Paris in May

Procrastinating getting packed and cleaning. I have to leave in a few hours, so don’t anticipate getting much sleep. It has been a good couple of days.

Met up with Danny and Dave AC and their friend Laurence, who was traveling around to do technical things and who works for Plexifilm. We had breakfast and then I went to Toni and Guy for a free haircut by a little young Vietnamese hair master being trained in Paris. The teacher didn’t like that I wanted to keep long hair and said next time I come back, I must get a short haircut! Ouch. But it’s cool to get a world-class haircut from a professional for free.

I met up with Danny and Dave and we drank a beer by the canal and ate chocolates and talked about Dave’s love for Pavement and my love of the Cure and 120 Minutes. I went to join Chris and Florian for a final dinner, while Danny returned to the hotel and got stuck in an elevator and was irate and sweaty and could eventually laugh about it. I returned to Agnes B. at 945, met Jaime, and we saw Oddsac in this performance space Agnes B.’s, invite only. Afterwards, Dave and Laurence, Jaime and I had some Alcasian pizza and cold red wine at a weird restaurant on Place de la Republique and talked until late. I love AC and unfortunately have heard their new record too much, but I my love for them was rejuvinated by meeting Dave, a humble and funny dude. Danny made this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GxhaRgJUMl8

Good, beautiful, dark, shifting colors, just like his movie Oddsac, the film they are traveling around with. He and Kellie Jo really impress me.

Today, met with Lee and Dali for a coffee, Chris for Japanese food. Went to see Ted Leo (new roommate Chris) and Real Estate, ate a crepe, said goodbyes to everyone. This month has been totally enchanted and this was a great decision, very liberating, and I really feel a lot better.

The last few days have been lovely summer picnic zones. What beautiful days these have been, with cloudless skies.

Saturday, Lucie and Lionel, Lionel’s sister and her dude, Lionel’s cousins, and their friend Benjamin took me to le Bois de Vincennes, a gigantic park with lakes and boats and shade. We hung out for a few hours and played UNO, and international game, and went to look at the Buddhist temple inside of the wood. The baby was tiny and wore tiny sunglasses!

Afterwards, met up with Jaime, Peter, Ina, and Jim at the canal. Paris is full of young people having fun, and mostly having cheap fun. Thousands of people just sitting and drinking beer by the canal, sharing little picnics. Lionel and Lucie’s picnic had sausage, tomatoes you could eat like apples, cold quiche, pate, baguette, and melons and pineapple and strawberries for dessert, grape juice, tea, wine. Jaime’s picnic had baguette and sharp English cheddar, chips, pepperoni, beer, cookies. Sat by the water with lots of Paris and was grateful to have met such amazing friends here.

Yesterday was a holiday, so of course we had to have a picnic, too! Ben sent a text inviting me to a ‘bitchin’ picnic that was ‘gonna be nectar’ and yeah, it was pretty f-in sweet. We rode the train out to the Park de Sceaux and had a lazy day just lolling around in the grass on blankets in the sun. A swan even came gliding by us. It was perfect, with Maxime and Grace and Jams and Ben and Laurence and Julien. This picnic had baguette and lots of wine, a killer salad, hard-boiled eggs, cheese, sausage, chips, pate with a crust, cookies.

http://parc.de.sceaux.free.fr/

Beautiful and lazy days. Maxime, Laurence, Jaime and I hung out by the canal and had a beer after we got back into the city and it was nice, extending the day’s laze a little longer.

I took a different route home and was a little lost, walked by this restaurant and who do I see? Danny Perez, my buddy from Philly, eating a crepe!!! It blew my mind. He’s here to screen his Animal Collective movie and he is a great guy and I couldn’t believe it. So, I hung out with him and his AC friend Dave and a guy from the film company and today I will take them around Paris. Crazy.

When I got home, I had a message from Kurt V saying that Thurston wants me to play on his record and Kurt wanted to make sure that I would come on tour with him in July for the Pitchfork festival etc and to not foresake him for Thurston. ??? I think it’s funny bc Kurt wasn’t gonna invite me before because my harp is so huge. But now that someone else might be wanting a little of my time, Kurt is ready to accomodate my Beast. Haha. Exciting news for the future. I told KV that I was all his, of course. He really is supportive musically and as a friend, but with a pinch of smartass attitude!! Ha.

I went to see the nuns sing and play their zither. It was a bright, sunny day and I arrived right in time for Mass. My first Catholic mass, all in French. The singing was beautiful and the instrument rang so delicately through the basilica. Singing French nuns, I wish I could join their sisterhood.

