Morning fog

Notre Dame & Tour Eiffel

It's been a busy month. sorry guys, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Digital mapping and Our Lady of course....

So, there is this brilliant thing that the brainerds have figured out somewhere probably at CalTech or MIT that they can architecturally digitally map a structure, and as the know its facade depths can then project onto the surface and make it appear as flat. They can then make it look as if it moves, or is in the sunlight, on fire and so forth. They did this for the festival de Notre Dame on Notre Dame, which was something the Catholic church did to recruit new members. There was a live show and things like that preceding the below presentation. I recorded a small bit of it and put it on youtube so you can see what I mean. Unfortunately this was shot on my phone so it is a bit shaky and not too bright. I suggest you look at this full screen, on a bright screen, in a dark room.

The above photo is taken the night before when they illuminated the building and were testing to make sure that everything being projected onto the facade was matching up with the actual structure of what is on the facade. All the saint's robes were colored, and faces were drawn, and every detail was recreated. It was really quite amazing to see the entire building animated, as if it really moved. Video capture really doesn't do it justice. They are doing this more and more, so I think it will some come to a place near you.

April Fools!

Ha ha. You thought I was going to post something for the entire month. Right!


Actually it was absurdly busy at work, though that isn't an excuse, just a statement of fact. El Jeffe came to visit and brought along some of his carriages so we had to spic and span the place, and turn it into a palais faux royale. To those concerned, please see below the shots from April. It is kind of insane, but kind of good that I get to bombard you with an entire month's novelty (well, at least to me) all at once.

 Spring has sprung and so have the tulips. The french are ruthless though. Once they get to that sprawled open stage, as opposed to letting them just fall, off with their heads. I guess Marie Antoinette was just a symbol of what the gardening establishment was up to. Cut off the youth before it grows ugly.

 This brilliant parking job made me just laugh. This intersection is for cars going in 2 directions. You turn to the right or if you are coming from behind the truck you turn left. Only thing concerning is that there is only about a foot between the end of the truck and the sidewalk poles.

 I think I may have posted this but I love how France is the kind of Lorax for the trees. How great.

 More spring flowers, but dark. I love it. Gothic spring.

 Mirror, mirror; how awesome is this mirror? It echoes the awning beneath it to the right. So graphic and dadaist in a way.

 This day was amazing. It got to about 85 and almost sunburn-y. Here at the canal there were ducklings everywhere and they were so so excruciatingly cute. The canal is Paris' equivalent of McCarren Park in Williamsburg, and all are equally clothed in american apparel style or drippy hipstery.

 Yeah its so spring...we just rake our petals like garbage or unwanted leaves.

 This pile probably weighs about 5 pounds. Its like seeing feathers in comparison with lead; its so voluminous and the smell is incredible, not that lead smells much, unless its molten. It tastes good...err.

 Why fix it, just prop it up? Hammer some 2x4s together and keep him standing. (wall is masculine)

 Gothic garden again, which is situated behind Notre Dame surrounding the fountain.

 I love the new bi-colored leaves. The pale side is almost silver.

 The moon, the moon, the pascal moon. Easter is the next Sunday. This one happened on Good Friday.; which is kind of nice when it works out that way. 

 Did I mention its enormity?

 Yes huge. For those of you have ever tried to take a picture of the moon you realize this is huge for it to show up this size, plus it wasn't even the once in every 19 years super moon.

 C'est pas du bois, c'est faux bois.

 What a pastoral sunset looking from the pont du Carrousel. That's Musee d'Orsay to the left.

 These colorful demons were at the flower market. I didn't know they had birds too. Its too bad the colors are so washed out, but these birds were so brilliant, I almost would like one....

...stuffed.

A short history of the past week or so....

 This blimp was so low. If it had been like this in NY, it would've crashed into a building. Its a good thing Paris has one skyscraper.

 This is the little garden behind Notre Dame which surrounds a statue of Notre Dame. They planted these pansies in November, and they bloomed all winter.

 This is a bed that took over a month to repair. They completely removed it and the fence behind it (which is new) and then replaced all of it. (They added some drainage etc...) plus some rock piles.

 This is a knife from a restaurant that made so so steak au poivre, but I thought that it was made in France and was such a Johnny Appleseed logo.

 Rollerblade Parade II

 Rollerblade parade II. They had one about 6 months ago too.

 These trees only have branches on one side and are absolutely amazing.

 Beehive a la française on the promenade towards Jardin des plantes.

 Look at this root structure. These plants actually change their root systems when they are close to water to absorb it directly like drinking straws.

 The canopy inside the Jardin des plantes.

 Paris je t'aimes, anyone? This is actually a teahouse (not a mosque), behind a Mosque. and it is beautiful.

 This is just weird. Huey, Dewy and Louie. I wonder if Rhianna knows?

 Did he eat my baby?

 Canard a la fontaine.

 Notre Dame digitally lit in preparation for what is going to happen tonight! I can't wait. 23h.

Another digital lighting scheme with all of the figures painted. Is is gorgeous.

So this was a basic recap of things that stuck out to me, for their funniness or perhaps beauty. Spring has sprung in Paris, lunches have been had in the park, and the weather is overall much better. Thanks for the fun too this week Squire.