24 hours in paris

[La-Soul-Fiend]

........24 hours in Paris sounds better right?

Anyway vultures, I have a lovely long weekend set in Paris with my girlfriend celebrating her birthday so there's the first clue as to what I'll be expected to do during those potentially vinyl rich, few days, but this isnt just about the shiny black stuff, oh no!

I wanna ask if anybody here has [recently] visited this wonderful city and has any suggestions on where to try out for a decent meal, a good drink with some atmosphere [I know, I know, so hard to find in Paris, right ] any decent shops to try [esp, ahem, girl's shops! Come on now, some of you lot have girlfriends, OK?] and anybody got a fave thing to do there or go see? Personally, I dig seeing films there but I need options.....

Both the girlfriend and me have visited the city many, many times in the past, but not in the last 5 yrs or so and the only area I can possibly remember how to navigate with any skill is the Latin Quarter as I had friends there.

Naturally, most of my trips were solo and involved wading thru mountains of vinyl, I still trip out when I think you can buy a record from a book shop at midnight there! Yeah, I know I gotta keep remarks like that to myself when there this time!!!

This is the first thread I have posted on this tip so give a fella some help please?

I know both Rich Hero and Mark have been there this year right? Recent visit or not, give it up for a vulture, eh?

Peace...................... ..............................

[Col Wolfe]

I know this is NOT the info you need but I feel it is my duty as a newly conscripted VinylVulture to share the following info - I'm sure there are nice romantic restaurants near each location:

Plus de bruit, 35 rue de la Rochefoucauld, Metro
St-George or Notre-Dame de Lorette
cool sixties/eighties garage/soul LPs and singles from all
over, some choice rarities and used vinyl/CDs, not too
expensive

- Sonic Machine, 8 rue de la Fontaine du But, Metro
Lamarck Caulaincourt
punk, garage, funk etc. records, fanzines, videos, etc. new
and used, friendly and cheaper than...

- Le silence de la rue, 39 rue Faidherbe, Metro
Faidherbe-Chaligny
new punk, garage, alternative, reggae, library etc. records,
fanzines, videos, etc. it's been around forever, still
worth checking out

- Born Bad, 17 rue Keller, Metro Bastille
garage/rock n'roll/funk/soul/psych, etc. new and used records,
fanzines, it's a couple of years old, run by Iwan from
the No-Talents, the shop looks great (hot-rod art,
etc.), a must

- Paralleles, 47 rue St-Honore, Metro Chatelet-Les
Halles
cheap used rock/pop CDs and LPs, books and magazines
and if you're around when the basement's open, get
ready for some choice sixties finds!

- Rocket, 1 rue La Charriere, I forgot which subway
station
mostly rockabilly and rock n'roll LPs and CDs, a lot
of stuff (think Euro reissue labels like Bear Family,
etc.)

- Illel, 86 boulevard de Magenta, Metro Gare de l'Est
some sixties rock and psych rarities, mostly CDs, some
LPs, rather expensive as I recall
(think Euro reissue labels like Repertoire, etc.)

Finally, worth a look for a laugh, there's

- Monster Melodies, 9 rue des Dichargeurs, Metro
Chatelet-Les Halles
tons of LPs at ridiculously inflated prices, many
rarities but still, gimme a break!

Also, try the folks selling records in little booths
along the Seine river, especially this guy with a fab
site: http://ubupopland.free.fr/index.swf

[theeman]

wonder if iueke still reads the board - he's the man to ask!

for an area that the ladies will like, get down to the Left Bank and St Germain. very smart, very funky, pretty expensive but great atmosphere and (dare i say this on a nerd board) romantic. it's where many of the designer and antique shops are - tres chic. there's a lovely and not super expensive hotel called La Villa St Germain which is worth checking if you're after accommodation. lots of good cafes and restaurants there too.

for gentle strolls and lovely neighbourhood restaurants, go to the Marais and wander round the Jewish quarter, and definitely check out place des Vosges (oldest square in Paris)

if you want to be sly about this, one of the best places we ate at for atmosphere was a restaurant i think called Chez Paul right in the middle of the flea market at Clignancourt. keep going to the end of the record shop street, then turn right and it's on the left in a couple of hundred yards. it's not far from the record shops at all! gets packed on Saturdays but is well worth queuing for. simple, cheap and very tasty grub in a really french atmosphere - all the traders eat there. rude, abrupt service just adds to the fun (seriously) - it's really funny and absorbing. get there 12ish and certainly before 2pm, when it'll be largely empty.

[pokester]

e-man right you should go to Clignancourt (just follow the people when you leave the subway) on a saturday...
even if you don't look at the records it's still fun

If the weather is good you can go to parc monceau, or jardin du luxembourg just to chill out with the



you can also ask planman....

[Rich Hero]

Sorry LSF, I went to quite a few decent restaurants and bars and I couldn't tell you any of their names, let alone addresses, since I was kindly guided by my Parisienne amis. And consequently inebriated and suffering from short term memory loss by noon each day. Tried steak tartare for the first time and it was delicious!

And since I've completely failed to help, I may as well ask, does anyone know where the ubupop guy, Fabrice, has his stall and when it's open? Cheers...

[La-Soul-Fiend]

Keep it comin' boys! All good!
To Col Wolf: this is precisely the kind of reply I was NOT looking for,dont you know that kind of info could threaten the existence of my relationship kid?  I'll certainly check a few of them out!

