I miss Halloween. Knowing I'd be home, preparing to hand out King Size candy bars and McDonald's Happy Meal toys to the kids in the neighborhood, makes me a bit sad today. Because with Halloween and fall being my favorite time of year, it's difficult to be in Paris where the holiday, just like Christmas, is barely visible. Where's the Great Pumpkin when you need him?
Walt's European vision was overflowing with tourists - most speaking French. And with school out for the week, the 13-18 year old base was unfortunately out in full force on the crisp fall day. Besides cutting in line, they're obnoxious behavior made for longer lines and resulting wait times. 
For the next few hours, we worked our way around to the Indian Jones ride (85 minute wait for an one minute subtle thrill) and Alice's Curious Labyrinth (targeted for kids 5-8 but featuring a castle with one of the best views of Disneyland). Both rides were must-sees considering they both are unduplicated attractions from the States. But around 4:00, not only was I a bit sick from hunger, we had to head to Disneyland's neighboring park, Walt Disney Studios, to make us of our second pass we purchased for an addition 10 euros (53 euros total for the day). 
With only a few hours left before the park's closing, we returned to Disneyland to ride Space Mountain 2. With Fast Passes finished for the day, we were forced to stand in a winding line full of "cutters" for almost 80 minutes. Dave was a bit cold. I was still a bit nauseous. But we knew the ride was to be our grand finale so we forged ahead. 
I was glad to be leaving. The day was fun but my seasickness was taking over. The hour train ride home seemed like an eternity. But after helping a lost couple find their way, we raced home to not only find something to eat, but to finally relax from an exhausting day of over stimulation and standing in line.
Even though I complain about not having my friends from back home around, when they're here, I turn into a baby once they decide to go out. It's not that I don't want to spend time with them. It's more about me avoiding the smoke and the resulting headache I have the next day from inhaling too much of the filth. So last night, I tried to steer Dave clear of venturing out in Paris on a Saturday night. It didn't work. Dave dragged me out, along with Peter, for an late night that was suprisingly tolerable for a variety of reasons.
With our friend Mike arriving today with his birthday entourage, as well as Lil' Dave from Chicago landing tomorrow, it's going to be a busy weekend. Combine that with Tony and Clem in five days and Paul, Matt, Steve and Shawn in a two weeks, it's going to be a busy November. Does this mean I have to go out?
Tonight, I returned to the burbs. For a change of pace, I hopped on the metro, switched to the RER train, and met Chris for evening out in a non-burning, outer rim of Paris. We ate Chinese food (a buffet no less) that didn't cost a fortune. We enjoyed a movie in a quiet, smell-free theatre. We found a bowling alley with billiards and video games. And we even stumbled across a plethora of Halloween decorations and assorted candy. It's funny how the French detest "Americanisms" yet embrace them with such enthusiasm.
Tonight, we tried a cake made of cheese. It's the closest thing I could find to Angel Food cake. It was a bit more dense with stronger flavors, and still lowfat! GENIUS! I was told today that some of the boys in Paris think I've disappeared. Considering I haven't partied in months and I no longer go to the gym during prime time, I'm out of the loop. I blame it on our travels and the fact that our schedules don't sync. Call me boring. Our friend Dave arrives this weekend. He's the first of seven guests in November. Chez nous c'est tres occupé a Noviembre!
Writing can be frustrating. You have the ability to create. However, distributing your work is challenging. It's a bit in the hands of publishers and editors - the gatekeepers of content. But, as in any other profession, you must forge ahead even when presented with obstacles.
On my way home from the gym today, I spotted someone walking towards me who looked like Sting. As he passed in his olive coat, I thought, "That's Sting." But since nobody was bothering him, not one person, I thought maybe my star radar was a bit off. But Chris just called and said that he was having lunch (at the same Thai restaurant where we saw Tom Ford) when the waiter told him Sting was dining next to him. The performer was with two ladies, one on the phone congratulating the recipient of the #25 record this week on the Billboard Charts (Sting's latest album was at 37 last week with a bullet). My hunch is it could be Corrine Bailey Rae. But we'll see once the charts are released later today. It's good to know my star radar is working just fine. If only I could have more blips!
Today Chris mentioned his upoming meeting with HR on Monday. They'll be discussing his plans for remaining or departing Paris. Stay tuned...
One of the biggest challenges to living in Paris is my disconnect with American entertainment. For example, I'm unable to watch Madonna on Oprah today. It's not that I'm an Oprah fan. But everyone will be talking about the event tomorrow.
