October 17, - October 24, 2004 - Paris, France

Arrival at Charles de Gaulle airport. This was a huge banner hanging from the ceiling. One of those French ads that leave you wondering...but it sort of caught my eye.

This is what a flag is supposed to look like...right? Three blocks of color...serious colors like red white and blue, and always well illuminated. This French flag was flying on Avenue George V...near our hotel.

Hotel Powers. Nick and I have been staying here since our first trip to Paris together in...well let's just say a really long time ago.

This is our room in Paris...the one we always take...and me.

From our hotel room...the intersecting street at the top of the hill is Avenue George V.

I coaxed Nick into taking this picture with me in the lobby. I can frequently be found at the computer in the background...checking my email at all hours of the night.

Have Cohiba, will travel. Nick's standard pose. Our nephew Frederick took this photo...Isn't he talented?

Here's Fred...typical Frenchman, he loves his wine. LOL.

Before we left the restaurant that night Fred got this shot of the abandoned Cohiba label...see what I mean. I'm getting this kid a camera for Christmas.

Shopping on the Champs Elyses. Paris window displays are georgous... Scandale!

The architecture however, is often steeped in (Napoleonic) tradition.

We always look forward to having a Croque Monsieur when we're in Paris. It's the French version of the grilled cheese sandwich...much richer and more wonderful than what we're used to because A)The cheese is real cheese, that is made with unpasturised milk thus much more wonderful tasting. B) The French just do bread better than anyone else, not just French bread, all bread. C)It always contains a copious layer of bechemel sauce and a slice of Parisian ham...Enough said.

Here's the bill, One Croque Monsieur, one Heineken, one glass of wine and two espressos = E20.60 or about $22.00. Pretty expensive, but I think, totally worth it.

I found this cool miror at that same cafe, down in the rest rooms.

Do you believe this little guy (gal)? His(her) owner is a "clochard"...the french word for a homeless, beggar, often alchoholic typer person. Here in the US, our clochards usually go more for German Shepards or Pit Bulls.

You know a city is great when there are things like this jutting into the sky.

I rest my case. Here I am surrounded by some of the world most beautiful monuments ...or the worlds most grandiose phallic symbols... depending on your take.

It's simply the most famous monument in the world...and deservingly so. I don't think any other structure is so totally evocative of a culture... and the emotional responses to that culture...in the collective imaginations of the world.

...and the parks of Paris, this one is "The Tuilleries",are perfectly planed to offer a heart breakingly beautiful perspective every direction. This chill October day had its own particular beauty. The little wooden chairs however, were mostly empty.

Though the background is beautiful, I don't have good memories of this photo...I had to go to the bathroom ultra badly...and it's pretty obvious.

Here's Nick in the Tuilleries Garden, aspiring to...greatness.

...and this little section of skyline?...just too damn romantic for words.

Every time I go to Paris I search for vestiges of the past. Here in the Tuillerie I found one in this old water pump. You hold onto the little brass nob and wind it round and round, finally the water starts gushing out. I wish I could take it home with me.

Now, this sculpture, against this sky...I think it's breathtaking...and haunting.

...this more traditional counterpart suddenly seems very... accessible. Even to pigeons, I guess.

In such a historical surroundings you almost feel like you can reach out and touch the past...I guess that's what I'm trying to illustrate here.

Typical fare at in a Paris park. Mmmmmmmmmmmm. Cute sign too.

French grandure...in a gate.

Another view of the aformentioned gate ...as we walk under it. Again grandure and nobility come to mind.

A beautiful lamp hanging in a beautiful passageway.

OK, I totally love this car...and need to have one. I've always loved the Citroen DS but this one!!! black...and convertible. It's cool and rare... and somehow creepy...in a good way.

A book stall along the Seine in the middle of Paris. There are many of them each selling it's own unique selection of antique and new books, prints & engravings, retro magazines and old vinyl LPs. We did a bit of shopping as we walked along towards the river bank.

...and the Seine accomodates many house boats. This handsome golden retriever is the proud owner of one such boat and was sitting on the boat ramp next to it.

This is the little cafe on the Ile St. Louis, where we had tea and hot spiced wine.

...and Nick's tea was perfect, with it's decorative lemon slices.

Not far away was the Cathedral de Notre Dame...which needs not even one little word of introduction.

