Life is like a box of chocolates

Gosh!!! I can't believe that this blog is 21-page-long already! A few years have gone by and a few thousand miles of travel too! Which taken individually don't seem that much but in fact it is pretty amazing really...Since the beginning of this blog, I have gone to the UK, worked there, lived in London for a while, gone back to Paris, travelled back occasionally to London, went on holiday in Italy, twice, on holiday in Normandy, Alsace (France), to Edinburgh, Germany, Prague, discovered Stockholm , returned to Stockholm once more, travelled again to London... Seen Dita Von Teese twice, went to (only) 2 concerts, went to the Crazy Horse for the first time in my life, collected Dita Von Teese autographs and memorabilia among other past-times. I have changed addresses 5 times in nearly 6 years! Have changed jobs 3 times for various reasons and lived 5 more years basically...

As of late, I have been watching the whole series Six Feet Under! I really like it. Some might think that it is not in the best of taste, but I think that it shows a part of "life" that is usually hidden or taboo and why should it be? OK granted it's not the most joyous of occasions but it's inevitable. When you live you inevitably die. Because it's taboo people are probably more scared than other events in life. The shroud of mystery surrounding the end of life is making it the most feared. I cannot say that I am not scared to die (well not of death itself but rather the way in which it will happen) but this series shows you how one minute you are alive and the next you are gone and sometimes in really strange circumstances. I now look at things in a slightly different way and I look at the people around me when I commute to work, or walk down the street.

Moreover, there is also all the American tradition of embalming people ready for viewing. It's so strange to see this from Europe where we do not do this. But in the US they apparently have mastered the art of reconstruction, which I guess is a good thing for the relatives of the deceased to see them the way they were.

I do recommand this series anyway because it is actually quite eye-opening and in the end kind of therapeutic. Not to mention that the actors are absolutely brilliant too!

Not to be missed I think!

I know that I should write more often but well about what? My life at the moment is at a stand-still, while the country, France, is spiralling down into recession, people are going totally nuts: just the other day, a mother stabbed her ten-year old girl because she was playing with her PSP....and to top it all she let her five year old boy blame himself for the stabbing! Everyday when taking the underground there are delays due to suicide attempts...I mean frankly what can I write? I do wish I had some entertaining things to say (well apart from my cat playing with my husband's socks). And why exactly am I writing this anyway ?????

Actually I do have a short anecdote: I went to a job interview two days ago. It went really well I thought. When I came back I had a message from the temping agency asking me to call back. So I did. And the bloke said that they really really liked me but....(here we go I thought, and nothing had prepared me for this!) you will have to change your clothes. I am afraid but they want people to wear bright colours, especially this person who fled Iran because he found that women were dressed in black too much (?!? was that the only reason he fled ?????). I retorted that I could not afford to change my whole wardrobe (not that it is totally black, but I tend to wear some yes!). He then said that they appreciate people making an effort and wearing bright and cheerful colours.... Where is this country going? So first I was dismissed because my boss did not like the look of my face and now I am told to dress according to the fancy of one man? If I were to dress badly I could understand, but I am not and frankly I thought that remark was not welcome as I went to great length to be very smart that day...

On Friday, last week, I went to a craft fair in Paris. Inside there was also an exhibition on the crafts involved in the Haute-Couture industry: embroidery, pleats, weaving, etc. It was rather interesting, although a bit too succinct, but I took some pictures (not all good because the light was not strong enough for the camera).

A skirt pleating support:


The detail of a jacket designed by Christian Lacroix:


A hand-embroidered bodice:


The embroiderer's working desk and samples:


Styling a dress on a manequin:


Matching fabrics for each design: