[kj] "Last Pogo in Paris"
Ford Prefect
gathering@misera.net
Mon, 20 Oct 2003 09:28:52 +0100
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good to see you're safely back. better to see those typing fingers =
getting a good work out ahead of thursday when an equally detailed =
account of all things wednesday is expected :-)
graham
----- Original Message -----=20
From: Alex Smith=20
To: gathering@misera.net ; gathering@misera.net=20
Sent: Sunday, October 19, 2003 5:59 PM
Subject: Re: [kj] "Last Pogo in Paris"
Bonjour y'all....
Back from beautiful Paris, and a hearty thanks to everyone's advice of
where/what to visit. Peg and I had a marverlous time and were truly =
sad to
leave. Some highlights....
Highlights....
- Instead of a hotel, we rented an apartment on Isle St.Louis from a =
little
operation called Guest Service Apartments. It was completely =
wonderful, and
probably a closer approximation to what it's like to actually live in =
Paris
than staying in a hotel. Visit them here: =
http://www.guestapartment.fr/
- One of the nicest views of Paris is from the roof of the Arab =
Institute
(itself well worth visiting).
- With one tiny exception (courtesy of a maitre'd at newly-opened
Franco-Asian hepcat lounge, Kong), everyone in Paris was unfailingly =
nice to
us.
- Apart from maybe Japan, France displays the most refreshing =
appreciation
for the much-maligned art medium of comic books. The sheer number of =
well
turned out and immaculately presented comic shops was truly heartening =
(for
a recovering comix geek like myself). Bought a lot of needless Tintin =
&
Asterix crap.
- Want to really hate your fellow countryman (more than you already =
may?)
Travel abroad! Americans in Paris stick out like viscous clumps of =
tepid
dung in the Foie Gras, and behave accordingly. No wonder they hate us. =
Also,
the second they find out you're a Yank, the fist words out of their =
mouth
are "Ahhh, George Bush!" Yeah, thanks alot. You then spend few minutes
apologizing for him.=20
- Courtesy of some of the folks on the ILM boards, I found a great =
record
shop in the Bastile area called, inexplicably, BIMBO TOWER. It's quite =
hard
to find (down at the ass end of a easily missed back alley), but it's =
well
worth seeking out. It's teeny tiny, but they pack the place with all =
sorts
of ephemera (not just music related). It's a bit of a geek's paradise, =
as
its brewing with all sorts of odd material (Japaense toys, odd =
fanzines,
t-shirts, totschke, etc.) Didn't find anything too mind blowing =
(wasn't
looking for anything specific actually), but picked up a Rough Trade
Post-Punk compilation just to show my support.
- While sipping a beer (preggy Peggy had an Orangina) at Les Deux =
Magot on
the Left Bank (where Hemingway used to hang out in between visiting =
Gertrude
Stein and Alice B. Toklas at Shakespeare & Co.), we spotted John =
"Duran
Duran" Taylor (well, he actually passed our table on his way to the =
men's
room). At Peg's wide-eyed urging (herself a recovering zealous =
Durannie) I
later interupted his salad consumption (much to the chagrin of the =
pissy
woman with two-toned hair he was sitting with) and got him to sign and
autograph (on the back of our receipt). To his credit, he happily =
obliged
and was quite a hecka-swell fella about it.
- On our first night (my birthday), Peggy's parents (in town on their =
way
back to Houston from Tunisia, long story) took us out to the legendary =
Lido
for dinner. A highly touristy and somewhat embarassing joint on the =
Champs
Elysees, the Lido is famous for being the first place to zealously =
display
female breasts. Huzzah! Along with a very nice dinner, you are treated =
to a
glitzy Vegas-styled show featuring countless numbers of topless French =
women
and various acts of ridiculously over-the-top shobiz shenanigans. =
Honestly
speaking, after a while, one is numbed by the sight of naked French =
nipples,
but it was completely hokey and fun all the same.
