Postcard from Paris: the 12e and a visit to Marché d'Aligre

A piece on David Lebovitz's facebook page today caught our eye and brought back a flood of memories from our trip to Paris in the autumn of 2010. David shared a link to a nice little article by Alexandra Schwartz in The Atlantic (online- here) about the Marché d'Aligre in Paris' 12th arrondissement. The premise of the article is that Paris, in many of the areas frequented by most visitors, has been sanitized to within an inch of its life, and to get back to la vrai chose she suggests a visit to what she terms "the city's last great daily market". We had the great pleasure of spending a week in a splendidly charming apartment just a stone's throw from the Marché d'Aligre, and we can vouch for it being a jewel.

The 11th and 12th Arrondissements lie to the east of Le Marais and Place de la Bastille, and since the area's inception the settlements to the north and south of Rue du Faubourg Saint-Antoine (which divides the two boroughs) have housed the workshops and homes of Parisians who make things. Long in the past they crafted furniture & housewares that served the royal court at nearby Place des Vosges. In the 1990s artists discovered the underutilized atelier spaces in the area's disctinctive courtyards, and as usually happens, where the artists head the modern-day gentry soon follow. Nowdays the cours and passages are populated with design firms and ad agencies along with the occasional exquisite boutique. A little further to the east the area's population is made up more of immigrant communities. And at the crossroads of these two zones lies Marché d'Aligre.

The market structure, technically known as Marché Beauvau, is a beauty. A solid little building constructed of the native limestone with a clerestory light monitor atop, the interior is light-filled and proudly shows off its utilitarian yet delicate timber posts and beams. The shops inside, while certainly not over the top by Parisian standards, are decidedly more bourgeois than the vendors that fill the place and rue d'Aligre outside. 

And yet the assemblage does indeed feel like the real thing, probably because you know that you're pretty much the only non-residents in the vicinity. The bobos who can afford the spectacular flowers inside the market's doors are more than happy to rub shoulders with their Algerian neighbours as they both negotiate the best price for undergarments at the table up the street. At the end of the day, they are all just modern working families shopping at their local market, the way it's always been done.

We truly hope that this is one corner of Paris that does get overlooked by the scrubbing brigade. An honest, hardworking little market should be left to do what it does best- to simply serve its community according to their needs without having to worry about wearing its Sunday best in front of the visitors.

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Marché Beauvau

place d'Aligre

75012, Paris

Marché d'Aligre

place d'Aligre & rue d'Aligre

75012, Paris

Sorry, We're Closed...

through the security grille at ValueMart

Easter Sunday

Seen: Hix Island House

A magnificent totem by West Coast Haida artist Clarence Mills was recently unveiled in the principle room of Casona at Hix Island House, Vieques, Puerto Rico.

At the base of the totem, beautifully depicted by Mr. Mills, is the logo of Hix Island House; the hummingbird, the coqui and the gecko.

Majestic could only describe it's presence there, signifying the owners' beloved Canadian west coast roots. An incredible addition to an incredible setting.

Seen...in a Vieques giftshop

For the easily amused.

Maybe now you believe us when we say it's a small island 

with not much to do!

Seen on a porch in Isabel II, Vieques...

Looks like a scene from Puppets Who Kill

Another Stunner from Punta Del Este

Back in January we posted about our fondness for the knock-out modernist houses in the Uruguayan resort town of Punta Del Este. (check it out here) And now we have another to add to the portfolio, this time courtesy of the site Arch Daily. This beauty was designed by Brazilian hot-shot Marcio Kogan, whose work we are just ga-ga over. Here's a little more of his incredibly disciplined work:  

http://abduzeedo.com/architect-day-marcio-kogan

An architectural vernacular of using local rough stone and timber has developed in Punta, and this house has employed these materials masterfully. The thin slab of exposed concrete roof, perched on two far-flung end walls each clad in the crude stone,  hovers above the house, taking the concept of shelter back to its minimal essence. Below, the private living spaces are contained within a carefully crafted wood box, the public areas being transparent- either in glass cubes or "en plein air". The floor planes employ both the stone in a still rustic but more refined version, and strips of milled wood planking. The house rises up out of its gravelly surroundings and hugs the earth in a long, low homage to it's flat and open environment.

