AN INNOCENT BYSTANDER

2011-08-02T18:52:00.001-07:00

when my grandfather met you he called you pierre. because that is what all french men are called.

2011-05-24T01:59:00.000-07:00

i left the bar. as i was leaving i looked through the window and saw him watching me leave and i waved. he smiled. walking to the metro, i kept thinking about regret. and how i didn't want to live with it.

but i still couldn't make a decision. so i bought a coffee and wrote him a little note. i can't remember what it said, but it had my number on it. and i went back.

i walked directly to him and thrust out my note and blurted out something about my number. he didn't understand, i was talking too fast. he stood close to me, showed me something he was writing in his notebook. words appeared on a page that i couldn't focus on. he explained he was writing me a note to leave with the bartender.

[i read that note so many times since he gave it to me i should have it memorized. it was stolen when all of my belongings were stolen in the Grand Vol of 2009.]

it said something about how i had smiled at him when he walked in with the door closing behind him and he knew that anything was possible in a city like new york. that i had a stain that was the exact twin of his on his chick ("cheek"). and then the note broke off because i had walked in the door.

he didn't have a phone number in new york, and so he gave me his internet address. i have that still. thankfully.

2011-02-28T02:52:00.000-08:00

i was wearing my favorite shirt. it was march, and spring was in the air.

he sat at the bar, and pretended to write in his notebook (this much i learned later). a piece of paper dropped to the floor, and i saw my opportunity to talk to him.

with his "merci" i knew immediately that he wasn't from these parts.

a few more coy smiles, and i left without speaking to him.

2011-02-07T01:38:00.000-08:00

~~two french guys walk into a bar.~~

i was at a bar in new york city,

when he walked in.

i looked up,

and smiled.

he smiled back.

(picture by him)

life is funny, innit

2011-02-01T15:22:00.000-08:00

il y a 2.5 ans.

je souviens plus cette sourire
ou le moment.

c'est bizarre, quand même.

point it

2010-10-06T07:30:00.000-07:00

teaching an old dog new tricks.

2010-09-21T03:11:00.000-07:00

I used to have stars in my eyes. And I think I might have suffered some temporary blindness because of them. Sometimes the small, mean part of me wants to say merci pour rien, but I know it's not true.

the eleventh letter

2010-05-12T03:51:00.000-07:00

The entries for the letter K in the French dictionary.

Suprisingly few things to say beginning with this letter.

(compared to the eight pages in the English dictionary)

Some words missing from this page:

kite

keep

kindred

And some things in common:

kangaroo/kangourou

kebab

au Mexique

2010-03-26T09:30:00.000-07:00

I've heard talk of this place, but I've never been. I can't remember the last time I walked on a beach, and had to take off my shoes to shake the sand out afterward. Probably because I hate sand in my shoes, and would never let that happen in the first place.

But then again, maybe San Miguel de Allende isn't even on the beach.

Color Stains Experimentations

2009-11-12T02:17:00.002-08:00

2009-11-12T02:17:00.001-08:00

2009-11-12T02:16:00.000-08:00

Two lamps, one bed

2009-10-14T04:24:00.000-07:00

We planned a vacation at the last minute. We slept in as many different beds as there were nights and carried our belongings from one place to the next. Each morning we ate yogurt, fruits, and croissants with house-made jam. Sometimes the coffee was good. Usually the beds were comfortable and we slept well.

Very Good Movie

2009-09-23T04:23:00.000-07:00

La bourgogne, at last.

2009-09-14T08:02:00.002-07:00

2009-09-14T08:02:00.001-07:00

2009-09-14T08:01:00.000-07:00

2009-09-14T08:00:00.000-07:00

Oeufs au plat

2009-09-01T08:56:00.001-07:00

Translation: Fried eggs.

I've been feeding dreams of one day opening a breakfast restaurant by painting my favorite foods. Especially because they don't exist in France. I've seen fried eggs on top of steaks (oeuf a cheval), and on top of a hot ham and cheese (croque madame), but never alone with their friends toast and bacon.

Room with a view

2009-07-06T03:26:00.000-07:00

ce soir

2009-06-30T02:52:00.000-07:00

Be there or be square. 48 rue de Lancry, Paris 10. Galerie Made. 7pm
Or see some here

Dancer in the Dark

2009-06-22T03:47:00.000-07:00

The scene: A summer night on an industrial backstreet.

The stage: Dark, except for a single spotlight.

The dancers: You, me...

His and Hers

2009-06-16T03:05:00.001-07:00

where do you want to go?

Sunshine and Shadow

2009-06-13T07:27:00.001-07:00

This lighting situation could make for a very interesting tan line.

