Medieval Art and Architecture at the Met Cloisters
28 May 2017 Students recently finished a thematic unit, focusing on the practices, perspectives, and products of French people living in the Middle Ages and Renaissance. Our studies culminated in a special field trip to the Met Cloisters: a unique museum overlooking the Hudson River in the Washington Heights neighborhood of Manhattan. We spent a lovely afternoon exploring the gardens, open arcades, quadrangles, and walkways that originated in southern France. Students were es
Music Festival: Le festival des Vieilles Charrues NY 2016
1 October 2016 On Saturday, October 1st, we attended the American spin-off of the biggest French music festival, Les Vieilles Charrues. The original festival began in 1992 in a small Breton village with a gathering of 500 people. Since then, it has grown in size every year, now attracting 250,000 music-lovers! This year, Les Vieilles Charrues is celebrating its 25th anniversary with a special event at Rumsey Playfield, the site of Central Park's SummerStage on East 72nd Str
Stand-Up Comedy Show: Gad Elmaleh
10 February 2016 Last night, we attended Gad Elmaleh's stand-up comedy show in Lower Manhattan. He was hilarious! We especially enjoyed his highly perceptive comparisons between life in France and the USA. For more information, go to: http://www.gadelmaleh.com/
'The Other Paris' | A Discussion with Author Luc Sante at Albertine Reading Room and Bookshop in NYC
19 November 2015 Tonight, we returned to the Albertine Reading Room and Bookshop in New York City for a discussion of the book, The Other Paris (2015) by Belgian American cultural historian, Luc Sante. The author shared a selection of his favorite passages from the book, focusing on daily life at the margins of Parisian society prior to the period of urban renewal in the 19th century. Afterward, he opened the floor for discussion, as he fielded questions from members of the a
'Still the Second Sex?' | A Discussion of Feminist History at Festival Albertine
8 November 2015 Students were delighted to attend Festival Albertine hosted by the Cultural Services of the French Embassy located on Fifth Avenue in New York City. The highlight of the evening was a discussion about feminism, entitled, "Still the Second Sex?" in which panelists reflected on the progress that has been made to promote women's rights since the publication of Simone de Beauvoir's groundbreaking book, Le deuxième sexe (1949). This discussion prompted students to
Paris Combo Live in Concert at City Winery New York City
18 July 2015 Last night, a small group of students headed to City Winery NYC to see Paris Combo live in concert. What a memorable show! For those unfamiliar with the group, their music is an eclectic mix of sounds, influenced by cabaret, gypsy jazz in the style of Django Reinhardt, 1930s French pop, North African rhythms, and swing. We were fortunate to have seating right in the center of the room at a long table directly in front of the stage. After ordering some food and dr
