Here is Mardi

I’m finally getting the idea that I will not write in this blog every day. I will try to have what I write be very specific but not comprehensive. If I tried to record everything and publish it, it would not only be boring to read and too much, but totally exhausting for me. As is usually true for me, there are too many interesting things. From la langue to le vin, the cheese, the bread, the markets, the Cité itself, the people I have met, the paintings and photography I have seen and plan to see….oops. I just remembered an opening happening tonight, and also a concert. Downstairs I go.

That was a concert by an American Pianist, Ivan Ilic (from Palo Alto), and a Taiwanese young woman bassist (contrabasse). Not together. The bassist, Emilie Kuo, had an accompanist from Finland for some of her music and played solo for the rest. She was fabulous, and had a magical presence, a tiny and graceful woman with a huge instrument. I had not heard bass alone before except for the Ray Brown solos I had heard at Jazz at the Bistro so never before with classical music. The music she played was beautiful and it was definitely one of those rare, special nights.
Ivan Ilic was the first other American I have met here.

Today was also the first day of French class at the Cité for me. I had been told that this was the place to meet other people and it was. In the class were people from Norway, Germany, Brazil, Australia, Finland and Israel. I had expected the diversity but I had not been prepared for the magic of the class. The teacher was a blonde, sexy and extremely animated young woman. She had everyone spellbound (especially the men) and for the two hours did not speak a word of English, explaining her French only in French. Everyone learned, and began, I think, to understand how to learn which I think she would say is by plunging in. Avoir la confiance, Yvette!, my tutor in the French department, Olivier, would say to me.

I made a small drawing and worked on some monoprint plates. Ideas are forming, and I’m taking some pictures. Two of the many things that resonated with me today were the fantastic fat, white asparagus which are so unique here and now in season. I had five for dinner but I also have them, visually, in my head. The other beautiful and unusual thing I saw today was the fresh magenta garlic. I am looking for something unique to this culture and place to work on. The flying buttresses were OK too.