Ed: your wisdom is received with much appreciation, i do recall spending both Sat-Sunday trawling thru mountains of records at the Flea, falling over obscure libraries, weird pictured Abstract electro 60's dusties and plenty of funk 45's all with wonderfully rendered picture bags as only the europeans can do them! I think my record dealer friend there took me to the restaurant you mention, staff almost violent towards the punters, all whom were able to brush off these almost aggressive gestures with typical Parisian cool, lighting up their Gitanes and shrugging shoulders towards the heavens!  But thanks for the tip. I've already convinced the girlfriend that Clignancourt is the most exciting market she will ever visit although nothing can quite compare to the mother of all flea markets, Chatuchat in Bangkok, serious, serious market that! I love the Marais, isnt this both the Jewish quarter and the Gay area too? Mad combination of cultures and I recall a wicked Falafel cafe there with signed photos of Lenny Kravitz over the walls, supposedly his fave eaterie in town, Rue de Rossier I think???

Pokester, cheers for the reminder, I'll defo be up that way early as able to! Having the girlfriend along will throw a particularly female angle on the trip which is a bonus really!
Nice isnt it when you can ask about non-record stuff and still get the heat from the street!

Respect!

[Guest]

Quote[/b] (Col Wolfe @ Nov. 20 2003,17:11)]Also, try the folks selling records in little booths
along the Seine river, especially this guy with a fab
site: http://ubupopland.free.fr/index.swf

That guys site is fun, especially the home page,
EXCEPT he never lists ANY PRICES !

What's up with that ?

Jack

[Rich Hero]

Quote[/b] (Jack @ Nov. 20 2003,22:04)]

Quote[/b] (Col Wolfe @ Nov. 20 2003,17:11)]Also, try the folks selling records in little booths
along the Seine river, especially this guy with a fab
site: http://ubupopland.free.fr/index.swf

That guys site is fun, especially the home page,
EXCEPT he never lists ANY PRICES !

What's up with that ?

Jack

Apologies (and thank you&#33 Col - I completely failed to register that you'd already answered my question. Whereabouts are the booths? And to answer yours Jack, you email the guy and then he quotes you availability and prices.  Except the 'if you need to ask the price you can't afford it' rule seems to apply.  

[emperor tomato ketchup]

I assume its the weekend just gone thatw as when you went. If not drop me a PM and I'll send you my list of restaurants.

[Col Wolfe]

Quote[/b] (Rich Hero @ Nov. 21 2003,10:20)] Apologies (and thank you&#33 Col - I completely failed to register that you'd already answered my question. Whereabouts are the booths? And to answer yours Jack, you email the guy and then he quotes you availability and prices.  Except the 'if you need to ask the price you can't afford it' rule seems to apply.  

Rich, I've stumbled upon Fabrice's stall twice - the booths/stalls are dotted along the river - the first time I found him he was stuffed in amongst the other record/antique/nazi memorabilia stalls, the 2nd time he was on the back of a truck (&#33, the 3rd time, no trace
I, like you apparently, always end up sozzled in Paris so am very sorry that I cannot be more specific!

[La-Soul-Fiend]

.......well, I'm back and after all that, I got Bo Diddley squat! Checked for the guy on the Seine and no show, checked in the flea and except for the rather ambtious dealer with a wall covered in overpriced rarities includ the Libra OST, I never saw owt! Still, I did spend most of the time filing my tummy with glorious food and drink and managed to check a few suggested eateries including Ed's tip at Clignancourt [cheers for that mate]

Unfortunately and rather foolishly, I left the more serious record scouting for this morning only to be reminded, REPEATEDLY, at every stop, that very few dealers open their doors for trading on a Monday Hence I found Crocojazz, PJC, Crocodisque etc all with their shutters down........Bastards!

And to top it all, I caught one stinker of a cold!!!

Still, I cant complain cos on arriving home there lay a tidy bundle of Euro goodies on my mat thanks to postie #1

..........and if anybody here plans to visit Paris ever and feels like some decent fast food type scram, you cant go wrong at L'As du Fallafel on Rue de Rosier in the Marais. This is the place with the pix of Lenny Kravitz, but outside of this, it is the bomb for fast food in the area as is Jo Goldenbergs deli counter! Strudel-icious!

[pokester]

Quote[/b] (La-Soul-Fiend @ Dec. 01 2003,18:59)]Hence I found Crocojazz, Crocodisque etc all with their shutters down........Bastards!

I don't think you would have find something good in those store... most records are in very bad state and crazy overpriced....
And you have to shift loads of reissues..

[emperor tomato ketchup]

Quote[/b] (La-Soul-Fiend @ Nov. 20 2003,11:52)]will ever visit although nothing can quite compare to the mother of all flea markets, Chatuchat in Bangkok, serious, serious market that!

So whats the story here (or in general) I'm going to Thailand for xmas and so any advice appreciated.

I expect it won't be so good (At all) for vinyl.

[La-Soul-Fiend]

Forget vinyl basically when in Thailand as I believe Mark discovered also?

The Chatuchat in question is simply the mother of all flea markets and comprises of many different markets selling everything from antique furniture to domestic appliances to exotic plants to baby sharks!

Collectively it is about the size of half a dozen football pitches and will easilly take up your day to get around, but forget any record finds unless you come across a zone I didnt which at the end of the day would not only be possible but damn likely, its that massive. Check the Lonely Planet or Rough guides for directions but you really should go there, it truly is incredible!

One word of caution tho': It gets REAL hot under the areas which are roofed by corrugated steel sheets so take plenty of water and rest up lots. Unfortunately, I did my usual infantry-style search and destroy bit and kept going untill the next thing I knew, I was on the deck being fanned by a mohicanned market trader whilst my girlfriend observed, with a massive smile on her face!