Textures

Sorry that I've been a lazy blogger! I spent the first half of last week working a lot! I'm doing a little bit of work with a couture designer here, Jean Louis Faletta. Being in his atelier and playing dress-up kept me occupied and inspired. Then I spent Friday and Saturday wandering around Paris with Malin. I think that we walked about 6 hours each day, in the freezing cold, and now I'm sick. Bleh! Oh well, we explored the 9th, the 10th, the 11th, the 18th, the 19th, and the 20th.

We walked through tons of ethnic neighborhoods, and of course my little urban geographer mind was going crazy! I love the fact that Paris houses so many international communities, but it is also somewhat disturbing to discover that these communities don't seem to be well-integrated into French culture. I'm planning on reading up this and educating myself a bit more before I make any further commentaries. Expect an urban studies post soon!

For now, something lighter: pictures from my 12 hours of exploration.


Street art in Oberkampf

I discovered my all-time favorite street in Paris on Friday: Rue Sainte Marthe, near Republique. Check it out!






Some cool street art from the Republique/Oberkampf area:



Transport...



(Thanks so Alex for the fabulous 80's shades!)

Nobody, not even the rain, has such small hands

I am most recently inspired by Woody Allen films from the late 80's/early 90's. I watched "Hannah and Her Sisters" last night. It's a must see, and for a Woody Allen film, it has a surprisingly hopeful and somewhat cheesy ending. One of the sisters in the film, "Holly", has the cookiest, most fabulous '86 style - insane amounts of rhinestoned jewelry, mismatches clothes, oversized pieces, headscarves, hats... And then there's "Manhattan" of course, and Diane Keaton's killer blazers and Meryl Streep's flowy tops and long blonde hair.

"Dead Man" has also been a source of fashion inspiration:


Think California, the West, feathers, furs, vests, Native American touches (face paint!)... Ah, I loved this film. It's a must-see.

And then there are the stained-glass windows as seen in Paris that give me all kinds of ideas,

*at the Jardin des Plants.

*Christmas decorations are up at the Galeries Lafayette.

A little galery that I always pass of my route home. I just noticed the falling body today,

Anthems for a 19 year old girl

Today I stumbled upon some old things I'd written after returning from my first move to Barcelona. I hadn't read any of these things in so long, but upon reading them I experienced such intense nostalgia for that first move to Europe. I had never been overseas. I was shy and scared, then suddenly freakishly independent. I felt like my feet had wings, and I was always wandering, always exploring, wide-eyed and curious... Everything was new and I had no expectations,I admittedly expected to recapture those emotions through this second move to Europe. Don't get me wrong, I am loving this experience and my life in Paris, but things are very different. After reading my old stories/notes/thoughts from my first "life" in Barcelona, I sort of came to the conclusion that I have to let go of my expectations and go back to being clueless!

Ok, so I'm being brave and posting some excerpts of what I wrote back in the day. I may end up deleting them, as this is somewhat uncomfortable for me to do. Here goes... (oh and I'm throwing in some old pics from Spain):



I walked to your hotel.
It was hard for me not to run,
I felt like my feet were gliding over the ground.

You seemed so much smaller than I remembered you,
Your hair was darker, longer.
I cried, and you said you were tired.

I watched you unpack,
I lay on your bed and answered your questions.
You brought me things that I no longer liked.

You stroked my hair,
Made fun of my gloves,
Said you were tired.

We lost each other.
That was the loneliest I had felt in a long time.
You hugged me and it felt so cold.

I took you to all of my favorite places,
Told you everything I knew.
You told me things that I didn’t care to hear.

I slept in your bed,
But wanted to be in my own.
I wanted to be on my own.




I used to cry a lot. Not because I was sad, but because I was in some phase in which I felt everything really deeply and life seemed so intensely beautiful.
Anyway, a few months ago I was thinking that I could only feel so connected when I was away from everyone and everything that I know.
But I don’t believe that anymore, not completely at least.



It would all end soon, and I would be loved and I would be liked and then I would fade away. He would fade away, the city would fade away, his cigarette smoke would evaporate, the sensation of his hand on my hip would bristle then dissolve, and his whisper would vibrate in my ear then slip into my memory.




P.S. If anyone can tell me how to get Flickr to not CUT OFF THE RIGHT EDGES OF MY PHOTOS, I'd really appreciate it because it's driving me nuts! xo

I don't have much to say,

and I don't have any super-exciting pictures to post. This week has been "normal" I guess... ? But Friday night was special. Rustan, Malin, and I planned a 1920's Gentleman's Club - themed party chez Rustan. Everyone had to dress up in 1920's garb and adopt a 1920's persona. I was Gwedolyn from Berlin, and I dressed like a Kirchner woman. I don't have many pics yet, as I have to get some from Malin, but here a few:


Some Swedish guests,

The scene

And our Swedish bartender.
A few of us had dinner, then when the others arrived, we all listened to jazz and danced and talked and made cocktails.


Paris in the 16th that night...

Halloween

was spent at Emma's house party, all dressed up on a freezing Paris night. Malin and I split chocolates and wine while applying fake eyelashes and listening to some Swedish tunes. I think we turned out okay... Malin was a pastry, I was a black cat:

Rustan was a Swedish Viking, Alexander was stabbed:


Back to real life and Mondays... today was a good one. Rustan and I wandered around Montmartre and went to the Cemetary. Check out the fall foliage, so lovely:

And on the walk home, the Folie's Pigalle. Home to absolute craziness. There's something I just love about this massive glowing red sign against the early evening sky:

I came home to a big package from home full of winter clothes, my favorite Frye booties, my Betsey Johnson gold chainz, wooly hats, and some vintage blouses. I feel like I have a whole new wardrobe! I need to take outfit pics soon...