Party in the Catacombs

I'm back in Paris for Halloween and the perfect opportunity presented itself: a party in the Catacombs! It's the exact thing I've been waiting for! We get the elusive coordinates by text and hope for the best. I immediately can tell who is a part of this underground culture by the clothes they wear. It reminds me of the Burning Man vibe so I fully trust any man with a head lamp. About 50 people gather around an entrance, which is a man hole in the ground. The Police stake it out for a while so we all just wait. As soon as the Police leave, everyone takes off running and jumps down the manhole like mice running from rain. There's no time to think as we jump down the man hole too.

The intricate weaving of these underground tunnels is breath-taking. If you don't have a proper guide, you could get lost down there for weeks. We follow the pack of kids through the tiniest of crawl spaces until we discover the opening of a large hall. Decorated with lights and cobwebbs and complete with a live band, we finally arrive at the party. To be in a place with this much history, this many nooks and crannies to explore, is such a Halloween treat. We came with our bag of tricks and had a great time.

The way out is a tricky thing. You gotta have a guide and you can't expect them to leave when you want to. When we were ready to go, we simply staked out the way we came in. Eventually a group comes a long with enough street cred to trust that you can follow them. Follow them through the smoky tunnels of darkness into the unknown. When we finally burst through that manhole and got back onto the street, it was such a rush. The fresh air was never so sweet. We made it out alive!

Happy Halloween~

Lavazza Exhibition: Triennale Milan

I recently visited the Triennale museum in Milan and was blown away by the Lavazza exhibit. I stepped inside a movie theatre and was immediately struck by the dream like music that accompanied unique, somewhat sexual digital images that flew across a 3 dimensional movie screen. A coffee cup was stratigically placed throughout. What is this? I didn't know, but I knew I liked it. A few minutes later, the projection stopped and I was guided through a vagina like hole in the bottom of the screen that I didn't notice until now. I felt like Alice going down the rabbit hole.

I discovered a labyrinth of images accompanied with a story of a girl named Valerie. The images were striking, often overtly sexual and always with a coffee cup. I still had no idea what Lavazza was, but I liked it even more. What struck me most of all was the story of Valerie, an aimless 20 year old who decides to travel the world. “We don’t know if we’ll be back some day, if we’ll be stronger or any wiser. Or maybe just crazier” Characters weave in and out in classic dream fashion. "Let’s stop by the side of the road and wait for destiny to decide whether or not we deserve a traveling companion." Destiny indeed serves up the best, most interesting companions it can find.

Emotion struck me as I read the following passage. "Somebody who travels without a destination is actually standing still, and one day that person will say that the long voyage around the world has taught him that you learn more without ever leaving home." I am Valerie. And in this moment I long for home. And coffee.

"The time has come to take account. When the journey grows too long, it’s no longer a voyage: it’s an escape. Hours and hours aboard airplanes, moving from one time zone to the next, circling the world, and all in vain. The best thing to do? Strap on a parachute and merrily leap out into the open air, perhaps with a little cup of coffee in one hand." Although my journey abroad is not yet fulfilled, I know that when I do go home, it will be time. And as I finish the last row of this story mixed with photography from the most prolific photographers of my time, I feel like I have just lived a lifetime.

So what is Lavazza? What is this amazing exhibit that I wholly experienced? Lavazza is a European coffee company celebrating it's 20 year anniversery. This was one big advertisment! What a genius marketing campagin indeed. One that is amazingly artistic and actually makes you feel something. Needless to say, I got an espresso at the Triennale cafe immediately after. I enjoyed every sip as my imagination wandered onto the next stop of my own personal journey.

D'uomo

The D'uomo is a gothic cathedral in the center of Milan. It is amazingly beautiful with intricate artwork and scultpures adorning its walls. It took centuries to build and I can see why. Inside a mass is in progress, complete with the petite grey haired priest spewing out his sermon in Italian. Since I can't understand him, I join the many tourists who stick to the perimeter of the massive church. There are several mummified Popes that lay still under the ornate stain-glass windows.

Outside, the piazza is bustling with people. I'm shocked because it's a Sunday and most places in Europe shut down on the day of the Lord. But here, the shops and restaurants are thriving. A large wall in the middle of the plaza catches my attention. On it are hundreds of leaflets and signs depicting political messages. It seems to me this ancient site is a place of modern importance.

Cimiteri Cittadini-Milano

I just arrived in Milan and had an hour to kill so I just followed my feet. I found myself drawn to a large ornate building in the distance. I entered to find a massive cemetery full of magnificent sculptures and hallways full of tombstones. I noticed the coincidence that I have been exploring and thinking a lot about death lately. I don't know whether it's because Halloween is right around the corner or because I am thematically exploring the cycles of life in my work (including death and rebirth.) Whatever the reason, I enjoyed comparing the differences with these individual tombs to that of the massive grave that is the Paris Catacombs.

