Terrasse

Imagining what was Missed

A new favorite blog - I love this artist’s illustrations and the idea itself.  What a great source of inspiration, to build a visual story from these little narrative snippets - lovely and playful and funny (read the one about flatulence).

http://missedconnectionsny.blogspot.com/

Genies On My Feet

I picked up these beauties while completing my obligatory visit to the Walmart in Southern Shores, NC.  They’re slippers, but they’re also mops.  Genius, huh?  Little mops for my little feet.  So I’m testing them out today as i putter around the house, unpacking, cleaning, writing, smoking  . . .

The packaging specifies that slipper genie is not a toy (it is a serious cleaning product, you see), they are not to be used to slide across the floor ala Risky Business, and they are not to be used if one’s balance is unstable.  I think I’ll break all these rules to truly put them to the test.  I will: dance in them, jet myself across the living room clad solely in my underpants and a pair of sunglasses in imitation of a young Tom Cruise, and I will continue to wear them even after downing too much 1664.  Slipper Genie?  Slipper joy.

come on and raise up

hey - in north carolina for a few weeks (sister’s wedding) - be back soon!

Green Green Warm Green

i haven’t been posting - mainly for two reasons: 1.  it’s been grey and depressing here for too long — being from california i’m used to a bit more sun in my winter and it’s been getting me doooooooown.  2. i have a ridiculous number of spam comments to sort through all the time, and don’t ever want to deal with it.  but if you need jewelry from russia - i’ve got a guy desperate to sell it to you.

but now - right now - the sun is shining and has been, beautiful.  the morning starts to feel like spring time mornings and i’m so ready for the world to be renewed, so ready to see this paris in spring clothes.  so ready for daffodils and leaves on trees and finding somewhere to hike near paris.  

not only am i just missing green and sun in general, but i’m missing these things from northern california!

the day after - a new day

signs of Obama’s victory in my daily Paris life:

champagne toast at the territory

a young woman chanting “O-Ba-Ma” on the metro

Obama awareness pamphlets being handed out at the metro station

Sergio inaugurating a new project

Chills up and down my arms after listening to npr coverage this morning.

The realization that suddenly, i’m not ashamed to be american

dwarves and dragons and wizards - oh my!

True to our nerdy nature Dustin and I have spent the last several Sundays on a DnD campaign. You heard right - Dungeons and Dragons, that beloved table top classic from the 80s. Being that Dustin (my husband, if you don’t know) and his friends work for a video game company, playing a game without the presence of a glowing screen is somewhat novel.

Although I’m not as captivated by the standard role playing game (RPG) as my husband and his cohorts, I was interested to see exactly how the game is played and what it is that is so enthralling to those of the geek persuasion. Besides, Dustin was so cute preparing to serve as Dungeon Master (sort of the game’s controller/narrator/mediator) I couldn’t resist the opportunity to watch him in action.

In preparation for our first DnD adventure Dustin spent weeks reading rules, researching characters, and creating a world. He would lean over to me and ask things like, “hey babe? if you could choose between increased hit points for everyone in your campaign or increased damage against your foes which would you want?” heh. I giggle to myself and see a 12-year-old peeking out through my husband’s eyes.

So on the first Sunday we headed over to our friend Gandalf’s flat (yes, that’s his birth name). Early that morning Dustin had whirled around the apartment gathering maps and pamphlets and who knows what. I leaned over, eyeing the collection of papers in his hand. I asked, “What’s that?” He answered in all sincerity, “It’s today’s adventure.” I was utterly charmed.

Thus the first campaign commenced. I, a Dragonborn Paladin on a quest to prove my honor to my clan, was to serve as the team’s first line of defense. Our offense consists of two dwarves, a human, and a demon - all of whom covet and consume mass quantities of dwarven ale. As you may be able to tell, in playing Dungeons and Dragons we are essentially playing pretend and following a story roughly guided by my dear partner. So while other French families spend their Sunday afternoons preparing and consuming exquisite meals or taking in a nice film, we spend our leisure time munching pizza and fighting goblins. It’s the new (ex-pat) American Pastime.

<—-that’s me

Slow to Act

It has been over one month since relocating and finally, as promised, i begin my blog. Having been here for a month already, I’ll have to necessarily back-track a bit, but bare with me and I’ll catch you all up.

Thus far my life in Paris has consisted of the following: learning to cautiously tread the infamously poop-riddled sidewalks, improving my French comprehension by watching dubbed American movies and television shows (think Highlander the series and Escape from New York), finding a way to structure my days and avoid producing gaping holes in my resume, settling in to a little flat with my husband, sitting at the sous-prefecture, and finally just breathing in the sheer aesthetic pleasure offered by this city.

My life has also consisted of intermittent travel - exclusively to Germany as it works out. So there has also been much beer, long train rides, and maultaschen (more on these adventures later).

What i haven’t had enough of, and what promises to be a focal point of my life here, are the art exhibits. It seems there are new exhibits, and amazing exhibits, constantly on offer. I’d like to consume them all and share with you what I find. For example, the Chateau at Versailles is hosting a sort of Jeff Koons retrospective (see jeffkoonsversailles.com) and i could not imagine a more appropriate or interesting venue for such an exhibition. For an artist who plays unendingly with themes of excess and material culture to be shown in a site that is the very embodiment - indeed a monument to - excess is entirely perfect. Beyond this, the contrast between Koons’ playfulness and the intimidating opulence of the palace promises to add another (amusing) element to his work and to the show. I think bringing Koons’ work to Versailles re-energizes both the artist’s work and the site itself. At any rate, I’ll let you know how it actually plays out once I have a chance to visit (the show goes until December).

This is it for an introduction - I will begin tomorrow to detail the events of the past month. Thank you for reading!