Context Paris Tour Guides

Yumna Masarwa received her Ph.D. in Art & Archaeology from Princeton University in 2006. She is currently teaching at Parsons-Paris and at the Council of International Educational Exchange (CIEE), Paris. Her courses include “Introduction to Art History,” "the Architecture of Paris from Roman Times until Nowadays," “Islamic Art and Architecture,” “Muslim Presence in Europe,” “Introduction to World Religions," and “The Children of Abraham.” Her research focuses on Byzantine and Islamic Art and Architecture, and deals with interdisciplinary studies of history, archaeology, architecture, religion and art.

Heather Stimmler-Hall first came to Paris as a university student in 1995, and has been living and working in France as a journalist and travel writer ever since. She is the author of the "Paris & Ile-de-France Adventure Guide" and has had her articles published in magazines and newspapers on both sides of the Atlantic and China. She is always on the lookout for the city's hidden corners and insider information to put in her monthly Secrets of Paris Newsletter.

Michael Herrman is a French-American architect who established a Paris-based architecture practice in 2005 after working in the studios of Arata Isozaki in Tokyo and Jean Nouvel in Paris (where he worked extensively on the Musée du Quai Branly). Herrman is the recipient of the Rome Prize in Architecture, a Fulbright Fellowship, a Graham Foundation Grant and other awards through which he produced projects and publications in cities in Asia, Europe, and America. He is the author three books, including “Hypercontextuality: the Architecture of Displacement and Placelessness” (CNR, 2009) and “City Walks Architecture: Paris” (Chronicle Books, 2010). After earning a Bachelor of Architecture degree from Cornell University and a Masters of Architecture degree from Princeton University, he received a PhD in Architecture awarded jointly from the Universities of Paris La Villette, Rome La Sapienza, and Seville. Concurrent with his architecture practice, Michael teaches for the Columbia University School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation’s New York / Paris Program.

After having worked as a teacher in Switzerland for several years, Martin moved to Paris to study Art History at the Sorbonne. With a specialty in 19th century Art, he has worked as a curator assistant for
a number of major exhibitions, including the Louvre's show on Delacroix. Since 2006 Martin is responsible for the exhibitions in the Louvre and is working on several projects for the French and Italian Masters as well as contemporary art.

A native Parisian, Philippe has worked as a curator in many of Paris' top museums, including the Louvre, the Petit Palais, the National Gallery "Jeu de Paume", and in the French Academy at the Villa Medici in Rome. Fluent in Italian, Philippe spent many years dividing his time between Rome and Paris, developing a love for both cities. He is thus well positioned to discuss the history of Paris and French art within the context of the Italian Renaissance. Philippe has a Masters degree in art history and museum studies from the Ecole du Louvre and now works as a collection manager in the Louvre's decorative arts section.

Robin Emlein is currently pursuing her Masters degree in museum studies at the Ecole du Louvre, writing her thesis on the sculptures in the gardens of Versailles and their restoration throughout the 20th century. She also holds undergraduate degrees in French and art history from the Ecole du Louvre and Wellesley College.

The daughter of a sculptor, Marie has been surrounded by art ever since she was born. A native Parisienne, she holds an undergraduate degree in history and art history, with a specialty in iconography and French paintings from the 16C to the 18C. She is now working on a Master's degree in Museology at the Ecole du Louvre, writing her thesis on the renovation of the Petit Palais Museum in Paris. Since she loves literature, ballets, theatre plays, operas, jazz clubs and classical concerts - she has been playing the piano for thirteen years - Paris and it's artistic life is a perfect fit.

For Canadian born Elaine Polley, Paris was a case of love at first sight. She is currently working on her Ph.D. in Medieval Studies at Zurich University, where she is writing her dissertation on Arthurian literature. She also holds two Master's degrees (in French Literature and Medieval Studies), and spent years as a graduate student at the Sorbonne. As a result, Paris and its Middle Ages runs through Elaine's blood. When she's not holed up in a research library, one can find her exploring the Cluny, St. Germain des Pres, or any variety of other Medieval site in the city.

