davidvosburg: Jade - this is awesome, thanks. I am really well. We should catch up sometime.
For sure. I keep hearing different things - you’re in LA, you’re in Chicago, you seem to be traveling all over! So cool. :]
DAVIDVOSBURG. This made me miss you, even if I never knew you all that terribly well. How is life?
paris je t'aime
sickofthesouth: Paris, Je T’aime
May is the perfect time of year to visit Paris. The beginning of early summer means flowers in bloom, gorgeous weather, and even better, the locals come out to play. Paris has been the capitol of high fashion, fine art, and exquisite dining for time out of mind, and 2008 was no exception. As a poor college student I could by no means afford the jetsetting life in Paris, but that doesn’t mean I missed out on inspecting the finer things in life while I was there. While many with larger budgets may be attracted to L’Hotel (famous for playing host to the death of Oscar Wilde!), me and mine stayed in the slightly more disheveled but infinitely complex Hotel Brebant, a hotel originally built in 1800 that has since expanded onto the upper floors of the rest of the buildings on the block, giving it uneven floor levels, twisting, strange corridors, salons where one would least expect them, and on the whole, a charming Hogwarts-esque feel that infinitely amused me. The rooms were larger than I expected, the bathrooms clean, and the balconies an unexpected surprise. The staff played exasperated but patient host to our student group, and I would gladly return there. The Grands Boulevards Metro is entrance practically right outside the hotel front door, giving easy access to the rest of the city.
My day as a Parisian started simply. We met as a group in the hotel restaurant around 8.30am for coffee, fruit, hot chocolate (the best hot chocolate I have ever tasted, by the way), and croissants before planning out our day. From there it was a quick hop, skip, and a jump to the Metro, and we were off. The first day, as a forced adjustment to the new time zone, our group took a walking tour around some of the more famous sites in Paris. Unfortunately I, whom usually holds herself an experienced international traveler, stumbled through most of the tour in a sleepy fugue, pausing long enough to fall asleep standing up in front of Monet’s house. The blue door on his house is about the most distinctive thing I remember about that day. Fortunately, I fared better on other days.
For many, the art museums in Paris are temples to the Muses and shrines to the artists, sculptors, and painters the Western world holds in the highest regard, but I toured a handful of them while I was in the city. The Musee D’Orsay, a fabulous museum of modern art set in an old train station, was probably my favorite, housing a glorious collection of Art Deco furniture. The Rodin Museum, housing collections of his marble and bronze works, as well as several pieces by Camille Claudel, is set in his house in Paris, and between the collections in the house and in the fabulous gardens, it is well worth spending an afternoon there. The Pompidou Centre houses France’s collection of modern art on its 5th and 6th floors as well as the Bibliothèque publique d’information, a vast public library, and the building itself is an absolute architectural marvel. Outside the Pompidou, in the Place Georges Pompidou, there is an open plaza which often hosts street performers, artists, and musicians[1].
And of course, there is the Louvre. The palace itself is simply mind-boggling in size, and to understand the vast amount of art and history it houses is almost too much to comprehend. In an entire day I and my friend Colin could not get through just one section of the building. Directly across from the Louvre are the Tuileries, a beautiful area of gardens used by the visiting nobility when the Louvre was but a lowly hunting lodge.
There are, of course, many other attractions that Paris is famous for. No visit would be complete without seeing the Eiffel Tower, the Champs Elysees, or Notre Dame. For religious skeptics such as myself, Notre Dame still stands as a powerful reminder of the influence religion held over the past two millennia over art, music, architecture, history, and politics. For myself, the best part about visiting the Ile d’la Cite was discovering a tiny bookstore located across the street from Notre Dame. Shakespeare and Company books stands proudly at Kilometer Zero, the exact center of Paris. An English language bookstore founded in 1951 by American George Whitman, it has served as a home, haven, and hotel to over 50,000 people since it opened, including Henry Miller and Alan Ginsberg. [2]
Parisians also love their food. We dined late every night at several different small cafes throughout Paris, as no native will eat dinner before 8pm and many do not start until later than that. Dinner is a social affair, a time to meet up with friends, grab a bottle of wine, and chat, usually until late in the evening. Three course meals with a paired wine for about 20€, a very reasonable price for such excellent food, are the normal method of dining out, with a list of selections for each course. Breakfast is of course coffee, chocolate, juice, milk, fruit, and croissants. Lunch is a different affair. You can grab a crepe from a street vendor, or a sandwich for about 5€. These are not little sandwiches either. Usually a foot-long baguette is filled with standard combinations (ham and cold swiss was pretty prevalent) or some not-so-standard (ham and butter. Surprisingly tasty!). While most Parisians still do their shopping in the markets, going to separate shoppes for bread, meat, cheese, and fruit, smaller grocery stores are starting to catch on. Stores like these sell pre-packaged sandwiches that my mouth still waters thinking about. Smoked salmon and cream cheese on soft flatbread and ham and brie are only two of the sandwiches I sampled, and as they were very reasonably priced, I would recommend these as an option if someone needs to pick something up on the go.
