Je Suis Contente.

Can't deny that happiness is actually a state of mind, pretty much everything is. Obviously, we can't always control our so-called state of mind. We often hear that little things matter especially from women, but believe or not, such a cliché does happen and is true.

Today I had an appointment at the prefecture for my carte de sejour. It's an ID card stating that you are legal to stay in France. Set an alarm clock at 6.30 am to be able to be at the prefecture a little bit before 8.35 am. When I got there, there was already a queue of these non-French standing in front of the door. As I knew that it would require some waiting period I had prepared my escape tools. I hate to wait. I don't like that word, at all. I'm usually on time, unless I'm late on purpose - that happens when I know that whoever that is will be late. Anyway, back to my escape. They're actually simple tools; a new book I bought "French Trysts" Secrets of a Courtesan by Kirsten Lobe...It's not my typical kind of book I buy but the setting is in Paris so I thought I'd learn a lot more of this city from reading this one...and it turns out to be quite entertaining actually. (Did someone scream "excuse!"?) The other tool is, of course, music. Seriously music is my major mood soother. No fave series, no snacks, no shopping, that I can handle but no good music, I would become a red blooded woman 24/7 (or in another word , a woman who's always on her period.) These days as I've become an addict of Radio Nova, very non-mainstream playlists, I feel a bit quilty that I've left my pink iPod alone in a corner of one of my handbags...maybe I'll walk you around town one of these days baby.

Everything went smooth at the prefecture. Surprisingly quick...and friendly. That doesn't happen much within this kind of place. Probably it's because I was holding a queue ticket no.4 and not no.40, if you know what I mean.

On the way home from métro Notre-Dame-de-Lorette, as I was walking, I felt strangely happy. I started humming a song and even smiled to a homeless (this one I saw quite a few people actually talked to him) when he said "Konichiwa" to me...Perhaps it's the smell of morning air, the cool breezy weather, and the fallen leaves on the street... It's been quite awhile since I get to breathe the morning air. It gets much better especially when you're in the least hurry.

Though almost one year delay...I've officially begun to appreciate my life in Paris.

Paris Jazz Fesitival 2007 (Update)

After a night at Rex and the fact that I got home around 6ish am. I surprisingly woke up in one piece so I managed to drag myself and Monsieur J. to Paris Jazz Festival at Parc Floral. It was a long metro ride to Château de Vincennes and I couldn't help but looking a little like a zombie. When we arrived around 3 pm, there were LOADS of people queuing to get in. It was worse than seeing the homeless queuing for food or the shoppers queuing to pay during the 70% sales at a mall... To cheer myself up, I went to get a piece of a homemade brownie one lady was selling nearby. Monsieur J. was amazed of how much I had been eating all this weekend. "It's not me, it's my female body and its greedy stomach," I thought. Like what chocolate is praised for, it had increased my patience in waiting for at least 20 mins, or else...or else...

Once we paid €5 each and got in...only to find a beautiful grand park...overcrowded. Seriously, even though it's a huge HUGE park, there is not much of the space left. I mean there is room for people to sit or even lay down...but you couldn't possibly find yourself any privacy since everyone is next to everyone. However, that didn't seem to bother anyone and actually not us.













The place is pretty with all these flowers, a jazz band was playing on the stage. It was almost perfect. Besides a yummy ice cream, what else could you ask for?

We found our cozy space to relax. I spotted one young couple nearby, very cute, especially the guy (French wavy hair with beard, how sexy) and playful to each other...I couldn't help but to try to have a snapshot of them.

The place doesn't seem to be for only relaxation, it's also for a serious thing like a marriage - an Asian couple; the groom and the bride (and the whole families of both all dressed up) came to take some photos here. At one moment, I thought to myself whether the French would wonder whether or not this was some of an Asian invasion.

After awhile, we walked around the park, collecting shots of flowers and went to see the band at the stage. It was Joe Sample Trio & Randy Crawford playing. Amazing voice, amazing music. Listening to Jazz in a park under the blue sky , it was very refreshing. I wish the weather in Bangkok wasn't so hot, so people would not just go from a building to hide in another building for the cool of an air-con.

Parc Floral de Paris
Métro: Château de Vincennes

Summer Beach Feel in Paris

During the summer, some areas by the river or canal will be put together with a summer beach theme; adding some sand, beach chairs and umbrellas with some activities... and voila, the beach in Paris! We went to the canal de L'Ourqc to find it completely different from the last week. A lot of people; families, singles or couples were gathering to enjoy the weekend and the sun while it lasted. I felt like I entered another world...Smiles, laughters, tank tops, shorts, flip flops..."Wait, am I dreaming? This is not like the Paris I know.." A few bars were set up as well as a paddling boat service. There was also an outdoor dance floor with swinging and Elvis type of music. Sunshine with a cool breeze ahhh...

