On my last day in Paris and she gave me a beautiful rainbow.
PS. I will be keeping the Oui 2 Paris blog for a while as I have much to post of photos and stories and reviews (bagel-tasting around town, trip to Versailles, street art, visits to lesser known museums, etc..)
1 comments |
|
Victor-Marie Hugo was a French poet, playwright, novelist, essayist, visual artist, statesman, human rights activist and exponent of the Romantic movement in France.
In France, Hugo's literary fame comes first from his poetry but also rests upon his novels and his dramatic achievements. Among many volumes of poetry, Les Contemplations and La Légende des siècles stand particularly high in critical esteem, and Hugo is sometimes identified as the greatest French poet. Outside France, his best-known works are the novels Les Misérables and Notre-Dame de Paris (known in English also as The Hunchback of Notre Dame).
Though a committed conservative royalist when he was young, Hugo grew more liberal as the decades passed; he became a passionate supporter of republicanism, and his work touches upon most of the political and social issues and artistic trends of his time. He is buried in the Panthéon.
The City of Paris has preserved his residence at 6 Place des Vosges as a museum.
(c/o Wikipedia)
the inkstands and pens of Lamartine, George Sand, Alexandre Dumas, and of Victor Hugo himself
Place des Vosges
Autumn at Place des Vosges
2
comments |
|
Women are Heroes exhibit in Paris during Nuit Blanche (October 3, 7pm - October 4, 7am)
Having presented his portraits of women in Brazil, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Cambodia, India, Belgium, Britain and other countries, JR is showing the whole of his «Women» exhibition for the first time.
After «Portraits of a Generation», inspired by events in the suburbs of Paris, and «Face 2Face», which was displayed in the Middle East, «Women» is the third phase of the 28 Millimetre project, taking its name from the wide-angle lens that requires the photographer to be only centimetres from the model in order to take the portrait.
WOMEN ARE HEROES
WOMEN grew out of many pictures and few words. JR’s words were necessary, of course, to convince more than 70 women around the world to take part in the project. JR went to meet those living in the shadows, the real pillars of their societies despite daily violence, wars or simply discrimination. His desire to shift certain limits by using unusual places allows him to deal with subjects in the news in an innovative way. From 3 October to 2 November, through this exhibition and a book, people will learn all about this adventure that took JR to ten countries on four continents.
1 comments |
|
Yup, degree attained. Check.
So, what's next?
Well, my dad's health kind of hit me in a way that I wasn't anticipating. I'd spent a large portion of 34 years (probably between ages 12 - 26) disliking my family entirely, then a smaller portion (26-32) spent loving them but not really being so interested in hanging out with them. This past year I sort of started missing them until I realized I was truly very homesick - not for a place but for these people.
Around the same time, my grandmother moved into an assisted living residence and the farm was sold. I lived 6 years in Madison, Wisconsin - the longest I've lived anywhere. Right behind this milestone, is the farm, where I spent several summers and many holidays. Neither of these places hold very much sentimentality for me now. I didn't drive by my old apartment on Gilman Street. I didn't drive out to see the farm land. But I did make a point of seeing the people. And I've missed them. My ex-boyfriend and great friend, Josh, my grandmother, my aunts and uncles (just missing many of my favorites too - yup, talking to you, Kim!), cousins, new 2nd cousins, past co-workers, etc... I guess there isn't a specific location that provides me community, but it's found with each of these folks.
What about Paris? Well, I had a community for two years while attending Sciences Po. Didn't give myself much of a chance to make a huge one outside of the school though.
Now, almost all of those student-friends have flown off to other parts of the world. I do adore and love Paris, and it is a moveable feast as I've felt her when outside the borders. Interestingly though, while I was in the States those past 3 weeks, I didn't miss her quite as badly as I thought would. Although, I complained about the horrible food in the US, the bad TV (why on earth is Mad Men a good show?!), the largeness of the people, and the lack of public garbage cans in neighborhoods (who wants to carry dog poop in a bag for blocks and blocks?). Meanwhile, I hailed the Parisian transportation system, the veggies and fruits that taste like themselves, the warm pain au chocolat in the morning, the warm baguette in the evening, the fresh cheese shops, the fresh seafood shops, the fresh meat shops (even as a vegetarian I have an appreciation), the beauty of the city, the wine, the ... the... the...
