Immeubles en fête !

Come all ye "Moutons"!

Today from 7pm onwards in the courtyard of our building - we're celebrating the annual "neighbors' party" - so even if you're a past resident (or repeat visitor) feel free to come by (bring a little something to drink/nibble).

Hope to see you!

Mother's Day in France

All the best to Myriam today (and always)! We're celebrating at the Rosebud.

Still Ascending...

Stopping over in the 17th this afternoon to pick up some t-shirts and decorations for the annual "Immuebles en Fête" party on next Tuesday. The idea (started five years ago and now grown to 4.5 participants throughout Europe) is simple: a fun and festive get-together among neighbors, in the same building, to get to know each other better and to continue to create links (and drinks).

Finally got our scheduling together with Jutta & François, neighbors we often run into at la Comedia, and had an excellent dinner with them, and Florence, at Mouton. I took a risk and made a new dish - turned out not too bad.

Viva Gérard !

Off to a vernissage for our artist friend, Gérard Omez, at the nearby Villa Adrienne tonight. Earlier today Odile and I had a nice break at la Comedia with Benjamin and Florence (who agrees to help me use her genealogy research and database to try out some ideas I have on improved vizualization of connections/linkages between individuals - whether family, friends or workmates). Later we ran into Vesna (on the hunt for more strawberries for her kids!) - she still runs her art photo biz - take a look, if you haven't already, here.

Yasou!

After a full day of meetings I took the subway with colleagues to the Monastiraki railway station where we parted paths. From here, on the northeastern side of the Acropolis, I walked back to my hotel. A very enjoyable way to get to know the city (on this, my first ever visit).

We were taken out by our Greek colleagues to dinner at To Ouzadiko in the Kolonaki neighborhood of Athens.Very tasty mezedes (including fluffy keftedes), followed by a twelve-hour, oven-roasted pork dish that was truly succulent. All washed down by excellent ouzo.

Afrewards, a nitecap (Mythos) at the café Perros. Yasou!

Baron Buddies

Meeting the "gang" at the Baron Rouge for a pre-Armistice Day drink. That will help take my mind off the fact that I'll not have water back on until after the plumber's visit tomorrow!

Brazilian Paradise ...

I reached Odile by phone tonight (well, technically tomorrow since it's post-midnight) at Vila Abraão – Ilha Grande (run by Yayoi and Nilson) - a paradise (as you can see by the picture at left) that I plan to visit in the not too distant future with Madame O. - maybe for her bday (Shsss, don't tell!).

Check out the link above for more info: Y&N are both charming and multi-lingual ... just in case you're thinking of a trip to Brazil - on the coast, not all that far from Rio de Janeiro.

Myself, I took a well-deserved break tonight with some Pietra at le Baron Rouge and a small, but tasty Korean dinner.

Flea, Fight and Fun

First thing today, around noon, I stopped by the vide-greniers at the marketplace at the end of our street. Saw Françoise (and some of the other usual suspects) and got a nice deal on the shirt you see in front of her.

PLANNED: La Maison de la Corse holds its Consulta today at the 5th arrondissement mairie. Afterwards, this evening, music with Manis (chanteur charismatique et anti-conformiste) at le Entrepot and then up to the 20th: forro/dancing .

Chargé comme programme, non ?!

After a nice lunch nearby with Sylvie, we went to see Myriam at the Visarte expo. Afterwards we walked over to Sylvie's, where I finished (finally! a tough tech challenge) getting her Internet connection reworing on her laptop. I suggested she go "wireless" so she can take advantage of her small garden out front.

Returned to Mouton and chanced upon ... and actually watched (for the nth time) "Blazing Saddles" ... what a weird sense of humor, that Mel Brooks!

Golden nuts <--click for informative video!

Went over to Sylvie's place in the 5th to help get her Internet (noos) connection working on her laptop. She invited me over to the nearby The Long Hop pub for a refreshing beer on the sidewalk sun-splashed terrace. I sprung for the amusingly named Nobby's Nuts (no serious beer-drinker, like myself, would normally indulge - especially when having a Beamish - in plebian fare such as nuts, but we were both sort of bushwacked by the high alcohol content and the strong sun).

