MARCH ROUND UP

I thought February was busy, well it would appear March was super busy! I packed a lot into my month and it was loads of fun.

 

Let's see how I am going with the 42 things first!

 

6. More live music

Yes, knocked this out of the ball park, seeing Tim Rogers, Bruce Springsteen, Paul Simon and Rufus Wainwright.

 

I've been a huge fan of Tim Rogers for a long time, but never seen him live! So I hit my old stomping ground, The Cambridge, early in the month with my friends A & L to see him. He was touring with his new bad, The Bamboos, a soul/funk outfit. We managed spots up the front, stage right, which is pretty awesome. The band were fantastic, with an excellent brass section, great rhythm team, boogie woogie pianist and soulful backing singers. They played a few songs before Tim came on, which I thought a little odd, but very generous of him. As the night progressed, I realised it was very generous of them! Finally Tim came on, looking tall, and lean in a cream three piece suit. He sounded great, but as the set continued it appeared things were not so great. He kept clutching at his stomach. 

 

 

He was a physical performer, so at first we thought it was part of his 'shtick' but it became obvious something was really wrong, when he dashed off the stage in the middle of a song, albeit an instrumental section. This continued on and off until he left the stage completely and the back up singers took over. Someone said he'd had 'shit food' in Sydney the night before. It all seemed very weird. It was like watching a car crash in very slow motion. By the time he came back after the little break, he was singing from almost fetal position on the floor of the stage. By then it was awful to watch. He left the stage again for a few songs and then I saw him off stage to the right, banging his head against a wall and pumping his fists in the air, he came back for one final song, gave it his all and it was like none of the other had happened. Very strange indeed, I'm not going to cast any aspersions about why he was behaving as he was, maybe he really did have food poisoning! Luckily it was a relatively cheap gig and it is certainly a story! Rock 'n' Roll!!!!!

 

 

Here are the links to my experiences at Bruce Springsteen:

http://www.reviews-vyv.blogspot.com.au/2013/03/see-this-iconic-album-cover-i-stared-at.html

And Paul Simon/Rufus Wainwright:

http://www.reviews-vyv.blogspot.com.au/2013/04/paul-simon-and-rufus-wainwright.html

9. Go on a picnic

L and I had our final picnic for the Lighthouse Cinema. It was a lovely evening, no rain this time until we were safely home. What a great experience though, to have picnic up there, I hope they do it again. I highly recommend the experience.

 

 

13. Write more, post on my blog more regularly

I have been continuing with my writing, can't say I am blogging that regularly, but they are extensive posts when I do! I also had ABC radio host a writing workshop at work of which I participated. Part of their 500 word Online project is to connect Hunter people with each other over a theme each month. I wrote a piece for A Scary Moment, you can read it here:

 

https://open.abc.net.au/projects/a-scary-moment-89yk8go/contributions/in-the-wilds-of-africa-at-night-44nn6ez

 

15. Spend more time outdoors and less indoors

I've been out and about at events and continuing to go for walks. I'm certainly spending less time on the couch, as the piles of books and DVDs in my lounge room are turning into walls and furniture, but winter will be here soon and plenty of time for indoors.

 

 

19. Eat and drink out more

Had some lovely meals over Easter with the family, some lunches out with friends. 

 

26 Go to farmers markets more regularly

Managing once a month, which is regular enough at this point

 

 

33. Go to lots of fun social events

Oh yes!!! One of note was the inaugural Bibliotweeps Book Club. A group of us from twitter met at a local cafe to discuss The Other Hand by Chris Cleave and books in general. Some of us knew each other, some of us didn't. We had a lovely time over coffee and food, discussing our love of books and debating the selected title for that month. Next month Anna Karenina!

 

34. Make sure those that mean the most to me know that they do

I have been very busy this month, spending time with my nearest and dearest. I hope they know what they mean to me. My shoulder is always there for their head to rest.

 

36 Take time to daydream and do nothing more regularly

Despite being super busy, I have had some moments of lovely quiet and contemplation. I do enjoy it, and highly recommend. In the middle of the month I arrived early at the Civic for a play, it was a sunning sunny day, so I sat in Wheeler Place, watched the passing parade and took some photo. It was just the pick me up I needed. 

 

 

41. Have more fun

Yes! This month is a perfect example of having fun!!!

