science is the new black

my sister is starting a science blog.

no— wait— don’t stop reading this— don’t run away or fall asleep!!! it’ll be good stuff, her target audience is people like me— a science blog with info that your average everyday chantal would come back to and actually want to read more of : science issues that concern, interest and touch all of us, and written by this incredible mix of charm and brains, serious focused concentration and loud music. she's one part laughter : one part nerd : one part shopping (yes nini i realize that’s three parts.)

so she called me for help and inspiration with setting up the blog. last night we were on the phone for two hours figuring out all the details— and by all the details i mean just the name of her science blog !!!! uuuuggghhh you precise methodical science people (hi nini thx for reading today love you) then she decided to sleep on it and figure it out in the morning. so if anyone needs a list of about 40+ science-y blog titles (but with charming creative hard-sought-after twists) just let me know......... and i will be sure to let you know when she finally types in that carefully crafted title and proceeds to the next step in the process of creating her blog. we may have to pull an all-nighter when it comes to choosing the blog colors (love you nini!)

and if you’re wondering, her name’s janine, i call her nini. you just don’t find many nerds as cute as this one...... she talks about cells and proteins with so much enthusiasm and genuine enjoyment— the same way i talk about clothes or coffee or haiku... but she also genuinely loves what she does, as i love words and writing, and she wants to find ways to make areas of science more accessible and enjoyable to others. this blog will just be the start of her attempt, and i’m sure i will have to learn a thing or two!! she’s also a fantastic cook and quite a mélange of health-conscious (understatement) gourmet (yes, oxymoron— gourmet grad student, but she is) and plans on sharing recipes and food tips on the blog as well. if the title ever gets through the final selection phase, i’ll let you know, cuz she’s got a lot on that plate.

and hey, maybe with her help science will be the new black. hey! that’s not a bad name for a blog.... science is the new black i’m gonna call her right now. i’m sure she’ll veto that one too... ;)

x c

"facts are not science --

as the dictionary is not literature."

martin h. fischer

photo credits 1 : jerry yoon 2 : chantal (aka c)

train de nuit

train de nuit the new chanel N°5 film

i know i'm late in writing about this and posting these simply breathtaking images, but i don't think anyone will mind. this new epic chanel N°5 film/commercial came out earlier in spring and though i've watched it many times since... last night/early this morning when i'd awoken with yet another headache, this served as a delicious distraction, i'm completely swept up in the images, and the way that this small breath of a film takes mine with it and holds so many images and sights, ideas that have been sources of inspiration to me for so long....

trains play a huge role in my life and have, literally.. metaphorically.. poetically.. in paris but also in california {i didn't get my license until i was almost 30..eh hem... i'm 29 haha} and i've cherished train station glances and goodbyes, and hellos, and... and rides that went where they weren't supposed to, and train tickets at the bottom of my purse that remind me.....

the orient express. feel as though i've traveled on it so many times in my mind, in my relationships, in my passions and tastes for more... the train leaves paris {the city.. 'the one that got away' for me} and istanbul {the next stop on my travel ticket, where some of my dearest friends live, canim cok optum girls}

the colors... brilliant, muted, reflecting, deep tinged with nostalgia.... signature glow of jean-pierre jeunet {the director of amelie} who i, along with my dear crazy friend, chased through the streets of montmartre in 2001 as he conducted interviews, did press photo shoots and met with members of the amelie cast in the cafe where it was filmed. we even met him and took photos and autographs and les bises... the only two non-press, english-speaking 'fans' that were present, we were still new to paris and hadn't realized that the french don't drool over celebrities as americans do. but quand meme we had an amazing experience, and were far more refined when we sat next to audrey in our favorite cafe months later, or when my parents and i sat next to another of the film's actresses while she ate an omelet and entertained her very small baby, just the two of them, a rainy afternoon in paris, in yet another cafe.

anyway. too much writing, i'm sure you just want to look at the images, as they are lovely. i will post a few of the film stills separately with some of my train haiku from the past that seemed fitting. also, watch the film on here, or check out the chanel website the video and website it's nice to watch it on there.

