La fête des voisins

Nice turnout of our neighbors in both buildings for this year's (hastily organized) party in the courtyard for the 8th annual Fête des Voisins (formerly called " Immeubles en fête").

Old friends, "annual" friends, new neighbors ... lots of wine, snacks and talk. Our Chinese restaurant neighbor brought over piled-up plates of delicious nems. As usual the oft-repeated phrase of "we should do this more often!"

Symptômes

Vernissage tonight of Claudia's sister-in-law, Julia Tiemann - works of a rare power - at times disturbing in their vision. See more here: www.juliatiemann.com

Poèmes d'ici et d'ailleurs

PLANNED for this Wednesday PM. See you there?

Myriam's Vernissage

The "galerie du Montparnasse" ( 55 rue du Montparnasse in the 14th arrondissement) is showing the works of the painters Myriam Pletner and Benjamin Marques, from the 15th until the 31st May. The vernissage is tonight and we hope to see you there!

Click on the title link above for more details.

La Nuit des Musées

The third annual "Night of Museums" takes place tonight in France and in Europe ... 2,000 museums await us for a night full of surprises... more news after our visit(s).


UPDATE: We decided to forgo the museums tonight (many friends told us it was too crowded with very long lines).

Instead we had a nice Mexican dinner at La Tipica (our first time there) just along the Canal Saint-Martin. Quite tasty (see pix in my "food" blog) and reasonably priced. Afterwards, walking to catch the night bus, we came upon Santa Sed, a Chilean restaurant, that neither of us knew - so we stopped in and stayed until about 2am! Very agreeable - the owner Carlos, who is from Santiago, is both charming and "cool".

[Possible Outing] Max headroom ...

¡Adios Pop!

My brother has just called (4am) to tell me our father has passed away (quickly ... from a burst aneurysm).

It is perhaps a bit brutal and too public to post this personal and painful loss, but I feel compelled to share this with you, my family, friends, visitors.

He was, especially in later years, a wonderful, poetic and loving man who had faced up to his own personal demons and challenges in a long life (he died just 5 days away from his 88th birthday). QEPD. We loved and will miss him.

Cinco de Mayo

Happy birthday to Odile's cousine and, of course, ¡Viva México! (details if you follow the title link).

Música Latinoamericana

We went to hear our good friend, Juan Carlos, tonight at a new place (for us) called "Aux Copains" ... and, indeed, a chummy, welcoming (small) café-bar run by Momo (heart of gold and hands of thunder - he joined in on drums later in the evening).

Pleasantly surprised to run into Anne B. and to meet her cousin, Etienne, who - besides keeping up the family trait of great bonhomie - is a landscape architect for the city of Paris (and knows, well, our acquaintance "Monsieur Tree").

Look for another concert by Señor Rossi next week May 12 ... I'll post some clips and photos here soon.

Afterwards we went with JCR and Florence to have dinner at a nearby Kurdish restaurant (quite good) called Mérivan.