France is Hexagonal

The Book I Read

2012-02-13T11:17:00.000-08:00

"The Book I Read" bookcase by Anzfer Farms. Photo by Joe.

The Heart of Umeå

2012-02-10T09:23:00.001-08:00

Downtown Umeå.

Snow sharks

2012-02-07T15:16:00.001-08:00

The frozen river that cuts through the middle of town.

Northern Lights Sculpture

2012-02-03T13:16:00.001-08:00

The northern lights sculpture in the middle of the campus at Umeå University.

The New Neighborhood

2012-01-24T12:30:00.000-08:00

Umeå, Sweden

Potrero Hill Moonrise

2012-01-20T08:54:00.000-08:00

Last night in California for awhile.

Big Sur

2012-01-19T15:51:00.000-08:00

Big Sur, just off of Highway 1.

Sierra Mar

2012-01-18T07:39:00.000-08:00

The Sierra Mar restaurant at the Post Ranch Inn, Big Sur. Nice view.

Unpacking Art

2012-01-17T11:38:00.000-08:00

A couple of vintage Wy pieces. There's still lots of art to unpack and hang.

Magazines at Rainbow Co-op

2012-01-04T11:32:00.000-08:00

In the checkout line at Rainbow Co-op.

University of Zuckerman

2012-01-03T15:21:00.001-08:00

Nate's awesome APA nametag.

The Soul of Georgetown

2012-01-02T11:22:00.000-08:00

Haggard Hoya logo, partially obscured by kegs, by the entrance to Dixie Liquor in Georgetown.

From Key Bridge

2012-01-01T13:21:00.000-08:00

Crossing from Rosslyn into Georgetown across the Key Bridge.

Wooden Sandwich

2011-12-27T22:22:00.000-08:00

A wooden sandwich toy, hand made by my dad about 30 years ago.

Central Valley Xmas 2011

2011-12-27T00:38:00.000-08:00

Festivities spread across Clovis, Madera, and Fresno.

The Bonaventure

2011-12-19T12:23:00.000-08:00

I rode one of the True Lies elevators up and down on a sunny afternoon while drinking a coffee.

More California Wintertime Blue Sky

2011-12-09T00:22:00.001-08:00

California Holiday Decorations

2011-12-06T13:10:00.001-08:00

At Craig & Jenny's Holiday Party. The Holidays in California: Warm and sunny outside, warm inside. Check out Craig's website.

Whiz Burgers

2011-11-20T23:10:00.001-08:00

Best neon in the mission? Whiz Burger on 18th and South van Ness.

Potrero Hill Sun & Shade

2011-11-13T10:02:00.001-08:00

The top of a steam column rising from SF General Hospital catches the morning sun while the bottom remains in the shadow of Potrero Hill.

Sutro Tower from Twin Peaks

2011-11-01T19:23:00.001-07:00

It feels like you're closer to the sun up there.

Muir Beach Overlook

2011-10-26T19:57:00.000-07:00

Muir Beach Overlook, off of Highway 1 between Stinson Beach and Sausalito.

Tomales Bay

2011-10-25T07:38:00.000-07:00

BBQ oysters at the Marshall Store and an oyster picnic at Hog Island Oyster Co.

2011-10-21T08:03:00.001-07:00

The view to the west: Sutro tower and afternoon fog rolling in.

Fleet Week Air Show

2011-10-09T21:30:00.000-07:00

From top to bottom: Blue Angels F/A-18 Hornets flying behind the Transamerica building; a B-2 bomber; and two Canadian Snowbirds CT-114 Tutors.

2011-10-05T12:36:00.000-07:00

California scenery in the Mission.

Hanging Life Long Action Adventure

2011-09-25T08:59:00.000-07:00

Hanging Wyeth's Life Long Action Adventure, originally part of his True Believers show at the Riviera Gallery.

Philosophy Meal Ticket

2011-09-18T12:51:00.000-07:00

PLM Conference, Stockholm. More pictures.

Tomato Canning

2011-09-13T15:36:00.000-07:00

Canning at Patrick & Yukari's, after picking tomatoes at Marquita Farms in Watsonville.

Sonoma

2011-08-30T11:02:00.001-07:00

Swimming pool and California oak trees in Sonoma, CA.

Relocated

2011-08-29T09:47:00.000-07:00

We moved west.

National Humanities Center

2011-08-15T15:17:00.000-07:00

The National Humanities Center, outside Chapel Hill, NC.

Radical Contextualism Mug

2011-07-23T10:59:00.000-07:00

Radical Contextualism, in mug form, featuring Wyeth's Didont/Visage typeface.

Côte Ouest

2011-07-21T14:27:00.000-07:00

Seen from the tail camera on the A380.

Tour Eiffel, 14 Juillet

2011-07-20T13:00:00.001-07:00

Fireworks viewed from the École Militaire on July 14.

Défilé militaire du 14 juillet

2011-07-17T09:45:00.000-07:00

3 C160NGs flying over the Arc de Triumphe.

A KC-135FR followed by a Rafale and three Mirage 2000s.

A bunch of Alpha Jets.

An ERC 90.

A Véhicule de l'Avant Blindé.

A Véhicule Blindé Léger.

The Leclerc tanks had famous French battles stenciled on their turrets.

A special convoy of Renault TRM 700-100 tank transporters carrying Leclerc tanks and other armored vehicles.

À l'aube

2011-07-13T03:07:00.000-07:00

I'm not usually up this early.

Le Mont Saint Michel Vous Regarde

2011-07-11T01:30:00.000-07:00

View of Mont Saint Michel from Cancale.

Sainte-Mère-Église

2011-07-10T02:39:00.000-07:00

A dummy paratrooper hanging from the church in Sainte-Mère-Église.

Pointe du Hoc

2011-07-09T09:41:00.000-07:00

Pointe du Hoc, between Omaha and Utah beaches. I wanted to see this spot because I watched The Longest Day over and over as a kid.

Omaha Beach

2011-07-08T03:06:00.001-07:00

Omaha Beach. Photos by Melody.

Utah Beach

2011-07-04T07:20:00.000-07:00

Photo by Melody.

À la compagne

2011-07-01T03:17:00.001-07:00

Now I understand the urge to flee Paris to the countryside when the city gets hot.

At the movies

2011-06-28T03:13:00.000-07:00

Melody convinced me when we first moved here to buy an UGC Illimité card, which allows you to watch an unlimited number of movies at most movie theaters in Paris for a yearly fee of about 240 euros. At 8 euros a movie, we would need to watch 30 movies to make the card worthwhile, and I think we accomplished that in our first couple of months here. Most awesomely, there was a complete Rohmer series at La Filmotheque in August, so we saw all the subtitled versions they showed:

-Le Genou de Claire
-Pauline à la plage
-L'Amour l'après-midi
-La Femme de l'aviateur
-Les Nuits de la pleine lune
-Le Rayon vert
-L'Ami de mon amie
-Conte de printemps
-Conte d'été

We just watched Barry Lyndon at La Filmo as part of their Kubrick series. I had seen BL on video, but watching a projection of it made it clear that it is the most beautiful looking movie I've ever seen.

We also recently saw Sailor et Lula (Wild at Heart) at Le Champo, down the street from La Filmotheque.

It seems there is always some Lynch playing somewhere in town, always some Hitchcock, always some film noir, and always some westerns. So, for example, we saw To Catch a Thief, Lifeboat, and Strangers on a Train at La Filmo, Melody saw Kiss Me Deadly there too, and I was giddy watching The Wild Bunch at Action Christine and Pat Garret and Billy the Kid at La Filmo.

