Home again...

Home again. So so so so glad to be back. After getting up at 7:44 Paris time ( don't ask me, I set my alarm to random times, otherwise it is too easy for me to calculate how long I have to sleep in and it gets me up.)  Packed, cleaned house, ran some errands, and then viola. It was on the Roissy bus. For those who don't know why it is called the Roissy bus, it is because Aeroport Charles de Gaulle is located in the lovely industrial hamlet, Roissy.  So a quick way to throw off the tourists, and leave space for the residents, is to name it something different. Anyhoo, it is quite enjoyable to go to the airport on. Every time I have been on it it hasn't been too crowed (well except once) but it still got us to where we were going.  So the bus which is about a NYC short block long wove through tiny streets that I would feel uncomfortable driving a  mini down, and plopped right down outside Air France.

Inside the terminal, after I checked in and was strangely not asked if I planned to blow anything up or down, I went through the security checkpoint which airlines in the States need to take a look at Air France's operation. There is no messing around but at the same time it is quite enjoyable. They help you dump out your pockets, offer you a seat to sit in, and booties to wear to walk across the floor through the metal detector. On the other side, they offer you a seat again, and pull your items off for you so you can get your things together, and all this, without a cavity search. Who knew it was possible? After making my way through I settled on the mall er um waiting area outside my gate. I wonder how well these shops are doing, as the only ones I saw people in were Dior, Hermes, and Prada. What you say? You were in the airport? Yes, I was. Duty free, you've got to love it! And, there was a surprising lack of tacky I (heart) Paris paraphernalia. So by now it is about 4:30. All of the above took me only two hours. Why did I need to get there so early again?

Two more hours waiting, and then upon boarding the plane sheer terror of realizing I had booked myself the seat  in the dead middle of the plane, but God smiled down and my two seatmates on either side were no shows! Yes! I didn't sleep a wink so I could crash later at home and get my circadian rhythm to where I wanted it to be.

Out of the plane, filled out 3 forms for immigration, only one of which they actually asked for. The TSA officer from Brooklyn or Queens had no idea how to speak to me, as he was incredibly confused that I was coming for Thanksgiving. I think it is because like Samson, his brain was zapped as he shaved his arms, for that forearm tattoo, bro. Then my ride promptly turned up in the NY night, we got lost for about 2 minutes and then were home toute suite!

Ahh the best place on earth.

words words

So I have been either busy or tired for the past two days. Sorry kids for the lack of posting.


I found this book on the way to work yesterday. How sad is that? Someone's hard work, and its in a ditch. I don't know why , but it does seem quite a loss to me. 

TMI? Laundry day

Lots and lots of it. I think I  might have too much blue. Don't be disgusted, I just wait too long.

French culture

So this was an interesting thing. I noticed this on the way home the other day after passing a newsstand. There is a great love of culture here and I have to say this has to be evidence of that. It is amazing that there are posters advertising new box sets on newsstands (where this was taken) of classic artists. It would be like seeing a poster for Tebaldi, or Listz in the subway, or on a billboard along the highway. Their love of art is amazing here. Everyone goes and looks at it.

Morning has broken

Me bending over a 6" fence trying to get a close up of these mushrooms had the tourists thinking I am out of my mind .

yup, I am here

American Diner

There is an american diner just around the corner from the store, and it is really quite good. On Sundays, I treat myself to a brunch american style bacon, eggs, toast, hashbrown, orange juice, coffee and pancakes. (but here there are for dessert) It is incredible, but it is kind of funny how different it is while at the same time it is in general the same. The coffee, you have to ask for milk, and it is a rarity that they will come around with a pot to refill it, but that does sometimes happen. For the milk you have to ask for it specifically, and they won't just splash some in your mug, they bring it in a little white porcelain carafe. The eggs themselves are so fresh, the yolk isn't yellow, it is almost orange and so good. It tastes so rich.  It is a all a bit more gentle…

I should maybe take that back. Bud at noon, really it was 12:15pm. Just like ahhh er um never.

Aston

In real racing green. Awesome awesome awesome.

Typo

Not a real one. There is this shop that is on the way to work, when I need to stop by the bank to pick up some money. It is just next door to the bank actually. In all of my time in NY, I have yet to see a store that specializes in typography. There is even a press inside to illustrate how dedicated they are to typography, they even could make it if they wanted to. Look at these layouts, they are beautiful. I especially like the right page in the photo below.

Faint wall decor

I passed this on the way to the store last night. You can't really make it out,  but it is an image of a tree which is projected onto the building from a lamp post. They cut out one of the facets and inserted this image. It is such a simple decorative solution. The lamppost is great as well, think of it a la Narnia on the other side of the wardrobe at the end of the woods.

Frommage

I have heard that this cheese shop on the corner of my street and Rue St. Louis-en-Ile has been here for about 60 years. I wish I knew more about cheese, as I don't quite have taste words down, I will hold off on asking for recommendations.

Granny again.

NYTIMES blog :

http://tmagazine.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/11/10/vain-glorious-revlons-fire-ice/?scp=1&sq=fire%20and%20ice&st=cse

Put in a letter !

Yesterday, I got a note from home, and I think it was so nice to get it. It included some great pictures from what some or most would consider the greatest wedding ever known to man.


I was just happy to get the note. It is too bad that I forgot it was in my pocket and waited till yesterday to open it.


Thank you home. I love you lots! 

Ugly its good

New and improved postings with visual aides!