 

42. Surprise myself

I continue to do this in small ways. This month my juggling skills have come into play, not only has it been a busy social month but a busy month at work. I have managed to keep all my balls in the air without dropping any, and mostly with a smile. A fluke, or careful planning, or a combination of both, who can know, but I find it exhilarating and surprising!

 

So what else have I been doing to make me so super busy!?!

 

DVDs watched

• Lola versus - Starring Greta Gerwig (who is just lovely) as Lola, who has a perfect life and is engaged but her fiance calls the wedding off at the last minute. She goes into a spiral and the film is about her versus her reality. A really lovely take on the romantic comedy.
• Ruby Sparks - I LOVED this film, a successful young writer is stuck, he needs to write a follow up but is struggling. He has a dream about a red headed girl and begins to write about her. By doing so he brings her to life and she appears for real. His family think he is going crazy, until they meet her. This is funny, sad and very clever. Paul Dano is the writer and he captures the pathos so well.
• Wish you were here - Australian film about the aftermath of a family after an Asian holiday goes home and they return with one member of their party missing. Joel Edgerton is particularly good, as the man with all the clues as to what may have happened. the story slowly unravels as you watch stunned. I wasn't sure I would like the film, but was totally mesmerised.
• Darling Companion - To be honest, this is a bit of a sookie film about a dog that changes the life of a family. However is starred Diane Keaton and Kevin Kline, so I watched it. They were excellent, the film so so. I think I'd watch them in anything.
• Mad Dogs - this was an interesting British mini series with John Simm, Philip Glenister and Ben Chaplin. Four mates go to visit an old friend on his island. The friend appears to be doing very well for himself, the other 4 have issues. But things aren't as they seem, and the 4 suddenly find themselves caught in a trap with serious consequences. It did linger, but was a good watch.
• Jayne Mansfield's Car - this was a mess, but it shouldn't have been. Directed by Billy Bob Thornton, about 2 families, one from the US and the other from the UK connecting after the death of their mother. She was married twice and each family represented the marriages. The cast was amazing and it was an interesting story, but the characters never really worked. Shame as it had potential.
• Goodbye First Love - a lovely French film about a young girl. She falls in love with an older boy, 19, but he is a free spirit and moves away to work. She is bereft, and can barely manage, but takes studies in architecture and falls in love with her professor. As she is finally settling with him, her first love returns. Her world falls apart, as she has never gotten over him, what to do?

Television watched

• Final Season of Gossip Girl - I do love my GG, but found the final series a bit disappointing, a bit of a rehash of old storylines, and some annoying turns for some characters. However the fashion, as always, was stunning and NYC perfection as a backdrop. And then there was Chuck, there was always Chuck. Goddamn, I am Chuck Bass, has to be one the all time cool lines! The ending tied things up and of course I sobbed. I will miss their antics, most especially Blair's peonies and fabulous outfits, her Audrey fantasies and her schemes. And of course, the man, Chuck Bass, how he smoldered his way through the entire series, with cravats and purple suits...sigh. For the record I truly thought GG was Deroda, which when you think about it was crazy, as if she would ever do anything against her beloved Blair. The revealed GG makes perfect sense, he was always the Nick Carraway to the groups collective Gatsby.
• Agony of Life - I was not a big fan of Agony Uncles, I thought it came across a bit misogynistic. I only caught a few episodes, so I will revisit. I loved Agony Aunts, some of their stories just killed me, especially one episode with Julia Zemiro, it still haunts me. But Agony of Life, took it up a notch. For those who haven't seen it, it's worth a look. Adam Zwar (Wilfred, Lowdown) interviews Australian actors, singers, presenters, comedians about the stages of life, from birth to death. It is funny, poignant, clever and entertaining. I miss it still and eagerly await the next one, of which I believe is coming soon.
• Please like me - another Australian gem, loosely based around the life of Josh Thomas. I sometimes find Josh a bit affected in his mannerisms, and this does heighten that. But as the series went on they grew on me. I still don't get his 'accent' though!?! The cast were brilliant, with stand out performances from Debra Lawrence as his Mum (wow, that was something else!) and the amazing Judi Farr as Aunty Peg. There were some truly remarkable scenes, in particular the church scene, that stood out for me. And whilst things tied up nicely at the end, I would love to see a second series.

Books read

I'm still not getting a lot of reading done, hard to find the time with everything I am doing, so thank goodness for talking books!