:: missed chances taking you where you belong, on an old train found with the one you'd never dreamed of until today ::

a tout.... x c

friday

andrew crane paints. he even does art on concrete..
with words and numbers and immense creativity.
i'm excited to check his site every day.
and.. he's a really nice guy.
go! look at his work!!! now!!! x c

like waves

© 2009 Guy-Vincent

a poetic soul--

a blessing? or recipe for disaster...

i'm gonna go with both

::

a hush falls... on rue mademoiselle

rough day. been meaning to write for the past few days... in fact, i've been doing so, been writing so much, just not posting recently. i will. the haiku have been flowing..... i will also be back to communicating with all of you, i haven't forgotten. but i'm writing this late night post {in lieu of sleeping off this headache} because i received some news just now that saddens and slightly startles me, despite the fact that i knew.. one day.. it would happen. the beautiful sophie marie of mon bon chien in paris who touched something in us all with her devoted eyes and perfectly manicured paws has passed on in search of greener grass, more squirrils to chase, and walks with cedric that never end. i miss her presence already. and in heavy-hearted haste, tried to capture her sweet, gentle, patient, loyal spirit in this poem:

though i knew
one day it would arrive--
still my heart--
skipped a beat
sweet face tender eyes baby in her paws
resting her chin patiently attentive
as she'd sit waiting for the next adventure



ears alert to the sound of
biscuits dropping on the floor
or the infamous sliding door--
gentle loyal soph soph sniffing the air with curiosity
found her way into our hears and smiles
{as well as the biscuit cabinet, the kitchen..}
and into her french quartier and our laughter
the golden
pink painted paws touch softly
the sidewalks of paris
now only in our sweetest memories



and every time we pass
the window of her shop
somehow we know she's still there
crunching nostalgic dreams
and squirrels yet to chase
and on occasion {though cleverly disguised
as only a diva so artfully can}
tapping her tail on the floor over
her next mischievous but ever harmless trick
her next meal her next hug from harriet
daily caresses of small eager hands
who come from all over paris
to pet her soft {shedding everywhere} fur
on rue mademoiselle
and her next steps
into the forest she knew one day
she'd run through once more
in our bittersweet dreams

from squirrels in seattle to tempting baguettes and birthday parties on rue mademoiselle, the infamous, almost 14-year-old golden retriever with pink nail polish has retired from her position as princess of the boutique mon bon chien paris, leaving both joy and emptiness in our hearts. we still expect her to awake out of the deepest sleep and come out of nowhere just to sneak another biscuit. from all sides of the world, we remember her sweet eyes, her silly ways, her eyebrows that told stories of their own, and her devoted owner harriet, who started her doggie bakery business so that she could spend every day with sophalina. sending love and peanut butter kisses to you both, and dearest diablo {soph soph's rascal of a little brother.}

my puppy poulet {the one jumping here in the picture} learned his best tricks from sophie marie, he grew up in her sparkling shadow: how to guard the treats and how to sneak extra, patience and fidelity, guilt and begging as well as pouting to get what he wants {ok, that last one he may have learned from me}, his kindness to other dogs and feisty guarding of the bone, how to dress to impress and confidently wear pink, and soph's trademark move he does every morning that makes me laugh and think of sophie, the rollin' on the back with the legs flailing about it the air move.

you guys are the best thing that ever happened to us....
can’t imagine where we’d be without you.

i will write more mon bon chien stories soon {and please check past mbc posts here.} images: from the mon bon chien site where you can order biscuits online shipped all over the world, and from my camera last summer when i spent some quality time with soph. poulet {my little guy} is performing his trademark move above in the photo and sophie is, as ever, begging gracefully by his side.

"sweets to the sweet, farewell!"
shakespeare

sunglasses on, darkness, fioricet, water, coffee..

© Eni Turkeshi Photography

that headache that i mentioned yesterday turned into a migraine before i was able to drive home from what could have been an enjoyable evening in the very warm spring night air with a very warm algerian. not sure how i squinted past the streetlights and through the stoplights enough to drive home, but i'm here. been in the dark ever since. and thus, for the time being, my post for today will be simple with a rather appropriate blurry image {colorful for those of you who aren't sitting in front of the computer with big dark sunglasses on, as i am!} et voilà ...i'm delighted to share another of eni's photographs. enjoy! and please check out her flickr...

ok. to bed.

haiku is a city and laundry looks best drying out the window of an old building, weathered and worn and painted a beautiful shade of green...