Last night when leaving the restaurant I noticed with my little eye, two things which are really great. One, there was a really nice looking dog under the table at the entrance of the restaurant that was not there when we arrived. It just stood there, completely relaxed, wagging his tail with his head in his mistress' lap. I like that you can do this here, but I am a fan of the dog.

The second thing that I saw here was this enormously ugly but awesome old Ford delivery van. Look at how the headlights end in the rear view mirror arms. Incredible what they used to do with metal. Metal folks, not plastic fiber glass panels, which hold no complex forms, but could if someone would design them. Trucks today are just ugly aggressive looking things with big headlights, bigger grilles, and nubbed wheels.

Just a word

or maybe more than that. I am posting so much as a response to the posts of a fellow Saint friend of mine who is participating in a challenge to post everyday during the month of November. I am really finding it a challenge to find at least slightly interesting things to post about. Also to that end, I left my phone at work which means that I am without a visual aide today. Sorry kids. Definitely tomorrow you'll have some cool picture.

Yesterday waspreparation for a big mucky mucky to visit. It isn't THE mucky mucky, just his right hand man. It should be fun; Mucky and I get along. Let's see if he is happy. I think he will be most concerned with areas outside of the store.

Interestingly enough it rained again all day yesterday, and today isn't looking too promising. I can't wait to make it back to the US. Everyone here is so intrigued with my excitement of Thanksgiving. They really just don't get it though. I do get to see the most wonderful people on earth all in one place and the food isn't so bad. Ahhhhhh yay. Almost there.

Football & Wine

Last night I went to see a football game after work at a little restaurant around the corner. I didn't know it was on, but one of the people that I went with had to watch it hence the reason that we went there, but also because he knows the owner and all of the staff, which makes for a fun time. The two girls who went with us weren't or aren't the biggest football fans ever.  I actually have no idea what is going on in the US with American football. It is crazy that I am so out of the loop. In general I typically have some sort of idea, but now no. I do know that Paris-St.Germain won last night against Marseille 2-1. Lets say the place freaked out. More than in the states. They have a song of course, and they sang it.
Wine with football is kind of amazing, strangely more civilized, and just look so strange to be paired with a match. Ah, well. It flows like water over here.

oh snap

So here, the saying holds up. When it rains, really, it pours. I have yet to see it not do that. Yesterday, I walked to work as per the norm and it just started to sprinkle. It then continued on and on and on and rained all the way through to the morning of today. It is wet, but I am hoping it has stopped and the clouds are going to be flame broiled by the sun and disappear into blue blue sky. The temperature has dropped about 10 degrees, and the forecast calls for more rain, but fingers are crossed regardless.  Maybe that is the snap.

Grey day

Fall has fallen

Though the last couple of days have been full of sunshine, warm days, but leaves have begun to turn. I am waiting for the day, as it is due any day now, and then winter will have fallen upon us.
Last night was not so fun as there were what sounded like two raves going on the opposite bank of the Seine, Rive Gauche. I was up till three until i figured out how to balance a pillow on my head without suffocating myself. Ah sleep, taken for granted until you don't get it when you want it.  Here's to not being overtired.

Fire & Ice

Grannie's still got it. Amazing! Jessica Biel is reprising her role. My Aunt in VA sent me a snapshot she took at CVS of a display and today I was looking at WWD and a little pop-up went of on the side menu sending me to the Revlon home page. I noticed it because it had this image:

Yippie! My grandmother was incredible and so dynamic. I love love love that she is getting so much press right now. I wonder what clicked with the world.

I surmise they reworked the color as I found it with my bestie in NY last year and the color, when worn, looks almost orange. I bet they did.

Chocolade & Other Olde Things

Welcome to Brugges, the land that time forgot. It used to be one of the most important shipping cities in Europe but with the advent of modernity, viola, it was forgotten. Rick Steve said it best that the city is "nicely pickled" and "ripe for tourists". It is truly a fantastic place. There is so much confusion in the architecture, gothic, medieval, and flemish. The poor little place doesn't know where it is. Belgium doesn't know which way it is going, with its Roman (yup its true) French, German and Flemish influences. It is officially a kingdom but was last ruled by a king in 1951 when king Leopold II abdicated. Back to Brugge, it is considered the Venice of the north, with its canals and picturesque scenery, architecture, and bell tower (see above). There is also a Michelangelo sculpture at the Church of Our Lady, yes another Notre Dame, which was given to the church in 1514 by Flemish merchants. It is one of a few outside of Rome. Um, I was too interested in the architecture and gravestones embedded in the floor, that I forgot to take a picture of it. Oh Michelangelo, I didn't mean to forget you.

 I want to live there, where the little red windows are. Too bad its not somewhere else.

 This is the interior of Our Lady. Michelangelo is to the right.

 Look at the joinery of this. Incredible, its lasted hundreds of years.

 The simplicity of this door handle is amazing. A bent rod with a couple small details to make it a serpent.

 Our Lady, under renovation seen from the brewery. Its the brick tower where the Mic-y lives.

 

Um, the chocolade vending machine was incredible. We waited briefly for the train, used all of our euro coins and had one.  Amazing, perhaps it was the cold, but it was a highlight of our trip. 

A funny story about our trip. We went to a store to find perfume, and the woman, which looked crazy with one off's of nearly everything that would be in an old lady's closet, but for sale, and tried ordering something to no avail. It was definitely a strange experience. I should've taken a picture.