Carolin C. Young, a lifelong foodie and Francophile, has been researching the history of artful dining since 1997. She holds a Royal Society of Arts Diploma from Christie's Education, London and is the author of Apples of Gold in Settings of Silver; Stories of Dinner as a Work of Art (2002, Simon & Schuster). A Trustee of the Oxford Symposium on Food & Cookery, Young lectures widely and has created several historically inspired banquets and events, most notably for the Sotheby's Institute of Art in New York. A native New Yorker transplanted to Paris, she is currently writing an irreverent history of the fork and building a 10-ft. boiled egg inspired by Salvador Dali.

Anna Russakoff received her PhD in 2006 from the Institute of Fine Arts, New York University. A specialist in medieval art, she has published and presented numerous conference papers on illuminated manuscripts. She is preparing a book proposal based on her dissertation about representations of miraculous images of the Virgin Mary. She currently teaches at the American University of Paris. She is also an France Director of the International Medieval Society in Paris.

Sarah McDonald, an American from New York combines her passions in life: Art + Food. Her experience of 15 years researching Chinese Contemporary Art at the Galerie Orem in the Marais section of Paris led her to a nine month sprint at "Le Cordon Bleu" studying cuisine which enabled her to create her own' Label' with Incubator5066. You can visit her at www.incubator5066.com.

A native of Canada, Lily studied art in Italy and then in Paris as part of her Fine Arts Degree. Her love of art and culture brought her back to Europe after graduation, and she has made the City of Light her home for the last ten years. Her varied professional experience includes working in museums and art galleries in Canada and France as well as teaching at the University of Paris and the French National Film School. Lily also manages to find the time to do some writing and translation work and mixed-media art projects.

Damien Delille works at the National Institute of Art History (I.N.H.A., Paris) as an Assistant researcher on the "History of fashion and costume". He is currently leading a Ph.D dissertation on the late XIXth century in Art History and the crisis of masculinity. Interested in identity, gender and political issues, he is active in the French contemporary art and fashion worlds writing critics for magazines. He earned a Master in Fine Art and Art History in Aix-en-Provence (South of France) and San Francisco and he has worked on several exhibitions (cultural program of Fondation de France). He tries to deal with different ways of transmitting art with a critical sense.

Rosa's love affair with French food began at age four, when her family spent a year in Paris. In 1995 she moved to Paris from Canada and spent nine months as an interpreter at Le Cordon Bleu cooking school. She now makes her living writing about restaurants for magazines and guidebooks, designing custom food itineraries for visitors to Paris, and teaching cooking in Nice. Rosa has published two cookbooks in French, Petites recettes pour grandir and La cuisine des paresseuses (both with Marabout). She also has a food blog, www.rosajackson.blogspot.com.

Charlotte Lacaze fell in love with Paris when she was a high school student, and made it her home in 1978 after having earned a Ph.D. at the Institute of Fine Arts of New York University. She has taught art history in New York City, Florence and for many years in Paris where she has just become professor emerita of The American University in Paris. A medievalist by training, she has also taught ancient art, introduced a course on the urban history of Paris and led many study trips for students and adults in France and elsewhere in Europe. Her enthusiasm for Paris and its treasures has never flagged.

The daughter of two expatriate Americans, Rebecca Cavanaugh was born and raised in London. She fell in love with Paris as a teenager, later cultivating her passion for French culture through a study abroad program as an undergraduate art student at Skidmore College. Rebecca fulfilled her dream of moving back to the City of Light in 2007, where she has been conducting research for her Master's thesis in inter-war French decorative arts and design. A freelance writer, budding design educator, and amateur jazz singer, Rebecca received her Master's degree from New York's Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum, in partnership with Parsons the New School for Design, in spring 2008.