- On behalf of a friend of mine here in NYC, I dragged poor Peg off =
one day
in search of a mysterious place on the Left Bank (in the Latin =
Quarter)
called Deyrolle. Apparently, my friend Sam's brother had purchased a =
strange
poster there called "Squelette de Lapin" (Skeleton of the Rabitt) and =
he
covetted it considerably. Happily obliging, Peg and I pinpointed Rue =
de Bac
(the street is was supposedly situated) on the map and set off for it. =
When
we reached the storefront, we found an empty, dusty, bare =
room....though
with a sign saying "Le Boutique Deyrolle ouvert". After a few awkward
moments, a rather disagreeable woman descended a flight of stairs, =
chewing
me a new one in furiously speedy French for interupting her lunch. I
stammered out my apologies in my broken French (you'd think after =
eight
years of the language in grade school, high school and college I could
manage at least one coherent sentence). After squinting and furrowing =
her
brow at me, she led us upstairs into a truly strange set of rooms, =
flanked
with disarmingly lifelike taxidermy and medical charts. Fetal pigs in =
jars,
exotic jungle bugs under glass, wild boar heads protruding from the =
walls,
it was like room out of The Adams Family house. Turns out they did =
indeed
have the poster (a rather grotesque image which Sam's wife will =
invariably
resent me for life for once he frames it and mounts it on their wall). =
I
tried to convince Peg to search around for something for our house, =
but she
politely demured (disembowled farm animals aren't really her =
aesthetic).
Mission accomplished. In any event, next time you're in Paris, search =
this
freaky place out.
Anyway, that's all for now, but we had a truly tremendous time.
Cheers,
Alex in NYC
----------
>From: "Alex Smith" <vassifer@earthlink.net>
>To: gathering@misera.net
>Subject: [kj] "Last Pogo in Paris"
>Date: Fri, Oct 10, 2003, 11:40 AM
>
>
>Gatheruzz....your assistance, s'il vous plait...
>
> As I may have mentioned, the wife and I are taking a last minute =
holiday
>before the spikey mallet of impending parenthood biffs us in the =
hooter.
>Peg's already in Germany on business right now (for the annual =
Frankfurt
>bookfair), and I'm flying over on Saturday to rendez-vous with her. =
From
>there, we're taking a train to Paris for a few days (back on the 18th =
with a
>few days to rest up before KILLING JOKE DISEMBOWEL NEW =
YO....er.....Killing
>Joke squeeze in as much music as they can into their paltry one-hour =
set at
>Webster Hall) being that once our baby arrives in April, we probably =
won't
>be going anywhere ever again. Honestly speaking, I haven't been in =
Paris
>(the "City of Light", if I'm not mistaken) since the balmy days of
>1987....and most of that period was spent drunk anyway (although I do
>remember finding probably the only Punk Rock record store in Paris at =
the
>time called L'EVASION. Wonder if it's still there!) In any event, I'm =
going
>to be there for about one full week, and would *HAPPILY* welcome any
>suggestions of places/things to go see/do/experience/etc. I'm not =
talking
>about the obvious touristy shit like the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre and =
stupid
>Jim Morrison's grave, I mean cooler, a bit more esoteric stuff. Most =
of you
>know my sensibilities, so let them be your guide. Nothing outside of =
Paris
>either, as being that Peggers is preggers, we want to keep this =
journey
>relatively low-maintenance.
>
>Merci beaucoup in advance, mes amis!
>
>
>Alex dans NYC
>_______________________________________________
>Gathering mailing list
>Gathering@misera.net
>http://four.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/gathering
_______________________________________________
Gathering mailing list
Gathering@misera.net
http://four.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/gathering
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<DIV><FONT face=3DArial color=3D#800080 size=3D2>good to see you're =
safely back.=20
better to see those typing fingers getting a good work out ahead of =
thursday=20
when an equally detailed account of all things wednesday is expected=20
:-)</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial color=3D#800080 size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>graham</FONT></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE=20
style=3D"PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; =
BORDER-LEFT: #800080 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV=20
style=3D"BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: =
