beautiful memories. For your visit this summer, we’ve compiled a list of the best family-friendly activities. If you go to Paris, let us know what you did that was great and we can add it to the list!
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Aurélie Mathigot – Tapestry Art, Paris

Posted on May 8, 2014 by Jeanne in New York

The French artist Aurélie Mathigot creates unique tapestries which are a symphony of fibers. She embroiders, weaves, knits, crochets and even beads these photographs of landscapes to highlight a fleeting luminescence or detail or mood. And her current exhibition is called “Des fils, des histoires, des histoires qui défilent”, which means more or less, “Some yarns, stories, stories that unravel”. (Of course it sounds better in French!)

The girls and I have been weaving tapestries this week, so we were fascinated when we saw these. And would love to see these up close and personal. So if you happen to be in Paris or are going there soon, really worth checking out!

“Des fils, des histoires, des histoires qui défilent”, by Aurélie Mathigot. Exhibition from May 16th to June 28th at Galerie Chevalier.
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Paris with Kids: by Kim Horton Levesque

Posted on July 2, 2013 by Jeanne in New York

I miss Paris. I spent six years of my life living there when I was single and kid-free and it is my “Heart City”. So, I was delighted to receive this charming book in my mailbox: “The Little Bookroom Guide to Paris with Children” by Kim Horton Levesque. I feel a scenario coming on where we take the kiddos to Paris…

As I went through the pages, waves of nostalgia enveloped me and it felt great because I saw the Paris I knew through new eyes: the eyes of a Mom! Things all looked different to me. The places I knew were given a new twist. And Paris is much more kid-friendly now. When I lived there, I remember thinking how un-kid-friendly it was!

The guide is a perfect pocket size and focuses on how to see Paris’s most important sights and neighborhoods in a child-centered way—in this case, through the eyes and experiences of author Kim Horton Levesque and her three research assistants, her daughters!

I love the way the book is sectioned off in the different areas of Paris and then each section has a Play, Eat, Shop and Stay subsection so it's super easy to find what you are looking for.

There’s tons of information on family-friendly restaurants (yes, they exist in Paris), classic cafés where Parisians take their children, items on Parisian menus that appeal to children, charming tea salons, and places for picnicking and snacking; parks and playgrounds near attractions, and how to feel at home in the parks, including all you need to know about pony rides, marionette shows, model-boat rentals, merry-go-rounds, and more; where to shop with children and for them, including the best places to find quintessential French children’s clothing (espadrilles, striped sailor’s jerseys, and, this being France, perfume for babies!) Kim also profiles the best small boutiques that feature French designers for children’s clothing and artisanal toys.

The guide also includes practical advice on finding a babysitter in a pinch and where to locate restrooms, which are not everywhere in Paris!

Kim also provides fascinating glimpses into the lives of Parisian children: typical school lunches; the all-important after-school goûter; the classic French layette and so much more interesting info.

The book is available here on Amazon.

Watch out though…you might just find yourself trolling Travelocity for family tickets to Paris!

And last but not least, here are 10 tips on traveling with your kids to Paris by Kim Levesque. You can view them all on Babble Travel.

Flying Houses by Laurent Chehere

Posted on June 17, 2012 by Vanessa in Paris

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My little boy was thrilled by this fabulous exhibition at the Docks au Cité de la mode et du Design of these surreal flying houses at the Quai d’Austerlitz by photographer, Laurent Chehere. They of course, remind us of the film “Up”, sans the balloons. We are transported with each photo to another world. What awaits us up there? The exhibition continues until June 30, so there is still some time to see this if you are in Paris. For more info, go to this link. Laurent also has many other extraordinary photos on his website for numerous clients.

MUSEE DE LA MAGIE, PARIS

Posted on July 8, 2011 by Vanessa in Paris

This post is from Vanessa Salamanca our artist correspondent in Paris-here’s a link to her work.

Located in the Marais, one of Paris’ historical districts is a unique, little-known museum. As you descend a discreet flight of stairs leading into the Musée de la Magie, you enter another world. Upon arriving, a strange hand emerging from a mysterious box welcomes you into the 16th century stone vaulted cellars, that not only host a myriad of magic memorabilia but a magician’s school, and a museum of automata (a large, antique wind-up toy) as well. As you roam the small museum you are bound to come across a magician performing tricks right in front of you, see some of the devices Harry Houdini and other famous illusionists used, and lose yourself in a world of optical illusions, fortune telling machines, magic mirrors and other weird artifacts leading you through the history of magic from the 18th century to today.
My daughter loved this museum so much that we ended up hosting her 8th birthday party there.

This is how it went:
After the kids arrived, a magician took us on brief, interesting tour of the museum. Then the children were given some free time for exploring (one thing I love about this museum is that it’s so small it’s impossible for kids to get lost). We were then led into a theatre to watch a magic show, where the kids were invited onstage to participate. Then another magician taught the kids how to perform the tricks after the show. Once the expert had done his disappearing act, we were left to sing, eat our cake and enjoy the rest of the birthday goodies. The children had such a great time, they still talk about that day, even though it was two years and many birthday parties ago. The address is 11 Rue St. Paul.