• The Other Hand by Chris Cleaves - I did re-read this for book club. An interesting story with a twist, the promotion says you can't talk about what it is about, so I won't, but the subject matter will make you think.
• The Great Gatsby - I do love this book, and having re-read it recently, I decided to listen to Tim Robbins reading it instead. He was quite excellent, doing great voices for each character, including Daisy!! We were doing this at our work Movie Book Club. I was disappointed when no one really loved it. It's rough when that happens. They did appreciate the writing though. And what fine writing it is!!
• Continuing with Bill Bryson reading his own books, I devoured A Walk in the Woods, about his trek through The Appalachian Trail. This was a great read/listen, entertaining, funny and informational! Then the wonderful Neither Here nor There, about his travels in Europe. This was great as I could picture in my mind some of the places he visited as I had been there recently.

Cinema Experiences

• Argo - loved this, it got a late re-screen just after the Oscars, and you can see why it won best film. A great story and cast. It was filmed with love and extreme attention to detail. Despite being a drama with a horrific back drop, there was ample humour, mostly delivered by the brilliant pairing of John Goodman and Alan Arkin. The casting was spot on, the end of the film shows real life still photos of players and scenes against shots from the film. Remarkable imitation, right down to the gritty opening credits, this film would stand up alongside the great films of the 70s. I've enjoyed all of the films Affleck has directed, but this is a masterpiece.
• Oz - this was much better than expected. Franco was so so and it was a little long, but the witches were excellent and the set design magnificent. I loved the little links back to the original Wizard of Oz. Didn't see it in 3D, which was possibly a mistake.
• Amour - this was a bit of a rough film to watch. But that is Michael Haneke. Friends had seen it the night prior and were devastated by it. I was not as much, possibly as I am used to Haneke's detached style of film making and I had steeled myself up for extreme upset...and it just didn't happen. It is about an elderly couple trying to cope with the wife's stroke. It was upsetting for sure and very confronting and I wept on and off throughout. I do keep thinking about the ending and the beginning of the film and wonder if they are linked. It is worth seeing, great performances and outstanding soundtrack, but a hard slog. Oh, and I sooo want their Parisian apartment!!!
• Hyde Park on Hudson - this was ok, I will see Bill Murray and Laura Linney in anything. Bill is continuing with his melancholy period of acting which I love. He was very good as Roosevelt. But Linney was disappointing in yet another 'put upon woman' role. It is a style we are accustomed with, but it is growing weary. The story of how his cousin Daisy was his 'companion' was weak and at times scenes didn't ring true. It wasn't hugely funny, and not that dramatic either. It was a nice film to take your granny to.
• Doctor Who on the Big Screen - what a fabulous evening, the first 2 episodes of Season 6, up there on the big screen with an audience of devotees, most of whom were dressed up in some way! The episodes were The Impossible Astronaut and Day of the Moon, both lending themselves perfectly to the big screen. What I loved the most was seeing the glorious River Song light up the big screen. Everyone looked great, but she shone. Alex Kingston does the finest job with River Song, and seeing her 'enlarged' as we did, made it all the more brilliant! I do love the Day of the Moon episode, where do they get these ideas from?? Makes me really wonder, could such things really happen...
• A Simple Life - this was our final Lighthouse film, a beautiful film from Hong Kong, about a young man caring for his elderly maid/nanny after she suffers her stoke. Like, Amour, rough in parts, but more heart and tenderness here. A simple, quiet film that potters along at a lovely pace, giving you time to know these characters and their lives.

CDS listened to

I have had no time to listen to anything, I have bought HEAPS of discs, but they are sitting unopened in a pile on the stereo...the shame!!!

I did have a quick listen to the new Bonnie Raitt, and I enjoyed hearing her husky rock voice again. As always a solid piece.

And then I listened to a lot of Spingsteen, Paul Simon and Rufus.

Hopefully more next month! 

Plays

• The Complete Works of William Shakespeare was at The Playhouse and a play everyone should try and see at least once. I have seen it before a few years back, but this was better. Every work from Shakespeare with a comic, modern twist, enhancing The Bard's classic language. A side splitting delight, that will leave you smiling.
• Animal Farm, was a young, modern take on the classic tale, with 5 actors acting out each part wonderfully. It is a depressing tale of course, and this came through, but also high energy and poignancy.

