The fog lifted enough this morning that I could see who’d been making such a racket all night long with the foghorn:
As the sun began burning its way through, I risked being late for my morning ferry and took my camera down to the beach to snap these shots. I love the stillness that is part of the fog — wish I could have played hooky and jumped into the kayak — the best paddles for me are the foggy ones.
I’m trying to get the time and energy for a post about my Vancouver shopping — I want to think through my response to new goodies in the stores against the much-ness already evident in my closet and the desirability of scaling back the consumption to dress creatively and attractively and stylishly within a less spendy framework. Not saying I’m going to make any commitments but I’m planning to meditate a little bit on the issue. . .
Meanwhile, we saw four — count ’em, four! — movies on DVD this weekend:
1. Eastern Promises — solid acting (Viggo Mortensen and Naomi Watts especially), very tense, more graphic violence than I could watch without covering my eyes and peeking through my fingers (seriously — don’t any of you do that too?)
2. 2 Days in Paris — I’m a Julie Delpy fan since the Before Sunrise/Before Sunset films, and this movie is very much in that vein — heavy on the dialogue. Some very Woody Allen-esque moments, which Adam Goldberg played well. Paul almost choked laughing so hard — after his years of French lessons (mandatory for his senior-ish position in Canadian civil service), he’s very alert to the humour inherent in language-learning/alienation situations. Goldberg’s exclusion from Delpy’s French-only conversations with her outrageously soixante-huitard father about Goldberg’s character, right in front of him, as he tried to follow, were hilarious. Her conversations with ex-lovers even funnier. Coincidentally, my internet friend IndigoAlison also watched this movie over the weekend and also loved it.
3. Perfect Stranger — really bad. just really bad. I wasn’t a fan of Monster’s Ball, and this movie has nothing to suggest that Halle Berry can act — although she can certainly overact. Very poor pacing — nothing much happens to care about in the first thirty minutes and then way too much in the last five or ten. Did I mention it was really bad?
4. La Doublure Very enjoyable, well-acted French farce set in Paris — need I say more? Oh, besides Daniel Auteil who’s always fun to watch, Kristin Scott-Thomas is delightful in this. In fact, the female roles are all particularly satisfying.
And after watching two French films set in Paris this weekend, our tickets for this May’s trip arrived today. Paul had booked them weeks ago, the points had left his plan and the charges appeared on the credit card statement, but processing the electronic ticket/itinerary took a while. I was beginning to get anxious and didn’t want to blog about the travel plans for fear of jinxing them, but it’s official: we fly to Paris May 21st for a week-long visit, then take a train to Portugal to spend a week at a converted olive mill in the Beira-Alta region, then three days in Lisbon before flying home. Only three months to wait, ninety sleeps!
I am adding La Doublure to my Netflix list.
And, hooray for you! What a wonderful time to be in Paris. I am going to be in Paris for the month of July. I have 5 months to wait!
My gosh those pictures are something!
I’m equally delighted by and envious of your upcoming trip to Paris. How wonderful! Those photos are so moving.
Your trip sounds fabulous!
Thanks Gina and Jillian — the fog really creates a beautiful image, doesn’t it?
and Gina, Pseu, and LBR: yes, I’m pretty excited about Paris. LBR, one whole month? lucky you!
Ah Before Sunrise/Before Sunset. Have two movies ever affected a young man more than those movies this jeune homme? (Homme jeune?) Before Sunrise basically ruined me as a useful human being for five years as I desperately tried to emulate Ethan Hawke’s character INCLUDING the creative facial hair.
Ah, memories.
great pictures. I love the fog.
I liked Eastern Promies Viggo Mortensen is great in this role. If you want scary try No Country for Old Men, now that’s a bad guy.
Lucky you on your upcoming trip. Are you like me and love the anticipation of it. I drive Kacey and Erica both crazy with this as neither of them like to get excited until almost the day of departure, weird.
Hilary
Rohan is less than a month away from her Italian rendezvous. She just got her itinerary so I have been checking out her hotels on tripadvisor and others. Probably not a good idea but I can’t stop myself. Would have been wise to stop reading when they started talking about the prostitutes outside the hotel in Rome…and the “swarmy” clerk at reception..I am not going to worry…I am sure that my young daughter will ensure the safety of all her classmates, whether they like it or not. They spend their first night in Milan, then onto Venice, Florence and they will be in Rome during Holy Week and for Easter Sunday.
Your trip sounds amazing.
Kath
Thomas: Too funny! You won’t want to emulate Adam Goldberg’s!
Hilary: We saw No Country a few weeks ago — yes, the scariest guy since Ben Kingsley in Sexy Beast or Harvey Keitel in The Bad Lieutenant.
And yes, I’m big on the anticipation, buying guidebooks, novels-set-in-the-destination, checking out blogs, etc. Since this is our fourth annual trip to Paris, I’m a bit less nutty, but definitely not as low-key as Paul.
Kathryn: That girl was born sensible (and bossy! sorry Rohan, but you know it’s true) so I think you can turn the worry switch off. She’ll have to tell me all about Italy since I haven’t been there yet.
I think when you’re the oldest of four you’re allowed to be a bit bossy (not that I know anyone like that!)
Bronwen
So glad you got your Paris trip sorted – but sorry our paths won’t cross, as I’ll be in the States for three weeks, from the 14th or 15th. Still, it’s a good time to be in Paris – the weather is usually at its most cooperative in May.
Oh and I quite like seeing the foggy pictures – I miss the fog in San Francisco. Luckily, I should get to see it in May.
Tara: I knew that’s when you’d be away and I’m disappointed we won’t be able to meet this year. In fact, I’d almost tried to work our holiday around your dates, but that’s not realistic for coordinating with our trip to Portugal, long booked in tandem with my daughter and her husband. Next year, I hope.
As regards #2 on my first visit to Cyprus I sat next to a sweet old lady whilst she told the gathering of local villagers that she had goats in her back yard prettier than me. Emin dines out on that one all the time!
I watched Hidden last week with Daniel Auteil, he is just an amazing actor, very odd film though.
Alison: Did you suspect at all what she was saying? Or did you just have to smile and nod along?
We saw Hidden a few months ago — fine acting throughout, but I’m still perplexed.