Paris is famed for its delicacies, and Chef David Zaquine wanted to bring his version of the sweet artistry to New York City through Sweet Rehab, a champagne and dessert bar.
Later this week, Allyson Felix will head to Paris for this year’s Olympic Games – but this time, she won’t be bringing her running spikes.
Olympic Highlights, it was truly a golden moment!
There’s always a new story and a new side to Paris. Whether it’s the artistic flair of Montmartre, the history of the Latin Quarter, the romance of the Eiffel Tower, or of course the chic luxury in the heart of the city… your trip to Paris is very much what you make of it.
So it’s fun for adventure seekers to go out and explore new neighborhoods that can show a fuller side to the city they already love.
Lobby at the 25 Hours Hotel Terminus Nord, Paris.
The Vibe
The 25 Hour Hotel Terminus Nord in Paris is a chic oasis in itself with lovingly eclectic designs that will elevate your stay.
Located in the 10th arrondissement, which has a strong North African and Indian presence, the design draws inspo from the neighborhood with vibrant color, patterns and textures… which juxtapose nicely with the Baron Haussman era exterior.
Many travelers are likely to enter the hotel straight from getting off the train at the Gare du Nord and the hotel is an immediately welcoming presence. Step into the wide doors and you’ll quickly be charmed by the eclectic gifts in the shop as you reach the reception area that has been stylized like a French kiosk.
There’s a cool hip bar upstairs that travelers can enjoy, as well as office working space.
Moving in for the stay, adding some clothes and prints found along my travels. Photo credit: Lauren Goldenberg
The Rooms
Particularly for Paris, this hotel felt massive with 237 spacious rooms. The decor continues its North African/Indian theme with bold colors, bright prints, and a Bollywood-style poster hanging in my room. The bed and linens were super, super comfortable and like my stay in the 25 Hours in Florence, probably gave me one of the best nights of sleep during my trip.
My personal favorite feature of the room was definitely the open closet, with the fun lighting display that read “Applause,” giving it a cheeky star attraction vibe. Perfect for a city known as the fashion capital of the world.
It was also really cool to have my own Parisian balcony to step onto and enjoy the sunshine or have a bite of a croissant.
Like my stay at the 25 Hours Hotel in Florence, I was design-obsessed with all the other little details in the room — which appear to be a trademark of the hotel brand.
These include the fun spin on the usual tired ‘Do Not Disturb’ signs — here, you can open the book and choose a new saying like “the love birds have finally left” or, my personal fave “imagine the rolling stones stayed in the room.”
The Food
Neni is the hotel’s first-floor restaurant and, like the rest of the hotel, dishes up a cool instagrammable vibe and ambiance (with views of the iconic train station across the way). But naturally, the starring dish here is the cuisine.
If you indulge in their all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet, you’ll probably come home dreaming about it. Wander through the tables and you’ll find croissants and pain du chocolat, french toast, the array of cheeses and breads, lox and eggs, cold meats, fresh fruit, dried fruit, labneh and hummus, radishes and other veggies, and so much more. Because the menu is influenced not just by French food, but also Israeli, Persian, and Moroccan fare — you’ll have more choices that you’d expect. (Just in case you have pain du chocolat overload on your trip). Although, seriously, their chocolate croissants were among the best I had at any hotel.
As for what to drink… why not have some champagne for the breakfast buffet? Ouais, s’il vous plaît. Of course, you can also opt for the orange juice… and voila, you’ve got a mimosa.
While I didn’t get to try their lunch or dinner offerings, the buffet was so amazing that I’d highly suggest a stop for anyone who wanted to grab a bite before (or after) departing their train from Gare du Nord across the street.
Location
The hotel is literally opposite the iconic Gare du Nord — so this is a particularly perfect base for those who’ll be taking several train trips either while in Paris (perhaps a day trip to Brussels or the London) or even if Paris is simply a quick stop en route to your next destination.
Also, the metro is literally in front of the hotel’s entrance so making your way around the city will be a snap.
Since it’s located in the 10th arrondissement, the hotel is also ideal for travelers who perhaps want to stay away from more tourist-centric spots and are curious about other neighborhoods. One thing to keep in mind is that although the Gare du Nord itself is iconic and the busiest train station in Europe, it’s probably not the spot where you’re likely to be hanging out late at night.
But Montemarte is nearby, as is the trendy Canal-Saint Martin.
About 25 Hours Hotels
A stay with the German-based 25 Hours Hotel Group is ideal for anyone with a fun, hipster spirit — or the traveler who doesn’t want to stay in cookie-cutter establishments… yet enjoys being loyal to a brand that they already know.
