From October 18th, 2011 until  January 15th, 2012 a wonderful exhibition of the Swiss-German artist Paul Klee, will be open to the public at  the Museum of Music in the city of Paris.

The Museum of Music is part of the Cité de la Musique, which opened in 1995. This is a group of institutions distributed in the arrondissement number 19, which is devoted exclusively to honor music. Within this city of music we can find the museum of Music, but also concert halls with capacity for a thousand people, businesses and theaters.

The “Musée de la musique” displays hundreds of musical instruments to the public in each of its rooms. Thus, we can find pianos of all times and observe how instruments have changed over the centuries. It also exhibits original instruments made exclusively by French luthiers who donated their work to the museum. In another  show room there are over 200 guitars exposed and each has a particular feature. The objects in the museum tell the story of music from the seventeenth century to present days, through all styles, from classical to popular music.

One of the most interesting things about this musical museum are they audio tour where you can hear the songs played with instruments in front of your eyes. Keep in mind that each group of instruments (wind, percussion, and so on.) are presented separately at different times of year.

The neighborhood where we find this small city of music is called “La Villette” and you should visit it if you are in the city of cheeses and love.

And that’s where Paul Klee will be exhibiting,  a painter who was born in Switzerland in 1879, and lived during all his life in Germany. He died at 60, but with the fortune of knowing that his work was recognized by the artistic and cultural environment of the time.  Expressionism, abstraction and surrealism fills his artistic legacy

Some of his most famous works are Head of a Martyr (1933), Theory of Modern Art (1879-1940) and My name is Paul, Paul Klee (1941).

Why did Paul Klee have the privilege of exhibiting in this renowned music museum in Paris? Simple!  due to the fact that he also was a musician and his passion for musical notes went into his paintings, creating colorful sound-like art pieces

Paul Klee was one of the greatest representatives of the twentieth century art and today his work remain and serves as an example to many learners. In the  Polyphonies collection at  the Museum of Music in Paris, painting from museums from around the world as well as private collectors paintings are  exhibited, so visiting this expo will be a unique privilege for you if you are in Paris during the next months

For more information visit:  http://www.citedelamusique.fr/pdf/dp_presse/dp_paul_klee.pdf

d.b

Live for a few days in a wonderful city, full of art, new cultural movements and charm. This is a gift you can get if you rent apartments in Paris and dare to be Parisian for a few days. Visiting the Museum of Music is a cultural obligation of your getaway. I’m sure you’ll have fun.

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Translated by: Marc
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One of the most beautiful and abysmal stories regarding the ever-fascinating samurais relates to a specific type of Japanese crabs, the heikegani, and to ‘Heike Monogatari’ (Heike Book), seminal summit of Japanese literature, the relevance of its unforgettable stories of sad ladies and heroic knights, of tragic warriors and sly courts motivated by the lowest of ambitions, of ascetic monks who tell stories before being devoured by flames, of emperors and low-lives and, especially, the fight between the Genji and the Heike, the two most important samurai clans (precisely the ‘Book of Genji’, which narrates delicately and chillingly the adventures, mostly heroic ones, of the homonymous prince and his descent, written in the second half of the 10th century AD by Murasaki Shibuku, a woman member of the refined imperial court of Japan at the time, is the other seminal text of Japanese literature) can only be compared to European literature and culture to the two Homeric epics, the ‘Iliad’ and the ‘Odyssey’, who just like ‘Heike Monogatari’ – which despite the existance of text since the 13th century, it was sung by blind monks accompanied by traditional musical instruments up until modern times – belonged fully to oral literature.

The first paragraph of the book tells us memorably that, just like the bells of the Gion monastery illustrate, in whose sound rings the expiration of all things, the power of pride is just as fugacious as the dream of a night of spring and the powerful ones disappear from the face of the earth in the same way as the dust dispersed by the wind. This would also be the fate of the Heike, tragically defeated in the battle of Dan-no-ura, whose few survivors threw themselves voluntarily into the sea, where they drowned. According the the tale of the members of this small group, which included the emperor Antoku, of only seven years of age, they metamorphosed there into some sort of crabs, the heikegani, the back of their carapaces presenting since then on its surface the drawing of the face of a samurai prepared for battle, the reason why the fishermen thrown these crabs back into the sea, still today paying tribute to the clan that was deleted from the earth as a consequence of the fateful ending of the mournful battle of Da-no-ura.

