Editor's Note: Our popular writer from Paris, Nicole Prevost Logan, is back in Essex, CT, for the winter. She does not normally write for us from Essex, but this year, she is making an exception and will be continuing to contribute articles to ValleyNewsNow.com and LymeLine.com during the winter months. Here is her inaugural column from Essex about the opening of a very … [Read more...] about Letter From Paris – No, Now It’s Essex! A Brave, New Museum Opens in DC
Letter From Paris: The Grand Palais in Paris to Old Lyme — CT Impressionist Exhibits Both Sides of ‘The Pond’
Talking with Jan Dilenschneider is entering a beautiful world of marshes, rushes swaying in the breeze, ponds reflecting the sky, and clusters of trees taking on the many hues from the painter's palette contrasting with the softness of the wild flowers. Dilenschneider is a Darien artist who has recently been making inroads on the Paris art scene. She was one of only a very … [Read more...] about Letter From Paris: The Grand Palais in Paris to Old Lyme — CT Impressionist Exhibits Both Sides of ‘The Pond’
Letter from Paris: Moderate, Radical Islamists in France — a Difficult Cohabitation
Introduction For years the buzz word in France has been "amalgam." On ne doit pas faire l'amalgame entre Islam modéreé et Islamisme radical. (One must not confuse moderate Islam and radical Islamism.) After the repeated terrorist attacks in France and Belgium and with the discovery of other jihadist enclaves, it is hard to keep making that distinction. The voice of moderate … [Read more...] about Letter from Paris: Moderate, Radical Islamists in France — a Difficult Cohabitation
Letter From Paris: Immortal Chekhov Rises Again in Paris
Chekhov will never die! This winter four of his plays appeared on the Paris stages: two short one-act plays (“The Swan” and “The Bear”) at the Studio de la Comédie Française, “Three Sisters” at theTheatre de la Colline and “The Cherry Orchard” at the Theatre de l'Ile Saint Louis-Paul Rey. I chose the latter. The first time I saw a play by Chekhov was at the Moscow Art … [Read more...] about Letter From Paris: Immortal Chekhov Rises Again in Paris
Letter From Paris: A Divided Europe is Too Weak to Resist Turkish Pressure
The European Union (EU) is going through what most consider the toughest times in its history. The surge of migrants, not only from the Middle East but also from South East Asia and Africa, has provoked an untenable human crisis on the continent. It is threatening the fundamental principles on which the (EU) was built. In desperation, Europe turned to Turkey for help and … [Read more...] about Letter From Paris: A Divided Europe is Too Weak to Resist Turkish Pressure
Letter From Paris: The Trump Phenomenon – a View From Europe
Editor's Note: With a pivotal day happening today in respect of the Republican Presidential Primary, we feel this latest article by our columnist from Paris is perfectly timed. Nicole Prévost Logan lives in Essex, CT, during the warmer months and winters in Paris, France. For these reasons, she is ideally placed to write a commentary on the 'Trump Phenomenon' through … [Read more...] about Letter From Paris: The Trump Phenomenon – a View From Europe
Letter From Paris: Cameron Obtains (Some) Concessions From Europe in Effort to Prevent ‘Brexit’
After 30 hours of negotiations at the European Council on Feb. 18-19, British Prime Minister David Cameron could claim some measure of victory in terms of the new concessions he obtained from the European Union (EU) to make Britain's special status even more favorable. It is clear that he had to appear victorious in order to impress his electorate and convince Eurosceptics in … [Read more...] about Letter From Paris: Cameron Obtains (Some) Concessions From Europe in Effort to Prevent ‘Brexit’
Letter From Paris: To Primary or not to Primary, That is the Question … for the French
It is an interesting time when the US has started the Primary process and the French Socialists are debating whether to hold Primaries before the 2017 presidential elections. The French public is following with great interest the twists and turns of the American campaign and was fascinated with the Iowa and New Hampshire primaries. It is surprisingly well informed … [Read more...] about Letter From Paris: To Primary or not to Primary, That is the Question … for the French
Letter From Paris: Aleppo — an Orientalist’s Nostalgia
Agatha Christie stayed there. So did T.E. Lawrence, King Faysal from Iraq and General de Gaulle: at the famous Hotel Baron in downtown Aleppo, Syria. At that time, Aleppo was an exotic and cosmopolitan city where Arabic, Turkish, Kurdish and Armenian cultures coexisted. But all this was before the Syrian civil war. Aleppo, like many other historical Syrian … [Read more...] about Letter From Paris: Aleppo — an Orientalist’s Nostalgia
Letter from Paris: Europe and the Migrant Crisis
During the month of January 2016, 55,000 migrants have crossed the Aegean Sea, or 21 times the number that made the same journey in January 2015. In 2015, a total of 856,000 arrived in Europe, 90 percent of them coming from Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan. Today, there is an urgency in the face of this inexorable phenomenon, which is bound not only to continue but also to … [Read more...] about Letter from Paris: Europe and the Migrant Crisis
Letter from Paris: Marmottan Monet Museum Offers Rare Glimpse of Villa Flora’s ‘Enchanting Times’
It is a well kept secret that Switzerland's private foundations own a wealth of art works. Swiss law does not require them to be registered commercially and offers them favorable tax and legal conditions, creating thus a "paradise" for art collectors. The Villa Flora, in Winterthur near Zurich, is one of the richest of these family foundations. Since the museum is under … [Read more...] about Letter from Paris: Marmottan Monet Museum Offers Rare Glimpse of Villa Flora’s ‘Enchanting Times’
Letter from Paris: Exhibition Explores the Elegance, History of Louis Vuitton’s Luggage
The exhibit “Volez, Voguez, Voyagez” (Fly, Sail, Travel) at the Grand Palais takes the visitor to the elegant world of travel in the early 20th century. It is a retrospective of the luggage, which created the Vuitton dynasty's fame. Every item is beautifully crafted of wood, cloth and leather, such as the famous “sac Noé” created in 1932. These luxurious objects make travel … [Read more...] about Letter from Paris: Exhibition Explores the Elegance, History of Louis Vuitton’s Luggage
Letter From Paris: Welcome ‘Le Grand Paris!’ New Geographical Region Becomes a Reality
On January 1st, 2016 the "Metropole du Grand Paris" became official . This new territorial organization, named Etablissement Public de Cooperation Intercommunale (EPCI), includes Paris plus parts of three departements - Hauts de Seine, Seine St Denis and Val de Marne- with seven millions inhabitants. What is the Grand Paris ? Why is it a necessity? Is it a decisive step … [Read more...] about Letter From Paris: Welcome ‘Le Grand Paris!’ New Geographical Region Becomes a Reality
Letter from Paris: COP 21, Part II — Reaching Consensus was a “Tour de Force,” But Much Work Still To Do
At 7.26 p.m. precisely on Saturday, Dec. 12, Laurent Fabius, president of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) COP 21 , choking with emotion, announced that an universal accord had been reached. The several thousand people in the audience rose in a standing ovation and started congratulating each other. After two sleepless nights, the … [Read more...] about Letter from Paris: COP 21, Part II — Reaching Consensus was a “Tour de Force,” But Much Work Still To Do
Letter from Paris: COP 21 Tackles Climate Change in Challenging Times
All eyes are on the COP21 United Nations conference on climate change taking place in Paris from Nov. 29 to Dec. 12. The “Conference of Parties” or COP, have been held every year since COP 1 in Berlin, in 1995. In the middle of nowhere, in an industrial and non-descript vacant lot – a preview of what our world will become if the conference does not bring concrete results – … [Read more...] about Letter from Paris: COP 21 Tackles Climate Change in Challenging Times