Would we call this a “low-key” month?
I’m getting the feeling from you, the loyal readers of le blog of Rue Cassette, that this past summer’s adventures have overwhelmed you. Maybe a good indication would be the fact that when you click on this month’s blog link, it takes approximately 15 minutes for the pictures to load to your browser. Maybe it’s the fact that most of you regulars like my nieces Wynne and Paige have gotten so tired of leaving comments in the section below each blog, that they can’t even muster a simple “Big Ups to Uncle Lars and Aunt Shannon” like they have in the past. Maybe it’s the fact that the blog entries that used to inspire simple fan mail with the subject lines of “I hate your guts” have since dwindled, leaving our email inboxes to wonder whether the Windows Live Hotmail server is even working at all (thanks to junk mail from J.Crew, David Plouffe for the Obama campaign, and Seattle’s Daily Candy, we unfortunately must rule out this likely cause).
It is therefore my commitment to keep le blog from Septembre 2008 a minimalist, “low-key” narrative. Half the pictures, half the description, and half the tirades about my cat’s lack of contribution to our household income. And even better, half the travel. While I can’t promise a single-country blog entry, I can certainly commit to a month of travel under, let’s say….5000 nautical miles. Call it a token contribution to reducing our family carbon footprint, meanwhile increasing the sanity and inner-peace of the loyal RC readers. Is that an audible “hallelujah!” I’m hearing from the West Coast of the United States?! Vive la fermeture de la bouche de Lars!
And so we’ll hop right to it to the obligatory section of opening pictures that reminds us that the City of Lights has not lost it’s aesthetic touch, nor it’s remarkably predictable set of sights in early September…such as bateaux mouches being packed rail-to-rail with tourists on observatory decks, hoping to get that special sunset snapshot on the Seine…
Or hundreds of lovers, tourists, or all of the above…packing in the grass below the Sacre Coeur enjoying the last days of warm sun…
And the blue Eiffel tower, that was remarkably still….very much blue…
Yes, all appeared to be in order throughout the city. But what about the 5th floor at our home base on Rue Cassette? Well, even in the one place where unpredictability and adventure are standard fare, we started to see major signs of “normalcy”…as life turned away from les vacances and shifted dramatically to…le travail (work!).
Working Hard vs. Hardly Working.
Shannon practically went straight from the airport to the International School of Paris, and I haven’t seen her since. If anyone has seen a highly qualified and proficient teacher camping in the 16th arrondissement, please let me know…I miss her and I have a hot quiche lorraine and a bottle of wine waiting on the table.
Much of this work and preparation was Shannon getting ready for another real smorgasbord (Yes, I learned that at Ikea) of 17 kids from 12 different countries in her 1st grade class. Countries represented in her class this year include the USA, England, France, Norway, Russia, Israel, Malaysia, New Zealand, South Africa, Finland, Namibia, and India. For a more visual representation of this mixed bag, see the following…
As for the classroom mascot selection, using the most truly globally democratic process imaginable…I present to you the “Playful Pandas”…
As for my work, I jumped in and got my feet wet immediately. Literally. The first assignment on return was a spreading of Microsoft’s combined marketing genius (aka the Western Europe Central Marketing Group) into remote areas of Iceland. Iceland, you say? Iceland, I confirm. First stop, understanding the local market and acclimatizing to Icelandic traditions via geo-thermal hot springs…
and when I say geo-thermal hot springs, this is not exactly something that can fit on the deck of a Whistler ski-chalet…
The hearts of Icelandic customers could not be won in standard business meetings with civilized city-folk of Reykjavik. Therefore as a collective team we battled the elements of rocks, rivers, moss, mud-baths, and occasionally liquid hot magma…by way of all-terrain vehicles, to connect our marketing efforts to the vast countryside…
still in search of the allusive Icelandic customers….
A quick pause while re-thinking the strategy, I pose alongside my trusty vehicle as the honorable “Captain Stay-Puff of Iceland”…
Part 2 of the elusive search would occur via a fleet of all-terrain passenger vehicles, known as Isak 1 through Isak 5…
According to this picture, being stuck mid-river is a laughing matter (no thanks to my hours of experience of forging the rivers in the timeless classic “Oregon Trail” educational video game)….
But it wasn’t only water hazards on our journey. Our integrated video experience of this month features myself and my colleague Ronan as the co-captains of Isak #5, and our perspective on crossing a steamy Icelandic volcanic hotspot…
Our adventure finished at what looks closest to anything I have seen to “the end of the earth”…the black-sand beaches of Iceland! Not surprisingly given the near-freezing temperatures, there was slightly less swimsuit-action than found in the thermal spas – but still plenty of smiles. Iceland, it was a pleasure doing business with you!