114 Willoughby, Friends Blossom

2009-06-07T13:39:00.000-07:00

2009-06-07T13:38:00.002-07:00

2009-06-07T13:38:00.001-07:00

2009-06-07T13:37:00.000-07:00

2009-06-07T13:32:00.000-07:00

I know a place where Auguste Renoir meets Barbara (excuse me for the French allusions) and many other friends, in a oasis of love and laughs and mojito in Brooklyn. 114 Willoughby. Even the name of the street seems come from a fairytale.

ha.

2009-05-30T05:46:00.001-07:00

for the love of chairs

2009-05-28T17:30:00.000-07:00

Flint

2009-05-18T15:03:00.001-07:00

Once a year I come here, to a house that never changes. Please, don't ever change.

According to your wishes

2009-05-10T10:06:00.000-07:00

I hope I forgot nothing.
I moved the mirror and table in the living room, framed your drawing we bought at the brocante and exhibited it in the bedroom, and added your name besides mine on the mailbox.
Of course, nothing is graved in marble, you'll remove the mirror if you don't like it like that, change the color of the paper of the marie-louise for the drawing but... I hope you won't remove your name from the mailbox!

New Game In Town ?

2009-04-20T02:27:00.000-07:00

2009-04-20T02:22:00.000-07:00

Would you prefer to give your name to a caffé
or to a halal snack food ?
Ah, the town shouts our names ma belle..
..D-26

It Takes Shape

2009-04-18T08:47:00.000-07:00

Would you enter in my frames, please?

Animal Sheets

2009-04-16T09:47:00.000-07:00

2009-04-16T09:44:00.000-07:00

2009-04-16T09:38:00.000-07:00

Time has been suspended at this moment.

Six months after this, I will find you with the same delectation, posing again on the edge of the bed, the smell of the candles and something wilder (agressive "juste ce qu'il faut"), more subtile also, floatting in the room.

I can't wait.

D-30

beadel street

2009-04-11T16:24:00.001-07:00

the end of the earth, where the water is toxic, and the eternal flame burns. for now, i call it home.

How Suddenly Paris Turned Sexy

2009-04-09T03:03:00.002-07:00

2009-04-09T03:03:00.001-07:00

2009-04-09T03:01:00.000-07:00

Paris is in love with you.
No doubt about this.

a reminder

2009-04-07T19:22:00.000-07:00

here's a little string around my finger to remember what it's like to be professional. clearly this woman is not a good example because she's carrying a shopping bag. that's a big no-no.

nothing like our lives

2009-04-02T20:40:00.001-07:00

so fun to watch again and again

La Photocabine VS La Joyeuse De Photographie

2009-04-02T08:38:00.001-07:00

2009-04-02T08:36:00.000-07:00

2009-04-02T08:09:00.001-07:00

www.laphotocabine.com by our friends of LeDjam and driven by Thomas.
You love photobooths as mush as me, let's thank Igor to have imported first this beautifull idea in our old country, always more conquested by new useless technologic devices.

Have fun on the web by la Photocabine, take an authentic pleasure for real at La Joyeuse de Photographie.

Flat Cat

2009-04-02T06:22:00.001-07:00

Bonnard must know how we feel about Frida in the morning. Instead of wearing earplugs, he flattened his cat.

The Selby "Vernissage" at Colette

2009-04-01T13:11:00.001-07:00

2009-04-01T13:10:00.000-07:00

2009-04-01T13:06:00.000-07:00

How I felt in N.Y. for one hour...
Great friends Tiff !

Vicieux, forever

2009-04-01T05:50:00.000-07:00

AND NOW SMILE...

fiesta, forever

2009-03-31T22:37:00.000-07:00

I throw a party for you every day in my mind.

From Fred & Lulu

2009-03-27T03:48:00.001-07:00

2009-03-27T03:47:00.000-07:00

Have I Told You Lately

2009-03-24T02:01:00.000-07:00

...that I love you? (And might I also make note of Rod's enviable style: oversized blazer, check. leather pants, check.)

A Plea

2009-03-23T11:06:00.000-07:00

really !

2009-03-03T01:44:00.001-08:00

really?

2009-03-02T12:02:00.000-08:00

I can't believe you've never seen The Golden Girls. Although I am flattered that you thought they were my family members, because in my house, The Golden Girls are family.

an artist is born

2009-02-27T16:45:00.000-08:00

or we could just have a laugh about it together. what do you think we should do?

watercolor of blanche d, rose, dorothy, and sophia--you know, the girls.

