Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Stone Fox

Well continuing right along in my dark mood... Monday was grey and rainy and oh-so-Parisian. I decided to spend the morning wandering around and taking photos in the 18th and 19th arrondissements, near some of my favorite metro stations. These areas are a bit grittier and industrial, full of train stations and an ABOVE GROUND METRO. My favorite.
So, I started off at Pigalle,


This sign is usually bright red at night. I love seeing it in the morning light, black and stark.



Where Line 2 meets the light of day. At Barbes.


Train stations.


Stalingrad.


Near Point Ephémère, a super cool club/bar on the Canal St. Martin. I can't wait to take my bestie, Sara, there for her February visit!


An abandoned movie theater. And hey guess what?! Apparently I can doodle on my pictures. And apparently I have no doodlin g skillz.

So that was Monday. Tuesday was nostalgia. I caught some sort of scent, something really transitory that smelled like the office at the Diesel store on Guadalupe. I got this sort of aching, longing feeling for painting my nails with Sara, Starlite on Saturdays, Beauty Bar, Whole Foods, Tess, Jo's Coffee, South Lamar, 1st Congress, Feathers, yoga with Juan, Barton Springs, the Greenbelt, visits to Katie and William's place, BMX boys, music festivals, wheat-free beer, Tex-Mex, and all of those little things that make Austin so Austin-y and so special.

I guess that this little moment of nostalgia was also triggered by the fact that I found out that I'll probably be in Paris until 2011. Whoa. That's a scary though, in a way. It's exciting, and I love it here, but I guess it's strange to think of really really settling for a few years here. I'll be back in Texas in April to renew my visa and to visit friends, family, places, etc. I think I'll take an NYC trip to see all of my New York babies and my favorite city. I'm excited to have some time back home, especially if I ending taking the PLUNGE into long-term Parisian living.

3 comments:

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MrsKatherineA said...

omg Jess - you're so funny! And soooo right on about this town. Lately I've been going downtown so much, turning off my gps and following lamar or guadalupe all the way down - taking it all in, there are so many cool spots. Very excited for April. Just stay in Paris long enough for me to actually visit you xoxo

Sara said...

1) You are my idol. I cannot believe you LIVE in Paris. You are amazing
2) If I don't see you in April, I WILL come hunt you down in Paris and it won't be a friendly visit
3) I miss you and our talks very very much. There have been so many times that I've needed to call you and I pick up my phone and realize you won't be picking up your Tejas cellie. :o(

In conclusion,
You are fabulous and I love you and miss you!