Stories like these are an example of the irresistible fascination that still lasts until today on us about the world of samurais, whose splendid armours are exhibited at the Musée du Quai Branly in Paris until the 29th of January, in an extraordinary exhibition http://www.quaibranly.fr/en/programmation/exhibitions/currently.html, which has as its main objective – starting from the impressive collection of the Ann and Gabriel Barbier-Mueller Museum in Dallas, which is exhibited for the first time in Europe – to show the culture, lifestyle and art of these Japanese warriors for over a thousand years.

Paul Oilzum

It’s a complete exhibition which not only illustrates on the art of war or the history of Japan from the samurai perspective, but also detailing certain aspects, like family and social and spiritual life. Don’t miss it if you rent apartments in Paris

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Translated by: aleixgwilliam
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Until the 9th of January, the Centre Pompidou exhibits the work of Cyprien Gaillard, awarded with the 2010 Marcel Duchamp Prize. The exhibition is part of the prize which consisted in 35,000 euros and the exhibition in the Space 315 at the Pompidou.

Cyprien Gaillard was born in Paris in 1980, although he lives in Berlin. His work is iconoclastic and minimalistic and tied to Land Art. Part of his young work denotes a structured outlook on the questioning of the contemporary world, which brings him to penetrate in a sort of art archeology, because it revalues the outlook on the representations of disappeared civilizations.

His practice of representing old images in his work which are inserted in complex temporalities, which merge political and poetic concepts, transform him into a very promising artist, not only for the complex fabric of aesthetic elements but because he adheres new aspects to what is conceptual.

His question on the prints which man leaves and we call civilization or progress in nature, he represents in sculptures, performance, photographs, installations and video to put them in a public space.

In them he explores the disappearance of the landscape, those changes which we don’t see everyday, that step of the bulldozer which destroys neighbourhoods to build new notions of cities; or open paths which crack the landscaper and alter it definitively. These are the images which Gaillard is attracted to and which he represents in his work.

Just like Duchamp, Gaillard exalts the value of what is conjunctural, fleeting and contemporary, and he accepts artistic creation as an exercise of will. It’s not the object itself which determines if it’s a work of art, but the content that the object has for its creation.

Once again like Duchamp, the compilation of cases around the world of entropy which Gaillard makes, have brought him to initiate his own ‘Parc aux’ of ruins, with monuments found around the world. There’s a sculpture of a duck made in bronze which was found in an abandoned modernist neighbourhood with tall buildings in Paris. This was transferred to the terrace of a modern building in Berlin. This work was presented in the Neue Nationalgalerie also known as Fridericianum, in Kassel, and it’s known as ‘Le Canard de Beaugrenelle’.

He also dedicates himself to reorder trees and mask the façade of a contemporary art centre in the artificial island of Vassivière. Also, his work of 2008 where he fills a Renaissance castle with crushed concrete from a tower from Issy-les-Molineaux.

Maybe one of Gaillard’s virtuosities is, just like Duchamp, that he reinvents concepts where the objects that he chooses shouldn’t result indifferent to the retinal gaze, obliging to recreate the little ‘me and you game’ which made the ready-made creator famous.

For more information: http://www.centrepompidou.fr/Pompidou/Manifs.nsf/Actualites/6CD93BD7B510CA41C12578240034D00C?OpenDocument&sessionM=2.2.1&L=1

Nancy Guzman

Autumn and the Seine are good ingredients to go and spend some luxury days in apartments in Paris Afterwards, a walk in the museums and dinner with wine, leave the door open to nights of passion.

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Translated by: aleixgwilliam
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Born in 1799, Honoré de Balzac didn’t have a very happy childhood and his businesses lead him to bankruptcy, but that didn’t stop him from becoming one of the great French writers and the initiator of realism. A tireless worker, his most famous and ambitious project, which made him into a giant in the world of literature, is ‘The Human Comedy’, a series of 150 interconnected novels which is divided in three parts, with over two thousand characters. In this work he shows the aspects of French society, creating his own alternative version of the country’s reality at the beginning of the 19th century. He died without finishing it having only completed the first two parts, a total of over 90 novels.

