In Praise of the Flâneur - Pete's Newsletter - Issue #4
Article of the Week
I love nothing more than a long walk around a great city. Being in Paris, I was reminded of an article I read a few years ago, In Praise of the Flâneur.
A flâneur is defined as "a man who saunters around observing society." Sounds about right.
Here are some choice quotes:
"...he removes himself from the world while he stands astride its heart."
“[the flâneur] was a figure of the modern artist-poet, a figure keenly aware of the bustle of modern life, an amateur detective and investigator of the city, but also a sign of the alienation of the city and of capitalism”
Book of the Week
After a stretch of memoirs, I was looking for a fun and interesting novel. I came across Dark Matter by Blake Crouch and have enjoyed digging into the first half of the book this week. It is blend of sci-fi action and thought provoking self-contemplation.
Product of the Week
Detour is a company that makes guided walking tours delivered via their mobile app. This is our fourth visit to Paris so we enjoyed following a couple "Detours" as they call them, to see a new side of the city.
I loved the walking tour of the beautiful Palais-Royal neighborhood. It told the story of Paris' artists and writers during the four year Nazi occupation.
Added bonus: Detours are free all summer long and they have tours in 16 cities worldwide. Check it out.
Band of the Week
Cende is a band from Brooklyn that plays straightforward and melodic indie-rock tunes. Some are short catchy garage stompers while others have wistful edges. They just released a new record entitled #1 Hit Single.
Check out two of my favorite songs of theirs: "What I Want" and "End".
What I Want, a song by Cende on Spotify
End, a song by Cende on Spotify
Destination of the Week
We loved our time in Burgundy. It is France as you would dream it to be. I recommend staying in Dijon, the capital of the region but also a comfortable city of 150,000.
You will find great sights and incredible architecture but Dijon's real draw is it not being a tourist town, but a real city, and so you may live alongside the locals for a few wonderful days.
Read more about Dijon and the nearby medieval town of Beaune here: