#i love marseille downtown

[ilovemarseilledowntown]

[lonita]

A little bit of Marseille

When I was sixteen years-old I went to visit my mother in France for the first time. For the first three of the fives weeks it was just the two of us - her husband was still in Senegal finishing up some business for the company he was working for at the time - and it was just fabby. Since she didn't have a license, we spent most of our time in Marseille just tooling around the city. I think one of the most beautiful sights I've ever seen was the Friday morning flower market in the downtown area - one side of the long main street was nothing but flowers from one end to the other. Gorgeous seems too plain a word for it, but sublime is a bit much, so let's just say it was both and somewhere in the middle. We did a lot of visiting of friends of hers - including one family who had a son about age 20 who loved Simple Minds and was absolutely the most gorgeous thing I'd ever seen in my life (up until that time, at least). My poor little teenage heart had a crush on him for months afterwards. Another one of her friends was the person who got me liking pine tree seeds. She served them with what was possibly the best roast of beef I've ever had in my life. Mmm. The apartment building where my mother and her husband own the apartment in Marseille, is not an apartment building at all really - it's a 200 year-old house that at one time belonged to the Hugarian ambassador to France. It's a bloody gorgeous place that faces the Mediterranean. I could, if I wanted, be out the door and in the ocean in less than five minutes. Watching the sunset over the Mediterranean is one of the most beautiful experiences you could imagine. Anyhow, the apartment building is a co-op - which is great in one sense, but not when it comes to having the facade of the building redone due to sea-salt and Mistral damage, because one of the current tenants is a real bitch. Doesn't want to have to pay for anything, but is the first to complain about anything that's wrong. I digress… The tenants had a big dinner in the back patio one day - more or less a combination of tenant meeting and "welcome the Canadian kid". The table was lovely, right down to the name cards on the plates. That's the one and only time I've ever been to a dinner that had name cards. Mine said "Fille de Canada", because they couldn't remember my name apparently, so they referred to me as the "daughter of Canada". The company, for the most part, was quite nice - even though I couldn't understand but maybe twenty words out of the mish-mash of French that was floating around my ears. None of them spoke English at all, though a few did try a little. It's funny how language barriers don't disguise certain things, though. You don't need language to tell you what kind of person someone is - not when their body language and tone of voice are doing all the work. That, coupled with the fact that I'm not an idiot, was enough to tell me that Madame Beirot's (I can't remember the precise spelling) boyfriend (who coughs like a frigging lunatic all night - trust me on this one. You could hear it through the walls) was a grobian () of most annoying demeanour. I don't know where the hell it was coming from, but this guy was one of the most patronising louts I've ever met. Perhaps it was my age, or the fact he's a jackass, but I could tell (despite the French) that he was being a shit. I mentioned it to my mother later on in the evening, and she confirmed. She wondered how I could tell. I just could. The oddest thing about the whole trip was getting used to topless women on the beach. After a while you just don't notice it anymore, but it does take some getting used to. It's hard, though, to sit down at a beach cafe table and not feel a little awkward talking to someone that you'd just seen bouncing around half-naked on the sand. * grobian [n] - A rude or clownish person; boor; lout

[faceted-tourmaline]

Miraculous Secret Santa~!

@sorcerymuses​, Merry Christmas! I’m your Secret Santa, I hope you have a wonderful holiday season!

Here is your drabble, I hope you like it! (I may add an extra chapter or two, as well)

@mlsecretsanta​

Garden Reunion

Word count: 2850

ao3

'I can't believe it's been ten years since we all graduated together,' Rose said, gesturing to the busy room elegantly with a glass of champange. She was wearing a pink slip dress in the warm summer heat of the garden party that surrounded her, and a smile that matched to make her look radiant.

'What I can't believe is how many people made it,' Alix pointed out in return. She had come in a finely tailored suit, but had removed the jacket to show that her white shirt was sleeveless and tasteful. Gone was the pink hair of yesteryear, now a deep purple that had been cropped short simliar to Rose's. 'After we all graduated we pretty much scattered to the wind in our little pairs. I've hardly heard from anyone since we left, even though we said we'd catch up.'

'I thought it was so cute how many of us all paired up after we graduated. I heard that Ivan and Mylene have had number two: a little girl.' Rose smiled. 'You missed out on a lot since you went away to America for university, I'm sorry to say, but your Aunty Rose is here to catch you up!'

'I'm sure I can guess, even from just looking around right now. And I didn't miss everything, I went to the five year reunion!' Alix teased. 'I'm sure there's enough kids having been popped out for you to be "Aunty Rose" for as much as you like.'

Juleka came up from behind Rose and slipped an arm around her waist. 'Oh? Care to make some guesses?' She wore a chic purple number with a short black jacket despite the heat, and pecked Rose on the cheek.

'Well obviously you two are still together,' Alix started. 'Not that that's a surprise. Especially by the way Rose has been waving around that ring since you both got here,' she smiled. Juleka glanced down at her wife, who only shrugged innocently. 'I don't know what she's talking about.' Rose turned her eyes back to Alix. 'Did you see the photos on Instagram of where we renewed our vows in Marseille? Wasn't it romantic?'

'Sure looked it,' Alix returned with a laugh. 'Though it's hard to sift through the sheer volume of photos that you put up.'

'Ok, who's next for guessing?' Juleka gestured to the rest of the garden around them from where they stood at the canapé table.

'Well,' Alix's eyes fell on Kim, who was staring up at the statue placed in the corner of the garden while a few others were clearly trying to talk him down. 'Kim's probably doing his sports thing. Wasn't he dating that swimmer?' Alix hesitated. 'Wait, I remember some super over-the-top proposal video I saw somewhere online, so what's the deal?'

Rose laughed out loud. 'Yes, he married Ondine. He put on this huge proposal with flowers and choreographed dancers and fountains and everything, and after she finished laughing she said yes. Honestly, it was like something out of a romantic comedy.'

'You can't lie Rose, you love those romantic comedies,' Juleka pointed out with a smile. 'Or was that all-day marathon for your birthday wasted?'

'No way! It was the perfect birthday! I loved every minute, but I'm not a teenager anymore. That kind of excess in real life would be expensive.'

'Ok, so who else is here,' Alix hummed to herself. 'Did Nathanial ever put a ring on Mark?' She questioned, spotting the couple by the punch table.

'Yes, they eloped.' Rose pouted slightly.

'You're not still mad that you haven't seen the photos, are you?' Juleka questioned jokingly.

'It's important!' Rose replied. 'I can't believe they didn't even tell us friends about it until the next event! I need to know the details!'

'They said they wanted a quiet ceremony.' Juleka pointed out.

'Here, I got you Rose,' Alix started. 'It probably went something like this: "Hey Mark will you marry me?", "Yep", "cool, hey look there's a minister over there because Italy, let's get hitched", "done", "dearly beloved, will you two grooms take each other to be your lawfully wedded grooms?", "yep", "yep" "done and done".'

'Alix, you don't have a romantic bone in your body.' Rose said dryly.

'I take pride in that fact.'

There was a commotion by the entrance to the party, as a new figure swept in, trailed by a few unfamiliar plus ones that looked up to their leader in avid admiration.

'What about Lila?' Alix asked, her eyes following the girl's grand entrance. She had long forgone the bangs and tinted red hair for her natural brunette, which was surprisingly tastefully piled up into a braided bun. Her champagne coloured, strapless dress trailed behind her into a short train, and a sheer wrap was draped around her elbows to which her gloves reached. 'It seems she's doing alright for herself, surprisingly.'

