The Bold Soul: A Writer's Life in Paris

Day of the Dead

Today it was a GORGEOUS sunny and mild day here in Paris (second one in a row, too) and I decided I had to break out of the apartment and go do something outdoors. And suddenly it hit me - what a perfect day to commune with the dearly departed over at the famous Père Lachaise cemetery! First of all, know this about Père Lachaise: it's not for the faint of foot or heart. It is MASSIVE and good, sturdy footwear is absolutely required. All the pavements are either cobblestones or you end up inching your way between rows of crypts and all the ground is very uneven. And it's on a hill, too; you enter at the bottom of the hill so it's literally all uphill from there. And some of the graves you might want to see are going to be WAY up in the top back corners, too. When you come out of the Métro (Pére Lachaise) you'll see the walled edge of the cemetery and some of the tombs from the street. You can either enter right there through a doorway in the wall, which puts you at the lower left corner of the grounds, or... Read more →

All we are saying is give PEACE a chance

In Denver, Colorado, a woman hung a wreath on her home in the shape of a peace sign. Sounds like a lovely idea because we all want peace on earth, don't you think? Well, I thought so, too. Apparently, however, this woman is living in a neighborhood where people have a totally skewed view of reality and where free speech is endangered. Because some of her neighbors filed a grievance with the homeowner's association demanding the removal of the wreath because THEY perceived it as (a) sending an anti-Iraq message or (b) being some kind of satanic symbol. The association, open-minded peace-lovers that they are (can you hear the sarcasm dripping from my words?) then sent her a letter telling her that if she didn't remove it, they'd fine her $25 a day. (The association has now apparently recanted this demand and apologized to the homeowner.) First of all, on the satanic implications: did those people completely MISS the 60s? How could you live in America and NOT know a peace sign for what it is? It's as well-known a symbol of that era as the yellow smiley face. So whatever bible-thumpers thought a peace sign was a reference to... Read more →

A Moment of Appreciation

I just wanted to take a moment and say Thank You to everyone who has been reading my blog, and an extra Merci Mille Fois to those who have taken the time to comment, email, and in general wish me well and happy since I finally got here to Paris. And an extra EXTRA Thanks to those fellow bloggers who have reached out to me and/or linked to me on your own blogs. Can't wait to meet as many of you as possible! And many thanks especially to those who have sent me tips and tricks and resources for making my transition smoother, particularly with the technology hassles I was having that first week, because they've all been incredibly useful and helpful. It's an odd, albeit good, feeling to know that there are dozens (hundreds? thousands? OK maybe that's stretching it) of people I don't even know who are interested in what I'm doing and who are willing to take time out from their own busy lives to come here and read about things like how I've been able to successfully avoid stepping in anything nasty for almost 3 weeks now, and how I just now saw the cutest thing... Read more →

Noticing

The past few days I've found it very difficult to do any in-depth writing about life in Paris, mainly because for once I've been out LIVING my life rather than writing about how I WISH I was living it. Big distinction, I think. But my powers of observation are in full swing, everwhere I go, and I'm constantly filing my "noticings" away for future blogging fodder. Here are a few things I've noticed about Paris since moving here, many of which I probably wouldn't have noticed as a mere touriste. I'm sure they won't be the last, either: how many parents walk their children to school and pick them up afterward, even the fathers, and how well-behaved children seem to be here. Only occasionally have I even seen a fussy baby or a crying toddler. And the school schedule seems to go late: it's 5:20pm and I just heard the school bell going off again. I also have heard that instead of a Saturday-Sunday break from school, French schools are closed on either Wednesdays or Thursdays for either a half day or a full day (I can't remember which) but that the kids go to school on Saturdays for a... Read more →

Wise Eyes

Polar Bear (Ours Blanc), François Pompon, 1922, Musée d'Orsay "François Pompon (1855-1933) worked for 15 years as Rodin's assistant but was known above all for his many animals sculptures exalting the lyricism of light on polished surfaces and economy of detail." I really loved this sculpture. Surrounded by the classical busts and complex carvings of Rodin and others, this one had such smooth, clean lines, and I love the expression on the bear's face! He looks like he knows, you know? Like him too? You can buy him (or rather, a reproduction) here. Read more →

In the mirror

Art Nouveau mirror and glass, Musée d'Orsay The Musée d'Orsay has a very nice exhibition of Art Nouveau decor and furnishings now, and this mirror and the glass flowers caught my eye... and forced me to catch my own reflection in the mirror! Read more →

At the end of two weeks

It's hard to believe it's been two weeks since I arrived in Paris (OK, 17 days if you're counting). Since much of the first week was consumed by settling in and dealing with technology issues, I almost don't even count it. But now having come to the end of the second weekend, here are some of my on-going discoveries, impressions, pleasures and pet peeves about Paris - in no particular order: I love that there is really NO excuse for being bored here. With a huge city full of art, movies, shopping, music, and architecture, there is always something to do, even if it's just walking around looking in shop windows or going to the local market to buy haricot vertes (green beans, one of my favorites). The pavement is hard on my joints and today I felt like I was developing shin splints after all the walking I had to do yesterday. Shoes and boots are very expensive here so I'm waiting until I get back to the States to look around for something that will fit in with the "look" in Paris but be more comfortable yet fashionable and affordable. The dog shit on the sidewalks and even... Read more →

Where's Audrey?

Victoire de Samothrace (Winged Victory of Samothrace), Louvre, circa 190 B.C. I kept expecting Audrey Hepburn to float down the staircase, à la her film "Funny Face", crying "Take the picture, take the picture!" So I took the picture. Here's a brief description of this statue from the Louvre website: The winged goddess of Victory standing on the prow of a ship overlooked the Sanctuary of the Great Gods on the island of Samothrace. This monument was probably an ex-voto offered by the people of Rhodes in commemoration of a naval victory in the early second century BC. The theatrical stance, vigorous movement, and billowing drapery of this Hellenistic sculpture are combined with references to the Classical period-prefiguring the baroque aestheticism of the Pergamene sculptors. This exceptional monument was unearthed in 1863 on the small island of Samothrace in the northwest Aegean. Read more →

Peace and War

"La Paix et la Guerre", Paul Gauguin, 1894, Musée d'Orsay This is a small wood carving done by Gauguin during his years in the south Pacific. Notice that the women are on the "peace" side of the carving while the men battle it out on the "war" side. I guess that shouldn't surprise me. This weekend, we will officially be "at war" with terrorists for longer than it took to fight all of World War II. Not that the scale of the two conflicts can be compared, but nonetheless, it's far too long and it no longer seems we're accomplishing anything. Benjamin Franklin said that "the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over, expecting different results". Will our leaders take the hint? Maybe it's time to get a new plan. Bring our troops home! Read more →

Is she or isn't she?

La Pyramide Inversée, Louvre DaVinci Code fans will recognize this as a key plot point in the book having to do with Mary Magdelene. Doesn't it make you wonder, what if...? But I don't want to say more, in case you haven't read the book or seen the movie yet. Read more →