Native Parisian Philippe Engammare's love affair with food and cooking began when he was six years old. By the time he was eight, he was preparing entire meals for an eight-person family. Today he runs a catering and teaching organization called "Paris Chef" and leads market walks and other culinary programs for Context. As a rule, Philippe does all of his food shopping exclusively on bicycle at his neighborhood stores and markets.
Visit his website at www.parischef.fr

Camille Labro is a Franco-American who has spent her life between France and the United States. She was born in Berkeley, California, where she became a member of the Chez Panisse family. She was raised in Provence, then spent ten years in New York (working as a correspondent for French Vogue) before returning to Paris. In addition to her career in the French media (magazines as well as TV and radio), she has contributed to the Slow Food Guidebook and the Insight Guide's Food Guide to Paris, and has worked as a food editor for the Paris Times, Biba, and the Lifestyle supplements of La Tribune. She's also the author of the guidebook New York Confidential (Assouline, 1999) and is currently working on a culinary documentary for TV, and a cookbook, about her mum's Provencal cuisine. A gourmet and home cook as well, she's dedicated to making the best and purest food with local, seasonal produce.

A native Parisian, Laure-Caroline Semmer, completed her PhD at the Sorbonne, with a focus on Paul Cezanne, and other impressionists, on which subjects she has published three books; Lire la peinture de Cezanne (Larousse 2006) and Les oeuvres de l'Impressionnisme (Larousse 2007), l'Art Abstrait (Larousse, 2010), in addition to contributing to various French publications on art history. She currently teaches art history at the Sorbonne University, the University of Connecticut study abroad program and also fine arts at the Ecole de Communication Visuelle. Laure-Caroline is extremely passionate about art and art history, and tries to convey this passion in the people she teaches.

Susan Taylor Leduc received her PhD in art history from the University of Pennsylvania in 1990. After working for the Center for Advanced Studies in the Visual Arts at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. she moved to Paris and has worked as a professor, freelance curator and tour guide. As an independent scholar she has studied the gardens of Versailles in the eighteenth century and the interconnections between gardens and gastronomy. Susan was also European curator for the Benjamin Franklin Tercentenary (2006-2007) and the NOMA commemoration of the Louisiana Purchase for the exhibition Jefferson's America and Napoleon's France in 2004.

Jennifer Huxta is a photographer and field poet. Originally from Pennsylvania, Jennifer has lived in Paris for 5 years, teaching photography with Oxbridge Academic Programs, organizing several Maine Photographic Workshops overseas programs, and working as a translator for journalists on reportage in France. She currently divides her time between Paris and Philadelphia.

A French-American Parisienne, Aimee Froom received her Ph.D. from the Institute of Fine Arts, New York University. A curator and an art historian, she is a specialist of Islamic art whose interests range from French Impressionism to the history of St Germain des Pres. Before moving to Paris, Aimee was for years curator at the Brooklyn Museum of Art, a fellow at the Metropolitan Museum and a visiting professor at Brown University and the Bard Graduate Center for the Decorative Arts. In Paris, she is sourcing objects in French national collections for an exhibition on gift-giving to take place at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art in 2010 and has lectured at the Ecole Normale Superieure, Paris. She takes the Eurostar several times a semester to lecture in London for the Victoria and Albert Museum. Her book on the Persian ceramics collection at the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco will be published in fall 2008.

Marie has always been passionate about food and wine. After obtaining a Master's in Wine she worked for a while in the wine industry in France and in the US. Upon returning to France she decided to pursue her love of food by studying under various high-level and even Michelin-starred Parisian chefs. In 2008, she created Kitchen Barn (www.kitchenbarn.com), a chef-at-home and catering company. Open-minded, she loves to mix various food influences. She is always looking for new tastes and new flavors to create perfect pairings. Farmers' markets, restaurants and walks are some of the good ways for her to find inspiration. And a simple stroll in Paris might turn into a real trip; a voyage of the senses.

Bernard Zirnheld moved to Paris from the United States to write his doctoral dissertation on the architecture and planning of the Rue Reaumur. The project explores the aftermath of Haussmannization during the Belle Epoque, a period in which Parisians devised new design strategies to approximate the picturesque neighborhoods they had lost to urban renewal. Bernie is a Ph.D. candidate in art history at Yale University with undergraduate studies in French literature and architectural design. A committed generalist, he is as eager to talk painting as he is to explore the city's monuments. His strong preparation in French visual and architectural production encompasses the entire sweep of modern history; from the introduction of Renaissance ideals under Francois Premier to twentieth-century avant-gardes. Sharing the sights of Paris with visitors both keeps him on his intellectual toes and reinvigorates his enthusiasm for a city that continues to fascinate him.

