Looking in the sidewalk fountain in St-Germain-des-Prés (2006-10-05)

An "exploding sidewalk" fountain is near the building in which Ryan has classes.

Touring L'Opera (2006-10-04)

Touring the Musée du Louvre for free (2006-10-01)

Many people leave the Musée du Louvre at the end of the free day (the first Sunday of the month). This time we saw multiple sphinx, a statue of the god Horus, and many other Egyptian antiquities.

Ascending the Tour Eiffel (2006-09-30)

Ryan and William (and Our Founder) visited the Tour Eiffel, visible from the Parc du Champ de Mars.

In the salon at chez M. Berger (2006-09-29)

We relaxed in the salon of Madame Berger's apartment, seen above from the kitchen. To the left is the room of other boarders Jason and Tom--from Australia. A hallway from the kitchen connects three rooms, a toilet, and a bath. Madame Berger is in one of those rooms, with the only television. Another boarder, Tetsuya--from Japan--is in another. Ryan and I are in the third, on a bunk bed. There's another toilet and bath off the kitchen. Madame Berger provides all of us (and her boyfriend Jean Claude) breakfast, and cooks dinner, each day. The apartment is half a block from Moulin Rouge.

Resting in the Jardin du Luxemborg (2006-09-27)

Our first resting place in Paris was the Jardin du Luxemborg. We lay on the grass (in the approved location) and looked up at the trees.

Visiting Feistel (2006-09-26)

We first started using my new digital camera (a Canon PowerShot SD600 Digital ELPH) on our last visit to Feistel, our cat. Feistel appeared at home at house of dear friends, where he will stay for two months while we are in Europe.

Watching Boy Culture (2006-05-26)

The first of three films spawned in Seattle--a total of four local films--that I watched, Boy Culture was a witty adaptation of the book. The hot "boys" included Darryl Stephens, who we would later see in Another Gay Movie.

Watching Wah-Wah (2006-05-26)

Wah-Wah needs a trailer that emphasizes its drama more than its comedy. While the SIFF web site describes it as a "dramedy", the comedic aspects are more apparent in the trailer. In one scene Ralph and his father, Harry Compton (played by Gabriel Byrne), block his mother's entrance and gesture the maid away. In the film the scene is sad while in the trailer it appears funny. Alternatively, the movie could end before his father drops and breaks the china cup; there is sufficient tragedy in the earlier parts of the film.

At The Illusionist Opening Night Gala (2006-05-25)

It may be challenging when tired to blog every screening we see in SIFF (and, later, every weekend away in Europe), but I like the idea so I'll start with The Illusionist. This was an entertaining, inoffensive film, unlikely to produce the disgust that some felt for the transgressive Opening Night Me and You and Everyone We Know or the tears some shed for the sentimental Opening Night The Notebook. The Illusionist reminded me of The Usual Suspects, with more magic and fewer fatalities, though I liked The Usual Suspects better.

At the Paramount screening were director Neil Burger, leading actress Jessica Biel--whom I've only seen before in Stealth (which looked like it wanted to be Top Gun for the 2000s)--and 2500 film fans, including us and two friends. Edward Norton (see Rounders, American History X, Fight Club, Keeping the Faith, The Score, Frida, and The Italian Job!) was not present. (As an aside, Red Dragon is still my least favorite Ed Norton movie.) Afterward we walked to the old Seattle Public Library for a party that was again too large and too loud. I prefer the smaller galas, but I still had an entertaining evening.