Later Denis showed up and we walked over towards Ile Saint-Louis where we sat ourselves down on the bridge and listened to two excellent street musicians belt out some righteous jazzy tunes. I called Catherine P. from there (with a bossa nova background track) to wish her a happy birthday (donc, Joyeaux Anniversaire, Catherine!).

Back to Sylvie's (still in MAJOR renovation mode) where Rob joined us for some wine, it being apéro-time (natch).

First picnic of 2006

Heading over to Max's place in Nanterre for a BBQ. It's a lot cooler (12°C) than yesterday, but I'm sure Max has plenty of "anti-freeze" left. Mo' later.

Kant complain ...

Wonderful dinner tonight (I finally did the topinambour recipe - superb!) with Claudia, Fanchette (congratulations on stopping smoking - more or less), Denis and Anne. High-brow discussions on topics such as: farts vs. burps (video clip here), dressing for a wedding, etc.

On this day in 1724: German philosopher Immanuel Kant was born in Königsberg, Prussia (now Kaliningrad, Russia).

Spring-like ... finally. Time to TANGO.

Wonderfully sunny and warm today so a bunch of us (Odile, Benj, Rob, Jean-Nöel, Florence) had coffee at la Comedia after the market.

Tonight: Juan Carlos Rossi plays & sings @ "Chez Mary" (140 rue Saint Maur 75011) from 21h00. Come one, come all - see you there!

UPDATE: JC was too good - listened to his music until almost midnight then, realizing we were fairly hungry, ran out to a nearby Mexican restaurant (too late to dine - this is Paris after all, not New York!) so we (Odile, Rob, Denis, me) ended up at l'Ile de Gorée, a fine Senegalese restaurant, for a very convivial (if late - 1am!) dinner (merci Rob). ETA home 3am!

Rue Montgallet Day

Well, not actually the entire day; this famed "street of the amazing Chinese computer deals", with literally tens of different outlets, jammed side to side, always seems to me roisterous and fatiguing at the same time. After a couple of hours I left with my various USB cables and assorted goodies - tired but satisfied I'd gotten the best prices.

More recovery

Dinner at home with Rob (staying over), Anne and Benjamin.

Jerusalem artichoke and Swiss art/wine

Market day at Mouton this morning so I picked up some topinambour to try a new recipe (stay tuned for results).

Beautifully sunny day so HAD TO stop at a sidewalk café afterwards (work promises to pick up in May so I'm kind of planning ahead - "play while you can" system).

Tonight the Swiss artists association, Visarte, has their vernissage at the mairie in the 6th arrondissement. If I haven't already invited you please consider yourself so invited ... and come (early - around 6:30pm - the Embassy's goodies may not hold out for long!). Hope to see many of you there.

UPDATE: A wonderful time at the vernissage (see a short video here). Afterwards a short dozen (11, to be exact) of us went to dinner at le Paradis. Then post-paradisical drinks at the Rosebud (just the dirty half-dozen). Closing at 2am ...

Easter Monday - holiday

We stayed overnight at Vosves and after lunch (more duck!) we headed back to Paris this afternoon (dropped off Anna) and had lunch at the funky Mexi & Co.

Dinner tonight at Jacques and Dominque's with Odile, Denis and Rob (the indefatigable) for a very nice evening of pâté de pâques and some stormy discussions (see a short video clip here).

Joyeuses Pâques!

Best wishes to you all (even those who don't celebrate Easter). Today, after a quick stop at Montigny, we're at Vosves, where Odile's godmother made a superb lunch (duck). I'm in recovery (or resurrection?) again!

Recovery day ... Puerto Rican comfort food

Got in around 5am yesterday .... so today is a lazy, take-it-easy day.

To help us recover, Odile made some killer tostones for dinner (a dish both comforting and heavy). The late evening was TV time with an awfully syrupy telefilm about Sartre & de Beauvoir. Luckily it was followed by our addictive series (CSI offspring).

Rob's back in town ...

Heading up to Montmartre, chez Denis (at the far end of the street), where we're to meet up with our dear friend Rob from Denver - who's finally back in town after a TOO long absence . Planning to be joined by: Jacques, Domi, Claudia.