The 19th of February was the official new beginning of the Chinese calendar. It’s goat year now! Whoop whoop! But wait, what does that actually mean?   Well there is a lot of amazing history and tradition behind each Chinese zodiac… but, to most Parisians, it means… just another occasion to celebrate and have a good time!

And that’s a great way to start the holiday! This week-end in Paris will be fully scheduled with dragon parades, Asian spectacles and Chinese fireworks! Today the first parade took place right near my home! It was really spectacular!

So if you haven’t actually stuck to your resolutions that you planned to keep last month… this is your second chance to start fresh! This year, the Chinese predict a future full of “promise and prosperity”.

The next parades will be this Sunday, February 22nd! Make your way to Belleville around 11 :00 am and then rendez-vous in the Chinese quarters around 13 :00 o’clock!

See you there!

The other day I was looking forward to seeing a very famous art exhibition which the whole of Paris seemed to be buzzing about… but… as I arrived at the entrance and saw the two hour waiting line, my hopes of ever setting foot into the Grand Palais were completely crushed into a thousand little pieces…

But I guess things happen for a reason right? Speaking of shattered pieces – I decided to settle for another expo: Haïtian Art  - all made from bits and pieces collected after the big earthquake.

No, it’s absolutely not like you’re walking into a rusty dumpster. It’s really really beautiful! There is a lot of play with light and an abundance of glitter. What really makes it worth the visit? - The background music. It feels like your stepping into an ominous world. It’s like you can feel the soul in the works created.

I must admit that I used to think of Haïtian art as historically primitive and traditional. It’s actually all the contrary! Here, the concept is to mix old with new – making the whole display very contemporary.

So if you’re up for getting the chills à Grand Palais (galeries nationales) until the 15th of February!