Tidings!

Bonjour. How art thou?
--First off, I cannot get rid of this song. I have awoken to it several days in a row. Which leads me to believe that the dj's are not doing their job and have their songs on some system to which they have to never lift a finger...nice, french potato dj, niiice. Je rigole (I'm kidding...mmmkind of---well,all humor begins with some bit of truth right?) Regardless, the song is all-together-lovely to be sure, (who can hate a chummy Teitur song about 'Catherine the waitress')

Découvrez Teitur!

--Secondly, I have much to say and much to ask....and miles to go before I sleep ;)

The Infamous Proust Questionnaire

I recently purchased a postcard with Proust's questions. I first noticed this questionnaire in the back pages of Vanity Fair each month. It is a series of questions posed to famous subjects about their lives, thoughts, values and experience. A regular reference to Proust in such a major publication struck me as remarkable...and I would like you to follow suit if you have the time, and answer these questions as truthfully as possible, in order to reveal what else, but your personality or character.

1. What is your idea of perfect happiness?
2. What is your greatest fear?
3. What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?
4. What is the trait you most deplore in others?
5. Which living person do you most admire?
6. What is your greatest extravagance?
7. What is your current state of mind?
8. What do you consider the most overrated virtue?
9. On what occasion do you lie?
10. What do you most dislike about your appearance?
11. Which living person do you most despise?
12. What is the quality you most like in a man?
13. What is the quality you most like in a woman?
14. Which words or phrases do you most overuse?
15. What or who is the greatest love of your life?
16. When and where were you happiest?
17. Which talent would you most like to have?
18. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
19. What do you consider your greatest achievement?
20. If you were to die and come back as a person or a thing, what would it be?
21. Where would you most like to live?
22. What is your most treasured possession?
23. What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?
24. What is your favorite occupation?
25. What is your most marked characteristic?
26. What do you most value in your friends?
27. Who are your favorite writers?
28. Who is your hero of fiction?
29. Which historical figure do you most identify with?
30. Who are your heroes in real life?
31. What are your favorite names?
32. What is it that you most dislike?
33. What is your greatest regret?
34. How would you like to die?
35. What is your motto?

Photo of the day: October 30, 2008. Katharine Hepburn (it's a "catherine-day"...)

Here is my adjective of the day: ape-shit.

WORDS of the day:

I would also like to add a few questions of my own to the questionnaire:

36. What is the defining challenge of the 21st century?
37. What is the 'activist' philosophy?
38. Has this philosophy been extended to global society?
39. Do you know Kennedy's 'Peace Address'?
40. Do you know who Odilon Redon is?
42. Do you think the US should once again assume the mantle of moral leadership by implenting a new 'Marshall Plan' in Africa?
43. Do you think the division between scientists and artists or philosophers is quite strong?
44. Do you think sceince is beautiful?
45. What is your greatest asset?

I shall end today with a verse from a poem by Wallace Steven:

I do not know which to prefer,
The beauty of inflections
Or the beauty of innuendos
The blackbird whistling
Or just after.

Hope you take time to answer Proust's and at least a couple of my random questions...and I shall do the same.

Le Luxe.

---Ahh le luxe, c'est la vie en France...or so it seems. Paris, as Hemingway put it, 'is a moveable feast'. This is an alluring place.The language, the art,the food...ahh yes, the food!, it does nothing but inspire. (that is, if you have some euro to spare :)) Luxury is an integral part of Paris. Along with the persistent gypsy in the métro...but we'll get to that subject later.

Commercial for Louis Vuitton's campaign "Journeys"

---Louis Vuitton. Luxury company formed in 1854 by who else, Louis V. He learned the art of design and began to sell luggage with the signature monogram LV. Today it is one of the most counterfeited brands in the world. Do not believe I shall ever purchase a bag...but I do adore this commercial. The music is by Gustavo Santaolalla, who composed for the films 'Babel' and 'Motorcycle Diaries'. LV has chosen quite a mélange if you will of stars...everyone from Keith Richards to Sofia and her Dad:
Check out more here at Louis Vuitton

---Longchamps.Who can resist a black and white ad in Café de Flore, Paris?


