No longer in his mid 20s

Earlier this month Eben turned 27 and since we weren't able to celebrate on his actual birthday (he had a wedding to attend), we celebrated a week later.

What he really wanted was to spend the day with his family and friends at his parents' house in Orange playing wiffleball. Somehow he ended up on both winning teams while I unfortunately did not get to celebrate a win after either game. Julian had a complete blast playing with all the big kids. Baseball is his latest obsession and once he got over the fact that wiffleball is not played with a baseball he got into it. He even struck Henry out while pitching; a very difficult task in wiffleball (Henry was not quite as impressed as the rest of us).

In addition to the 2 intense games of wiffleball some of the boys played soccer which turned into who can peg someone the hardest with the soccer ball.

We tossed around the frisbee as well. It was a great day of backyard games! The weather cooperated too with only very slight sprinkles here and there.

It wouldn't be a birthday without a cake! Apparently Candy used to make Eben a train cake each year, and this year was no different with elaborate decorating done by Heather and Melissa. There was also a strawberry rhubarb pie so that everyone had lots of yummy desserts.


There were guests from throughout Eben's life; high school, college, childhood, and family friends. He has lots of friends who really care about him, so it was really nice to have such a large group of them together at once to celebrate his birthday. I unfortunately didn't get a picture of the whole group but it was close to 30 I think. He was really happy that everyone was able to come celebrate with him!

Happy Birthday Eben!

Mix it up!

I have joined the ranks of KitchenAid mixer owners! I've been wanting one since I graduated from college, and now, five years later, I have one. I splurged quite a bit and got the custom metallic because I wanted it to match any future kitchens I may have. Lucky for me, Michael was working for a company that had KitchenAid as a client and he got a nice discount for items from them. I hadn't gotten one until now because I was waiting until I had over $300 to spend (which is very easy to continually push off). But when he interviewed and accepted a new job somewhere else, I knew I had to take advantage of the discount before he left. I opted for the brushed nickle, and it's beautiful! With the discount, I spent what what the cost of a painted one in a regular store would have been, which ended up being close to $200 in savings on the custom metallic. Not too shabby if I do say so myself!

Let the baking begin!

This Machine

One of my first posts mentioned my being in Michael's first music video. Well it debuted at a club called Machine on June 6th. The song for the video is one of my favorites of Michael's called This Machine (note the appropriate club name), and everything went really well!

The video was debuted in one room where the club has pool tables, a bar, and approximately a million tvs and projection screens. The crowd, with Michael and Megen in the center, excitedly watch the video.

Directly following the video viewing, Michael performed in another room to a big crowd. He got great reactions and sold some CDs which is always a huge plus of live performances! And yes fashionistas, he is wearing Custo.

Without further ado here is the video:

Paris (Sunday)

It's getting tricky to keep up with my blogging! I'm so busy that I can't even finish my trip to France, but all the while I'm doing more fun things that I want to blog about. I guess it could be much worse, so I won't complain any more.

Let me whisk you back to day two of my stay in Paris. I'll follow the format from my last post and tell you about my day as I walked it.

After a breakfast of English tea and chocolate, apple, and plain croissants with Jess, I took the subway to Les Halles and began walking. My initial destination was Centre Pompidou, but I got turned in the wrong direction and wandered down a pedestrian street with an outdoor Sunday market. It was full of locals buying produce and fish, meeting friends and catching up. In general, stores are closed on Sundays so lots of people seem to get out and meet friends and spend the day relaxing in cafes and parks.

I eventually sorted out my navigational error and made my way to Centre Pompidou.
It's a huge (note the little people on lower left) modern art museum, and as you can see, a large piece of modern art in it's own rite. It reminded me of a large scale hamster maze. Again, I didn't go inside because it was such a beautiful day and there was so much more to see.