Other things in March

The month began with a whirlwind trip to Tweed Heads (via Brisbane airport) to farewell my beloved Great Aunt. At 93, Marie had led an amazing life, and had been well up until her stroke 2 weeks earlier. Whilst life is certainly sadder without her around, it is absolutely richer for the privilege of knowing her.

 

 

March was the start of the F1 season, so a weekend of couch surfing, soaking up Melbourne was very enjoyable. A race I have attended in the flesh many times, you do get to see a lot more via tele. Added bonus my favourite drive Kimi winning.

 

I went to the optometrist and walked out without glasses, not bad for 42! 

And finally had a wonderful time with family over Easter. Good Friday saw me reuniting with some of the family and friends we travelled with at the beginning of our European Vacation last year, including seeing my cousin and her husband for the first time since their amazing Italian wedding. We had a lovely meal of seafood, chocolate and wine and reminisced travel stories afterwards...bliss. Easter Sunday was a family BBQ with my entire immediate family and was joyous and fun. 

 

 

I thought I was exhausted after February, but March was way busier. April is not letting up either. I am not complaining, life is rich and exciting, it's important to grab it and join in! Stay tuned for the entertainment and education of the inaugural Newcastle Writers Festival.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!

Before starting afresh in 2013 it's good to review the year that has now gone.

 

2012 was a really interesting year for me - so much brilliance and so much ordinary.

 

So in no particular order, but let's get the bad out the way first::

 

What pissed me off : My Body

Which failed me at the very worst time, the lead up to my holiday! Yep, the triple comedy that was a crook foot, followed by second degree burns, and then a knee injury. I'm done telling the story, if you don't know...well, you're probably very lucky! I shall now endeavour to resolve the flab that came with all the resting!

 

Honourable mentions go to Telstra ( need I say more!?! ); 50 Shades of everything ( misogynistic, poorly written, sad and obviously written by a virgin or someone who has only ever had bad sex!!! ); Newcastle Council ( you know, the ones who killed our beloved trees ); People who can't use social networking (mostly Facebook) properly ( get a dictionary for starters...I could go on...I won't... ) ; and Work ( well, I feel I have done some of my best work this year, yet things didn't quite go according to plan, but you can't keep a good Capricorn down for long!!! )

 

Live Performance of the Year: Tex Perkins singing at RocKwiz Live

Tex Perkins singing Iggy Pop's The Passenger...the coolest thing I have ever seen and sooo S/Texy...oh my!

 

Shout outs to Hall and Oates, Icehouse (finally!!), and the 80s show at Lizottes.

 

Book of the Year: Life by Keith Richards AND A Moveable Feast by Hemingway

I loved Life so much I haven't actually finished it, I like to savour the good ones, and reading A Moveable Feast in Paris no less AND bought at Shakespeare and Company shot it straight into my top 5 books of all time.

 

I mostly read travel guides on France and Italy, but the few books I did read were outstanding. Haruki Murakami's Norwegian Wood was stunning; The Hobbit was outstanding, and Jeff Apter's biog of Marc Hunter was an eye opener.

 

Album of the Year: Tom Waits, Bad as me

I have no words to express how much I love Tom...and that's before he starts singing, sometimes I think I love the idea of him more than his music, but oh I love his music and this album was his best in years...and yes it came out late 2011, but it was what I played over and over at the beginning of 2012.

 

Runner up was Jack White's Blunderbass but I just got the new Dylan and after one listen this might go to no 2!

 

Other honourable mentions, Patti Smith's Banga, Wrecking Ball by Bruce Springsteen, both Martha and Rufus Wainwright, and I also listened to Adele a lot in the beginning of the year!

 

However the album most played would be 101 hits of the 70s - this was outstanding!!!

 

Also discovery of the year, BB Brunes - cool French Band and my Paris radio station that I can stream over the net.

 

TV show of the year : Mad Men...hands down!

Oh Don Draper, I finally discovered you and overdosed on S1-4 in one sitting, saw most of S5 on the plane.

 

Besides the brilliant attention to detail and the fabulous clothes that Joan wears, wonderfully layered characters, and well written storylines, I love the relationship between Don and Peggy - when she leaves in season 5 and he holds her hand just a little bit too long, my heart was breaking...

