Paris Diary

July 23, Wed
1332 Eurostar from St. Pancras to Gare du Nord. Apartment in gated community, on Rue Lamerciere, in Pigalle. Had dinner at Chartier, on Faubourg Montmartre, popular low-priced eaterie, with Belle-Epoque decor, the set for many movies. Drank at Raidd Bar, where, at midnight, the go-go boy showered in a glass stall set in the wall. I think I can live in Paris every summer. The light is beautiful here.

July 24, Thu
Breakfast at Point Bar, larg expresso and croissant. Finished reading Kim. Visited Musee National Picasso: Sleeping Woman, The Kiss, The Swimmer, Child Playing with Truck. The Goat. Impressed by the range of his experimentation with modes, materials and methods, while remaining inspired by the human figure. Striking series of photos of the artist taken by people like Man Ray and Cartier-Bresson. The photos show how much he resembled his female heads physically. Visited Nortre Dame while as mass was going on. Sat in the Jardin du Luxembourg for a while, enjoying the sights. Had bad Thai food at Chez Tsou, and drank at the Open Cafe.

July 25, Fri
Musee d'Orsay: Monet's Blue Water Lilies, and Regatta at Argentueil; Gustave Caillebotte's The Floor Planers; Camille Pissaro's Peasant Girl Lighting A Fire and Red Roofs; Paul Signac's Les Andelys, The River Bank; Edward Burne-Jones's The Wheel of Fortune. Started reading The House of Mirth. Had Chinese in a nearby restaurant, and then went to Amnesia, Raidd for the shower show, and then back to Amnesia lower bar for dancing.




Claude Monet (1840-1926)
Blue Water Lilies
Between 1916 and 1919




July 26, Sat
Center Pompidou: Georges Rouault: Clown; Henri Matisse: Decorative Figure on an Ornamental Ground, Violin Player at the Window; Jean Dubuffet: Dhotel nuanced'abricot; Jean Fautrier: Le sanglierecorche; Jean Atlan; Jean-Marc Bustamante. Went to The Depot in the evening.

July 27, Sun

Walked round Montparnasse Cemetery, and saw the tombs of Sarte and de Beauvoir, as well as chess champion Alekhine. The latter brought back memories of my chess-playing days. In the evening, walked round St. Louis before having my last drink at Amnesia and Radd. I am still thinking of spending part of my summer every year away from NYC. Should I write in London, Paris, or, my latest wildcat idea, India?

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