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!
“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.
***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 :)
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!
So. I am alive and well in France! The Bernard's are so kind and hospitable. Iam in love with everything already...each night,dinner together...a different meal, a new wine, plus those silly and goshdarncute kids!
Paris has been oh so lovely and has captivated my heart once again. I took a bateau mouche the other day...I usually stay clear of concentrated groups of tourists...but when will I ever be able to view Paris from the Seine?!
Jouy-en-Josas is quite charming. It is where the Toile industry began...you know, that fabric your mom buys,printed with peasants and countryside. Also, the house of the Bernard's, on rue 10 Victor Hugo is where the romantic man himself around 1834'hosted' his amoureuse Juliette Drouet. It is where he wrote la Tristesse d’Olympio. I suppose I should pay hommage to the man and visit him at the Panthèon in Paris!
Today I ate lunch with the 2 boys Hadrièn and Alexandre, plus their neighbor Gabriel! It is a mad house with 3 boys...I made biftek and purée, yum! Flore eats at school. Ok, that's enough of that!...don't want to bore you too much!
Express yo' self Cynch! Here is a video via Cynthia Leigh of the dear girl painting. A modern take on Rothko non?
Dear friend Katherine Holly, is now Mrs.Katherine Holly Everett! She was wed and I was a maid to the sweet bonnie bride last Saturday. Holly and her hubby are in Santorini-Oia, Greece. I was there just a few seasons ago...here is one of my favorite discoveries: Atlantis Books
If you want to govern a nation and you have to choose between politics and art, choose art.
---Plato.
Your place in heaven will seem to be made for you and you alone, because you were made for it—made for it stitch by stitch as a glove is made for a hand.
---C.S. Lewis.
I was born very far from where I was supposed to be, so I'm on my way home.