2009-02-27T07:22:00.000-08:00

2009-02-27T03:06:00.001-08:00

2009-02-27T03:05:00.001-08:00

2009-02-27T03:04:00.001-08:00

I cannot stop smiling since my friends offered to me to sleep one night, once in Marseille, on a vintage 68' sailboat (see upside).
I couldn't find something more Mediterranean for you.
Spend a night on a boat is almost more exciting than all the chic hotels in New York. It's a poetry, a child dream, a nest for the lovers we are, little birds with salty feathers.

Ah, if I could see your smile when you'll read those lines!

The Day I Was Close To Have Another Cat (than Frida) In My Life

2009-02-25T01:44:00.000-08:00

Yes, we exchange some notes on doors too sometimes. Between neighbours, that's the rule to follow. Is it polite to knock on a door at 10:30 PM ?
At the foot of my neighbour's door, I found a cat.
A cool striped cat with blue eyes, and this smart attitude I like with cats.
He followed me and seemed really comfortable in my home.
I called my sister, the Brigitte Bardot of Rive Gauche (who is hard defender of animal cause now) and she said to me:

- Keep him tonight, feed him (I had no can because I have no cat usually)(ah if I had Tiffany as neighbour) and put a note on the main door of the building.

I wrote my note, and when I was done with it, I thought that I didn't want anybody comes to my home to pick the cat. This cat was mine now. I felt happy, and for the first time, I had to take care about somebody (for the second time to be exact).
I was imagining I could teach some great stuffs to my new cat (I found a new name in three minutes for him, Tony Le Chat - in fact he was a girl), drive a vespa, play tennis and paint with his tail.

Tony le Chat meowed, I openned the door cause I thought he/she wanted to pee. He ran to the foot of the same door and the door openned. My neighbour with his dwarf beard and yellow teeth saw my note and me, and said:

- It's my cat.

His answer was like a punishment for us, exactly if he had kept the balls for the tennis match, burned the vespa and cut the tail of Tony.

My neighbour added:

- She was punished. She was meowing so loud so I put her outside.

That was I was saying, Tony and me were punished.

you've seen it all before

2009-02-23T19:19:00.001-08:00

this is the way we walk home. my hands nearly froze off of my arms when i was taking these pictures. the house is less warm when i return. i look at frida, she meows. i read my book, then go to bed.

The Flirt Between The Jam & The Sleeve

2009-02-23T05:05:00.000-08:00

Jam is a permanent threat for white sleeves wearers, like me, in early morning.
The coldness of this picture makes me dream about strange surgery. A breakfast anatomy.
I prefer thousands lipstick marks on ma collar than one stain of jam.
And it's not Marky Mark who will disagree.

hideaway

2009-02-21T07:12:00.000-08:00

i know a place where we can go. the grass is really green there. and if we don't like the neighbors, we could leave.

i can pretend

2009-02-20T21:20:00.001-08:00

like a dream

2009-02-18T15:59:00.000-08:00

storm king in the fall. brown leaves were everywhere. a stone spoke to you and you shared its language with me. we rode the trolley with the old people and quickly realized our mistake. it started raining and didn't stop for a very, very long time.

(this little tree is just like the ones we saw at the museum of art and design. truly truly amazing).

there, feel better?

(image from yuken teruya)

Like A Nightmare

2009-02-18T10:45:00.000-08:00

I woke up this morning with a troubled view due to a little sickness.
And here on the picture is the view I have from my bathroom (hum, not proud about) but seen by the big glass cubes we found in the 30's in Miami by instance, and I have as a window there.
I have the impression that this vision was mine all day long, and without the help of those big glass cubes (I don't live in my bathroom) (but if I could live in a bathtub I wouldn't hesitate a sec!).

a letter to my couch

2009-02-17T17:38:00.001-08:00

i love you. frida loves you. and, i hate to break it to you-but we have become way too close during the past week, what with the flu and all. so, i think i just need a little space. it's not you, it's me. promise.

white and black

2009-02-16T08:38:00.000-08:00

just in between white and black is grey-a color i admire for it's non-commitment to distinction.

And You Too

2009-02-13T04:49:00.000-08:00

And your coffee too.

Yep. A French Press Coffee without you is something unusual, and I don't want it changes.
So, what can I do ? Listenning Sensual Seduction, moving my shoulders as you do, doing a manucure and asking for myself some silly questions about the neighbourhood, ...
...but, definitely, everything don't have the same taste alone.

Yeah, coffee has no taste this morning.

Emotionnal Pictures Contest

2009-02-12T01:43:00.000-08:00

Now
I
know
you
gonna
have
a
crush
for me.

my new day

2009-02-11T07:49:00.001-08:00

today is the perfect day for a walk in central park. i'm going to do it with style like diane weist in 'hannah and her sisters'. good to keep up appearances. i've painted my nails red, oh, and the lipstick is on too.

