last night I met the Moon at Le Carmen

How often do you find yourself at a book club soiree at a bar, which happens to be not only be a UNESCO heritage sight but also the previous residence of none other than George Bizet ( the guy who wrote Carmen, you know, the opera). I'm guessing not very often.

However that is exactly where I found myself last night was the launch of The Tale of Three Cities.
The idea was to come along to Le Carmen with a book you've enjoyed and loved, no 'Eat, Pray Love', and exchange it with someone else for a book they have enjoyed and loved.

I personally think this is a fantastic idea, because not only does it make it easier to approach people but it changes the normal chit chat to be had between two strangers.
The ambience was great and everywhere there were peopple with books even the guy at the door. Yes i know what you might be thinking 'nerdy soiree', it was everything but. Some of my friends, well myself included, had this weird impression that if we didn't show up with a book we would not be allowed in, so some showed up with books not for exchange, but rather to have something to discuss.
So much to be learnt and even more to be read. My one friend brought along his favourite book of a french fashion photographer, Sarah Moon, and before last night I had no idea who she was, and all I can ask myself is HOW?

source

Getting back to Le Carmen, this bar is incredible. From outside there's no name and if you didn't know it was there, you would just walk straight past it. Once inside however it's a completely different story.
Decorated by Antoine Platteau, 'un dcorateur de cinema', the entrance makes for a dramatic scene witha huge cage and a chair inside to your right.

Turning to your left one looks straight at the bar, which obviously like most has lots of bottles of alcohol behind it, but a snake in a jar, now that's something you don't see everyday.

 From this point on there is a room behind curtains to your left, dum dum dum all dramatic, and to your right a lounge with a huge grand piano, which is not just an ornamental piano, but one for playing.

There is a lot more to this bar than what I have explained, but what would be the fun in it for me to tell you about it, when what you really need to do is to go there and experience it first hand.

So I leave you with that thought and the music of the song writer who played there last night, Tom Rosenthal.
Superfresh by Tom Rosenthal

x M