His only house which is still standing in Paris is located in the old town of Passy, which today is part of the city’s 16th Arrondissement, where he lived from 1840 until 1847. He arrived here after losing all of his goods due to his debts. His landlady rented the residence to avoid his debt collectors and he adopted a false name, Monsieur de Breugnol. They say that his friends had to know a password to be able to visit him and if a debt collector appeared, he had a another door exit to escape.

The totality of his mansion, of three floors and a garden, has become a museum and visiting it is taking a trip back in time through the author’s personal objects. You can see plenty of manuscripts and a large part of his correspondence, including the one he had with his great love, the writer Eveline Hanska, during the years which they were lovers. A collection of paintings and engravings, family and friends’ articles, autographed examples of his books and, probably, one of his most beloved possessions, his teapot, which he nicknamed ‘screaming owl’, his inseparable companion of so many nights working on The Human Comedy.

An infinity of caricatures and portraits of the writer decorate the walls of one of the rooms, next to his desk, in which he created novels such as ‘Cousin Bette’, and his personal library, open to the public in 1971. It actually contains more than 15,000 documents, a true treasure for the writer’s fans, and it’s accessible to everyone. The museum also programmes activities for adults and children all year long, and it has a room entirely dedicated to Balzac’s characters.

It’s one of the three only literary museums in Paris, together with the Romantic Life Museum and the house of Victor Hugo, who was a great friend of Balzac. Even if you’re not a fan of Balzac, it’s an interesting visit because it’s a type of house which is difficult to find in today’s day and age. From his wonderful garden you’ll be able to contemplate a magnificent view of the Eiffel Tower.

Open from Tuesday to Sunday from 10am until 6pm, closed on holidays.

Address: 47 rue Raynouard, 75016 Paris (16th Arrondissement)

Metro: Passy (line 6) – La Muette (line 9)

It’s a free entry, but you have to take into account that the temporary exhibitions do have an entry fee . For more information: http://sobrefrancia.com/2009/04/28/la-casa-museo-de-honore-de-balzac/

Elena Alvarez

A literary route is a great idea if you’re thinking of spending a few days in the French capital, and what better way to enjoy your stay than renting apartments in Paris

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Translated by: aleixgwilliam
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Noah Lennox, better known in the musical world as Panda Bear, is one of the most talented artists in the world of electronic and alternative music. This 33 year old was one of the founders of Animal Collective who, for many people, is one of the most important bands in music today.

Lennox has a very important musical education which made him into a multi-instrumentalist. As a boy, he studied piano, cello, and also sang in his high school choir. This made that, today, he’s not just someone who has ideas at the time of making music, but also when producing it and carrying it out. Actually, most of his new productions are made entirely by him.

During his teenage years, after soaking in bands such as Aphex Twin, he created, together with two friends, Animal Collective, with who he managed to capture the attention of not only the critics but the public as well. Here is where he became famous and managed to grow as an artist. But Lennox has a restless mind and couldn’t stay long doing the same thing and decided, as well as having his band with his friends, to become a solo artist.

Under the pseudonym of Panda Bear, he presented his first album in 1998, the second in 2004 and the third in 2007. The latest, ‘Tomboy’, was released in April of this year. Due to the release, he’s touring around the world to bring the album to his fans.

More information: http://www.gaite-lyrique.net/les-concerts/evenement/panda-bear

La Gaîté Lyrique: 3bis Rue Papin, 75003 Paris, France

MiLK

On this occasion, Panda Bear will arrive in the city of romance on the 29th of November to play a concert at La Gaîte Lyrique. If you’re one of the people who love electronic music, experimentation and dancing to the rhythm of one of the best artists that are around today, you just have to rent apartments in Paris

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Translated by: aleixgwilliam
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Until the 31st of  December the Palais de Tokyo presents Carte Blanche à John M. Armleder / All of the Above, as part of his  Session 4 series. This sample is part of the proposal that the Museum holds  this year, inviting artists to create projects to present at the auditorium that has been transformed into an exhibition space a workshop and a laboratory.