Each hotel has a quirky cool vibe and design that are unique to the spirit of the city’s location, or (particularly in the Paris outpost) the neighborhood as well.
Check out my recap for the 25 Hours Hotel in Florence. Or check out the 25 Hours Hotel site for more destinations.
Whether they’re lovers of food, French wine or simply good ambiance, New Yorkers now have a new French restaurant to add to their rolodex: Steak Frites Bistro. Located in Hell’s Kitchen with Parisian decor throughout, even at nine PM on a Wednesday, this bistro is rife with good times and even better food.
West Chelsea Contemporary is the right place for an artist like Blek Le Rat to show for his first solo exhibition in New York because it was in 1971 that the artist (now 40 years into a career) found his seed of inspiration in NYC. “There was an incredible profusion, in the subway, on the walls surrounding basketball courts, graffiti drawn in marker, nestling signatures surmounted by a crown, spray-painted lettering, filled with swirls and colors, everywhere I looked. I was so intrigued by these illuminations I remember asking the inevitable question: “What does all this mean? Why are these people doing this?”
The graffiti I saw in New York remained firmly planted in my memory, though acting out my own graffiti took ten years to hatch.
Studying fine arts and architecture during the 1970s at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris, Blek Le Rat always had an academic mind for art. Well-versed in etching, lithography, and screen printing, Blek Le Rat had the skill for mastering art. But thrilled by the risk, unpredictability and beauty of street art, he was drawn to the craft. Armed with a study of architecture at the Architectural Teaching Unit #6, he was well-suited to create work around the urban environment. Together, he began applying the principles of fine art to the street in Paris, becoming the pioneer in the place where even the most progressive thinkers dismissed graffiti as a nuisance.
Years later, some of Blek Le Rat’s questions of meaning have been answered, recognizing the symbolic power of graffiti: “I’m here, get used to it.” Over time, Blek Le Rat took advantage of stencils to make his process more efficient but no less individual or beautifully executed. The result has been hundreds of works, all over the world, often composed of human-scale dancers, musicians, common people, and of course, the rat itself, an ever-changing, reoccurring character in Blek Le Rat’s cast of stencils.
Cited as an inspiration for Banksy (who has been welcomed into the world of fine art), it’s an opportunity for Blek Le Rat to reconstitute his street art in the context of a canvas, serving as yet another turn inward and reconsideration of his classical training. The new prints on view continue reveling in the historical references Blak Le Rat has treasured in his work, featuring figures such as Beethoven, Sibyl, Eros, and a tribute to fellow artist Richard Hambleton, as well as new subjects of interest, often superimposed on rustic backgrounds, just as they might be found in the wilds of the urban space.
West Chelsea Contemporary opened in October 2020 under the direction of Lisa Russell, a tastemaker with a unique appreciation for mediums. Showcasing everything from mid-career and emerging artists to legends like KAWS, Yayoi Kusama, Keith Haring, Mr. Brainwash, Takashi Murakami and more, West Chelsea Contemporary was the logical choice to steward such a show in New York.
Blek Le Rat is on view from August 20-September 25, 2022 at West Chelsea Contemporary, located at 231 10th Ave., NY 10011. Free. Learn more at https://wcc.art/
When NISHA logged on to google hangouts, their cozy beanie and broad smile would make anyone feel comfortable. Even though chatting with NISHA felt just like facetiming a good friend, we could still feel the same spirit radiating from them as we can feel in all their glam photoshoots, dance sequences, and dazzling vocal tracks.
We sat down with NISHA on Thursday to discuss their new EP “Paris”, which was a global collaboration project with artists from all over the world. Consisting of three songs woven together in a loop format, the EP takes us on a reflective, empowering journey of love, loss and liberation, reminding us of our most intense love affairs and warning us of the dangers of falling back into a cycle of attraction and addiction. With their music, NISHA hopes to be a force of love, and to “express thoughts and ideas that might not be possible in real life, or might be really confrontational or have consequences in real life” on behalf of their listeners (see below interview). Because of this, “Paris” is conceptualized as a love letter to their audience as well as themselves – it is also a declaration of independence from the binary world.
From their unconventional “third-culture” upbringing in Lagos, Nigeria to South Asian parents, to comparing the songwriting process to meditation, Nisha offered us a refreshing take on what it means to be an artist. Overall, their goal is to empower people to embrace their worthiness, and fight for their happiness. This message is echoed by self-reflexivity – NISHA’s music perfectly exemplifies what they want for their audience. By celebrating their past cultural influences, present inspirations, and future journeys, and part of what makes NISHA’s music so beautiful is how they embrace their worthiness, and strive toward happiness. Their music is a synthesis of their worldly experiences and their outpouring of love for what connects us, inspired by Bollywood classics, Indian Bhajans, West African lullabies, American pop, or the R&B and Hip-Hop. NISHA’s impressive background includes Opera conservatory training, songwriting for Universal Music Publishing, recording a series of singles, performing with dancers in digital music festivals, to now releasing an EP and musical short film.
