Blog Officiel Hotel St Petersbourg Paris

A Scarf from Hermès Makes for a Sophisticated Souvenir

admin — Tue, 08 May 2012 20:00:12 +0000

There are few shops in Paris that every visitor must absolutely see, even if they are just in town for a couple of days. However, one of these shops just happens to be right near the Hotel Saint Petersbourg, so guests staying at the hotel will have very easy access. The name of this exceptional shop is Hermès (pronounced ‘air’-'mess’) and it has inhabited its location at Rue du Faubourg-Saint-Honoré since the second half of the 19th century.

Originally started in 1837, by Theirry Hermès, as a boutique for horse saddles and equipment, the brand is now known worldwide and is synonymous with chic, high-class style. Although Hermès is celebrated across the global for its fine scarves and ties, those outside of France may be less familiar with the brand’s other product lines, which include handbags, accessories, homeware and fine perfumes.

Although the brand is now partly owned by the LVMH group — which owns other renowned French brands like Louis Vuitton and Moët & Chandon champagne — the company has stayed principally in the hands of the founder’s descendants. Regardless of who owns the Hermès name, this store represents luxury at its finest, and its level of sophistication is unmatched in all of Paris. The goods are crafted by artisans in workshops, and a certain level of artistry is present in each product. This artistry does come at a price, however, so be prepared to shed all frugality if you want to take a souvenir from Hermès back home with you.

Hermès
24 Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, 75008
Open Monday through Saturday, 10:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Fun with Fusion Dining at Opera

admin — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 20:07:07 +0000

East meets West at Yo, a French-Thai fusion restaurant offering a chic and cozy atmosphere in the Opera neighborhood.

Upon entering the restaurant diners will instantly be charmed by the decor, which incorporates Asian artwork and old advertisements along with simple table settings that allude to a trendier, more minimalist inspiration. This blending of cultures continues on the menu, which consists of a creative mix of French and Thai elements. Savory sauces are expertly augmented with exotic flavors that perfectly complement the high quality meat offerings that France is known for. Beef cheek is marinated in red curry, tamarind and coconut milk. Sea bass, a staple of the French bistro, is given an Asian update: wrapped in a banana leaf and served with Thai spices.

What’s more, some of the tastiest dishes are not even found on the menu. Ask the waiter and you can be presented with a multitude of shrimp options, each with a different sauce. And the best kept secret is the veal flank served with noodles—although this off-menu dish must be requested specially (« bavette de veau avec nouilles »), the friendly folk at Yo are always happy to oblige.

Despite the creativity of the dishes and the upscale feel of the restaurant, you will not have to break the bank to have a try. Main courses range from about 15 to 20 euros, quite reasonable for a nice restaurant within walking distance of the Hotel Saint Petersbourg.

Yo
01 47 42 00 33
10 rue de Port Mahon
75002 Paris
Metro: Opéra

Monday through Friday from noon to 2:30 p.m. and from 7:15 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Saturday from 7:15 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Closed on Sundays

Fine Shops Abound Near Paris’s Former Stock Exchange

admin — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 17:37:24 +0000

Opened to the public in 1826, the Galerie Vivienne has become one of the plushest spots for shopping in the city of Paris. Originally named the « Galerie Marchoux, » this collection of shops has historically rivaled the Galerie Colbert, just down the street. Located between Palais-Royal and the former site of the Paris Stock Exchange (« La Bourse »), the gallery inhabits an ideal spot that beckons both tourists and Parisians alike.

The magnificent architecture alone is worth a sight-seeing trip. One notable feature is found at 13 Rue des Petits Champs: a grand stairway that is a remnant of the 19th-century residence of Eugène François Vidocq, the criminal-turned-police chief who is considered to be the father of modern criminology. Throughout the gallery, shoppers can observe decorative elements such as semi-arched windows and a rotunda adorned with nymphs and goddesses.

After admiring the structure of this beautiful gallery, guests of the Hotel Saint Petersbourg can enjoy over 30 shops and boutiques offering a variety of fine products. Haute couture is the order of the day with brands such as Jean-Paul Gaultier and Ana Quasoar. If jewelry is what you seek, Roche can satisfy your classic tastes. Art lovers can enjoy art shops Martine Moisan and Serge Plantureux. And don’t forget to stop by Legrand in order to pick up a bottle of fine wine to enjoy back at your hotel room!

