Love Actually in Concert

 November 24, 2018 (328/365)

Whenever I get gloomy with the state of the world, I think about the arrivals gate at Heathrow Airport. General opinion’s starting to make out that we live in a world of hatred and greed, but I don’t see that. It seems to me that love is everywhere. Often it’s not particularly dignified or newsworthy, but it’s always there – fathers and sons, mothers and daughters, husbands and wives, boyfriends, girlfriends, old friends. When the planes hit the Twin Towers, as far as I know, none of the phone calls from the people on board were messages of hate or revenge – they were all messages of love. If you look for it, I’ve got a sneaky feeling you’ll find that love actually is all around.” - Love Actually

Last night we had the pleasure of watching the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra perform the award-winning score live to Love Actually, while the film played in high definition on a giant screen at the Riverside Theatre.

French Friday: Versailles

le 11 mai 2018 (131/365)

« Tout ceci est ridicule! » « Tout ceci, Madame, c’est Versailles. » ~ Marie Antoinette, le film

Wonderful

November 25, 2017 (329/365)

 "It's the most wonderful time of the year..."

French Friday: Le Petit Hameau

May 5, 2017 (125/365)

«Nous avons fait un beau rêve, voilà tout...»  ~ Marie Antoinette

The opulence of the Château de Versailles is world renowned, but I've always preferred le Hameau de la Reine (The Queen's Hamlet) -- Marie Antoinette's rustic retreat in the park of the palace. Built in 1783 near the Petit Trianon, it was a rendez-vous for the queen and her closest friends to enjoy nature and life's simpler pleasures.The hamlet includes gardens, orchards, meadows, lakes, streams, a classical Temple of Love, a grotto, and cascade. The farm produced milk and eggs and included a dovecote, a boudoir, a mill, and a lighthouse. In the tempestuous political atmosphere of pre-revolutionary France, the hamlet was understandably quite controversial.

Guilty Pleasure Confession: 

I love this scene from Sofia Coppola's 2006 film, Marie Antoinette 

(almost as much as this one where they eat macarons and try on shoes!)

French Friday: C’est drôle la vie...

le 10 février 2017 (041/365) 

« Quand on est gosse, le temps n’en finit pas de se trainer, 

et puis du jour au lendemain on a comme ça 50 ans... » 

Amélie Poulain, Le fabuleux destin d’Amélie Poulain 

{Bientôt, c'est moi qui aura 50 ans!}

Unbroken

December 26, 2014 (360/365): "Unbroken"

(#decemberphotochallenge Day 26: Gratitude)

“America’s fighting men and women sacrifice much to ensure that our great nation stays free. We owe a debt of gratitude to the soldiers that have paid the ultimate price for this cause, as well as for those who are blessed enough to return from the battlefield unscathed.” ~ Allen Boyd

I have been anticipating the release of the Unbroken film with conflicted emotions since I read riveting biography of Louis Zamperini -- juvenile delinquent, college track star, 1936 Olympian who shook hands with Hitler, WWII Air Force captain, survivor of a plane crash and forty-seven days drifting over 2000 miles on a raft in middle of the Pacific Ocean, tortured prisoner of war for two and a half years, recovered alcoholic and PTSD sufferer, inspirational speaker, coach, and philanthropist. As I turned the pages last year, I continually reminded myself that Zamperini was going to make it through all of these harrowing trials, knowing that, at 97 year old, he consulted with Angelina Jolie in the making of the Unbroken film. Sadly Louie Zamperini died last summer before yesterday's film release.

I knew that this film would be hard for me, but I kept telling myself that if Louie could survive all that he went through, I should be strong enough to watch. Unfortunately, the movie focused more on the horrors of Louie's experiences and less on his remarkable character. Though to be fair, how could such an extraordinary life be depicted in just two hours? Despite my disappointment in the tone of the film, as real photos of Louis appeared on the screen in the closing sequence, I found myself in tears. I felt a rush of emotion for the brave men and women of The Greatest Generation whom I will always honor in humble gratitude.

French Friday: Opéra Garnier

The first time I visited the Opera Garnier was the first time I visited Paris. In fact, since I was staying near the palais, Opéra was my Métro stop. I landed at Charles de Gaulle on a warm day in June 1994, took the RER B into Paris, transferred to the Métro, and emerged in front of this magnificent façade. It was my very first impression of this enchanting city -- and it was love at first sight! I hadn't even seen the Eiffel Tower yet, but I couldn't resist the allure of the opulent and mysterious Opéra. As soon as I settled in, I returned to the Palais Garnier for a tour. 

The last time I visited the Opéra was a snowy day in January 2013. It was cold and gray outside, but inside, it was warm and mysterious -- almost deserted because of the unusual Paris snowstorm. 

I almost felt as though I were trespassing. 

Perhaps, I've seen The Phantom of the Opera too many times!

This grate protects the entrance to the REAL underground lake.

You can't go down below, 

but you can go up the grand staircase.

If you're lucky, you may be allowed inside 

one of the private boxes (maybe even Box 5).

Peer out into the magnificent theatre.

Marvel at the stunning Chagall ceiling.

Enjoy the juxtaposition of Garnier's beaux-arts architecture

and the quirkly modern details.

Channel your inner Christine Daaé...

or your inner Audrey (Funny Face)!

L'Opéra est magnifique!