12 posts tagged “'burb”
I realized that the last couple of entries have no photos, so for those of you who need pictures (God knows, I do!) here are some from the recent past and present.
The monumental size of Tolbiac, in Paris.
The back garden of the BnF at Richelieu.
A curious butterfly from the gardens in Oxford.
No need to say more.
A morning stroll.
Current screensaver.
Chocolate delights.
One view from Tolbiac's deck.
My tiny studio.
Back home.
Pearl
It's already noon, and my day is shot.
I was planning to be out and about, doing errands I have been putting off. Monday is a half-day at Tolbiac, so it is always a non-library morning in my schedule. I have simply started using Monday morning as a time to complete errands that need "weekday" effort and places--like the post office--that I can start over the weekend.
Unfortunately, I got a kink in my plan, waiting on emails from state-side colleagues that will need to be handled as soon as I get them. So I am sitting here, watching the clock (they're still asleep over in the Mountain Time Zone). I know I could probably go out and do some errands, but that is simply irritating to me, after careful planning. I'd be hustling to ge tback, check the email, take care of this pressing business, and not taking the time to focus on the shopping or errands. Only completing three or four tasks on my list means that tomorrow I'll have to put in another half-day: I'd just rather wait and do it all tomorrow. The bonus: museums will be open, and I can add two of the shows I was planning to see next Saturday to my list. Yes!
In other words, Tuesday will be an all-day shopping/errand/museum extravaganza.
OK, maybe I can't be piqued any more. (Maybe I can!)
And in fact I can find plenty to do here in the studio (mopping floors, vacuuming, cleaning the bathroom, packing a few more items into the still-empty suitcases, Xmas shopping on-line--oh, and let's not forget about reading, researching, examining/analyzing my research material, and starting my syllabi for next semester). Or in the 'burb (cafe visit with my new book THE HISTORIAN, walking in The Bois, checking out the very good local bookstore, for instance).
So... my point? I guess that I need to rearrange my schedule and get on with it.
Here's some more Xmas photos from a florist in the 'burb, taken yesterday as I walked to market.
All of the florists have a few trees. They park them next to their door or in the street by the curb. There are also wreaths, boughs, and a few obviously stylized decorating accessories. The big trees are embedded in birch half-moons, which I suppose makes them sturdier as they stand. I presume you plonk the whole stand into water; otherwise these would never make it to the Day. I'll post more pictures as I take them.
Pearl
About two weeks ago Christmas lights went up here in the 'burb. I've been meaning to take pictures of them, but either haven't been out at night or haven't been out at night with my camera.
But here they are. This one is outside my studio. It also has flashing white lights that cycle through the design and Flash! constantly. I couldn't catch those flashes on this picture or any of the others, either. But in fairness, you really have to be watching closely to catch the flashes.
The lights are pretty, but not nearly as bright or sparkly as American Christmas lights in most places. This one hangs in the cross-street just south of the studio.
I think this one is my favorite. The design looks like big dandelion puffs, and again they flash. This one hangs in the next cross-street. Unlike all the other ones, it has gold lights. It's a bit unfocused.
None of the lights have a specifically "Christmas" design or feel, beyond appearing late in November. No Santa Claus, no red-and-green, etc. This is the main street:
You can also see how many pharmacies there are within a three-block walk. The green crosses mark their locations.
Tomorrow I'll be out and about again, and I'll look for more signs of the holiday season here in Paris.
Pearl
Today I thought you might be interested in my living quarters, meaning my little studio in the 'burb. It is 250m. sq.--small. But very pleasant and very organized. Note: all the mess in the following pictures is my mess.
Entry hall:
Bathroom, directly on right as you enter (toilet is behind the bathroom door):
Kitchen/Laundry room, directly on your right as you enter the studio. This includes 2-burner stove top, washer, electric water kettle, coffee maker, sink refrigerator, microwave/convection over/grill and, of course, storage cupboards:
Dining room/desk-workspace:
The bedroom and window, shutters and window closed:
Shelves, which also act as dresser:
That's the tour. It is a small but very cozy space. I took these pictures at 6 am or so, when it was still very dark outside. Then I made breakfast:
Yum. Have a good day.
Pearl
Sad little note seen in the 'burb...
Lost: little black cat, red collar, green eyes, male. Very affectionate.