Nude Works Display Degas’s Transition from Student to Master

admin — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 17:13:12 +0000

Embark on a unique journey through the works of one of the founding fathers of Impressionism. From March 13, 2012 to July 1, 2012, the Musée d’Orsay will feature the exhibit Degas and the Nude, a chronological presentation of the French artist’s oeuvre of nude pieces.

Given the light and enchanting nature of many of Degas’s works, the Musée d’Orsay—a former train station boasting high, ornate ceilings—is a space that imparts even more airiness to this collection. The exhibit begins with the artist’s early work, heavily influenced by Classical Greek artists and their conception of the body. These first rooms introduce a strong relationship between form and content, as depictions of mythological scenes are placed side-by-side with studies (mostly sketches) of the female body in its ideal Classical form. Moving on to later pieces, visitors experience Degas’s transition from student of form to pioneer of Impressionism, with themes revolving around the realism of brothels and bathing rooms.

The sculptures presented in the latter rooms are another bright spot of the exhibition. Most of these pieces feature dancers, a favorite subject of Degas, presented here in a medium not often associated with the artist. Once again, the effect of the art is enhanced by the interplay between various media: sculpture mixed with paintings and sketches, all exploring similar imagery and themes. By the end of the journey, one fully comprehends the many artistic iterations that Degas was capable of producing, inspired by just one simple theme. A one-of-a-kind chance to discover these works, this exhibit has been organized with Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts and features graphic works not often displayed due to their sensitivity to light.

The magic of Degas’s work comes not from the diversity of his subjects but rather from the nuanced impact that his subtle changes can create. Is it any wonder that his name has become so tightly linked with the Impressionist movement? On both an aesthetic and pedagogical level, Degas and the Nude is well worth the visit during your stay at the Hotel Saint Petersbourg.

The jade masks of the Mayas in Paris

admin — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 04:11:18 +0000

A visit to Paris is always an opportunity to see international-grade exhibitions of exceptional quality. You may have noticed that the famed Louvre museum is comparatively poor in pre-Colombian artifacts from the Americas (most of those which did exist were moved to the Musée de Quai Branly in 2006). However this has been remedied by the Paris Pinacothèque, our curious little museum of growing curating success., very close to your Hotel Saint Petersbourg Paris.

Last year already, the Pinacothèque presented the funerary masks of the Incas, integrally covered in gold. As for the jade masks of the Mayas, it is the first time they travel out of Mexico. With their mosaic of deep green colors and their bright black eyes which stare straight at you, they are fascinating works of art in themselves. Their story however, is just as fascinating as that of the civilization that produced them.

These are funerary masks, created to facilitate the deceased’s passage into the underworld by transfiguring him as a God (only Pakal, the greatest of the Mayan kings, was beyond transformation and had his own features made into a mask – a work of such worth that only a replica made it to Paris). Jade was an obvious choice for the Mayas: firstly, their territory did not contain gold, and secondly, the stone’s blue-green color is reminiscent of the two most essential elements of their cosmology: the ocean and the sky. Lastly, jade becomes very cold at night, and when the tropical day arises, it lets out vapor, making it look as if it were breathing – thus, it was the stone of divinity and eternity.

All in all, seven royal funerary trousseaus are on exhibit at the Pinacothèque. They date back to the Classical Mayan horizon, the Mayan apogee, and have been discovered in the past 20 years. Their discovery let archeologists unlock the mysteries of the Maya’s relationship to death, and it is their conclusions that they expose to you alongside these timeless artifacts.

Chinese dissident photography – near Hotel Saint Petersbourg Paris

admin — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 04:45:50 +0000

Works by Chinese dissident photographer Ai Weiwei are on exhibition in Paris for the first time. Since he was made prisoner in a secret location in April 2011, Weiwei has become a symbol of freedom of expression. Since June 2011, he has been under house arrest but continues working and denouncing the political reality of his country. Last September, he wrote an article about Beijing for the magazine Newsweek. The article, of course, was censored: “This city is not about other people or buildings or streets but about your mental structure. If we remember what Kafka writes about his Castle, we get a sense of it. Cities really are mental conditions. Beijing is a nightmare. A constant nightmare.”

The show’s title, Interlacing, refers to the diversity of media – mainly photography and video – that Weiwei has used to construct his socio-political criticism. Before his arrest, Weiwei published broadly on his blog and on Twitter. His photographic work brings controversy as some regard it as an essential act of resistance while others consider it amateur and commonplace. Weiwei is a man of communication, and one of the only Chinese contemporary artists to have gained international renown. His photographs are quick, on-the-spot shots which are often destined to be immediately published on the Web. In this way, they are efficient.

