Why L.A.? Pourquoi Paris?

A pairing of two culturally diverse cites

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Dec 06 2017

Fathom’s Best Holiday Gifts Under $50: Why LA? Pourquoi Paris?

Why LA? Pourquoi Paris? has been included in Fathom’s Best Holiday Gifts Under $50! NYC-based travel and lifestyle blog Fathom highlights 25 items under $50 for their readers each year. Recommendations range from books to travel-friendly cosmetics and must-haves for the travel-obsessed.

“We focus on places we like, writers we trust, and stories that move us. We seek authentic, charming, and memorable experiences wherever we go. We travel spontaneously and deliberately. We combine business with pleasure and familiarity with curiosity. We love new discoveries and old classics.”

-Pavia and Jeralyn, Fathom

 

 

Written by Diane Ratican · Categorized: Press

Dec 06 2017

Family Fun Canada Why LA? Pourquoi Paris? Giveaway!

Popular online publication Family Fun Canada provides family-focused travel features, destination pieces, lifestyle articles, as well as news and information about upcoming events and great attractions in Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Saskatoon and Halifax.

Family Fun Canada is the go-to resource for Canadian parents looking for great things to do with their children in their hometown or on their travel adventures abroad. We are honored to be featured as their “Perfect Gift for Travel Junkies”!

With editions both in French and English, we know our Canadian readers will love discovering the beauty of the City of Lights and the City of Stars. Give as a gift to your favorite travel-lover, or enter their giveaway here!

 

 

Written by Diane Ratican · Categorized: Press

Dec 02 2017

Daniel Ford of Writer’s Bone: Interview with Diane Ratican on Why LA? Pourquoi Paris?

Author Diane Ratican sat down with Writer’s Bone founder, Daniel Ford, to discuss the differences between Los Angeles and Paris, how Why LA? Pourquoi Paris? came to be, and where to get a good coffee in either city. Writer’s Bone is a podcast that serves as a platform to inspire up-and-coming artists, writers, and musicians. It was founded by Daniel Ford and Sean Tuohy and began as “two guys talking about writing, screenwriting, books, movies, comedy, and comic books,” and later grew to become much more.

“Guess what we found? Storytellers like ourselves eager to form a tribe of people who love to share words with the world. What started as a way to alleviate boredom became a platform and tool for writers to use. It’s a thrill ride every day deciding what’s featured on the website and what guests to book on the podcast.”

–Sean Tuohy, Founder

 

Written by Diane Ratican · Categorized: Press

Dec 01 2017

Flaunt Magazine Features Why LA? Pourquoi Paris?

“An unlikely yet undeniable connection which has been previously linked in Flaunt’s Oh La La Land issue, Ratican’s complementary tale of these two angelic and luminary cities, is smartly divided into seven sections of equivalent cultural totems. Lu and Giriat fairly split in tandem the section’s pages between the cities’ blonde objects of infatuation: Marilyn Monroe to Brigitte Bardot, portrayals of urban playgrounds: Santa Monica Pier to Place de la Concorde, and high points: Hollywood Sign to Sacré-Coeur. GPS coordinates have been conveniently added to guide Francophiles and Angelenophiles alike through parallel urbane galaxies; similar in their differences. “

–Flaunt Magazine

Written by Diane Ratican · Categorized: Press

Nov 13 2017

The Atlas Heart’s Review of Why LA? Pourquoi Paris?

Thank you, Mimi, for this wonderful review! We are thrilled that you enjoyed Why LA? Pourquoi Paris?  Visit The Atlas Heart to enter her giveaway and a chance to win a copy of the book!

“It has been so long since I’ve hosted a giveaway on this blog, but when I got an email in my inbox about an artsy new coffee table book about LA and Paris, I knew I wanted to learn more about it.

The book that landed in my inbox was called Why LA? Pourquoi Paris? by Diane Ratican, illustrated by Eric Giriat and Nick Lu. It’s a colorful book full of captivating artwork and words that paint an expansive overview of both cities.

I’ve heard Paris compared to New York a lot, but rarely have I heard Paris compared to LA. The comparison peaked my interest because, from a distance, it doesn’t seem like the two cities have much in common.

LA is beachy, laid back, with nice weather, and full of people who love to be active and outside all the time. There are almost 4 million people who live in LA alone.

Paris, on the other hand, is cosmopolitan, landlocked, with rainy weather, and full of people who prefer to sit in cafes drinking wine than hiking in the wilderness. It’s roughly about half the size of LA in terms of population.

But on closer look, and as you dive into this book, you can see why these two large metropolises are actually very similar in some way. In both cities, there is a love for fashion and cinema, a lot of famous people, really good wine, the trendiest cocktail bars, and all you could want in terms of art and culture.

Ratican does a good job of comparing and contrasting the two cities throughout the book, pointing out the similarities and the very stark differences in the individual cultures.

I personally love how she focuses on the small differences too, such as tattoo, shoe, and design preferences. And how they can shape a culture and create an identity behind a city, just as much as the more obvious cultural quirks.

Having been a longterm resident in both cities, Ratican’s perspectives were interesting to read through. You can tell how much she truly loves and appreciates each city for what it is.

Another reason I liked this book is because it’s quite relatable for me right now. I’m thinking of moving to Europe next year, and it was fascinating reading through the comparisons that the author, who is a fellow native Californian, made between Los Angeles and one of the most major European cities.

Whenever I’m thinking of moving or visiting a new city or culture, I generally try to read travel literature about the place before I go. This book was a refreshing change to the standard travel books that I tend to pick up. It’s bright, colorful, and fun, but still full of practical information.

I also liked the fact that the whole book is in both English and French. Since I’ve been learning French again, it was kind of a perfect book to challenge myself to read in French, with the English translation right there if I got stuck on any words or sentences.

If you’re looking for a whimsical book that dives into the cultural differences of two adored but often misunderstood cities, this book could not be a better one to pick up.”

See the review and enter the giveaway.

Written by Diane Ratican · Categorized: All Posts, Press

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