In 1948 Longchamp was founded by Jean Cassegrain. The company employed individual craftsmen dispersed throughout the Loire valley countryside to create leather coverings for pipes and other products geared toward smokers. By 1955 it had expanded to include small leather goods, opening its first factory in Segré.By the 1970s, Longchamp opened its first boutiques in Hong Kong and Japan, and became known for its lightweight travel goods.--thanks Wikipedia ;)

---Here's a song to dream to...

Découvrez Gustavo Santaolalla!

mod.

Jacques Villeglé, 'La Femme'
---Artist of the 'nouveau réalisme', I enjoyed this piece on temp. display at the Pompidou.
---El Anatsui born in Ghana, studied sculpture and art education. He created this tapestry out of aluminum and copper...it was my favorite.

blue.

Let me see what has happened lately that would be of interest to you folks over the Atlantic pond...
---I have made some friends here in France. There is a prominent university called HEC here in Jouy and I met some exchange students on the métro---(not sure if I have already stated these previously, oh well). Anyway, every Thursday night there is a party on campus and I was invited. Getting into the event was a bit troubling...there was a list, and my name was definitely not on it. So I lied and told the french girl "je suis laura, laura tezzdha". She was puzzled with my last name...as was I and asked if my last name began with a "t", "yes" I said. She searched and I became a little nervous...please let there be a Laura with a T-something last name!! And voila! I saw a name and pointed to 'Laura T....' and won! We danced the night away, and I felt like a secret agent for a moment...alias 'Laura T' :)
---Saturday evening I went to my new pal Marguerite's in St.Remy...another city right outside of Paris along the RER B line...the party was fantastic! Arrived at 11,socialized till midnight, danced from 12-5am!!!! Took the RER back to my Jouy around 7am :)
---Sunday I planned to go to church but missed the right train...as usual! I have a love/hate relationship with public transportation. So instead I went to the 'Beaubourg' otherwise known as Le Pompidou museum. Bustling with modern art and spectacular views of Paris, I left the place puzzled...which is usually how I feel after seeing modern work, I'm not exactly sure what to think for many of the pieces. There were a select few that I loved...a tapestry to be exact. It was constructed of disposible items...bottlecaps, metallic candywrappers, and knitted together with some free wire...it was magnificent. I will have to get back with you on the artists' name though. And along with the museum...a movie!
---We watched Woody Allen's 'Vicky,Cristina,Barcelona'. As usual, it was witty and thought-provoking. Enjoyed it. Penelope Cruz was fantastic!
---Last but not least, Rosalie...a dear dear friend, posted this video for me on the face-place. I love this band (FLEET FOXES). I love this song:

breathless

Sunday afternoon, Paris. Strolling along the Seine after a visit to Notre Dame (had not been inside since I was 16!), I see this poster in one of the many bouquinistes along the Quai de Seine. The film itself was groundbreaking at the time it was released in '59. I saw it with my roomate Mary Jo at the annual French Film Festival at the Shaw Center in Baton Rouge last Feb.
---P.S. Mary Jo if you are reading this, you must go sans moi this February!
The film itself I could watch maybe, from time to time. On the other hand, actress and lead in the film, Jean Seberg is simply adorable!




***Found these photos of Christy Turlington channeling 'Jean' whilst searching for others...so fun!!




***this last one is 'parfaite'!---for it's my beautiful friend Lauren, who is rockin' this haircut!

Cool

“I picture my epitaph: "Here lies Paul Newman, who died a failure because his eyes turned brown".”
---Paul Newman: January 26, 1925- September 26, 2008

