The New Paris Podcast
By NewParisPodcast
147: Back to class with Siham Jibril of Off Campus Paris
Diehard fans of Paris already know there’s never been a shortage of activities to fill one’s intellectual and cultural cup. Art openings, talks and conferences, concerts and performances happen every day of the week. But if you’re interested in learning in a classroom setting without going back to school in the traditional sense, the options dry up. That’s where Off Campus steps in. It’s a two-month-old coffee shop and bookstore launched by two friends that has a special room dedicated to classes for adults. I’m joined by the co-founder Siham Jibril to talk about what sparked the idea, why there’s more interest in continuing education, and which themes resonate most with Parisians.
Mentioned in this episode:
Audio production & editing: Matthew Jordan
146: Lindsey on The Eater Guide to Paris with Dorie Greenspan
My new book is officially on shelves! To celebrate, The Red Wheelbarrow bookstore hosted me for a launch event last week. At the start, I was in conversation about the project (and more) with the legendary New York Times bestselling and James Beard Award–winning cookbook author Dorie Greenspan. This episode is an edited version of that discussion.
Mentioned in this episode:
Audio production & editing: Matthew Jordan
145: Curiosities in Paris with Messy Nessy's Vanessa Grall
In the canon of Paris narratives, few focus on oddball finds and secrets lurking right beneath our noses. But Vanessa Grall, more commonly known and Messy Nessy, has made it her calling card. For more than a decade she has sussed out offbeat tales and fascinating individuals who have shaped our world and published several guidebooks to help travelers get beyond the obvious. More than a year ago, she opened a storefront, Messy Nessy’s Cabinet, a shop full of curiosities she joins me to talk about today.
Mentioned in this episode:
Audio production & editing: Matthew Jordan
Music by Little Glass Men
144: On the Louvre's Fashion Focus with Amy Verner
143: Are Parisians still drinking? Wine talk with Alicia Dorey
Like many people living in France, I took a break from alcohol during the imported milestone of Dry January. But we’re in February, and two wine fairs have brought wine lovers and wine pros to the city for talks, tastings, and buying. Wine consumption has been dropping steadily in France, and sales have declined since the 1970s.
So what’s happening here? How are people drinking? Are they drinking? What’s the status of natural wine today? Where should people go to drink well in Paris if they’re going to do so? I'm joined by Alicia Dorey, a wine journalist who writes regularly for Le Figaro, to talk about the ins and outs of wine consumption.
Mentioned in this episode:
Alicia's book A Nos Ivresses
Audio production & editing: Matthew Jordan
142: Season 9 and some book news!
A quick one from me to kickoff season 9 and share some fun news: I have a new book coming out this spring!
The Eater Guide to Paris hits shelves on April 29 in the U.S. /Australia/Europe and on May 8 in the U.K., wherever books are sold. A few links below to pre-order now:
Abrams (publisher)
Amazon (U.S.)
Booktopia (Australia)
Audio production & editing: Matthew Jordan
Best of: Fine dining in Paris with sommelier Etheliya Hananova
141: Finding community & the unexpected in Paris with Catherine Down
This month is my 18th December living in Paris, and as I reflect on that time, I’m struck by how much the city still enchants and surprises me. It might be a buzzy neighborhood, a refurbished historical marvel like Notre Dame, a dining experience, or something more unexpected. Someone in the business of sussing out and building such experiences, including some I have attended, is today’s guest Catherine Down. She’s a food writer and travel and event consultant who joins to talk about the most surprising spaces and experiences in Paris, what she finds so meaningful about the city after 12 years as a resident and what she recommends if you’re coming to town this month.
Mentioned in this episode:
Ice Skating at the Grand Palais
Audio production & editing: Matthew Jordan
140: The Seine River's Past & Present with Mary Winston Nicklin
In times of turmoil, we naturally seek sources of calm. And in Paris, perhaps nothing that recenters Parisians more than the Seine. The city’s most iconic waterway has shaped its mythology long before there were tourist boats and selfie-taking travelers. Today, the significance of the Seine is front and center again, thanks to the Olympics and a billion-euro cleanup project. To talk about this, I’m joined by my friend and fellow journalist Mary Winston Nicklin, who reported National Geographic’s cover story on the Seine earlier this year.
Mentioned in this episode:
National Geographic Cover Story (Online edition)
The ancient goddess of the Seine River: Sequana
The Man Who Swam the Seine (GQ)
Audio production & editing: Matthew Jordan
139: On Arabic in France with journalist Nabil Wakim
Did you know that Arabic is the second most spoken language in France? However, the way it is perceived and taught has led many Arabic speakers in France to either abandon the language or not pass it down to their children. It’s this particular experience that the journalist Nabil Wakim sought to investigate in his documentary for France 2, Mauvaise Langue. He joins the show to talk about the project, what has been done, or not done, politically to boost Arabic instruction and France’s relationship with the Arabic language.
