Post by geordy on Sept 27, 2011 17:34:04 GMT -5
I mentioned in the "And So" thread that we had some events planned.
In date order:
Tues. 9/13 "In Paris" with Mikhail Baryshnikov at Chaillot
Wed 9/14 Drink with yet another OPF member
Thurs 9/15 Meeting the French at Gerard Mulot
Thurs. 9/15 Charles Aznavour at the Olympia Theater
The Chaillot is a very deep theatre....down and down you go ..before you have to show your tickets!(Great Eiffel Tower view before you descend.) Performance is at 8:30 so we had some wine and a chicken sandwich at the bar before. Note to self..if you must eat at the theatre..time/travel issues...stick to cheese!
We had seats in the 4th row. Good. there is a section of about 5 rows of pillows in front of the first rows..right in front of the stage..don't know how they sell those..a few of those folks moved to unoccupied actual seats once it started.
Not a dance piece but a "theatre piece'" based on a novella about White Russians in Paris after The Great War and the Revolution, called the Civil War here. Sad story, some homages to Picasso,Cocteau in design...not well reviewed but of course there is Misha..still a magnetic stage presence..moves like a dream...but apart from a few tap steps in the beginning and a toreador bit at the end...no dancing
Mostly in Russian with French sub titles...the prologue in French with English subs....A white rat has a significant part....I am haunted by rodents!!!
Ran into a woman at Cafe Bonapare the next day who had seen it as well..said one of her friends was threatening not to pay her for the ticket...kidding ..I think...
Not a great piece..but okay and a good evening, with Misha.
2. Met Darcy at Cafe Francais at Pl de Bastille. We had arranged vague recognizing each other stuff but I got her right away! Some wine and a couple of hours of delightful conversation. When we asked for another carafe of water...she was there first and had her wine and petite carafe already....he insisted we pay for our wine first. We weren't finished with it..so assumed perhaps his shift was over...no, he was still working when we left..and he was "of a certain age"...guess we just looked shifty!!!
3. The third time is the charm!!! Previously, on Geordy's trips,.....,.....the first time we booked this we showed up and were told it was canceled because guide was sick. Second time we were informed ahead of time it was canceled because the chefs were going on vacances.
Watched macarons made French style...cold ingedients..as opposed to Italian style..hot..how Pierre Hermes makes them.
Chef mixes by hand...arm in batter up to elbow...he does have hairy arms They were making cafe..we got to taste already made caramel and one of the cafe shells.
Then into Chocolate section...cutey 23 yr old guy won big award. We got to taste several. This is not a factory tour. You are right there , up close and personal as folks are actually working and frequently have to move out of the way. The pastry chef yelled at one of his chefs at one point..and the guide hastily said,,,,it is important to maintain discipline in such close quarters...and I said, "It's okay we've all seen/heard Gordon Ramsey."
A small box of chocolates as a parting gift. I was entranced the minute we walked in by a little pistachio cake with plum filling and on top so we of course purchased that!
And S/O was a really good sport! Because Lasserre..where we were going to lunch afterwards, is a "jackets for men" place he had to wear the protective plastic coat and hat over jacket! I was hot(temperature wise only I am sure ) in it over just a tank top, over blouse and skirt!
4. Charles Aznavour. What can I say? I've been wanting to see something at the Olympia for some time but it is either dark, or doesn't fit with something else, or there is something of no interest what so ever. So to see Aznavour there.........heavenly! Had seen him about a dozen years ago in NY and was thoroughly charmed so really wanted to see him again.
Just standing in the lobby sipping Champagne brought on a teary moment. Started a half hour late as they were seating a long line of people in line for cancellations or no shows.
Sang the first song on a stool and was afraid he had "aged" more than I knew but then he was skipping and dancing and telling jokes(which I of course did not get but...)and was in good voice and the consummate performer. teared up again a few times esp. during "Non Je N'ai Rien Oublie". 2 hours plus...no intermission.
