bonne annee!

Happy Belated New Year from Paris!

I spent new year's eve bundled up on an airplane and arrived to spend the first day of 2008 in France,where change was afoot!

First, the good news:

Smoking is now officially banned inside ALL restaurants and bars,

and,

oddly enough,

people are complying!!!!

So, in January, people can be seen sitting outside, swathed fashionably in blankets and coats ( the comptoir, a local favorite with me offers it's clients lovely fleecy throws when they sit outside) smoking, drinking and chatting, and inside, one may dine in a gloriously smoke-free environment-

positively un-Gallic this turnaround!

These are random photos from my wanderings.

above, is proof that not all edible goods in France are tempting and delicious...

one might be forced to eat corks instead...

second positive change:

Everywhere are (battalions? gangs? teams?)lines of sturdy silver bikes for rent- you take one, use it, and drop it off at any of the other drop off points you want!

they come with lights, no helmets.

AND, they have designated bike lanes all over now, making Paris even more fun to bike around than it was before ( which was VERY).

People do seem to be using them, so here's to ending congestion the velo-way!

Christmas tree in front of Notre-Dame..

and some friends lurking alongside...

Amusing colorful refuse on the isle de st. louis...

Now the bad news:

In a follow-up to the story I posted about the UNTERGUNTERS,

(see: http://untergunther.blogspot.com/)

my heroes the renegade art-group that secretly camped out in the pantheon and RESTORED the clock .

So what did the french government do?

well, nothing good, or noble, put it that way.

listen for yourself to an interview here on PRI's website :
Go to http://www.theworld.org/?q=taxonomy_by_date/1/20071127 <http://www.theworld.org/?q=taxonomy_by_date/1/20071127>
scroll down to quiz answer to here an interview with one of the untergunthers...

This was a sad ending to a lovely and oh-so-promising project, though, as he says, they are not displeased. The clock is now repaired, and that was after all the primary goal...

This blurry shot is from the museum of natural history, which is, in France triumphantly named "The Hall of Evolution"!!!

No pussy-footing or pandering to science-phobic fundamentalist groups here,

not one mention of

"Intelligent Design".

Nope.

no way, man.

it's 100% Darwin!

and,

it's gorgeous.

That being said, I rather hate it there.

It is IMPOSSIBLE to look at anything in the dim light, and everything comes with matching video screen and didactic panels and what-not.
Not for someone who, frankly, came in there to look at moths and insects to do research for her paintings...

but it is purty....

Above are photos of the poignant and sad Hall of Extinction, and one of it's oldest inhabitants respectively, who is very oddly stuffed with alarmed, human-looking eyes ....

Which naturally leads me back to...

Food!

Here is meat being delivered.

Why France is still better: They have real butchers over there- people who actually know about cuts of meat, and can discuss your choices intelligently.

They have real chickens and pintades, and quail and...
All of whom lived like animals, you know, running around and digging for grubs and such...

This is totally random, but I thought these snake bike locks were a hoot!

so clever,

and actually,

handy...

Really want one, to go with that folding bike I have been dreaming of possessing.

Almost lastly-

New Year's speciality, Galette du Roi!!!!

"king cake"- you can get this in New Orleans, too-

an almond cake with a small charm or bean hidden in it- whomever finds it is king or queen.

Very medieval.

The cake comes with a crown to wear, very thoughtfully, I think.

and yes,

I DID wear it...

Lastly,

we visited a friend in Vichy, with a lovely vegetable garden.

I took some portraits of her remaining cabbages and beets.

It's winter yet.

Take a deep breath.

3 months 'til spring....