 

Other favs - and this was a great year for tele - are in no particular order, The Walking Dead (so much more than Zombies), Breaking Bad (it's as badass as you can get, but superb), Dexter (the first year I felt uncomfortable watching, because I suspect things will not end well for our anti-hero, now that's stunning storytelling), Parks and Recreation (Fabulous ensemble cast, but Nick Offerman's Ron Swanson and Rob Lowe's idiot must be two of the funniest characters on TV), Portlandia (dumpster diving, unicorns, Aimee Mann, Hippy Bookshops and Agent Copper as The Mayor...oh and that's before 'Put a bird on it'), Moone Boy (Fabulous soundtrack including Sultans of Ping theme song, great characters, digs at Bono and The Hoff, perfect lead and Chris O'Dowd), Hit and Miss (Chloe Sevigny as a transexual assassin who discovers she has a son...say no more), Sons of Anarchy (it's trashy, but hypnotic), Gossip girl (I have no shame in saying how much I love this show and Chuck Bass!), Once upon a time (clever, mystifying and Robert Carlyle steals and chews every scene as the creepy yet sexy Rumpelstiltskin), and Smash (Broadway, Marilyn, great cast including Debra Messing, Angelica Huston and the gorgeous Jack Davenport)...I was at home a lot saving for my trip!

 

Movie of the year: Hugo, closely followed by Moonrise Kingdom

I adore Scorsese and I adore silent film, how can this beautiful film not by my no 1? Moonrise Kingdom was another great film with another quirky ensemble by Wes Anderson. It was funny and cute (in a good way), but as always the attention to detail in set design and script are what makes Anderson one of the best.

 

Other films I loved were The Avengers (Joss, you did good!), The Hobbit (a little blown out in parts, but still close to perfection), The Sapphires (great Australian film with humour and music, yet an underlying strength with history and drama), Hysteria (sooo funny and clever), This must be the place (very odd, but nuanced performance by Sean Penn as an aging goth rocker tracking down the Nazi who ill-treated his father in WWII), Rum Diaries (very suave, Depp as I prefer him), Marley (the most balanced doco yet on Bob, great music of course), The Artist (Oscar winning film of the year and utterly charming) and Where do we go now (Nadine Labaki's follow up to Caramel, a dramedy set in Lebanon). Add in the Italian and Silent Film festivals and it was a good year at the cinemas.

 

Quote of the year: I'm Chuck Bass

As spoken by said character...a lot, but mostly as quoted by the writers of Gossip Girl when asked the best line they wrote...yep, "I'm Chuck Bass" well played GG writers, well played!!!

 

The above also wins vacuousness of the year, lol!!!

 

Other things that made me smile ear to ear and pretty much made my year

TWITTER - oh my, so much distraction, so much fabulousness, so many outstanding people

FRIENDS - this was definitely the year of the friend, all my wonderful 'old' friends, and all my new friends who I have met IRL thru twitter - lucky and blessed I am!!!

NEW HAIRDRESSER - finally!!!!

BEATLES BOXSET IN VINYL- Wow, just wow, so much perfection, I have no words

 

OH YEAH AND THEN THERE WAS MY EUROPEAN VACATION which contained so much awesomeness I need a whole other blog to write about it, hang on...I already have...check out my archives!!!!

 

And NO, I cannot pick ONE favourite place or thing....I loved it all!!!!!

 

And finally, I turned 42 in 2012, and as Hitchhikers fans know Douglas Adams ( or rather Deep Thought in the book ) wrote that 42 is the Answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe, and Everything.

 

So, do I have the answers...ummm, not really!

 

However, I have more clarity and understanding of my own life than I ever had, quite possibly this will continue as I turn 43, 44 etc etc...or at least I hope so!

 

But maybe DA is right, this is the first time I felt like I get what I am about...and let's face it, only I can really get myself, so that has to be some kind of answer.

 

2012 may have presented me with some dead ends and annoyances, but it also presented me with some of the most marvelous moments I have ever experienced and this is what will lead me into 2013.

 

And it makes me want to experience even more, so rather than have New Year's Resolutions, which let's face it are usually screwed within a week of making them, I have a list of 42 things I want to do while I am 42 and I hope you will all join me for the ride that will be 2013...my best year ever??????

 

1. Finish sorting my holiday photos

2. Reorganize my study - this may take me all year

3. Have one night a week where I turn off all electronics and read

4. Walk more and explore my own surroundings...there is so much I haven't seen in Newcastle, Lake Macquarie and other areas nearby

5. Read more of my own books. I tend to purchase these, but they get pushed aside for books I bring home from work

6. More live music - the very poor list above is very abnormal for me. I'm open to pretty much anything, though snooty about venues!