Mentioned in this episode:
Najat Vallaud-Belkacem, former minister of education under François Hollande
Audio production & editing: Matthew Jordan
138: On the state of French Politics with Alexander Hurst
It’s been several months since the President threw us into a mess by calling a snap election and in early September, months overdue, Macron finally named a prime minister. What does his choice mean for the country, and what does it signal to voters who cast their ballots for the left coalition? I speak with Alexander Hurst, a writer and columnist for The Guardian whose recent op-ed looks into what went wrong and what issues the new government inherits.
Mentioned or featured in this episode:
French politics analogy in the Guardian op-ed
Alexander's op-ed column for The Guardian
Audio production & editing: Matthew Jordan
Music by Little Glass Men
137: Pleasure in Paris with Glynnis MacNicol
After enduring nearly a year of pandemic-related isolation and a punishing lack of human touch, author Glynnis MacNicol boarded a plane for Paris in August, 2021 to sublet a friend’s apartment for the month. She was 47 years old and on a mission—100% enjoyment. An exploration of pleasure. Close contact. Her memoir about this time, called I’m Mostly Here to Enjoy Myself, came out a few months ago and I was delighted to interview her in Paris last week at The Red Wheelbarrow bookstore. This episode is a recording of that conversation.
Mentioned in this episode:
Order "I'm Mostly Here to Enjoy Myself"
136: A Parisian Life in Color with Jeweler Fanny Boucher
It’s the end of summer holidays, the city is slowly filling up again and that means, novelty is upon us. I associate this time with new restaurant openings, events, and even pop-ups that will carry us to the end of the year. It’s a return to life. One person who is full of life, with plenty of creative ideas to usher in a new season, is Fanny Boucher. She’s the creator of the jewelry brand Bangla Begum and she joins the show to talk about moving to Paris after high school, becoming an entrepreneur, and developing her personal style while living in Jaipur for nearly a decade.
Mentioned in this episode:
Audio production & editing: Matthew Jordan
Music by Little Glass Men
135: Olympic Fever, Tourism, & Better Travel with Paige McClanahan
After years of planning and a solid 7 months of Parisian complaining, the Olympics are here! Over their history, they have put some tourist destinations on the map, attempted to build unity, and accelerated social and infrastructural change in host cities. Of course, not everyone benefits, and the legacy of the Olympics, including the impact on tourism, is fraught. To discuss both Paris 2024 and the broader issue of tourism, the good, the bad, and the complicated, I'm joined by Paige Mclanahan, a fellow travel journalist and the author of the new book The New Tourist: Waking Up to the Power and Perils of Travel.
Mentioned in this episode:
Copenhagen Rewards Tourists for Good Behavior
Audio production & editing: Matthew Jordan
134: France's Snap Elections- What Happens Now?
In the last episode, you heard me talk to Katy Lee about the snap elections in France. Why they happened, what they mean, and what party was predicted to perform well in the first round. Now, the day before the second round and not only has everything we discussed come to pass, but the stakes are even higher now. Let's go through the results of the first round, what they mean, and why the far right really does present the same danger it always has for democracy in France.
Mentioned in this episode:
French scientist op-ed in Le Monde
Audio production & editing: Matthew Jordan
133: Understanding the French political crisis with Katy Lee
(This episode was recorded on June 14)
There's a lot to unpack following President Macron’s decision to dissolve the lower house of parliament and call snap elections for the end of June and there is no one better to dive in with me than journalist and podcaster Katy Lee. We discuss the role of these elections, what Macron’s move means for the country, and the political alliances that have formed in record-breaking time. Is there reason to remain hopeful? Have a listen and find out.
Mentioned in this episode:
Katy Lee of The Europeans podcast
The Europeans episode on the European Elections
Audio production & editing: Matthew Jordan
132: Documenting the everyday in Paris with Seb Emina
There’s something about leaving Paris, even briefly, and returning that makes all of its idiosyncrasies and charms all the more compelling and obvious. And sometimes, it takes talking with someone who is a particularly keen observer of daily life to highlight these elements even further. Seb Emina, today’s guest, is one such example. The writer and former editor of The Happy Reader joins the show to talk about moving from London to Paris, the essence of the Parisian experience, and how he feels about the city hosting the Olympic Games.
