Bonjour Paris!

Some good Frenchness; plus, Rosalia's gorgeous new album, no longer doin' it for the 'gram, a TikTok baroness, and more.

A week and a half ago I was sitting on a bench in the Place des Vosges, watching a pigeon peck at some crumbs that had fallen from my pain au chocolat. I was happy to be in that spot, enjoying the breeze and fall color, but also sad that in a few moments I'd have to walk back to my apartment, gather my luggage and leave Paris, a city I love so much. Yes, Paris is always a good idea, as Audrey Hepburn once famously said. It is a place where you can bask in the history, beauty, and culture, eat some good things, and meet some cool people. For me, it's a constant source of clarity and inspiration.

Here are a few things that inspired me while I was there:

John Singer Sargent: Eblouir Paris

Sargent is considered one of the most important American artists of his generation, and he created some of the most daring paintings of his entire career during the decade he spent living in Paris. The Musee d'Orsay is the first French museum to dedicate an exhibition to his work, and I have to say if you can get to Paris and see this, you need to do it. Get your tickets ahead of time just to be sure, though. It's a major, major exhibit that includes his most notorious portrait, Madame X, as well as paintings of other major figures of that time, including the gynecologist (and noted ladies man) Dr. Pozzi, flamenco dancer La Carmencita, and various other prominent families who were all too eager to sit for him. At Musee d'Orsay until January 11, 2026.

1925-2025: Cent Ans d'Art Deco

This year is the 100th anniversary of Art Deco, the modern design style noted for its bold, geometric shapes and color. The Musee des Arts Decoratifs is currently celebrating Art Deco's centennial with a amazing collection of furniture, textiles, clothing, jewelry, and housewares. It culminates with a tribute to the famed Orient Express trains, and features the travel posters, interior designs, and a few re-imagined train cars that will have you romanticizing a future trip. At Musee des Arts Decoratifs until April 26, 2026.

Berthe Weill: Galleriste de l'Avant Garde

Berthe Weill opened a gallery in 1901 and quickly began supporting up-and-coming artists like Pablo Picasso, helping them make a name for themselves. Forty years later, Weill was forced to close her gallery due to the Nazi persecution of Jews during World War II, and her name faded into oblivion. The Musee de L'Orangerie's exhibit attempts to give this brave and visionary woman her rightful due, illustrating her impact on modern art and her support of women artists, which was rare for its time. I really, really loved this. Without a doubt, Weill was a truly inspiring figure. At Musee de L'Orangerie until January 26, 2026.

Other good things:

• Saturday lunch at Mashama Bailey's cozy new Paris outpost L'Arret. It's a short walk from Musee d'Orsay, so it's a perfect place to stop for shrimp and grits, or a breakfast sandwich after you see Sargent's gorgeous paintings.
• A simple jambon beurre sandwich and glass of wine in the Jardin du Luxembourg. That park is so special to me. I have fond memories of taking my kid to the playground there, and of walking through there alone on a gray and drizzly day. It's just such a nice place to sit and be.
• A little bit of shoe-shopping at Bobbies. A little bit of sock-shopping at Tabio. A stop by Melodies Graphiques for some beautiful handmade notebooks. A quick pop-in at Smith&Son for a copy of Jane Birkin's Munkey Diaries 1957-1982.
• A wee history lesson from my host about the Renaissance-era building where I stayed. Man, what a great place. I can't wait to go back, and maybe even take a martial arts lesson from said host too.

And now I'm back home, alas, and back to regular programming. I hope you've all been well and protecting your peace. Let me know how you've been doing and what you've been up to when you get the chance. And thank you for being here again with me this week. I so appreciate each and every one of you.

— Paige

Writing prompt: Write about the things that inspire you and why. How often do you turn to those things in your day-to-day life? If you don't turn to them frequently, how can you make space and time for them on a regular basis?

There is but one Paris, and however hard living may be here, and if it became worse and harder even—the French air clears up the brain and does good—a world of good.

-- Vincent Van Gogh

Endnotes

A Light and Lovely Listen

In a moment where news headlines and TikTok trends bombard us at every turn, it's just so nice to listen to something like Rosalia's latest album, "Lux", which is peaceful and gorgeous and operatic from beginning to end. "The more we are in the era of dopamine, the more I want the opposite," the Spanish pop star told The New York Times. And the opposite involves performing 18 tracks in 14 different languages with the London Symphony Orchestra, Icelandic singer-songwriter Bjork, and Portuguese fado singer Carminho, among others. Beginning to end, it's just so damned good and riveting and different from anything else out there right now. 1 million out of 10 would recommend.

Speaking of Wanting the Opposite...

Apparently it is now cool to not have a lot of social media followers. So says The New Yorker, at least, which reports that "a huge audience today could mean little in terms of human enthusiasm—the majority of followers might be bots, hate-followers, and dead profiles, as evidenced by low engagement on the user’s actual posts." The size of one's account is no guarantee of a follower's satisfaction anymore, and yes I'm being tongue-in-cheek. Having a couple hundred followers on your private account is now a flex, and if your account doesn't have a lot of likes, then it's not really a big deal anyway. And if you don't post everything you do, or post really crappy photos now and then, then those are also power moves. I'm never been any sort of social media guru. In recent years, I've shut down some of my accounts, and post sporadically on the ones I still have. Just wondering: what is your relationship to social media like these days? Are you on a variety of platforms? Have you winnowed it down to a handful? Or are you doing something else? Hit reply and let me know.

And Yet There's a TikTok Baroness...

Twenty-nine-year-old Leonie von Ungern-Sternberg has built a sizable TikTok following by talking about the good, bad, and ugly of being part of a 900-year-old German-Baltic family that has carried the baron and baroness titles for centuries. “I always had this awareness that I had a lot of privilege growing up, and I think maybe that’s also something that kind of motivated me to start with my TikToks,” von Ungern-Sternberg told The New York Times. “When you grow up seeing these extreme changes in wealth and hardship within, you know, the same day, you don’t romanticize privilege in the same way that I think a lot of people on social media do. I recognize that it’s a responsibility, so I’m very vocal about it, not because I want to flaunt it, but because I really think that naming it is the first step in using it for something that just goes beyond myself.” For more on the Millennial Baronness, click here.

Where I Hope You'll Donate This Week

Independent bookstores across the country have been having food drives to help those impacted by suspended federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits over the past couple of weeks. If you can, please support your local community food bank right now. Thank you.