I have a gym arch nemesis. It all started when he placed his towel on a lat machine - then disappeared. Having waited five minutes, I moved his towel and began working out. He returned with a frown on his overtanned, freakish face (I'm not joking - it's a bit scary). Apparently, he thought he could claim the equipment. I explained to him that unless he bought the machine or rented the space, it was a gym and he had to share. He waved his arms in figure eights. He pointed here and there. While he did so, I shrugged my shoulders and returned to the lat machine for one more set - and a slow one at that. Yes, my reaction was a bit childish, but it sure was fun! Now I see him every morning, and watch as he makes enemies with others. It's good to know I'm not alone.
As of today, I weigh 78 kilos (171 lbs). It's 5 kilos more than I weighed this past summer but still shy of 80 kilos I'm hoping to weigh by November 1. At this rate, it looks like I'll be falling short. Sure, I could eat French pastries non-stop for the next 10 days. But that's not the kind of weight I want. Fat bad. Muscle good.
It seems as though the hoopla over the girl bands battle paid off for Girls Aloud. This week, their high energy pop romp "Something Kinda Ooooh" debuts in the UK at #5 on digital sales only. It's their 13th straight Top 10 hit and most likely will vie for #1 next week once the physical release hits stores. My Chemical Romance and Razorlight remain tight at #1 and #2 with "Welcome to the Black Parade" and "America." Bob Sinclars "Rock this Party," a song sampling C & C's Music Factory's "Gonna Make You Sweat," sits at #4 followed by Scissor Sisters "I Don't Feel Like Dancin."
I'm happy to report that Fraggle Rock is returning as a feature film! Back in the 80's, my brother and I would watch the show on Monday nights before dinner - one usually consisting of egg sandwiches and Pringles. Um, egg sandwiches...
And while I'm on the topic of food, Pizza Hut in the UK just introduced Cheesey Bites Pizza. From what I understand, they're a bit behind America who launched the product last January with the Super Bowl. Does that mean France will follow - next March!
Our weekends in Paris don't vary much from those back in Chicago. It's just that the Louvre sits in our backyard. Friday night we tried our favorite local Thai restaurant Baan Boran's "emporter" shop that just opened towards the end of summer. It's only a four block walk. Besides that, it gives me a chance to catch a glimpse of the hottie working the supplement store. Saturday we worked out, then shopped with Peter. I watched both him and Chris spend money (my shopping spree was a few weeks back). And because of our endless walking with bags in hand (with no sight of Firecrotch a.k.a. Lindsey Lohan I mght add), we devoted Saturday night to our Rome DVD (which I find extremely intriguing - especially with the "pop-ups" that educate you throughout the film). Sunday, of course, started with a trip to L'Usine. We followed it with a short walk to our Lebanese lunch spot for the closest thing I can find to Chipotle. With Maddie tagging along, we sat at the Pompidou Centre, enjoyed the 65 degree weather and ate our take-away (though, I couldnt' fully relax due to the bit of dried poop on my shoe that kept me from getting situated). We returned home, watched an adorable film, Nanny McPhee, ate spaghetti for dinner, watched last year's Thanksgiving episode of Grey's Anatomy, then closed the evening with Crash - the winner of the 2006 Oscar for Best Film. It wasn't the feel good movie I like to enjoy while eating my last bit of Fat Girl Sunday indulgence, but with Chris not engaged by MTV's Totally Boyband, it won by default. Some might call that boring. We call it normal. And with a constant flow of guests over the next four weeks, it's good for us to enjoy the quiet before the storm.
I'm all for a bit of botox or whatever plastic surgery makes you feel better. But please, would somone tell celebrities we don't mind them showing a bit of age? I'm sitting here watching Barry Manilow from The Tonight Show which aired last week in the States (we're behind four days). And he's been pulled so much his hip gave out! He still sounds amazing. But enough already!
Since we left Chicago, I've had a weather icon on my desktop. It compares the temperature in the Windy City to that of Paris. Last year, the weather in Chicago was oddly warm while Paris was strangely cold. So there's some justice in knowing it's quite chilly back home compared to the spring-like weather Paris is experiencing. I only hope the boys arriving from Chicago next week don't bring the snow with them as our friends Dave and Paddy did last December. I like having a chill - but not to the bone!
The girls can't dance. They probably can't sing. And to top it off, they like to start fights with other girl groups. But OOH LA LA, do I love me some UK silly!