Some others I can remember:

-Rio Bravo (La Filmo)
-Les Felins (La Filmo)
-An Affair to Remember (La Filmo)
-Now Voyager (Action Christine)
-The American Friend (La Filmo)
-Badlands (La Filmo)
-Thin Red Line (La Filmo)
-The New World (La Filmo)
-Bad Lieutenant (La Filmo) (this was part of a Harvey Keitel series!)
-Klute (La Filmo)
-Manhunt (La Filmo)
-Ninotchka (La Filmo)
-Hombre (La Filmo)
-Minuit à Paris (UGC Danton, which appears in the opening montage)
-You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger (Mk2 Quai de la Seine)
-Source Code (don't remember where)
-Paths of Glory (Le Champo)
-Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (La Filmo)
-Black Swan (Mk2 Quai de la Loire)
-King's Speech (Mk2 Quai de la Seine)
-The Fighter (somewhere on the Champs-Élysées)
-The Social Network (Mk2 Quai de la Seine)
-Reservoir Dogs (La Filmo) (also part of the Keitel series)
-Crimes and Misdemeanors (La Filmo)
-Femme Fatale (La Filmo)
-Charade (La Filmo)
-Breakfast at Tiffany's (La Filmo)
-An American in Paris (La Filmo)

Invalides

2011-06-26T23:18:00.000-07:00

While visiting the Musée de l'Armée, my dad and I also watched a large French military ceremony in the central courtyard of Invalides. The French navy dress uniforms (with the red pom pom on top of the hat) are particularly awesome. The enlisted men and women standing at attention with FAMAS rifles with fixed bayonets would have to cover the pointy tip of the bayonet with their hand when they moved around, presumably to prevent poking someone's eye out.

Joseph Banks in the British Museum

2011-06-26T05:57:00.000-07:00

While hanging out in the curiosity cabinet room in the British Museum, I spotted the bronze portrait bust of Joseph Banks, who is a central figure in The Age of Wonder, which I spent pleasurable month or so reading.

Turbine Hall

2011-06-24T23:36:00.000-07:00

Visitors enjoying the sun in the Tate Modern's Turbine Hall.

Oggsford Graduation, Part 2

2011-06-24T00:49:00.000-07:00

The doorway I most identify with in the Bodleian quad.

View of the Radcliffe Camera from the Old Quad at BNC.

View onto Radcliffe Square from inside BNC.

Oxford being exclusive, in this instance at Merton College.

Merton's dining hall serves one of the better english breakfasts in Oxford on Sundays.
Merton gardens and playing fields.

Broad Street in summer rain.

Oggsford Graduation, Part 1

2011-06-22T14:49:00.000-07:00

The Bodleian.

Waiting to reenter the Sheldonian, outside the Divinity School.

After the degree ceremony, standing around outside the Sheldonian, with the Bridge of Sighs in the background.

A bulldog.

Melody and I went to Oxford last weekend to receive degrees that we completed almost ten years ago, and to eat some Ben's cookies from the Covered Market.

Pont des Artes

2011-06-22T04:16:00.000-07:00

Around 10pm on the Pont des Artes.

Château Cerisy-la-Salle

2011-06-08T08:39:00.000-07:00

Buildings and grounds at Le Centre Culturel International in Cerisy-la-Salle, Normandy. We just completed a massive, week-long conference at the Château on "Meaning, Context and Implicit Content" with around 60 participants.

The Tower

2011-05-28T05:19:00.000-07:00

There's a sign in the Eiffel Tower elevator that says, in English, "Beware of the pickpockets".

Les Colonnes de Buren

2011-05-17T05:37:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we stumbled across Les Colonnes de Buren, Daniel Buren's striped columns in the Palais Royal.

Quai de Jemmapes

2011-05-10T08:09:00.000-07:00

Twilight on the Canal Saint Martin. This time of day, when the sky is still light, but lights are on, always reminds Melody of Magritte's The House of Mysteries.

Butts Wynd

2011-05-05T16:20:00.001-07:00

Greetings from St. Andrews.

Lancaster, Hurricane, Spitfire, Tornados and Typhoons

2011-05-01T03:23:00.001-07:00

Flyovers by the RAF at the Royal Wedding.

At Home I Feel Like a Tourist

2011-04-22T03:05:00.000-07:00

Because I've been acting like one.

Three Stooges

2011-04-20T00:53:00.000-07:00

In the Louvre.