7. Learn to cook 5 basic, healthy meals I can whip up easily

8. Don't let the things that usually bother me, irritate me too much

9. Go on a picnic, cannot remember the last one I had

10. Learn Yoga

11. Music: Join an appropriate choir or musical group and practice my instruments more often

12. Care less what people think of me...I got better at this in 2012, but still have a long way to go

13. Write more, post on my blog more regularly

14. Whip my little backyard back into shape

15. Spend more time outdoors and less time indoors

16. Go to Hunter Valley Gardens...never been...really!!!

17. Mini breaks to my favourite places - Melbourne (not been since 2011!!), The Blue Mountains, Mid North Coast, and try new ones

18. Pamper myself more including have regular soaks in the tub

19. Eat and drink out more

20. Get through my list of local restaurants and cafes

21. Go to more films at Film Society than 2012

22. Wash my car more often

23. Spend more time with my niece and nephew

24. Learn chess

25. Paint more

26. Go to the farmers markets regularly

27. Really listen to music...eg in the dark with a glass of something something...no distractions

28. Entertain more

29. Rearrange, redecorate and spruce up my place

30. Say no or at least I'll need to get back to you on that one to the people I always say yes to that usually let me down

31. Have fun and laugh more at work

32. Live up to my Librarian of Leisure handle

33. Go to lots of fun social events

34. Make sure those that mean the most to me know that they do

35. Go swimming

36. Take time to do nothing and daydream more often

37. Reinstate Sunday culture afternoons at galleries, museums, and secondhand bookstores

38. Finish knitting the scarf I started 3 winters ago

39. Go on more dates...might need help with this one...anyone, anybody!?!

40. Trust my instincts more

41. Have more fun

42. Surprise myself

 

So, thank you to everyone who joined me on my 2012 journey. Your friendship, company, love and support helped me through the bad times and made the good times even more enjoyable.

 

Here's to a wonderful 2013, may all your dreams and wishes come true and I hope you will join me in completing my 42 things :)

 

Below is a gorgeous quote I found and used last year from one of my favourite authors, Neil Gaiman...it's timeless...

 

 

Last Five Days

We pick up transmission on the Saturday morning after our Big Night Out to The Moulin Rouge.

After a late night/early morning a leisurely start is important. Our plans for the day were to check out a free exhibition at Hotel de Ville. So after a sleep in we headed to the train station and boarded Marie Antoinette's Chamber! Have I told you some of the trains on 'our' line are decorated with scenes from Versailles. This particular train in on the Versailles line and it is loads of fun to chance upon these carriages. So sitting in the Chambers, feeling rather weary, a cheery but slightly smelly old French man boarded at the first stop armed with his rather loud accordion and started playing old French tunes. The look on Amanda's face was priceless, I laughed all the way to our stop, was so incredibly clichéd...and funny.

We got off at Notre Dame and headed to the Latin Quarter for lunch, it was a cold day so we went for traditional French Cuisine.  From the 15 Euro menu, I had a Ham and Cheese Crepe, Beef Bourguignon and Crème Brulee. All were exceptional, and it was lovely and warm inside the cute little cafe with photos of Jacques Brel and Charles Aznavour on the wall. These little cafes and restaurants do not rush you through your meal and out the door despite how busy they are. It is a long, relaxed sitting, which I love. Although on days where you just want to eat and run, it feels overstretched, lol!

We set off towards the Notre Dame, and walked around it through to a cute little park. It really is a magnificent structure from every angle and was great to photograph on this very overcast and cold day. We moved to the area of the island behind it and walked around the cute little cobbled streets, following our instincts to the Hotel de Ville. There was a longish line into the exhibition and it was not moving at all, as we were deciding whether to wait in line on this bitterly cold day it started to rain. Decision made, we continued on to the large department store nearby. And so did just about everyone else on the streets, we shopped for a while, but it was hot, muggy, and crowded inside.

 

 

 

We left in search of The George Pompidou Centre, a large modern building that houses a whole range of galleries. It was getting late in the afternoon, so we were not going into the galleries, I just wanted to check out the building. Was hard to photograph as it was so large and so piecey in the way it was constructed, there was a line up to go inside so we moved on. To the side of the building was this amazing fountain with modern structures within, it is called the Stravinsky Fountain and some of the fountains within it are musical in appearance and sound.