Tell me about who you are to yourself, first as a human being and then as an artist.
As a human being I think I’m just like everyone else. I just want love, and connection, to do fulfilling work, and be part of the community I’m in in a meaningful way. And to have some fun! So I definitely relate to myself as a very normal person.
And then as an artist, I think where the distinction comes is that I feel compelled to make choices that embody a sense of freedom. Because I think art is a place where you can take certain risks and even express thoughts and ideas that might not be possible in real life, or might be really confrontational or have consequences in real life. Art is this beautiful testing ground that ends up translating into reality. And I do feel like because you have the unique opportunity to have other people listen to you and trust in what you say, it’s important to embody what you want to leave behind. As an artist, the difference is in being more open about that process. You have to go through the judgement that people have, and that’s challenging. But as a self, as a person, I try to relate to myself as the feeling of love in a space of love. But other than that, just normal – breakfast, lunch, and dinner kind of person.
What music did you grow up around, both in your household and through peers?
I was born in Lagos, Nigeria, and my parents are Indian. I grew up around a lot of spiritual music that way, and the Afrobeat stuff from living in Nigeria was what you’d hear going out.
When you’re a third culture kid or you’re an immigrant, you have one foot in each world and feel all of them authentically. It’s a part of who you are, so I think it’s about having the freedom to speak and embody them.
My dad was obsessed with the Beatles, and when we moved to the States my brother got really into hip hop and it was Tupac, for hours. I had those influences from them, and my sister was really into indie rock, and I loved and listened to Mariah Carey constantly. There were a lot of super varied influences sonically, and they’ve influenced my writing in that at the core, I look at myself as an emotional storyteller. And that is where my heart is, in storytelling that has all those flavors and colors. Continuing to integrate and draw from all those influences has been complicated. I love each genre so much, that sometimes I end up writing an entirely country-sounding song, or one that’s purely hip-hop. It’s hard to choose one when you’re obsessed with music like that. So I do identify as a songwriter and I let go of trying to write any one genre, and just tell a story.
What are some more recent things you’ve learned/discovered that contribute to your music?
The two things I’ve learned recently are more mood things. It’s stillness – I spend a lot of time in the studio writing, and over this period of time, we’re all had a lot more time to ourselves than we were expecting. The next album that’s coming out, a few of the songs I just started from a metronome. Starting from a blank slate, just writing from emptiness and discovering what was there, has been a huge influence. As for artists, I’m a huge Frank Ocean fan. I think he’s someone who integrates all of those things incredibly. I always kind of go back to Nina Simone – she’s just kind of a staple in my life.
It sounds like you’ve always been very musically minded. What made you first start pursuing songwriting and recording.
It was definitely a series of things! I used to write songs when I was a kid, my first song was called Mr. Blue and I was eight. It was always kind of in me, and I just loved it. When I was 15 or 16 is when I started performing. If I had to choose a defining moment it would be when I was 15 and started at a new school. I sang in choir and there were auditions for The Lion King, and I grabbed two of my friends because I was too scared to go out by myself. The woman running the production caught wind that I could sing, and asked me to audition by myself, but I was too scared and called my mom to pick me up. In that moment, I realized if I followed the fear I might miss my chance. So I went back up and auditioned, and that was my first time singing out loud in front of a lot of people – I went from never performing to performing in front of 50,000 people when we won the state competition. After that, I couldn’t turn back because I knew it was in me.
I went to a music conservatory and studied opera, but I didn’t have the confidence. There was this cafe I went to open mic nights at in New York, and I wanted to play a show there, but the owner said they only took original songwriters. So I was like, ‘yeah, I do that, of course!’ and I booked a show in March, and wrote 7 songs to perform by May. It was like my survival instinct kicked in. That’s how I started songwriting, and I was hooked. I loved that you could really tell your truth, and people would understand it because of the way music carries emotion and cuts through everything – that was a power to me.
What’s your creative process like?
Well, I always keep my voice memo around for practical reasons, and record ideas or anything else that I want to keep in my head. But I do believe there’s a process for every person to access their own creativity. There’s like an immersion process, similar to how it takes 20 minutes to fall asleep. You need 20 minutes to move through all the BS that’s in your head to get to the space where you can work without obstruction. I think music is a translation of your emotional state and your spiritual state, so you have to get past the surface thoughts. It’s like journaling, or meditation, or anything like that. Stillness helps, setting aside two or three hours helps, turning my phone off helps, and so do lots of candles. Then during that time, no one can reach me and I have the chance to listen until I hear something that really strikes.