© Eni Turkeshi Photography

funny and intriguing the things, places, people, images etc. one stumbles across on the internet in this current social media explosion.

the other day, in the midst of a blossoming love affair with haiku poetry {after trying to inspire my students to play around with it} and sharing a bit of it on here, i noticed a visit on my blog from a place called haiku, hawaii. i thought to myself how rather ironic it was that, in my current obsession with writing haiku, haiku had paid me a visit! as fate {i mean it must have been fate that brought that visitor here on the particular day i made my haiku debut, what else could it possibly have been..?!} thus, as fate would have it, my haiku was visited from someone in haiku {call me ignorant, but i didn't know such place existed, learn something new every day!}. so then i went on twitter to tweet around a bit, and sure enough, had a new follower from haiku, hawaii {by this point i thought fate must be working overtime..} well come to find out just today, a week after all of this, this individual who resides in haiku, sent me a message that she had seen my blog show up in her google alerts for haiku {as in the city}! how very cool, and kind of funny, and now i wonder if i should question the role that fate played in all of this, or simply see it, from any angle, as a sign to share another haiku today. and so here we go:

and with those few words
i'll never be able to
unless you listen

and one more thing, while on this subject, i also had brought to my attention by another twitter follower, the website twihaiku where you can post haiku on the site that simultaneously appears on twitter as well. @twihaiku it's kinda fun. {the first haiku i posted was made haiku of the day yesterday..hmmm so ya that is kinda fun, kinda cool..}

and about the green building laundry part of this rambling post's title {if the picture didn't give it away yet} i discovered a new very fav flickr friend yesterday {ok well it was more like 3 in the morning today, but who's keeping track} her name is eni turkeshi of eni turkeshi photography, her photos are fantastic capturing 10.5 years of color, movement, light and character in istanbul and also her beautiful hometown of tirana the capital city of albania. check out her photostream and also her blog. she has a poignant view of place and a warm and kind spirit. love her images, you will see more of them on here in the very near future.

ok, that's enough out of me for a while. as you can maybe tell, i had a headache earlier and took two different kinds of my prescription headache medications, so i'm feeling a bit...well, better on va dire...

bonne journee, tesekkeur eni, and more haiku to come...i'm sure. x c

ah yes, another note...

just a note to thank those of you who comment on here. it's very sweet, and though i may not have posts with endless lists of 30+ comments each as do so many of you, i have such sincere and delightful commenters that i wouldn't change 2 of your comments for 50 of 'em any day.

thanks to all who read, who comment, and who stop by wpm from time to time, this little blossoming endeavor of mine. this whole venture is a huge step for me in actually sharing the writing i've been scribbling down for years and years and..well....years. i love connecting with you, reading your posts, and getting to know you.

thanks to all of you who read this but remain silent...... that's fine by me.. that was how i was all throughout school.. always listening, reading, thinking and coming up with my own angle on everything, but writing it in my notebook and rarely raising my hand. doesn't mean i wasn't paying attention.



anyway, this is just a little random saturday afternoon note to thank you, inspired by one of the most genuine bloggers and a dedicated reader/commenter on wpm miss heidi from finding my way. check out her blog with bits and pieces, fantastic images, reflective questions, daily musings and sweet observations that make a delightful excuse to pause the day, stop by her post, reflect and smile.

also... as i've noticed on many blogs, and particularly on heidi and blair's, i adore the added personal touch of responding to commenters and the opportunity this leaves for conversing with one another, providing a brief moment to connect ....and so just to let you know, i almost always respond to your thoughts and comments by commenting back to you on here.... so check back from time to time... it's great to have that added 'conversation' element.



ok, enough rambling... time to get some coffee from my favorite cafe, get out in the sunshine of my favorite time of fading late afternoon, and find my favorite, silly algerian boy before sunset.... think the evening promises to be warm and golden, what beautiful weather, first moments of spring.

oh ya, and remind me to share some of my writing about spring in paris. every year i was there i would find constant inspiration..in the streets, the movement, the warm days, laughter, and moments from evening deep into the late nights still touched with sunlight, warm breeze and the glowing anticipation -- often overwhelming -- that something delicious was just about to happen.

enjoy the moments wherever you are. à demain. big kisses from cali... ♥c


images: 1} .littlegirlblue flickr 2,3} le love

pencils, papers, poems.

ahhh!! just had the best time with one of my writing students. we spent well over an hour together writing a furry of poems. we both feel pretty confident in our ability to transform ordinary moments, mundane objects and everyday situations into delightful works of poetry ;) and we seriously fed off of each others inspiration it was a great mental and creative workout! we would give each other topics such as 'bathroom sink' {yes, that's one olivia really gave me!!} and 'red wall' and we'd scribble like mad on lined paper from the back of olivia's binder, scribbling pencils trying to keep up with the pace of the poems swirling about in our heads, scribbling down those poems on paper until our pencil lead wore down, then with eager smiles, we'd share our brief creations. here's a sample of our best work from today:

i gave olivia the subject of red wall, she gave me the subject of bathroom sink, here's what transpired....

red wall

The pictures sit upon
the big red wall. The wall is
steady so they do not fall.
So much depends upon
the big red wall
for if it
was not there the pictures
would fall.

