Life is what happens when you are making other plans.
Monday, July 28, 2008
Stuffed Tomatoes Convention?
When I first saw this couple run past me on Bush Street yesterday, I thought, OK, the poor guy lost a bet and they're making him run around the block wearing a dress.
Guy wearing dresses aren't all that unusual in San Francisco, but these 2 looked just a little bit a little out of place...
But then, I turned around and saw these guys:
and these guys ...
... and these guys.
Were these people
a) Going to a Stuffed Tomato Convention? b) Demonstrating in support of equal rights for red-dress wearing people? c) Protesting the visit of a certain republican candidate in San Francisco that same evening? Or d) Participating in the Red Dress Run just like they did last year? e) Advertising for Donna Sachet? f) All or none of the above?
(Any other idea what this was all about? Go ahead, feel free to have a little fun coming up with ideas of your own in the commenting section, if you want.)
In the meantime, here is a very short video of last year's Red Dress run in San Francisco.
Nothing much was happening at Belden Lane this year.
All the celebrating seemed to be going on at the Irish Bank instead, where they had blocked the entire alley and charged people $5 to get in. They had 80's music going on when I walked by, and a couple of police cars parked outside just in case things got out of hand.
Best-o-Burger, Pine St., SF
Surprisingly, this fast-food burger joint on Pine St., had decided to do a 14th of July special. They had a bunch of French flags planted in front of the window, and the poster in the window reads:
"Best-o-Burger Celebrates Bastille Day with Iron Skillet Seared Foie Gras BOB Burger and French Flag Gelato. Laissez le bon temps rouler! (Let the good times roll)"
Nice touch! But a foie-gras burger? Hmmm.. . I don't know about that! ;)
People always ask me if I am going to do anything celebrate the 14th of July (as French people call it, rather than "Bastille Day"). Truthfully, I don't really see the point, so I usually don't do anything at all.
Nothing much in the Bay Area can ever compare to the kind of celebrations they put out in France that day. And that's OK, of course (I realize the 4th of July probably sucks in France, too)! ;)
Meanwhile, in Paris ... (the first and last ones are my favorites!)
If you are interested in seeing the entire 14th of July celebration on the Champs Elysees in Paris, I highly recommend you check out this guy's videos on U-Tube. He has posted the entire official TF1 broadcast, split in 12 videos. It's almost like being there.
A few in particular stand out:
6 men and 1 women paratroopers (first women ever) jump out of a plane above Paris and land in a very precise spot right in front of the French President and his guests, Place de la Concorde, Paris. (approx. 4 minutes, MUST SEE!)
Défilé aérien (Patrouille de France (the French equivalent of the Bluge Angels) opens up. MUST SEE, at least the first couple of minutes!)
Marseillaise & Ode à la Joie, le 14 juillet 2008 (7:38)
French National Anthem interpreted by the French Army and the Sapeurs Pompiers (firemen and women). According to the journalist, some of these firemen up front are only 16 years old. (National anthem only takes a couple of minutes in the begining. Skip to almost the end if you want to hear 'Ode à la Joie').
Sarcozy going down the Avenue of Champs Elysees, with the Guarde Républicaine (mounted guards, horsemen). It's a different live feed, so a different camera perspective than the others, and much quicker (about 4 minutes). (When I went back on U-Tube yesterday, people in the crowd had uploaded their own version, in which you can hear some of the people in the the crowd booing the President - Sarcozy's approval rate right now is about as bad as ... well, you know who iin the US.)
last but not least ...
OK, this one is not the 2008 display but I haven't yet found one I really like for 2008, so at least you get an idea.
If you have the time and are interested, there are more videos to look at. Just grab a glass of wine and watch the Défilé!
This paper guy falling off the piece of paper was part of a set of entries for an art contest at the Hirshorn Modern Art Gallery in DC. The rule was that each artist could use only one sheet of paper. You can see the entire collection right here.
Le monsieur en papier qui s'accroche à son ombre faisait partie d'un concours au Hirshorn Modern Art Gallery, à DC. La regle etait que chaque artiste ne devait utiliser qu'un seul morceau de papier. Vous pouvez voir la collection entiere ici.
This particular photograph above is, I believe, from Peter Callesen, and is entitled "Holding on to Myself, 2006". Take a minute to check out Peter Callesen's incredible website and you'll be in for a treat!
La photo ci-dessus est, je crois, de Peter Callesen, et s'appelle "Je m'accroche à moi même, 2006". Prenez un petit moment pour aller voir le site incroyable de Peter Callesen et vous ne serez pas déçus!
Happy Independence Day from ... your neighborhood's dry cleaner!
By the way, speaking of our freedom, don't forget to check out this article in the paper when you get a chance. If you're reading this, you're online, and if you're online, you probably need to know.