'Oh, be nice. She's mellowed, ever since she got that amazing acting job through her contacts.'

Alix glanced sideways at Juleka, who gave her a hint of a warning look.

'Oh, I see. Are those her assistants?' Alix looked back at her entourage, who were now scattering to prep the room, find her a glass of champagne and a chair.

'Yes, I think so. She keeps a couple of interns to assist her with her ongoing medical issues while she works.'

'Does she have a lot of issues then?' Alix barely stifled a grin.

'Not so many, but there's always new things popping up,' Juleka replied, pokerfaced.

'I'm going to say hello, you two should come with me!' Rose said, moving in Lila's direction and taking Juleka by the hand.

'Is she still doing work with the Agreste brand?' Alix asked Juleka in an undertone as they were towed in the girl's direction.

'Yes, more than ever. Ever since Adrien left she's had her eyes on the prize.'

'Lila, how are you?' Rose exclaimed as soon as they were in earshot.

An assistant leant over to whisper quickly into Lila's ear and Lila smiled in recognition. 'Rose! It's been so long, I can't believe it,' she replied, easing herself down into a ciar. 'And Juleka, and Alex, how are you three?'

'Oh, amazing! Alix's just got back from America, I can't believe how good the timing came out for this party. We haven't seen her in forever!' Rose replied. 'And we're doing great, I'm back working at College Françoise Dupont! I'm so happy to be helping people whenever I can.'

'That's great,' Lila said with a smile that hardly reached her eyes. 'You'll be teaching the next generation about the world. Could you get me a glass of water?' Alix glanced at the jug next to Lila as Rose happily agreed, before moving off.

'So, Lila, we were just talking about how everyone has paired off after school. Do you have anyone in your life?' Alix questioned, not half as cheerfully as she had been to Rose. She and Lila had never seen eye to eye completely, mostly due to the clear deceptions of Lila in Alix's opinion.

'Of course, can't you see my ring?' Lila proffed a delicate hand. Despite wearing gloves, she had taken her sizeable diamond ring and was wearing it on the outside of the glove. 'I got engaged at the beginning of the year in secret. I can't tell you to whom though, I don't want the press to get a hold of it just yet!' She said with a hint of conspiracy.

'I see, well, congratulations.' Alix eyed her up. 'Have you heard from Adrien lately?'

'Oh, him?' Lila rolled her eyes. 'He quit his father's business completely, and the modelling industry altogether. What does it matter after that?' Lila sat forward in a stage whisper. 'I heard that it was because he'd gotten a girl pregnant, and she threatened to go to the press. It was such a scandal, because she was so young, you know,'

'Oh? How do you know about this apparant girl?' Alix questioned, an eyebrow raising slowly.

'You hear a lot of things in the acting world, especially when you're as high-flying as I am. There are no secrets from me.' Lila said with a smirk.

'I heard that he quit everything because he was sick of it,' Juleka pointed out. 'Doesn't he work in a shop downtown now or something?'

Lila waved it away with a snort. 'That's just what the press want you to think.'

Rose returned, a glass of water in hand. 'What does the press want you to think?'

'About Adrien,-' Lila started, but was cut off.

'Oh, Adrien! He works with Marinet-'

'Marinette!!' Lila's eyes flashed. 'He's working with Marinette? He's been barred from the fashion industry!' She caught the way Rose was looking at her. 'It's just awful!' She added with a delicate sniff and dabbing of her eyes.

'Oh, speaking of, Marinette's coming tonight,' Juleka said. 'So you can ask her yourself.'

'She is!?' Lila snapped around. 'She's not here though,'

'She said she's running late.' Juleka shrugged. 'I think she's coming with Alya and Nino.'

Lila looked like she was about to sneer, but covered it quickly. 'It would be good to see Alya again, hope she doesn't press me about,' she lifted her hand and waved the ring at them, 'you know,'

'The fact you're engaged?' Alix pointed out point-blank, and Lila's jaw tightened.

'Yes, thank you Alex. That.'

'Well why don't you ask them? Here come Alya and Nino now!' Rose pointed to the entrance, where the two had clearly just been dropped off.

'Where's Marinette?' Alix asked, as she was clearly not with the pair.

She didn't wait for Lila's answer, and moved towards Alya and Nino instead.

When she approached they greeted her warmly, and Alya immediately complimented her on her tailor and hair stylist.

Alix returned the compliment to them both, before asking, 'So how are you both? I heard that Marinette was coming with you?'

'Oh, no,' Alya laughed. 'She's coming with everyone's favourite blonde. She should be right behind us though.'

Nino shook her hand warmly. 'It's good to see you, I'm really glad to see you're doing so well.'

'Still making music, music man?' Alix grinned.

'You know it,' Nino returned. 'But I produce now, managing some of the best bands in the city. Including yours truly,' he winked.

Alya nudged him. 'Look, here they come now,' she said, looking back over her shoulder.

Two glamourously dressed people were walking towards them, talking animatedly.

'See? We didn't need the driver in the end, you know I don't like bothering him unless there's an event,' Marinette was saying. She tucked a loose strand of long, flowing black hair behind her ear, her sapphire jewelry flashing in the half-light spilling from the hedged entrance to the garden. 'The Uber was fine.'

'The Uber was not fine!' Snapped back none other than Chloé, who tossed her hair animatedly. 'I'm going to give him one star, and he's lucky I can't go lower. Dropping us off at the end of the street like that. Ridiculous.'

'You're the one that wanted to be dropped there so that you wouldn't be embarrased by an Uber,' Marinette lightly chastised. 'Now you're letting the whole party know by complaining about it.'

Chloé puffed out her cheeks for a moment. 'I hate it when you're right.' She turned her attention to the small gathering by the door. 'Oh, look who it is,'

'Hey girls!' Alya exclaimed, giving Marinette a hug as she passed. 'It's been so long! Is Adrien not coming tonight?'

'Adrikins was busy,' Chloé looked put out. 'You know how he is with crowds these days. Plus,' her eyes flashed in Lila's direction. 'Certain people here aren't worth his time of day.'

'We're mostly here to see you guys,' Marinette added. 'Isn't that right?' she elbowed Chloé playfully.

'That's right,' Chloé said, without effort. 'There's a few loose things to do here before we head back to Milan.'

'Oh, I didn't know you two were working together,' Alix said, 'I thought you two couldn't stand each other.'

'You've been away too long, my friend,' Alya smiled. 'These two are running one of the biggest fashion brands in Paris as well as Milan and Rome right now.'

'And only improving, obviously,' Chloé pointed out with a grin. 'Lucky there isn't that much competition here in Paris.'

'What do you mean, not much competition?' Came the voice of Lila, who joined them as they moved towards the drinks table. 'Your little brand can hardly get off the ground here in Paris!'

All five stiffened slightly, but Marinette rolled onto one hip, planting a hand there. 'Aren't you wearing one of our dresses right now, Lila?' She looked her up and down with a grin.

'W-what are you talking about?' Lila pushed back. 'This was handmade in Milan by the finest-'

'It was made by Emile, I'd recognize that stitching anywhere,' Chloé said dryly. 'Emile's one of our best, clearly. Shame it had to be wasted on you.'

Lila flushed red, before turning and stomping away.

'Be careful of those delicate ankles!' Alya called after her, and took the returning murderous glance with glee.