My first Parisian hangover yesterday. It was Saturday and I got such a late start. Peter had planned a whole day of ‘checking things off the list’, so we met at a cafe on Rue des Archives. First, to a wall, the largest chunk remaining of a wall that surrounded Paris. Kids were playing basketball against it.

We wandered around town, stopping to look at secret favorited architecture. Bon Marche was lively and we had macarons and hunted a pretty boy with dark hair, buying designer jeans. Had a good salad for lunch, which had crutons, bits of ham, tomatoes, a soft-boiled egg, green beans. Went to the Galleries Lafayette to see the beautiful glass dome that was designed by the architect who designed the Eiffel Tower. Breathtaking! Walked all around, Palais Royal, Opera. We stopped at lots of designer shops like Marc Jacobs and Yves St. Laurent and Agnes B. and talked about what we would do if we had 3 million dollars to spend. Got a delicious pastry from an Algerian pastry shop. A great day.

At night, I met up with Jaime and Jim at an old tunnel place kind of far away. Maxime and Ben had organized a show for the band Endless Boogie. It was a real success and Maxime really impresses me. He is a really natural and warm person.

Today, picnic with Lionel, Lucie, Lionel’s sister, and her baby.

I can’t leave.

The past few days have been nice and slow. I took Annabelle’s bike out late last night and rode around the neighborhood. I saw Free Energy play and it was short and brief, but nice to see them. Jaime and Jim and I went to a party after and then I walked home.

Long talk by the canal with my new favorite friend Jaime. I want to live here forever. Went to the Pompidou and it was pretty great, got in for free, then had a coffee on the roof.

Found this movie there and it was enchanting and couldn’t stop watching it, from 1897:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/marylattimore/4628235163/

I want to make a soundtrack.

Had a coffee with a friend of Lauren Schad’s named Lee. She’s from South Carolina.

Off into the sun with a nice guy named Peter. Off into the sunshine and the streets!

Quite tired tonight.

Woke up, had a coffee and some bread with honey and butter, practiced guitar, and then headed out. I spent most of the day at le Parc des Buttes Chaumont, a striking and large public park. I am reading Cannery Row right now and it is very good. I made a salad and packed it into Tupperware and brought a little wine left in th bottle and read Cannery Row in the grass. The park has little caves and things, waterfalls and high cliffs, pretty, glistening brooks, grassy hill after grassy hill, ice cream stands, bridges and lagoons and egrets and ducks. Stalagtites, alien. A crazy man was doing some kind of dance in front of the waterfall, as you can see in this photo. He was under a spell. So was I.

Later, I met Charisma for a tea at a fancy teahouse. I had peppermint tea with a little pinch of fancy sugar.

At night, went to Annabelle’s friend Clara’s house and Lionel and Lucie were there. Was nice. I think it is so sweet that they take the time to translate things for me. Must learn French.

So sleepy, closing my eyes now.

What a completely beautiful day yesterday was. I smiled my face off all day long. Got up, had breakfast of baguette and coffee, walked a ways over to le Jardin des Plantes, a Jarvis recommendation. It was completely sunny and filled with Springtime flowers, like stepping into the color of the Wizard of Oz. I loved it. I loved it. Spent hours there. My favorite part was the Alpine area and too bad I missed the different museums because they are closed on Tuesdays, but being outside all afternoon alone was just perfect.

I grabbed a coffee and got lost a little, ended up at the East train station and rode the Metro back home exhausted.

At eight o’clock, Chris and Florian had me over for a little dinner party with our old professor Tim Scheie. He taught French, but I just took his film class. I liked his class a lot and always wanted him to be my friend, not just teacher, and now he finally is. Funny, a fantasy of drinking coffee in Paris with a worldly gay film professor became a reality!

After that, ran to catch Jim’s set at le Motel, but missed it because I headed the wrong way on Rue Charonne. It was still fun to hang at le Motel with Jaime and Ina and Julien and Jim. Cute guys there!! It’s a great bar with a laid-back and unpretentious vibe.

Today, a park, a tea, an apero with a new friend of Annabelle’s.

Walked and walked all through Monparnasse, up and around on a sunny day. Bought some more 45s from different shops. One store had tons of cassettes and VHS tapes for sale. I bought a Chantal Goya 45, three of Yves Montand, and one Musical Youth.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LguBL6_7TE&feature=related

Had dinner in Belleville with Jaime at a Thai place and then we had a weird drink for dessert, colored gelatin in coconut milk. We sat next to two charming English women who talked just like the movies, calling dishes on the menu ‘marvelous’ and ‘simply extraordinary’.

