Jolly Old England

Travel planning can be a giant sinkhole for time. Between the number of potential destinations, the hotel and transport options, figuring out where to go, how to get there, and how long to stay can lead to hours on-line and one huge headache. So imagine the thrilling feeling months back when I proposed spending the kids' February "ski" break in London (in plenty of time to get the sacred 77 euro roundtrip Eurostar tickets) and everyone said yes.

The weather was crap for our trip (although probably no worse than staying in Paris) but that did not deter us. In fact, it was the perfect time to enjoy London's mostly free array of spectacular museums which for us included the British Museum, Science Museum, and the Tate Modern. We also took a day trip to Windsor, well worth the time and practically empty, and shared a lovely afternoon with our former tenants, recently relocated back to the London suburbs after five years in DC.

This being my fourth trip to London, there is something so easy about being there, not quite home but with so many familiar sights, sounds, and tastes. Spicy Indian and Thai food? Check. Big glasses of water given at every meal? Check. English spoken here? Check. Two and a quarter hours city center to city center? Check. Check. Check.

I did not take many pictures on this visit, partly because wearing gloves and carrying an umbrella are not exactly compatible with getting the quick snap. Nevertheless I found a few signs that I enjoyed very much.





And for those of you who have seen the movie Closer:

No-No

Everywhere you go in Paris, you'll see this sign. The bottom line: do not, I repeat, do not post anything on this wall. And yet, isn't it paradoxical that the only way to get the message across is to post it in GIGANTIC letters everywhere? Yes, of course, this admonition is certainly less unsightly than peeling posters, stacked one atop the other, as you sometimes see elsewhere.



If you'd like a complete social history on the 1881 law, head on over to the always interesting blog, Invisible Paris, for a thorough explanation in this August 2009 post.

For Sale

Now how bad would it be to go to work every day if this were your office? Stop dreaming. If you've got 6.5 million euros lying around, it's all yours. Call today. Operators are standing by.

History Come to Life

Remember my post about the Hôtel Bourrienne? A couple of weeks ago, I was watching a mini series about Napoleon on TV and there, to my surprise, was the building and its garden, playing the part of Josephine's residence in the days before she married Bonaparte and moved to Malmaison. This 2002 series features an all-star cast including Isabella Rossellini as Josephine, Gérard Depardieu as the corrupt inspector Fouché, John Malkovich as Talleyrand, and French actor Christian Clavier as Napoleon.

Well I suppose I should have posted this right away because the clip I found on Youtube has since been taken down. The best I can do now is to share this music video that offers a few glimpses of the interiors (the scenes where Napoleon is in his night shirt and Josephine is soaked to the skin, crying at his door) plus a glimpse of the scene in the garden around 1:30. There are other scenes from the series posted on Youtube and the good news is that if you are a glutton for this sort of thing, the series is available for purchase in both French and English versions.

In Praise of Not So Famous Men

In a town where there's a sameness to a lot of the buildings, it's perhaps surprising to see the signatures of the architects on their work. But let's give credit where credit is due. All hail these men (and I'm pretty much assuming they were all men given the time period) for their clearly lasting contributions to the Paris streetscape. It wouldn't be the same without you.

Much Ado about Marianne

I think there must be a joke in here somewhere. How about...

How many Frenchman does it take to screw in a light bulb?

Ten. One to do the work and nine to get all huffy about it.

But seriously folks. I won't condemn a whole nation for the actions of a few. After all pretty much the same thing could be said for we Americans. But since I'm sitting on this side of the pond these days, let me just share with you the scandal de jour. Late last week, this ad campaign was launched:



The gist of it? The government is explaining its spending on education, sustainable development, the digital economy, research, and economic development as investments in the country's future. The lady in her Phrygian cap, the headgear of the French revolution, is clearly Marianne, whom the rest of you may better know looking like this.



But rather than making everyone feel all warm and fuzzy, it appears that the ad campaign has pretty much pissed off everyone. The left is outraged by the expense of the campaign and its timing, claiming that it's propaganda for the UMP (Sarkozy's party) on the eve of regional elections.

Their response?

The placard refers to a very ill-mannered remark made by Sarkozy in 2008 to someone reaching out to grab his hand at a public event. The whole thing was captured on a cell phone video and keeps getting trotted out to show Sarkozy's contempt for real people.

The feminists see it as a thinly veiled message that women should put up and shut up and just keep pushing out the babies. And they have a point, she's barefoot and pregnant, even though that white is awfully virginal.

Translation: Be a mother and keep quiet.

I'm not taking sides in this debate but I sure am enjoying the show.

Maison Louis Carré

I have strong opinions about many things but when it comes to exploring Paris and its environs, I have no standards at all. Wherever you're going, whatever you're doing, I'm pretty much game. So when I had the opportunity to visit a private home designed by Finnish architect Alvar Aalto in Bazoches-sur-Guyonnes, about 40 kilometers southwest of town, I said, "sign me up."

Aalto designed the home for Parisian art dealer Louis Carré who moved there in 1959. From the exterior, it's not much to look at but the feeling completely changes once you walk in the front door. It's built like a wave into the side of a hill with commanding views of the surrounding countryside in every direction. Aalto designed it all (with help from a few collaborators) including the furniture, carpets, lighting, and the two most amazing walk in closets I've ever seen.

Carré picked the site because it's just across the road from where his friend, Jean Monnet, one of the architects of the European Union, lived. You can visit Monnet's house too, an interesting contrast since it's a typical French country house complete with thatched roof and fussy furniture. Frankly, either one would suit me just fine.

Both sites are open to visitors but at odd hours depending upon the season. Check the Web sites before you go:

Maison Louis Carré

Maison de Jean Monnet

There's lots more to see in this neck of the woods if you have a car and the time. I had lunch in the picture perfect village of Les Mesnuls before heading back into town but had no time to explore the church or the town's own chateau.