'Nicely done,' Marinette said, leaning over and kissing Chloé's cheek.

Chloé grinned. 'She makes it so easy.'

'She really does,' Marinette replied with a smile.

'Oh!' Alix said suddenly. 'But Marinette, you're not wearing-'

Marinette lightly smacked Chloé shoulder. 'You can blame her for me not wearing my ring everywhere.'

'It's not my fault it outshines everything else,' Chloé returned. 'If you would be a little more glamourous it would fit in better!'

'I think I'd need to be on the Met Gala in order to be able to wear that ring, Chloé.' Marinette teased.

Chloé smiled. 'Well you can hardly blame me when only the best is worthy.' She flushed slightly.

'Aw, is she still turning red after all this time?' Alya teased.

'Noone asked you,' Chloé turned and hid her face by taking up a glass from a nearby table. 'Different topic, why is Kim on top of that statue over there?'

'Because it's Kim, why else?' Alix shrugged. 'But hang on, I thought Juleka said that Adrien was the one who was working with Marinette?'

'Oh, she said that?' Marinette questioned. 'No, he's working with my parents, actually. Turns out his passion is pastries, though I think everyone saw that from how quickly they

disappeared during our school days together.'

Alix grinned, but slowly her eyes dropped. 'I'm sorry to hear about what happened,'

'He doesn't care about any of that,' she waved her away. 'He just wants the quiet life, you know? And with his wife Kagami about to have their first, my parents are going completely insane for their adoptive grandkid. It's all the attention he wants.'

'You know Lila's saying he got a girl pregnant?' Alix pointed out. 'It's why he left.'

'He left because of his father. Simple as that.'

'Well, if it helps you were dating him at the time,' Alya elbowed her playfully. 'Got anything to tell us?'

Marinette glanced down at her perfect figure. 'Yes, actually, I do.' She turned to Chloé. 'I wanted to tell you in private, dearest, but I've actually been pregnant for the last eight years.'

'I can't believe I never knew,' Chloé replied flatly, before grinning. 'What sort of ridiculous nonsense is that? She's clearly after the company.'

'She's also "secretly engaged",' Alix pointed out, with appropriate quote gestures. 'Take that as you will.'

'Can you believe it?' Marinette said with a laugh, but composed herself. 'Nope, I'm here for a good time with my friends. I'm not going to spend it gossiping about Lila.'

'Suit yourself,' Chloé shrugged. 'So who's she engaged to?'

'Chloé,' Marinette said in a warning tone. 'Why don't we do some rounds?'

Chloé pulled a face, but when Marinette looped an arm through hers she couldn't help but smile.

'I know it's been three years, but I can't believe what a couple they make,' Alya said as the group watched them go. 'I remember when they hated each other's guts back in middle school.'

'Well, you know how it is when little boys pull little girls pigtails,' Nino shrugged.

'What, that little boys need to be taught how to deal with their emotions properly so they don't end up on wanted posters?' Alix pointed out.

'Uh, yes,' Nino agreed, 'but my point is that when Chloé got over herself, more or less, they worked things out really well. Adrien really helped with that, I think.'

'So what did Adrien have to say about his best friend and his ex dating?'

'He was pretty over the moon when everything happened, and for the record it's his two best friends dating, but he has a lot of best friends these days. We're proud of him.' Alya said.

'I can tell,' Alix smiled. 'I'll have to drop by the bakery and say hello while I'm in town.'

'He'd like that, I'm sure.' Alya smiled back.

[t4tu]

carmine

we met in a mess of broken glass and blood, after a beer mug shattered in my clumsy hands at a dirty pub downtown. you followed me to a poorly lit bathroom, a complete stranger who thought it was a good idea to make his presence known by asking me do you need a tampon? there may have been a shriek on my part and i was ready to attack you, for the awful joke, for the scare, when you chuckled at the panic in my eyes and told me i'm your best shot here, superstar. unless you'd rather bleed to death, obviously. 

later, your eyes traveled from my bandaged hand to my sharp eyes and you stood too close when you said i think i see constellation in your eyes. i think i see sadness in your broken soul. you were always this absurd. i scoffed loudly and my disbelief made you laugh as we raised from the bathroom floor, our made-up surgery table, and before i could start to mock you, you said wow, that was terrible and your closed eyes and self-deprecating laugh got me hooked. sorry, just wanted to buy you a beer, yeah? i couldn't spend a day without you since. 

you would read these huge books written by russian authors who didn't know the difference between love and lust. oh, you once said, and you do? when i asked you if you believed in love, you would say don’t you ask such absurd questions.

when you feel a hole in your chest instead of your heart, you told me once, while we admired the stars from your balcony, fingers freezing in the cold, you have to smile and think this is it, this is it. this is what it's like to feel tortured, this is what it's like to feel alive. you're this mix of innocence and indecency, you either smelled like clementines or cigarettes, there was no in between. 

when you took me to that art museum, you made the grumpiest security guard grin with your snobbish complaints about how rotten fruit isn't poetic. this girl next to me surely is though, mate. whenever you mixed too much weed with too little sleep, you would sprawl out in my bed and tell me the color of my soul was carmine. 

you once barged in, in the middle of my bath, and i was still squealing when you simply stated, seriously, don’t you dare wash your hair with that old  shampoo. you're completely crazy, it was fantastic. you added: it’ll make you think you’re the same person you were when he left and, under your breath, you aren't.  

you were the only person i told about the time i threw up cake at my 11th birthday party, the one where anna wore a yellow dress and my mother called her prettier. 

before i left for marseille, you told me if you find someone who writes like they’re on drugs, fuck them hard to Mozart’s No. 6 with a soft smile on your lips. you said find someone who is willing to spill themselves into your lovely emptiness. 

after taking my bags out of your truck, you lifted me from the ground, you held me tight and you whispered stop waiting for someone to electrocute your spine, yeah? to linger on your scars like alcohol, to bleed into your mouth. you stared straight into my eyes. instead, you said, eletrocute them, linger, and then you said, bleed. 

[orbemnews]

