PEEPS AT PARIS.

Waikato Times, Volume 109, Issue 18283, 21 March 1931, Page 15 (Supplement)

PEEPS AT PARIS.

(By Melanie, specially written for Waikato Times.) PARIS, Jan. 29. I wonder if any town in the world can offer suoh a continuous variety of entertainment as Paris? Gan any one yawn and be bored with this in front of them: Regular, nightly theatres, 6-*; .music halls 12; circuses, 2; cabarets with full programmes, 12; concerts, about 9; cinemas, 163, and over 40 small art exhibitions that do not include such collections as the Salons 7 This list does not exhaust the good fare, for there are endless leotures day in and day out, many of them free, lots of cafes that give fine concerts till 11 p.m., or short “turns.” The “Belly of Paris.” And so it fell out that wondering what to do with ourselves one fine night, we eschewed all the laughing crowds and decided to pay an early morning visit to “The Belly of Paris, a literal translation of the enormous markets through which all produce must pass before it can be sold in the open markets the same day. Midnight saw us wandering along the banks oi the Seine near Notre Dame, which Is at its best at this witching hour, with a clear moon to throw up the ivy on its buttressed walls. Easy to conjure up the bloody scenes of the great Revolution, and even as late as the ’7O one, for exactly opposite stand the grim walls of the prison that sheltered unhappy Marie Antoinette the last hours while she waited for the fatal tumbril. Chips and Sausages. It was bitterly cold, which may excuse our falling victims to the most appetising odour of “chips" and sausages. Thus too I learnt how the very poor can have a really good meal for about 6d. So behold us In line with a couple of social rejects, plus a few market labourers who will count themselves well paid with 5s a day. In turn we were served with a crisp new roll cut in two, on which reposed a larg sliced sausage and a generous ladle of "spuds,” the whole piping hot, and given a final blessing with salt and pepper. Cost? So little that there still remained enough to go to a near-by cafe and have a steaming cup of coffee and milk. We had already been told not on any aocount to miss the onion soup at “Le Pere Tranquille,” so in spite of diminished hunger we walked on to the old "Square des Martyrs”—lots of people seem to have been martyred one way and another in Paris—and found ourselves in a somewhat garish restaurant, its flourishing condition being due to the tourists who, like ourselves, expect,to And it in its unsanitary and original glory. One thing is certain, it ought to change its name, for never have I heard such a wicked instrument as the huge accordeon, or rather small organ, that made conversation impossible. This was downstairs, the cheaper hall. Upstairs, where prices doubled themselves, the orchestra consisted of a “sweet fiddler" and a pianist, and as only a short staircase divided the two, you can imagine the extraordinary mixture of different tunes. What impressed the scene on us was that eventually the fiddler gave up the struggle,, and came tearing down in furious rage, appealing to the proprietor to stop his rival, as the expensive guests were deprived of dancing accompaniment. As is usual here, all ended happily in a glass of peace. A Good Night’s Entertainment. And now at last our patience was rewarded, for almost every inch of road was stacked with large symmetrical heaps of leeks, parsley, garlic; mountains of cabbages and cauliflowers and so on. The whole must cover pretty well a square mile, and each road or section is sacrati to its specialty—thousands of eggs, pats of butter and cheeses of all degrees of ripeness here; p'oultry and game from north and south there; nauseating carcases a little further on. But what I liked most of all was to watch the enormous waggons beautifully stacked in designs of carrots or 'turnips. It is astonishing what works of art our homely vegetables become in skilful hands! This stuff is then all rearranged in the large sheltered halls and finally distributed in all the quarters of Paris. A good night’s entertainment, an d to be recommended to all New Zealanders. The Latest Fashion. I have just come from a mannequin parade at one of our most exclusive “houses”—a champagne evening affair where we had some Eastern potentate and his fair bride—S. A. Lenief’s of the West End of Paris. Indeed this fortnight is entirely given to feminine frivolities, at which .male buyers from all over tho world attend, and I cannot do better than give you the absolutely latest ideas from Paris. First then, let me remark that there was nothing very startling in the way of change. Day suits arc well below the knees, but not further than half way down the calf and the jackets come Just comfortably over the hips, or a shade nearer the waist, but are no longer a three-quarters. On the other hand evening dresses are longer than ever, and in many cases have slight but wide trains that spread out as the wearer walks slowly across the floor. Even for young girls, they must now reach to the ankles. Backs are as low as possible still, and covered here and there with straps or other bands up or down, left or right, or diagonally; the choice is wide. Diamante and such-like is dead, and as a matter of fact, most gowns are extremely simple, their beauty lying, alas, in cut and line, and therefore almost impossible to the amateur. One more word as to length before I leave it. Pyjamas for beach wear must still be full from the hips, but can now finish at the knees, the coatee being so arranged that the bathing garment is just visible, or you can have them long, or finally you can don a very pretty dress of a similar tone that opens down the front. With all, a hat of large dimensions and of the same material is indispensable. Popular Colours. Popular colours are green again, of every shade, a certain amount of black or navy, but above all browns and beiges as much as heart can desire. A new note has crept in—the finishing oil - —of even a smart dress with a lit lie white collar and matching cuffs (these last niay be up as far as the elbow or anywhere else you like). You can carry on the idea by fixing up a suggestion of a waistcoat, either on dress or costume jacket. The latest mix two or ev&a. more col-

ours. Quite the most beautiful evening gown of the show was in wide panels of georgettes in palest green, blue, yellow and pink. These fell in classic folds from the hip-yoko to the floor, while the bodice was slightly draped with green and yellow on one side and blue and pink on the other, the four falling over the shoulders on to the bare back. Skirts for every occasion and time of the day are comfortable for wear, for though the hips are well outlined, from them come pleats, or in soft materials, gathers. In fact straight simplicity is now the hall-mark of a well-tailored, suit.