Place Igor Stravinsky

It's hot and humid in Iowa, and I'm 'jonesing' for Paris. What better place to cool off and pass a Paris afternoon than right here at Place Igor Stravinksy? Nestled between the Pompidou Center and the 8th century Eglise St. Merry, the contemporary fountain is a favorite place for school groups to eat lunch after field trips to the Pompidou and for Parisians and tourists alike to cool off in the noonday sun. I always plan my visits so I can have lunch at the creperie on the corner, grabbing an outdoor table as close to the fountain as I can. During one winter visit, I watched homeless people wander along side the church, each claiming a step or a doorway to huddle in and depositing sleeping rolls and bags of clothes to claim their spot.  Last September I observed a young woman dressed in dance leotards throwing multiple colored balls in the air while jumping from a chair. A professional photographer captured image after image as she repeatedly jumped and tossed, jumped and tossed. I have no idea what that was all about, but it certainly kept me entertained while I ate as did the very well-behaved French children and their teachers eating sack lunches on the fountain steps. Ah Paris...always something to intrigue!

Rest in Peace

A friend of mine lost the love of her life last week. I blogged a story about them recently referencing our shared time in Paris back in 2005. Between them there are over 50 years of memories. Between them are 3 marriages and several children...but not with each other. Between them are countless trips abroad...with each other on her dime. He shared the Eiffel Tower and street music with us; she shared her gentle spirit and her ability to unconditionally love someone whom the rest of us found unlovable. She wasn't there when he died; she is heartbroken.

Street Performers

Laury's posts about accordeonistes the past two days over at Soar-Dream-France reminded me of this group that I photographed in 2007 on Place des Vosges.  Reading about Laury's encounters with street performers brought to mind my first introduction to this very Parisian phenomenon. The year was 2005; names have been changed to protect the innocent...

The four of us spent a couple of days exploring Paris together. Every time we'd come upon musicians performing on the street or in the Metro, Chuck would stop to listen...sometimes for two or three songs. Barbara, his partner, would fume and fuss. "Come on, Chuck, let's go!" as she tugged on his sleeve. Marie and I would comfort her.."It's okay, really, we're in no hurry." Chuck always tossed a few coins into the cup or basket or open guitar case. Barbara would rag on that, too. "Why do you waste time listening and then waste money?" Chuck's answer: because I enjoy the music, I'm not in that big a hurry, and they work really hard. Showing my appreciation is the right thing to do." Amen to that! Much as I love Barbara (and Chuck not so much!) on this he and I agree. The music is always wonderful, I never want to be in such a big hurry that I miss any of what Paris has to offer, and those musicians and performers work really hard. I follow Chuck's lead...I always stop, I always applaud, and I always throw some coins their way. Heck, I've even been known to buy a CD!

Dad and His Brood

It's been a long week, so I was very pleased to find an email from Becky saying she had uploaded some new photos in Shutterfly. What fun to enjoy Christmas through her camera's eye! Almost as much fun as actually being there. So many nice shots to choose from; I know I'll be posting a few more in the upcoming days. This one, though, just made me smile :-) Seeing Travis with his lovely children made my 'grandma heart' sing! And who can resist grinning right along with that little Marley?

Atop the Tree

I read Tongue in Cheek every day. Corey is a wonderful storyteller and her blog is always a fun read. This week she asked people to comment on her blog entry telling her what sits atop their Christmas tree; she randomly picked 5 comments and the winners will receive a red French beret! Alas, I didn't win a beret, but I did have a load of fun reading about other people's Christmas trees! Many readers have stars, angels, and bows as tree toppers; a few have more 'unique' things, like a bird's nest, American flags, snowflakes, a coil of pearls that looks like white grapes, a crown, a snakeskin (really!), C3PO from Star Wars, and feathers. One woman doesn't put up a tree; she hangs a 12-string guitar on the wall and decorates it with garland, lights and ornaments! This lovely Provencal dove from my favorite ceramist, Edith Fidler, is atop my tree this year. It blends nicely with my postcards from all over the world and ornaments purchased when I travel. What sits atop your tree this year? I'd love to know!

