The Frenchies are at it again, adding their touch to the world of electronica. It’s called Tecktonik, a new style of dancing sparked by the electro sounds that permeated in late 2005. I’d describe it as a mishmash of Dance Dance Revolution, hip hop and breakdancing moves.

Confused? Just watch this dude, who goes under the name of Spoke, lick those tunes.

Here’s another great one:

Pretty cool, huh? You’ve heard it here first folks… well at least in English.

Links
Tecktonik Nights: Tecktonik, www.tck01.fr
Tecktonik Forum: Forum Tektonic, tecktonik.forumactif.com
Tecktonik Team: SMDB, www.smdb.skyblog.com

Listening to a Wally Lopez podcast from last year, I got hooked on a soothing dance remix of Snow Patrol’s Open Your Eyes by Andy “Redanka” Holt.

The video of the original track features an excerpt from a cult short film called C’était un rendez-vous, the story of a guy who takes punctuality seriously dashing through Paris to meet a girl (would’ve been funny if she arrived late). Amid the flaky weather in Montreal, it makes me want to go back there.

Note: a song with a similar mood is the smashing remix of The Killers’ Mr. Brightside by Stuart Price (aka Jacques Lu Cont).

On the eve of its 10-year anniversary, the popular lesbian hangout Le Pulp is closing. The building it’s in was recently sold to property developers who are unfortunately converting it into luxury flats.

The small consolation news? The wild, delirious nights do not end tonight as it was previously thought. According to the schedule, Le Pulp will sneak in another two months of cutting edge electro music. That’s just enough time for me to go back to Paris and party with the girls on a Wednesday or Thursday, when guys can go in and, I hope, Ivan Smagghe and DJ Chloé are working their beat thumpin’ magic.

In another odd case of closure, Old Street’s 3-floor boozer 333 had to shut its doors last month after it was slapped with an ASBO (Anti-Social Behaviour Order). Fortunately, it has re-opened since.

P.S. We did think of making an ASBO T-shirt but the hip folks at A-non were miles ahead of us.

Colette isn’t the only thing that’s hip and stylish in Paris. The city’s leading patisseries (cake/pastry shops) have eschewed the traditional rustic display opting instead for a modern, minimalist look. Here are some of the sleeker ones:

Pierre Hermé
Fans of his flagship store in Tokyo might be in for a disappointment. The shop on rue Bonaparte has just enough space to queue and order. But the cakes are just exquisite and heavenly.

Fauchon
This venerable institution was the former employer of Pierre Hermé.

Gérard Mulot
His stores in the 6e and 14e (shown below) are a contrast between old and new.

Jean-Paul Hévin
He’s one of the world’s best chocolatiers and has an in impressive shop to showcase his addictive creation.

Sadaharu Aoki
His cakes are more exotic, a fusion of French and Japanese flavours, like his green tea éclair and red bean macaron.

Addresses
Gérard Mulot: 76 rue de Seine, 6e, M Odéon, website
Fauchon: 24 pl. de la Madeleine, 8e, M Madeleine, website
Jean-Paul Hévin: 6e, M Vavin, website
Pierre Hermé: 72, rue Bonaparte, 6e, M Saint-Sulpice, website
Sadaharu Aoki: 56 blvd de Port-Royal, RER Port-Royal, website

Images courtesy of: Fauchon, Flickr, Pierre Hermé, Parisist, Parisinfo.com, and me.

Tsk, tsk, I didn’t blog yesterday. The plan was to follow up on last week’s comments about T-shirt design contests but I worked instead on new t-shirt illustrations on the Eurostar .

Was great to spend a few days in Paris. It’s one of the few cities in the world, where walking from one end of the city to another is a real treat. I suppose that’s a reason why a lot of Parisians are not overweight.

Although the retail scene in Paris has less buzz and fewer store openings than in London, New York, and Tokyo, it makes it up with its abundance of independent stores, especially in Le Marais, the 6e arrondissement, the 18th and increasingly the 3rd. Here are some of my favourite ones in Paris.

Colette
It’s the quintessential concept store located in the heart of Paris on rue Saint-Honoré. If you’re not familiar with it, here’s a great video tour of this temple of design.

Le Bon Marché
Ok, it’s a department store, but like Colette and unlike other mass retailers, it infuses design carrying mainly stylish products. I used to go there 2-3 times a week, mainly to do my groceries, when I lived in the 6e. No, the cheese was not sleek looking.

OFR
It’s a small bookstore specialised in design tucked in the corner of streetwear shop Kiliwatch (didn’t realise K is Japanese). Also has a branch in London in Brick Lane.

Le Marais
This is the best area to shop in Paris on a Sunday (stores close on Monday instead). Too many independent stores to mention, but the good ones are on rue Vieille-du-Temple and rue des Francs-Bourgeois.

Note: French retailer BHV recently opened a standalone Men store. Wasn’t able to check it out as it was closed when I walked by… Spree in Montmartre is another interesting concept store in Paris. Didn’t know it also has a shop in the 6th.

Images courtesy of Flickr and Wonderwall.

Addresses
BHV Homme: 36 rue de la Verrerie, M Hotel de Ville, website
Le Bon Marché: 24 rue de Sèvres, website
Colette: 213 rue Saint-Honore, 1er, M Tuileries, website
OFR: 64 rue Tiquetonne, 2e, M Etienne Marcel, website
Spree: 16 rue la vieuville, M Abbesses, website