Marie Theres Berger is a painter who has made Paris her home since more then two decades. She works in her studio in Montmartre and shows her paintings in galleries in Europe and the United States. She studied history at the University of Cologne, Germany and painting at the Academy of the Fine Arts in Philadelphia Pa. before she came to Paris to study art history at the Ecole de Louvre. Her knowledge of art history is enhanced by her practical painting experience. Beyond a purely academic approach this enables her to convey the emotional dimension of the artwork and to focus attention on the act of creation. She loves to share her passion for art and painting and is fascinated by the 19th century artistic heritage of Paris, it's art movements and urbanism.

A native Parisian, Juliette Gitel-Lassabliere started her career at Unifrance Films International before entering into Fashion field which she has always been passionate about. After university degrees in Economics and Sociology and a Marketing-Sales MBA, she has since 2003 worked for worldwide trend agencies; Promostyl, Peclers and NellyRodi. Specialising in trend research, she has developed marketing programs and creative workshops for many Fashion and Beauty brands including luxury ones. Her special interest is upcoming trends, talents and products. She also loves shopping especially in her city, Paris.

Barbra discovered her love of food when what was supposed to be a year off before graduate school turned into a decade of dessert making, first in Colorado and then New York City, where she worked at the restaurants Washington Park, Prune, and Cookshop, among others. Many trips and countless meals later, she's now a freelance writer living in Paris. She is a regular contributor to Girls' Guide to Paris, publishes her own blog (www.barbraaustin.com), and is the assistant editor for www.parisbymouth.com

Meg Zimbeck came to Paris for a job in public health but developed an "un"healthy addiction to the city's food and wine. That obsession has been channeled through her fingertips and into more than 500 articles about eating and drinking in Paris. Now a full-time food and travel writer, Meg's words can be found in publications like the Wall Street Journal, Budget Travel and GEO as well as uppity urban guides like BlackBook and Gridskipper. Paris has been her home for more than five years.

Sophie came to Paris looking for an adventure. Originally intending to stay for six months, she is still here over two years later. She did her BA in English Literature and History at Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland and recently completed an MA in Paris Studies at the University of London in Paris. She specialized in the history and culture of 19th and 20th century Paris and wrote her MA thesis on the relationship between Paris and Algeria, focussing on the cultural representation of 17th October 1961. She is passionate about literature, cinema and art, but is always hoping to improve her knowledge of less familiar subjects. Paris inspires endless curiosity and inspiration in Sophie, and it is a pleasure for her to be able to share these sentiments with others.

Gabrielle MonDesire first lived in France on a semester abroad in the Southeastern city of Grenoble. She earned her B.A. in French and Francophone Literature from Swarthmore College. In 2006, she decided to pursue a lifelong dream - she moved to Paris to study French cuisine. In 2007, she enrolled in the Ecole Superieur de Cuisine Francaise's passion sucre-sale course, earning a certificate in French pastry in 2008. Gabrielle has interned at some of Paris' finest restaurants, including Le Plaza Athenee, Le Meurice, Jean-Georges Vongerichten's Market, and the Musee du Quai Branly's Les Ombres.

Born on Ile de la Cite 33 years ago, Cedrik really discovered Paris as a Sorbonne student, tracking the favorite spots of American writers, from Hemingway's Ritz to Faulkner's Luxembourg. With a Master's degree in American Literature and a two-year seminar in Theology & Philosophy from Institut Catholique de Paris, Cedrik has traveled around the world from India to South Africa, from Northern Canada to China's great wall or to Indonesia's coral reefs. A journalist and documentary filmmaker and has also worked closely with his family's cultural association leading cultural walks on Parisian history and society. Specialized in Bohemian artistic Paris, American poets, dancers and jazz, Cedrik loves sharing the unique aspects of the City of Light.

