Follow along ... or catch up with us!

Sunday relaxathon in and about Paris (ALL Right Bank!) - feel free to catch up with us:

1. Baron Rouge for oysters (and that after the massive quantities at Benj's last night)
2. Hôpital Saint-Antoine to say "hallo" to Alison
3. Bolivan restaurant , Candela Calienta, to listen to Carlos and his group
4. Sushi dinner at Anne Baudart's

Numbers 1 & 3 are open to you, kind Readers. If you're in Paris then come on by!

And here's the map.

"Un Tramway Nommé Désir" - Streetcars Make a Comeback in Paris ...

The last Paris tram ground to a halt 60 years ago. Now a new tram line is being introduced with lots of fanfare ... and we're going at 2pm today to join in the public inauguration with a free ride along the new route. See you there?

The new Bélière

Recently reopened, after a two-year hiatus, this neighborhood landmark has been totally refurbished in a much more "branché" style, but still retains its owner, Colette, and good feeling (and live music). An enormous improvement is the food (see my "What We're Eating" blog) which is an excellent value and nicely presented.

Aline, Celestine, Mariusz and I wrapped at midnight ... but (naturally) Odile & Denis stayed until 3am!

Les temps des cerises

The "Commie" resto tonight with Aline, her friend Celestine (in from Galway), Denis and Claudine & Franck (both up from Toulouse) and Frankie's sister, Florence. Very nice time getting caught up with everyone.

Happy Birthday lil bro' !

Today is the birthday my brother, René, and he catches up with me (56y/o) for two months ... then the counter turns over for me, too.

So, I thought I'd point out to him (and you all) that it is also the birthday of singer, dancer, and actor Sammy Davis, Jr who was born this day in 1925 and was a member of the legendary “Rat Pack” with Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin. So, Réné ... in your honor I've decided to create a club dedicated to YOU ... and we'll call it the "RAP Pack" ... your T-shirt will arrive soon (and you others can order from ... me. How's that for viral marketing?).

Anyway, Odile and I (plus Fanchette, Benjamin, Sylvie, Jean-Marie, Alison... and others you met when last you came to Paris) all wish you a très bon anniversaire !

Nuestro Tío Mágico

I just received (from both my brother and cousin) a copy of a recent article entitled "La aventura de ser Toño González" about the life of my very dear and "magic" uncle, Toño - besides my parents one of the people I most love and who has, perhaps unwittingly, taught me so much. I'll try to get the article posted somewhere soon - for now, dear Readers, if you want a pdf copy just post here or e-mail me and I'll gladly send it along.

JMB's

A fuzzy photo of a nice dinner at Jean-Marie's (back to the camera - uncorking the n-th bottle of wine) with our friends from Caen: Aggie & Michel, their daughter, Melanie, and her boyfriend.

I'm planning, late this afternoon, to stop by the Salons des Vignerons Indépendants.

The oldest market in Paris ...

PLANNED:

We're off to Le Marché des Enfants Rouge in the Marais area of town. This market was created in 1615 and I've been wanting to go back to spend a bit more time (and have lunch at one of their charming restaurants).

Afterwards a visit to the Valérie Jouve photography expo at galerie Xiappas (map here) nearby (with Hélios and Mariano).

Capharnaüm

After lunch with Benjamin and Odile at Os Minhotos (Portuguese hole-in-the-wall restaurant) we came across an interesting photo expo on the way home at the Atelier Florence Berger.

Dinner tonight (chez Fernand) with the Schillers - in Paris from Cambridge/London for a long weekend in the City of Lights.

¡Viva España!

Almost directly after work we headed up for an apéro at Hélios' ... where a friend from Barcelona, Mariano, an excellent photographer, is staying and visiting Paris for a few days.

Denis joined us and after some excellent jamón ibérico (gracias to Mariano's brother!) we walked over to the nearby (just down the stairs from Sacré Coeur) couscous/tajine resto called Le Petit Bleu (I recommend it to you all - here's a map). The lamb tajine (not to mention the Tajine Saint Jacques) was succulent ... and copious!

My most recent project calendar:

Que la Fête du Beaujolais commence !

Once again it's the third Thursday of November and it's .... le Beaujolais Nouveau (see the full story by clicking on the title above!)

We went to la Comedia with Alain (and were later joined by Florence) to try this year's cru.

We also greatly enjoyed listening to two young guitarists that Jean (the owner of the bistro) had though to enagge to play tonight. (You can see a short clip of this duo, called Les Deux Font L'Impair, by clicking here.)

J’espérons que je m’en sortira

Wednesday night ... and we're going to see Odile's cousin, Bernard, in this one-man theatrical piece which is based on compositions and essays written by schoolchildren in Naples (original title: Io speriamo che me la cavo).

Octopus's Garden.... in the flow!

Hello, dear readers ... thanks for stopping by (especially since I've had a protracted absence from these blogways). I will try to "just post it" without too much reflection, post-production or concerns about style, pix, etc. (which all slow down, to not say stop, the flow). After all, the main idea of this blog was to keep you up with our activites in Paris (and increasingly for me, due to the "new job", in various parts of Europe).

Tonight, having lugged home a few kilos of fresh octopus from the local market, we're making dinner and having Sylvie, Jean-Marie and Benjamin over for "Pulpo a la Gallega" plus my (world-famous ... almost) "martini-glass" flan mit aquacate, as an opener. Closing with another flan: lemon.

We'll doubtlessly toast to celebrate the Democrats' victories in the USA and wish them all godspeed (gift to the first one of you to guess which wine we'll toast with).

Leave some comments and what YOU are up to tonight - any favorite octopus recipes (!) and whatever is inspiring you these days. Hasta pronto!

Coping ...

On this day in 1950 (I wasn't quite one year old): Puerto Rican nationalists, members of the Armed Forces of National Liberation (FALN), attempted to assassinate U.S. President Harry S. Truman.

Off to Copenhagen until Friday for a project meeting. More news from Denmark as time allows ... I hear it's snowing up there!

Liberty for all ...

On Oct.28, 1886,the Statue of Liberty, a gift from the people of France to the people of the United States on the occasion of America's 100th anniversary in 1876, was officially dedicated this day in 1886 by U.S. President Grover Cleveland.

(see title link above)

On the road again ...

I'm teaching, Thursday and Friday, at Lyon III - change management related to the introduction of new information systems and will be using the simulation to better focus the students on key insights.

Oh, and also hopefully get out into town for a gastronomic dinner! Any tips?

Le musée du quai Branly

Took off the afternoon to get a private tour (merci à Jean-Paul) of this new museum.

Fascinating (if arguably too dimly lit) displays of "other cultures". I deplore only that there were no (at least none displayed) items of the Taino culture of Puerto Rico.

Happy birthday, Odile!

I'm certainly not telling her age!

Here go my BEST wishes to my dearest Odile on her birthday ... con todo mi amor.

Since I've been feelin fairly "punky" with this bad cold I've thought to have a real party (even thought there was a nice brunch today here - merci les amis) up at Montmartre in early November . If you can come let me know ... if you can't come send an e-mail (it'll actually be a mega-birthday party since the following have their birthdays in Oct/Nov: Odile, Sylvie, Fanchette, Claudia, Florence and Denis ... so we're do a big party for all six of them!) ... details to follow (if you e-mail me or leave a comment).