Weiwei goes for the ironic and the grotesque, his most famous images coming from a series in which he gives his middle finger to the Tiananmen square and other meaningful monuments. The Paris exhibition is a great opportunity to get a broader idea of this modern and brave artist’s work and personality – and that’s only steps away from your Hotel Saint Petersbourg Paris.

La Veuve Joyeuse at the Paris Opera – near Hotel Saint Petersbourg Paris

admin — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 06:05:02 +0000

A love story worthy of the most twisted soap operas, music that “spreads the joy of living” according to Thomas Mann… La veuve joyeuse is Franz Lehár’s most famous operetta.

Vienna, 1905, writers Victor Léon and Leo Stein were cautious enough to make their characters ambassadors not of Austria, but of the imaginary kingdom of Pontevedro – not to hurt the emperor who was to be assassinated less than a decade later. Lead by Eastern European mazurkas and polkas, the action takes place in Paris, at a time when political stakes were easily second to the matters of the heart. The carefree, joyful Paris of the turn of the century comes alive on stage between French cancan and dinners at Maxim’s, and Susan Graham and Bo Skovhus are an exquisite incarnation of the story’s fickle yet passionate lovers.

Incredibly enough, La Veuve Joyeuse – which has been staged over 300 000 times since its creation – was presented in Paris for the first time in… 1997 – a success that will surely be repeated in 2012. Mann’s “delicious ache, where desire, nostalgia, hope and a longing for love mingle together” is only steps away from your Hotel Saint Petersbourg Paris!

Expressionismus & Expressionismi at the Paris Pinacothèque – near Hotel Saint Petersbourg Paris

admin — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 22:24:21 +0000

One of the museums closest to your Hotel Saint-Petersbourg Paris is the Pinacothèque de Paris, an out-of-the-ordinary art museum. After Giacometti and the Etruscan, the Pinacothèque transports you to another time and space through it new exhibition, Expressionismus & Expressionismi – a reference to a 1986 exhibition in Venice, Futurismo & Futurismi, which explored the many currents that coexisted in early 20^th century futurism.

As always, the Pinacothèque looks at art transversally. In this case, it offers a cross-comparison of Der Blaue Reiter and Brücke, the two schools of thought that laid the foundations of German Expressionism in pre-WWI Europe. Kirchner’s Die Brücke, later censored by the Nazis as “degenerated art”, promoted a return to an instinctual and symbiotic relationship to nature. Kandisky’s Der Blaue Reiter was a more mystical take on art, centered on the concept of the “total work of art”.

Both influences merged in German Expressionism, a complex and lively art movement, analyzed through 150 beautifully exhibited paintings.

Chez Chartier, the most Parisian diner – near your Hotel St Petersbourg Paris

admin — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 00:28:20 +0000

Did you know that the Paris Opera district, home to your Hotel Saint Petersbourg Paris, was originally imagined and planned by Napoleon III? Included in the original embellishment project were masterpieces of elegance such as the Café de la Paix. But Parisians of lesser riches were also able to find their place along the large avenues.

Founded in 1896 inside an old train station, by the Bouillon Chartier quickly became the most popular diner in town, catering mainly to blue-collar workers and penniless students. Today a listed monument, Chez Chartier retains its Belle Epoque working class style, serving the same traditional French dishes next to the same chests of drawers where clients used to keep their napkin after eating.

The fleet of impeccably dressed waiters, scribbling your check directly on the paper table cloth, and the crowds of regulars set the stage for an authentic Parisian experience.

Practical information:

Chez Chartier, 7 rue du Faubourg Montmartre, 75009 Paris

Open 365 days a year (lunch and dinner)

Another take on the History of Art near your Hotel Saint Petersbourg Paris

admin — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 17:11:47 +0000

The surroundings of your Hotel Saint Petersbourg Paris are full of surprises. Do you remember our talk of La Madeleine parish church, unusual in every way? On the very same square, it is a very unusual museum which awaits you.

La Pinacothèque de Paris was a small private collection before moving into its current premisces in 2007. The museum features pieces by many artists who have shaped the History of Art, such as Rembrandt, Picasso or De Hooch. What makes the experience unique is the display by theme, which, contrary to a more classical chronological approach, lets you distinguish the inspirations and parralelisms that have transcended the arts throughout their development.

The current exhibition, Giacometti and the Etruscans, gives a remarkable perspective on how the little known Ancient civilization gave his artistic breath to the contemporary sculptor.