Lights! Camera! Action!.....Paris...Hollywood.....Oscar!

I know, the Oscars are old news.  They were, after all, yesterday!  But for me, this year was exceptional.

There has been a long standing love affair between the City of Light and the City of Angels. Many of us began longing for Paris because of the movies we saw growing up. Romance? Adventure? Joie de vivre and la vie bohème? Brought to us via the big screen in glorious color. Or, brought to us via the late night movie on our TV sets. Either way, it was fabulous. “An American In Paris”, “Irma la Douce”, “Charade” and so many more. Paris was always there. It may have been the Hollywood version, but it was close enough. 

2011 was a great year for those of us who go to a movie because there’s a French connection -

First off we have Woody Allen’s “Midnight in Paris”. Anyone who loves Paris has to see this movie. The opening scenes alone are worth the price of admission. I love this film. So much imagination and set in Paris in the 1920’s, a great time for art and literature in the city.  Hemingway, Stein, Fitzgerald, Picasso, Dali....they're all here. After watching this movie you'll want to hop on the first plane to CDG.  The film won the Oscar for best screenplay.

"Midnight in Paris"

Then there is "Hugo". I can’t comment on this one because I haven’t seen it yet. Movies in 3D aren’t for everyone – especially those of us who get motion sickness. But, it’ll be out on DVD tomorrow and I’ll be buying a copy toute de suite. It's set in 1930's Paris and is the story of an orphan struggling to survive in a French railway station.  The critics are calling it "the stuff dreams are made of", and I see the Eiffel in the background which makes me think this is a first rate film!

"Hugo"

And, of course, “The Artist”, from French film maker Michel Hazanavicius. What’s not to like? It won the Oscar for Best Picture, Best Actor (Jean Dujardin), Best Director, Best Score……and if you don’t love “Uggie” the four legged star, well there’s no hope for you. "The Artist" isn’t set in France, but we’ll forgive that this time. Set in 1920’s Hollywood, a black and white film with no dialogue is just what we need (a little quiet). A good story with sympathetic charcters. 

"The Artist", Jean Dujardin  and Uggie

Maybe it's the way the world is right now, but isn't it odd all three movies are set in the 1920's - 1930's? For me this is perfect. 

I'm hoping the directors, producers and actors notice how popular this trend is. We want more more more!

A wonderful link about Hugo
The Invention of Hugo Cabret

Midnight In Paris Trailer

The Artist Trailer

Pooch Plunder

I don’t normally think about cemeteries unless the cemetery in question is in or near Paris…..then it’s a different story., And this time, it’s about a zoological necropolis. (yes, I’ve been browsing the dictionary again).

Le Cimetière des chiens in Asnieres-sur-Seine was founded in 1899 after a law was passed controlling how animals were to be buried (i.e. not tossed in the Seine). It’s said to be the oldest pet cemetery in the world. Like Père Lachaise for humans, this is “the” cemetery for our animal friends. Rin Tin Tin is there for one and the pets of Alexandre Dumas and actor Sacha Guitry.I wonder if Asta is there? Anyway, although it’s named “dog cemetery” it’s a misnomer as there are many types of animals buried in this cemetery including a lion.

Rin Tin Tin

The big news this month is the plundering of the grave holding Tipsy the poodle and his diamond collar worth 9,000 Euros. The burial of the diamonds was considered to be an urban myth but apparently it was true. I thought grave robbing went out in the times of Charles Dickens and Edgar Allen Poe but maybe I’m just not reading the right papers. (I’m not counting archeological sites of course – seems they have this sort of problem on a regular basis).

Police have launched an investigation into the vandalism and jewel robbery. Tipsy's elderly owner, whose identity has not been revealed, confirmed her pet had been buried wearing his diamonds. "She is devastated. This has been very traumatic for her," a police spokesman told the newspaper Le Parisien.

You know what? I’m sure she is heartbroken. Tipsy was tossed aside during the robbery. Even if you’re not a pet person, you have to admit that’s pretty mean.

The mayor of Asnieres-sur-Seine was quick to point out that there isn’t treasure buried with all the pets. I hope any wannabe robbers believe him.

Oh, and by the way, I couldn’t find out what the sentence would be in France, but in ancient Egypt, the penalty for breaking into a royal tomb was impalement. All things considered, I think that’s reasonable.

Note to Edward: Thanks for pointing out this story. Now I have to add Asnieres-sur-Seine to my "to visit" list.

The "F" Word

“F” stands for February and there's nothing funny about that!   It's the only month that's mispronounced too.  Who cares?  It's a rotten month full of freezing temperatures and flu.

No matter how you look at it, this is a miserable time of year. Actually, I’d say it comes in around 12th place. We don’t even have a holiday this month (or next come to think of it).

To start the day off right, I got stopped by a police officer outside the metro station this morning.

“Do you have the time?” she asked.

I pulled my iPod out of my pocket to check the hour and what do I get for my kindness?  She snatched my pod out of my hand! Fiddlesticks, fudge and February. I fell for it. The police are out in full force today trying to make people aware of the felonies going on in the metro and she was demonstrating what not to do. OK. Good idea…..a little late for me having been robbed last month….but good. Of course I wouldn’t have pulled my iPod out for just anyone…..still, I get the point. Keep it hidden at all times.  Now if anyone asks me for the time, I’ll just tell them “fffffffffffffffour o’clock”.

And by the way, in case you hadn't noticed it's leap year so we have an extra day this February.  Too bad they couldn't have extended June....but there you go. No one asked me.

Paris Belongs To Me

Quick - name any author you associate with Paris.  No thinking now......just spit out a name!

OK.  Maybe you didn't immediately think of Hemingway, but a lot of people do.

Harry's Bar
A crappy photo but anyone who's been there
would recognize this window, no problem!

This is the only quote I have in my repertoire -

 If you are lucky enough to have lived in Paris as a young man, then wherever you go for the rest of your life, it stays with you, for Paris is a moveable feast.

― Ernest Hemingway

Too bad for me it's a quote about a young man.  Hemingway didn't write anything great about women (at least not that I remember).

Hemingway - Paris - Paris - Hemingway.  Every bar in Montparnasse, Shakespeare & Co., this street, that restaurant.....there's hardly any direction you can turn in Paris where you don't run into Hemingway.  He drank here, lived there, liberated one area, had fights in another......seems like Paris wouldn't be Paris without Hemingway but remember, Hemingway wouldn't be Hemingway without Paris!

I've seen you, beauty, and you belong to me now, whoever you are waiting for and if I never see you again, I thought. You belong to me and all Paris belongs to me and I belong to this notebook and this pencil.

― Ernest Hemingway

And so a toast - to Hemingway and all his Paris haunts that we still love today.  I know he'd approve of any excuse to raise a glass to Paris!

Keep Your Chin Up and Out of the Snow

Dear Friends in France,

I’m truly sorry that you seem to be having our weather. We have no idea how this happened, and I wish there was something we could do to help.

Apparently global warming and the greenhouse effect haven't hit Europe yet.  Quite frankly, I don't know much about it except if I throw my newspaper in the garbage, I'm to blame for the temperature rising.  All I can recommend is you stuff Le Monde into the nearest poubelle and see if that helps.

In the meantime, if you need any of our inventory we'd be glad to share.

Shovels
Boots
Scarves
Mitts
Ear muffs
Leg warmers
Long underwear
Rum

Just drop me a line and I’ll pop them in the mail.

On the brighter side, spring is just around the corner -March 20, 2012

This photo was taken in

Paris in March, 2006.  So you see,

it won't be long!