Next to the Pompidou, is large 'fountain'. It consists of a large shallow, pool filled with these modern art sculptures most of which rotate on one way or another to move water. Just behind the fountain is an other Gothic cathedral, St. Merri.

Next to come was the Hotel de Ville. Essentially the town hall of Paris, housing the Mayor's offices among others, or at least I hope so, based on its size.

I crossed the Seine to Ile de la Cite and Notre Dame, which was the site I was most excited to see, and it was so amazing! The Cathedral is covered in hundreds of elaborate sculptures and details.

Being Sunday morning, mass was being held. To my surprise, they still allowed us to walk around the periphery inside and take photos (I turned my flash off because I felt rude, but luckily the light was enough from chandeliers and the colorful stained glass windows). It was amazing to walk through this over 800 year old, holy space, while the choir was singing and the priests were giving communion as they have been since the first mass in the Cathedral. I did my best to focus on the voices of the choir filling the space rather than the exceptionally rude tourist chatting away as they wandered and snapped their flashes.

Back outside, I got a better look at some of the gargoyles. This one in particular was quite intact, while others showed the eroding effects of the water they were built to draw away from the roof. I want gargoyles spurting water off my roof instead of gutters, they're much more fun with their gruff and angry faces! Later in the day I got to see this one in action during a rain shower; he was drooling water all over the sidewalk.

The right side of Notre Dame.

The back of Notre Dame. Can you see why I was so excited to check this place out???

The front of Notre Dame from the river.

This building is just an example of how pretty even the apartment buildings are in Paris. Even in the less nice neighborhoods, everyone has a balcony with doors or windows that open to the air with no screens.

I met Jess in the Jardin du Luxembourg to have a lunch of baguettes with brie. The garden houses the Palais du Luxembourg, which is where the French Parliament meets. What I most want to share though are the trees. All over Paris they have perfectly rectangular trees. They are like hedges in people's yards here, but they are entire trees! I have no idea how they keep them so finely manicured. Apart from the second one from the left, every tree had perfectly flat edges all over the city. Who maintains something like that and how the heck do they do it? It cannot be done by hand!

After lunch, we went to the Pantheon and wandered down some small streets with a few boutiques that were actually open. I got myself a pretty bracelet from an artists' cooperative boutique and got to meet the woman that made it. I always like to get myself a piece of jewelry from each place I visit because it's something I know I can wear forever.

On our way to Jardin des Plantes we passed the Mosquee de Paris. The building was stunning! You can't tell as well in the photo because we were in a little rain shower, but the walls were pristine and white. We couldn't believe how it looked like they almost repelled the dirt!

Pretty flowers in Jardin des Plantes.

The angel of freedom atop the Bastille monument.

Jess and I walked around the Jewish quarter and to the Place des Vosges; a very pretty park which is surrounded by some of the most expensive real estate in the city. We wandered back past Notre Dame and to the Left Bank and Latin Quarter. We ate dinner at a Moroccan restaurant and had some delicious cous cous and a tangine of chicken.

After dinner, Jess went home (she was starting a new job the next day). I decided to stay out and see Paris at night since it's the 'City of Lights' and I was too tired the night before and didn't make it till sundown. Much to the dismay of my very tired feet, it was 9pm and showed no sign of darkness. I wandered along the lowest level of the walkway along the Seine enjoying the cooling evening and the sounds of violins.

I met these guys. They reminded me of the two old men in the balcony from The Muppet Show. They were carved on a bridge I walked under. Either side of the bridge was covered with different faces, but these two were favorites.

By 9:45 the sun began to set. I crossed a pedestrian bridge where groups of young French men and women were gathering to chat, eat, drink wine, and play music.

I made sure to see the Louvre in the light of the sunset.

The first ten minutes of every hour the Eiffel Town twinkles. It was so pretty and worth waiting until 10pm to see it.