Chilling by the Canal St Martin

Just opposite the Canal de L'Ourqc is the famous canal St Martin, however it was rather quiet on a Saturday afternoon. Probably because there was a beach theme going on at de L'Ourqc. Very calm it was, we found a bench to park ourselves. I finally had a chance to eat my KFC chicken wings. Yep, I'll admit it here I luv KFC...but of course not so often. I was eating and listening to my new found favorite Nova Planet Radio while Monsieur J. was trying to take a nap but couldn't. Maybe I was eating too loud? Nah... After a peaceful while, we walked back to where we came from passing this hip cafe. Monsieur J. said it reminded him of one place in Switzerland... But I felt like I was brought back to Amsterdam once again. It was the relaxing ambiance with less uptight people and the graffiti around the area. We've found a new favorite hangout spot of ours...

Métro: Jaurès

Ice Cream Chez Amorino...Delicious!

What more do you need on a hot afternoon besides a good, really good ice cream made in the shape of a flower? I have tried quite a few brands in Paris and elsewhere, I must say Amorino is one of the best! No wonder there is always a long queue whenever I walk pass their shops. I haven't tried all the flavors but yogurt and banana are already registered as my all time favorites! (Passion fruit there is really refreshing too but I'm more into the creamy flavors.) And like mentioned above, their ice cream is not simply a round scoop on a cone, but the staff there will make it in a shape of a flower. I don't know about others but I see it as a rose. Very cool and yummy.

The branch we went to this time is opposite the Pompidou.

Métro: Rambuteau

Ryan McGinley at Galerie du Jour

McGinley's photos turn me on...

I don't remember how I first came across his work or his name but after I've fallen in love with his talent, I seem to have constantly come across his name in every magazine I bought. I wouldn't say that I love every single photo he took but many of them, many, I find quite dream-like yet very real and moving... Probably because all the people in his photos are real, no model or as such (except the Kate Moss project) and he has captured well the happiness in the real spontaneous moments (though within a set scene).

I was SO excited to find out that Galerie du Jour would exhibit some of his work again. It was made as the first thing to do on the weekend. Though only few photos are featured, I was too happy that finally I got a chance to see the photos in the frame in a real exhibition...not just on his website.

My favorites are mostly in the ones from his early projects...





When I see some of his photos like #3 and #4, it's like a motivation for me to just pack a bag and go on a quest of...the unknown...

Source: Galerie du Jour and Ryan McGinley

Tres Bon Week-end!

SATURDAY-SAMEDI-WAAN SAO
Walking towards the metro Anvers, always busy busy on the weekend. Popular Sacre Coeur and Montmarte are here.

On the way to Galerie du Jour...A weekend in a sunny Paris, what else to do but to enjoy the cafe lifestyle and people watch.

An exhibition of my Ryan lover, finally got to be part of it! (continued)

On a hot sunny day, I deserved a creamy ice cream. (continued)

Then we dropped by the Canal St Martin...(continued)

One hip cafe...that graffiti looks like an Obey logo, doesn't it?

Canal de l'Ourqe with the summer beach theme (continued)

Sun, sand, canal and a paddling boat...

Swinging anyone? *innocent grin*

Completing a good Saturday by clubbing at Rex with my favorite DJ D'Julz.

SUNDAY-DIMANCHE-WAAN A-THIT

Paris Jazz Festival at Parc Floral (continued)

The blue, the green and the happiness

Her cute red dress and his wavy hair and trimmed beard...

Not only us that were busy this weekend...

C'est sympa, non?

Last Night@La Fleche d'Or (Part I)

Introduced to La Fleche d'Or by my French friend and I just want to bisou him till his death do us apart. This place rocks! (and FREE!, very very important)


Last night's schedule:
Live Indie Rock
1/ OSCAR-U (Fr)
2/ PAN PAN MASTER (Fr)
3/ NOUS NON PLUS (Us)
4/ CASIOKIDS (Norv)

C.L.U.B Crash Bandi #8 Summer Specials
DJ : 2C (Microrama/Fr)
Dj : STEVE AUSTIN (Bandi/Fr)
Dj : MAGIC FINGERZ (Bandi/Fr)

We got there around midnight so only got to see the band CASIOKIDS. Although it was all in French, the show was pretty good, proving the fact that music has no language indeed...(excuse to enjoy it without learning French, ha.) Then around 1 am, the first DJ began to pump the dance floor with "Take me out" by Franz Ferdinand...it was good until he started to bring back the 80's...so we decided to leave the place thinking to catch the metro before 2 am, only we forgot that it was Friday night, NOT Saturday...so it was closed at 12.30 am. We decided to walk half way home from 20th arrondissement to almost 9th then we finally found a (fast and furious) taxi...I was thinking if I was drunk, his head would have been covered by my vomit (!)

