Friday Night Lights

Heavy Rotation

Favorite tracks:
-Rebel in You
-When I Needed You
-Return of Inspiration

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Favorite Tracks:
-Modern Guilt
-Profanity Prayers

J'adore L'amour

When it comes to public displays of affection, no town can match Mexico City, which boasts more snuggling, nuzzling, and smooching per square foot than any other place I've been. That said, Paris in autumn lives up to its own romantic reputation. And Nick happens to be a great decoy for snapping pics of canoodlers in action.

On the banks of the Seine...














Quai D'Orsay...

...Pont St. Michel








Place des Vosges...








Montmartre...Parc des Buttes Chaumont...











Parc des Buttes Chaumont (with "les joggers" in background)...


Rue St. Honore...

Parc des Buttes Chaumont

Nik and I spent the afternoon at Buttes Chaumont, a beautiful park just north of Belleville in the 19th arr. The park is situated on a former gypsum quarry and, owing to the topography, offers some striking views. I visited this park frequently when I lived here in the summer of 2000. While I wouldn't say it's completely off the radar for tourists (heck, I stopped by), it does seem to be used more by the locals.

Here are some more pics...


At the top of the rocky peak is the Belvedere of Sybil, a Corinthian style monument, modeled after the ancient Roman Temple of Sybil in Tivoli, Italy.

More Belvedere...

Taken from the Belvedere of Sybil...

Sacre Coeur in the distance...


N.B. chaser...

Bruno Infiltrates Stella McCartney

Nicole sent me this pic from the Stella McCartney show this morning at Carreaut du Temple (3ieme arr.). Who's the fellow in the blonde shag wig?

Liberte, Egalite, NECESSITE!

There's no way of putting this delicately, so why try? Babies can really screw with one of the great Paris enjoyments-- the two and half hour cafe sitdown. It seems Nik and I are only in sync about 15% of the time.

This, for instance, was a lucky break...

Usually, when I want to have a long lunch and enjoy the street scene, Nik wants to move. Or be held. Or be held standing up, etc. Trying to do this at a narrow cafe seat is a right pain in the arse, thankyouverymuch.

Luckily, here in France, they have this thing called a "supermarche." Vegetables, dairy products, meats, wine and more- all under one roof. Unbelievable! I've taken to stocking up about every two days with a bottle of Bordeaux, some saucisson sec, a mini wheel of camembert, a peach, a baguette and some cookies. Stick it all in the backpack and when the urge strikes, find a bench or some steps and spread it all out. Comme ca...

Eat, drink, sit, stand, rock, carry, kneel, genuflect, and throw elbows, all while taking in the pageantry of the Parisian street. Works for moi!

Oh, and baby bottles make good portable wine glasses.

Art Appreciation

Il fait mauvais today. Cold and overcast, with intermittent rain. In other words, a perfect day to hit the museum. A fifteen minute walk got us from our hotel near Place Vendome to the Musee D'orsay. Once again, the Spitfire proved its mettle. With the hood down and rain screen fastened, the dear boy was impervious to the elements.

After a quick coffee for pops, we headed up to le cinquieme etage to see if the impressionists could make an impression.

Curiously, Nick wasn't too impressed with this early Cezanne. In spite of the subject matter...


And he was just lukewarm on Van Gogh's famous self portrait...

Ahh, but Gaugin's Tahitian women he found pleasing...

Really pleasing...

And Emile Bernard's "Bathers with a Red Cow". Out of this world!