 

Tired and cold we walked back to the Notre Dame, did a bit of shopping and then headed back to our little area and bought up a stash of food for dinner. I bought sausages from the meat guy, all sorts - fresh and BBQd. Some salad and potatoes from this amazing shop full of an array of fresh and interesting dishes. Fresh strawberries and raspberries and cakes. The fruit were amazing looking and even better in taste, especially the raspberries. In fact, easily the nicest I have ever tasted. The patisserie was the best we had seen, an unfortunate find really, too much amazing not to come back!

Up early Sunday to board our bus trip to Champagne Country and it was frigid, daylight savings had ended also, so we were concerned to get the time right and made our way to the collection point near The Louvre. We drove for a few hours before arriving at Reims. First stop was Mumms Champagne House. We toured  their cellars and learnt about how they made their Champagne from a very serious and staid gentleman. It was kinda like being in school, no one was really game to ask any questions. However the House was rich in history and of course supply the podium Champagne to our beloved F1 winners. The tour ended with a tasting, not a bad way to spend a Sunday morning.

 

From there we headed to the centre of Reims to the gorgeous old gothic cathedral there. Quite remarkable, it is where the Kings of France were crowned. So many statues carved into its exterior and gargoyles around it, there is much to look at. We arrived just before lunch and spent some time admiring it before it got too cold to stay outside. We went to a lovely little pub nearby, with wood fires burning it was the perfect place to take refuge. I had Salmon and veges followed by a Creme Brulee.

Afterwards we did a bit of shopping and headed back to the bus for Moet and Chandon. We arrived and immediately felt a sense of excitement and class. The buildings were old, immaculate and amazing, after an initial mix up we were taken on a tour by an employee. She was young and very French...in that classy, well put together, smart, witty way. We toured the Champagne House, then down into the cellars ending with a wine tasting. It was very much the same tour as we had at Mumms, but our guide explained processes in a clearer more concise way and with great wit, yet also the respect the classic brand deserved. The tasting was exquisite, and after a further look around and a shop we headed back to the bus for Paris.

 

 

 

By the time we got back to our apartment it was early evening and we were hungry. Only a couple of cafes open, we were too tired to stay. It seemed that most places close early or possibly do not open on a Sunday evening...the only takeaway option was MacDonalds...we went in for a Royale with Cheese (been busting to order one since Pulp Fiction!). The place was packed, we got our takeaway and went home very tired.

After such a big day, we had a late start, it was cold and raining on and off. We walked to the Eiffel Tower and crossed The Seine to The Trocadero. his is an area with gardens, huge fountain, esplanade and on top of the hll the Palais de Chaillot. The Palais de Chaillot is a large palace with two arced sections with culptures and a terrace in between. We walked up to the palace, wandered round, it was cold. You get a fabulous view down the esplanade and fountain to he Eiffel Tower, so we took photos and made our way back down to the tower.

The line up to go up the tower seemed long, but it was moving solidly and the ain was holding off, so jumped on the end and waited. It took roughly 40mins to et to the lifts, which didn't seem that long at all. There was much to look at as ou can imagine. The lift to the 2nd floor was quick, but for me still scary as you ould see down and out of it. I say could as I had my eyes firmly shut! The 2nd loor has 2 floors, a higher, but small one and the one directly under with more pace and more comfortable for people scared of heights...like me. I felt ok up here, but still couldn't go too close to the edges, so my photos are few. Amanda ctually zoomed in on our apartment balcony. After a while we headed back home through the gardens behind the tower and via the fresh food street for supplies for dinner.

 

 

 

Tuesday we tackled Musee D'Orsay, I say tackled as we lined up for around 90mins in the cold to get in. Both starting to feel fluey and tired I was worried it would be an awful experience, but oh no. It was moving and overwhelming in the very best way. More magnificence in one building than anything I had ever seen. Firstly, there is the building itself, a reworked abandoned railway station. Levels have been built on the sides of the station which leaves a lovely open space in the middle. Then glass work, clocks, and windows out into Paris make it worth price of admission and the lining up before the art is even factored in. No photos allowed (though I snuck some out some windows), but I will add some images from the Internet.

