Passage Paradis

Saturday, October 12, 2013

Life is Sweet - In Chiswick

I used to live here.

(well not in that house, exactly, but the top flat of a similar one)

So did Hogarth, the Redgrave family, Pissaro, Hugh Grant, Richard Briers....Mary Fedden......

(Why can't someone make me one of these here in the U.S.? Why not?)

It has always been cozy and green.

Colorful and flowery.

Perfect for walking.

With lots of nice pubs.

Gourmet and antiques shops.

(La Trompette on this street gets great reviews for years now but - sad face- I've never been)

Good restaurants with LOTS of pizza options too...

(Franco Manca - nice!)

Don't let me forget: great bookshops! And did I mention......

antiques shops (The Old Cinema)? And.....The Soho House.

Would I ever move back there? IN A HEARTBEAT!!!!! Ever been? I recommend it.

How's the weekend so far? (Yes, Chiswick is great place to spend a weekend.)

Thursday, October 10, 2013

Tangled Up in Blue Friday

(John Derian's shop, NYC via Ben Pentreath)

It has been quite the eventful week over here at Passage Paradis. You don't even have the time.....!

(Gesbi via St.Tyl‎)

.....for me to relate all the ins-and-outs and developments......and honestly, I've so surprised myself!

(not sure - probs from someone's Pinterest page but you can see the House Beautiful watermark)

Anyway, some bursts of blue for the week's end for you. Somehow, living in California makes me love this color more and more.

Oh and also, great cause for celebration this week: Alice Munro has won the Nobel Prize for Literature!!!!!! I adore this writer, so happy about this in so many ways. Here's a link to a summary of LATimes reviews of her short stories (she only has published short stories) that couldn't describe her better.

Have a great weekend everybody!

Tuesday, October 8, 2013

Kings Cross - Crossroads, London Town

Wouldn't it have been nicer if the weather had been sunnier? But it was just English.

Despite appearances. (I know, this looks rather French, no? And aren't those tree printed hoardings brilliant?)

("Across the Buildings" by Felice Varini)

The WHOLE AREA behind Kings Cross Station is being REDEVELOPED.

The good thing is the canal remains, and the prospect of walks alongside it.

Some old buildings have been preserved, and entertainments for the young have been provided. (And seats for the oldsters looking out for them.)

(They are calling this Granary Square)

There is art. There are restaurants.

(with celebrity Chef Bruno Loubet heading up Grain Store - lots of veggie options!)

There is an ART SCHOOL.

Central St. Martins (a very cool school, methinks) whose alumni include Stella McCartney, Zac Posen, Jarvis Cocker

How thoughtful! Covered bike storage! (Remember all the bikes at Paddington?)

Here's a roller skating rink. (Small by American standards, but the Brits DO try.)

(view from Shrimpies)

It's a different place from the old Kings Cross which was a little depressing, industrially hulking. Before "industrial" was cool.

Now it looks cheery and light-hearted and a little like Legoland. It's a neighborhood that is going places! (If I told you what this neighborhood was like before this, you would NEVER believe me.) It will be soooo interesting and probs very expensive when it's all done.

What recession, Kings Cross? That was then......THIS is NOW!

Sunday, October 6, 2013

About My Neighbors - In the Wild, Wild West

Last night, 9:30 p.m. driving down my street, two young coyotes loping along in front of us. As our car got closer, they hurried into a neighbor's yard and ducked under the hedges. And just last week in the paper............

(Steve Winter for National Geographic via the LA Times)

May I introduce P-22? Apparently he's a busy guy. Hangs out all day and all night in Griffith Park about a mile and a half from my house. Handsome chappie, no? Click the LA Times link to find out more about him and the National Geographic show about him.

I haven't mentioned, have I, that somewhere, in another part of L.A, we came upon a sign advertising an "estate sale" on a Saturday a.m. two weeks ago. Since we were right there, Mr. Paradis and I figured, "why not?" and parked. We walked up the curving drive to a big house on a hillock, in front of which were planted two giant cages.........

.....Full of......no, not exotic parrots, but EIGHT RING-TAILED LEMURS!!!!!!!!!!! Who were much sweeter and friendlier looking than this guy. But their eyes - a lovely yellow!

Saved me a trip to Madagascar! OK, so a little googling "Ring Tail Lemurs in Hollywood" and here's what I found from the LA Times, November, 2009:

According to the network, Alley's show will specifically see the actress "launching a new weight loss program, patenting multiple inventions, working hard to raise two normal Hollywood teenagers, True and Lillie, taking care of eight ringtail lemurs, and on top of everything, looking for love."

See more at: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/showtracker/2009/11/kirstie-alley-gets-her-own-reality-series-at-ae.html#sthash.BhFNZNIF.dpuf

So, apparently Kirstie lost the show, but maybe kept the lemurs?

All that gym equipment, Kirstie Alley Books and cookie cutters for sale makes sense to the Paradis family now!!!!!!! (I'm guessing she's sworn off cookies.) Could that mean I now own Kirstie Alley's old toaster???? (What, no toast either?)

SWE-E-E-E-T BABY! That's L.A.!

(YouTube link to an episode of the show here. Check out the lemurs. I'm still hoping to spot my toaster!)

Saturday, October 5, 2013

Vanessa Bean - Totemic

You might have missed them if you don't read The Beat That My Heart Skipped.

They remind me a little of Kachina Dolls ("Katsina"- the Autry Museum in L.A. are having a show of them now, here), they are so witty and charming. And a little of Alexander Girard (my pic of his dolls here.)

I think they must be small. They are "rings". Vanessa was inspired to make them in an evening ceramic jewelry class she took. Lovely, no? More about Vanessa and her work here.

OK, so what's doing this weekend? Hope it's all good!