Enough words! Let's let the place speak for itself:

Read the full piece, view all the photos, and check out the plans & elevations here:

http://www.archdaily.com/127299/punta-house-marcio-kogan/

A Merry discovery in Cabbagetown

We recently got together with a longtime friend for lunch. Something we do periodically, just to catch up. Having exhausted the usual neighborhood haunts of Thai, burgers, and more of the same 'ol same 'ol, Good Friend suggested a place that he had recently discovered:

Merryberry cafe and bistro in Cabbagetown.
What a find!

Much like our friends at Urban Spoon suggested a while back,we are of two minds about praising this little gem for fear that it will soon be overrun and lead to eventual burn out, by owners and staff alike, but how can we not praise such a genuinely fun and delightful little bistro? From the quirky and inventive decor and attentive service to the wonderful array of delightful sandwiches, where none were above $7.50, we were more than impressed by their genuine resourcefulness.

Jay had the Ninja Snack, an inventive sandwich of seared tuna with avocado and wasabi served on a trio of little slider buns. Heaven ! (though the use of a little more wasabi kick would have been welcomed, we realize we all have our tolerance levels, but we appreciate the effort) Along with some baby arugula, it was the perfect lunch.

Good Friend (and discoverer of this wonderful resto) is not one for peppers of any kind! He requested that on his salmon burger none be included in the accompanying condiment. This was met with not only great substitute suggestions, but a genuine willingness to accommodate his request. The result was better than expected.

Call us cynical but...substitutions of any kind, other than in the best of restos, can often be met with an eye roll and grudging accommodation from the usual hipster "waitron" who would rather be anywhere else than serving you. At Merryberry the opposite can only be said. Attentive and friendly and whoever is in the kitchen knows their stuff.

Another of the out of the ordinary wonders of Merryberry is that no matter what time of the afternoon you arrive the kitchen will be open to serve you. No noon til 3:00 p.m. lunch only here. We actually arrived for lunch at 2:30 (!) and left, after a couple of great espressos, at 5:30, and clients continued to stream in to order from the clever and tasty menu.

Call us quirky as well but... if the "facilities" of the establishment you are visiting do not match your experience...it will usually deduct a few "points" from your overall experience, won't it? We were happy to discover that when the need arose these facilities were outstanding, not only in their cleanliness but also in their choice of decor.

How refreshing! Our only disappointment was that we never got to sample some of their great deserts. Fresh and seasonal, these as well as their daily specials, we are sure, will make this wonderful bistro a destination well worth returning-to for either breakfast/brunch or lunch, very soon. Rumour has it that once they get their liquor license dinner will soon be added.

We can only wish them all the best....but let's just keep it between us, shall we?

Merryberry Cafe and Bistro

559 Parliament Street

Toronto,ON. 

T.647-348-0411

info@merryberry.ca 

Seen...

 More tree art, seen along Queen St. W.

Postcard from Vieques- Isabel's Faded Beauty

Although she moves a little slowly these days, and she often has a worn down look about her, particularly to those who only glimpse her out and about in public on the main streets, if you take the time to stop and engage her you will quickly learn that Isabel was in her day a young beauty. Whereas today she must unceasingly tend to her matriarchal responsibilities for her large and dependent family (and consequently wears that burden like a tattered old dress), she once-upon-a-time set the hearts of many a young sailor aflutter.

Next time you see Isabel, take a morning or an afternoon to ask her about her colourful past. Stroll slowly along her quiet backstreets taking the time to look closely at the now faded charm she once possessed. If you do, we promise you'll leave her with an appreciation for her strength and dignity. And you'll understand the pull she once had on the hearts of young men.

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