Pearl
This weekend, I went for walks in my nearby Bois, enjoying the autumn air. Here in Paris it is not too cold nor too crisp, but autumn is definitely here.
The colors of the leaves have changed. This tree, overhanging the nearby lac, demonstrates.
This is a shot from under the tree, on the path.
At this point, a very well-dressed senior lady approached me and started asking me about the tree. First, you should know that I am just as challenged about tree types (outside of apple, cherry, elm, maple, and oak) as I am about the correct French vocabulary for tree types. She didn't seem to care, however, and had a lively reaction to the tree, its beautiful shape and color, and my photo. After I admitted that I couldn't follow everything she said, she smiled and still chatted on. Amazingly, we had a kind of conversation about that gorgeous tree, despite my limited vocab.
Everyone was out yesterday. That's what I like about the Bois. Despite the fact that my photos have few people in them, I had to work hard for that effect.
After, I wondered why I did (although I like these pictures--my skills are getting better!). It was great to watch one older couple, for example, beautifully dressed, walking hand in hand and then meeting friends, who were sitting on a bench. It was a lively, charming scene that I did not photograph, and now I'm sorry. That's something I see a lot her in the 'burb, but throughout Paris: older couples walking together, holding hands or arm in arm, having a stroll or going for groceries together.
Trust me: the Bois was full of folks and busy while I was out.
I had a great time, and next time (today?) I'll actually take a book so I can linger on a bench. Or maybe the watercolors for a "plein air" experience, and maybe some coinage for a gaufre or waffle.
Oh, and this blurry photo that captures a regular event in gardens and woods throughout Paris: ponies!
All the ponies here were short, furry mounts in the color of dark chocolate. Once they were all full of toddlers and youngsters, the man in the white hat led the possee around and about for a while, then back to the cluster of parents--who do not accompany. Cute as anything.
By the way, my cousin had a pony... yeah, still carrying THAT baggage!
Pearl
Grocery shopping in Paris is always fun (but then I enjoy it in the States, too). One of my favorite things about Paris however is the separation of regular and frozen foods. Unlike American stores with aisles and aisles of frozen food cases, here such foods have their own stores, like Picard.
Mostly, French refrigerators are much smaller than their American counterparts; mine is currently about 1/5 of my home fridge. Parisians eat primarily fresh and refrigerated fresh food and, again unlike Americans, buy for two to three days at most. My freezer here is about 6x10x12, which limits what I buy.
Which is actually a good thing, given my fascination for Picard.
Picard intrigues me, in part because it doesn't look like a grocery store. I think it looks something like a morgue, filled with freezer cases.
This grotesque thought does not stop me from buying goodies here, but the ambiance of the store is, well, a little morbid. And minimal. The front window display says it all. There are no flashy posters, no signage, no nothing but the package of frozen stuffs one can find inside... waiting for you.
Inside, there is nothing BUT freezer cases, where the food is organized by type. Above each case are the prices and titles of the material inside: it is meticulously accurate. The salespeople all wear white lab coats (as I think of them), adding to the surreal ambiance. They are very friendly and helpful; the cart in the photo above was deserted by one such Picard employee who deserted his restocking efforts to help another shopper.
It is quiet, too: there is none of the piped-in pop-Musak one has come to expect in grocery stores and that occurs here in Paris, too.
Instead... it is silent.
Once you get inside, however, it becomes more welcoming, sort of. The cases are stocked with all sort of delights. mostly presented in Paris-sized servings. I was tempted by the salmon...
the macaroons...
the pizza...
and the Asian variety...
On this trip I didn't buy anything, but that goat-cheese pizza is calling my name. A weirdly fascinating place, Picard.
Pearl
I have been stuck in the studio waiting on a FedEx package for the last two days... I am getting a little snappy.
Good news: being stuck here makes for lots of writing (vs. archive) time. With several deadlines pending, I am happy about that.
Bad news: nothing to post about Paris.