by
*O*

{a poem literally written in 3 minutes}

that bathroom sink!

uh! that bathroom sink!!
you know the one!!
gets me every time.

minding my own business
looking in the mirror
i turn the faucet on
water soaks my tshirt
water splatters my pants
walk out of the bathroom
feel like everyone's looking
feel a little silly

uh! that bathroom sink!!
you know the one!!
gets me every time.

by
chantal

{i know she had the idea to give me this topic
because the bathroom sink in the cafe where
we meet is very temperamental!}

and then she gave me the word croissant which was perfect {ha! did she see my last post?!}

croissants in the mail

croissants in the mail
warm from the sun
sitting on my front porch

croissants in the mail
she sent them yesterday
sitting on my plate
now breakfast today

croissants in the mail
taste of butter, and better
than any other croissants
in the mail sent with love

by
me

and one more for the road by olivia, i called this one 'a poem in 2 minutes' because, well, it was....

A Poem in Two Minutes

So much depends upon
the wind blowing through the
trees. It moves through the
air blowing through the leaves.
Blowing scraps of trash
through the air. Sometimes
i you're not lucky it
will mess up your hair.

by
*O*

anyway, we enjoyed ourselves immensely, think we both walked away inspired. perhaps we'll start a poetry collection together. and i will be posting these and all the others on the website i'm creating for my students. the blog is a collective space to share their work! check it out: writing from the rooftops. olivia even has her first fan on her three-part saga about a super hero called Super Brick.....

images: 1} robyn glaser 2} lightbulb chandelier 3} moleskine reloaded

melting perfection

"I wonder–if no one’s perfect…how do we know?
Those times when you watch masks melt off of people’s faces–
they must be perfect then.
Because there’s a glimmer of a second, every once in a while, that’s pure, that’s perfect,
when you wish you had a pencil and the corner of a napkin.
And then the lead breaks and you need to wipe your nose."

by
l a u r a
{a friend who is brilliant with words.
i believe she should start a blog of her own!}

perfect images thanks to leigh {jkldesigns} etsy shop here

...and i'm still holding my breath

i've been searching for perfect photos of roller coasters for the past few weeks, as that's the only real description of where i am right now. this has been one long ride and just when i think i've gotten up there, the hill suddenly appears fantastically higher...and i'm on the down side again......then the other day i saw these turk + taylor images and suddenly, i'd found my roller coaster photos. but the serendipity was that, in this small turn of events, i discovered a new brilliant photographer called julia galdo, who did not only this shoot but a variety of others {check out her site and flickr} that i just adore.





i'm drawn in to her view of the world and her perspective of place, the dramatic wash of color in her photos, especially against darkness, and her obvious wit and sense of humor in the details. thanks julia, i know i've said this already, but really great stuff!! within minutes i was a fan and i think i looked at every image in her flickr sets! i don't know how to not show you all of her stuff at once, but i must restrain myself, because i want to display them slowly so as to savor and appropriately appreciate how unique they are, and thus, i'll be patient!!!!





and so, the roller coaster continues. in moments like this things seem like they might look up after all, but i can't help but be terribly nervous for the next turn of events in the moment to come....





but then...i recall moments like last night for example, and i enjoy the rush...and it all seems worth it once again, it's really been a gripping ride...and i'm still holding my breath.
x c

been one of those days.

been one of those days.

and for anyone who didn't already know, you can get this lovely
reminder at sfgirlbybay's etsy shop.
{i think i need one in every color asap.}

{3:26am} late night images on my mind

robyn glaser
absolutely adore this.



indenfor and udenfor antique shop from denmark
i heart chandeliers {in any color} and i love love turquoise. my mom's favorite color..reminds me of her.




great find, great image.
found via poppy talk, the think bakery is a bakery that cooks up innovative ideas, sweet suggestions and delicious tips for bloggers {especially the new guys, like me} of course they mention linking other blogs {hey look...i've learned something already} but i really wanted to share the info for anyone else out there like me, who may delight in any assistance, and also, i just fell in love with the image.



bart van leuven discovered via desire to inspire



lucyina moodie via delight by design


hmmmm i suppose i'll try to sleep now, 3:26am in california, but noonish in the parts of the world where my friends spend this saturday afternoon. two years since i arrived here in cali, but still on paris time. some things never change.