Mentioned in this episode:
Audio production & editing: Matthew Jordan
131: On the longevity of a dining legend: La Tour d'Argent
130: Painting and creating in Paris with Guillaume Sardin
When it comes to artistic endeavors, Paris shines bright as a historically welcome place to pursue them. The city that gave us the Louvre and some of the finest galleries in the world is full of creative talent or, at the very least, creative inspiration. But how it feels living and working as an artist in Paris is an altogether different story. Today’s guest trained as an architect but has been working as an illustrator and painter for several years and has a unique viewpoint on the arts. Guillaume Sardin has exhibited his work in Southeast Asia, South Africa, and throughout Europe, created works for French icons like Ruinart and Le Bristol, and talks today about how cultural preservation needs to be a bipartisan ambition.
Mentioned in this episode:
Guillaume Sardin (website and Instagram)
Créolization & Edouard Glissant
French ministry of culture history
Pierre Paulin room at the Elysée Palace
Rachida Dati as Cultural Minister
Château d'Écouen- Renaissance Museum
Audio production & editing: Matthew Jordan
129: Running a Cooking School in Paris with Jane Bertch
Running a business in Paris is a dream for some, a hardship for others. But for today’s guest, Jane Bertch, it has been a variety of things including life changing. 15 years ago she confounded La Cuisine Paris, a French cooking school that is still going strong. She talks about the journey to Paris and running a cooking school in her book: The French Ingredient: Making a Life in Paris One Lesson at a Time which hits shelves April 9. Our conversation covers the Jane from Chicago to the Jane of Paris, starting and running a business, lessons from locals, and writing a memoir.
Mentioned in this episode:
Jane's book: The French Ingredient
128: On bikes, the Olympics, & the Transforming City with Brent Longley
There’s nothing like leaving Paris for a short time to reset perspectives. I’ve recently returned from 10 days in New York and the Philadelphia region and I was struck by how worn and behind both destinations felt. Part of that is lingering socio-economic impact of the pandemic, and part of it may be insufficient funds devoted to much-needed improvements to public services and transportation. It only served to amplify how good we have it in Paris where major infrastructural investment and urban rehabilitation policies have shaped the city. To talk about this, I'm joined by my friend Brent Longley, an urbanist who moved to Paris a year ago with fervent support for Mayor Hidalgo and her transformative policies. We discuss Paris as a global leader in urban transformation, the opposition that still exists to some of the changes underway, and where the Olympics fits into the equation of a sustainable metropolis.
Mentioned in this episode:
The Tryphena Project, Brent's newsletter
Audio production & editing: Matthew Jordan
127: On Loving & Leaving Paris with Sara Lieberman
Paris has always been a refuge for foreigners. For a lifetime for some, for a chapter of their lives for others. One of my very best friends in Paris was drawn to many of the qualities that I’ve described on the show over the years (and in The New Paris book) and falls into one of those categories. Like me, she’s been an avid storyteller and reporter covering the many ways that old meets new in the city and how it’s changed over the years. But now, she’s gearing up to leave which is exciting for her and sad for those who love her here. It seemed like the right time to have her on the show to talk about that particular Paris experience, and all of the things she’s seen change in the almost decade that she's lived here. And we made it nearly to the end without tears!
Mentioned in this episode:
Sara's newsletter Overthinking It
Sara's GQ story on Mayor Hidalgo's swimmer son
Audio production & editing: Matthew Jordan
126: Paris 2023 in Review
Welcome to the end of 2023! Let's take a look back at the challenging, protest-heavy, crisis-generating year in Paris and beyond, with a few thoughts for 2024. Bonnes fêtes et bonne année! Season 8 will begin in the second half of January.
Buy my book: The New Parisienne
Follow me on social: @LindseyTramuta
Follow the show: @TheNewParisPodcast
Audio production & editing: Matthew Jordan
125: Book Culture in Paris with Audrey Chapuis
Paris has a long legacy not merely as a world capital of culture but as a literary capital. Some of the world’s greatest writers and thinkers have created some of their best work in or about Paris and found homes for it in bookstores, to be sure, but also libraries. Two years ago I interviewed the bestselling author Janet Skeslien Charles on this show about her novel The Paris Library (Episode 74) but today I’m excited to be joined by the executive director of The American Library in Paris Audrey Chapuis, someone I’ve had the great pleasure of collaborating with over the years as I’ve spoken at the library about my own work and moderated discussions for other authors. This fall, we were among the inaugural speakers at the Angers English language Literary Festival and Audrey spoke at length. In this conversation, we talk about her library path, bookish culture in Paris, the role that libraries play in the world and the role that this library has played since 1920, and much more.
