Weekend Conversation Starters

 [Messy Nessy Chic]    Huddle ‘round the fire, friend… I heard on the radio that Europe is headed for an “arctic winter” and I thought we ought to prepare ourselves… Hitch a ride to the [North Pole in a hot air balloon]( Take a winter’s weekend stroll with [the real ice queens who conquered the cold in corsets](. Have a cocktail with the [skating waiters of 1930s St. Moritz]( Hibernate with [my list of movies that make you nostalgic for summers in Europe]( or my top [10 Time Travelling Paris Movies to Cozy Up With](. Stay warm (and curious) with this weekend’s conversation starters. [Nessy]   [When Parisian Brasseries Became Daylight Brothels](  [Leonora-Carrington-Max-Ernst-Marcel-Duchamp-and-other-Surrealists-New-York-1942-1]( That inimitable bedrock of Parisian social fabric, the traditional French brasserie has been synonymous with French lifestyle since the second half of the 19th century, but during a little-known a moment in history, one could indulge in a whole lot more than a good ol’ steak-frites. For once upon a time in France’s Second Empire, the male waiter contingent had been ousted in favour of les verseuses (female pourers)…  [Continue Reading](   [Why Did this Celebrated Surrealist Talent Get Cancelled?](  [Leonora-Carrington-Max-Ernst-Marcel-Duchamp-and-other-Surrealists-New-York-1942-1]( In 1943, the New York art world was abuzz about a new exhibit at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA). The esteemed institution was hosting a show featuring one Morris Hirshfield, an immigrant who had found success as a tailor and then shoe designer before becoming a self-taught artist. His work was praised by the…  [Continue Reading](   [An Ode to Floating Lighthouses](  [North_carr_light_ship_1988-1]( Sure, we’ve all admired picturesque lighthouses on rocky shores, or with waves crashing over them at the edge of a harbor, but…what about floating lighthouses? Like something out of a Wes Anderson movie, these fascinating vessels did exactly what their name suggests: they were lighthouses, guiding ships around obstacles and into safety. They were also…  [Continue Reading](   [A Messy Nessy Curated Gift Guide](  [IMG_5748]( “Remember, the big stores don’t do ‘a little Jig’ when they make a sale. Make someone ‘jig’ this year.” I’ve always put a lot of thought into finding unique gifts at the holidays and if you’re a long-time reader, chances are we probably share similar tastes. So without further ado, let’s go gift-shopping… For the…  [Continue Reading](   [13 Things I Found on the Internet Today (Vol. DCXXVI)](  [263604392_292676182873831_2779042443606313438_n (1)]( 1. Shell Glasses By Centa  [Continue Reading](  Interested in Becoming a MessyNessy Keyholder? [Apply now to unlock the Vault!](    [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Instagram]( [LinkedIn]( [Blog]( [To read more from MessyNessyChic visit the Blog]( and make sure you keep getting these email by adding contact@messynessychic.com to your address book or whitelist us. Our postal address: In a Café, Paris 75001 Want out of the loop? [Unsubscribe](.