My goatee...

I've had a fairly packed and busy November hence the lack of posts here. Seems like the only personal item I can, quickly, report here is my growing of a goatee ... I'll post a photo in a week or so since, for now, it looks a tad ratty.









For info the month has seen a heavy workload with the ChangeMasters project, the 10 days of transports strikes (which really made it difficult to get about), plus visits from near-family, friends and (future) clients from Puerto Rico, Washington DC, Seattle (ish) and southern France.

Juanca

Just like last September 21 ... more of us though (8 to 9) - we're reserved a table tonight so if any of you want to come just alert me.

How much do you earn?

Today I came across this site http://probasis.ru/en_bablo that purports to show you how much you earn interactively and real-time "as you look at this page you have earned" (and also posts per day, per hour, per minute, and even per second ... I don't actually "earn anything per second ... or rather it must be fractional cents for me!)

Take a look and pst here what you think ... a nice way to get our focus off of money actually and on to results ;-)

La Toussaint

How far will you go to make your dreams come true?

Tonight we joined Denis, Hélios and Regina at Studio 28 for the avant-première of Woody Allen's latest film, Cassandra's Dream. If you don't have an answer to the question above then go see this movie ... and it's OK if you laugh ;-)

Incidentally, this was my first time to Studio 28 and it is quite a nice neighborhood cinema with very good champagne available at their bar. If you are in Paris and have never been I certainly suggest you stop by. Cheers!

Gui back in town ;-)

A nice surprise to see Gui back in town (and we're all having dinner together later). He was nice enough to gift us with another of his CDs, this one is "Live at Montreux" - one of his more ambitious outing ... and we love it!

You can listen to excepts here.

Paris ... jazzy

Some Paris strolling this afternoon and then joining Evelyne at the Jazz Cartoon cabaret to hear her new friend's warblings. Come on by if you're free ;-)

Lyon in music

I got a ride down to Lyon with Jean-Nöel yesterday since there is a massive, nationwide train strike since last night until mid-day tomorrow. I am teaching all day tomorrow at the IAE and, hopefully, my 8pm train back to Paris will be operating.

Tonight Bizet's "Les 8 mouvements de l'Arlésienne" (the music of the melodrama based on Daudet's short story in the book at left) performed by l'Orchestre de Lyon 3 right here on campus.

Wine Harvest Fireworks

I flew back from Toulouse tonight and then we went up to Montmartre to see our Brazilian friends and lucked out to see (up real close and personal) the annual fireworks for "la fête des vendanges" from Hélios' apartment (just below on the east side of Sacre Coeur - right side of the photo, just where you see the two lights).

Nuit Blanche N° 6

Tonight, from dusk until dawn tomorrow, the sixth annual "White Night" in Paris with over 150 artists with installations, performances, etc. all around town (new this year: a more "centralized" trajectory that follows the Métro line 14).

I know many friends will be out there wandering about all night - I, myself, will probably start around 8:30pm when they "set fire" to the Tuileries.

Let me know, dear Readers, if you plan to be there (for those far away you can participate, too ... via Second Life, just teleport your avatar to "Second Night"). So, see you there ... or there!

UPDATE: I went with Odile's sister to see the "2,000 points of lights" that were set along the central alley of the Tuileries Gardens. Really magique! Afterwards we walked to the Louvre, open free until almost midnight, and quite suprisingly fairly devoid of crowds, to admire the Mona Lisa and other works of the Italian artists of the period. Afterwards a nice dinner nearby at the Saint Honoré Café (with the French rugby win for dessert).

Juanca does his stuff!

Tonight our fine friend Juan Carlos Ross sings and plays guitar (Latin American music) from 9pm at « La Parrilla » located at 21 ter, rue Voltaire 75011 Paris. We'll be there early chowing down on the excellent Argentine steaks so, if you're free, think about joining us. Hasta pronto!

Couch-to-5K ... then 5K to ???

I've come to the end of my eight weeks of the Couch-to-5K Running Plan. I haven't lost a ton of weight (but my records show that since July 17, when I started, I have since shed about one and a half kilos or 3.3 lbs) but I do feel more energy and, overall, better and more positive (thank you endorphins).