Born and raised abroad, mostly in Asia, Lorraine discovered Paris intimately while studying art history at Ecole du Louvre, a school which holds most of its classes directly in museums and monuments. After several years spent in NYC, getting her Master's degree in Modern Art at Columbia University and working at the Guggenheim Museum, she returned to her adopted city in 2008 to start a PhD. Currently specializing in the history of photography and visual culture, active member of the Laboratoire d'histoire visuelle contemporaine, Lorraine also works as a freelance art critic, teaches art history, and nurtures a few artistic projects of her own.

Catherine Haas worked five years as a curator at the Pavillon de l’Arsenal, the city architecture center of Paris. After more than 30 exhibitions and publications on city planning and contemporary architecture, she has acquired an intimate knowledge of the architectural history of the city from its medieval core to 19th century passages to contemporary projects. She holds a MA in Cultural Heritage Studies from the University College London, as well as an engineering degree in architecture from the RWTH in Aachen, Germany. Born in Berlin, raised in Belgium, and schooled in Germany and England, Catherine has worked in France, Ireland, and more recently the United States where she worked for the SFMOMA and led a seminar on exhibition design at the California College of Arts.

Pianist/Composer/Educator Jason Domnarski has been an active member of the New York City music scene for several years, performing in many of the citys top clubs, including the Blue Note, Jazz Standard and Joe's Pub. When not performing with his own group, JDT, or with other projects, Jason maintains a busy teaching schedule, organizing lectures on jazz history and running the Park Slope Rock School, which he founded in 2008 in Brooklyn, NY. A graduate of Skidmore College, Jason studied and performed in Paris during a semester abroad in 2002 and now divides his time between Paris and New York City.

Alexander got a First in Modern History at Oxford and retains an abiding passion for the subject. He has lived and worked – mainly in publishing – in France for over twenty years, first in Paris and now in Normandy, where he is carrying out an eco-friendly restoration on his old fisherman’s cottage in Port-en-Bessin. This small fishing port, noted for its scallops, is situated on the coast just 10 km north of the medieval splendours of Bayeux, and is tucked into the cliffs which separate the sites of the American and British D-Day landing beaches. His knowledge of the Normandy landings is enhanced by the fact that his father was a member of the British commando unit which liberated his adopted town in June ’44, and indeed Alexander has recently published a book on the very subject. His love for the region also led him to study to qualify as an official Regional Guide, and sharing his enthusiasm for Normandy and its long history has become something of a vocation.

Maggie Fleming received her Diplôme de Sommellerie from Le Cordon Bleu Paris in May 2010, and holds the advanced level certification with distinction from the Wine & Spirit Education Trust in London. While a student at Le Cordon Bleu, she completed a sommelier internship at the historic Paris restaurant La Tour d'Argent. Prior to studying wine Maggie worked at Artists Rights Society in New York City. She has a BA in Classics from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and studied Art History and Archaeology at the Institute of Fine Arts at New York University. Maggie also spent a college semester studying in Athens and participated in the American Academy in Rome's Summer Program in Archaeology in 2005.

Since 2009, Katherine has been lucky enough to call Paris home. A PhD candidate at the University of Virginia, she first arrived in the city to conduct dissertation research on an exchange with the École normale supérieure. With the support of the Kress Foundation, she plans to complete her study of late medieval and early Renaissance Parisian art over the next two years. Interested in the art of various periods and regions – from early German printmaking and Flemish tapestries to South Asian art and the School of Paris – she is excited to be able to share her passion as a docent for Context Travel.

Gabriel Wick is a landscape architect and has a small consultancy specialized in the restoration and interpretation of historic gardens and landscapes. He is doing his doctorate through the University of London – Queen Mary on progressivism and the designed landscape in pre-Revolutionary France. He grew up in both England and the US, and studied architectural and urban history at NYU’s Gallatin School. He did a masters in landscape architecture at UC Berkeley, and a second masters on the conservation of historic gardens at the architecture school of Versailles (ÉNSA-V). He has been in Paris for just a little under five years and is only ever leaving feet-first.