Anyway, if you've been complaining you cannot find any FREE stuff in Paris (like me), stop moaning and check out La Fleche d'Or, there is something EVERYDAY.

102 bis rue de Bagnolet 75020
Métro: Alexandre Dumas or Gambetta

Note: Pictures are pulled from the LFD website.

Salute to Tang Frères

Any Asians or anyone who lives here and loves Asian food, if you don't know or have never been to Tang Frères in the Chinatown (13th arrondissement), it's like a tourist who leaves Paris without going to La Tour Eiffel or a Japanese who hasn't been to the Louis Vuitton flagship store on the Champs-Elysees...

I personally am grateful to this grand Asian supermarket 'cause it helps increasing a special immune to prevent me from getting homesick. Whatever sauces or pastes you might need for your cooking, they have it. Whatever nationality or taste of an instant noodles you need to survive with when broke, they have it. I can spend a day there without getting bored...OK way too exaggerating but if you're not sure what you want to get, you can end up spending an hour or two there. The Tang Brothers also introduced me to the Thai brand "AROY-D", which I would recommend to anyone. It's the brand that I can say, very reliable. I'd tried a few Thai restaurants here in Paris and they got me extremely disappointed as the tastes were far from original. I recommend anyone who want to taste the original tastes of Red Curry, Green Curry, Tom Yum Soup and Mussaman Curry, simply look for them in the AROY-D cans. Satisfaction guaranteed.

Talking about this makes me drool. Now I have to excuse my lazy self to get some AROY-D green curry for dinner.

13th arrondissement
Métro: Porte d'Ivry

A Picnic by the Canal de L'Ourcq

The weather was nice yesterday and the sun was so bright that we decided to go soaking up the sun, before the rainy days will come next week (according to accuweather.com), by the canal de l'Ourcq. It was the first time I was introduced to this area as normally I would just drop by St Michel to sit by the Seine.

We got off at Métro Jaurès where we went straight to the side of Bar Ourqc to find some beach chairs provided by the bar. This canal mostly goes through a poor area..and the Jaurès area in general is, to make it easy, the opposite of Etienne Marcel. However, this hangout spot with the Bar Ourqc is too popular among the down-to-earth locals, plus there are the MK2 cinemas at the both sides of the canal. (MK2 is known for showing independent movies both French and foreign.)

So after we picked our own spot,grabbed a beer...it was time to CHILL under the blue sky weather. This somehow reminded me of the feeling I had when visitng Amsterdam. The crowd was eclectic. Some just came straight from work while some prepared themselves with a bottle of wine and snacks to share among friends. In this area, you will barely see any tourists but more of the regulars to the place and to the bar.

You can go ask for a beach chair from the bar, if they're not all taken. Also, when you finish drinking, if you collect all the cigarette butts and all the garbages full in the plastic glasses, take them to the bar and you might get a free beer in return. We didn't try that 'cause there were only 3 cigarette butts...not enough smokers. Damn.

You can get a 25ml beer for €2.5 and a 50 ml beer for €5.

Métro: Jaurès

Thai Chic, can we compete with the whole world?

I've been out of the Land of Smile barely one year and oh my, when my friend showed me an issue of Cheeze Magazine where they gather the shots of some street style in Bangkok like Siam Square, Siam Paragon or the JJ market...I was so surprised to see how stylishly "in" my Bangkokian fellows are! Thanks to my friend or else next time I go home, I might have a culture shock myself...!

Here are the shots of my fave styles:

Street Chic

Browsing through The Face Hunter, the world renown street fashion shot snapper...I realized, fashion is very contagious indeed. Pretty much every woman is wearing a day dress with a belt on, grab a pair of cool sunglasses and roam into the city street. I like that look too but I suppose one's personality and confidence would count a lot when everyone, more or less, is following the same style. Like the latest shots of some cool parties in London, I mean, I don't see much of the difference compared to the shots from some cool parties in Paris or the streets of Berlin...However, I quite like the Copenhagen style; the concept of having a scarf as part of an outfit is really chic to me. It's said that most of the time, the Danish people would not leave the house without putting a scarf on. Then again, I'm sure they will consider having a bare neck when the heat is high during the summer...But suppose we're not talking about "this" summer 'cause the sun doesn't seem to last very long during the day. (Stop global warming, s'il vous plait!)













Paris














Berlin




Copenhagen


Source: The Face Hunter