March 12, 2020: The Night the City Sighed to Sleep March began with an ominous drumbeat. A packed cruise ship with a coronavirus outbreak was left floating for days off the coast of California. South by Southwest was canceled. The N.B.A. suspended its season. And then, on March 12, Broadway shut down, and with it every large gathering in New York City. By the time the grates came down, it was not much of a surprise. The city that never sleeps was grinding to a halt. But it was impossible to imagine what was to come. The staggering death toll. The vast job losses. The isolation. The endlessness. That evening, a group of Broadway bigwigs — theater owners and producers, mostly — gathered to drown their sorrows at Sardi’s, the industry hangout famous for its celebrity caricatures. They noshed, they drank, they commiserated, and they hugged. Several of them wound up infected with the virus, although there were so many meetings, and so few masks at that point, who knows how they got it. They posted signs on their theaters saying they expected to be back four weeks later. Now it’s been 52. Do you remember your final nights out? We gathered scenes from around the city as the curtains closed. MICHAEL PAULSON Fondue Fountains, Buckets of Bouquets and Fresh Dolce The dressing rooms at the Brooks Atkinson Theater were filled with flowers. The ruby chocolate fondue fountain was booked for the after-party. Brittney Mack’s mother and her brother and her best girlfriends had all flown into town, not about to miss the moment when the 30-something Chicagoan made her long-awaited Broadway debut as a 16th-century English queen. But it was not to be. Ninety minutes before the scheduled opening of “Six,” an eagerly anticipated new musical about the wives of King Henry VIII, Broadway shut down. “I got to the theater early, and there were gifts from all over — buckets and buckets of plants, and cookies, and so much love, and I was like, ‘Hell, yes,’” Mack recalled. “And then the assistant stage manager came in and said the show is canceled, and I just said, ‘How dare you!’” “It was very, very overwhelming, and all of a sudden I felt incredibly alone. And then I was like, ‘But my dress! And the earrings!’ So many perspectives hit me, and I realized this happened to our entire industry, and I thought, ‘What the hell are we all going to do?’” What most of the “Six” family did was to gather. Mack went out for drinks with her friends at Harlem Public, near her apartment. Meanwhile, the show’s producer, Kevin McCollum, fresh off canceling an 800-person opening night party at Tao Downtown, hosted about 100 members of the show’s inner circle at the Glass House Tavern, a few doors down from the theater. “Looking back, it was ridiculous that we did that, but we didn’t know what we didn’t know, so we had a buffet of crudités, and a host of droplets, I’m sure,” he said. “We were in shock. There were people crying. We were giving it our best stiff upper lip, for the British, but we were emotionally devastated.” George Stiles, an English composer, was among many British friends of the show who had flown over for the opening. Stiles was once in a band with the father of Toby Marlow, who wrote “Six” with Lucy Moss, and had become a mentor and then a co-producer. “Never before has something that I’ve been involved with felt so poised to go off with a crack,” Stiles said of “Six” — quite a statement given that he wrote songs for the stage musical adaptation of “Mary Poppins.” “I was anticipating the euphoria of the crowd, and the fun of the red carpet-y nonsense, and the everyone wanting to be the last one to sit down.” Instead, he and his husband and Marlow’s father licked their wounds at Marseille. What was on the menu? “The sheer awfulness of being this close to a wonderful Broadway run.” Stiles has since put his “suitably regal” gold and black Dolce & Gabbana outfit “into very careful mothballs,” anticipating that there will yet be an opening night to celebrate. “We are very gung-ho,” he said, “and hopeful, fingers crossed, that it wont be too many months away.” PAULSON “We Love You, New York! Don’t Touch Your Face!” Only about half of the people who bought tickets to the March 12 show at Mercury Lounge had turned up, but there were still throngs of people drinking, talking and grooving to the band. Debbie Harry of the band Blondie was there, and so was the music producer Hal Willner. He would die less than a month later from Covid-19. Onstage, Michael C. Hall, the star of “Dexter” and lead singer of the glam rock band Princess Goes to the Butterfly Museum, belted and wailed into the microphone. The staff members at Mercury Lounge knew they were watching their last live concert for a while; what “a while” meant, they had no idea. Bands had been canceling their appearances at an increasing rate, and on a call earlier that day, the owners had asked the staff members if they were still comfortable working, said Maggie Wrigley, a club manager. The line was silent for a moment, before one employee spoke up to say that no, it was no longer comfortable. Others piped up to agree: They felt exposed and vulnerable to the virus at work. Because the late show had already canceled, the owners decided that the club would shut down that night after the early show. At about 9:30 p.m. — painfully early for a Thursday night on the city’s club scene — the audience was asked to leave. “We love you, New York! Don’t touch your face!” Hall yelled at the end of his set. Alex Beaulieu, the club’s production manager, sanitized the microphones and packed the drum kit, amps and cables for longer term storage. “We locked the door and sat at the bar and had a drink,” Wrigley said of the club’s staff, “and we just kind of looked at each other, with no idea what was going to happen.” JULIA JACOBS A Swan Song, Cut Short For Sheena Wagstaff, chairman of modern and contemporary art at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the spring of 2020 was destined to be bittersweet. The Met Breuer, the museum’s experimental satellite space, was going to close, three years ahead of schedule. But its final show was one she’d spent years preparing: “Gerhard Richter: Painting After All,” a survey of the stern and skeptical German artist, filling two floors of the landmark building and including loans from 30 different collections. The exhibition, intended by the now 89-year-old artist to be his last major show, opened March 4. It had the makings of a blockbuster, and it ought to have introduced New York to four paintings called “Birkenau” (2014): streaked, abraded abstractions that obscure imagery of the titular death camp. On March 12, the show’s ninth day, Wagstaff realized it had to close. At first the gravity of the crisis wasn’t fully clear. “I had every anticipation that it was going to reopen in May at the very latest,” Wagstaff said recently. But soon she realized that “Birkenau” — a culmination of Richter’s 60-year engagement with German history and the ethics of representation — would not find an audience. “Beyond a kind of personal huge disappointment, it was that the artist, so aware of his own mortality, was denied the possibility of actually making a mini-manifesto to the world. Alongside that was the curtailment of the Breuer. What we ended up with was this implosion.” Richter never saw the show. A few days before it came down, Wagstaff stood alone with “Birkenau”: paintings about the possibility of perceiving history that, now, no one could perceive at all. “It was a kind of haunting experience,” she said. “They became almost anthropomorphic. They’re sitting there on the walls, and there’s nothing, there’s no one to witness them. The paintings are witnessing something, and that witnessing cannot be conveyed any further.” By autumn, the Met had ceded occupancy of the Breuer to the Frick Collection. Most of Richter’s paintings had been crated up and shipped back to their lenders. Yet “Birkenau,” which belongs to the artist, stayed in New York. Wagstaff brought these most challenging works into the Met’s main building, introducing into the lavish Lehman Collection these four speechless acts of remembrance and horror. “It was a trace of the show. The viewing conditions weren’t perfect,” Wagstaff conceded. “We had really limited attendance; we still do. But people stayed in that room for a really long time. For those who came to see it, it was a revelation.” JASON FARAGO One Final Set By March 15, Broadway theaters and concert halls were empty, but in the dim light of the Comedy Cellar, audience members sat shoulder to shoulder sipping drinks and watching stand-up comedy. Masks were not required. The comedian Carmen Lynch was hesitant about showing up that night: Her boyfriend was heading out of the city to stay with his family in Connecticut, and she planned to join him — it seemed like it was time to hunker down. But, Lynch said, she knew that the days of doing multiple shows in a single night were ending, and she wanted to make as much money as possible before the inevitable shutdown. She exchanged texts with fellow comedians to feel out who was still performing. “I thought, ‘I’m not doing anything illegal. I’ll just do this one show and then leave,’” Lynch recalled. So her boyfriend took her suitcase to Connecticut while she stayed to perform — one set at 7:45 p.m. another at 8:30. Before each comedian would walk onstage to tell jokes in front of the club’s famous exposed brick wall and stained glass, they would reach into a bucket to take a microphone that had been recently cleaned. Just before Lynch went on, the comedian Lynne Koplitz took the stage, removed the sanitized microphone from the stand and theatrically wiped it down with a white cloth another time, saying, “I’ve wanted to do this for years!” When Lynch finished her second set, she didn’t linger. She called an Uber and felt relieved when the driver accepted her request for an hour-and-a-half drive to Connecticut, not knowing how long she’d be gone (until summer) or what the city would be like when she returned (eerily empty, store windows boarded up). She drove away, and in retrospect, she remembers it like a scene in a disaster movie. “It’s like you’re in the car,” she said, “and you turn around and there’s an explosion behind you.” JACOBS Source link Orbem News #City #March #night #Sighed #Sleep

[keywestlou]

GREAT LAST NIGHT / EXCEPTIONAL DAY AHEAD

An exceptional evening last night. A big day ahead. Followed by Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou this evening.