Paris Tax Dollars at Work – Days of Heritage!
Back at the ranch, we were coming up to a lesser-known, yet well-celebrated occasion for Paris locals – Journées Européennes du Patrimoine (roughly translated: European Days of Heritage). While this may sound incredibly dull to the common ear, if it were re-marketed as its true meaning “every sight in Paris open to the public and FREE”, you could probably better understand its popularity. Especially in a city where taxes fund public sights of unimaginable opulence, you can understand the public wanting a right to take a peak of their tax dollars at work…at least once a year!
And on this occasion, we headed in the opposite direction of Mona Lisa to our favorite spot – the Jardin du Luxembourg, to see a very different perspective on an old favorite. The grand palace and Senate building inside the garden walls were finally open for the people to enjoy the ultimate life of luxury! If you see this sign, you’ve come to Paris on the right weekend…
The anticipation! Here is a view of getting let in the courtyard of the palace, which is normally reserved for Rolls Royce parking spots….
Gardens inside the gardens, but these are normally reserved for the Senators…
Now that’s what I call fine-dining! We’re working on this type of look for Rue Cassette but we may be a few Euros short…
Not a shabby place for making Senate policy….and I thought I liked my office…
The library with one side books…
and the other side pure Jardin views! Thankfully, this part is always shared with the public. This sight made me re-think my ongoing reference of calling the gardens “our backyard”. Apparently, as leader of the Senate, that statement wouldn’t be so far off…
Bienvenue Mom and Dad – More Johnsons Invade Paris!
If you ever catch yourself saying “we just jumped on the train and popped over to Paris to see our kids”…take a note to yourself, you are officially in a good situation. With my Mom and Dad settled in Heidelberg, Germany on sabbatical this year – such is their good fortune. And as their kids, such is our luck to have an intra-european family within an arms reach! After one weekend of settling in to their new digs, these two Germany aficionados (aka Herr Dr. Glen and Frau Susan) joined us for a crash-course week – the primary objective of seeing how the French capital compared to their beloved Bavaria and other schnitzel-serving regions of Germany. Here they are being welcomed by the masses of Montmartre, almost saying “Kiss, you are in Paris!”…
And in only a few days of Paris dining, they found themselves wearing matching colors of amour…
As parents it was their responsibility to check out the harsh and dangerous working environments that Shannon and I are subject to each day. First in the Playful Pandas domain of ISP…
And in slight contrast, my work environment among the mega-towers of the business district at La Defense…
The summit finish of a journey across town – from the classroom floor to the 38th floor!
And although my Mom couldn’t tour the palace and Senate part of the gardens (it really is only once a year!), the smile tells me that the public part was good enough!
Such bon vivant in Paris! A world where not only the ladies with the crepes et café are smiling for the photographs – but complete strangers as well!
But of all ‘real’ experiences of a Paris, visit, is anything more authentic than a trip up and down the elevator of Rue Cassette? Special thanks to my Dad not only for taking the artistic photo, but even better…for taking the stairs! Thanks for your wonderful visit Mom and Dad – and come back soon!
Parting Glimpses of Family J…
And without Mom and Dad, there were only three remaining in Rue Cassette. Two of us, found often putting back a café noisette and seriously eyeing a fresh, warm apple tarte tatin…
And the other one, watching the US political action and debates in completely un-biased fashion. By the time you read next month’s version of le blog, we’ll have a new president – so get out there, watch, read, and head to the polls on November 4th…then come back to Rue Cassette! Until then, at least you’ll know which way Ole is swinging…
Chuck Norris\’ tears cure cancer. Too bad he has never cried.
Chuck Norris sold his soul to the devil for his rugged good looks and unparalleled martial arts ability. Shortly after the transaction was finalized, Chuck roundhouse kicked the devil in the face and took his soul back. The devil, who appreciates irony, couldn\’t stay mad and admitted he should have seen it coming. They now play poker every second Wednesday of the month.
Little known medical fact: Chuck Norris invented the Caesarean section when he roundhouse-kicked his way out of his monther\’s womb.
Chuck Norris CAN believe it\’s not butter.
I would like to thank you for your blog and pictures you have gone places that I can only wish to go and share with my 2 children so that they can see that there are nicer things in this beautiful world in which we live in, work and play. That the atmosphere in which we live is not all violence. So thank you, the young lady and your familiy for sharing your memories with us I share these with my children.