© Boom Boom Villette
The sun couldn't have picked a better weekend to make its grand return! Let's take advantage of the beautiful blue sky to stroll around Paris and enjoy some top-notch events. Note these highlights in your agenda: the opening of the Eminente rooftop, our favorite romantic comedies at the Cinémathèque, cool workshops and events at Boom Boom Villette, the celebration of the Bread Festival on the square of Notre-Dame, and a beekeeping workshop that Winnie the Pooh would have loved.
Indulge in a Romantic Comedy Marathon
Romantic comedy enthusiasts featuring Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant (that's us, after all) are in for a treat. The Cinémathèque française is screening 20 romantic comedies for a chance to rediscover the genre's essentials. On the lineup: the iconic lift scene from Dirty Dancing, the irresistible duo of Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts in Notting Hill, Bridget Jones's romantic misadventures, a dash of Christmas magic with Love Actually and The Holiday, the strong-willed Melanie Griffith in Working Girl, the crazy love between Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence in Silver Linings Playbook, and Ryan Gosling's seduction lessons in Crazy, Stupid, Love. Ready for the marathon?
Bonus Tip: Stick around at the Cinémathèque to explore the fantastic world of James Cameron. The "Art of James Cameron" exhibition unveils over 300 archives straight from the Canadian director's "vault", showcased for the first time in Paris. A true dive into his subconscious and filmography!
Romantic Comedy Marathon from May 8th to 24th at the Cinémathèque française, 51 rue de Bercy, Paris 12th. Starting from €3.50. Information and reservations online.
© Warner Bros. France / D.R.
Channel Your Inner Winnie the Pooh
What if you became an expert in beekeeping? For a workshop, Diane, a passionate beekeeper who has notably written the recipe book "Cooking with Honey" takes you on a comprehensive journey into the complex world of bees.
These 3 hours will begin with a thorough presentation: where does honey come from? How is it extracted from the hives? The bees' friend will answer all your questions! After a theoretical session, it's time for hands-on experience: don a beekeeper suit and, armed with a smoker, visit the foragers to discover their ecosystem and try to spot the queen. To top it off (and because you've earned it), Diane will offer you a tasting of her honey productions.
Bonus Tip: The most serious apprentice beekeepers will be allowed to take home their jar of honey. Winnie the Pooh would be jealous...
Have a Blast at Boom Boom Villette
Starting Thursday, head to our new favorite food court, Boom Boom Villette, for a weekend of fun. Kick off the festivities with a fantastic Drag Queen Karaoke hosted by Catherine Pine o Noir, belting out hit songs. Enjoy a live cover session on Friday evening, while the Brigands BFF collective keeps you dancing on Saturday night with a themed art and music party. On Saturday and Sunday, kids are welcome with specially designed activities, including crafting a gift for Mother's Day. Two birds, one stone!
Bonus Tip: Don't forget, we're here for the crème de la crème of Parisian street food. So, sample Korean, Indian, Lebanese, Vietnamese, or Mexican specialties offered at dozens of enticing corners. There's something for every palate!
Boom Boom Villette, 30 avenue Corentin Cariou, Paris 19th. Monday to Friday from 9 am to 1 am, and weekends from 8 am to 1 am.
© Boom Boom Villette.
Indulge in a Baguette Extravaganza
This weekend, immerse yourself in a vast ephemeral bakery, also known as the Bread Festival, which fills the square of Notre-Dame de Paris with delicate scents of baguettes and pastries. The program includes captivating competitions such as the Regional Traditional French Baguette Contest and the Grand Prize for the Baguette of Paris, a mass dedicated to bakers (Sunday 11 am), award ceremonies, tastings, and demonstrations to learn the art of making baguettes and pastries... and to pick up some techniques from the bakers. Philatelists will be pleased: alongside, beautiful stamps featuring the French baguette will be available from May 16th at La Poste (€1.96 each).
Bonus Tip: After carefully observing the competitions, head to the stands to enjoy a top-notch sandwich, pastries like you've never tasted, and, of course, buy your baguette, which, we remind you, has been listed as UNESCO's intangible cultural heritage since late November 2022.
27th edition of the Bread Festival. Saturday, May 13th to Sunday, May 21st, 2023, on the square of Notre-Dame-de-Paris.
© Bread Information Space, Ilan Waiche.
Celebrate China at the Guimet Museum
It's the grand opening weekend of a year dedicated to China at the Guimet Museum ! On Saturday afternoon, enjoy a classical Chinese dance performance, inspired by the ancient heritage of China, taking you on an imaginary journey we're eager to discover. Also, listen to traditional music composed over 700 years ago, played by violins, zithers, mouth organs, and dizi flutes, by the Soie et Bambou ensemble from the Haute école de musique de Genève.