The Louvre

2011-04-19T02:28:00.000-07:00

The Louvre, packed with paintings and people looking at and painting studies of and taking pictures of paintings.

From top to bottom: La Jaconde, Weenix (whose name, as pointed out by Wyeth, sounds like an Asterix character), the hall of Italian paintings, and a study of Rembrandt's Flayed Ox.

Ancient iPhone

2011-04-17T02:32:00.001-07:00

The Louvre.

Oscar Wilde's Tomb

2011-04-16T02:44:00.000-07:00

The defaced tomb of Oscar Wilde in Père Lachaise.

Lord Henry describes Dorian Gray as having "finely curved scarlet lips", but this is ridiculous.

Fines de Claires No. 3

2011-04-11T03:42:00.000-07:00

Sunday Lunch: Fines de Claires No 3 from the Richard Lenoir market.

Déjeuner sur l'herbe

2011-04-06T12:40:00.001-07:00

Déjeuner dans le Jardin du Luxembourg, avec Melody (et tout le monde).

California Locations

2011-04-03T15:32:00.000-07:00

My dad is working on a new California themed book, which involves lots of location scouting, as indicated on this map.

Hegel Tutoring

2011-04-02T03:16:00.001-07:00

Ad for a tutoring service on the Metro.

The Greenbrier

2011-04-01T01:40:00.000-07:00

"Beware of foreign influence."

The eclectic interiors of the Greenbrier Hotel in West Virginia.

Helsinki

2011-03-29T10:46:00.000-07:00

Hei hei Finland.

Baltic Avenue

2011-03-23T08:24:00.000-07:00

Walking on the semi-frozen Baltic on the southeast side of Helsinki.

Photos by Melody.

Turku Cathedral

2011-03-18T00:31:00.001-07:00

Turku Cathedral, down the street from Åbo Akademi.

Day out

2011-03-04T13:35:00.001-08:00

We had a big day out today. We went to the de Stijl show at the Pompidou, saw Karl Lagerfeld get into a Rolls Royce outside the Galignani bookstore, walked by a bunch of fashion week tents, spotted these guys, had dinner at Les Cocottes, and walked home, past the Grand Palais and the city all lit up.

Nose Art & Design

2011-02-22T00:19:00.000-08:00

At the Musée de l'Air et de l'Espace.

Musée de l'Air et de l'Espace

2011-02-21T02:07:00.000-08:00

Lots of funky French fighters from the 50s.

Cinémania

2011-02-07T14:58:00.000-08:00

La Filmothèque du Quartier Latin is our favorite movie theater. Since we've been here, they've played complete series of Eric Rohmer and Terence Malick, a series of movies featuring Harvey Keitel (including The Border), movies featuring members of the Fonda family, a series of movies set in Paris, and now they're in the middle of showing a ton of Peckinpahs. Last night we saw Pat Garett and Billy the Kid, which is the best Peckinpah after La Horde Sauvage.

The Filmotheque is great, but if you want to see anything you need to get there early. These pictures show the queue-jumping mob outside the theater on a Monday night at 6pm. The crowd is fighting to get a place to see either Manhunt or Straw Dogs.

Tour Eiffel

2011-01-29T06:58:00.000-08:00

2011

2002

The world is getting less blurry.

Ceiling

2011-01-27T11:08:00.000-08:00

Heading home.

Photo by Wyeth.

Park Güell

2011-01-19T12:13:00.000-08:00

Gaudi's Park Güell overlooking Barcelona.

Barcelona

2011-01-17T09:07:00.001-08:00

A change of scenery.

Dérive

2010-12-26T23:49:00.000-08:00

Top to bottom: Jardin du Luxembourg in the snow, Marie du Ve lit up with Xmas lights, and Rue Clovis. For a while I thought there might be some hidden Frankish history in the central valley of California, but Clovis, CA is not named after Clovis, but after Clovis Cole.

Heine, Truffaut

2010-12-26T12:58:00.000-08:00

In Montmarte Cemetary.

