Wednesday, August 23, 2006
On the fringe
So, I am hoppin' a plane to meet MizMaya in the medieval capital of the motherland tomorrow. We will be hanging for 4 days in Edinburgh, slamming through 5 or 6 fringe shows a days and an equal or greater quantity of single malt, beer, and vegetarian haggis (it DOES exist!). My last hurrah before I become a working girl again. (Or maybe my first hurrah as a working girl in France who has 10 weeks of vacation time that she has to figure out how to use, if you're more of a glass half full kind of person, which I am apparently not.)
Anyone out there already been to Edinburgh? The Fringe? Care to give a girl some insider tips?
And did I mention that I am nauseous with excitement?
Anyone out there already been to Edinburgh? The Fringe? Care to give a girl some insider tips?
And did I mention that I am nauseous with excitement?
Sunday, August 20, 2006
Dans le noir
When I was working at IRCAM, I often walked past a restaurant called "Dans le noir" on rue Quincampoix (that I just learned how to pronounce recently). It is a concept restaurant that aims to sensitize to the experience of blind people by having you eat in the complete darkness. That means absolutely no light. I have never experienced darkness like this. You do not "get used to it." We had go in single file holding on to the person in front of us. Our waitress, Olivia, was blind and led us to our table. They presented a 3-course meal.
At first, I had a similar reaction to my first time diving. A feeling of complete helplessness. I was afraid to move, to step. But then I gave in and began to trust the people that were leading me. In fact, the blackness was quite expansive and instead of feeling closed in, I began to feel like I was standing in a limitless room. It made me think a lot about The House of Leaves and this monstrous space that invades a families home that you cannot see the beginning or end to.
I was unfortunately separated from AssRay and my friend (the only people I knew) and was kind of talked on to the end of a table with three empty spaces around me. It was very unnerving, not being able to see and having only a couple of strangers' voices to bring me back from the blackness. But in retrospect, I was able to have a very personal and very thought-provoking experience. Here is what I experienced:
- cauliflower smells like sour trash
- utensils are a total waste of time. Why the hell use them if we were given fingers, teeth and water?
- I eat a lot less when I can't see my food.
- parsley has an incredibly strong flavor.
- picking up a piece of meat with your hands and tearing off a piece with your teeth is totally satisfying
- when your hearing has begun to pick up every little nuance of pitch, timbre, and tone quality, a group of drunk actors from Southern California trying to organize a sing-along of "All you need is love" cease to be your friends
- when I touch things I can see them for a split-second. I created a whole room in my mind just by touching beams and walls and tables. I pictured a man's arm when I brushed against it as I reached into the darkness for the bottle of wine.
They just opened one in London. Although the food and wine was mediocre at best, it was one hell of an experience.
At first, I had a similar reaction to my first time diving. A feeling of complete helplessness. I was afraid to move, to step. But then I gave in and began to trust the people that were leading me. In fact, the blackness was quite expansive and instead of feeling closed in, I began to feel like I was standing in a limitless room. It made me think a lot about The House of Leaves and this monstrous space that invades a families home that you cannot see the beginning or end to.
I was unfortunately separated from AssRay and my friend (the only people I knew) and was kind of talked on to the end of a table with three empty spaces around me. It was very unnerving, not being able to see and having only a couple of strangers' voices to bring me back from the blackness. But in retrospect, I was able to have a very personal and very thought-provoking experience. Here is what I experienced:
- cauliflower smells like sour trash
- utensils are a total waste of time. Why the hell use them if we were given fingers, teeth and water?
- I eat a lot less when I can't see my food.
- parsley has an incredibly strong flavor.
- picking up a piece of meat with your hands and tearing off a piece with your teeth is totally satisfying
- when your hearing has begun to pick up every little nuance of pitch, timbre, and tone quality, a group of drunk actors from Southern California trying to organize a sing-along of "All you need is love" cease to be your friends
- when I touch things I can see them for a split-second. I created a whole room in my mind just by touching beams and walls and tables. I pictured a man's arm when I brushed against it as I reached into the darkness for the bottle of wine.