bonne nuit/journee/soiree wherever you find yourself, or somewhere in between.
•c••

aaaaah lalaaaaaaa

charlotte gainsbourg in vanity fair

wow what a 36hrs, hit with a dizzy spell then another migraine, am just now looking to find my way out of it. at least, momentarily. crept over to my computer {in the dark, screen on dim, tea by my side...yet not too close to my beloved macbook} and within about 15 minutes had discovered some really great new blogs {that is, new for me...remember i'm new to this game} and am greatful for their ability to casually distracted me.

so to start the weekend off on a better note, here are some of my finds and images from the posts therein that improved morale...

first off, great music during and after a migraine {and any time really} : charlotte gainsbourg {daughter of serge} 5:55





then three new blog discoveries and images i found amongst them that took me somewhere better:


design crush



finding my way



from delight by design's happy weekend post {photo tim evan cook}
delight by design

interesting, the images that caught my eye were all modes of transportation. think i really need to get going, to get out of here. i guess we could say that au moins for the moment, i was transported..

a+
c

i seem to have been rather m.i.a. this past week..

i seem to have been rather m.i.a. this past week..though i've been sitting right here working {and reading all my favorite blogs..}




finding inspiring images and words that lead to new ideas....




and writing, i've been doing a good deal of that as well, just somehow it hasn't found its way up here...yet. and now another day has come and gone and i'm up writing in the middle of the night....again.




so i leave you with some images that have been floating on and off of my screen and in and out of my mind this past week.

a tres bientot, i promise.






and p.s. guess what application i found on my favorite new macbook....


yes, yes, the photo booth application. needless to say, now more than ever, i heart my macbook.

images:
1. martin morrell via desire to inspire {a new-found favorite blog of mine}
2. carla coulson backstage paris haute couture 2009 via carla loves photography {an old fav}
3. france ruffenach via simply photo {two fantastic photographers}
4. carla coulson backstage paris haute couture 2009 via carla loves photography {old fav}
5. shiny new macbook {new love}
6. glowing macbook of mine {true love}

second look: images in my mind

★★today was spent encountering new blogs, as i'm still a newcomer to this game (thus blogs new to me, but otherwise well established) and through these blogs, new photographers were discovered as well, and many excited exclamations muttered. anyway, my mind was working overtime, as were my fingers typing stories on my glowing keyboard and scribbling notes on the paper mouse pad beside me and all at once images, ideas, thoughts and personalities encouraged by multiple cups of coffee interspersed with my favorite black tea in which i soak dried sage leaves and honey.... all made for a delightful day, but i'm exhausted. and i'm rambling. lots of images are roaming about my fatigued consciousness, here are a few that stick with me.

images in my mind. you know how sometimes you see a picture and you're somehow mesmerized -- you simply adore the image, sometimes you can say straight away why it is you can't take you're eyes off it, and other times, you can't put in words why you're so utterly taken with this particular image...

at hei astrid i discovered her colorful photographs like this........

and this..............

complete with her warm commentary direct from chilly norway.

★★

and then i came across this bike basket, and fell entirely in love.

i went to design house stockholm where the basket can be purchased for only $39, and, well i haven't fully recovered yet. look around this fantastic site. for tonight i'll let the products speak for themselves, but i will show you more later!

★★

the day actually started with a lingering look at unruly things, where i discovered photographer jennifer causey's blog simply photo and these perfect images available for sale in her etsy shop.

((i really want them all.))

★★

and also another blog with photos that are stuck in my mind, bliss...

this last one is first on my list in her etsy shop, i can't find words to tell you how much i adore this image and the feeling that i get from gazing up at it.....

.....i found so much more today, this is all off the top of my head as i try to digest what i took in today. and yes i realize you all probably know about these blogs and photographers but i'm a new girl in town, feeling my way around...and really liking what i find myself bumping into!!

★★

oh yes and another delicious 'edible idiom' that fits right in with my own little life, found today on clotilde's c&z..."mi-figue mi-raisin." which she translates as "half fig, half grape," basically implying ambiguity.. and that's me in a nutshell. read more about her description here amongst infinite recipes and beautiful images that you can almost eat..

like this one..

and a polaroid at that!! great taste.

★★yes, i'm getting tired, almost time to swivel my executive chair around from my desk to my bed..

but one more thing, i've also, in the past few days, had a starteling number of encounters with talk of portland. ya, portland..as in oregon. i'm suddenly intreagued with this city and want to know more. many of the blogs i read today were located in portland, beautiful photographs taken of portland, i watch the movie feast of love the other day which took place in portland, and i can't remember what else right now, but now it's on my mind...so tell me, if you know, what's it like, this portland?...

ok, i'll stop rambling now..bonne nuit, dream of these images as will i. i mean, why stop now, i've been doing it all day au fait!★★c