The first floor is filled with statues, bronzes, marbles and with the open structure and a stunning gilded clock at the far end, it took my breathe away. Off each side were rooms with art, mostly paintings, but some photography, decorative art and furnishings. The art on display has been selected well, is French and mostly from the late 1800s to the early 1900s, and when you see all that belonged to that era your mind is completely blown.

Most of the art is on the 1st, 3rd and 5th floors, with mezzanines in between. The 5th floor is dedicated to Impressionism and Post-Impressionism paintings. By the time we finished the 3rd floor we were so overwhelmed we had to sit down. The Van Gogh room had me close to tears, two paintings in particular - Starry Night Over the Rhone and The Church at Auvers - beyond perfection. Also Cezanne's Apples and Oranges.

After the rest we continued to the top floor, nothing prepares you for this experience. Huge rooms filled with hundreds of Impressionism and Post- Impressionism paintings. The windows overlook The Seine and you can even look through one of the beautiful clocks. This was the busiest section of the museum and you could see why. More beauty than one can bear...my goodness. It really was one of the most inspiring and wonderful experiences of my trip. I was in heaven looking at all these glorious pieces. A lot of them were like old friends, having looked at them in books and so forth and some were completely new.

We finished off our trip with a special exhibit of fashion in the Impressionism period. The paintings were exhibited along with costumes featured in them from that period in time. This was also amazing, how they tracked down the clothing I have no idea, but it was fascinating.
 
After some museum shopping...the best kind of shopping...we headed for a late late lunch at the Notre Dame Cafe. I revisited the Quiche Lorraine and it was as soft and lovely as the first time almost 2 weeks earlier. We then walked to the Hotel De Ville for the Hollywood and Paris exhibit. (Hotel De Ville was the backdrop to Doisneau's The Kiss.) The line was not that long, but they were only letting a handful of people in at a time, so we waited in the cold yet again. We had heard such horror stories about lining up, I suppose we were lucky only to experience them this one day. Finally we got in, and it was good but probably not worth the hour or so wait. Lots of illustrations, stills, clips and costumes from movies such as Hugo, Midnight in Paris, Funny Face, Charade, An American in Paris, Marie Antoinette etc. The exhibit was very cramped, which made the slow line movement understandable. But it was nice to see all the same.

 

 

Next we went back to Shakespeare and Company Bookstore and it was much quieter this time, though still plenty of people within. We made our way upstairs and saw a few of the beds they allow writers stay in, very cramped but rather romantic, nice views out to the Notre Dame too. You were not allowed to take photos inside, but I did sneak a few!

From there, we did some more shopping and headed to a French restaurant in the Latin Quarter we loved so much, our last meal in Paris central. I indulged in the famous oysters, so divine and large. Then for mains, steak, french dipping sauces, chips and salad, followed by Creme Brulee.

 

 

 

And so to our last day in paradise...the sun even came out. We had a leisurely morning and I started to pack! Amanda did a last minute dash back into the city to offload some cash at Tiffany. I sat near the balcony and wrote some blog articles, ate cheese and fruit, and daydreamed. Around lunch I headed to the local markets to offload my cash on jewellery (not quite Tiffany, but more to my styling), handbags, scarves and such, and then had to rejig my suitcase. Amanda was back and we went for a last visit to the fresh foods and collected a small baked Ham with baked potatoes for lunch...and cakes...all divine of course. We then cleaned the apartment, had a last look around. We had dinner at a little Italian restaurant across the road. We had walked past it every day and it looked cute, Amanda had found out online it was four star. So a nice place to end our stay and pay homage to where our trip begun...Italy. We both had Bruschetta, then Veal, mine was with Ham, Gorgonzola and tomato based suace with loads of the tiniest but sweetest green beans I had ever seen or tasted. A lovely wine to go with and then back to our beautiful apartment for cake from the patisserie!

This was the final post about our day to day adventures in Paris, but I doubt it will be the final post about Paris or the holiday, much more to share there. I am finishing this after being home for a fortnight, and reliving these five days seems sooo long ago. I miss Paris desperately and wish I was back and in fact spent that first week home in some kind of jetlag and sinus/headcold funk. Thanks for joining us on our wonderful journey to Italy and Paris. Everyone keeps asking me what my favourite part was, that is really hard to answer. In short, Paris of course, how could it not be, but that would mean excluding 2/3's of the trip. It was all truly wonderful...just thinking about where to next :)