You CAN fight city hall! Free toilets for all!
In a true sign of progress, more than 400 "sanisettes" can now be used at no cost. Hoorah. Now, if I could only get back all of the money those dammn things have taken from me.
I've never used one. But, I've attempted to use one many times. Again and again, no luck. 40 centimes, no entry. I once helped a young japanese tourist figure out how much money he needed to get in...and what the coins looked like. I guess it was his first day in town. Of course it didn't work for him, either. He did the potty-dance all the way down the boulevard to the next sanisette.
A new version of the sanisette is coming (not soon) and will have a water faucet on the outside. Nothing like lapping up water outside of a toilet. They will also be wheelchair-friendly.
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Breakfast in America...in Paris
Breakfast in America has launched a second location. It's in the 4th. Thought you should know. Heinz kethcup for your scrambled eggs? They've got it. The original shop is still open at 17, rue des Ecoles (Metro: Cardinal LeMoine or Jussieu.) The new place is at
4 rue Malher (Metro: St Paul.)
cafe, Paris, travel
De battre mon coeur s'est arrete
French Jacques Audiard poses with the Best Director Award for "De battre mon coeur s'est arrete" ("The Beat My Heart Skipped") at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris, during the 31th Nuit des Cesar, France's top movie awards.
(AFP/Bertrand Guay)Return to the beginning of this blogcinema, France, Oscars, Jacques Audiard, Nuit des Cesar
French Bond girl
"French actress Eva Green will be the female lead in the new James Bond movie, Casino Royale. The 25-year-old will play femme fatale Vesper Lynd in the movie, which will also see Daniel Craig's first performance as the suave secret agent." -- BBC
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"Walk The Line" at French cinemas -- 15 Feb.
"A chronicle of country music legend Johnny Cash's life, from his early days on an Arkansas cotton farm to his rise to fame with Sun Records in Memphis, where he recorded alongside Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins." Walk The Line was released in France on 15 February. Get thee to a cinema! - all you fans of Johnny Cash!
cinema, Paris, Walk The Line, Johnny Cash, Joaquin Phoenix, Pathe, Pariscope, Oscar, Reese Witherspoon
"Hurt" performed by Johnny Cash; filmed by Mark Romanek in 2003
I don't know if there is a single tune or a collection of film clips that could summarize my life.
I'm still a "thirtysomething," but I've already had an intriguing life. If I were voted off the island tomorrow by a speeding bus, flash of lightning or a falling anvil, I could leave the game satisfied that I'd covered a fair amount of physical and emotional terrain.
Regrets. I've had more than a few. But, in regard to relationships, spirituality, travel, family and career, I've had a full - if not fulfilling - life. Quite nice, really. Still, I just can't imagine what audio-visuals would be chosen to condense life into an honest and accurate electronic capsule.
I suppose if Director Mark Romanek was put on the job he could reduce, stir, then expand my life - or yours - into a short film. He's done just that with his 2003 project called "CASH." Johnny Cash is a compelling subject and the performance he gives in the brief film, which is saturated with Romanek's style, will never leave you. June Carter Cash hovers in the periphery as her husband appears fragile, perhaps for the first time in our eyes.
I would be remiss in my duties if I did not suggest you get your hands on a copy of the four-minute film for your collection, or just to watch once and pass on to a friend. Essentially, it's an inspired music video that weaves a soul-aching performance of the song "Hurt" - sung by Johnny Cash - with vintage clips of his life.
The original version of "Hurt" is a moody
Nine Inch Nails song. It becomes haunting when Cash puts his heart and voice to it. Romanek's film is incredible - four minutes that will hurt and entertain. My friend Carda purchased a
DVD version of the short film in California. (She's cool like that.)
I don't think the film is available in Paris individually, but it is available (at FNAC) as part of a
documentary about Romanek's career. This version is acutally a better value, given that it comes with so much other content.
cinema, Paris, Walk The Line, Johnny Cash, Mark Romanek, Nine Inch Nails, Trent Reznor, Hurt, fnac, amazon.com
Palestinians offended by political cartoon
"Palestinian protesters burn a French flag during a demonstration against the publication of cartoons in European newspapers depicting the Prophet Mohammad, in the West Bank city of Ramallah February 3, 2006."
(photo: Loay Abu Haykel/Reuters)protest, france, press, journalisme, journal
In a true sign of progress, more than 400 "sanisettes" can now be used at no cost. Hoorah. Now, if I could only get back all of the money those dammn things have taken from me. 