Joined Dueling Bartenders last night. Terri singing. Joined by Rick Dery.

Both exceptional.

Donna appeared. She looked terrific! Donna has been sick the past 2 months. Broken knee, some serious stomach problems, etc. She apparently has made a full recovery. It showed in her face and personality.

Lynda and Bob Frechette listening to Terri also. A great couple! We have become good friends over the years.

Enjoyed a diet soda with Mary. Stayed about an hour. All I could take. Not drinking still bothers me. It is hard to be in a bar and not drink, though I am doing good. It seems like everyone is having fun, but me.

Left early for dinner at La Trattoria with Mary. Carrie bartending.

Met an interesting young lady. Her name Fanny. She was seated next to Mary.

Fanny lovely. Young. No more than 25, if at all.

Fanny’s home is Marseille. She left France following graduation to take a position in San Francisco. She is involved with robots. A sale engineer with a firm that is in the commercial robot field.

She has to be a smart lady.

In Key West for vacation. From here to Montreal to visit her sister when she leaves. Then back to work in San Francisco. A lot of traveling.

I live and learn. I asked where she was staying. Turned out she is “couchsurfing.” A new term for me.

Couchsurfing is an international organization. Twelve million strong. Puts tourists/travelers together with a couch in someone’s home. No charge. Fanny sleeping on a couch in someone’s home in Key west.

While I was eating, someone tapped my shoulder. John from the Chart Room. He was with a lovely young lady. He always is. She goes by Downtown Julie Brown. Julie has lived in Key West quite a while. Involved in all kinds of business pursuits.

I started working on this blog at 5 this morning. Hopefully will be done or close to done by 9. I want to spend the day sitting leisurely before the TV set watching the Congressional Committee hearings.

I am a political junkie!

The President keeps digging a deeper hole for himself. His tweets are helping to bury him. His problem. He refuses to learn.

The hearings also are burying him. Staff people standing up. Not 2 bit politicians acting with bravado and saying nothing.

Trump’s 2 hour Walter Reed Hospital visit saturday leaves me with questions. An early start on his yearly physical? We are being bullshitted.

I assume he had chest pains. Understandable with the pressure he continues to be under.

A 2 hour hospital visit enough time to run necessary tests. I was in the hospital a couple of weeks ago with chest pains.

Blood work, urine, a chest x-ray and ekg.

He  must have passed and was sent home. Probably aggravation, stress, etc. We have all been there.

It bothers me how the doctors handle Trump. His doctor when he was running wrote a short letter saying the man was in the best of health. The Navy Captain or Admiral who was his White House doctor lied for him. Now, I suspect the Walter Reed people also.

The walls are closing in on  Trump. The noose getting tighter. He is Humpty Dumpty. Falling. Not yet completely down. When he does hit, it will be impossible to put him together. Just like Humpty Dumpty: “Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall / Humpty Dumpty had a great fall / All the horses and all the king’s men could not put Humpty together again.”

Trump advised over the weekend he was considering testifying in person or by written answers before the Congressional Committee.

Don’t hold your breath!

Trump continues to change his mind, flip sides, etc. The most recent example is his position on flavored e-cigarettes. He came out opposed.

The New York Times and Washington Post announced over the weekend Trump was back pedaling and backing off from his initial position.

Trump was made aware by some that he could lose the vapor vote in key swing states.

At least Trump is consistent. He always does what is good for Donald, not the people he was elected to protect.

Secretary of State Michael Pompeo has many of Trump’s characteristics. Some even worse.

He is a total failure as far as working with and protecting State Department employees.

Tom Friedman noted it clearly in his New York Time’s column yesterday. Referred to Pompeo as “cowardly” and “self-serving.”

Pompeo was first in his class at West Point. Impressive! Apparently only as to true academic courses. Friedman says Pompeo “must have flunked all his courses on ethics and leadership.” He fails to look out for his “soldiers” in the State Department.

Friedman advises he would not want to be in a trench with Pompeo: “Watch your own backs because Pompeo won’t.”

Tonight Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Nine my time. Join me for a quick moving interesting half hour. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

I love to rant and rave! Tuesday Talk gives me the opportunity.

Enjoy your day!

GREAT LAST NIGHT / EXCEPTIONAL DAY AHEAD was originally published on Key West Lou

[pikespendragon67]

Tagged by @halo-n-wings. Boy howdy

Nicknames: Pikes, Downtown *real name*, GDI *name* (for when I make puns), I have yet to receive an official nickname from anyone else aside from those last two

Gender: Female

Zodiac: Gemini but this website has taught me Geminis are the worst human beings possible so fuck you Tumblr

Height: 5′2.5″

Time: 7:42 PM

Birthday: June 7th

Favorite bands: Thing is I say I like bands if I like 3 songs of theirs but don’t really venture out into other albums

Favorite solo artist: Same as above

Song stuck in my head: Les Fueilles Mortes or Botanicsage’s remix of That’s What I Like by Bruno Mars and the National Park theme from Pokemon Gold/Silver/Crystal

Last movie I watched: In theaters, uhhhh, I forget. Last movie I saw in general was Kiki’s Delivery Service

Last show I watched: American Dad, unless channel hopping on Youtube counts for different videos

When did I create my blog: May 7th, 2016

What do I post: Photos or GIFs of things that I like (which I unfortunately spam), some observations I make or updates about my life, and now I have an OC blog so I can post stuff about OCs there

Last thing I Googled: JJBA Jojolion song references

Do I have another blog: Yep, an OC blog mostly dedicated to my two original series Ultimate Dragon & Freid

Do I get asks: When I reblog ask memes yee. Always accepting, though!

Why did you choose your URL: Pikes is a nickname I’ve had since 4th or 5th grade (apparently a family name, never knew that beforehand), Pendragon because I’m an Arthurian nerd and I love Howl’s Moving Castle (plus it sounds cool), and 67 is my birthday

Following: 157

Followers: 150, I believe. WE ABOUT TO REACH THAT KANTO NUMBER FAM

Favorite color: Cerulean, mint green, lavender, maroon, orange

Average hours of sleep: ~10 on free days

Lucky number: 3, 5, 7, 21, 32, 45, 67

Instruments: Flute, but I need to pick it up again. I tried piano, violin, and drums

What am I wearing: A Midoriya Izuku T-shirt, some shorts, hair in a braid

How many blankets do I sleep with: 1, and that is a comforter, but in the winter I make up for this by wearing long-sleeved shirts and warm pants

Dream job: Voice actress that has her own projects created into official works where I can yell at my fandoms to shut the fuck up if they start bitching about things that aren’t relevant to the plot

Dream trip: Cork Ireland, Italy, probably Japan but I’m at weeb status, Marseilles in France

Favorite food: Hershey’s milk chocolate

Nationality: ‘murica

Favorite song now: Main theme for Sonic Mania!

Tag yourselves friends

[ilovemarseilledowntown]

[nic-and-annie-in-france]

Belated Christmas Thoughts: Amsterdam

New Sights and Smells

Our BnB in Amsterdam sat in the middle of downtown. After arriving, Annie and I walked to dinner and explored the area around where we were staying. The streets were narrow and crowded with people. Trashcans overflowed and litter was thrown on the ground. It was loud and chaotic and everything had a funky smell. Needless to say, I was not in love with Amsterdam at first.

