l'Arc de Triomphe & stizz-uff

Today we went to the top of l'Arc de Triomphe (The Arch of Victory!!!) and also drank a beer in a glass the size of my head.

The pictures of us with the sky in the background, are actually taken on the top of the Arc - but I didn't even have to say that, it is pretty obvious - right?? :) hah. right.

It was a good day in Paris.

Lil' history tidbit:

The Arc de Triomphe stands in the centre of the Place de l'Etoile at the western end of the posh shopping street Champs-Elysees.

That crazy ol' Napoleon wanted to construct a monument which would help people to remember not only him, but the conquests of his armies. He liked the idea of the Roman Triumphal arches that were constructed so that victorious Roman Emperors could hold parades through the arch with all their captives and spoils of war - so he commissioned the l'Arc de Triomphe to be built in that style.

Construction of the Arch began in 1806 - however, its construction was not completed until 1836, many years after Napoleon had already bitten the dust.

Easy like Sunday Morning (in Belgium)

Well, our 3rd and last day in Brussles was just as fun as the rest. We did the tourist thing and hoped on the bus to see the city.

Logan and Robbie were adventurous and ate "Mussels in Brussels" and escargot. I watched.

Harlan took us to a wicked awesome flea market, I've included some of the highlights here. Doesn't get much awesomer than taxidermied squirrels playing poker on a log table, now does it?

Then, just to be an even better host, Harlan made us all an amazing dinner before sending us packin' back on the train.

Good-bye Brussels. We miss you already.

Brussels, cont...

Well, the blurred pic. of Logan and Adeline pretty much sums up our nights in Brussles - sorry about the matress Logan - BLERRGH! hah!

Check out the half-way completed mural Logan, Lucy and Eva did on the door of a bookstore down the street from the gallery. I wish I hada shot of it completed, but, ah wellz.

Good times.

A weekend to remember!

Well, After kicking some serious buns working the last few weeks - we were off to Belgium to see our friend Logan Hicks in his show "Blenderhead" curated by "No New Enemies" (www.nonewenemies.net) at Mr. Ego (mr-ego.be) in Brussels!! Yeah!

Taking the train was so easy and comfortable. So much better than flying. Fer realz. We just hoped on and an hour and a half later - viola! In the land of waffles, chocolate, and beer.

Logan was nice enough to meet us at the station where we walked by a bizarre statue - I've posted a rather blurry photo of it - but basically it was an 8 foot horse dressed in a zebra-colored business suit. It was sitting at a table, so if you wanted to sit down there, you'd have to sit with it. Genius!!

We walked to the town square, which is gorgeous and over the top with the gold embellishments.

Logan was in a three person show with the lovely and talented ladies: Ephameron (www.ephameron.com) and Miss Lucy Mclauchlan (www.beat13.co.uk)

Meeting everyone and getting to hang out - Logan, Lucy, Eva, Matt, Syvan (spelling?), Harlan, Adeline, and eveyone else- was truly awesome and inspiring. I wish I had more pictures! Ah well, I'm a lousy photgrapher.

You'll have to check in on Logan's blog: www.workhorsevisuals.com for more pix of all the action.

An ODE to French Breakfasts (in pictures)

YUM.

La La La La La La Louvre

Haven't been bloggin' too much 'cause we've been busy meeting the ol' deadlines.

Jet lag has become more and more humorous because we are stuck somewhere in the middle. In order to stay up to talk with clients in the US (until about 7pm LA time) we have to stay up until 4am Paris time. This gets us rolling out of bed anytime between noon and two. Usually when the sun sets here, we know it's time for lunch! Yes!

Ah well, this gives us time to explore the city a bit before the work day starts (because when we wake up at noon, it's really only 3am LA time.) Kapeeesch??? Confusing??? oh yah.

Anywhooo... we are now "friends of the Louvre" so we can go any ol' time we want. Speaking of the Louvre - the former home of Louis and Marie Antoinette - Was great getting to see "Marie Antoinette" the new S. Coppola film here, with a French audience and French subtitles...but a movie about French history. Surreal & stuff.

mmmkay..I'm tired, so here's some bad photos i took of paintings I liked today. Can you guess which one is entitled "Super Jesus?" Yikes. I am going straight to hell for making fun of an other artists painting.

Up Up and Away!!!

We have been seeing the handy work of the graf artist "ABOVE" all over Paris.

awesomeness.

Notre Dame

A little bit o' history about Notre Dame de Paris:

The Notre Dame de Paris stands on the site of Paris' first Christian church, "Saint-Etiennen Basilica", which was built on the site of a Gallo-Roman temple to Jupiter.

In 1160, Saint-Etiennen Basilica became the "parish church of the kings of Europe" and Bishop Maurice de Sully deemed the current Parisian cathedral unworthy of its lofty role. He had it demolished shortly after he assumed the title of Bishop of Paris. According to legend, de Sully had a vision of a glorious new cathedral for Paris, and sketched it in the dirt outside of the original church.

Bishop de Sully went on to devote most of his life and wealth to the cathedral's construction.

On Dec. 2nd, 1804 Napoleon crowned himself Emperor here. There are claims that he seized the crown out of the hands of the Pope during the ceremony in order to avoid subjecting himself to the authority of the pontiff. (this moment is depicted in Jacques-Louis David's famous painting.)

During the early 19th century the cathedral was in a state of disrepair, and city planners began to contemplate tearing it down. French novelist Vicor Hugo, who loved the cathedral, wrote his novel "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" in part to raise awareness of the cathedral's heritage. The book sparked renewed interest in the cathedral's fate and a campaign to collect funds to save the cathedral followed, culminating in its restoration in 1845.

Whew! Interesting, non? ...no?

JOYEUX ANNIVERSAIRE MON MARI

Today was a lovely day. We spent our 8th Anniversary together, my sweet robbie packed a yummy lunch and wine and we hiked to the Seine to eat down by the water. Then, he took me to see Notre Dame for the first time.

Lucky gal, times to remember.

Is that a Serpent in your pocket?

What a day, what a day: "Les Serpents dans l'Avion!!!"

So, seeing "Snakes on a Plane" is bizarre enough, but seeing it in France with French subtitles, and a French audience was something truly remarkable to behold.

Jokes that are played-out in America got big laughs here. i.e. "brother from another mother" almost brought the house down.

A special special experience. :)

The Catacombes!

So, as I mentioned before a bit, Les Halles (the big ol' underground mall by our place) used to house a cemetery: "Les Cimetiere des Innocents" (A fountain, "Le Fountaine des Innocents" now stands near Les Halles to mark this place in history.)

In 1785 about 2 million skeletons were disinterred from here just before the Revolution and transferred by night in wagons to build The Catacombes. (Other graveyards followed throughout the years) The reason being - to solve the hygiene and aesthetic problems caused by Paris' overflowing cemeteries. It took 15 months to transport the rotting corpses across the city to their new resting place.

After exhuming the bones, they created ossuaries with the parts and formed purdy skele-walls down in some quarries (the mines were formed by earlier excavations) underneath the city.

It's known throughout history that Parisians occasionally throw wild parties down here (Charles X being one of them)

At the beginning of the Catacombes is a sign that reads: STOP! THIS IS THE EMPIRE OF DEATH!

And they check your bag for "borrowed" bones when you leave. YES!

It was pretty cool. heh. heh.