Month: May 2010

Summer came. Summer came to Paris these past couple of days where temperatures must have reached 30° (C) which translates as 86° (F). In the city if feels hotter. It felt like Savannah heat! Though the sultry humidity wasn’t there.

News from Savannah is that the temperature of the water at the beach is about 27°C and that outdoors it could hit 32°. How much is that in Fahrenheit? I wonder what the weather’s like in Toulouse today. And what’s it like on the sandy French Atlantic coast … The Ile de Ré, for instance? Or in Brittany?

There are those of us who love warm weather … and those who appreciate the cool.

Are you like lizards that enjoy basking, baking in the sun?

Or are you among those who prefer the shade, the gardens. Sitting under a leafy tree?

Well, either way, enjoy it! But use your sunscreen and hats when you’re out.

On today’s Paris Savannah Connection, learn how to convert Celsius to Fahrenheit … and Fahrenheit to Celsius.

There’s an old mental trick to “warm up” or “cool down.” Sitting down, close your eyes and meditate on YOUR ideal temperature.  Put yourself in YOUR ideal environment. Then come back to reality and enjoy it!

Have a wonderful Tuesday, May 25th!

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One afternoon last summer this fiddler was playing on the sidewalks of Edinburgh. I asked him if I could record him. He agreed. Here’s one minute 11 seconds of some fine fiddlin’. OK … I admit it … I need some practice filming with my iphone … and a better camera wouldn’t hurt! But the sound is there! Enjoy.

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It’s easy to translate temperatures between Celsius and Fahrenheit. You just need to know the formula.

Remember these key figures: 0° C = 32°F and 100°C=212°F

Here it is!

Remember these figures: 0° C = 32°F and 100°C=212°F

Remember these: 0° C = 32°F and 100°C=212°F

Remember: 0° C = 32°F and 100°C=212°F

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A brilliant movie … even if the simple is complex here … or vice versa. Or the original is a copy of an original.

If you don’t like mental gymnastics, this is definitely NOT for you. BUT if you enjoy incredibly good acting as well as the charm, wit and emotional soul of Juliette Binoche speaking English, French and Italian fluently … you can’t possibly be disappointed.

((**** Congratulations, Ms. Binoche! Just heard the news! Palme d’Or for Best Actress in Copie Conforme. You deserve it!! ***** Brava!!))

Set in an authentic Tuscan setting, you feel there. It makes you want to be there. Beautifully filmed.

This may appear to be on the fringe of our reality. But it is someone’s reality. And movingly so. Even if … it is a fictional reality. Get it? You don’t? Don’t worry. Art can take time to get to you. The difference between “The” and “A” …

Here’s a posting in English from THE NYT . If you look at the right side of the screen, there is an audio of Juliette Binoche talking about this incredible film experience. She lets you in on the secrets of this masterpiece.

a double bill with kiarostami.

At the Balzac.

on rue Balzac (as in Honoré de ) just off the …

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For three days, the Champs Elysées has become an outdoor ‘nature’ gallery. How strange to see all these visitors – trees, wheat, tomato vines – even sheep and 4 cows – set up as exhibits.

The weather was perfect. Here are a few snapshots.

This is what I could see ahead. Green.

(Savannah goes Green on St. Patrick’s Day.)

There were all sorts of people: young, very young, and even younger.

And speaking of cross-cultural … I mean, cosmopolitan!

Speaking of age, I believe that’s young lavender. From what I read, all the plants and trees were for sale and if bought for a charity, were tax deductible.

I good way to clean up!

just 1/400 th of a second !

Lots of people so if you go … you’d better follow this proverb:

“The early bird gets the worm.”

PS: The sheep were protected from the crowds.But I’m not so sure they felt so safe …

Here they are:

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Last night, hundreds of workers were transforming the Champs Elysées into a “green place”

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Now here’s one rare place for Japanese tea in Paris.

You might need to reserve. And for the site,  you might need to read French, or failing that, Japanese. Though there are some nice pictures and the prices are in euros.

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From NPR (National Public Radio) by Eleanor Beardsley May 6, 2010

Normandy is considered the birthplace of the 19th century impressionist movement. And from now through the summer, French cities and towns across the region are celebrating the impressionists in a series of activities including art exhibits and concerts.

Read and Listen!

If you’re interested in what’s happening in France … subscribe to the Paris Savannah Connection.

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Have you ever heard the expression: It’s a no-brainer? It means that something is so clear, so obvious, so self-evident that it needs no further thought. You don’t really need much brainpower to know what to do or what NOT to do … to understand the simplicity of the situation, of the solution.

Edward de Bono wrote a book entitled “Simplicity” which I recommend to all. His book is … complex in its simplicity? Simple in its complexity?

In it he says things like:

“Almost everyone sees a value in simplicity. Why?

“It may be better to simplify a process rather than train people to cope with the complexity.”

But we like our own complexity, too, don’t we? What we have a hard time with is everyone else’s complexity … and complexes!

In any case, maybe another day, we’ll talk more about these complicated things. Today’s Friday and we would just like things to be easy … Simple?

In today’s The Paris Savannah Connection, you’ll find a word or 2 about the terms no-brainer, sense .. and nonsense … and if you make it to the end of the post … sensitivity, too … and all that’s just common sense!

By the way, there was another Edward .. whose last name was Lear and he wrote an entire Book of … Nonsense!

Enjoy your weekend … and we’ll re-connect on Tuesday.

Mark

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