Christmas Joy

"We don't remember days; we remember moments."


Cesare Pavese


Like the moment you open the back door and find the tall box left by the UPS man...











"The future is plump with promise."

Maya Angelou



Waiting, waiting for the future while plump buds drink and drink and drink....

" Before me, may it be delightful.
Behind me, may it be delightful.
Around me, may it be delightful.
Below me, may it be delightful.
Above me, may it be delightful.
All, may it be delightful." Navajo blessing






Thank you, Walt and Debbie, for my delightful Christmas tulips! My kitchen feels alive and blessed.

Christmas Angels

No surprise, I guess, that yesterday's CD was full of photos! I'm thrilled. This is the photo that Trav and Becky used for their Christmas card. I actually took it at La Jolla in October when we were all in San Diego.

This one of Marley and Parker is also on their card...

There isn't a better gift in the world for a grandmother than pictures of her 'angels!'

Favorite Things

One of my favorite things about Christmas (besides the carols, beautiful store windows, twinkly lights, sentimental tree ornaments, fudge, Christmas cookies...oh heck, there's not much about Christmas that I don't like!) is going to the mailbox and finding real mail...love those Christmas cards. But when I find a box from Montana, I feel especially blessed! In Becky's box to me, I found a new favorite Christmas tree ornament...








beautiful notecards with art by a local Yellowstone artist, Lynn Chan...











artwork by Parker (I think it's purple snow)....






a lovely and mysterious red satin bag to open later...

and this...a gift to make a grandmother's heart sing! Come back tomorrow to see what treasures it holds!





PS...Becky just called. I'm supposed to open the red bag now! She's got 'a theme going,' she says. You don't have to tell me twice to open a Christmas gift early!

The Postcard Tree

I adore postcards! I love to send them, I love to receive them, and I love to buy them just to keep. When I travel, I frequently buy postcards of interior spaces where photos are prohibited. The postcard is always a better picture than I could take anyway. I can't bear to throw away postcards that I get from friends and family which means I have quite a few tucked away in drawers. What to do with all these mementos? Decorate the Christmas tree with them, of course! My big tree in the living room is full of beautiful cards from national parks, trips to New Hampshire, Las Vegas, Hawaii, South Carolina, and Disneyworld. I've hung cards from Vienna, Mexico, British Columbia, Thailand, France, Spain, and Lithuania. If you've sent me a postcard in the last few years....it's hanging on my tree!

There's always room for one more, tho....so don't forget me when you travel in 2010. Your postcard could end up on next year's tree!

What do you do with your old postcards??

A Piece of Provence

In a previous post, I wrote about the lovely holy water font collection that hangs on the living room wall in my favorite Provence B & B. Browsing the blog-o-sphere, I found a blog from Provence, Le Trip, whose author deals in brocante and antiques. I checked out her Etsy store which provided a way to email her, which I did. Long story short, I purchased this large holy water font from her. She mailed it to me during her recent Stateside visit and voila, here it is! It's 18 inches high by 10 inches wide. The red material is velvet...a little worn and rubbed, but beautiful. I tried it several places in my house, but it's big enough that it really needs its own wall, so here it hangs in my guest bedroom

Here's a close up of the detail. It's quite nice. I asked Jill about the provenance of the piece. She only knew that it came from the Aix-en-Provence area and looks to be from the 1800s. I'm very pleased with it.

This is #25 on my list of favorite things about Paris and Provence. Thanks for letting me enjoy them all with you!