Amsterdam was a city of canals. That was neat until I realized how often I used a body of water (a river in most cities we’ve been to, or the Mediterranean in Marseille) to help build a mental map of the place and orient myself. I kept getting turned around in Amsterdam because I couldn’t distinguish one canal from the next. Thankfully, Annie had a map on her phone, and used it to guide us.

The museums and sites we saw took us away from the cramped, smelly part of Amsterdam. I’m not exactly sure where they were in relation to where we were staying other than “away.” One of the museums sat on a street running parallel to a canal. Having a body of water between the buildings opened them up and alleviated the claustrophobia of the tall, narrow streets. We also found parks and pretty historic streets. I started liking Amsterdam more not after seeing that all of Amsterdam is dirty and smelly.

In Copenhagen, everyone biked and the traffic system was built to accommodate that. It was clear which areas were for pedestrians, cars, or bikes. In Amsterdam, everyone biked, but the right of way among cars, bikes, and pedestrians was anyone’s guess. There were several times when a parked car took up all of the side walk and we had to step out into traffic to get by, or a car blocked the bike lane and the sidewalk became the new bike lane, where the cyclists still tried to run us out of their way.

Despite making pathfinding difficult, the canals made for a lot of pretty scenes with their charming canal houses. The house were tall and skinny, but always varied! Tall windows looked out onto the canals and no two buildings on the same block would be the same height. Rather than a meticulously planned style of architecture, the streets looked like the accumulation of different tastes and time periods, like an eclectic art gallery.

A row of houses along a canal

Another canal in Amsterdam

Van Gogh and Waffles

To celebrate Annie’s birthday, we spent the morning in the Van Gogh museum. Both of us really like Vincent Van Gogh, but Annie knew more about him than I did (she knows a lot more about art that I do). His paintings were a delight to look at, with their swirls and eye catching colors. Placards in the museum told us about Van Gogh’s life and work, and Annie told me about the style and the significance of the compositions. It was like I had my own personal tour as I learned the biography of Van Gogh from the museum and art history and appreciation from Annie. 

For her birthday dinner, Annie really wanted pancakes or waffles. We searched for a diner that served breakfast and wasn’t outrageously expensive. It was evening, but we found one that was promising. When we asked if they still served breakfast, the waiter looked a bit confused and said he would ask the kitchen. I heard a chef laugh and let out an incredulous, “breakfast?!” The waiter told us, no, they were not still serving breakfast at this time of day. We decided to search for our pancakes/waffles somewhere else and came upon a build-your-own waffle shop. They had sweet. They had savory. They had crêpes. They had waffles. It was perfect.

I opted for a savory crêpe with jalapeños, chicken, nacho cheese, and chipotle sauce. Annie went sweet and ordered a waffle with bananas, chocolate syrup, peanut butter, and whipped cream. We split them 50/50 and had fantastic birthday meal.

The big 2-5

Rembrandt

Another day, we visited a house that Rembrandt, the 17th century Dutch artist, lived in later in his life. He mainly painted, but also made art by etching. We saw his press and saw a demonstration of the etching process. The artist used several different tools to etch an image into a copper plate, each utensil being used to create a certain depth or thickness of line. When the copper plate was finished, the artist covered it in ink and sent it through a heavy press. A sheet of paper captured a mirror image of what was etched on the plate. I was amazed to see the precision and detail in Rembrandt’s prints, made simply by scratching into a piece of copper.

Rembrandt had a “room of curiosities” that housed marble busts, sea shells, swords, spears, turtle shells, a blowfish, and one barracuda suspended from the ceiling. Rembrandt used these objects two ways: as references for his paintings and as a means of impressing his visitors. But much more impressive than his “curiosities” was Rembrandt’s actual work.

Annie and I saw one of Rembrandt’s most famous paintings at the Rijksmuseum: The Night Watch. Admittedly, I didn’t know about the painting before we saw it. But the painting would have surpassed any expectation I had. It was nearly 12 feet by 14 feet and depicted a militia departing for night watch. The museum had laminated reference sheets with an infographic of the painting explaining some significant aspects of it. Typically group portraits of the time portrayed stationary people. But the people in The Night Watch are moving: the captain is thrusting his hand out as if he is in the middle of a pep talk, a man is drumming, a dog is barking, someone is firing a gun from the middle of the crowd. The handout also pointed out the contrast of light and dark (which Rembrandt is known for) as well as other details about the composition. I love when a museum helps educate me on the significance of what’s there. The Night Watch was impressive to me when I knew nothing about it, but it became even more so when I was able to see what made it so special.

I didn’t like Amsterdam at first: I was tired from traveling and the city seemed dirty and smelly. I began to appreciate it more once I saw it opened up with canals. But the city’s biggest appeal to me was its museums: the Van Gogh museum, Rembrandt’s house, and the Rijksmuseum. These were enriching not just in the artworks they held, but also in the stories they told of the artists’ lives. 

Another Canal

A canal with boats!

[shivanisingh]

Postcards from April

I was made vigilant about the rising crime rates and growing racism in the small towns of southern France, and the political unrest in Italy; so I went in with the modest expectations of encountering a minor mugging and perhaps some typical tourist fallbacks. But since traveling is cumbersome and tiring and expensive, the warnings always ended with the consoling ‘but it will be worth it’. And so, without much intent other than that my kind & willing friend inviting me to visit her, I flew my privileged ass to the land of Schengen.

Without the fuss of chronology, I’ll stuff the body of this writing with the stories of all the unlikely people we met on this under-planned road-tripping / train-hopping /bag-packing trip across Torino, Genoa, Valence, Marseilles, Lyon and Barcelona. There was Martha, at the beginning of it all, who drove us to Italy, on what I can easily call one of the more beautiful road trips I’ve been on — white tufts of snow, settled alongside the road, unaware that it is April — while Martha graciously offered political views about her country, in her very Italian accent. Of whatever I could catch, it sounded like most European governments can afford to be a lot more generous towards their citizens than ours, but they all complain about medical bills and the stubborn police. We reached Torino in no time or traffic, and stepped right into our mansion-esque airBNB accommodation. A black dog with drooping moustache-whiskers welcomed us on a white-marble-spiral-staircase, that lead to our room. The old couple spoke in smiles and Italian, while we ciao-ciao-ed our way through conversation. It always smelled like sweet bread, and shower jets were hardly missed because they have bidets in this part of the world.

Torino was a discovery to us both — with it’s old style architecture, trams, cobbled streets and large squares — we were in love at the first sip of our costadoro coffee. Downtown, the same evening, was marked in memory and photograph as a row of transparent cabins along the footpath, heated and thriving with wine-drunk-pizza-munchers. But I digress, for I was to introduce to you the lovely humans of our trip. Next up — Dario and Alessandro — the two most charming & talented jazz musicians we ever met in person. I didn’t know what to expect when we got out of our warm blankets at 11pm — half asleep from the lunch-induced-nap — for this underground music scene; but we entered what looked like the sets of a Woody Allen film, had he discovered Torino before us. We got talking to the artists as they left the stage, and they indulged us long enough, maybe because we were the only non-Italians there, or maybe because my friend is a real charmer herself. Either way, we were three piccolos of beer down, and three friends richer by the end of that night.