Armleder on his return to the Palais de Tokyo has decided to use this platform as an episode and invites about 20 artists to present  their work. Each artist has the right to present one art piece either in the fields of painting, sculpture or video. They will be projected as a frontal view and as a visual overlay that generates a total effect of fluctuation between chaos and the mixing of genres.

Carta Blanca is a concept that means an opening without any limits, a space for the creation or performance of any activity. To give confidence to handle creative concepts and aesthetic expressions according to the freedom of the expression. The game is an almost surreal concept, since all creation has its limits, whether spatial, mental or otherwise. It is almost a provocation that invites artists to develop breakthrough proposals, just like the one John M Armleder presents

John M Armleder was born in Geneva, Switzerland in 1948. The son of a middle class family, he studied at the Ecole des Beaux Arts in Geneva and the Glamorgan Summer School in England. In the 70 and 80 of the last century, along with other artists such as Claude Rychner, he founded the Ecart group which led to the gallery that bears his name. This group was very important in Europe because it received and exhibited works of renowned celebrities such as Andy Warhol and Joseph Beuys.

Since the nineties he has created installations, sculptures, murals, and furniture, a very personal concept created by Armleder, along with facilities that are monochromatic, and present small abstract juxtapositions of objects on hanging canvas . Armleder has a certain theatrical style that embodies his works, especially in his insatallations.

Armleder’s work is clean, simple in the objective, but highly significant in the concept. The contrast between the monochrome colors or just to talk about the contradictions that life and human beings have -something that many refer to as chaos- is the mess caused by this contradiction. In a provocative way it is well organized by those contained contradictions that are so exposed and that cause discomfort in the attentive viewer . It is aA successful and a beautiful way of showing our contradictions and chaos contained within, just the same as it is reflected in society.

For more information: http://www.palaisdetokyo.com/fo3/low/programme/index.php?page=nav.inc.php&id_eve=3455

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Nancy Guzman

Autumn is a good alternative to spend a few days in apartments in Paris a city that has everything to make everybody happy. When traveling, do not forget to come to the Palais de Tokyo to enjoy this remarkable exhibition.

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Translated by: Marc
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The Centre Pompidou in Paris is known worldwide as the birthplace of modern and contemporary art. The National Center of Art and Culture Georges Pompidou opened in 1997 and since then, it never ceased to renewed to be always attuned to the great capital of France. This center is distinguished from other museums in the world because it is unique, original, where not only works of art are exhibited, but also exhibitions of theater, film, music, literary and from there it is promoted and audiovisual creations in any other culture.

The building was built and designed by Italian Renzo Piano, and an English, Richard Rogers after winning the competition, driven by President Georges Pompidou, for its construction. The aim was accurate and should be required to fulfill: the building had to express what would be shown on its wards. Thus, the building today is not only a museum but also a monument of the city of Paris, which is decorated with four main colors.

Red indicates the areas that connect one site to another, such as stairs, elevators, etc.. The entire electrical system is covered in yellow and blue which is cooling and ventilation air conditioning. Finally, the green color represents everything that has to do with water fountains, drinking fountains and drains, among other things.

For all this, the Centre Pompidou is the best place to receive and display the great exhibition of Edvard Munch. The exhibition “the modern eye” consists of more than 80 works by the great Norwegian painter. There are paintings on paper, photographs and even a movie. What you can see in this exhibition on the Parisian streets is the personality of the artist in every sense.

Edvard Munch was born in Norway and died in 1863 in his own country at the age of 80. But he never stood still. He lived and toured major European cities and when he could live by his art, he devoted himself exclusively to that activity.

Munch had a very hard childhood, because his mother and younger sister died of a deadly disease at the time, tuberculosis. His father was strict, religious and little worried about his son. But the artist, far from denying his claimed past life tragedy, it was the basis of his genius.

It is for this reason that all his works are highly emotional. “The Scream”, a work that went around the world more than a thousand times, is a true reflection of the anxiety often felt the creator. Another of his most famous paintings are Melancholy, Death of a Bohemian and The Kiss.

Munch was one of the greatest representatives of Expressionism and even today he is described that way and continues to be insignia of many contemporary artists who study and admire the work of the great master.

