Photo of the Week
Just a dusting of snow on Montmartre's cobblestones on Tuesday. Photo: Eric Tenin of Paris Daily Photo.
Wednesday, 08 February 2012 11:13
Paris Update Flash News
TRENDY TAPAS
The bar at Mojita et Bob on Rue Oberkampf.
The lower stretch of Rue Oberkampf might well get its mojo back from the Belleville end with the recent arrival of tapas bar/restaurant Mojita et Bob (3, rue Oberkampf, 75011 Paris; tel.: 01 58 30 88 59), run by a charming young husband and wife team, and animated by the buzz of a happy young crowd. "Bob," by the way, is not the husband's name – it refers to "bring your own bottle," but they have plenty on hand, along with an extensive cocktail list, including, of course, mojitos. The tapas come from the creative end of the spectrum, with most dishes served in glasses or ramekins on rectangles of slate. Expect blood sausage with spiced banana and speculoos, grilled polenta with Emmenthal and Espelette peppers, pea mousse with chorizo, sardine rillettes, all very tasty. Not a patatas bravas in sight. It's a long way from the simple origins of authentic Spanish tapas, but these are done so well that you can forgive the occasional forays into culinary gymnastics. Colin Eaton
Wednesday, 08 February 2012 11:13
Paris Update Flash News
GOURMET GROUPON
An illustration from GourmanDeal′s Web Site.
Two young (24 and 26) French businessmen, tired of working for big corporations, have had the excellent idea of launching GourmanDeal, an upscale, more exclusive Groupon-style site for restaurants only, great news for those of us who have had far-less-than-satisfactory experiences with Groupon restaurants (read all about it here). GourmanDeal (in French only for the moment) offers an opportunity to try more expensive eateries like the excellent Le Quinze de Lionel Fleury without breaking the bank. The site′s founders, Damien Nantermet and Bruno Bouzid, promise to keep their standards high and plan to expand to other French and European cities. Heidi Ellison
Paris Update This Week's Events
For full details about an event, click on its name to visit the official Web site (in English when available).
Festival Au Fil des Voix
World music artists from Tunisia, Morocco, Guinea, Italy, Greece and more. Alhambra, Paris, through Feb. 11.
Ice Skating Rinks
Hôtel de Ville, Paris, through March 4.
Leonardo Live
> Filmed tour of the Leonardo da Vinci exhibition at the National Gallery in London, various cinemas, Paris, Feb. 16.
London Calling
> Festival of British films, Forum des Images, Paris, through Feb. 29.
Paris Fine Art
> Art and antique fair, Palais des Congrès, Paris, Feb. 10-20.
Robert Altman Film Festival
> Cinémathèque Française, Paris, through March 11.
Soldes
> Retail sales in Paris: through Feb. 14
Fonds Solidarité Sida Afrique
> Benefit concert with Yael Naim and many others, open to donors to this fund to fight AIDS in Africa, Cirque d'Hiver, Paris, Feb. 13
Steven Spielberg Film Festival
> The entire œuvre, Cinémathèque Française, Paris, through March 3.
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Nos Jours Heureux
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Film
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/ Comedy
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Created on Tuesday, 25 July 2006 23:00
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Published on Sunday, 22 February 2009 21:45
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Written by Heidi Ellison
Happy Campers
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The counselors.
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Nos Jours Heureux, directed by Olivier Nakache and Eric Toledano, is the quintessential summer feel-good movie, recommended for adolescents and anyone who attended a French colonie de vacances (summer camp) in their youth.
The critics were lukewarm on this one, but the public approves heartily. Four weeks after it opened, a large cinema was nearly full on a hot summer evening when the rest of the city-center multiplex was pretty much deserted. We were surrounded by young people who had obviously already seen the film at least once and laughed hysterically – often in anticipation of what would happen next – throughout.
For adults it is rather less droll, but it is interesting to see where the French love of Club-Med-style group singing and choreographed dancing originated. There is no plot, just a series of events: fights, crises, love affairs, three-legged races, etc.
Most of the film’s appeal comes from its surprisingly well-drawn and -acted characters. Jean-Paul Rouve stars as Vincent, the camp director who insists that parents have no contact with their children while they are under his authority, but who can’t manage to separate from his own clingy father.
The film puts a spin on most of the usual stereotypes: the overweight counselor, for example, played by the talented Marilou Berry, has no self-image problems and gets her man, while the sexy counselor Lisa (Julie Fournier). who immediately pairs up with hunk Daniel (Lannick Gautry), soon loses him to the next pretty girl that comes along. The one black character, played by Omar Sy, however, is portrayed as unrelentingly good-natured and, of course, a great dancer.
This is another one of those French comedies that just misses the quality label because it gives in to nostalgia and sentimentality. But it’s harmless fun, and the kids will love it.
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Heidi Ellison
© 2006 Paris Update
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