Tonight, we broke tradition and went to a movie on a Wednesday. The Queen opened in Paris (movies open during the middle of the week vs. mostly the weekend in America). And with Xavier leaving for almost two weeks, we wanted to spend time with him - especially knowing he's moving in January.
Because Chris has business in Australia, we decided to make it a holiday. At the end of November, we'll be swinging through Singapore on our way to Sydney for two weeks. However, I must admit, the flight sounds horrid. It's almost 20 hours in the air. Besides that, I'll have to fly alone since Chris now has a meeting in Rome. Not that I'm incapable. It's just if I'm going to be stuck in a plane for almost a day, I need as many distractions as possible. Which is exactly why Chris booked me in Singapore Airline's luxurious Business Class cabin. 
It's been six weeks since I went short. So today, with my hair a bit poofy, I decided to get a trim. What I received was a crop. I now look like a pencil head. My hair is too short. It's way too thin. It's even brown. My stylist whacked it good. Thank God we don't have visitors for another two weeks. But what am I going to do in the meantime? What about the gym? The market? The movies? YIKES!
We knew the day would come. Eventually, Chris' work here in France would realize change is on the horizon. With planning for next year underway, they began to contemplate their life without Chris.
Many seasons have changed since Expose ruled the charts, but the girls are getting back together! Who needs All Saints when Expose is in the house!
I never arrive at the gym early enough to see the customer service representatives opening the doors for business. But this morning, Chris and I were waiting outside just before 9 a.m. With company wanting to visit the largest flea market in Paris, it was either an early bird workout or nothing at all. And considering I "lady walk" on Sunday (where I visit the gym mostly for stretching and the convenience of maintaining a spot free bath at home), I didn't mind the crack of dawn timetable. Besides that, it gave me an opportunity to snap a few shots of the club to finally share with everyone. 
Men's locker room complete with mirrored lockers for 360 degree viewing.
Circuit training room adjacent to free weights. Pay particular attention to the orange lights illuminating the columns. The gays like pretty.
Cardio room. Redrum. Redrum.
I was a bit leery of committing to Oktoberfest. After my days of drunken stoopers in college with many sleepless nights spent laying in cheeseball vomit, I swore off alcohol. So the thought of spending three days surrounded by an international crowd of inebriated patrons under beer tents didn’t seem that appealing. 
But the purpose of my relocation to Paris was to experience and seek out adventure. As I result, I said yes to a long weekend in Munich. What I found was a charming city with a cosmopolitan twist engulfed by Oktoberfest's festive and jovial spirit.
For the past few weeks, I've been getting attacked by mosquitos at night. With no window screens, they fly in and bite me as I'm trying to sleep. Of course, they don't suck anyone else's blood but mine. And since OFF! isn't sold in France (especially in October), I was unsure of what to do until I read catnip oil is very effective in fending off the little buggers. If only the pet stores were open at 5:00 a.m.!
All Saints, a popular girls group from the UK, is making a comeback with their single Rock Steady. Though, according to Girls Aloud, the current queens of girl group pop, "All Saints are ripping us off." With both groups releasing singles and new albums over the next few months, it smells a bit like P.R to me. Either way, lovers of candy tunes rejoice. Check out the article here and watch the All Saints video below.
As most of you know, I love American television. So, as the new season continues to unfold in the U.S., I become a bit sad. I'm missing such shows as Ugly Betty (doing great), Heroes (solid hit) and 30 Rock (3rd place time slot finish). They may find their way to our UK satellite provider, but who knows where we'll be by then. In the meantime, we watch such shows as Kath & Kim, an off-beat comedy from Australia. It's odd, but funny! Check out their site then watch the clip below (I know some of you can relate!)
Oprah devoted an entire show to poop this week. So, in recognition of the Hermes rejected queen of daytime and her subject "du jour," I make note of a tragic event this evening. As Maddie and I were walking through the Palais Royale, I extended her leash - giving her room to roam. I never aniticipated she'd stop to gobble a mound of red feces piled in the street.
After having a great workout at the gym today (and analyzing my body composition report that details my gain of 12 good pounds since leaving Chicago), I rushed home to meet the electric company. Alyse has been without power since Friday. And in true French fashion, they weren't able to meet me until today - five days after the shut-off. Having felt horrible, we offered her a place to stay. Fortunately, she has a boyfriend who kept her company (and with hot water and television).