With over 30 years experience and more than 190 million visitors, the Centre Pompidou is a museum that you should not miss if you’re in the city of love. It is open all year round, except Tuesdays and the first of May. Opening hours are from 11:00 to 21:00 hours and the rates are very affordable: costing 12 Euros the most expensive.

For more information visit the official website http://www.centrepompidou.fr/Pompidou/

d.b

“The modern eye” is an unmissable show by Edvard Munch, which will be exhibited at the Pompidou Centre from September 2011 until January 2012. If you rent apartments in Paris visit the exhibition, will be a gift for your eyes.

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Translated by: Hans
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Paris is one of the few cities in the world has developed a wide range of places where you can come with a pet without causing discomfort or suffer the classic restriction of  “No animals allowed.” That is why, Paris has become the ideal place for travelers who enjoy the company of their pets and offer the best care during their holidays.

Residences and kindergartens for your pet to enjoy without limits, are a great alternative for those who want enjoy their holidays, while your pet is safe and fed while having fun and sharing with other dogs, you can go shopping or simply treat yourself in one of the wonderful performances this city has every day of the year.

For only 10 Euros per hour, in the heart of Paris, Sophie Kauffmann will pick up your pet and bring it to Mon Bon Chien kindergarten. A full week’s stay is worth 150 Euros. If you are planning to visit Disneyland, do not worry about your pet; there is a very good kindergarten for you to enjoy the fun without stress and at ease.

But Paris can offer much more than high quality Kindergarten, to enjoy with your pet, there are also restaurants that accept the entry of animals as part of the family. An example is Renoma Café Gallery, a place with vintage airs that was created by Alfred Bernardin, grandson of the famous founder of the legendary Crazy Horse, which gave the Parisian nightlife for a century. This place features a menu of traditional cuisine menu with pop-funk adaptations. It’s a strange eclectic mix of traditional and postmodern, only 23 Euros per person and accompanied by your “best friend”, your pet.

If you like Italian cuisine the restaurant De Luca is the ideal place. Here no one will bother by your pet. Moreover, it will be welcome like you in an atmosphere of good taste and with a variety of dishes that will make you feel in bella Italia since all dishes are cooked in ovens brought from Tuscany.

And for your pets to feel beautiful and in tune with chic the air of Paris there are a number of hairdressers and shops are all fashionable outfits for the kings of the house. These include Au Paradis Canin. Chien et Cat, you can visit to learn their offers and reserve a time to fix the hair of your cat or dog. Also Dogin the City, located at 26 rue du Petit Musc, near the Bastille, with all types of care service for cats and dogs, from hairdressing to massage stress.

For more information: http://exclusive-restaurants.com/es/p/restaurantes-se-aceptan-animales/paris_449_s8.html?pax=2&meth=1

Nancy Guzman

Nothing can stop you to enjoy this fall this fall in apartments in Paris and become part of the club of travelers with pets. You know, everything you need to know for your best friend to enjoy in everyday life has it in Paris.

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Translated by: Hans
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Victor Hugo is one of the great figures of French literature, founder of the Universal Romanticism S. XIX. Poet, playwright, artist and even designer, this multifaceted creator had an active political life, which condemned him to exile and kept him out of France for nearly 20 years. Unlike other great artists, he was able to enjoy the public recognition in life and more than one million people followed his funeral.

In this house, Hugo lived between 1832 and 1848, there he wrote some of his best works, like Lucretia Borgia, Marie Tudor and part of Les Miserables. In the lounge, he spent many evenings with his friends Dumas, Merimee and Vigny, among other great writers of the time. Here he also lived one of the most tragic events of his life, his daughter Leopoldine died drowned in the Seine with her husband, with she was only 19.

It is in 1902, coinciding with the centenary of his birth, when his great friend and novelist Paul Maurice proposed the creation of this house-museum in the apartment. Maurice also donated a collection of manuscripts and objects that belonged to the writer of incalculable value.

Today, the museum offers many activities throughout the year, in addition to guided tours. The first floor of the apartment, houses temporary exhibitions. The second is dedicated to the life of the author, following by the three major periods of his life, marked by exile. The room called the antechamber is dedicated to his childhood, youth, first-year relationship with his wife Adele and the birth of their children. The Red Room recreates the atmosphere of the Place des Vosges and has special significance the death of his daughter Leopoldine and his encounter with the actress Juliette Drouet, who was his couple for 50 years. The Chinese Room is dedicated to his years in exile and his relationship with Juliette. The dining room, and living room pictures of exile are dedicated to his return to France and, finally, Victor Hugo’s room, excellent recreation, with original furniture, which occupied the last years of his life.

