Oh, my (our) aching back(s) ...

Going on 8pm and we're just finishing the "big move" back into our refurbished apartment. Boxes galore and furniture to move back down ... plus, as usual, last-minute items to be finished (shelving, closets). Overall it is a BIG change and we're happy the "process" is over (almost). Generally happy with the results - I'll hope to put some links on this blog in the next few days so you can see what the results are.

MANY THANKS to the crew of good friends who came to help out (and will sit down to dinner with us now): merci Meyre, Florence, Denis, Mikael, Benjamin, Jacques and Dominque, Myriam and Paula. We couldn't have done it without you!

Spectacular Chateau ...

Les Fêtes de Nuit de Versailles : Les Noces de l’Enfant Roi

Superb dance piece. Excellent music by Rita Mitsouko. Very nice cultural evening. (And a big merci to our friend Michel, master of stage scenery, for the freebie tickets!)

The storyline is fascinating - recounting the marriage of 11 year-old Louis XV with his child bride, 4 year-old Marie Anne - daughter of King Felipe V of Spain. The dancing is spirited, inventive, and lyrical. And there are even fireworks! Impeccably timed and chosen (and right close!). Even the location is magical - the stage is actually set over the water of the Neptune Basin in the gardens of the spectacular (even more so at night) chateau of Versailles.

(click the image for more information - en français)

The August castle tour continues...

Dinner tonight at Läckö Castle (a medieval castle, located on an island in the lake Vänern in Sweden).

A highly enjoyable (and informative) performance, with music and singing and declamation, by Leif Olson and his troupe.

Trip to Sweden

I'm off to Lidköping this afternoon for four days of what promises to be very interesting work. You can get a quick overview of the town and see some pictures here.

le Château Tenant

UPCOMING NEWS: Arrival at le Château Ternant, high up in the hills of the wine-famous town of Nuits-Saint-Georges. Gorgeous! Click on the title above for more pix.

mini-mini-vacation...

Off to Montigny-sur-Loing to sleep over tonight before continuing the route to tomorrow's start of a 3 day hiatus at the Castle T.

Château near Dalida's bust

Roland, our philatelist friend, had us over to Château des Brouillards, a marvelous 17th century home up in Montmartre. We went with our neighbor Anne and were joined by Roland's son, Charles for an extended and very enjoyable apéro.

We ended up discussing everything from the real story of Carlos Gardel's origins to modern philosophy (Charles' area of study) to the relative merits of Uruguayan vs Spanish vs French wines.

Polished off the night with a few snifters of Roland's excellent homemade vodka infused with genièvre (juniper).

Peace...

Nice time at Al Sage, our favorite neighborhood Lebanese restaurant( and the ever-warm welcome of M. Boutrous), for a quiet tête-à-tête dinner; followed by a little TV dessert, Criminal Minds.

Climb a mountain if I had to ...

Wonderful dinner with Winkie (here for a year's sabatical) & Jöel and also Domi & Jacques (St. Petersbourg-bound tomorrow) and François. Background music by Tracy Chapman, among others.

Anne stopped by for a drink afterwards!

Shower heads ...

After a quick vist to BHV for a look at items for the "new" (in 3 weeks) apartment , Odile and I met Alain at La Comedia where we were sereptitiously joined by Isabelle. We all headed off for dinner at the Mauritius where Florence joined us for coffee. I headed home somewhat after midnight but the others closed the place down around 2:30am!

New mapping project: I've started a small project of "family" loactions using web-based mapping software. You can see samples for Puerto Rico and France. Let me know what you think!