Scarves

Scarves define French fashion. I remember before my very first trip to France, Mickey told me, "Don't pack a scarf. The first thing we'll do in Paris is buy a fabulous one. You'll see...it will make you feel tres French!" And indeed, it did! I've never seen scarves worn in such profusion and with such panache. Every woman, and many of the men, had one draped, tied, tucked, bowed, slung around her neck. Mickey and I haunted every scarf shop we could find and I bought several that trip. They are such an easy souvenir...light and don't take hardly any room in your suitcase. I have to tell you, though, that I bought my very first scarf at my very first market in Provence. It's a beautiful turquoise paisley wool challis that can do double-duty as a shawl. I can tell you where and when I bought each scarf in this photo. The black&white one came from a little boutique in Apt; the brighter pink striped one, I bought off rue de Buci for Easter at the Notre Dame in 2007. Each one evokes a memory. One day at work someone complimented a French scarf that I was wearing. I thanked them and said "Oh yes, I bought this one in Paris in February of 2006." One of my staff commented..."Geez, that's weird. Do you really remember where you buy all your clothes?" No, only the scarves that I buy in my very favorite city in the whole world! Who wouldn't remember that?

Cemeteries

I've blogged about cemeteries in the past. I love them! I know you think that's kind of weird, but, oh well, my secret is out. One thing I like about cemeteries from other cultures is that they frequently have pictures of the deceased on the gravestones. I first came across this many years ago in a very old cemetery in our neighborhood in San Diego.There was a large Portuguese community in San Diego, and this is where they buried their dead. Every child's grave had an old tin photo-etching of the child. It was so touching to see a picture of a family's beloved child on its headstone. This grave is in the Pere Lachaise cemetery in Paris. I'm a huge Edith Piaf fan and sought out her grave on my visit there. I loved that people leave tokens of their esteem on many of the graves. Here a rose and chestnuts. Chestnut offerings were very common along with flowers, rocks, saint's cards, crosses, etc.




This picture is from the cemetery in Goult. It says "To our comrade, Lulu. Regrets. Friends in Goult." My guess is that Lulu didn't have family to mark his grave since there were no family 'regrets' there. He must have been a good friend.

Cemeteries in Paris and Provence are #23 on my list of favorite things.

PS...please click on the link to the Pere Lachaise Cemetery...it's really cool. You can see actual pictures of the graves. For example, click on the "P" scroll down to Piaf. Her grave flashes. If you click on her cross, a photo of her grave comes up. Here are some others to try: Jim Morrison, Sarah Bernhardt, Oscar Wilde, Yves Montand and Simone Signoret, and Chopin.
PSS...the link to Edith Piaf goes to a YouTube video of her performing "Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien" It brings tears to my eyes and sends shivers down my spine. What a voice!

My Favorite Museum

Everyone has their favorite Paris museum. For many people, it's the Louvre. I like that one a lot and visit it a couple of times on every trip. Others really prefer the Musee d'Orsay and its wonderful collection of Impressionist art. I like that one as well. On my last visit to Paris, I spent an afternoon at the new Musee Quai du Branly...also an awesome museum. But if I had to name my very favorite museum it would be the Musee de Moyen Age, better known as the Cluny Museum. I've posted a picture of some of the detail of the exterior of the museum. I think it's amazing that so much beauty was incorporated into the design of this structure. The building was completed in 1364 and was originally the 'town house' for the bishops of Cluny; a place for them to stay when they journeyed to Paris for meetings. This structure was built on the 3rd century ruins of Gallo-Roman baths which can still be seen in the basement of the building. On one visit I was privileged to view some gorgeous illuminated manuscripts of the Book of Hours. Every visit, though, I stand in awe in front of the "Lady and the Unicorn" tapestry, one of my favorite works of art. This museum stands in the #22 spot on my list of favorite things.

Markets by Jientje

My blogger friend, Jientje, read Friday's blog entry and took pity on my whining about not having pictures from my favorite Provencal markets. She emailed me these to share with you. The first two are from Isle sur l"Sorgue where Jientje goes on holiday every summer. She and her husband rent the same place in Isle each summer and spend their vacation exploring the Luberon You can see some of the antique and brocante on display

The market winds along narrow side streets as

well as lining the banks of the Sorgue River. At full swing, the crowds are thick...one reason to go early even if it is Sunday!