Nonetheless, I also noticed that the two cities have commonalities. Both have different types of convenience and friendliness. There's, also, a different sort of beauty in the US: a sweetness in the sunset, unlike Paris' burning fires or quiet disappearing act. Where I've photographed Paris sidewalks marked with shoeprints of dog poo and stained with the star-like splatter from drunk puking, I found strange beauty in the States' soulless, boxy megalomania that serves up vomitus overwhelming and over-colored selections of product.
At one point, just before returning to Paris, my Facebook status was "would like an apartment on the fence - where the grass is green on both sides." I guess, really it is. Every place has positive qualities and horrors. It's just happens that, right now, the US place also has my friends and family.
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
So, for now, I'm checking one-way dates. Looking for jobs. AND! Making a list of things/places/people I should see in/around Paris before leaving. Any suggestions welcome!
-Musee de l'Erotisme
-Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle in Jardins des Plantes
-Parc Belleville
-Rue St Vincent (18eme)
-Parc des Buttes Chaumont
-Jardin du Luxembourg
-Montparnasse: Cimitere de Montparnasse; Le Dôme, Dingo Bar, La Closerie des Lilas, La Rotonde, Le Select, La Coupole; rue de la Gaité; Musée du Montparnasse
-Higuma restaurant
-Jeu de Paume
-Versailles
**Seen this weekend: The Galeries de Paléontologie et d'Anatomie Comparée, Le Marche aux Puces de Saint-Ouen, the Catacombs, Musee Gustave Moreau
2
comments |
|
Came to the US for a few weeks as my father was ill. He's doing much, much better after surgery and recovery. I'll be back in Parisland on Wednesday.
I've missed cobblestone walks, strong and short espresso, pain au chocolat, my view of the 9eme, the incredible skies, hot and fresh bread in the early evening, fresh anything from the grocer's, and taking my time.
1 comments |
|
4
comments |
|
It's hard to come up with a good list of recommendations for friends and family when they're here. I haven't even seen most of Paris and I've lived here for almost 2 years!
But, here's a bit of what I often suggest.
The most obvious, which you can walk in a day really and involves just following the Seine*:
Notre Dame
Louvre
Jardin des Tuileries
Arc de Triomphe
Eiffel Tower
*Be sure to get off the asphalt, away from the cars, and take the stairs down to follow along the Seine.
Or, just stick to the Îles de la Cité and Saint-Louis
Leave the Seine and go up the hill:
Here's a Gmap Pedometer map of a suggested walk through the neighborhood of Pigalle / Montmartre
Pigalle's red light district: if you are there around sunset into early evening you get to see the lights come up in all the sex shops. It makes Paris the "City of Lights" for sure.
I have yet to go to the Musee of Erotica, but hear it is fascinating.
The Moulin Rouge is at Metro Blanche. It is truly unimpressive and not so pretty, but historic nonetheless. I haven't paid for the show yet so I can't comment.
Walk up Rue Lepic to see the Cafe des Deux Moulins (where the character Amelie worked).
Turn right on Rue Abbesses and wander until you hit the fabric district, which also turns into the tourist district because if you look up the hill, on your left there's the Sacre Coeur. Before climbing the hundreds of stairs to the top, fill up on a crepe. I've tried crepes around the city and seriously haven't found a better one than at Le Ronsard - directly in front of the stairs leading up to the Coeur. It's a beautiful church (entry is allowed - even during mass, no fee) and there's an amazing view of Paris. I hear there is a tower with a better view - I've yet to find it.
Leave from behind the Sacre Coeur and wind your way through the charming and impressive neighborhood of Montmartre. See if you can spot Johnny Depp anywhere (my running joke, as I hear he lives in this area).