Mentioned in this episode:
Kirstin Chen and Grace Ly in conversation
The Curse of the Marquis de Sade by Joel Warner
Audio production & editing: Matthew Jordan
124: On Parisian donuts, vegan food & baking with Amanda Bankert
It’s the week of thanksgiving and that seems like an appropriate time to bring back an American friend. Amanda Bankert is a previous guest of this show (episode 8!) and the owner and pastry chef behind Boneshaker, the only donut shop in Paris worth your time, money, and sweet tooth. She’s also just released her first book in English called Voilà Vegan. We talk about how she got into baking, becoming vegan, how easy it is to find veggie or vegan food in Paris these days, and why all of this fits into evolving tastes in the food capital.
Mentioned in this episode:
Chambelland (gluten-free bakery)
Audio production & editing: Matthew Jordan
123: On The New French Wine with Jon Bonné
I have been waiting to talk about the new book by today’s guest for years. Actually, since I met him some 7 years ago when he was already hard at work researching it. Jon Bonné has worked as a journalist for three decades and currently serves as the managing editor at RESY. He is, particularly for wine lovers, best known for his wine reporting and two essential wine books :The New California Wine and The New Wine Rules, which has sold more than 50,000 copies and has been adapted into numerous languages. But his latest, The New French Wine, which came out earlier this year, is his most deeply researched, chef d’oeuvre that tells the groundbreaking tale of the world's greatest wine culture at a moment of profound change.
What follows was recorded several weeks ago when I had the great honor of leading a discussion with Jon about this immense project at The American Library in Paris.
Mentioned in this episode:
New York Times/Eric Asimov review of the book
*Watch my conversation with Jon on YouTube
Audio production & editing: Matthew Jordan
122: On language learning & building Hello French with Cécilia Jourdan
If you spend any amount of time on social media, chances are good you’ve come across the very viral videos of today’s guest. Cécilia Jourdan is a language teacher, content creator and entrepreneur who started Hello French in 2020 with an Instagram account that has since become a full blown business. She joins me today to talk about her trajectory from Paris to New York and in between, building a linguistic career, and what words and ideas seem to cut through the noise most on social media.
Mentioned in this episode:
Hello French on Instagram & TikTok
121: Imagining the Future of Fashion in Paris (& Beyond)
In the previous episode, you heard from four incredibly smart people invested in both raising awareness and pushing for change when it comes to the fashion industry as a whole. But what practical steps are needed? In this episode, I'm joined again by Aja Barber, Khémäis Ben Lakhdar, and Esha Chhabra to talk about accountability, transparency, decolonization, brands that are doing things right, and slowing down our own consumption as a means to extract ourselves from the performative cycle of fashion.
Guests
Aja Barber, activist, consultant and author of Consumed
Khémaïs Ben Lakhdar, fashion historian, lecturer, & PhD candidate at Paris-1 La Sorbonne
Esha Chhabra, journalist and author of Working to Restore
Mentioned in this episode
Vogue Business Story on Post-Purchase Technology
The Ugly History of Beautiful Things book
Special thanks to Matthew Jordan for producing and editing this episode.
120: Reality Check-The Global Impact of Paris as Fashion's Capital
(Special two-part episode!) Every season, all eyes are on the Parisian runways as onlookers try to get a peak at what big and disruptive trends await for the following year. But few know about the history of how this industry came to be, the role of colonialism in its development, and how the industry upholds many of the same ideas and practices today. As you will discover, the legacy of colonialism lives on within the fashion industry, and not only in France. You’re going to hear from a fashion historian, environmental journalists, and activists over the course of the next two episodes who will help me unpack the darker side to la mode, why it’s crucial to amend old ways and correct for generations of unethical labor and overproduction, and what the idea of decolonizing fashion really means.
GUESTS
Aja Barber, activist and author of Consumed
Khémaïs Ben Lakhdar, fashion historian, lecturer, & PhD candidate at Paris-1 La Sorbonne
Esha Chhabra, journalist and author of Working to Restore
Catherine Dauriac, President of Fashion REvolution France
SOURCES
The King of Couture: The Atlantic
The Empire of Fashion and the Rise of Capitalism in 18th century France (William H. Sewell)
Colonialism's Clothing (Victoria L. Rovine)
Tiffanie Darke's Substack "It's Not Sustainable"
Clothing landfills in Ghana's textile market
Special thanks to Matthew Jordan for producing and editing this episode.
119: Paris travel talk with Jay Swanson
It’s la rentrée! I’m back to my usual home studio and routine which means I’m ready to kick off the fall, and the end of season 7, with some fresh conversations. Let’s kick off September with a friend, entrepreneur and previous guest of this show, Jay Swanson. We’re going to talk about his new project, Paris in My Pocket, Paris news, and what you really need to know if you’re coming to the city this fall.
Mentioned in this episode:
Chulita (tortas)
Thank you to Matthew Jordan for producing and editing this episode.