Hello Saint Joseph? Is God There?

2009-02-06T09:33:00.001-08:00

2009-02-06T09:32:00.000-08:00

2009-02-06T09:21:00.000-08:00

You will probably smile when you will think there is a candle which is burning for you in a small church, in a small country, so faraway.
Ok, let's be serious,
Saint-Joseph told me the God Administration is working hard for you now, and for the success you deserve.
(Easy talk with Joseph, you just put a coin in a little box, and you get the connection).

So, shut up everybody, let's pray now.

- ...

By Any Means Possible - Part 2

2009-02-06T06:42:00.000-08:00

Watch out Tiffany!

The next flight to Paris passes by your office tonight!

this is not a lie

2009-02-06T05:08:00.001-08:00

the space between two buildings exists. (almost touching but not.) and wrong numbers to people called when there is an emergency.

hairbrushes exist also. but don't bother telling me that.

An Ordinary Night In Paris

2009-02-04T06:45:00.004-08:00

2009-02-04T06:45:00.003-08:00

2009-02-04T06:45:00.001-08:00

2009-02-04T06:43:00.000-08:00

I love them and their universe.
The Selby needs them.

Hemingway

2009-02-03T21:01:00.001-08:00

Hemingway reappears in my life. I've been thinking about him again.

Have you run into him lately?

(Not lunching at the Georges, of course. But maybe tying his shoelace, or peeing in the snow?)

sunday, sunday, sunday

2009-02-02T17:01:00.000-08:00

It's not that a pink scarf in some dirt makes me think of you, but it kinda does (I don't love you any less, perhaps more than ever actually).

(the funny contest continues, and did you know i began a new one? i love all of your beautiful fenetre photographs, so i made one myself. benj-? tiff-1)

Ouais, cool !

2009-02-02T09:38:00.000-08:00

2009-02-02T09:28:00.001-08:00

I met this afternoon a really nice bird and his buddy. Both are great, the first one is playing music while the second is repairing shoes and making keys. This charming team works in the old 5th district of Paris, and since a long time, according the whistles between them (it makes me think about another great team I know, at the office of my fiancée).
After few words exchanged with the man, I talked to the animal (I am always more confortable with animals). I asked him if he was recognizing one of his faraway cousins from America while I was putting the feather of my hat under his eyes.

He seemed amused by my question and said (true!), "ouais, cool!".

oh hey, backyard bill

2009-02-02T06:05:00.000-08:00

Backyard Bill, thanks for working your magic. If only life really looked like your photographs.

Paris Ou La Belle Vie

2009-01-31T10:49:00.001-08:00

Feet are like sunflowers, they look for warmness.
Mine are really cool now, but I know some feet, faraway, who should get such a good treatment.
There is no bad feet, smelly feet or dry feet neither. All feet can be rescued!

EVEry FrencH GUy CaN DO ThAT Ah aH !!

2009-01-23T08:20:00.000-08:00

Small Apartment

2009-01-23T06:47:00.001-08:00

You talk to me about a small apartment. And my dad says you have to maintain some sense of mystery. I can't help it that the bathroom is in the kitchen is in the living room is in the bedroom. I think it means I love you.

How I Also Saw You This Morning

2009-01-21T06:53:00.001-08:00

As somebody blessed by the early sun.
And beloved by my eyes.

Ca va être une belle journée.

Ce Matin

2009-01-15T07:22:00.000-08:00

Ce matin,
I saw Paris by Your eyes.
But with My heart.

I lend you my eyes when you want,
And you give me your hand to write something more interresting than this, okay?

Good deal isn't it?

Another thing we agree on

2009-01-09T21:01:00.000-08:00

It's a solid foundation for a relationship: degree of crispiness.

(Image from Flickr--titled Wall of Bacon)

Address Book

2009-01-08T19:30:00.001-08:00

I remember the addresses of the homes I have lived in. It's a little game my mom and I like to play together sometimes. "12172 Parkview Lane!" (no park in site) "634 Overhill Drive!" (we lived at the bottom of the hill) "427 Downing Street" (nothing funny to say about that one). She's better with numbers than I, and always wins at Yahtzee (and probably the address game too).

(images via Band of Outsiders)

If Bob Had Said It

2009-01-08T08:56:00.001-08:00

By Any Means Possible

2009-01-06T16:59:00.000-08:00

(this could be the way I come to Paris)

(this could be the way you come to New York)

(this will be the one we ride in together)

Air fare is far too expensive, and I can't wait any longer to see you. Please consider these other options I have compiled here.

(Images via Life, JonasR)