Stop by the Musee de Montmartre - it houses the history and famous posters of absinthe, but doesn't sell any. A quiet, small courtyard is within the backyard of the museum. Head out of the museum and follow the street as it curves around to Place Dalida. Cut through the passageway, curve around Avenue Junot and keep an eye out for a small set of stone stairs. Follow this passageway past a private bocce courtyard, around an old tree stump, through Hameau des Artistes, which is apparently a hamlet of artists' studios. Head down the stairs and back onto the street. Head to the Cimetière de Montmartre, which houses aforementioned Dalida and a bunch of other great folks. It's super hard to find the entryway, which is tucked away off of Blvd Clichy on Avenue Rachel. While this cemetery doesn't offer Jim Morrison, it does have an abundance of wild cats.
Markets:
Wednesdays and Saturdays the market at Metro Barbes is crazy. It caters to an African clientele, offering melons to peppers to fish to olives (most things go for 1€/kilo). Here's a schedule of all the markets.
Paris as museum:
Really, you don't need to DO anything in Paris but wander and get lost. The city itself is a museum. I really like walking from my apartment up at Pig-Momo all the way south to the river, especially through the Marais area on a Sunday when the rest of Paris is closed.
I always recommend saving Sunday for a falafel on rue Rosiers. I've tried fallafels elsewhere in the world and have yet to find one that beats those in Paris. I'm still debating between whether the best in all the lands is found at Chez Marianne or at L'As du Fallafel (which is promoted by the NYT).
Crossing over the Seine, I love making a stop at Shakespeare and Co bookstore (this is a long film about the dude, George Whitman, who owned and operated it). Saint Germain des Pres has become my second home quartier (neighborhood) after the Pig-Momo hill. My first year of school was at 224 and my second year at 117, basically between the rue du Bac metro and Odeon. And I've walked between both a zillion times, never tiring of it.
At Odeon, turn into the small rue called Cour du Commerce de Saint-Andre. It's a quaint pedestrian-only path. At the end, at 66 Rue Saint-Andres des Arts, I had one of the best French meals at Vins et Terroirs. Finish the loop by continuing on Saint-Andres, which turns into rue de Buci and back out onto Saint Germain. Keep on and you run into the church. Despite the price, it's worth sitting outside (or inside if weather or the crowd pushes you indoors) at the Deux Magots - not only have so many famous people have had coffee there, but it's central to history as so many places are in Paris.
Strolling further on Saint Germain can be painful unless you've got a nice wad of cash to spend in some of the luxury brand stores -- imagine us poor grad students shuffling around this area. I've been wearing some of the same clothes since high school and definitely the same clothes over the past two years as the Armani seasons pass over the windows. Alas, there are some cheaper gems buried within the district, mostly in pub or eatery fashion. I've never had a better chevre chaud salad than those served across the street from Sciences Po at Cafe Basile.
Walk up rue du Bac and you'll be in antique heaven, if you aren't the type to be offended by wares stolen by European patriarchs. Reaching the Seine again, the Musee d'Orsay is just a hop away. I thought I hated impressionism, but having it all in one place and seeing the patterns and colors in this ex-railway station is incredibly cool (photos of the museum in here). And it is here that I first understood why the impressionists chose Paris and France, and saw the beautiful French sky represented accurately.
I've found the Palais Royal an amazing garden (featured in this NYT article on secret gardens), despite much of it locked under construction. Ahhh, but I've heard of way cooler and way prettier gardens. Really, there's so much I've missed while being locked under paper-writing. I haven't been to the Picasso museum or really explored the Jardin du Luxembourg. Thus, I'm spending much of my time right now trying to score a way to be based out of Paris as a consultant. So, instead of visiting Paris, I can live here!!
(Pig-Momo to Palais Royal walk here.)
3
comments |
|
Cumulative grade point average: A-
Graduation is on Thursday. I wonder if they hand out already-framed diplomas. That would be awesome.
Paris is particularly beautiful right now.
