Diary of an adult runaway

Sunday, February 25, 2007

Celebrity spotting in the hood

On the Montmartrobus, doing the ultra-glamorous (i.e., hauling the washing home from the laundrette) when I saw this guy walking down rue Lepic with his shopping:

His hair was longer, but I didn't doubt for a second he's the guy playing Hamri Al-Hassad on 24--his eyes are really distinctive. Then I IMDB'd him, and discovered he was the yummy prince in Syriana, not to mention some doctor on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (which I have never in my life watched, so, you know...) Kinda nice to put a name to the face, because I often see people around that I know are actors (French) but I don't know where I've seen them.

Of course, none of them are anywhere near as glamorous as the mob I dined with on Friday night. A good time was had by all. So were margaritas and cheeseburgers. Of 7 people, 6 opted for the cheeseburger. And at 25E for a really good 3-course meal, The Frog & Rosbif at Bercy Village is the place to go for value for your money. Keep an eye out for Michael Moore's Sicko. Pat and some other American expats were shouted to dinner by MM so he could film them about their experiences with the French health system compared to the US. Stuns me that 45 million people in the US are without healthcare, while I pay an average of (after rebate) 1.5E for my prescriptions and 6E for my osteopath sessions.

Speaking of, energy levels are higher, things are starting to feel better. Though the doc made me stop using anti-inflammatories (that's the French spelling--how do I spell it in English? I've forgotten!) while I started on the T3 but the leg is killing me in the morning so I'm going to be hitting her up for a script come tomorrow. Come Monday. Huh. I keep running into Jimmy Buffet songs. Friday night was (naturally) Margaritaville and Cheeseburger in Paradise. I think that officially means I'm sun-deprived, though it's been getting better the past few days. Still, we have almost a month before spring starts and anything can happen...

First tears of American Idol Season 6 for me, when Lakisha Jones performed And I Am Telling You the other night. What a huge talent this woman has, and such a humble soul. Same with Melinda Doolittle. I'm thinking the white girls should watch out, because it's Lakisha, Melinda, Stephanie, Jordin and Sabrina for me so far. After the other night's performance, the boys aren't rating much of a mention--though weirdly I was thinking it was about time someone attempted Keep The Faith, then they announced Jon Bon Jovi was going to be one of the celebrity coaches. Margaritas all 'round!!

Labels: 24, American Idol, blogger meet-up, Montmartrobus

Posted by Gabrielle at 2/25/2007 09:22:00 PM | Permalink | 3 of y'all said... | links to this post

Thursday, January 04, 2007

One less thing to bitch about it

You've probably heard me ~~discussing~~ whining about the early end-of-service for the Montmartrobus, the little electric bus that winds its way around the hill. It's a vital service for many Montmartrois/e, especially the many elderly who live at the top of the butte--which sits smack dab between the Abbesses and Lamarck métros. You look at a map and it doesn't seem a long distance. Try getting up that hill, especially with your shopping, and you'll think differently!

Stopping service at 8.04 can curtail a lot of fun. Fortunately, taxis aren't all that expensive here, but first you have to find one. So, even though it was an inconvenience of a different sort, many of us were happy when Abbesses was closed in September for renovations, because the bus ran to 10.30 to pick up the slack. Then came the announcement when the métro reopened in December that the late bus service would continue until the end of the month. Then they said it would run until 12.30 on New Year's Eve. Picture us gobsmacked. We'd never had it that good.

Last night I get on the bus and what do I see? A sign pronouncing that from now on, the bus would run until 12.30. Every night. This is a Very Good Thing. I've never been able to understand why a world-class city such as Paris didn't have a world-class public transport system, particularly when so many people rely on it. I don't want Paris to be like Melbourne--there is, after all, a reason I moved here--but some things really should go without saying. (Oh, and yes, I'm thrilled that my supermarket is open until 11.30. Thah-rilled.)

::Blowing kisses to Mayor Delanöe:: Since he came into office, he's introduced bus lanes, set up a night bus service, started a clean up of the métro stations in the city's north, closed down the quais on Sundays so people, cyclists and rollerskaters can use them, got the métro running later on Friday and Saturday nights and now sorted out the Montmartrobus. Paris mayors have a history of ascending to the presidency. Let's hope our gay, Socialist, greenie mayor steps up in 2012.

Also blowing kisses to Earth Shoes. I got these shoes in June (thanks, Laura!) but wore them for the first time yesterday, now that the ankle's playing nice (thanks, Rémi!) One day in and I'm walking faster and steadier than I have in ages, and with less torque in my knee. The heel is lower than the front, which feels a little freaky-deaky for the first 5 minutes, as though you're walking in sand, but it doesn't take long to get used to. Love 'em, love 'em, love 'em.

Other things I'm loving:

Frederic Larson's photo blog of the Bay Area
Run around Paris - a fun blog for Paris lovers

Catch ya!

Labels: Earth shoes, Montmartrobus, Paris

Posted by Gabrielle at 1/04/2007 09:26:00 AM | Permalink | 16 of y'all said... | links to this post

Aloha!

I'm Gabrielle

And I currently live in Paris, France

A great book can send me into a state of bliss, as can just about any Macintosh product or Elvis record, especially "Elvis: That's the way it is". I have a theory about people who don't like cats and/or chocolate, and I've never been proven wrong. I think Robert Redford is a genius and George Clooney isn't too far behind. Must have in my kitchen: everything needed to make a kick-ass margarita!

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