Paris is an absolutely glorious city. There is truly no place on earth to rival it and its inhabitants passion for all of the finer things in life. You cannot take a single step through the city without understanding the vast expanse of the history beneath you and the enormous social, political, religious, and historical forces that have shaped this city into one of the crown jewels of Western Europe. Do yourself a favor and visit, and I promise by the end of your time there you too will say, “Paris, Je T’aime!”
[1] http://www.centrepompidouparis.com/
[2] http://www.shakespeareandcompany.com/index.php?categories=113:1
travel article i wrote for hurlow. due tomorrow. sucks.
Does not suck! I sighed deeply and audibly at least five times, and teared up a little when you mentioned Brebant. I must stay at Brebant againnnnnnnnn <3<3<3<3
I have a had a fantastic night. Becks’s friend Matt came over and made lamb and vegetarian crepes and scallop hors d’oeuvres and they were PHENOMENAL. And Megan baked me a cake, and Sarah and Abigail came over, and everyone sang happy birthday, and Megan and Becks had gotten together and bought me Sigur Rós’s “Með Suð í Eyrum við Spilum Endalaust”.
So I’ve decided that a single class does not define me, and that spending time with people I love and care about is what matters most. I will be awake all night working on this project… but if it doesn’t get done, then it just doesn’t get done. I tried. I tried hard. And I’m okay and I accept the outcome. Even if I get the first C (in a class) of my life, I will live.
This may be the wine talking. But you know, sometimes the wine is right.
Also, someone today told me that I had a “Zooey Deschanel vibe,” apropos to nothing, so there’s that.
social experiment
sickofthesouth: after going three days with none of my friends trying to contact me, i am starting an experiment in which i see how long it takes for them to miss me. (this might sound bitter and petty but its really not, i honestly want to see how my social interaction fares when i put no effort into it. which also sounds selfish.)
mostly i just want to see which of my friends will want to see me and hang out without me bending over backwards for social interaction. or if i am indeed becoming as self-isolated as i fear.
HEY you should just be like “screw you guys, I’m going to SAVANNAHHHH” and then come hang out.
One of the best feelings in the world
is when you find the perfect gift for a good friend. It’s even better than getting a gift. I’m so excited!
Last night around 3:00 I got up and went downstairs to make some toast. I couldn’t sleep because my mind was so full of stuff, thinking about traveling and classes and careers and just LIFE. I was about to go back to my room when my roommate came down. She was having the saaaaaame problem I was. So we made tea and talked about our futures, about France (we’re both going), and we made plans to go hiking in SC for spring break. We finally went back to our rooms around 4:30.
It’s so great to know someone whose brain is doing the exact same thing your brain is doing.
kleinmania: Spreadsheet (prototype)soultrain: I would buy it in an instant.
sickofthesouth: holy shit i want thiseastling: Math 120 nightmares EVERY SINGLE NIGHT.
sickofthesouth: lol i LOVED math 120 until we got to the part where he was all ORIGAMIZ TRIG MATHS ANGLE RAWR. the rest of it was easy sauce.
Yeah, I was failing and dropped it waaaay before we got to the origami part. All I remember are the never-ending spreadsheets of doom.
sickofthesouth: I HAVE A NEW CAR MY LIFE IS AWESOME AND EVERYONE I LOVE EXCEPT JADENESS IS IN WILMORE THIS WEEKEND!
in other news, drankin an ale-8, broke as hell, and fixin to go admire my new wheels for a little while. yeah i said drankin, so what. you wanna fight?