Learn to paint with Chinese ink with Wong Wa, drawing inspiration from great masters of Chinese painting like the artist T'ang Haywen, not forgetting an initiation to the art of tea in a space transformed into a contemporary cave alongside a green tea Master specially flown in from Asia. To end these two days beautifully, marvel on Sunday at 5 pm at the acrobats of the Rêve de Chine circus, with balancing acts, spinning plates, juggling, martial arts, and dance. A true journey to the end of the world just a Navigo swipe away !
The extra touch : Saturday's late-night opening until 8 pm, to enjoy the museum for longer.
Guimet Museum, 6 Place d'Iéna, Paris 16th. Information, prices, and reservations on guimet.fr.
Gossip at the Cali Sisters' cocktail bar
The week has been exhausting, full of twists and turns, and it's time to spill it all to your bestie? Then we order you to debrief at Cali Sisters' speakeasy-style cocktail bar, a cozy cocoon where wicker chairs and terracotta fabrics serve as a backdrop to the ballet of cocktails that land on candlelit tables.
Among the refined potions to sip: the Savages (gin, yellow lemon juice, Darjeeling tea, aloe vera syrup - €14) or the Red Magic (vodka infused with purple carrot peels, yellow lemon juice, dry vermouth, Jerusalem artichoke syrup, €14). To accompany your drink, we urge you to order the truffle dices, fried tapioca dices with melting parmesan and truffle, a DI-VI-NI-TY (€9). We also recommend the white bean hummus and focaccia (€12) and the spicy tuna tartare (toasted brioche, tuna tartare, spicy salsa and spring onions, €14).
Bonus: sweet tooths won't leave until they've devoured the Pizzookie, a freshly baked cookie with smoked vanilla ice cream: completely insane (€11). While it's not officially listed on the "finger food" menu, we're giving you the cheat code. Do It at your service!
Cali Sisters, 17 rue Notre Dame des Victoires, Paris 2nd. Online reservation.
Discovering the Fascinating Life of Frida Kahlo at La Scala
Helena Noguerra has a passion: reading. She reads every day from her childhood, starting with Oui-Oui up to Kundera today. Until June 23, Belgian actress will be reading Frida Kahlo's correspondences at La Scala, taking spectators on an emotional and captivating journey through the extraordinary life of the Mexican artist. Accompanied by the guitar of Laurent Guillet, we (re)discover various facets of the icon's life: the trauma of her accident at 18 which haunted her all her life, her passionate and toxic marriage to artist Diego Rivera, and her activism against Franco's dictatorship in Spain. A must-see!
Extra Tip: We don't go to the theater on an empty stomach! Before the play, which starts at 9 p.m., head to the counter of Brasserie Dubillot, just a stone's throw from La Scala. We highly recommend ordering the now-cult sausage and mashed potatoes (€14) and a delicious Paris-Brest (€8) for dessert. Yum!
Frida Kahlo, until June 23 at La Scala, 13 boulevard de Strasbourg, Paris 10th.
© Thomas O'Brien
Explore the world of animals
It's THE new activity to do with your kids in Paris. Le Monde de Noé opens the doors to its immersive space this Saturday, where you can explore, learn, and cuddle with adorable animals while raising awareness about their well-being. The experience? Head to the Prairie, where you must shower the rodents of Le Monde de Noé with affection. Next, visit the Jungle, an area recreating tropical landscapes where colorful birds mingle with aquatic creatures. The journey concludes at the Labo to unravel the mysteries of biodiversity by studying small vertebrates and skeletons, playing the role of budding scientists! Ready for the adventure?
The extra touch: animal welfare is the top priority at Le Monde de Noé. Whether abandoned, laboratory guinea pigs, or survivors from shelters, all animals at the center are cared for by veterinarians and animal behaviorists.
Le Monde de Noé, 55 Avenue Bugeaud, Paris 16th. Starting from €29.90. Information and online reservations.
Catch the brand-new Do It In Paris City Guide
You've probably seen it on our Instagram page: our stunning city guide has just hit the shelves! The Do It Team has curated a best-of featuring its 450 favorite addresses in and around Paris, categorized by neighborhood, from delicious restaurants and coffee shops to trendy concept stores, not to mention our favorite museums and secret gardens of the capital. All wrapped in a beautiful red cover, complete with 100% Parisian stickers and coloring pages at the end. In other words, the perfect Christmas gift for less than €20.
The ultimate excuse to browse the sexiest bookstores in the capital. You can ask for the Do It In Paris City Guide at L'Ecume des Pages (174 Boulevard Saint-Germain, Paris 6th), Galignani (224 Rue de Rivoli, Paris 1st), in Le Marais on the 1st floor of Comme un Roman (39 Rue de Bretagne, Paris 3rd), or at the chic Delamain bookstore (155 Rue Saint-Honoré, Paris 1st) and Librairie des Abbesses (30 Rue Yvonne le Tac, Paris 18th), as well as at all FNAC stores closest to you. We hope you'll love it as much as we do!
© Julia Brami
Also, discover 3 beautiful castles within 1 hour from Paris and everything you need to do in May.