Many of the tombs had pictures of who lies within. I was most specifically drawn to the graves of babies, there were many one year olds that didn't make it because of the lack of proper science in the 1800s. Then there were the huge mausoleums with incredible sculptures of crying angels, fallen men and Jesus on the cross. It made me realize how money, or the lack thereof, plays a role even in death. Whoever is buried within these walls must be wealthy. Many of them happened to be named Guiseppe. I find it interesting how culture represents itself in the way we deal with the dead and in Milan, as in life, they spare no expense. 

Paris Underground

I've always had an urge to explore the underground of Paris. I've been asking all my friends about it in hopes of getting invited to a party or event down there, but no such luck. So I had to do it the tourist way by visiting the Catacombs, a large underground cemetary dating back to the 1700s. I waited for over an hour in a long line. My feet were frozen by the time it was my turn, but my enthusiasm was still strong. After descending 184 narrow, winding stairs, you walk through a small shaft that took years to chisel out in the 1700s. Immediately, you can smell death.

Over 6 million people are buried here. But they're not in coffins. Instead, their bones are stacked amongst each other in a delibrate, artistic way. I wondered whose job it was to create these walls of bones that seem to go on forever. Did they enjoy their work?

I also wondered how all the bodies were decomposed before being stacked together. I know some of the bones came from other cemetaries, allowing enough time for flesh to melt. But many people were buried here right after death. My mind wanders as I explore the caves.

I have a sudden urge to touch the bones, although it is clearly forbidden. So I skim my finger gently across a skull. Pretty smooth. Feeling a little more bold, I gently lift up a leg bone. A chill takes over my body and I realize it's best to just leave it alone. So I continue the 2km walk through the never-ending vallée du mort.

I got my fix of the Paris Underground, but I'm still going to seek out those legendary Cataphiles, the local Parisians who explore the uncharted, where no tourist has gone before.

French Wine Country

On the drive back from Switzerland to Paris we decided to take the scenic route through wine country. The forests of leaves are bursting with autumn reds and yellows, making the passing hills and valleys come alive with color. The air is clean and the villages are quiet. We made our first stop in Saint George, where we found caves full of wine, ripe for the tasting.

These classic stone cellars are like a dream, complete with a shopkeeper rambling on the wine's history in perfect French fashion. I understood some of what he was saying, I swear. After we picked up a few bottles of Bourgogne Hautes Cotes de Nuit, we went on our merry way.

 

We stopped next in a little village with a giant castle,  Écluse. We enjoyed a magnificent five course meal inside, a gastronomical palate that satiates completely. My favorite part was the cheese cart with a dozen different kinds to choose from. We tried one of each and the garlic goat cheese went best with the local wine. This is something I could get used to! But alas, back to the city we go...

Fribourg Switzerland

Fribourg is a quaint little town in Switzerland with old world charm. We were only there for 36 hours, so once the sun peaked out we walked the streets to discover a midevil cathedral, Saint Nicholas. The stairs to the top are open through one of the towers. The never ending stairs are tight and winding. My friend couldn't even make it to the top, the narrow stairs encased in stone were too much for him. I imagined myself carrying a flame torch from the year 1200 and continued on.

And finally, after about 400 stairs, I made it to the top! The 360 sights below paint the picture of a quiet Swiss village during automn; clean, safe and full of wealth.

But what's most interesting of all is when you walk through the streets, you find modern living that blends so seamlessly into the historic fabric of the town. Restraunts, bars, cinemas, delicious bakeries with modern art cakes, and even graphetti artists remind you that you're still in the 21st Century.

Paris by Foot

I spent the last few days exploring Paris. You can see so much more when you're just aimlessly walking than by taking the metro. The automn weather is perfectly brisk and should be enjoyed outdoors. Here are some pics I took along the way~

 

Cannes Take Ten

I've been to Cannes ten plus times, but this last week was the best. I was with old friends and colleagues for the TV market and had such a great time with them. Cannes feels like my home away from home, mon deuxième maison! But this time I explored the Cannes Castle, something I should have done the first time I was here.

It's a nice walk up and instantly you feel removed from the hustle and bustle of Cannes below. It's peaceful with old world charm and it's incredibly safe! I accidently left my purse on a bench and found it untouched 15 minutes later! Although I don't recommend doing that...Instead, enjoy the view of the Palais and Croisette below and the rolling skies above.