118: On Lebanese food in Paris, dining, and career shifts with chef Rita Higgins
Of all the cuisines that have had a presence in Paris but always deserved to be more prominent, Lebanese cooking ranks high among them. France is home to the largest Lebanese diaspora in Europe so it’s no surprise that key dishes and ingredients are familiar to many diners. But most establishments hew to classics— that is until the opening of Kubri on the rue Amelot at the end of last year that has lent a creative, contemporary twist. That’s thanks to today’s guest and tremendously talented chef, Rita Higgins. We talk about her foray into food, how she updates Lebanese cooking for Paris, and why she thinks it’s been such a hit with Parisian diners.
Mentioned in this episode:
Thanks to Matthew Jordan for recording and sound editing
117: Three years of The New Parisienne and a listener contest!
We are quickly approaching three years since my second book The New Parisienne was released. The year 2020, as you may remember, was not an ideal time to release art into the world. Later that year, we would see that the best thing you could have offered people sheltering at home was food and cookbooks, home decor books, or any kind of guide to DIY-ing your existence. A book about women, including women of colour, should have resonated strongly given its release in the middle of a period of racial reckoning that reverberated globally. But my book still had Paris in the title, and in the minds of many editors and thought leaders, it was associated with travel which was, more or less, at a standstill. Even with an inauspicious start, the book has had a great life thus far, largely thanks to many of you who listen to this show and follow my work! And the conversations that have emerged from its pages and continue on this show haven't stopped inspiring me. So in honor of the third anniversary of the book, I'd like to give away a signed copy to one listener, wherever you may be.
TO ENTER: All you have to do is leave a written review of this podcast on Apple or Spotify and then fill out this quick form before July 7 so that I know how to reach you when I select a winner. And if you'd like the copy in French, I can arrange that, too.
Thanks, as always, for supporting this show, my work, and the stories that really need to be told.
Thanks to Matthew Jordan for recording and sound editing on this episode.
116: On sports culture, 'Wembymania', & the 2024 Paris Olympics with historian Lindsay Krasnoff
Aside from the last episode of last season, which was more about the President than the World Cup, I’ve almost never talked about sports on this show. And that’s strange given the role it plays in local culture. When I learned about the work of today’s guest, I knew it was time to record a special episode. Lindsay Krasnoff is a historian and sports diplomacy expert who teaches at NYU and wrote a book called Basketball Empire: France and the Making of a Global NBA and WNBA that will be released in September. She’s a regular global sports commentator for CNN, France 24, ESPN and many other outlets and has a new project that puts the spotlight on French and American sports voices through the prism of sports diplomacy. We’re going to talk all about that, about the big NBA draft this month that has the sports media going mad for Victor Wembanyama, and what the forthcoming Olympics in Paris can tell us about Franco-American diplomatic relationship.
Mentioned in this episode:
Victor Wembanyama and the NBA draft lottery
Thanks to Matthew Jordan for recording and sound editing on this episode.
115: On Tunisian olive oil as a form of resistance with Kaïa's Sarah Ben Romdane
Of all the cooking essentials we buy and consume, few are as taken for granted or even misrepresented as extra virgin olive oil. Imagine you’re in France scanning the shelves in your local market for a new bottle. The labels might lead you to believe the oil is 100% French, Italian or Greek but inspect the fine print and a fuller picture emerges: Pressed in Italy, Produced Outside of the European Union. And that’s if the bottles specify that distinction at all. But if I learned anything from reporting a story for Afar Magazine about today’s guest, it’s just how much of the olive oil that’s exported in the world is from another country and another region entirely. Tunisia is the world’s 3rd largest exporter and the 1st outside of the E.U. and yet most people would be surprised to know this. Sarah Ben Romdane, the French-Tunisian founder of the brand Kaïa who splits her time between Paris and Tunisian city of Medhia, joins me today to go into context of the olive oil business, the role French colonialism plays in Tunisia’s erasure from the olive oil story, and how having a foot in Paris can help change the narrative.
Mentioned in this episode:
Thanks to Matthew Jordan for technical production and editing on this episode!
114: On discovering art in Paris with Alex Weinress of The Seen Paris
If you like art or are even mildly interested in art, Paris has both an abundant and intimidating level of choice. The exact number of museums varies according to how you might define a museum but it’s been estimated that there are over 130 museums in Paris, including marquee destinations and smaller museums that showcase a wide range of art, history, science, and culture. And if you like or are curious about contemporary art, there are countless galleries and private foundations. Navigating it all can be slightly overwhelming which is why I wanted to bring on Alex Weinress, an art industry professional who offers bespoke art experiences through her company The Seen Paris. In our chat, she speaks to the city’s art scene, how she approaches viewing and understanding art, the best smaller institutions to visit, and what she thinks about immersive exhibitions.