They just opened one in London. Although the food and wine was mediocre at best, it was one hell of an experience.
Thursday, August 17, 2006
Bookmarked
Ctina asked for it. I obliged. I stuck pretty much to the rules, but added a 10th item. And I am putting the people I tag here:
- Smilla
- Sara
- eNinja
- karebear (2nd time!)
- Lord Procrastinator
and well, anyone else that has some sort of public forum for this nonsense. I would put EasyJetsetter, but she broke up with the blogosphere.
- Smilla
- Sara
- eNinja
- karebear (2nd time!)
- Lord Procrastinator
and well, anyone else that has some sort of public forum for this nonsense. I would put EasyJetsetter, but she broke up with the blogosphere.
- One book that changed your life
Bertrand Russell: In Praise of Idleness - One book you have read more than once
Richard Brautigan: In Watermelon Sugar - One book you would want on a desert island
John Seymour: The Self-sufficient Life and How to Live It (particularly for the basket-weaving and wine making sections) - One book that made you laugh
David Sedaris: Me Talk Pretty One Day or Holidays on Ice - One book that made you cry
J.K. Rowling: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince - One book you stayed up all night to finish
Hanif Kureishi: The Buddha of Suburbia (but it wasn’t really all night) - One book that took you too long to read
The Great Dialogues of Plato (going on 14 years now...) - One book you are currently reading
Georgina Born: Rationalizing Culture (for work)
Annie Proulx: That Old Ace in the Hole (for play) - One book you have been meaning to read
Marianne Williamson: A Return to Love - One book that freaked you out (or two)
William Golding: Lord of the Flies (cannibals, hello!)
Mark Z. Danielewski: The House of Leaves, bringer of great insomnia
Wednesday, August 16, 2006
There's no place like "home"
Firstly, to all you people in New York (all parts of it) who helped make our trip back "home" a success: you rule. You booze it up like no other. Your karaoke version of "If I had a million dollars" is better than the original. You bake the most delicious berry crumble. You are the best person to be stranded in a shop with during a downpour. You are a guitar hero. Your mint julep mix is to die for. You grill a mean piece of tongue. You are one hell of an orator. Thank you for the books and jewelry and recipes. I hope your cat feels better, that your disks stay put, and your bathroom gets fixed. I hope you're able to make it work this time
After an uneventful trip, I am now "home". Last night at 4am AssRay, Chita and I awoke to the sounds of firemen trying to breakdown a steel door and the shouts of neighbors. For the second time in a month, an apartment in the next building was burning. And while many emotions could have been appropriate--fear, anger, annoyance, curiosity, panic--there was one that reigned: comfort. Laying in the best bed in the world (sorry folks, there is no argument here), with AssRay singing "November Rain," still stuck in his head from Sunday night's karaoke extravaganza, and Chita abandoning her post at the foot for a more secure one underneath, I was just so happy to be "home".
I've been asked a lot whether I prefer France or the US, Paris or New York, or if I would rather live somewhere else. I can never give a definitive answer. But I know that as long as I have AssRay, Chita, and our bed, I will be at "home" anywhere.
After an uneventful trip, I am now "home". Last night at 4am AssRay, Chita and I awoke to the sounds of firemen trying to breakdown a steel door and the shouts of neighbors. For the second time in a month, an apartment in the next building was burning. And while many emotions could have been appropriate--fear, anger, annoyance, curiosity, panic--there was one that reigned: comfort. Laying in the best bed in the world (sorry folks, there is no argument here), with AssRay singing "November Rain," still stuck in his head from Sunday night's karaoke extravaganza, and Chita abandoning her post at the foot for a more secure one underneath, I was just so happy to be "home".
I've been asked a lot whether I prefer France or the US, Paris or New York, or if I would rather live somewhere else. I can never give a definitive answer. But I know that as long as I have AssRay, Chita, and our bed, I will be at "home" anywhere.