Though the French are quite proud of their heritage, their country and their language, it seems most want to escape to America. Today, when I was out shopping at Diesel, I spoke with a Frenchman who was hoping to move back to the USA. He had worked at Epcot's French Pavilion in Orlando for one year. Having recently won the "lottery," the U.S. government gave him his Green Card - allowing him to return to America. According to him, "I love my country and food. But people in Paris and France are so...so...difficult and unpleasant." The funny thing is I've heard this before, many times. Which makes me even more grateful that I'll be stepping foot inside a Walgreens soon.
What is the world coming to? David Hasselhoff has a #3 hit single in the UK this week. The Brits consider him an icon and their purchasing and supporting of "Jump in my Car" defies everything in nature. Be prepared to cringe!
Finally, a smoking ban takes effect in France next year. Unfortunately, the first wave is only for public places such as museums and shops. Which is a less-than-spectacular launch to the program. Who lights up next to the Mona Lisa? The grandaddy result of the ban doesn't start until January when it hits restaurants, bars and clubs. Which, by then, we'll have moved on from France. I'm sure the riots will start any minute now. Read the full article here.
There are a few odd elements within the site today. I'll leave them for you to identify. Needless to say, they're in place (or omitted for a reason). More to come on that later this week.
I spent hours on the phone today trying to reconnect Alyse's electricity. Actually, I spent hours on the phone today with Kris' secretary who spent hours on the phone with the electric company. My French is adequate. But when you combine a portable phone with a fast speaking French, it's impossible to understand. Xavier is in Washington, D.C. visiting his boyfriend. Unfortunately for us, he's moving there the first of the year. Another one down... My Instinct article has been shelved. The December issue is full. However, the good news is that the Editor in Chief is interested in continuing our conversations - hoping to find a way to collaborate in the future (especially with their extended travel section coming in 2007). So, I'll be working on an article for the January issue over the next few weeks. I'm also investigating an internet site. It's something I've thought about for a couple of years now - ever since we traveled to Las Vegas. But it wasn't until a few weeks ago that my friend Tom brought to me an idea that made me revisit the idea. I think it has legs. We'll see where it goes from here. Finally, I've included another youtube.com video link below (who is on the verge of being purchased by Google). The Feelings "Never Be Lonely" is a hum-along diddy that captures the essence of ELO. Take a listen and have a great weekend!
Most of you know we have a tennant living upstairs in what I call the "Land of Oompa Loompas." In exchange for rent, Alyce cleans and irons twice a week. We pay for her insurance and electricty. Tonight, we received a call from Alyce informing us that her power is out. So, I quickly called Mina, our savior for many reasons. Unable to respond tonight, Mina has plans to call EDF (the electric company) tomorrow. From what we can gather, Kris and I haven't paid the electric bill for over a year. EDF was to send it to us directly - but we've never received one. Not thinking, we've never noticed the bill's absence. And in true French fashion, not only has it taken a year for them to respond accordingly, they've take action without informing us. Ooh la la!
Now that we're back from Munich, I've been spending the day working on my article for Instinct Magazine. However, it's not about our visit to Oktoberfest but rather our experience of Christmas in Paris. I realized the November issue of Instinct is already put to bed. The Oktoberfest article wouldn't make it into the magazine until December, and I don't think they'll be featuring an event from fall in their holiday issue. So, I've written a piece titled, "My Years Without A Santa Clause." I hope they like it.
Of course, I return from Munich to a malfunctioning site. So it looks like some revisions are necessary. Which, in essence, is a good thing since I decided this week to take the site back to its original premise - one that features daily updates for friends and family (and strangers interested in following along) on our adventures in Paris and around Europe. No gossip. A series of Pink Trash Travel videos. A song here and there. In essence, a blog/vlog with a bit of "interesting finds" thrown in for good measure. I guess it follows my motto for fall, "Simple is Best." Until then...
As Kris takes a nap, I thought I´d make a note of Oktoberfest and Munich as of Sunday. In short, yesterday we toured through the city - beautiful. Munich is charming yet somewhat cosmopolitan. Today, we made our way to the festival at 9:00 a.m. For us to secure a table at the beer tents, it was imperative we arrive early. It was just as I imagined: thousands of patrons drinking from steins larger than my head. I find it most hilarious that Oktoberfest gives men the excuse to dress alike, sing and fondle one another - all under the disguise of a German holiday. But, the question I posed before I left Paris was: Can you have fun at Oktoberfest without drinking? Our server at the beertent, quickly replied, "NO!" But I disagree. Not only did the tents provide entertainment for at least two hours, the carnival outside was like giving candy to a five year old. That combined with the overall experience of Munich, makes our trip one of my favorites since moving to Paris.
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