Mentioned in this episode:
David Zwirner gallery in Paris
Hiba Schahbaz, Pakistani artist
Antoine Bourdelle / Bourdelle Museum
The New Paris Dispatch newsletter
Thanks to Matthew Jordan for technical production and editing on this episode!
113: On 'Joie', living well, and lessons from France with Ajiri Aki
The work to live vs live to work ideology was among the earliest characteristics of French life that appealed to me as a student. I didn’t know the extent to which that would bear out until I had lived in Paris for a number of years and discovered it firsthand. For Ajiri Aki, the Nigerian-American founder of the online linens and antiques brand Madame de la Maison, her decade in Paris has similarly crystallised a number of life lessons which she has now put on paper in her new book: Joie, a Parisian’s Guide to Celebrating the Good Life. Ajiri was one of the women I was fortunate enough to profile in The New Parisienne and is also a dear friend so I’m excited to get to have her on the show to dig into this beautiful, inspiring project.
Mentioned in this episode:
Joie (order the book!)
OECD report on French productivity
Paula Sutton, Hill House Vintage
Marché aux Puces de Saint Ouen
Thanks to Matthew Jordan for technical production and editing on this episode!
112: On Parisian Design & Interior Architecture Trends with Tala Gharagozlou
Much like fashion, Paris is a global reference for design. There are the iconic interiors one might imagine when thinking of Paris but then there are the more sceney or concepty places that seem to have big design firms and big investors behind them. In the last 8 or so years, it feels like every new spot has a resident interior designer or architect or a theme that they’re going for. In some ways, it feels more like London with its developed restaurant groups and their sharp designs. What might explain the proliferation of more global less local styles in restaurants and hotels in Paris? Who have been some of the tastemakers over the years and what defines the kind of look and feel we’re seeing now? To get to the bottom of it, I chat with Tala Gahragozlou, an interior architect who trained with and worked for Frank Gehry, has worked for Soho House, India Mahdavi, The Hoxton, and with her design collective Atelier Ramo, designed Bleu Bao and Bao Express, two restaurants from the group Bao Family.
Mentioned in this episode:
Paris Society spots (Monsieur Bleu, Girafe..)
Touriste Hotels / Adrien Glouagen
Thanks to Matthew Jordan for technical production and editing on this episode!
111: A Musician's Life in Paris with Pianist Bonnie Brown
The music you’ve just been listening to was performed by today’s guest, Bonnie Brown, a concert pianist and piano instructor who works out of her home in Paris. She joins me to talk about her connection to France, working as a musician, and the places she loves most to listen to music in Paris.
PS. If you’re a fan of the show, please share it with a friend and leave a review on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or wherever you stream your podcasts! It helps ensure the show gets discovered by new listeners. And if you’d like to support my work and storytelling, you can also find me on Substack where I run a newsletter with additional content for paid subscribers. That’s called The New Paris Dispatch (bonjour.lindseytramuta.com). Thanks for listening!
Mentioned in this episode:
The Australian National Academy of Music
Ross Edwards, Australian composer
Thanks to Matthew Jordan for technical production and editing on this episode!
110: On the French pension reform and ongoing strikes
If you were to walk the streets of Paris today, you’d see about 7,000 tons of garbage piling up on sidewalks. The stench after a week of no garbage collection is, you might say, ungodly. Some residents have seen an uptick in rat socialising. And according to reports, this could go on until at least next Monday March 20th. This trash assault is the result of strikes in response to the Macron government’s pension reform plans which lawmakers are debating and voting on this very week. In this short episode, I provide some context for the reforms, how the population at large perceives the proposed changes, and what the strikes have meant for residents (naturally, my opinion is thrown into the mix!). Links below for further reading:
City of ... Garbage? Paris, amid strikes, is drowning in trash.
Macron's Pension Reform Passes the Senate. Now what?
Video of the scene from my friend Jay Swanson
The New Paris Dispatch newsletter
Thanks to Matthew Jordan for technical production and editing on this episode!
109: On Marie Antoinette's Enduring Legacy with Dr. Susan Taylor Leduc
If I think about some of the women that have defined Parisian and French history, I instantly think of Marie Antoinette. The long maligned figure of French royalty and one of many unfortunate symbols of the French Revolution, the former queen has rarely been painted in a positive light. But what if that is an incomplete story? What if new scholarship points to a more nuanced picture of Marie Antoinette and the empresses that followed in her footsteps? That’s part of what today’s guest uncovered in her new book "Marie Antoinette’s Legacy: The Politics of French Garden Patronage and Picturesque Design". Dr. Susan Taylor Leduc, an art historian, previous guest, fellow guide who runs Picturesque Voyages, joins me today to talk about the world’s obsession with Marie Antoinette, her role within the royal court, what pop culture has gotten wrong about her, and the parallels with depictions of Parisian women today.
