Searching for France in L.A

I've been thinking a lot about France lately. Not sure why. I lived there many years ago as a student, and although I had a great time, I kind of moved on. I don't know. Perhaps life just got busy, I got older, and my interests changed.

What I've been missing most about France is their lifestyle, culture, and a sense of community. Most of the time, you don't need a car, and can get anywhere by metro, subway, bus, or train. Although we have a little bit of that here; it's not the same. Cities are not spread out like Los Angeles. You don't have to drive in traffic for hours to visit family and friends.  

There's something about France that makes you want to sit at a café, read, journal, write a poem, a short story, or a novel. It's such a different vibe than L.A and people hangout in smoky cafes for hours, chatting, and enjoying life.

Long ago, there was a lot of French culture in L.A. We had events, French markets, neighborhoods, restaurants, and cafés with French employees. Now we just have replicas of things. I miss the authenticity. I guess for now, my hanging out at Le Pain Quotidian will have to do.

France has many beautiful parks and gardens, and you can get lost walking for hours. Out in L.A, everything is concrete, walls, and fences. Take the above walking path, for example, that was reached through a shortcut at Ralph's parking lot in Marina Del Rey. It has been shut down by walls and fences. To get there now, you have to walk for a longtime through traffic, cars honking, and the unpleasant smell of gasoline. It gets frustrating at times, and makes you want to live elsewhere.

The Bodmer Oak, Fontainebleau Forest, 1868, Claude Monet

Spring Bouquet, 1866, Pierre Auguste Renoir

Woman bathing her feet in a brook, Camille Pissarro, 1894 

I use to love doing cultural things, be it attending the theater, an art exhibit, or watching a French film with subtitles.

And it didn't end there. Afterwards, my friends and I would discuss and analyze what we saw over a glass of wine. The above film, Joueuse (Player)—Queen to Play is really good if you can find it on Netflix or Prime. 

And yes, you may be able to do these things in L.A, but to do so, you have to drive to many different places. So, there it is. My search for France in L.A.

And I guess nothing is complete without a French song. The above song is about the city of Paris—Il est cinq heures, Paris s'éveille by Jacques Dutronc

  

Daphne's Wardrobe

A journey in nature. Among large old trees and serene walking paths at Descanso Gardens, there is a mystical exhibit called Daphne's Wardrobe.

Having had no idea what to expect, I imagined that I was going to step into someone's closet, learn about her life, and the interesting clothes that she wore. Well, I imagined wrong.

The exhibit combines works of female artists, to show human connection to nature through fashion, art, and photography. Because let's face it, in our virtual world, we have lost a great deal of our humanity, and have moved away from our roots like a tree that's been cut off from its roots.

Here, we are reminded that it's not natural for us to connect to manmade material things, and that true happiness lies in nature as we shed our exterior, and transform into something magical.

Nature-inspired dress that blends into the photograph, and can easily be missed.

Near the photographs, there are displays from the picture such as the above hat.

The highlight of the show were pictures  of the supermodel, Veruschka aka Vera Lehndorff. She was a beauty that didn't fit in at school, and later in the Parisian fashion world because she was considered too tall, gawky, and her features lacked softness. Fortunately, she couldn't care less, and pushed forward with her uniqueness. The above photo is a collaboration between Veruschka, and the photographer Holger Trülzsch. For that shot, she had to sit still for hours in the forest to have her body painted. You can find more here about the supermodel, Veruschka, and the photographer, Holger Trülzsch.

Veruschka had a turbulent past. Her wealthy father was killed by the Nazis, and she, her sisters, and mom were placed in concentration camp, and eventually became homeless. She had a hard time dealing with all that had happened, spent a lot of time in nature, and wanted to become one with the trees, and disappear.

As I left the exhibit, and the gardens, I couldn't help feeling grateful for my friend who had made a point of visiting this showcase. Without her recommendation, I would have missed out on this interesting thought-provoking exhibit. All in all, it was a great day spent in a space where nature overcomes technology.

Hermit Crab goes to Palm Springs

 

Have you ever had one of those moments in life when nothing is working all around, including work and your personal life. Do you keep doing the same thing hoping that things will change or do you step back to get a better perspective? I’ve been in a funk lately, keeping a low profile, trying to figure things out. I don’t know. Maybe this is the personality of a writer; we sometimes go into a cave to find ourselves. Or maybe I’m like a hermit crab, and hide in my shell when things are off. I normally love to socialize and it is in socializing that I get ideas for a scene in my book or for posts on my blog.