William studied history and art history at Bristol University and did his MA at the Sainsbury Centre for the Visual arts at the University of East Anglia Norwich, specialising in Westminster Abbey. He taught history to university entrance for ten years before marrying and settling in France where he set up his own tour guide business based in Caen Normandy. In 1991 he became a nationally accredited Guide-conférencier des Monuments Historiques et des Sites, and a Guide-Interprète régional. Since 1994 he has written nine guide books for Pitkin Guides and the French publisher Pro Libris, all on the theme of D-Day and the battle of Normandy: these are sold in English and in French throughout the region and in every museum related to 1944. He has given lectures on Silver Seas cruises and the Silver Cloud II. Off season he teaches English to engineers and lawyers at the University of Caen - and writes. Since 2002 he has been the President of the Franco-British Association in Caen, the city where he intends to age gracefully.

Catherine Kluger is the founder of Tartes Kluger, a renowned savory and sweet tart bakery in Paris. After giving up her career as a lawyer, Catherine turned to her love of gastronomy. In addition to writing several cookbooks, Catherine is also often featured on French TV and media for her inventive cuisine.

Vincent Martin has a background in both food and wine. Starting his career as a chef, Vincent decided to pursue his love of wine becoming a professional sommelier. He has worked as the sommelier at some o of Paris's best restaurants and has his own wine celler tucked under a hidden medieval garden in the 5th arrondissement of Paris.

No biography information for Rebecca Magniant.

Currently a history graduate student at the University of California Irvine, Kate moved to Paris last year for a Fulbright Fellowship. She fell in love with the city and refused to leave. She and is currently finishing up her PhD thesis entitled The Sexual Revolution of 1789: Married Nuns in the French Revolution.” She teaches courses on religious history, the history of Paris, Women in European history, and Ancien Regime Europe. In between trips to the library Kate can be found enjoying the gastronomic pleasures of France.

Anaïs Grateau has pursued all her studies at the Ecole du Louvre, where she majored in Modern and Contemporary art and graduated with honors. She has worked in many cultural institutions, in Paris (Centre Georges Pompidou, Maison Européenne de la Photographie) and in Montreal (Musée du Château Ramezay). In 2010, she worked for the Saint-Etienne International Design Biennial. As the assistant to the general curator, she followed up the artistic content of each exhibition and coordinated the catalogue of the whole event. She is now considering a thesis at the Sorbonne and working with young artists. Living in Paris for 10 years, she knows everything about the city, its museums and monuments but also its special lifestyle.

No biography information for Charlotte Delano.

Iveta Slavkova was born in Sofia, Bulgaria, to the family of French culture lovers and always dreamt of living in Paris where she came to study Art History in 1999. In 2006, she defended a PhD at the Sorbonne treating of the European avant-garde around World War I. Since then, she has been teaching in French and English at the Sorbonne, Sciences Po, the University of Nanterre, the National Institute of Patrimony and the international program of Trinity College (Hartford). She has published many articles and is preparing a book, an adapted version of her PhD to be published in 2012. A passionate museum goer and city stroller, she likes sharing the more or less known charms and secrets of Parisian museums and places (Montmartre, Montparnasse, Pere Lachaise) where she has guided many students and visitors alike.

Yasmin has always had a fascination for food, wine and French culture. After studying French literature at Reed College Oregon, she came to France to study oenology at the University of Dijon (Burgundy). Passionate about the process of making wine she did an internship and work experience at the Chateau Juge (Bordeaux region / Cadillac) and followed wine tasting courses with Steven Spurrier. Yasmin equally works as a musician, songwriter and performer in the music scene of Paris. She believes that wine and music actually have a lot in common!

Nicole Griggs is currently a Ph.D student studying Gothic Architecture at Columbia University with a focus on early gothic structures and applications of new media and technologies. Her interest are in tectonic expression and spatial formation as well as social and cultural history. She received her Master's Degree and MPhil from Columbia University and her Bachelor's degree from Barnard College. Before joining the PhD program at Columbia she worked in media production in both creative and management positions. She also held a curatorial assistant position at the New Orleans Museum of Art for the Raised to the Trade: Creole Building Arts of New Orleans exhibit.

Grant Rosenberg has worked as a journalist and videographer for Time magazine's Paris bureau as well as other media, often writing about French cinema. He was also a reviewer of French films for Screen International. Originally from Chicago, Grant has a bachelor's degree in film from the University of Iowa and has been living in Paris since 2001.