:( :( :( :( :(
I miss you toooooooooooo.
Oh! Use your new car and roadtrip it down to Savannah. This solves everything.
sickofthesouth: now past the 48 hour mark without a cigarette. the next 48 are key. may require being locked in a room to prevent a nicotine deprivation-fueled murderous rampage. as for right now i am merely cranky.You’re quitting?? I never thought I’d see the day, hahaha. Go Rhea!!
sickofthesouth: in other news, the one day i write a non fiction piece related to WoW, dr hurlow has me read out loud. dammit, now everone knows i am a nerd. booooo.
Hahahahaha. Post it post it post it.
This is my friend Sam. He is awesome.
Life is beautiful
raychelmendez: This makes me so happy.
I come to the library quite often. It’s not my favorite place in the world, but it’s an excellent place to get work done. It’s quiet, no one bothers me and there is an endless supply of information. There are also very friendly people that work here. My favorite thing about the library has to be the security guard that always greets me when I enter. His name is Stoney. He reminds me of Bill Cosby to some extent, except much sweeter and less sarcastic. Every time I enter he always greets me with a big smile and every time I leave he always says something funny to me. I always laugh at his comments and tell him to have a good day. They are always comments that don’t make much sense but that make me smile. Today I entered and he asked me if I brought him any food, I replied with a chuckle and a ‘no’ but a promise that I would bring him food next time. I continued to walk upstairs to my study spot. Ten minutes later he knocks on my door and sees that I brought chicken curry, which is AGAINST the library rules. He chuckled and told me that he would keep it a secret. I told him that I was not planning on eating it since I had no fork. He returned five minutes later with a fork from Quizno’s and said, ‘I don’t know why I’m doing this. Don’t ask me, but there’s something about you that is different.’ I felt so touched that I had sparked this friendship with this old man and I will continue to interact with him. This is the way the world was meant to be.
I made him a deal that I would bring him a Hershey’s bar next time. I actually plan on bringing him one every time. It’s nice to love strangers.
This is my roommate. She’s one of the greatest people on the planet.
Art exhibit deals with female body image
Ashley is an amazing artist and such a cool person. I wish I could be there to see her show… it sounds wonderful. Definitely something Asbury’s never seen before.
I hate myself. I look at my thighs; I grab and give them a good shake. The jiggling motion disgusts me. My own hateful eyes turn their scrutiny to my fleshy belly. One short finger pokes it; the skin softly rebounds into its folds. Tears swell in my eyes as I am reminded of the impossible standards I’m held up to by society. I want bony limbs and a concave stomach, jutting clavicles and an angular silhouette.
I am me, and I am you. I am a modern woman who has been severely punished by society for having a body that does not live up to the ideals placed on my shoulders by fashion designers and other sad, self-loathing women.
But, when I look in my friend’s slightly distorted full-length mirror, I see a tall, lithe woman. She has my face and my outift, but she has a different — in my eyes, better — body, than I have. Her legs and arms are thin; her hips do not curve out; her neck is lean and elegant.
Ashley Jeffries has attacked this very issue in her recent exhibit, “Distorted Perceptions,” which is a group of nude paintings in which she deals with society’s, as well as her own, struggles with perception and distorted self-image.
This deeply personal exhibit attacks the ideas that plague all women and, as Jeffries said in an interview, “the lies [women] believe because of judgment and comparison.”
She said, “The label ‘eating disorder’ is so much broader than anorexia or bulimia.” She discussed that several pieces were inspired by her own struggle with exercise obsession. For instance, the painting “Food Baby,” at surface level, depicts a woman who is slightly bloated-looking, presumably after having eaten a big meal. Jeffries said, “’Food Baby’ stems from jokes about eating too much, but, honestly, that’s when I feel the most miserable. When I feel like that, exercise makes me feel safe, and I’ll do it until I’m ready to collapse.”