After the first ten minutes, the Tower is lit with solid lights, like most other monuments, buildings, and bridges. (this was my favorite of all my pictures in Paris)

I had a wonderful time in Paris and loved seeing everything, but after walking 19 miles on Saturday and another 19 miles on Sunday my feet and legs were ready to sit on a plane and take advantage of all the glorious advantages of Air France!

Paris (Saturday)

I know I've been slow in getting this post up, sorry! Things have been quite busy, but that is for another post or two. After seeing Nice and Cannes I flew north to Paris. In Paris, I stayed with a friend of Eben's friend Simon. Her name is Jess and she is wonderful! She made me feel so comfortable and welcome. I unfortunately failed to take a photo of the two of us together, so that will have to wait until she comes here to visit.

After arriving and navigating the extensive train/subway system from the southern to the northern part of the city (it all went smoothly except for the part when I was locked in the subway because my ticket wouldn't open the exit gate), it was time for some lunch.

Before I get to lunch though, I must take a moment and comment on Air France... They are AMAZING! Even on a short one hour domestic trip they give you a meal! The seats were really comfy, you get your own tv, and the flight staff was so nice. Flying to and from Boston it felt like they were constantly feeding me, and it was good food too! I booked myself as a vegetarian and not only was the food yummy, but since I had a 'special' meal, they always fed me first. Being the sort of person who upon finishing one meal, begins to think about the next, this is heaven. There is nothing worse than being super thirst or hungry (or for me, just thinking about food) on a plane and seeing the flight attendants about 20 rows away. For me this raises a feeling of panic; what if they run out of water and apple juice and the one food item I am willing to consider 'edible'? I continuously lift myself, hands on the arm rests, to poke my head above the seats to check the progress of the dear, dear food and beverage cart. But no longer! From now on, I will always book myself as a vegetarian! The other plus, no more strange grey spongy 'chicken'.

With that out of the way, back to Paris. Once I made it to Jess' flat, she took me to lunch at this yummy local cafe with giant salads topped with pommes frites. The salad was a welcome change from all the bread, cheese and croissants I had been eating for the last few days. While in Paris, I didn't DO a lot, but I saw everything I wanted to see. I essentially had half of Saturday and all day Sunday to walk the city. Each day I walked about 19 miles (I had my trusty pedometer with me). I will list all the things I saw in the order with which I walked through that city. Saturday: Sacre Coeur ('Sacred Heart' a huge cathedral on a hill overlooking the whole city in Montmartre the northern neighborhood), Moulin Rouge (not nearly as ostentatious as I had anticipated), Les Halles Chatelet (a Gothic cathedral with a pretty park and lots of people relaxing), some really famous mall/store (it was a madhouse, Jess needed to pick up a few things and then we got out of there), all around the outside of the Louvre (I never did get inside. The weather was too nice so I didn't want to spend the time inside), Jardin des Tuileries (a park), Place da la Cocorde (a huge spire shaped sculpture covered in hieroglyphics with large fountains surrounding; given to France as a gift from Egypt), Champs Elysees (very famous tree lined street leading to the Arc de Triomphe with lots of designer shops), Palais de la Decouverte (2 fancy buildings for special exhibits), walk along the Seine, Eiffel Tower, Parc du Champ de Mars (another big park), Palais de Challot (not sure what the building was but it had a great view of the Eiffel Tower), Hilton Paris (to pretend I was a guest and pee), Ecole Militaire (some military building, I was getting really tired and was not as good a student at this point), Esplanade des Invalides and Hotel des Invalides (a large park and series of military museums and war hero tombs), Assemblee Nationale (had armed guards, just wanted to find the train and get back to Jess' to eat and sleep). That was Saturday. Jess walked with me till the Louvre then had her own things to do. She got quiche and made us some salad for dinner, which was wonderful! I slept so well that night.

I think I'll leave you for now with some photos of my first day in Paris and save the second for another day.

This is the front of Sacre Coeur. Like I mentioned, it sits on a hill overlooks the whole city.

