A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Sénat
My Paris-dwelling friend Emily told me that the French Sénat (at le Jardin du Luxembourg) was open Saturday and Sunday to visitors -- a once-a-year event, for two days -- and we had every intention of going on Saturday, our last full day in Paris.
And then, when we left the apartment we were renting in the 4th arrondissement, I remembered the signs I saw for a parade on the way home from dinner the night before at the fab Basque restaurant L'Ami Jean. It turned out to be the Techno Parade, an environmental dealie.
There were a few floats...
(No, me neither. Not a clue.)
...and some marchers with messages...
...but, mainly trucks playing techno music.
(No, no idea why the man on the right is singing into a red and black lace bra. You?)
The parade started at Place de la Bastille, and went to le boulevard Beaumarchais, with throngs of club kids going wild the entire way.
(photos above by Gregg Sutter; most below by Amy Alkon)
There were some odd and amusing sights...
It seems they even let out the nimrod who beat himself in The DaVinci Code.
As for the fashions on the street, the 80's were an ugly decade; no need to bring the fashion back! (Nevertheless, a lot of these club kids were truly adorable.) Here are a few shots of people along the parade route:
G.S.
G.S.
G.S.
I expect the most shaved and wild-haired of them probably live at home with maman et papa in really ritzo suburbs like Neuilly.
Most French girls I see in Paris have the bodies of girls, not of cargo vans, like so many of their overfed, terribly fed, underexercised American counterparts.
Oh yeah, and for some reason, the French are terrible dancers. Luckily, because they're generally very spirited, that doesn't stop them from dancing -- which usually makes them look like they are having some sort of seizure, to music.
G.S.
By the way, we did eventually get to the French Senat.
G.S.
But, we were out of time, and a little low on energy after chasing after all the club kids with our cameras, so Gregg just stopped to take a picture of a naked chick. (Okay, at my behest.)
G.S.
Naturellement, we finished up at Flore
...where we had white wine and rillettes...
...and the lady next to us had this beautiful sunlit Campari and soda.
Just another day in Paris. Oh. La. La.
Know what that blue-eyed brunette carries in her change purse? Not Euros; My immortal soul.
Crid at September 17, 2007 12:30 AM
Crid, truth be told, when I took that one, I thought of you and your old request for more "welder's wife tail."
http://www.advicegoddess.com/archives/2006/01/more_welders_wi.html
Amy Alkon at September 17, 2007 12:39 AM
Amy & Gregg, spectacular photos, thanks for sharing!
Crid, go on, keep breakin' my heart!
Flynne at September 17, 2007 5:52 AM
Thank you...P.S. I have to recommend the Canon SD900, which Gregg got me last year:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000MLEW60?ie=UTF8&tag=advicegoddess-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B000MLEW60
Not only is it Amy-proof (has a great/easy focusing system) I left my battery charger at home, and my camera worked -- taking hundreds and hundreds of photos all the way from Mantua through Paris -- until the very end of that parade. And it's not like I don't use my camera or charger!
Amy Alkon at September 17, 2007 6:14 AM
"Oh yeah, and for some reason, the French are terrible dancers."
Absolutely true in general - until you get to this glorious minx!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXYG_RCPfGI&mode=related&search=
Jody Tresidder at September 17, 2007 6:19 AM
Any more photos of the two camo clad young ladies? I was having a bad day until I saw the pictures this morning. I will soon hopefully have enough funds to see Paris myself. I did it once many many years ago. I'm now curious and will endevor to find out what the cow drinking it's own milk means.
vlad at September 17, 2007 6:19 AM
Will see what I can do post-deadline. Nose to the clavier (keyboard) at the moment!
Amy Alkon at September 17, 2007 7:04 AM
My Paris-dwelling friend Emily told me that the French Sénat
Boy did you get snookered. Many amazing sites that aren't open to the public are open that weekend. Take a look at the official site http://www.journeesdupatrimoine.culture.fr
It's not so much that this 1 site was open, it's that that's the site your friend wanted to visit and happened to invite you along. You bought it hook, line and sinker without reporting the real story about what's open during those special days.
Don at September 17, 2007 9:28 AM
Nimrod? I drove by there last week on my way to Nisswa. You used it in two posts today. Welcome to Minnesota!
Dave at September 17, 2007 9:48 AM
Jody- She's not a dancer, she's a pretty girl who twitches and wiggles a little. Both feet never leave the floor, and her elbows have never even heard about each other. I remember when Travolta made the Saturday Night Fever sequel about Broadway, and Ebert howled: All his 'dancing' was filmed from the waist up. Much of this woman's work is shot from the clavicle up, and in overexposure with unstable background besides. And it's all so unnecessary, because she's wicked cute! It's like asking Doris Day to lend her vaseline lens to Vannessa Hudgens.
Crid at September 17, 2007 9:48 AM
> breakin' my heart!
In real life, I look just like the black kid!
PS- I googled her, turns out Doris Day is still alive.
Crid at September 17, 2007 9:59 AM
You bought it hook, line and sinker without reporting the real story about what's open during those special days.
Don, I know other buildings are open, and even include the Assemblée Nationale when I was initially writing the blog post. I read the sites on the Internet -- there was a list.
But, I especially wanted to go inside the Sénat. Not everything is a big scam, and my friends aren't scamming me. Emily's already been in previous years. She told me because I'm not usually there in September and knew that I'd enjoy seeing the inside of the Senat instead of just the inside of the Senat bookstore where I buy my faux leather wallet and camera case and such, because I prefer paying a little for the Sénat label instead of a lot for the faux leather of Louis Vuitton.
