Back in Brooklyn

A Perfect Brooklyn Saturday
Some days are better than others. Today was nearly perfect. We followed up a good night's sleep that chased away the last dullness of jetlag with brunch at a new neighborhood restaurant. From there we strolled to a book store on Court Street. I got the latest from Jonathon Ames, a local Brooklyn writer. Then off to a few different cafes for a few different coffees, shopping at the local market and a walk over to the Brooklyn Academy of Music to see a movie. I crunched some "Breakfast of Heroes" popcorn - a melange of bourbon-coffee caramel, popcorn and candied bacon. For dinner, we tried the new Mexican restaurant-slash-art gallery-slash-live music venue. Today was a particularly Brooklyn day, the likes of which you cannot find anywhere else.

Gimme a Three....Gimme a Two....

Someone is Pretending....
Today is someone's birthday. Someone is pretending she's still 31... Wahahahahahaha. NOT. Anyway, we celebrated this morning with a fancy breakfast at Laduree on Champs Elysees. These photos are a few days old - someone got welcome to Paris presents.

Paris - Another One Rides the Bus

The Preferred Way to Go
I ride the bus in Paris every day. There is much to love. First, the seats in the front of the bus face towards the back. I have no idea why. I try to sit in them whenever I can and ride backwards to work. It makes for great people-watching, both inside and out. I love the guy staring back at me. Nope, I don't care - I'll take your photo like a tourist with no shame. Another great thing - you can buy a ticket right on the bus and they'll even make change. Try that in NY.

Paris - Early Riser Buzzkill

We Open at 9am, but not Really....
Every weekend I wake up around 7am - I'm an early riser, I can't help it. It's horrible to wake up early in Paris, everyone else is on a different schedule. Nothing opens until 9am, and even that's misleading. Today I arrived at a restaurant at 9:15am but the "coffee machine wasn't ready" so I didn't get my coffee until 10am. In Paris, I'm forced to accept that type of bullshit as charming. I wanted to walk out but I caught myself. Where was I going to go on a Sunday morning? Most places are closed and those that are open are equally lame. On Saturday I walked to Galerie Vivienne in the 2nd to have breakfast. I'd double-checked the opening time of the cafe in question - 9am. I walked on purpose so I'd arrive at 9:45.

Paris - the Shittiest Ciry

Keep Your Eyes Cast Downwards
This is the most romanticized city in the world. You tell someone you live in Paris and their eyes glaze over as they visibly swoon. They can't imagine navigating sidewalks full of dog-logs and pee-pools. It's an epidemic here. This is a shot right outside my front door.

Paris - the Furniture 'Hood

Bastille, Back in the Day
In the old days Bastille was where all the furniture makers plied their trade. It's no longer the case but some still remain. A good example is along the picturesque Passage du Chantier.

Passage du Chantier
11th Arondissement
Paris

Paris - Just Another Day at the Factory

Or Is It?
Continuing a theme, a lot of Paris hides in plain sight. What you see from the street are the outer surfaces of more interesting inner courtyards. As I was on my way back from my morning coffee I caught a glimpse through some large wooden doors into the inner sanctum of an old factory. It's been beautifully maintained and is now used as office space mainly, it appears, by those in the digital arts.

74 rue du Faubourg Saint-Antoine
11th Arondissement

Paris - Another Hidden Gem

Park on Top of an old Viaduct
The Viaduct des Arts cuts a mile-long path through the 12th along Avenue Daumesnil. Built in 1859 by the Paris Strasbourg Railway company to elevate a stretch of tracks from Bastille to the burbs, it was converted into art studios and stores in the 1980's. The rails were replaced by a planted promenade, which is popular with walkers are runners alike. It's a beautiful, narrow park 30 feet up known as the Promenade Plantée.

Singapore - Wakeboarding

Working on a New Maneuver
I accompanied Puffin and her cousin wakeboarding on Saturday morning. We hopped in a cab to the north side of the island. The marina appeared to specialize in wakeboarding - there were quite a few folks there with their boards. The two of them wasted a lot of time trying to talk me into giving it a try. Don't be silly - I am a big chicken when it comes to water sports. I got myself a coffee and a paper and sat next to their coach at the front of the boat.

Bangkok - Chinatown

A Different World
I'm a typical man - when I get lost I don't ask for help, I just wander around pretending like I always meant to take the scenic route. What started out as an attempt to see Wat Arun turned into a 5-mile stubborn-man walk in 95 degree heat that ended up in Chinatown. You can tell you're in Chinatown because everything starts to look different. The buildings are older, the sidewalks are more crowded and the signs have both kanji as well as Thai script.

Bangkok - Eating

It's So Easy
Just walk around, that's all. Everywhere you look there is food being sold. You cannot escape it, even the sidewalks are lined with food.

Bangkok - Chao Phraya River

The River of Kings
That's the loose translation of Chao Phraya and it makes sense - this is a massive river that splits Bangkok in two. I can see how it was the lifeblood of the place in ancient times. This is a shot from a bridge looking eastward towards downtown.

Bangkok - Praying

No Excuses
Whereas in the States you can say you missed the bus to church or that your car broke down on the way, in Bangkok you'd need to find a different excuse. See, there are small temples everywhere. I saw dozens and dozens of them, I think there's one in every parking lot. This was the one in the hawker center near my hotel where I said a few words of thanks to Buddha for the small fruit waffle thingie I got there. It was delicious!

Bangkok - Wat Prayun Wongsawat

The Turtle Temple
I wandered into this temple seeking shade after a long, hot walk to nowhere in particular. I later learned it's known as the "turtle temple." It was built in the mid-1800's by Rama III, the reigning king. It's quirky, to say the least. I like the small pigs.