Mentioned in this episode:
Susan Taylor Leduc and Picturesque Voyages
Susan's book "Marie Antoinette's Legacy"
Episode 83, a previous conversation with Susan Taylor Leduc
Sofia Coppola's film "Marie Antoinette"
The BBC series Marie Antoinette reviewed by The Guardian
Thanks to Matthew Jordan for technical production and editing on this episode!
108: French Wine talk with Alison Eastaway of Cavewoman Wines
If you were to scan a Parisian city block, you’ll land on at least one caviste or wine seller. But while there are a lot of them, they’re not all created equal. Alison Eastaway, an Australian who has lived in Paris for 12 years and today’s guest, saw an opportunity to offer something different. She left her last career in tech to start Cavewoman Wines, a wine store and tasting room in the 11th arrondissement which opened last July. On today’s show, We talk about nonlinear career paths, the impetus for opening Cavewoman wines and some of her favorite producers.
Mentioned in this episode:
Cavewoman Wines
La French Tech
Domaine Bel Avenir: Cécile and Laura Dardenelli in Beaujolais
Aurélie Tailless "La Fille des Vignes" in Côtes du Rhône
Vins et Volailles and Justine Vigne (wine name is Self Love)
BONUS! 107: On Macron and the World Cup Final with Rym Momtaz
I wasn’t going to publish another episode this year but then the World Cup Final happened, and President Macron went cringe and inspired a whole new conversation I simply had to have before the new year. There’s no better person to discuss Macron with than Rym Momtaz, the former France Correspondent for Politico who spent years reporting on the Macron administration and currently a consulting research fellow on European Foreign Policy and Security with the IISS. We dig into what happened, whether sports are necessarily political, and what challenges lays ahead for the French president in the coming year.
Mentioned in this Episode:
Rym Momtaz
Macron's Cringe Behavior at the World Cup Final
106: The American baker, Dan Pearson, behind the best pizza in Paris
Of all the incredible foods in Paris, which do you think gets consumed the most? If your instincts led you to say pizza you’d be correct. By some estimates, the French as a whole are the world’s second biggest consumers of pizza after the United States. As the capital, Paris is understandably swarming with pizza joints, some enjoyable and well done, but most of them forgettable. That is, until Dan Pearson, an American sourdough baker, came along and showed pizza lovers how good it really can be. Since the fall, he’s been leading the temporary pizza restaurant at Le Rigmarole, owned by the chefs Robert Compagnon and Jessica Yang, and becoming something of the culinary talk of the town. He joins me for this final episode of 2022 to talk about his journey into baking, what makes sourdough the perfect match for pizza, and how he feels about inspiring a new obsession among the most discerning diners in Paris.
Mentioned in this episode:
105: Cake Talk with Sweet Paris author Frank Barron
It started with gâteau and continues with, well, more cake. And pastry, and Chocolate! For part two of my focus on sweets, I’m joined once again but an old friend of the show whose first book, Sweet Paris, was released earlier this year. My conversation with Frank Adrian Barron took place in my apartment so you’ll have to excuse any wood-floor echos and cat meows.
Mentioned in this episode:
Cakeboy Paris Instagram
Cakeboy Paris website
"Sweet Paris" the book
Maxime Frédéric at Cheval Blanc Paris
Mori Yoshida
Cédric Grolet
Pierre Hermé
Alain Ducasse chocolate
Magnolia Bakery
The Hood Paris (for Kaya and Pandan cake)
104: Baking the French way with "Gâteau" author Aleksandra Crapanzano
t’s that time of year: gift giving, baking, holiday planning. Which means it couldn’t hurt to draw your attention to France for some inspiration. This will be a two-part episode all about sweets featuring two authors whose books you absolutely should be picking up for yourself or offering as gifts. To start, I’m joined today by Aleksandra Crapanzano a James Beard–winning writer and longtime dessert columnist for The Wall Street Journal and most recently the author of Gâteau, The Surprising Simplicity of French Cakes. The book includes more than 100 recipes of classic and regional cakes fit for the home baker. Our discussion tackles her enduring connection to France, the baked goods she tried in Paris most recently, and why there’s no reason to feel intimidated when baking the French way.
Mentioned in this episode:
Gâteau: buy the book!