PS That's a great tip for anyone going to Paris and suffering the euro. The Sénat bookstore is across from the Sénat and usually has bright yellow and hot pink and kelly green and electric blue leather-like goods (that look like leather) with cool tassels and such. My wallet was 32 eu, I think. My camera case was 12 eu. Last year, before the dollar was in la poubelle (the trash can).
Amy Alkon at September 17, 2007 10:39 AM
Nimrod? I drove by there last week on my way to Nisswa. You used it in two posts today. Welcome to Minnesota!
Jetlagged and short on words.
I'm sure it will happen again.
Amy Alkon at September 17, 2007 10:47 AM
(No, no idea why the man on the right is singing into a red and black lace bra. You?)
Un, because he can???
deja pseu at September 17, 2007 10:48 AM
Best reason anybody's come up with yet!
Amy Alkon at September 17, 2007 10:53 AM
In real life, I look just like the black kid!
PS- I googled her, turns out Doris Day is still alive.
See?? Just adorable!
And I knew that (about Doris Day). She's gettin' up there in years, though! o_O
Flynne at September 17, 2007 11:42 AM
Yeah, I'm not sure what's up with the cow either but it's really turning me on.
Paul Hrissikopoulos at September 17, 2007 1:31 PM
TO: Amy Alkon
RE: The Poor Thing
She reminds me of an anorxec Britteny.
Regards,
Chuck(le)
Chuck Pelto at September 17, 2007 4:03 PM
Uh, which one?
Amy Alkon at September 17, 2007 4:17 PM
TO: Amy Alkon
RE: Which?
"Uh, which one?" -- Amy Alkon
The bimbo with the tasteless, deliberate 'wardrobe malfunction'.
Regards,
Chuck(le)
[Trash, n., refuse only fit to be thrown out.]
Chuck Pelto at September 17, 2007 5:04 PM
Chuck, it's so unlike you to be obtuse! (Either you're joking about the statue or I missed somebody's nip-slip.)
Amy Alkon at September 17, 2007 5:10 PM
Amy,
Thanks for the pix! I love Paris and used to get there at least once a year. Thanks to the decline of the dollar, I'm fearful to go now.
Bon baisers...
miche at September 17, 2007 5:56 PM
TO: Amy Alkon
RE: Projection, Anyone?
"Chuck, it's so unlike you to be obtuse! (Either you're joking about the statue or I missed somebody's nip-slip.)" -- Amy Alkon
Must be the latter, dearie, as it was the first photo in your collection on this thread.
Regards,
Chuck(le)
P.S. Have another cognac......
Chuck Pelto at September 17, 2007 6:06 PM
Sorry, but what's the "wardrobe malfunction"?
Amy Alkon at September 17, 2007 6:20 PM
I believe he's referring to the girl in pink... and I don't think that's a nipple, though it does sorta look like one. If it were, the propellers wouldn't spin and I think that's the point.
And she's hardly anorexic.
I wish he were joking about the statue.
Christina at September 17, 2007 11:16 PM
Thanks. Chuck, work on the eyeglass prescription. No nipples showing.
And about the statue, me, too.
Amy Alkon at September 17, 2007 11:27 PM
the French Sénat (at le Jardin du Luxembourg) was open Saturday and Sunday to visitors -- a once-a-year event, for two days...
As written it sounds as if only the Sénat, in only 1 city was open. The truth is, if France was the Swedish bikini team, then it turns completely slutty and just gives it away for one crazed weekend of croissant fueled, cultural lust.
Don at September 18, 2007 7:38 AM
Don, I was in Paris, talking about my experiences, which is why I didn't get into a long lesson about the public buildings open in France. Emily is a very nice lady who met me as a total stranger in New York, invited me to dinner one Sunday night, and kept inviting me for 15 years. She also is the person who introduced me to Paris, and Paris is always more fun when seen with her and through her eyes. She wasn't coming to the Sénat with me -- she's been. She simply tells me of things she thinks would be of interest. In case you were wondering!
Amy Alkon at September 18, 2007 8:01 AM
I wouldn't think it'd take a "long lesson" to tell your readers something important in only 2-3 sentences with a good link or 2. Maybe I'm missing something but to me it's an obvious and simple thing to do because your readers might enjoy visiting during this weekend so they can enjoy unseen wonders throughout France.
As written it comes across as "I'm Amy and here's what I did in Paris" while at the very moment the entire country is just going nuts with many so amazing sites usually closed to the public, but available to be visited. That's a very special thing and something not to be missed.
Don at September 18, 2007 8:28 AM
It probably came across that way, Don, because that's what it was: a post about what she saw in Paris.
She's not the tourism website for France. If you want to know what's open in France, you can look it up.
Christina at September 19, 2007 7:01 PM
Christina is exactly right. I'm not interested in being the Paris tourism department. Those two or three sentences were two or three sentences more than I was interested in writing. And probably two or three sentences more than most people who come here were interested in reading.
As Elmore Leonard writes in "Elmore Leonard's 10 Rules Of Writing" (a book my boyfriend, Gregg Sutter, put together that'll be out soon in illustrated form):
Link to the book here:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0061451460?ie=UTF8&tag=advicegoddess-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0061451460
Amy Alkon at September 19, 2007 8:56 PM
TO: Amy Alkon
RE: No Nip?
"Thanks. Chuck, work on the eyeglass prescription. No nipples showing." -- Amy Alkon
I guess that's just so much puckerey construction paper in the center of that array of rays.
Maybe YOU should get your eyeglass requirements reviewed.
It's called 'projection', madam.
Regards,
Chuck(le)
[Projection, describing in others what you do yourself.]
Chuck Pelto at September 21, 2007 1:59 PM
P.S. Next time you see the dyed-blonde waif, do a little test....
....stick a hat-pin into it, that is across the front, not deeply probing towards a lung, and see how she reacts.
Chuck Pelto at September 23, 2007 2:20 PM
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