Thursday 12 April 2012
Nicole was saddened that Oscar Wilde’s tomb, which had formerly been covered in lipstick kisses, had been refurbished in 2010 and had a plexiglass barrier, which she nonetheless kissed (gingerly), and we remembered Aunt Monica’s performance in "The Importance of Being Ernest" and how she rocked the role. Next we walked to Edith Piaf’s grave. A young English boy was wondering aloud to his family how she died, and since there was a crucifix on her tomb he declared that “it must be really ANNOYING to be hung from a cross.” After these moments of gallows humor, we walked to Jim Morrison’s grave, which of course was crowded (but not like in summer when you have to wait in line just to pass by). The unspectacular grave marker had us musing about celebrity and why we remember some people more than others. He was a man who touched many lives and was a true poet. Edith was a devil with an angelic voice and Oscar Wilde was, to quote an inscription scrawled on the tomb, “My favorite dandy.”
After lunch (Charles insisted on having his sandwich in the cemetery, to honor the Lizard King.... somehow) and a coffee at a nearby café we headed to La Cinematheque Francaise museum (designed by Santa Monica's own Frank Gehry) for which we had free entrance coupons. As we stood in line in the drizzle, Charles went to the front of the line and discovered that a Tim Burton exhibit was taking place in a separate part of the museum. With his press pass he got in free and Nicole got a student discount, so we jumped out of the long line and straight into the Burton show. Some of you may know about him and his early career as a resident and budding artist in good ol' Burbank CA (there was a typical-Burton-style official city anti-littering poster on display), and a four year employee at Walt Disney Studios, but his long and varied list of movie credits was a revelation to Dian. His macabre style didn’t quite mesh with Disney and so with the friends he’d made at Cal Arts he started doing his own thing. What an amazing collection of art – from sketches on napkins to gigantic models. We took the last 45 minutes to peruse the French cinema memorabilia in the museum and it was equally fascinating, with really early ("magic lantern") film cameras, the model of the robot woman from "Metropolis" with that landmark film projected onto the floor.
Finally, we called Hourik, whom we had met some years ago while she was visiting our friends and neighbors Mark and Mary in Santa Monica, and whom Dian and her sister and mother visited in Paris three years before. Nicole and her granddaughter Astrid became penpals (yes, real letters, snail mail, or would that be escargot mail?) but had never met. After a reunion/meeting at their apartment we walked to Leon de Bruxelles (famous in Belgium for their chocolates) for their also famous mussels and fries. Charles and Dian left in time to catch the metro and bus back to camp while Nicole stayed at the apartment and shared Astrid’s bedroom.
April in Paris! Dian and Charles' second time. The tulips were just beginning to bloom as the daffodils were fading. The famed, huge cemetery Pere Lachaise was our first destination and after catching the camp shuttle bus to the metro station we rode all the way out to the 16th arrondisement. Before finding the four block square graveyard, we stopped at a charming gift shop and the owner gave us a map book – usually a four euro price. Merci! We bought a card for Grandmother’s birthday then trekked to the sites of some beloved personalities.
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| Oscar Wilde's grave |
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| Edith Piaf's grave |
Gum-infested tree in front of Jim Morrison's grave:
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| Jim Morrison's grave |
After lunch (Charles insisted on having his sandwich in the cemetery, to honor the Lizard King.... somehow) and a coffee at a nearby café we headed to La Cinematheque Francaise museum (designed by Santa Monica's own Frank Gehry) for which we had free entrance coupons. As we stood in line in the drizzle, Charles went to the front of the line and discovered that a Tim Burton exhibit was taking place in a separate part of the museum. With his press pass he got in free and Nicole got a student discount, so we jumped out of the long line and straight into the Burton show. Some of you may know about him and his early career as a resident and budding artist in good ol' Burbank CA (there was a typical-Burton-style official city anti-littering poster on display), and a four year employee at Walt Disney Studios, but his long and varied list of movie credits was a revelation to Dian. His macabre style didn’t quite mesh with Disney and so with the friends he’d made at Cal Arts he started doing his own thing. What an amazing collection of art – from sketches on napkins to gigantic models. We took the last 45 minutes to peruse the French cinema memorabilia in the museum and it was equally fascinating, with really early ("magic lantern") film cameras, the model of the robot woman from "Metropolis" with that landmark film projected onto the floor.
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| It was really special for Nicole, seeing memorabilia from films by George Melies and the Lumiere brothers |
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| Nicole saw this when she was "too young," says she, so this was a rather momentous occasion for the two |
It was a great day for Metro-musicians:
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| You haven't lived until you've heard "Proud Mary" done in a French accent...and well! |
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| The fountain by daylight |
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| Street art |
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| Astrid and Nicole |
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| Dian and Hourik |
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