The great library has over 11,000 documents treasured. It has a fund dedicated to the author, original editions of his works, biographies, writings and memories of his family environment, which will delight its fans. It also has an extensive collection dedicated to contemporary authors and other valuable books, like the original 1877 edition of “The art of being a grandfather”. To access, you should make an appointment.

If you visit the museum this fall, you can enjoy two exhibitions until January 2012:

Surpeintures by Arnulf Rainer, Austrian contemporary artist who has made an important series of works based on reproductions of drawings of Victor Hugo. The second presentation, Louise Michel and the community, including extensive correspondence he held with the writer Michel, along with valuable editions of the play “L’Année terrible” (terrible year) and some drawings he made in that Victor Hugo time.

Address: 6 Place des Vosges, 75004

Metro: Bastille

Open from 10 to 18 hours from Tuesday to Sunday, except holidays.

Prices: Access to permanent collections is free, but special exhibitions have a cost. You can get more information by visiting the web http://www.paris.fr/loisirs/musees-expos/maisons-de-victor-hugo/p5852

Elena Alvarez

Do not forget to take a few minutes to enjoy the museum environment. Walk through la Place des Vosges, the oldest square in the city, whose gardens are one of the Parisians favorite recreational places, This is one of the many possibilities that await you, when you rent our apartments in Paris

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Translated by: Hans
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David Guetta is the most sought after house music DJ on the whole planet. This man who is on the verge of his 44th birthday began to DJ at the age of 17, initially in a gay club in Les Halles in Paris, his birthplace. At that time, the DJs were simple workers of the club, they didn’t have any power of decision on the music that the crowd were dancing to, because they played the music that the owners wanted. Guetta decided to lower his cache and he declined to earn money to be able to play what he wanted. The gamble paid off and he received plenty of offers.

Guetta gained respect and fame in Paris and, today, he is a musical DJ and producer that all the coolest electronic music clubs are dying to get to come and play there. His work consists in turning other people’s hits into dance hits, such is the case of well known tracks around the world like ‘I gotta feeling’ by the Black Eyed Peas. Other examples are the remixes of ‘Revolver’ by Madonna and ‘When love takes over’ by Kelly Rowland, which have won him two grammy awards respectively.

A normal week for this DJ takes place in different places around the world. His private jet allows him to be one day in Las Vegas, another in London, another in Ibiza and a few days rest and start all over again.

The music is playing at full blast and him, the king of the room, lifts his arms up in the air extending his hands, with his mouth open and shocked eyes while thousands of people shout for him inside where he is DJing. And with his music he wants to thrill his crowd and get everyone to dance.

Guetta says that where it was most difficult for him to make a name for himself was in the United States, where he confesses that if you’re not American it’s very difficult to do so, but that his success has a lot to do with the type of music in which he specializes in thanks to having started to play in gay clubs. He discovered the music that was being played and listened to in gay clubs in the United States and he began to play it in all the clubs where he was playing in. Progressively, he’s incorporated more commercial aspects to his initial audacious house, reaching more people and making more fans if that was even possible.

Every Thursday he played in Pacha Ibiza, where people pay over 70 euros just to be part of the famous party ‘F**k me I’m famous’. He began to go regularly to the island in 1995, when he personally gave out flyers of his sessions. He has six registered studio albums, aside from the numerous club sessions. His latest album ‘Nothing but the beat’ went on sale on the 29th of August of this year. His penultimate album ‘One Love’ sold 3.5 million copies and 15 million singles. In his whole career he’s sold over 7.5 million albums, which is a great achievement for a DJ. Since 2002, he’s also a producer and an example of tenacity and self management.

Ara

If you like house music, night parties and clubs, you have plenty to go to in Paris, and you might run into one that David Guetta, the king of house, is playing in, and then you can go and relax in your rented apartments in Paris

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Translated by: aleixgwilliam
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