Actor, writer, director, humanitarian, entrepreneur, political activist father, and husband Paul Newman has died. It is believed he passed away from lung cancer in his home in Connecticutt. What a renaissance man he was. Concerned not only with the well being of his family (he was married to the fantastic actress Joanne Woodward) he co-founded Newman's Own...using his own face as the mark of his trade. Let's face it, his cold blue eyes sold many a picture!Newman's Own is a food company from which Newman donated all post-tax profits and royalties to charity.As of October 2008, these donations had exceeded US $250 million (!). I personally am a devotee to the fig-newmans.Since his death, his daughter Nell now is head of the business.
Activist that he was, in 1968 Newman was 19th on Richard Nixon's enemies list for his open support (tel. commercials included) of Eugene McCarthy. Newman was quoted once saying, "If you don't have enemies, you don't have character." What a character he was! Man I wish he could of been a great uncle of mine...
I grew up watching old films so inevitably, Jimmy Stewart...Katharine Hepburn...and Paul Newman were my original "stars".I believe the first movie I saw was also the first film between him and his wife Joanne, "A Long Hot Summer". If you haven't seen it and adore Tennessee Williams, then rent it. He is superb! What a legacy he has...and for so much of it to be available through film!

Well, I just found out today and was struck. Sorry for those who expect for me to dribble out Paris-what-not.

Dance Dance Dance

---Slightly missing dance parties at Ivanhoe...



***I'm really diggin this Lykke Li gal!



Goodness Fred Astaire was class!

***My French Life Update:
I am finally getting the métro/RER down. The métro, for those who do not know, is the inner city subway and the RER, is for us kids (that would be me),who live in the suburb area of Paris. So, every time I want to go into the city I take the RER to Versailles, then change to another direction towards Paris. Depending on the sched. and day, it could take anywhere from 45-1hr.If I had a car, it would take obviously half the time...but c'est pas grave (it's no big deal) because I have time to spare and it is always a good idea to use public transportation :)
Yesterday I missed my french class because I stayed too late in Paris the night before. I didn' do much really, just sat on the Champs de Mars (the little park in front of the Eiffel tower), ate pizza with Fat Tire kids, and watched le tour Eiffel glitter blue for the EU! for 5 minutes every hour, on the hour...about three times.Twas glorious.I felt like a bug...couldn't stop staring at the liiiiiiiiights...
On Sunday I went to the American Church of Paris. It is the first American church planted on Paris turf. It is an inter-denom. Protestant church...uniting people from all backrounds, so said the brochure. Honestly I wasn't sure what to expect. Turned out to be good. A woman with a 'texas-sized' hat the color of orange crème greeted me in the doorway with a strong african accent saying, welcome! Every single row had people from everywhere...I was awe struck for a moment. It's funny. Sometimes you have to go out of the states to experience a true American church...
Yesterday I went inside one part of the Louvre. I saw 'that woman'...a.k.a. Mona Lisa. What impressed me the most was what lay before her: a huge crowd of tourists...mostly from Japan no doubt, and on the opposite wall, is arguably one of the largest paintings in the Louvre...whereas wee Ms. Mona is a mere 2 ft tall if that.And all the while she holds that smirk... I think I will have to visit that musée at least three more times in order to do it justice.
I am still finding that it is much easier to comprehend than it is to speak french. ARRRGH.I don't have an mp3 player at the moment so I have been listening to the radio. I am really preferring the stations here in France actually. In particular, the station OUI FM. It spins everything from Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs' WoolyBully to Radiohead to U2 to crazyrandom french music to even ACDC. And I am in love with the french food. miam miam!! (that is how the french write yum yum :)

à tres bientot!

Paris!

Photo: Eiffel tower, summer 2007
Mindy and I jumpin'!

Parisien Women...the shoes, the clothes! Walking in stillettos...golly!

*Promise to post my own pics, but for now these are both from the magnificent Garance Doré!

What's Up?!

---Hey gang, I'm here. I don't have 'un ordinateur' of my own at the moment whilst in France so, bare with me.

Je voudrais...(I would like...)

1.Looking for some boots. It is going to get quite chilly here in Paris!
2.Need to finally consume one or ten of these famous macaroons at Ladurée!

Paris fashion week has, I believe, just ended. Of course I didn't go but I found some pics!

Lovin' those RayBans kiddo.

a wonder to behold...


Here is a crazy french band called: Sporto Kantes

Découvrez Sporto Kantes!

Leather jackets are all the rage in Paris these days...
Ohh the flowers!

photos via: garance dore and the satorialist