Anyway, what I'm asking you, dear Reader, is to give me your advice, insights, ideas on how to continue! Just add your comments (plus links to useful info) and I will be grateful (and will think of YOU when I run). Thanks, Gracias, Merci.

100% Myriam

Unlike yesterday's expo tonight we have the vernissage of Myriam's retrospective at the FIAP in Paris with the opening in music tonight - Wednesday, September 19th, 2007 - around 7pm.

Paintings, drawings and stain-glass works - over 70 different items - so feel free to come if you are in town (even if we missed sending you an invite) ... just ask for me at the door ("José sent me").

UPDATE: A rollicking fun time post-expo at Raspail where a highly diverse group (French, Swiss, Brazilian, Argentine, American, German ... ane one Puerto Rican) shared a wonderful time together.

Salon des arts

Vernissage tonight for the annual 14th arrondissement's art fair with over 300 artists from this municipal borough showing.

Myriam, my mother-in-law, is one of those on view (in the main hall). Drop by if you are in town as the expo runs until September 23 ... there is a "pot" around 8pm (usually the mayor springs for champagne so see you there mayhaps).

Slow Food

Lots to choose from today in Paris: Techno Parade, European Heritage Days, CinémAligre and Slow Food Day. I opted for the latter when I discovered that rather than having to get over to Bastille I could participate at the nearbyCharles-Victor restaurant (and go with Odile, Anna, Benjamin and Alison). It was great (potatoes served five ways) and we will probably join. You might want to see if there is a chapter near you ... and go slow!

Opening: Arestakes Art Gallery

Late this afternoon (after I drop by the Baron Rouge) a number of us are going to the opening cocktail of a new gallery (just next to Sylvie's place).

Come one, come all (map again) - there is also going to be a three artists' vernissage (including some interesting paintings of Tibet).

Harvest Party (grape-picking)

I'm off to the annual "vendange" at Melac in the 11th arrondissement (42 rue Léon Frot).

In the photo here you can make out the grape vines hanging off the front of the restaurant and ready to harvest.

Drop by this afternoon and join in the fun - here is a map, even!

UPDATE: I had a great time - music, socks (ask if you must) and a nice bottle of red wine (luckily Denis showed up to hel me drain it). See you next year for the 29th annual party (always the second Saturday of September).

Market Day

We popped up from our GHO (Garrigue HideOut) to Uzès in a nice (and shaky) CV2 convertible, not unlike the photo at left, for the big (and terribly crowded) Saturday market - called "the most beautiful market in France" by Jean-Pierre Coffe (click here to see more about it).

Off to Aix en Provence later today to spend a couple of days at our friend Franco's place at the Château Maigre (see map).

Calu !

In the Provençal language "calu" means "crazy, nuts" - see here for more. Ans with that as an introduction ...

Late start after yesterday's late night at Collias (rather "calu") but nonetheless a brisk mid-day hike into Uzès with Alain whence we did the round of bistros and bars in the town: Au Suisse d'Alger (rosé wine), Aux Amis (pastis x 2) then ending up at La Muscade (pastis x 3) where we ran into Tanguy (planning to pick grapes in Champagen next month) and where Jean-Yves joined us to drive us back to chez lui for lunch (with an excellent bottle of Les Garrigues 2005 from Domaine Richaud see here and here and here - and to boot Marcel is a buddy of Alain) and listening to the warbling of the 3-woman group Au Revoir Simone. Paradise!

We did an afternoon round-trip from Uzès up to Saint-André-de-Valborgne in Jean-Jacques' 1947 Dodge convertible with Jean-Yves at the wheel, Odile riding shotgun and Roden (formerly Chantal), Nicolas and myself jammed into the back seat at the mercy of the winds! This is the kind of thing (160 kilometers RT of winding mountain roads to pick up some suasage) that one does when on vacation - time is of less consequence and being together having a ball is a good enough reason to do wacky things.

The evening saw us stopping by Carole the bio-wine gal's place at Bourdic then all meeting again at J-Ys place for a nice (and late-ending - around 5am!) BBQ dinner and major "find my favorite tune" hijinks (via www.radioblogclub.fr, give it a try yourself!)