Nuit Blanche...Artist Community...Bibliotheques...

Wow!  My life has been a blur since I arrived in Paris a little over a week ago!  I realize that I can't do a daily blog.  I'm just too busy living.

Where to begin...I will try and give a brief overview of the past week, we'll take it from there.

Friday...

My actor friend Ben (we met during my last trip to Paris in March of 2008) came to the 8th arrondismont (district) to help me get even more familiar with my neighborhood.  We walked and saw this really interesting car.  I had no idea what it was, Ben didn't either.  I found out later from my boy Steven that it's a Chatenet CH26.   I drive a custom MINI Cooper S, which I absolutely LOVE, but the Chatenet looks even more like a toy.

Entrance to Parc Monceau

After about a 10 minute walk we ended up in the most magical Park in all the world.  Parc Monceau is so peaceful and full of Parisian life.  It's not a tourist attraction.  It's a park that the locals use.  French school children playing, people jogging, old men sitting...couples kissing...it's fantastic.  This is now my FAVORITE place in Paris.  I'm so happy that Ben took me.  The great thing about being in Paris for so long...I have enough time to discover things off the beaten path, without rushing.  I'm living a "regular" life...just in Paris.

 

Once we left the Parc we stopped by one of the most famous bakeries in Paris.  It's called Lenotre. You have not LIVED until you've had macaroons from Lenotre.

The Worlds Best Macarrons

Paris is all about good food, passion, art and sex.  It's true.  Everywhere I go I'm amazed at the fashion...I'm revamping my entire wardrobe when I get back to Los Angeles.  I could definitely stand to dress a little sexier.  I'm also going to be more conscious of what I eat.  I eat healthy now, but I want to make sure that every meal I consume from this point forward in my life is gourmet.  Even if it's just a quick snack...I need it to be fabulous.  Also...I need to invest in a romantic relationship filled with unbridled passion.  I've never seen so many people (over the age of 25) stopping in the middle of the sidewalk just to french kiss and gaze into each others eyes.  Also...I love how much ART I encounter on a daily basis.  Not just the monuments, but artist playing in the subways, painting on tiny side streets, singing in smokey clubs, and performing in the theatres all over town.  I am inspired to continue to live the artist way.  Sometimes in Los Angeles, it's easy to forget the reason behind the dream. 

Ben and I ate at 3 Pieces Cuisines.  It was really good.  The best part of all.  There was a free bag of candy on the table just for me! =)  I had a Salad Poulet and Ben had the steak tar-tare.  Very french.  The wait staff were friendly and the food was tasty and inexpensive.

Oh...I also got to ride another Merry-Go-Round! This one had motorcycles instead of horses.  Of course I had to take a spin!  I will every single time.

Saturday...

Wow...Saturday was freaking AMAZING!!!!!!!  I mean it started with a blast and then continued with a CA-POW! and then ended with a BANG!!!!

I woke up early and went to bed well...then next day.

Mairie De Paris

I took the train to Hotel de Ville and I saw the Mairie de Paris (City Hall of Paris).  I was actually on my way to the bibliotheque at the Centre Pompidou, which my friend Petra calls the inside out library.  I decided to take a slight detour and explore some of the amazing winding roads filled with shops and bistros.  I had no set agenda...I just decided to turn down whatever street caught my eye.  

Fortunately for me...I picked a little passageway and stumbled across Galerie ART that houses the work of this talented French-African artist named Annie.  She works under the name NIATORAKA.  Annie and I hit it off and she invited me to her opening where I ended up meeting her parents and her brother from London, who has extended an invitation for me to visit.  We shall see.

Finally...I ended up at the bibliotheque inside the Centre Pompidou so that I could focus on writing.

Centre Pompidou

I headed home around 10pm to relax.  I spoke with my friend Nathalie (native Parisian) that now lives in Montreal.  She asked if I was going to the Nuit Blanche.  Around midnight...I decided that I should go.  I jumped on the Metro and headed to the Saint Michel stop.    Nuit Blanche is all about art and making it accessible to all for one night only -from 7pm until 7am.  It was a BLAST.  I chose to start at Notre Dame Cathedral.  It was fantastic.  I took pics outside and ended up inside the Cathedral.  I sat next to Carolyn from Louisiana. She arrived one day before me and is leaving on the exact same day as I am.  She is in town working on her novel.  We both felt it was FATE that we met at Notre Dame and had similar goals and life paths even though we're a generation apart in age and of different races.  She also has a blog about her travels, and is using blogspot.  Hilarious.  

Notre Dame Cathedral

Notre Dame Cathedral

Hopitaux De Paris

After leaving Notre Dame...I ended up at the Hopitaux De Paris for a spectacular light installation. They had a lovely topiary garden as well.  I stayed and took a few pictures, but my pics do not do the exhibit justice.  It was one of those times when you really needed to be there.

The best thing about Nuit Blanche is the crowds in the streets.  The entire city of Paris is out in full effect. I've never seen more people up and alert at 4AM in the morning.  The crowd was electric and the energy was contagious.  Shops and restaurants stay open too. 

The revised cone...

I stopped at this famous ice cream place called La Boulangerie de Papa . I tried a caramel cognac and coconut.  Well I HATED the coconut.  I told the guy I didnt like it and he said, "So.  It's what you ordered."  (The French are like this) So, I said..."You suck!"  He said again, "You ordered it."  I then explained, "Yeah, but I didn't know that it was going to be nasty.  Who orders nasty ice cream on purpose????"  He took back the cone...after I already licked it...and dumped the coconut flavor back in the coconut container.  Me...incredulous! That was very UN-American.  I would have had ABC-Eyewitness News on the scene in Los Angeles if I saw a food establishment dump ice cream back in the container after I licked it.  He then says, "What do you want now?"   I said, "Give me the Vanilla.  Not even YOU can mess up vanilla."  He smiled, I took my cone....and continued on my marry way.  Oh...it was very good.

Nuit Blanche 2010!

I walked throughout the crowds for miles and miles and I kept running into happy people that were very intoxicated. Throngs of folks at the Louvre...St. Germain and all places in between.  Nathalie was right.  Nuit Blanche was not to be missed.  I got in the house around 5AM.  Not a bad start to my first weekend in Paris.

Sunday...

DONOMA

I needed to recover most of the day from partying until the wee hours of the morning.  When I finally got myself up and out the door I headed to Cinema Des Cineastes to watch my boy Djinn Carrenard's fantastic film called DONOMA. It was the premiere in Paris and it was a total success.  The theatre was PACKED and they had to turn hundreds of people away.  I was so proud of him, and happy that the film was excellent and well received.  If it comes to a place near you, or you see it in the video stores of America...this film is a must see!

Me and the Director of DONOMA Djinn Carrenard

Alex and I playing at the DONOMA reception

After the screening there was a reception for the film and I saw some old Parisian friends and met a few new ones . I love the artist community in Paris.  I wish that the  US  government supported independent artist the way the French do.  In France...when you create an idea for a film, the government FUNDS the movie, because they recognize the importance of art.  They also pay for the screenings and for the filmmaker to travel around the world to enter the film in different festivals.  Wow!

I will have to blog about Monday through Wednesday tomorrow.  It's 2:30 in the morning here in Paris...and now I must add photos.

Enjoy!