Genoa greeted us with too many grey clouds and chilly rains, but this is where we met Aldo Padovano. We were recommended a seafood restaurant by our enthusiastic airBNB host (who could best be described by her full-throated laugh which was also heavily accented I thought). All too popular among the locals, we had to share our table (by now we learned that this is a common practice at European diners) with two older men. At the end of our meal, one of the gentlemen requested us to photograph them on his phone, excitedly informing us that they were celebrating the release of Aldo’s third book — about a historical episode in Genoa. This got the four of us into an impossible multi-lingual discussion about the history of Genoa and writing as a profession; and the next thing I know, we’re at a medieval themed bar — lit by large wax candles, bartended by a lady who looked right out of Hogwarts — talking about old tombs and discovered basements over primitive wine; and that we forgot to try the tiramisu at the seafood restaurant.

At the end of a Spanish jazz evening at Barcelona — after we were done harmlessly objectifying all the men at the club — a certain man-bun sporting Jean Luc approached us for some rolling paper. He sounded stoned from the first words he uttered, but quickly turned from the Spanish stereotype we thought him to be, to the too-young-to-be-a-philosophy-graduate type. He skill-fully rolled us a joint while reciting an original poem from his notebook—scribbled in the tiniest handwriting I’ve seen — as we stood under a shopfront, taking cover from the rain. It was equal parts hilarious and uncomfortable as we escorted him half way to his home, while he shared aloud his existential thoughts, disguised under follow-up laughter. That night witnessed hashish influenced discussions about Lacan and troubled childhoods, mostly lost in translation, but infrequently gained in interpretation.

There were other nameless shopkeepers and waiters, street artists and bus drivers whom we stole stories from — as souvenirs, you know, because the Euro is an expensive currency. Almost everyone keenly spoke of ‘wanting to visit India’ and they probably even meant it. Everyone seeks different things from their travels I suppose — sometimes adrenaline, sometimes wonder, sometimes wisdom, sometimes evidence, sometimes love — and I don’t know if travelling is potent enough to suffice any of it.

For me, it’s easy to forget the names and dates of the immortalised architects and sculptors, grand bridges and landmarks, forts of conquests past and all that audio tour content. What has stayed with me though, every time I’ve ventured outside the country, is the respectful acknowledgement that people and spaces have for each other. That, and the acute strength of their gelato flavours. There’s also the persisting matter of why we don’t make breads as pillow-soft, and pillows as dough-soft as theirs, but that’s a discussion for another day.

It’s the contrast that sticks, perhaps; but I did, for a fleeting moment, wonder, while sitting along the banks of the Seine, how unfortunate it must be to live here and take all of this for granted everyday — The blues of the Mediterranean, in perfect gradation, varying ever so slightly from Marseilles to Barcelona. The dramatic skies always ready to backdrop the already theatrical churches— enormous crosses and echoing bells adding to the performance. It always felt like we were on the sets of a beautifully art directed film— each street lamp positioned with intention, every signage obeying a pre-defined aesthetic, even the litter scattered carefully. A testimony to the power of belief, intention and design, nurtured over centuries.

I think that a lot of the charm of Europe lies in how it deceives you to believe that you’ve stepped into a beautiful and romantic past, until a Tesla passes by you, unassumingly, somehow just fitting into it all.

[colingoesabroad-blog]

Blog 11 - France

My favorite structure in France was the Pont Du Gard. This structure just felt different than all the other ones we saw in the country, and the age of this structure reflects it. Constructed over 2,000 years ago, I loved seeing up close how the water would flow and how it was used at the time. Also, as Robert noted, it was incredible to see up close the layers of lime stone at the top of the structure. In such an old and almost primitive time, it is truly remarkable to see how advanced the Romans were when constructing the Pont Du Gard. They were very ahead of their time with the idea of the aqueduct and the regression of elevation for water to flow. Getting to actually walk through the top of it and along the top of it made me truly appreciate how large of a structure it was. My favorite city in France was Marseille. It was so different to see the palm trees and the beach. I did not know much about the city prior to arriving, and after, it seemed like a tropical city you would find in Florida. The views and the islands off in the distance were remarkable, and the best view I have had on this entire trip was when we went up to the top of the Marseille Cathedral. From there, I felt like I could see the entire city as well as peer out on the islands and remote old prison that now looks like a castle off the coast.

In terms of goals, I believe I achieved two of them in France. I believe I became more independent and I visited more than just the areas we were scheduled to. When in Italy, I found myself talking to and calling my family a lot, but as the trip went on, I became more comfortable being away and in France I was starting to be really close with a lot of the people on the trip. I felt more at home being away, and being independent from my norms. Also, I visited the Marseille dock one day on my own because it seemed like everyone else was asleep and I wanted to walk around it at night and see the dock lit up with the large Ferris wheel. I got to see more of the downtown area on my own, which I am very happy about.

[emmalynetc]

Things To Do: One Week in the South of France

This question was posed by my darling cousin in Arizona: If you only had one week in southern France, what would you do? Well, I am here to answer that! I could make entire blog posts about each of the places and activities I'll be mentioning, so I'll be linking to some outside sources for more info as we go.

Spend a day or two in Nice.

First, if you visit the south of France you're most likely to land by plane in Nice. Nice alone is worth at least a day or two - it's a strange, wonderful mix of French and Italian cultures with it's own set of -isms and cuisine that are so fun to discover. There are the most beautiful pastel painted buildings and brilliantly blue and grey Mediterranean beaches. There is old town Nice, which is a confusing criss-cross of streets full of old churches, giant morning flower markets in open squares, interesting restaurants and endless shops with every kind of ware imaginable. It's the best place to get lost in. There is Fenocchio gelato, the legendary gelato shop with the most amazing flavor combinations that is always crowded on summer days. There is the Promenade, beautifully restored after the terror attacks of 2016. All of it is worth the visit!

From Nice, it's an hour-long train ride to Monaco or beyond into Italy.

The train ride alone is worth it to me - you ride right on the edge of the cliffs the butt up against the Mediterranean and you pass through endless farms set in valleys and little towns along the shores. Magnificent. I won't get into all the fun places to visit along this route west of Nice, but check out this blog post by Polkdot Passport about the villages of Cinque Terre along Italian Riviera!

If you decide to head east into France, your first stop should be Cannes.

Cannes is where we've lived for the last year, so obviously I'm partial to it. But, there really are so many great things to do here! There's an old town that's a smaller version of Nice's, some amazing seafood restaurants that won't break the bank, and (my favorite), sand beaches! Most of the other beaches in this part of the world are pebbles, but Cannes imports their sand and I am so grateful for it. There's a fun little train tour that takes you all over the downtown area and starts next to the Palais des Festivals (where the Film Festival is held each May). There's some great shopping on Rue d'Antibes, which runs parallel to the shore, and I love every restaurant and cafe I've tried on Rue Hoche. Wander up to the top of the hill where the old church is and enjoy an amazing view of the city, or stroll along the port next to the Palais and daydream about sailing away on one of the hundreds of multi-million-dollar boats docked there. Go to Marche Forville in the mornings, the vast food market that we frequent at least once a week - here's a post I wrote about it! Cannes is a lovely place to spend a day or two.

From Cannes, there are several other places to go. Île Sainte-Marguerite is a must-see!

It's a fun boat ride out to the island, and the island itself is a great place to spend the day exploring. The views are spectacular and the place is so full of history! I did a whole blog post on our visit to Île Sainte-Marguerite, linked here.

You can also take a drive, bus, or train up to Grasse.