Another heartbreakingly relatable piece was “Ceramic Coffin,” which depicted a woman’s body submerged in a bathtub. This vulnerable scene aptly portrays what at first may seem an ordinary scene in an extraordinary and almost desperate light. “The bathtub distorts your body, and you’re all out there in front of yourself,” Jeffries said.
Three pieces that stuck out as some of the most emotional and personal were, “Distorted Perceptions,” “Did You Think I’d Order a F***ing Salad?” and “Problem Areas.”
Of “Distorted Perceptions,” which depicts two women of extremely different sizes and shapes, Jeffries said, “People see it differently. Many see confidence in the ‘bigger woman.’” The incredible thing about “Distorted Perceptions” is that it can be interpreted in different ways by different women.
“Did You Think I’d Order a F***ing Salad?” addresses an actual experience in Jeffries’ life. The scene depicted is that of a girl in a McDonald’s eating a hamburger. Jeffries has installed chains from her wrists to her hips, a sign of the extreme restraint that women are expected to show in their eating habits. In the real story, the McDonald’s was an Italian restaurant and the burger was a bowl of pasta. “A family member took me out to lunch,” said Jeffries, “and he asked if I was on a high-carb diet when I ordered pasta and breadsticks.”
“The wrong outfit can make you feel so much worse about yourself,” said Ashley as we moved on to discuss “Problem Areas.” This painting, one of the more abstract of the bunch, also has 3D media involved corset-like strips of fabric seem to pull and suck in the figures’ “problem areas.”
“For [‘Problem Areas’], I just shut off my mind and let it happen,” said Jeffries. “I painted it, then wrote all over it.” This piece is the largest and is the most blatant about society’s pressure to be thin. Jeffries’ original plan for the painting was to actually sew the corset pieces onto it. However, while working on the piece, she was so overcome by emotion at one point that she literally ripped off her T-shirt. It was a significant revelation for Jeffries, as she felt like she was tearing off old, bad feelings along with the shirt — a shirt from high school that had all the signatures of members of her senior class on it. Instead of sewing, she tied pieces of fabric from the shirt onto the painting. These symbolic pieces worked wonderfully because of their roughness and rawness.
Jeffries discussed that, especially after working on this project, she no longer knows what an “ideal” body should look like. “What is beautiful? I think it’s about, despite a lack of answers, loving who you are anyway… Studying [the exhibit] after I realized I had a problem was really interesting. They’ve all spoken to me about the lies that I believe.”
Jeffries’ self-portrait “Self Portrait” shows just how skewed and false our perceptions of ourselves really can be. “I believed it wasn’t distorted, but after I had finished it, a girl was looking at it and said, ‘The shoulders are too big.’”
Though she is unsure now of what she thinks is the “perfect” body, Jeffries said that of her paintings, “This Skin I’m In” is the closest to her own ideals. Though this painting was the second of the series that she started, it was the last one she finished - she had such a hard time with it, in fact, that she considered not including it in the exhibit. However, after hearing her discuss the piece, it is clear that “This Skin I’m In” is an integral part to the exhibit. The colors and brisk brushstrokes depict “the feeling of skin crawling, always changing.” Ashley said that “This Skin I’m In,” in addition to the other paintings, helped her realize that, “it’s okay to have a woman’s body. How can you define [your body] as a size? It is always growing and always getting older.”
“It’s definitely been therapeutic,” she said, “Crying… letting people know. I still have days where I don’t wanna eat or where I feel disgusting… It was really interesting not only to realize you’re not alone, but also that it’s not your fault you feel that way, and that it’s okay if there’s no real answer.”
Ashley’s exhibit opened April 14 and the exhibit was in the Grill. Prices are not currently available on the paintings, as Ashley plans on entering some of them into contests, but she would be willing to sell pieces if someone was really touched by and interested in one of them.
![Beards are awesome and prolific Hotlanta watercolor artist Sam Ellis knows it. [beard·revue: First Thursday Beard Art]
Yay!! Sam got on Beard Review!](http://6.media.tumblr.com/BcG3Hg8wXltaz1wp6tMngKI0o1_400.jpg)
Beards are awesome and prolific Hotlanta watercolor artist Sam Ellis knows it. [beard·revue: First Thursday Beard Art]
Yay!! Sam got on Beard Review!
