Martha Stewart goes to Paris
 

The preview of her shows next week, all taken in Paris, looks wonderful. She lived in Paris when she was a model and takes you around her old haunts. Even if you don't love Martha, we'll always have Paris :)

Thanks Cigal.....I have only ever seen M.S. on her gardening programme which we get on satellite.
I will definitely look out for the Paris show!

Thanks for the heads up Cigalechanta. I must admit I'm a huge Martha fan and Martha in Paris couldn't be better! I loved her Torino shows!

what channel is she on (ie ABC, NBC, etc) and what time usually?

I have nothing against Martha Stuart, but I am sure that I would never stay in any of the hotels where she stays or eat in any of the restaurants where she eats. Maybe we sometimes go to the same cafés.

I am very interested to see Paris again even if it's via Martha Stewart's shows, but it matters none to me that she is the host.

Thanks for posting Mimi. I'll have to sweet talk my mom into taping the shows for me.

I thought watching Russell Crowe on her show today was treat enough, and then I saw the preview where she is going to be in Paris next week! :) I'm a happy girl.

Johanna

Yes, I admit I would be interested to see where MS is hanging out in Paris, but as K. points out, the Meurice and Plaza Athenee are not places where I'd be able to stay, that's for sure (but I WOULD and DO go to Plaza Athenee for afternoon tea-that's a treat, with its fab people watching, and luxurious decor).

One show that I have been missing is the "Bachelor in Rome" -I wonder what's happening there-I hardly ever watch TV, so I never know when these shows are on.

OK, I know I'll get bashed for this, but I've probably had too much coffee this morning...

Martha -- the quintessential American domestic goddess -- "doing" Paris is slightly humorous. Kinda like when Madonna puts on that British accent. I can only begin to imagine how MS is perceived by Parisians, whose sense of style is generally so much less contrived than hers. Not to say she doesn't have every right to do whatever she wants; I just can't help wondering if Martha would sell in Paris. ;-)

parisian style is "less contrived" than Martha Stewart? Are you serious? guess you missed that Marie Antoinette movie, huh. A lot of Parisian style is very contrived, and a lot of time and effort is spent on minor things, and contriving them.

But Cristina, I'd hardly use Sofia Coppola's Marie Antoinette as an example of contrived Parisian style-goodness! That was an edgy kind of post-mod artistic rendering of a particular epoch, and historic figure.

I would agree that true Parisian style is in fact far less contrived than MS.

Well, I'm trying to conceive of uncontrived style. And nothing comes to mind. But some contrivances beat other contrivances. God forbid we return to nature! With apologies to the Rousseau enthusiasts.

Considering the definition of "contrived" is to plan, devise, or invent, I'd have to say anything that has to do with "style" must be somewhat "contrived" unless we are, as Dave says, we returning to nature.

Martha: I suspect she'll either do her shopping by prior arrangement with merchants or at least show up when the stores are actually open unlike Ms. Winfrey.

Uncontrived style=Audrey Hepburn.

Uncontrived style=John Updike.

Uncontrived style=a garden of tomatoes that's just beautiful because it is, because the gardener who plants it has a sensitivity that comes from within himself -- not because it's meticulously strategized.

OK, so I'm a reverse snob. Shoot me.
;-)

OK, D & D, if you're going to get all Merriam-Websters on me, I'll choose a vaguer adjective: how about "phony"?
;-)

(I knew I shouldn't have posted here. One of these days, I'll learn to keep my fingers off the keyboard...)
:-S

What Dave in Paris said :)

Yes, "phony" is a better word. I love Audrey Hepburn. ("Ariane" recently played in Paris. Wonderful scenes.) And she had a great heart! But we create ourselves, to a large extent. A few do it very, very well. She was trained as a ballerina. In a 1959 interview, she said: "You can even say that I hated myself at certain periods. I was too fat, or maybe too tall, or maybe just plain too ugly ... you can say my definiteness stems from underlying feelings of insecurity and inferiority. I couldn't conquer these feelings by acting indecisive. I found the only way to get the better of them was by adopting a forceful, concentrated drive."

"Love in the Afternoon" is my favorite A.H. film. Lots of scenes of Paris.

I'm hoping Martha will visit lots of food purveyors in Paris. On her old show (pre-jail), she used to visit food purveyors and chefs in cities that she was in. Also bakeries.

I've never seen Martha talk about a hotel, and I've been a fan for years. She may very well have, but it's not a common topic of hers, I think. I've seen her do shows from lots of places, also books, and magazine articles, and no hotels, other than as reception sites for weddings, come to mind.

I'm not sure that I think Martha's style is any more or less contrived than any other style. I like the way her gardens, homes, and kitchens look. Understated elegance combined with comfort, convenience, beauty and homeyness. If that's contrived, I wish I had a knack for contriving it!

Martha certainly seems to have great respect for French chefs and bakers. She has featured many of them on tv, and talks about techniques she's learned from them.

I've also noticed that when she does feature a chef from a very highly rated and expensive restaurant, it's to show something that can reasonably be made by the semi-accomplished home cook.

And Martha knows madelaines! Just try her recipe; they are really good.