The Paris

We are back in the comfort of h0me after a packed Christmas of seeing family and friends in the Lone Star state. Snow was pouring from the sky when we left but Texas was a toasty 70 degrees for most of the trip.

The other night we took in one of my favorite places in the city outside the parks. Tucked behind the Plaza hotel entrance on 58th and a giant glowing Apple rising from the cement (Apple's flagship store on 5th ave) is the Paris Theatre, home to some of the oddest movies available in the city.

It has just the single screen with a small mezzanine of aging blue chairs overlooking the main floor. All candies and other goodies are in the lobby downstairs of the main entrance. The views are spectacular and there is just something in the air that kind of sparkles as you come in. A hint of something old that I imagine large theaters as having always been missing.

Where I typically take in movies at the AMC gigantoplex on 68th and Broadway (step on it sucka! (see if you catch that reference)) which is a palace to movies the Paris is a different kind of special. I can plop my shoes up onto the mezzanine's railing and people watch through the previews as the rest of the patrons file into the main floor. I can see great odd movies like Lars and the Real Girl and a month later see the worst movie ever made entitled Youth Without Youth.

That day's picture was The Reader and it resulted in another successful trip to the cinema. It was another reminder that I should check what is playing at the Paris more often.