For anyone that's never been to Paris, this is a perspective shot of the Eiffel Tower from the hill in Montmartre by Sacre Coeur. Too bad it's so short...

The court yard (probably the total incorrect thing to call it) of the Louvre with two of the glass pyramids and some fountains.

If you view the photo larger (click on it, I think) you can see the hieroglyphics on the Concorde.

The Eiffel Tower has a tendency to just sneak up on you. I was walking down a street looking for a Vespa dealer (there's something I wanted to get that's much cheaper in Europe) and *poof* there was the tower peeking out between two buildings.

and one more phallic French photo...

Cannes

Friday morning we took the train south to Cannes.  Unfortunately it poured the whole time we were there; we made the best of it all the same.  

This terrestrial sail, out for a stroll in the old city, enjoyed the rain at least.

Cannes was smaller and more what I had envisioned for Nice.  There were lots of narrow winding streets with little shops and cafes. 

The old city on the hill had a large fort (now a museum) and a church. 

I loved these fish sculptures in the marina. 

My 3 male colleagues were wandering around the marina, jaws dropped looking at all the yachts while I checked out the fish sculptures.

Most buildings had cute roof deck gardens and balconies to enjoy the normally sunny French Riviera weather.  All the houses had window and door shutters that open out with no glass or screens between them and the outside.  When it wasn't raining quite as hard, people would open the shutters and lean out the windows to say bonjour.

One of my favorite fixtures in Europe are Smart Cars.  Not only are they compact, but apparently they are not afraid of confrontation!

The Cannes Film Festival ended a week earlier, but the festival tents and movie posters were still around the city.  You can see white pointed tents in the center of the photo next to the marina.

Apparently the Hotel Carlton has a 4 year waiting list to get a room.  It looked nice; perhaps if I had put my name on the waiting list for 2012 I'd have enough money to pay for the room by then...

Saturday morning I left for Paris.  I snapped this shot of both Nice and Cannes in one frame.   Cannes is the town opposite the 2 islands (the only islands in the Mediterranean off the coast of France).  Nice (the pinkish area) is above of the marina in the lower right corner.

Nice From the Ground

Here are a few more ground level photos from Nice:

This is the large outcropping of rock that I climbed (on stairs) where I took most of the arial photos of the city in my previous post.

 

I really liked these lamp posts.

This sculpture is on the campus of the modern art museum.  The fence in the foreground was about eight feet tall to give you a bit of perspective on just how huge this block-head was!

This walkway follows the coast on the northern end of the city.  On the lower section you can walk or sit and overlook the sea.   The upper level (top right) is a very wide walkway and bike path.  The whole thing ungulates along following the rocky coast. 

To look down from the walkway, you see the rocks and sea below.

Nice

My first stop in France was Nice; the location of my dinner meeting (the reason I was sent to France) and the EFORT Congress, which is the European conference for those working in the orthopedics field.  Despite the prediction of rain for the duration of my stay, I got a couple of afternoons of warm sun.  It wasn't nice enough to do any swimming, but I did wade in the Mediterranean a bit.

The beach is not easy to walk on though.  Instead of sand, it's made of smooth pebbles.  They weren't sharp, but were challenging with shoes and quite uncomfortable on my bare feet.

 

Nice was a lot bigger than I anticipated.  It seemed that most people had scooters and that was the main way they got around, which was very exciting and made me want to ride my scooter!    

It was really beautiful, to the east was the Mediterranean and to the west mountains.

While I was there, I visited St Nicolas Russian Orthodox Cathedral.  I'd never been in a Russian Orthodox church before, it was quite a sight!  Everything is very ornate and gilded and covered in images of Saints.  What makes it a cathedral instead of a church is the architectural tradition of one main large dome, with four smaller lower domes, and a single bell tower.  Apparently, St Nicolas' is the largest orthodox cathedral outside of Russia.

I also visited Cannes one morning, but I'll save that for another post.