This is Coustellet.
It's a much smaller market and more shopper friendly, I think. Look at those sunflowers! Arent' they gorgeous? My B & B hostess, Dani, always shops this Saturday morning market for her weekly groceries.

Do go visit Jientje at her blog, Heaven in Belgium. It's one of my very favorites; she always has beautiful photos to share.

Provencal Writers....Them and Me.

Don't these ancient stones and narrow passageways just cry out "write my story?" Can you feel the ghosts and spirits of times past lurking in the shadows, whispering their secrets in your ear? Another of my favorite things about Provence is the writings of those people who have heard 'the stories,' and put them into poetry and prose. Paris and its sidewalk cafes are usually the places that are said to inspire great literary and philosophical thought. Think Hemingway, Jean-Paul Sartre, F. Scott Fitzgerald. I found Paris too distracting, however, to be conducive to writing. Provence, on the other hand, inspired me...and many others. Obviously, anyone interested in Provence needs to read Peter Mayle, but there are others that I've found fascinating as well. Try "Provencal Cooking" by Mary Ann Caws or "Strangers in Paradise" by Paul Christensen for a very literary look at Provence. I've become intrigued with Provencal writers as well. Marcel Pagnol is on my 'to read' list after seeing the films based on his novels. And I'm currently reading the poet, Rene Char. Don't ask me to explain his poems; I'm still working hard at understanding them myself! But they evoke Provence in every line.

For me, sitting outside at Cafe de la Poste became an inspiration. My travel journal is filled with snippets of character sketches based on the villagers I watched go about their daily lives in Goult. I watch the village wake up while I sip my cafe creme. Madame X was just in. She's 'of a certain age' dressed in a chic cream sweater and long black skirt that sways as she walks with her cane. Mostly for looks? she seems to walk just fine. A quick petit cafe, some conversation with the locals at the bar and off she goes speaking softly to her little fluffy white dog, I'll call her "Lulu," and a bigger black mongrel, "Pierre." Across the square, disappearing down the tiny street into a 3-story stone house with soft blue shutters drawn on the east against the bright Provencal sun. Madame may be back this evening--a pastis, perhaps? or a petit balloon of rouge?

Writing about Provence...#21 on my list of favorite things.

Provencal Markets

Back to Provence for #20 on my favorite things list....markets! Every Provencal village has a market day where vendors set up much like our Farmer's Markets in the States. Every kind of fruit and vegetable in season is on display. There are vendors who sell meat, cheese, fish, sausage, spices, on and on. The bigger markets also include clothing, linens, shoes, almost anything you can imagine. The big Sunday market in Isle-sur-l'Sorgue is famous for its antiques; the Saturday market in Apt has something for everyone. Here's a tip: go early to find a parking place and the best selection; go late (nearer to noon when they pack up to leave) to find possible bargains. As intrigued as I was with every market I visited, I never took one picture! I had to rely on Google for this one. Next time.....

Flowers, Flowers, Flowers!

Everywhere you go in Paris there are flower shops! They always have outdoor displays as well as luscious arrangements inside. Just walking into a tiny flower boutique overwhelms your senses. Beautiful colors, interesting textures, and that fresh fragrance of green, growing things. It's instant refreshment for the body and soul. On my first trip to France, Mickey passed on a lovely tradition. She always buys a small, colorful potted plant to put in her hotel room to make it feel more homey. Then she leaves it for the maid along with a nice tip when she checks out. I eagerly adopted this habit! On trip #1, I bought a little pepper plant with tiny yellow and orange peppers on it. Trip #2...a small hot pink begonia. Trip #3...something small, green with purple flowers. The picture here was taken in Olivier Pitou's flower shop on rue des Saints-Peres, and it's where I've bought my flowers each visit. I never thought to take a picture of the shop, but Paris Breakfasts did! If you click here, you can see other photos of the boutique and also some lovely watercolor art. Paris Breakfasts is a blog I read daily; the artist does great little paintings.