3
comments |
|
Sorry to whomever asked for the translation in the previous blog post:
"Pardon?" I asked.
"Pardon (me)?"
"Est-ce que c'est moi qui vous cherchez?"
"Is it me that you're looking for?"
"Pardon?"
"Pardon (me)?" (still not understanding)
"Est-ce que c'est moi qui vous cherchez?"
"Is it me that you're looking for?"
I giggled, "Oh, non, desole, c'est ne pas vous aujourd'hui - autre fois peut-etre."
"Oh, no, sorry, it's not you today - another time maybe."
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
So...
Major project presented. Major meeting now over copyright ownership between the program and us students. (Yes, the film is THAT good!)
One memo left - working on now. Everything turned in on Friday. And I'm done!
I'll leave Sunday to Toulouse for a couple of days with friends from back home in Madison, WI. Then, Barcelona for a couple of days. Then, Geneva for several days. Back for graduation on the 18th. My sister and her fiance come to town that day. We stay in Paris until the 23rd, head to Cinque Terre Italy, then off to some yet TBD destination, and then Amsterdam for several days. Wooo whirlwind!
Paris? Well, she's doing well. A two-day heat wave and now it's back to chilly cold. Strange weather, indeed. Anything outside of that and I'm clueless. Nose in the books right now.
1 comments |
|
Wonderful day!
Thanks, Starman, for the well wishes!
Today was lovely cloudy/sunny/humid/hot day of heaven! I made it on time to the Sciences Po American Center to pick up my student loan check, found out that the woman who helps me with this shares the same birthday! She, being more diligent than I, was working, while I skipped class to run errands and chill out.
Stopped at my favorite boulangerie, got a crudite avec gruyere sandwich, then got lost for an hour and half with my camera in the Tuilleries. Met the landlord/proprietere and got the paperwork I needed for my application for the temporary residence permit. Took a stroll along the Seine, realized I wouldn't make the hair appointment at Cizor's on time, called in late, took a bit of a metro.
I'm kind of a sensitive, sensuous person so haircuts and hair washing are like meditation joy for me. I had THE best head massage ever today from Stephane as he washed my hair, and I got to lie in the chair a bit longer than usual for some coloring, which means I got more chair back massage and got to float longer. Delicious joy. Walked home the long way, and noticed zillions of men smiling at me. Maybe it was the new 'do? Maybe it was because I just felt great in the sun and humidity? Maybe it was because I was doing some reverse-aging?
One the way home, I was taking a photo of a sewing machine through a store window and then kept walking. This older guy stopped me, smiled, and said blah blah blah blah? I took my earbuds out.
"Pardon?" I asked.
"Est-ce que c'est moi qui vous cherchez?"
"Pardon?"
"Est-ce que c'est moi qui vous cherchez?"
I giggled, "Oh, non, desole, c'est ne pas vous aujourd'hui - autre fois peut-etre." We both laughed and he called me trés something nice. I wandered the rest of the way home, without looking at the map, and just sensing directions to go toward.
Then, just as I punched the door code for my building it started raining and pouring. Lucky day. Great day! Merci a my family and friends.
3
comments |
|
Verdict #1
Guess who's moved into the neighborhood? And that could be good or bad for me (verdict is out on this one thus far).
Verdict #2
You no longer have to fear the biker gang, because it's the scooter gang that is out to get you.
Verdict #3
A lot of people look great, but I bet they spent two hours trying to look this way.
Verdict #4
Paris is beautiful in the spring, but it makes me sneeze for all the tree pollen.
Verdict #5
Some people on the metro have super cool shoes, and I bet their feet feel the same way.
Verdict #6
Fire makes paper look cool, but is not nice for an apartment or person
Verdict #7
"Ciflorette is a variety with a fruity taste with a slight flavour of wild strawberry. The children particularly like its perfect sweetened/tangy balance. Its fruit is elongated and of a beautiful orangy red colour." Medium early (Beginning March to mid-May).
It is smaller and way better than the humongous, over-hormoned strawberries that I ate in the USA.
3
comments |
|