Wonderful experiences!
In date order:
Tues. 9/13 "In Paris" with Mikhail Baryshnikov at Chaillot
Wed 9/14 Drink with yet another OPF member
Thurs 9/15 Meeting the French at Gerard Mulot
Thurs. 9/15 Charles Aznavour at the Olympia Theater
The Chaillot is a very deep theatre....down and down you go ..before you have to show your tickets!(Great Eiffel Tower view before you descend.) Performance is at 8:30 so we had some wine and a chicken sandwich at the bar before. Note to self..if you must eat at the theatre..time/travel issues...stick to cheese!
We had seats in the 4th row. Good. there is a section of about 5 rows of pillows in front of the first rows..right in front of the stage..don't know how they sell those..a few of those folks moved to unoccupied actual seats once it started.
Not a dance piece but a "theatre piece'" based on a novella about White Russians in Paris after The Great War and the Revolution, called the Civil War here. Sad story, some homages to Picasso,Cocteau in design...not well reviewed but of course there is Misha..still a magnetic stage presence..moves like a dream...but apart from a few tap steps in the beginning and a toreador bit at the end...no dancing
Mostly in Russian with French sub titles...the prologue in French with English subs....A white rat has a significant part....I am haunted by rodents!!!
Ran into a woman at Cafe Bonapare the next day who had seen it as well..said one of her friends was threatening not to pay her for the ticket...kidding ..I think...
Not a great piece..but okay and a good evening, with Misha.
2. Met Darcy at Cafe Francais at Pl de Bastille. We had arranged vague recognizing each other stuff but I got her right away! Some wine and a couple of hours of delightful conversation. When we asked for another carafe of water...she was there first and had her wine and petite carafe already....he insisted we pay for our wine first. We weren't finished with it..so assumed perhaps his shift was over...no, he was still working when we left..and he was "of a certain age"...guess we just looked shifty!!!
3. The third time is the charm!!! Previously, on Geordy's trips,.....,.....the first time we booked this we showed up and were told it was canceled because guide was sick. Second time we were informed ahead of time it was canceled because the chefs were going on vacances.
Watched macarons made French style...cold ingedients..as opposed to Italian style..hot..how Pierre Hermes makes them.
Chef mixes by hand...arm in batter up to elbow...he does have hairy arms They were making cafe..we got to taste already made caramel and one of the cafe shells.
Then into Chocolate section...cutey 23 yr old guy won big award. We got to taste several. This is not a factory tour. You are right there , up close and personal as folks are actually working and frequently have to move out of the way. The pastry chef yelled at one of his chefs at one point..and the guide hastily said,,,,it is important to maintain discipline in such close quarters...and I said, "It's okay we've all seen/heard Gordon Ramsey."
A small box of chocolates as a parting gift. I was entranced the minute we walked in by a little pistachio cake with plum filling and on top so we of course purchased that!
And S/O was a really good sport! Because Lasserre..where we were going to lunch afterwards, is a "jackets for men" place he had to wear the protective plastic coat and hat over jacket! I was hot(temperature wise only I am sure ) in it over just a tank top, over blouse and skirt!
4. Charles Aznavour. What can I say? I've been wanting to see something at the Olympia for some time but it is either dark, or doesn't fit with something else, or there is something of no interest what so ever. So to see Aznavour there.........heavenly! Had seen him about a dozen years ago in NY and was thoroughly charmed so really wanted to see him again.
Just standing in the lobby sipping Champagne brought on a teary moment. Started a half hour late as they were seating a long line of people in line for cancellations or no shows.
Sang the first song on a stool and was afraid he had "aged" more than I knew but then he was skipping and dancing and telling jokes(which I of course did not get but...)and was in good voice and the consummate performer. teared up again a few times esp. during "Non Je N'ai Rien Oublie". 2 hours plus...no intermission.
Wonderful experiences!