I just love Parisian flower shops...enough so that they are # 19 on my list of favorite things. Everytime I pass the dreary (and expensive!) flowers in my grocery store, I sigh and long for Paris. Beautiful flowers, reasonable prices, an awesome selection, and shops on every street...no wonder the French are so content with their lives!

Entertainment

I've blogged about favorite things #17 & 18 before, so just a brief mention here. I love the street musicians of Paris! This is Borsalino playing in the arcade around Place de Vosges in the Marais. They're a jazz group in the style of Django Reinhardt. I bought a CD to remember them by. On weekends you find musicians and performers all over central Paris performing for donations...a few coins, perhaps you'll buy a CD? I think I was most amazed to find performers in the halls of the Metro. Imagine 'rounding a corner deep underground as you rush to your Metro stop and coming upon a stringed octet playing classical music...awesome.

The churches of Paris offer a wealth of musical entertainment. Visit Notre Dame or St. Germain-des-Pres at Vespers and listen to the great pipe organs. Or arrive a bit early to hear the organists practicing. Sit down in the worship area, close your eyes. The crowds and tourist noise will melt away and the great organs will carry your thoughts heavenward! Churches are frequently the site of concerts as well. Your admission price supports not only the musicians, but also helps with the upkeep of these ancient buildings. And the music is sublime!

Street music and church music....#17 & 18 on my list of favorite things to do in Paris.

Old Versus New

We're back at cour Marly in the Louvre. What do you think of these 'people' who are intermingled with all the ancient sculptures? I have to admit that at first glance, I thought they were real... kind of like the street performers who stand perfectly still for hours for your entertainment. But no, this is an art installation. The figures look as if they are made of plaster of Paris, stark white, no faces to be seen. Each clock is set at exactly the same time. I'm sure this all means something, but I'm not sure what. And I'm sure you're wondering why any of this could be one of my favorite things about Paris? Here's the explanation....all over this city you see the old and ancient juxtaposed against the new, the modern, the avant garde. At the corner of Blvd. St. Michel and the Seine, there is a huge fountain of St. Michel slaying a dragon completed in 1860. In 1871 this corner was the center of the political uprising known as the Paris Commune. And today... across the street is a stainless steel figure in profile that spurts water. Another example of this tension of old/new is found in the infamous I.M.Pei pyramid that anchors the courtyard of the Louvre. Love it or hate it...you'll find a Parisian to support you. Nothing could be more modern than the Pompidou Center that snuggles up against the Eglise Saint-Merri, a 14th century church in the 4th arrondissement. And when you enter this ancient church, here is what you find in the nave! The vibrant and active life of this working parish is documented on the cubes resting on the traditional black and white tile floors and framed by 14th-century stonework. Ya gotta love it...and I do. To me, these splashes of the new against the old make Paris a living city and not just a stuck-in-the-past, stuffy museum city. It lives and breathes with the energies of the people who live, play, work and worship there. Rather than feeling like the old and new clash, Paris is able to make them feel like partners in time leading the city to even greater heights of joie de vivre and culture.

Sculpture

I was never a big fan of sculpture until I visited Paris for the first time. There's something about seeing it in person that makes it come alive. It's one of those art forms that you really must see in three dimensions, not on a flat page in a book. The Rodin Museum took my breath away. The Maillol was equally impressive. Everywhere you look in Paris you see sculpture...in parks, at street intersections, in churches. My very favorite place to enjoy sculpture, however, is in the Louvre. "The Winged Victory" is hands down my favorite, but she always gets all the attention. So I chose this handsome man from the cour Marly in the Louvre to feature in this blog entry. This covered courtyard is filled with spectacular pieces including the famous Horses of Marly. I love the tension in this piece. You can almost feel the power in this man's muscles as he strains to free himself from his bonds. On my last visit to the Louvre, there was a special exhibit of modern sculpture displayed with the ancient pieces in this space. I'll show you a picture of that in my next entry of more of my favorite things about Paris and Provence. This hunky guy represents # 15 on my favorite things list.