After my walk, I got a little bummed bc I am trying to find a center and ended up watching this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b—DrAOdwqI

We aren’t so close anymore and I miss something that was inevitably gonna change. Predicted it and doomed it.

But then I got this:

Hi Mary,
             It’s so sad we’re not going to get to hang out. I blame the volcano: had to cancel my trip to Costa Rica last month & it messed my whole schedule up. I’m actually on a plane heading there right now.
      Anyway: Parisian Delights. There’s one place I think you might enjoy - a church called Notre Dame des Victoires (think I may have mentioned it with regard to Washington Phillips) on Place des Victoires. The nuns do their Mass in song accompanied by a kind of zither/Autoharp instrument & it sounds lovely. You’d have to go down & check on the times though - I saw them do it in the morning around 10am but can’t remember which day.
     SIGHTS
The Catacombs at Denfert Rocheraut have re-opened & are definitely worth a look if you haven’t already been.
The Palais de Tokyo usually has interesting exhibitions on plus it has a good cafe & shop + you get a great view of the Eiffel Tower.
Buttes-Chaumont is a great park with a crazy man-made cave complete with artificial stalactites & waterfall. & you can walk on the grass! (unlike a lot of Parisian parks).
Jardin des Plantes is a botanical garden/zoo - I wrote a song about the Paleontology Museum here, which is v old-fashioned & atmospheric. Round the corner is a Mosque-like building which houses a steam-baths & a Moroccan cafe. Good food but watch out for sparrows landing on your plate!
A friend to me to watch the organist in Notre Dame cathedral which was a real treat but I don’t know how often that happens. Worth investigating.
FOOD/DRINK
Angelina opposite the Jardin des Tuilleries is a tea-room that does good hot chocolate & cakes. Next door is Galignani - a very good English-language bookshop.
Cafe Noir is on Rue Montmartre & is a good small bar with quite funny decor.
Rose Bakery & Hotel Amour (Rue des Martyrs) are both near my house. The bakery has good cakes & tarts, the hotel has a nice cafe with garden out the back & a bar. Bit pricey.
MISC
Galerie Chappe is a small gallery on Rue Chappe in Montmartre which usually has something interesting happening at it. It’s where we did a musical residency that I may have told you about. The owner, Alexandre is very friendly & helpful. If you walk away from the gallery to the next set of stairs that lead up to Sacre-Couer you will find a grubby but fun Mojito bar with no name.
Rue Rochechuart has 2 good vintage shops called Mamie & Mamie Bleue - mostly 50’s stuff but some 60’s & 70’s too. & the staff are friendly.

That’s all for now. I’m back in Paris on the 31st if you’re still around. Doing a show with Air on the 4th June. Tell your friend Maxime to tell me about the next event he’s organising.
Have fun!!!!
     love, Jarvis xxx

It made me feel better and very, very, extremely happy to be here and exploring alone with new folks.

Yesterday was a little bit sunny. Hung out at home until the afternoon, making spaghetti with mushrooms, zucchini, tomatoes, and garlic. I have been doing pretty well with my budget, for the first time.

I met up with Jaime and her German friends from school and we went to a big sidewalk sale. Got some more French 45s and a huge poster which advertises sheets. It is gigantic and I hope there is room to hang it up on the wall at home. Steven, one of my future roommates, has been redecorating and maybe I’ll have to put it in my room. (Am excited to see Steven’s work, as he has real good taste.)

Disaster struck when an old man pushed into Jaime and she bumped a lousy old table and things fell off of it, crashing to the ground. The owner of the things picked out one of the expensive items and said she had to pay for it. Apparently, France has accident insurance for everyone. Germany has this, too. You’re covered if you accidentally break something of someone else’s. That is crazy to me. So Jaime, since she’s a student, most likely has this insurance. Otherwise, Ina will pretend she knocked into the table and broke the shitty old vase.

I am dreaming of living here today. The Metro is beautiful and efficient. Klutziness is covered. There are flea markets everywhere. So many people to meet, opportunities for musical collaboration. Trees and parks everywhere, free museum nights, free wireless Internet, good and cheap vegetables sold on the street, delicious coffee and time for relaxing. I think I am in a very luxurious position because Annabelle’s apartment is so central and so lovely, but it does seem like the ideal place to stay forever. No wonder French people are so beautiful. They are raised on fresh bread, clean water, accordian songs, and cobblestones.