As a result, I will simply post some pictures I took during my last week in Oxford, at the Botanical Gardens of Magdalen College. As seems to be my usual practice, I went on a rainy day, but the gardens are spectacular nonetheless. South of High Street and just west of Magdalen Bridge, the roses are visible from the street--and quite beautiful. Seeing the roses is free, and great is you only have a little bit of time (30 minutes or less). But if you have an hour or two and are just knackered from walking, tourist-babble, and hard, gray pavements, pass through the kiosk-shop of the Botanical Gardens, pay the tiny fee, and step into the rear gardens. They run along the Isis (Thames) and lead far back from the busy street. It is quiet and peaceful here, apart from the hard-working garden staff. At the end of July, everything was in full bloom, and I think my pictures turned out pretty well.
You can see that this garden is beautifully cared for. Not here are the greenhouses that include carnivorous plants (all very spiky and eerie) and plants that need some protection from the British mid-lands climate. There are also ponds and fountains with their own water-plants, there are trees and lawns, and everywhere there are benches to sit and simply enjoy the gorgeous view.
But there's more! If you visit the link below for the garden, you can find times/days of opening, the history of the garden, and much more information. If you are interested in seeing the rest of my pictures, visit my Flickr page. Visit and enjoy!
Pearl
Today, like every other Sunday, I went to the open-air market for supplies. The market in my 'burb is really good, and actually seems to be heating up, now that fall is here. On one side of the main street are the food markets.
Here's what I brought home.
Les oeufs (eggs), les figues, les tomates, les poires (pears), les pommes royal gala (apples), et un poulet roti (roast chicken). Bon appetit!
Pearl.
Yesterday I went out to see what was happening since most people have returned. As you can see, my pictures are relatively quiet--few people, no outrageous events--but that is typical of midday. I live on a very quiet little street, one-way, which I think most people use to avoid the red lights of the main street of the 'Burb. I walked over to the Bois as well, and except for workmen (there is a lot of street work going on) it was very quiet there, too. Some kids were kicking a soccer ball and a few people were walking their dogs. The nice thing about the Bois, I assume, is that dogs can get a bit of relief from the very strict leash laws of Paris. I am only about a block from the Bois, so very nice walking during the day, and more joggers than I thought (this is Paris, after all!).
I had forgotten how completely everything closes during midday: grocery stores, shops, services, everything except restaurants and Monoprix. And, in the main city, anything tourist.
But out here there is little of that tourist stuff (none, in fact), so the long luncheon siesta is in effect. It lasts anywhere from 90 minutes to 3 hours. And since each business or service chooses its own closing hours, you have to get to know your own neighborhood well in order to deal with any kind of midday "emergencies." Like milk or bread or landry detergent.
This is looking north from the front of my building. Wow, looks like a ghost town.
And, this is looking south. The training program in the building just south of me is back in swing, as you can see from the group of people standing around on a break. Now that smoking is banned inside buildings in France, just as in America, smokers have to come outside to smoke--which is usually accompanied by cell conversations. Across the street, in the short building with the mansard roof is some kind of clinic: people arrive all the time on foot and in taxis. Ambulances come, too, blaring their horns for entry so that the gates (far left) can open.
This is the Bois. You can see the difference between this and the carefully maintained and manicured look of the Jardin des Tuileries. It is truly maintained as a "woods," a wilder place just on the edge of the city itself. If you look on any map, you can see the playgrounds and other facilities built into the woods, but they are not very apparent moment-to-moment as you walk through. In fact, just at the end of this path is a building where one can play bridge, boules, or sit outdoors at a little cafe window. Across from it is a playground that was full of kids with and without mommy. But here, that all seems impossible.
The buildings in the 'Burb are mostly twentieth-century apartment buildings. And everyone has a car. There are fewer parkings so, most people park on the street. The streets are end to end with these small cars. Once in a while, I see something like a Jeep Cherokee or a Lexus SUV, and they seem simply HUGE! Ridiculously so, in this land of the compact car and gas-by-the-liter.
I'm keeping my eye out for quirks in the 'Burb, and when I find them, I'll pass them along. I did note that a lovely little cafe has re-opened, so I'll try that out this week for a break. Also a tabac just down the street from that, which is a shop selling cigarettes, lottery tickets, coffee, alcoholic drinks, and magazines, so I'll be able to get the daily newspaper close to home. The tabac has no seating or tables, just a counter and shelves full of goods--in contrast to the cafe. Both make this feel more like a neighborhood, so I'm glad they're back from vacation.
Tomorrow, back to the archives.
Pearl
