Archive for February 4th, 2008
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4
Feb
2008
Pompi-Pooped: Paris Day 3
For Kelly. 
This guy was really kind to me. I ate three meals from him. He knew I had no idea what the hell was going on, so like a child, I would hold out my hand full of euros and he would take what he wanted and bring me change back. Or maybe this is the whole gay paree thing everyone keeps telling me about. 
The Pompidou. 
The Center Pompidou is a whole bunch of things in one place. Several cinemas, exhibits, museum and a great library/bookstore as well as a general community place. crews of kids break dancing, guys juggling knives, musicians and theatre troupes all doing their thing and just having a good time. Really good Sunday type of place.
There was a small exhibit of posters in the lobby.
There is a ton of art in here. Some crap and some really good historical stuff. This being France and all i just poached a bunch of stuff I liked. 
Phillipe Starck 
Need to learn some Russian.
Dali 
Rothko. Not as big as the one in the SFMOMA, but it still breathes if you stare at it.
Kandinsky.
Paris is a gloriously massive city. I feel like I have not even scratched the surface even though I have worn myself out in a couple of days. 
The Paris Metro is great. Really efficient way to get around town. The Metro signs have such a cool character to them. Hector Guimard designed these Art Nouveau styled signs over 100 years ago. The typography and alien like shapes are unique at over 100 of the Metro’s 382 stops. This gives a real vibe to how the city looks when just walking around. Off to London on the flip of a coin.
4
Feb
2008
Arrivee’:Paris Day 2
Every so often you get blown away. Today was one of those days. 
First thing in the morning I wandered around to try and get my bearings and a cup of tea. I am English now so I needed a tea to get the engine going. Before the tea made it to my bladder I got slapped by this massive structure called L’église Saint-Eustache.
This church is a massive achievement in gothic architecture. It took over 100 years to build it and the photo above is where Louis XVI received communion.
The nave on this thing is totally off the hook. 
This area is really cool. Amidst all of these monuments are boutique shops for clothes, jewlery and designer sneaks. 
Welcome to the world’s largest and most famous museum, the Louvre’. 
Big is such a pointless word. The Louvre’ is not big. It is incredibly massive. The building itself is a city.
The great part about this museum and France in general is you can take a picture of anything you want. No dodgey hip shots when the security is not looking. Here is an ancient sphinx in the egyptian exhibit. The descriptions are all in French, but you get the idea. This is some seriously old shit. And there is so much of it, that it becomes exhausting. Here are some of the good bits I saw.
The building itself is an exhibit. Straight up Medieval up in here.
around some corners, up some steps and like a slap on the ass that coach gives you when you are not expecting it, a part of the building opens up to ancient greek sculpture.
Venus de Milo, is an ancient Greek statue and one of the most famous works of ancient Greek sculpture. It is believed to depict Aphrodite (called Venus by the Romans), the Greek goddess of love and beauty. Who does not love amputees. Plus she is huge, like 6′7″.
You can’t help but notice the ceilings here. Everyone of them is insane. 
Athena.
At any point in the Louvre’ you can look out a window. The building is full of skylights which make it really different compared to other museums that control everything in a space. 
Did mention paintings. There is a fucking lot of them by all the masters. Rembrandt, Bottochelli, Leonardo Da Vinci, just way to many to even begin to list. 
And there it is. My blurry shot of the most famous painting in the world. Leonardo De Vinci’s, Mona Lisa. This painting is surprisingly small compared to others in the same room. 
Just check out the mob of people all taking blurry photos of her. 
Need to learn French.
Napoleaon may have been short and moody, but he rocked some pretty good style. Check out Holmes chilling with a full tiger pelt as a saddle. Dope.
At this point I was cooked, but there was a whole African thing between me and the door.
Time to get back outside.
Across the street in near Collette Plaza was a rollerbalding posse’. Rollerbalding, scooters and cycling are really popular way around town here. These guys were throwing some French flavor off the ramp too. 
This is Collette the store. This place was buzzing with people. It is a lifestyle and design shop that has tons of great stuff. My friend Guy tipped me on to this place. Absolutely the best store I have been in. It has food, books, music, clothes, videos and all with great style and a high sense of design. www.colette.fr
Check the video on the screen. That is from the boys back in SF. The video is called Mash and these guys kill it. all kinds of great lane splitting shots and fixie riders getting hot. I rode in SF for years as a messenger and seeing this gave me chills. I loved it. www.mashsf.com 
At this point I needed to have a sit and a pint. Found a fine Irish pub was full of rugby revelers watching a France/Ireland match. 
The home stretch. As the sun was finding a horizon to lay down on I was making my way to the most famous boulevard in the world, Le Champs-Élysées. 
Place de la Concorde.
It must be incredible to be here in July when the streets are shut for one day to welcome home the riders of the Tour de France each year.
I traded cameras with an Indian fella so we could each get our mugs with this avenue in the background.
Saturday evening with the Arc de Triomphe in the distance. It is along this boulevard that Greg Lemond trumped the Professor, Laurent Fignon, by eight seconds marking the greatest comeback in Tour history. 
Arivee’.