The display at Mariage Freres.
Tag Archives: Uncategorized
Mariage Freres I
Tea and colonial memory at Mariage Freres. The tea room is set up to look vaguely “tropical” and waiters bustle around in starched white jackets and aprons like butlers. The room is adorned with posters boasting the 1931 colonial exposition that was held in Paris and the poster in the photo says “Where our tea comes from.” How do we construct luxury along with the idea of racial or ethnic or cultural superiority? How is the memory of good old fashioned empire revived to make for a special or relaxing afternoon tea experience? Of course the tea was good, but I thought about Stuart Hall discussing how colonialism can be found in the classic english cuppa- that is, it is worked into our very ideas of the mundane as well as the deluxe.
Magic Hour
Watching the sunset at Vaux Sur Mer, looking out to the Atlantic and the lighthouses in the distance. The light was totaly amazing.
Existentialist Tombs
If I could quote from the existentialists with ease (besides hell being the others and blah blah blah) I would say something witty here, but anyways, we make things and we live and we love and try to both with passion and an eye towards justice and then we die, hopefully after a long satisfying life, right?
Saint Suplice
Amazing light on Saint Suplice after a torrential downpour. Anais Nin is always talking about Saint Suplice and so it gave me a little thrill to walk by it and watch the light changing on one of the towers as the sunset.
Black Cat at Shakespeare and Company
This black cat makes his home at Shakespeare and Company and we got to visit him later when we went to find some more books for my neice.
On the Eiffel Tower
Yes, there I am with my neice, looking sceptical on the top of the Eiffel Tower. The wait was 2 hours long and I felt like since I had done it when I was 12 I didn’t need to again. But I was glad that I got to go with Chelsea, because it was something she really wanted to do and the view was pretty cool… I like seeing the streets of Paris unfolding beneath us, see the logic of the city, the beige buildings and parks all spread out below.
Vaux Le Vicompte
After I returned to France I met up with my neice and her grandmother. I drove them to Vaux Le Vimcompte and we explored the chateau and the lovely, manicured gardens. I felt that my mother would have been proud, as she has a penchant for chateaus, so I felt I paid homage to her interest by going. Versailles (which I have not been to) is based on the design of this chateau, but of course it is much bigger. It’s really strange to think of people actually living here and thinking about how weird the idea of roalty is… it’s a totaly fucked up idea to keep people in line once you give it half a thought. Like why should people pay and grovel for another group of people? Of course the same applies to any kind of arbitrary hierarchy.
Pink Flamingos, Gent
The night before I left Gent A. and W. took me to a very kitchy, very cute bar called Pink Flamingos. Barbie dolls hung from the chandelier, people ocrammed into the bar- hipsters, professionals, students, even an old man who everyone seemed to know. It was a perfect place to enjoy my last sips of really good Belgian beer in Belgium, as well as the pleasure of W. and A.’s witty conversation and excellent company.
The last few weeks…
Since I last posted where have I been? First, after returning from Belgium I spent a few days running around Paris with my neice and her grandmother (photos forthcoming) seeing the big sights as it was my neice’s first time in France… Eiffel tower, Musee D’Orsay, Louvre (I had forgotten how spectacular the building itself it)… I used my museum educator knowledge to decorde hieroglyphics in the Egyptian collection and yes, we saw the Mona Lisa. It was really neat to talk about my neice’s impressions of Paris, probably the biggest city she has been to.
Afterwards I went to the French Atlantic coast for several days which was quite a contrast- getting up late, riding bikes to the beach, going to the market everyday for vegetables for dinner. So relaxing.
Now I am back in Paris, enjoying tea at Marriage Frères and the streets and feeling of the 11th and 12th arrondisements, having decided I prefer east Paris to west Paris. Now I am sitting in my sister’s study watching theSeine go by and the late summer (that feels like fall) rain fall. This is just ashort entry to say don’t give up on this blog and many photos will be coming, probably on wednesday night or thursday.
Killerfemme 