You said making Paris was different from your previous singles. How would you describe that difference?
One of the most special things was that I met this group of five producers in LA, and they are from France and go by Le Side. Most of them are of African descent and they have recently kind of done a pop takeover of French music. I met them for a session, and on the very first day we made “Sunbutter” (one of the tracks on Paris). It was so effortless: someone jumped on the piano, someone jumped on the computer, someone jumped on the bass, and the synergy was just there. So I called my publisher and was like, I’m going to go to Paris. I just felt a really strong attraction to these guys and felt like I needed to be there. I showed up, and it was like living in the studio to make this record. All my previous work was a more formal setting, but this EP was like living in the world of the new music we were creating. It was so special to not just create music, but to be with a music family of mine.
Did you have any previous French music influences or was this your first experience with it?
Well, that leads to why this record is called “Paris”. If you’re been there, it’s a real place people have opinions and thoughts about, but if you haven’t been there it’s an idea. It’s an idea or romance, and the origin of the word romance is in the word adventure. And with the notions of romance, love, freedom, adventure, luxury, class, and taste, Paris becomes this beautiful idea and I wanted to draw from that. So many artists I admire had a relationship with Paris because that’s where they felt heard and understood. Nina Simone spent a good portion of her life there, and I love that she didn’t care what anyone thought. She would cover Bob Dylan and then go cover Opera, and people would say she sounded like a guy, and she wouldn’t care. I always say Nina Simone set me free.
At 19, I dropped out of school for 6 months and went to Paris, where I did my first solo show, sang jazz. I think I was feeling like I was getting into a rut in LA, and then I met these guys and it was the same kind of karmic interlude in my life, so that’s what Paris represents to me.
Why did you go with the loop format for your EP?
When I put everything together, it was 11 minutes and 11 seconds. I felt like that was auspicious, and it’s kind of like a cycle of relationship. When love is present, that’s what we really fight for and sacrifice for in life. The EP is edited together in a loop because of this idea that the memory can pull you in – it starts with reminiscing about what happened and you go through the journey of the relationship. Then you end up back where you started with a choice: Do I do this again? Or do I walk away? Even though you go through a period where you’ve walked away, a period you’ve completed. It’s just about the power of connection and how those things, they don’t go away. Like when you’ve loved someone, even if you hate them, there’s still a connection there. And it’s a little bit of a warning tale about, you know, if you spend too much time thinking about something, whether you say it’s over or not, it’s still happening.
We’re really excited about the musical short film you’re releasing with Paris. Can you talk a bit on that?
Visually, we did the story based on the two metaphors of thunder and lightning, which is something I really identify with artistically. Lightning is a bridge between the heavens and the earths, and it diffuses negative and positive energy and releases it into the air. I see that as my role as an artist – to bring things together that normally wouldn’t be, and to build a bridge in that way. The other metaphor we use is the Monarch butterfly. If you look into the migration patterns of the Monarch, and where they end up existing, it’s kind of like the diaspora. So reflecting on that journey or being in all these different places and love being the through-lines of connection, it’s not where you live or what you do, it’s the love that defines you.
What are your future plans, and what message would you like your audience to get from your music?
I’m working on a full length album, which is a hip hop RNB album. It’s been written and we’re in the editing process. There’s some dance music on there, and I’m really excited to share it. The message for the album is to choose yourself and love yourself, which leads me to my overall message. If my audience can walk away from my music with one thing, it’s to choose yourself no matter what’s happening. Just to have that feeling of, “I choose myself.”
“Paris” is available on all streaming platforms as of December 17th, 2020. A musical short film will follow shortly.
While international travel isn’t an option, thankfully we can all get a taste of Paris while in New York! Renowned French tearoom and pastry house Angelina Paris opens its first U.S. location today at 1050 Avenue of the Americas.
Parisian footwear designer Marie Laffont launched her brand on Dec. 12 with wine and art. The debut collection, named Celestial Derby, sat in the midst of paintings at the Almine Rech Gallery; the perfect home for shoes inspired by contemporary art.
Over the last weekend of september 2019, French Congolese artist, Gims ended up his Fuego Tour at the Stade de France. The biggest French stadium in the City of Love. Alongside with family and fellow Hip Hop artists, the #GimsAuStadeDeFrance is definitely trending now, since he lit up the national venue on fire with unexpected performances.
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