black"><B>From:</B>=20
<A title=3Dvassifer@earthlink.net =
href=3D"mailto:vassifer@earthlink.net">Alex=20
Smith</A> </DIV>
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A =
title=3Dgathering@misera.net=20
href=3D"mailto:gathering@misera.net">gathering@misera.net</A> ; <A=20
title=3Dgathering@misera.net=20
href=3D"mailto:gathering@misera.net">gathering@misera.net</A> </DIV>
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Sunday, October 19, 2003 =
5:59=20
PM</DIV>
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: [kj] "Last Pogo in =
Paris"</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV><BR><BR>Bonjour y'all....<BR><BR>Back from beautiful =
Paris, and=20
a hearty thanks to everyone's advice of<BR>where/what to visit. Peg =
and I had=20
a marverlous time and were truly sad to<BR>leave. Some=20
highlights....<BR><BR><BR>Highlights....<BR><BR>- Instead of a hotel, =
we=20
rented an apartment on Isle St.Louis from a little<BR>operation called =
Guest=20
Service Apartments. It was completely wonderful, and<BR>probably a =
closer=20
approximation to what it's like to actually live in Paris<BR>than =
staying in a=20
hotel. Visit them here: <A=20
=
href=3D"http://www.guestapartment.fr/">http://www.guestapartment.fr/</A><=
BR><BR>-=20
One of the nicest views of Paris is from the roof of the Arab=20
Institute<BR>(itself well worth visiting).<BR><BR>- With one tiny =
exception=20
(courtesy of a maitre'd at newly-opened<BR>Franco-Asian hepcat lounge, =
Kong),=20
everyone in Paris was unfailingly nice to<BR>us.<BR><BR>- Apart from =
maybe=20
Japan, France displays the most refreshing appreciation<BR>for the=20
much-maligned art medium of comic books. The sheer number of =
well<BR>turned=20
out and immaculately presented comic shops was truly heartening =
(for<BR>a=20
recovering comix geek like myself). Bought a lot of needless Tintin=20
&<BR>Asterix crap.<BR><BR>- Want to really hate your fellow =
countryman=20
(more than you already may?)<BR>Travel abroad! Americans in Paris =
stick out=20
like viscous clumps of tepid<BR>dung in the Foie Gras, and behave =
accordingly.=20
No wonder they hate us. Also,<BR>the second they find out you're a =
Yank, the=20
fist words out of their mouth<BR>are "Ahhh, George Bush!" Yeah, thanks =
alot.=20
You then spend few minutes<BR>apologizing for him. <BR><BR>- Courtesy =
of some=20
of the folks on the ILM boards, I found a great record<BR>shop in the =
Bastile=20
area called, inexplicably, BIMBO TOWER. It's quite hard<BR>to find =
(down at=20
the ass end of a easily missed back alley), but it's well<BR>worth =
seeking=20
out. It's teeny tiny, but they pack the place with all sorts<BR>of =
ephemera=20
(not just music related). It's a bit of a geek's paradise, as<BR>its =
brewing=20
with all sorts of odd material (Japaense toys, odd =
fanzines,<BR>t-shirts,=20
totschke, etc.) Didn't find anything too mind blowing =
(wasn't<BR>looking for=20
anything specific actually), but picked up a Rough Trade<BR>Post-Punk=20
compilation just to show my support.<BR><BR>- While sipping a beer =
(preggy=20
Peggy had an Orangina) at Les Deux Magot on<BR>the Left Bank (where =
Hemingway=20
used to hang out in between visiting Gertrude<BR>Stein and Alice B. =
Toklas at=20
Shakespeare & Co.), we spotted John "Duran<BR>Duran" Taylor (well, =
he=20
actually passed our table on his way to the men's<BR>room). At Peg's =
wide-eyed=20
urging (herself a recovering zealous Durannie) I<BR>later interupted =
his salad=20
consumption (much to the chagrin of the pissy<BR>woman with two-toned =
hair he=20
was sitting with) and got him to sign and<BR>autograph (on the back of =
our=20
receipt). To his credit, he happily obliged<BR>and was quite a =
hecka-swell=20
fella about it.<BR><BR>- On our first night (my birthday), Peggy's =
parents (in=20
town on their way<BR>back to Houston from Tunisia, long story) took us =
out to=20
the legendary Lido<BR>for dinner. A highly touristy and somewhat =
embarassing=20
joint on the Champs<BR>Elysees, the Lido is famous for being the first =
place=20
to zealously display<BR>female breasts. Huzzah! Along with a very nice =
dinner,=20
you are treated to a<BR>glitzy Vegas-styled show featuring countless =
numbers=20
of topless French women<BR>and various acts of ridiculously =
over-the-top=20
shobiz shenanigans. Honestly<BR>speaking, after a while, one is numbed =
by the=20
sight of naked French nipples,<BR>but it was completely hokey and fun =
all the=20
same.<BR><BR>- On behalf of a friend of mine here in NYC, I dragged =
poor Peg=20