This Parisian canine is checking out the display in the butcher shop...too funny, and cute.

An elegant little sign for an elegant little historical book store on the Ille St.Louis.

Another lamp post...esthetically pleasing, to say the least.

OK, I'm not a church goer...unless I'm in Paris. I still don't attend mass, but I go into as many churches as I can to admire scenes like this.

Walking through the arcades around the Place des Vosges, I persuaded Nick to stop for this photo.

Every time we're in Paris we eat at Ma Bourgogne a typical Parisian bistro on the Place des Vosges...Wonderful food and an interesting crowd always.

We arrived at the restaurant...nothing had changed... and for my appetizer I ordered another one of my favorite French culinary staples. L’assiette de crudités. It's just a raw vegtable salad, but again the French do it in a way we can only dream of.

Here Nick chats with the restaurant owner...he does that every six months when we stop in here.

Everyone goes out to dinner every night in Paris...least that's the way it seems. Well, we better get back to the hotel and get some sleep, we have early meetings tomorrow... at 28 Boulevard de la Bastille.

The beautiful entrance way to the offices of Nouvelles Images at 28 Blvd. de la Bastille. Andre enters the door to the courtyard.

The creative team works here...Amidst an extraordinary library of books about art, design, decor and photography.

From the third floor conference room, a view of the interior courtyard below.

...and from the other side a view of the rooftops of Paris.

This is Andre's office. I always feel competely at home here. Thanks, Andre.

Left the office in the afternoon and walked back to the hotel. On the way I encountered this typical Paris dude, in front of a typical Paris Garage, smoking a typical Paris cigarette...he was really friendly and asked me to take his picture. I happily obliged.

That eveining we had dinner at Jocy's house, outside of Paris. Here are Nicholas and Fred, our totally cool nephews. Our other nephew Cyril, is a major hip-hop/r&b star in Paris. So proud of him.

This was desert...a chocolate torte type thing with gold dust. It was gooooood.

The next day we headed an hour south of Paris to the chateau for our management seminar. Here's Nick discovering our accomodations. Very nice.

A number of our meetings took place in this billowy tent with chandeliers...

Here's Nick with a brief presentation of the US market...He's being somewhat overshadowed by Bernice's stick figure graphics behind him.

That evening we had dinner with our colleagues. This is Christophe. He's totally got it going on. He's ultra-cute, very friendly and nice...

...and, as if that weren't enough, he plays the piano really well too. Here he inspires Nick, Mirelle and Sylvan in a round of old French songs.

The following morning I took this shot from our room of the courtyard in front of the chateau. Very pastoral.

It's Friday afternoon, the seminar is over and we're heading back to Paris. There we'll have a couple more days to enjoy the sights and sounds...and tastes of Paris.

Back in Paris, my first stop was the Powers bar. It's a quite little place, the barman had not yet arrived...he get's in at 5:00. So I just served myself...One Bloody Mary please, Pat.

Token red car...and one of my all time favorites, the Fiat 500! There are so few of these left, that when I see one I get all excited.... they're soooo cute!

No translation needed.

27 it's the age I've chosen...and I'm sticking to it.

Isn't this mosaic gorgeous? It was on the side of a building somewhere near the Arche d'Triumph.

We turned a corner and it just appeared. If you're strolling through the eighth or the sixteenth district of Paris this will happen frequently.

Yes, these soldiers are fighting over me.

In Paris there's no such thing as an ordinary nursery with ordinary plants.

Time for a beer...and a cigar...what else is new?

...Later Nick met a cute Russian babe. His cigar didn't bother her at all.

More Paris rooftops. The little round windows on the very top floors used to be service rooms. Minimally equipped, no elevators, and used for the servants of the families occupying the apartments on lower floors. Now most are expensive Paris real estate in their own right.

Back in our hotel room we pack our bags for the next day's flight...here I'm taking a little break on the mantle.

Our last night in Paris we went to dinner at Bernice and Pierre's house. Here Nick enters their charming old-fashioned elevator.

Pierre created wonderful dishes. Here he and Bernice put the finishing touches on the Lamb Curry.

After dinner Nick relaxes in their beautiful club chair. Behind him the goldfish poses perfectly in the middle of his bowl.

Back at the hotel on TV...Charles Aznevour in bed...way, way back.

"One's an ass to leave Paris" - Ernest Hemingway