After Jaime had to sign a paper that the guy wrote up, we went to grab a drink and sit in the sun at a cafe. Ina and Joanna got hot chocolates and Jaime and I shared a carafe of red wine. It got windy, so we went home. I watched a movie, had some dinner, and went to sleep. Today, getting ready to visit the Catacombes, will make a hair appointment at Tony and Guy, where the students cut your hair for free, and will also try to make it to Saint Chapelle.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sainte-Chapelle

Katharina was visiting, so I haven’t been writing in my blog. Katharina is this great friend of mine from Vienna and we hadn’t seen each other for such a long time, since I left 3 years ago. I love her like my far-away sister.

She taught me how to use Annabelle’s espresso machine.We walked around Montmartre. Saw Damon and Naomi play kinda far out in the suburbs, Damon gave me a pick for my new guitar-practicing, we got a ride back with them in a cab. We had a dinner and Maxime and Jaime came over. Went to COS and tried on expensive dresses. Had crepes in the Marche des Enfants Rouges from a funny little moustached man. Went to see Bachelorette and Deerhunter and hung out late into the night at a brasserie with Jaime and Grace, Ben and Maxime, Xan and the sound guy and the driver from A Place to Bury Strangers. Walked along the river. Long mornings of listening to Lloyd Cole. More crepes with Peter, including a salted caramel one. It was great to catch up.

After she left, I had kinda of a disappointment because Jarvis wrote and said he couldn’t hang out this month. Things came up and he has to be gone. I’ll play it cool, we’ll see each other again, but my dreams of fanciness have to just depend on myself and not on charming British pop stars with long limbs.

That night, Friday, went to see Damon and Naomi read at the closing of their friend Cedrick’s art show. He mostly makes short movies that move really slowly. Here is an example:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3qc_2DeWjwM

They are super beautiful and my favorite is one where the Ferris wheel goes around and around in real time, looking out on a beautiful area of France in an evening half-light. Looove iitttt. Naomi wanted to introduce me to a friend, so took me over and introduced me to Maxime. Haha. After they left, he and I went for dinner and a little wine and he walked me home. Lucky to have new friends here.

Last night was museum night. Chris made dinner for his husband and Peter and I and then we went wandering, looking for the free museums that stayed open late. Stopped by the Louvre but it was closing, so ended up at the coin museum, taking photos of people through the glass. Went to a bar afterwards and then walked home. On my street, some weird guys stopped me and wouldn’t let me pass and one grabbed my hand and started kissing it and one kept saying in English, ‘I want to F you’ and my heart started beating fast, but I just acted normal and got home and went to bed. There are creeps in this world, dude-y assholes everywhere, even Paris, romantic Paris. Get them out of here.

I wanted to give you the address of Annabelle’s blog:

http://annabellesalle.tumblr.com

She is doing a photographic account of her time in the USA. I love it. She is a great photographer. She sent me a picture of my little cat, my spry son, on Mother’s Day!

It’s still cold. That is my only complaint. But there hasn’t been a very beautiful day since I’ve arrived. This weather reminds me of when I studied abroad in Milan junior year. The weather was always heavy and cool and dismal, juxtaposed with these gorgeous cathedrals and real good pizza and Giorgio Armani sightings, so you felt like a jerk talking about how the weather wasn’t ideal. But one totally sunny, blue-skied day would be divine.

Finished making the crepes from the batter in the fridge and I think I have fully mastered the flipping! I also will finish this terric book Joanna gave me for Christmas, Let The Great World Spin, written by Colum McCann, tonight.

Rain on the roof.

Got a coffee at Cafe Creme, sitting under the umbrella. Walked and walked, crossing the bridge and on and on, taking lots of pictures today of people on those boat tours. There were some gorgeous boats tethered to the banks, though, and it’d be a good life to have a boat and a steady dude and a little table on the deck with houseplants and just sail away to Paris, to other places connected by rivers. I would like it a lot and so would Jim. Dunno about my parents.

I stopped at this museum where Patrick Blanc designed the living wall on the Musee du Quai Branly.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/06/garden/06vertical.html

Went to the Eiffel Tower and hung around there for awhile. It started raining, so I walked the 4 miles home.

When I was a kid, I had these two imaginary friends, Set-Up and Peter. Peter lived on top of the Eiffel Tower and I was supposed to marry him when I got old enough. Set-Up and Peter were cousins. Maybe I will meet a Peter. Maybe I will never meet a Peter. I guess, in the end, it just matters if you’re feeling good, not if you’re alone or not.

Tomorrow, speaking of feeling good, Katharina comes! She’s my best Austrian friend, like a sister to me, and so rarely do I see her! She stays til Friday. Tomorrow night, we go see Damon and Naomi play. Wednesday, the Pompidou. Thursday, Montmartre and Deerhunter/Bachelorette show.

Hurrahhhh!!!!