Aleksandra's WSJ dessert column
Christophe Michalak pastry
Ritz Paris Le Comptoir // François Perret
Cédric Grolet pastry
103: Explaining Europe's Energy Crisis with Laurent Schmitt of Dcbel
Turn on the nightly news, listen to the radio, or speak with most Europeans these days and the topic on heavy rotation is the energy crisis. This is partly an outcome of the Russia-Ukraine war as Moscow has suspended natural gas supplies in response to economic sanctions imposed by the West. As reported by Fortune magazine recently, the invasion of Ukraine started just after European nations decided to rapidly shift to clean energy and shutter nuclear power plants, which left them vulnerable to an inflationary shock when Russia cut off gas supplies this year. European governments are trying to diversify supplies and introduce measures to reduce demand and save energy. In France, we’ve experienced fuel shortages and high gas prices across France since September and have been told by government leaders to do what we can to reduce our own energy consumption. To go deeper on the crisis, how the EU is handling the situation and what needs to happen to prevent further trouble for citizens, I am joined by Laurent Schmitt. Laurent is the head of utilities and European Developments for Dcbel, a renewable energy technology company and has also spent years working for the association of European Transmission System Operators and on grid innovation.
Mentioned in this story:Decibel
Laurent Schmitt
A winter of pain ahead for Europe
France sends Germany gas for first time amid Russia energy crisis
Turtle necks are the solution, says France
France threw money at its energy crisis, but people are still angry
102: On European Baking and What's 'New' About It with Laurel Krotochvila
One of the incredible aspects of living in Europe is the access to rich bread and baking traditions. They may vary between France, Poland, Germany, and Portugal, let’s say, but what they share is the ongoing movement to protect them. It’s also the theme of the new cookbook by my fellow American friend based in Berlin, Laurel Krotochvila, owner of Fine Bagels. The book, New European Baking, was the subject of our conversation that took place at The Red Wheelbarrow bookstore on October 6th. This episode is therefore the recording of that interview. It also features a discussion with Xavier Netry, the head bread baker at the beloved Parisian bakery Utopie, who is profiled in Laurel’s book. That conversation was in French but I summarize the message at the end of the episode. Enjoy!
Thank you to Jay Swanson for facilitating the recording of this episode.
Mentioned in this episode:
Shakespeare & Sons (not & Co!) bookstore
Le Balto Bar
101: On Tourism and Seeing Paris in New Ways with Simon Burke of Txango Tours
2022 will be forever be etched in my mind as the year travel and tourism rebounded from the pandemic in a massive way. Essentially, since June 1 or whenever the remaining travel restrictions lifted, visitors haven’t stopped trickling into the city. I also know this from experiencing a major uptick in requests for my own tour. Now that we’re into the fall and peak travel season is behind us, I wanted to sit down with someone who has spent the last decade of his career in tourism and has built something new during the pandemic. A year ago, Simon Burke launched Txango Tours, a business that takes visitors through Paris and beyond on a sidecar. I’m all for seeing the city in unique and unexpected ways so let’s hear from Simon!
Mentioned in this episode:
Txango Tours
Fat Tire Bike Tours
Video of Txango Tours in action
Americans flocking to Europe
100: Understanding identity through books with "Americanon" author Jess McHugh
Since the last episode of this show, I can report two positive things: First, I did indeed spend less time doom scrolling and therefore alleviate much of the anxiety and stress I had been feeling for months. And second, I finished a number of excellent books, many of which you can find on my Bookshop.org page which I’ve listed in the show notes, and also returned to review a few other books I’ve enjoyed in the past few years, including the excellent work by today’s guest. Jess McHugh is an American journalist in Paris and the author of Americanon: An Unexpected U.S. History in Thirteen Bestselling Books. With smart storytelling anchored in unbelievably detailed reporting, the book explores the history of thirteen bestselling books and also how these ubiquitous titles have informed, influenced, and updated American ideals at crucial moments in history.
I brought her on the show today to talk about the book but also how that history might have been influenced by the French, how American figures left their mark on France, and some of her favourite books on the France-U.S. experience.
Mentioned in this episode:
Americanon: An Unexpected U.S. History in Thirteen Bestselling Books
Jess’s story on bison
Merriam-Webster on Twitter
Read an excerpt from Americanon
Democracy in America by de Toqueville
99: Some thoughts on tip culture, in France & beyond
There’s no guest for today’s episode. Instead, I wanted to talk about a topic I was recently asked to write about for Elle magazine in France. And that’s the subject of tipping and tip culture. Given that tourism across France is back in a big way and the French themselves are back to traveling beyond their borders, the question of if and how much to tip has resurfaced. Because my story was in French, I had some requests to discuss the theme in English. So here we go! I hope it helps as you travel.
Mentioned in this episode / Sources:
The history of tipping
The racist history behind America's tipping culture
Faut-il laisser un pourboire? Combien?
Danny Meyer ends his no-tipping policy
Minimum wage in France
The French tip only 5% when they travel