Grasse is the perfume capital of the world and the place where Chanel no. 5 originated. It is also extremely old and full of amazing history. For example, Admiral de Grasse (the French admiral who saved the American Revolution) was from Grasse. There is a church built in the 1400's with several original Reubens paintings inside. The entire city is set on the sides of steep hills that signal the start of the French Alps, and the views are absolutely stunning. The old town area is so fun to wander through and there are plenty of small perfume museums, restaurants, and interesting shops (my favorite is the Confiserie Florian) to keep you occupied for a full afternoon. If you drive further up into the hills, you'll find beautiful little villages like the one Vincent grew up in (we showed you around in our recent vlog!).

If you decide to head further east from Cannes, drive along the coast to Marseille and Aix-en-Provence. 

Marseille is a beautiful big sprawling French city along the sea, and Aix-en-Provence is just inland of Marseilles. Aix is famous for being the most "provencal" there ever was - full of old-looking buildings and streets painted beautiful colors with bright flowers and friendly faces everywhere you look. It's a lovely place to spend a day gaining an understanding of what makes the south of France so special!

[coreystravelblogworld]

Modern Luxury-Celebrity

In mid-September, we flew to Barcelona, Spain for an 8-night north Mediterranean cruise from Spain, and along the French Riviera, to Italy. We spent two days prior to the cruise seeing the amazing Catalonian city of Barcelona. Two days was absolutely not enough time to see all we desired to see, but we walked extensively in and around the oldest parts of the city. The architecture was simply amazing! The people were extraordinarily friendly and accommodating. We stayed at a hotel just off the famous tourist avenue, La Rambla, very near to where there was a recent ISIS-inspired terrorist attack where a truck was driven down the pedestrian walkway down the middle of La Rambla. Spanish police security was ever-present and we felt amazingly safe. On the last evening, we took a gourmet tapas walking guided tour which included wine tasting, a tapas dinner, and an incredible Flamenco show. I still get goosebumps every time I think back to when we watched the astounding dancing and singing that the performers provided for us.

On September 14th, we embarked on the Celebrity Cruise Lines cruise ship, the Silouette, which is 1,033 feet long and has a capacity of 2,886 total passengers. The Silouette gave us a feeling of modern luxury, exceptional service, tasteful accommodations, and great nightly on-board entertainment. Celebrity Cruise Lines has eliminated its formal dinner nights and replaced it with “Evening Chic” which means that you can get glamorous and be sophisticated in your own way. You could still wear formal clothing, but the dress code has been relaxed so women are only required to wear a skirt, pants or jeans with a casual top. Men are only required to wear pants or jeans with a sport shirt that has sleeves. My boyfriend took full advantage of the elaborate fitness room with tons of free weights and exercise machines. I had a fantastic personal massage that left me feeling amazingly relaxed!

Our first port of call was Ibiza, an amazing island off the east coast of Spain, for two days and one night. Ibiza is known for its nightlife and club scene as well as its beautiful sandy beaches. We toured the island on the first day and reserved the second day as a beach day. Unfortunately, that second day was a stormy one so we did more town activities.  Marseille is France’s second largest city and our second port of call. We spent a somewhat rainy day touring the old town area, which included a visit to the Notre-Dame de la Garde (which means Our Lady of the Guard), a beautiful Catholic basilica/church, which was almost like a fortress on a hilltop overlooking the old town and harbor. On the fifth day, we moved on eastbound to Cannes, France, and the weather turned sunny and warm. We walked through the high-end shopping district and vacation homes of Europe’s rich and famous. The long and lavish coastal promenade, Boulevard de la Croisette, was laced with expensive shops and elegant restaurants and ended at the Palais des Festivals et des Congrés, a huge convention center and the venue of the infamous Cannes International Film Festival. On the sixth day our journey was only a few kilometers further east to dock in Ville Franche, France, a small and quaint seaport which is just a short train ride from the exclusive beach resort town of Nice. We took the train to Nice on a gloriously sunny and hot day. We walked the streets of Nice until we arrived at the extraordinary downtown beachfront where my boyfriend and I spent a relaxing afternoon at a lovely private beach club where I made like a European topless in the sun! Oo-la-la!!! On the seventh day we had our port of call in Livorno, Italy, just outside of cities of Florence and Pisa. My boyfriend and I had been in Tuscany and had visited the city areas just last fall, so we decided to opt for a magnificent Celebrity Shore Excursion to the Cinque Terre, which is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site consisting of a string of five centuries-old seaside villages on the rugged Italian Riviera coastline. We initially rode a coastal ferry from Porto Venere along the seacoast to Vernazza. The ferry ride provided us a spectacular view of the villages which towns consist of gloriously colorful houses surrounded by vineyards clinging to the steep terraces. Each town has its own harbor filled with fishing boats. After eating a superb Italian lunch, we boarded a local train back to our starting point. This was the highlight, for me, of the entire trip! On our eighth and final day of the voyage, we disembarked in the historic city of Rome, Italy. We took a Celebrity Cruise Excursion bus tour of the city, which focused primarily on the Vatican City and the Coliseum. We toured the St. Peter’s Square and St. Peter’s Basilica as well as the Coliseum. There were long lines and it was very crowded, but the Celebrity tour guide was able to expedite us at both locations. It was an astonishing step back into ancient history.

[blogging-without-borders-blog]

One of my favourite past times: Cooking!

Last day in Thailand. Holy crap. My time has flown by so quickly and even though I have had my moments of being homesick or loneliness, it hasn’t been too overwhelming which is good; I still have another two months of travelling to go! My morning is pretty relaxing as I have nothing planned. I drop off some laundry ($2/kg) and I wander around downtown Chiangmai. There are so many temples everywhere and they are easy to spot because everything is gold. I have also finally learned my lesson of visiting temples to always bring a scarf where ever you go. They are still a little behind the times here in Thailand where men can wear whatever they want when visiting temples, but women have to cover up: no visible kneecaps and no exposed shoulders. While I am wandering around, I remain on my hunt to find the best coffee... I have been disappointed lately but I am sure Europe probably wont be as cheap but will live up to my standards. This free morning also gives me a chance to catch up on the blog posts (sorry I'm slow) and also reply to some emails.... there is still some pieces I need to arrange for my summer school programs in both Marseille and Vienna so I cannot neglect my emails too much.

I have my cooking class in the evening which I am really looking forward to. I love to cook. I love Thai food. So why not put the two of them together and learn how to cook authentic Thai food while I am in Thailand! And I get a recipe book so I can take what I have learned home with me :)

They pick us up from the hostel and take us to the market. They show us what different Thai ingredients look like so we can recognize them when we get home... I did not know there were 4 types of eggplant and only 2 of them are purple! Once we arrive at the kitchen where we are to spend the evening cooking, we get to choose which type of food we get to try. We get to choose what type of curry paste we want to make and different appetizers. This is the one and only time I am actually feeling lonely, left out and a third wheel at an activity. When I was biking or visiting the elephants, no one really asked me why I was travelling alone or there was always someone else who was solo that I could pair up with. Not this time. There were couples and a group of friends. I was a single chef and feeling exposed. Everyone picked something different from their partners so they could taste test almost everything on the menu; I was left to pick the items on my own and was not apart of the sharing.....

One good thing about this cooking class is that we each had our own cooking station. I looked into other cooking classes and some they would pair you off into groups to cook and you either get the sloppy chef (who doesn't chop things properly) or you get the over exuberant chef (doesn't pay attention or adds wrong ingredients, etc). This way I could be OCD in the kitchen my own way as well as make it as spicy as I want. YUM.

[ilovemarseilledowntown]

[ilovemarseilledowntown]