off one day<BR>in search of a mysterious place on the Left Bank (in =
the Latin=20
Quarter)<BR>called Deyrolle. Apparently, my friend Sam's brother had =
purchased=20
a strange<BR>poster there called "Squelette de Lapin" (Skeleton of the =
Rabitt)=20
and he<BR>covetted it considerably. Happily obliging, Peg and I =
pinpointed Rue=20
de Bac<BR>(the street is was supposedly situated) on the map and set =
off for=20
it. When<BR>we reached the storefront, we found an empty, dusty, bare=20
room....though<BR>with a sign saying "Le Boutique Deyrolle ouvert". =
After a=20
few awkward<BR>moments, a rather disagreeable woman descended a flight =
of=20
stairs, chewing<BR>me a new one in furiously speedy French for =
interupting her=20
lunch. I<BR>stammered out my apologies in my broken French (you'd =
think after=20
eight<BR>years of the language in grade school, high school and =
college I=20
could<BR>manage at least one coherent sentence). After squinting and =
furrowing=20
her<BR>brow at me, she led us upstairs into a truly strange set of =
rooms,=20
flanked<BR>with disarmingly lifelike taxidermy and medical charts. =
Fetal pigs=20
in jars,<BR>exotic jungle bugs under glass, wild boar heads protruding =
from=20
the walls,<BR>it was like room out of The Adams Family house. Turns =
out they=20
did indeed<BR>have the poster (a rather grotesque image which Sam's =
wife will=20
invariably<BR>resent me for life for once he frames it and mounts it =
on their=20
wall). I<BR>tried to convince Peg to search around for something for =
our=20
house, but she<BR>politely demured (disembowled farm animals aren't =
really her=20
aesthetic).<BR>Mission accomplished. In any event, next time you're in =
Paris,=20
search this<BR>freaky place out.<BR><BR>Anyway, that's all for now, =
but we had=20
a truly tremendous time.<BR><BR>Cheers,<BR>Alex in=20
NYC<BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR>----------<BR>>From: "Alex =
Smith" <<A=20
=
href=3D"mailto:vassifer@earthlink.net">vassifer@earthlink.net</A>><BR>=
>To:=20
<A =
href=3D"mailto:gathering@misera.net">gathering@misera.net</A><BR>>Subj=
ect:=20
[kj] "Last Pogo in Paris"<BR>>Date: Fri, Oct 10, 2003, 11:40=20
AM<BR>><BR><BR>><BR>>Gatheruzz....your assistance, s'il vous=20
plait...<BR>><BR>> As I may have mentioned, =
the wife=20
and I are taking a last minute holiday<BR>>before the spikey mallet =
of=20
impending parenthood biffs us in the hooter.<BR>>Peg's already in =
Germany=20
on business right now (for the annual Frankfurt<BR>>bookfair), and =
I'm=20
flying over on Saturday to rendez-vous with her. From<BR>>there, =
we're=20
taking a train to Paris for a few days (back on the 18th with =
a<BR>>few=20
days to rest up before KILLING JOKE DISEMBOWEL NEW=20
YO....er.....Killing<BR>>Joke squeeze in as much music as they can =
into=20
their paltry one-hour set at<BR>>Webster Hall) being that once our =
baby=20
arrives in April, we probably won't<BR>>be going anywhere ever =
again.=20
Honestly speaking, I haven't been in Paris<BR>>(the "City of =
Light", if I'm=20
not mistaken) since the balmy days of<BR>>1987....and most of that =
period=20
was spent drunk anyway (although I do<BR>>remember finding probably =
the=20
only Punk Rock record store in Paris at the<BR>>time called =
L'EVASION.=20
Wonder if it's still there!) In any event, I'm going<BR>>to be =
there for=20
about one full week, and would *HAPPILY* welcome =
any<BR>>suggestions of=20
places/things to go see/do/experience/etc. I'm not =
talking<BR>>about the=20
obvious touristy shit like the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre and =
stupid<BR>>Jim=20
Morrison's grave, I mean cooler, a bit more esoteric stuff. Most of=20
you<BR>>know my sensibilities, so let them be your guide. Nothing =
outside=20
of Paris<BR>>either, as being that Peggers is preggers, we want to =
keep=20
this journey<BR>>relatively low-maintenance.<BR>><BR>>Merci =
beaucoup=20
in advance, mes amis!<BR>><BR>><BR>>Alex dans=20
=
NYC<BR>>_______________________________________________<BR>>Gatheri=
ng=20
mailing=20
=
list<BR>>Gathering@misera.net<BR>>http://four.pairlist.net/mailman/=
listinfo/gathering<BR>_______________________________________________<BR>=
Gathering=20
mailing list<BR><A=20
href=3D"mailto:Gathering@misera.net">Gathering@misera.net</A><BR><A=20
=
href=3D"http://four.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/gathering">http://four.=
pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/gathering</A></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>
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