Days Go By

I think it's safe to say that Paris has skipped fall and we've just arrived at winter. It's just about Lake Forest, IL cold here, and that's really saying something. Time to buy a coat.

Despite the frosty weather, this weekend proved to be exciting and fun. Yesterday, Jillian and I journeyed to Versailles, a place she has already visited twice, but was entirely new to me. For both of us, however, the current Murakami exhibit inside the grand chateau was a new experience. Starting in September and running until December, Japanese artist Takashi Murakami, perhaps best known in the United States for his album artwork for Kanye West's CD "Graduation", has an absolutely incredible exhibit on display in several rooms on the second floor of the Versailles estate, as well as one sculpture in the garden outside. There were about 16 pieces in total, and I can't wait to finally be able to upload photos (again, my apologies). In Murakami's words, his artwork for the famous mansion is supposed to make us, the audience, Alice and he, the Cheshire Cat, allowing him to show us the magic and mystery of Versailles, or Wonderland. Each sculpture is colorful, creative, and complete visual overstimulation. They are also incredibly modern, which serves as both a juxtaposition to Versailles itself, but they also support the elaborate and ornate decorative aspect of the interior decoration in the rooms in which the sculptures stand. There was even one sculpture that was co-created by musical singer/producer Pharrell Williams; the sculpture, titled "The Simple Things", was a a large, ovular monster-head with an open mouth, showing fangs and a colorful tongue-throat area. Atop the monster's tongue sat a pink tray which held crystal-encrusted models of the following: a cupcake, a Heinz ketchup bottle, a Pepsi, a Johnson & Johnson shampoo bottle, a bag of Dorito's, a Nike sneaker, and a condom. Perhaps y'all should use Google for images. It was a true spectacle.

In other news, work is still continuing to challenge and excite me. As weird it is, October is almost over and soon I'll be making the hour and 20 minute commute to Palaiseau (a small city-suburb outside Paris) to attend play rehearsal every day. I'm overjoyed...
Paris still hates work; on Wednesday, my class and I couldn't get into a church for a field trip because the strike is still going on and nobody showed up for work that day. Surprise, surprise.
Next weekend, I leave for Brussels. To add to the recent excitement of trips and visits, I've just found out that my dear friends who are studying in Scotland, Florence, and Prague will be coming for 4 days in November for my birthday. I get jazzed every time I think about it.
I saw "The Social Network" and am now obsessed. G'head and see that soon if you haven't already, please.
The smell of winter and dead leaves is making me homesick, but I think that's only because Lake Forest has the most beautiful fall season I've ever seen.

So, Happy Sunday, people at home. It's the best day of the week.