I went for a long walk today to clear my head. And I must have looked utterly unhappy because this lady passing me by said: If you don’t smile, I’m going to have to tickle you. That made me laugh because it was so out of order. We wished each other a happy Friday and walked away. So, this hermit crab is going to try hard to crawl out of its shell for a minute or two to post about hanging out with her nieces and one of her excursions to Palm Springs awhile back.

It was my niece’s birthday yesterday, the one in the pink dress. The one in the black dress is their bestie. She’s more like a sister to them than a friend. I have taken them to many outings since their childhood, and we have shared many fun memories together.

Okay. On to Palm Springs…Many people go there to chillax and use the spas. I don’t think I have ever done that. I’ve been to spas before, just not in Palm Springs. My friend and I opted to ride the aerial tram.

There is a bus that takes you from the parking lot to the tram. This tram is a bit weird because it rotates, and if you have motion sickness, are afraid of heights, or are not a people person, you will not like this. Try to get there as early as possible or the ride will be a ride from hell because it’s overcrowded.

There was this guy standing next to me by the window, with his back turned, holding a child. He kept leaning back into me and I had nowhere to move to. I said: “Excuse me sir, could you please not lean back into me?” He said, “What are you talking about? I haven’t moved.” And I was like, “Oh, okay, maybe I’m just hallucinating.” 

I’m just sayin’…get there early. And get your ticket online or you’ll be waiting for hours in a long line.

Is it worth it? It’s worth doing it once because of the views and the serenity you feel when you’re up there. But, I will not do this again. In Switzerland yes, in Palm Springs, no way. Some people took the tram, got off and left to use one of the trails.

 

On the way back, I stood in the center instead of by the windows, which was a better experience. I know what you’re thinking. What about the views? No view is worth having a rude stranger invading my space.

Apple tart and an Americano at L'Atelier Café. Yum! They also have excellent salads and sandwiches.

Art is big in Palm Springs, and just for that, I may be going back for a visit. This show was enjoyable and unexpected. I ended up purchasing two collage arts from an artist named Richard Curtner, his works are currently hanging on my walls. One of them is posted here. I think this show was just a onetime thing. But there are other ones coming up like La Quinta Art Celebration.

If you’re able to, go visit on a Thursday for Palm Springs Village Fest, a fun street fair. There are clothing, crafts, and food booths, and places stay open until late. As you walk, you hear music coming from nearby bars, and it’s chatty, bubbly, and cheerful.

I don’t go to Starbucks much these days unless there are no other choices in the area. But this Starbucks is unusual because the décor is different. So, if you happen to be in Palm Springs, check it out.

We ended the night at Sammy G's Tuscan Grill before heading back to L.A. I don’t eat meat, but my friend who had the filet mignon said that it was good. They gave us complimentary Amaretto digestive and biscotti. Two thumbs up for the service and the food.

 

 

Art Exhibit and a Fashion Show

About a month ago I attended an art exhibit and a fashion show at the Pacific design Center. I wasn’t sure what to wear before leaving my apartment. I mean this is L.A and here people show up in jeans at the Opera. But I’m glad I decided to be more conservative and wear a pair of nice slacks and a pretty royal blue and white blouse. 

The event was sponsored by Alliance Francaise. The reception was titled “Etre & Paraitre,” photos exhibited by Emmanuelle Choussy.

The Lady in red is Emmanuelle. This was her first exhibit in the U.S.

  

Her favorite subject is people be it in a natural environment, nude or in a designer gown.

Her photographs reveal much about her subjects. I have to say that the above photo was one of my favorites.

  

The evening was classy and delightful. The crowd was friendly and dressed chic. Chef Josette had her servers walk around with trays of yummy amuse bouche and petits fours.

He was one of the servers. A funny man who asked me to take his picture. When he found out that I speak French, he spoke to me at a lightening pace. My poor memory of hundreds of years ago living in Paris did not help me understand everything he was telling me. I really have got to start practicing!

 

The bartender served champagne. There was that whole scene of lights, camera and action going on. Photographers circled the room, taking photos of the attendees.

 

And around 9 p.m, the fashion show started.  

 

Although I didn’t get a chance to meet all of the designers, I did have the opportunity to speak with Eric Coly who has a boutique in Santa monica – Le Dessein. 

 

Here are some more photos: