father also studied there. So for me Paris is primarily a reminder of transience, the sense of losing one’s parents, ancestors. I didn’t grow up there, but I have spent a lot of time there. It was in this city that I first heard the Stones live … I think it was 1969. The 1 st arrondissement reminds me of my childhood, particularly Jean Jacques Rousseau Street. It still exists today. It was a small, narrow street, though admittedly it was somehow greyer then than it is today. Paris has not always been painted like it is now. After World War II, the façades weren’t so shiny. And then came the people who cre- ated the Cannes Festival and said – this city is beautiful and should be preserved. And so they obliged property owners to main- tain their façades. What can I say about Paris that hasn’t been said already? This is one of those cit- ies that last forever. Indeed, an eternal city. Over time it has changed its atmosphere, and so my impression of it has changed. It used to be more captivating. There are many reasons, mostly those of a global character, but it is still beautiful. Paris is a serious city. You know that song, “I love Paris..” Here the human hand has made serious architecture, works that are timeless and have their own beauty throughout all the seasons, even in
Francuske braserije i dalje imaju autentični duh Pariza French Brasseries still have the authentic spirit of Paris
winter. Paris is also particularly magical at the beginning of summer, when La Fête de la Musique is held. Music is played throughout the city during that period, with some band on every corner. And that’s the case every year, from chanson to rock ‘n’ roll. Things change and that’s the way it should be. But there are things that are worth preserving. For example, French Brasseries still preserve the authentic spirit of Paris – though even they are slowly turning into a kind of musical restaurants where the food isn’t so bad. A bigger problem is that they
continue the kind of interior design solu- tions that can be seen in any other city. Well, that’s not right. It is here that Paris has started to change and lose its profile, to globalise... Otherwise, in Paris there are still places where the food is excellent. I discovered an Italian restaurant, Cantinella, located in the 15 th arrondissement. A very small place, nes- tled away, far from the crowds, yet still im- possible to find a free table. Famous people go there – Polanski ... Paris has large, unique boulevards, but its beauty and charm reside in its narrow streets. They are everywhere –
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