French Xmas

2010-12-25T13:48:00.000-08:00

Assorted French Xmas goods, from top to bottom: salmon eggs, chestnut creme, chocolate sardines, goose fat.

Paris Snow

2010-12-19T07:23:00.000-08:00

It's been lightly and pleasantly snowing here, just enough to give things the proper joyeux Noël feeling.

Fontaine de Médicis

2010-12-18T05:19:00.000-08:00

In the Jardin du Luxembourg.

Sapience

2010-12-10T09:05:00.000-08:00

Owl and serpent mosaic in the entryway to the Département d'Études Cognitives, ENS.

Le Panthéon

2010-12-09T14:51:00.001-08:00

It snowed all day yesterday but today was perfectly clear and sunny. I've worked out my morning commute so that I can check out what's playing at La Filmotheque and then walk by the Panthéon.

Paris Wintertime

2010-12-04T11:08:00.000-08:00

Rue Montorgueil

Pergamonmuseum

2010-12-01T16:40:00.000-08:00

The Pergamonmuseum is Berlin's massive museum of ancient art and architecture. The only thing that would make it more impressive would be if it itself was taken apart, shipped to some distant country and, like the Pergamon Altar, enclosed in an even more enormous museum.

Currywurst usw.

2010-11-29T08:38:00.001-08:00

Back in Berlin for the first time since 1999. Ate currywurst and pommes at Curry Mitte, tafelspitz at the Brecht Museum Kellerrestaurant, and a list of stuff too long to name at the Schwarzwaldstube in Mitte. Hat super geschmeckt.

Villa Savoye

2010-11-26T21:17:00.000-08:00

Le Corbusier's Villa Savoye is at the end of one branch of the RER A line, about an hour outside of Paris.

Thanksgiving in Paris

2010-11-26T11:00:00.001-08:00

There were more oysters than usual.

Bois de Boulogne

2010-11-21T02:51:00.000-08:00

Water, trees and RC sailboats in the Bois de Boulogne.

Jardin des Plantes

2010-11-13T15:24:00.000-08:00

There are petits pandas in the Jardin des Plantes.

Therme Vals

2010-11-09T16:35:00.000-08:00

Peter Zumthor's thermal baths in Vals, Switzerland. The baths had different themes: an outdoor bath that was covered in fog, a "fire" bath that was very hot, an "ice" bath that was very cold, a bath full of flower petals, a high-ceilinged cave room that had very weird acoustics, usw. The night swimming one evening was accompanied by two guys banging on gongs and other percussion instruments.

Glacier Express

2010-11-02T04:44:00.000-07:00

The Glacier Express runs between Zermatt and St. Moritz. The train serves an enormous lunch.

Zermatt

2010-10-31T08:59:00.000-07:00

Some houses in Zermatt, Switzerland in the evening and again early in the morning, before sunrise. The Matterhorn is near Zermatt.

Top Curry Centre

2010-10-23T13:43:00.000-07:00

The Top Curry Centre in Pimlico has a poster in the window showing a young Diana Spencer running past the Top Curry Centre.

Harrier and Jaguar

2010-10-21T03:18:00.001-07:00

Fiona Banner's Harrier and Jaguar in Tate Britain. Paintings can't compete with fighter-bombers.

Parc de la Villette

2010-10-13T03:21:00.000-07:00

Parc de la Villette, an enormous, weird, Alphaville-like park in northeast Paris.

Huitres Normandes

2010-10-07T16:15:00.000-07:00

Recently had Utah Beach Oysters, and there also seem to be Omaha Beach oysters; are there Gold, Juno and Sword Beach oysters as well?

Photo by Melody.

Enlightenment Philosopher

2010-09-25T14:04:00.000-07:00

Outside King's College chapel at the University of Aberdeen. I'm in town for this conference.

Arts et Métiers

2010-09-21T05:01:00.000-07:00

In the Ancienne église de Saint-Martin-des-Champs at the Musée des Arts et Métiers. The circle of people below are looking at a replica of Foucault's Pendulum. The museum also has Pascal's adding machines and the standard meter bar in platinum (previously mentioned here).