Approaching the building, possibly the Magnum Opus of Frank Gehry’s career, is an unexpectedly emotional experience. Beginning with the childhood trope of, “Is it a bird, is it a plane…?” and continuing on to the discomfort of confronting extreme departures from form, the structure is composed of contradictions and surprises. Frank Gehry is an interventionist, […]
There are soldiers with guns positioned all over Paris, especially in the Marais where there are many Jewish businesses and synagogues. A very young soldier with a machine gun politely asked me not to take his photograph. So, I did not. These pictures of plaques commemorating murdered deportees and resisters are probably more appropriate, given […]
Like most Americans, I have a pretty tortured relationship with Paris. This is not unlike my relationships with other iconic cities, especially those in the USA – Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Chicago. Cities are cities. Big, messy, crowded, dirty places where people rush from A to Z while the moments tick by. But, […]
I live a bit of a charmed life, quietly but with good fortune, and always with thanks to the kindness of others. I’m in Paris every six months, but usually in the dead of winter and the sweltering heat of summer. This trip has been blessed with warm weather, blue skies, and Parisiennes who are […]
It snows in Paris about once every three years. The city doesn’t really know what to do with snow. Understandably, it would be wasteful to invest in snow plows to clear sidewalks or de-icing machines to defrost airplanes for the three days it snows every three years. It took a second glance to realize this […]
Paris is not my favorite European city, except perhaps in winter. The light becomes cold and metallic under gray skies. The city is at its barren best and most beautiful. Residents reclaim their city and the sidewalks become navigable, even in the most heavily touristed quartiers. Before spring and after fall, the bistros and cafés […]
magiecrystal 