Day 9 of 21
I visited the Institut du Monde Arabe today. The building was designed by Jean Nouvel. The exterior is made up of pieces that function like camera lenses. They adjust throughout the day to keep the light inside always the same. A lovely place. Everything was in French, but I enjoyed the permanent exhibit nonetheless. I recognized these words and more: oiseaux, chevaux, lamas, bijou, balances. Two floors of exquisite pieces: scrolls with designs made up of tiny writing, translucent bottles for perfume, crowns, cuffs, compasses, mathematical squares, quran covers and pockets….so many beautiful things. It was a nice morning.
While I was walking in Saint Germaine afterwards, I yawned and my bad ear popped a little. Thank goodness. It’s the first time I’ve felt any kind of movement in that ear in over a week. it was such a huge relief. And it’s amazing because it happened as I was passing Dr. Milo’s office and I had only started the antibiotics and steroids a few hours before. Hardcore.
In the afternoon I went to Cafe de Flore for lunch and to write. I didn’t like it as much as Deux Maggots. It was a little more uptight. I sat between two old white men. And all the waiters were grouchy-ish old white men. Mine was not crazy about me. I ordered a salad nicoise and a cafe au lait. I also wrote a poem that I like very much. The place gets points in my book just because of that.
From there, I did something I’ve always wanted to do. I sought out Anjuna Bijou in the 11th arrondisement.
I was worried about communicating. But it was Anjuna herself that was there and her English is awesome. I told her that I saw a ring she made many years ago at Destination in the meatpacking district in New York. We figured that it was almost a decade ago. I told her that I always remembered her exquisite ring of the New York skyline and that I’ve trolled the internet looking for her since then and when I found her website I promised myself I would visit her shop if I was ever in Paris.
Anjuna is super cool. Super warm. She mostly makes jewelry based on artwork that graffitti artists give her. We went back and forth for awhile. I didn’t kow if I should get something made with my initials or name. After I decided that I couldn’t afford it, I settled on a ring of the New York skyline which was already made. How funny after all these years to come to Paris to buy a New York ring.
She has to resize it for me and I can pick it up tomorrow. She said she’d sign it and she asked if I wanted her to tag it with my name. I gave her a ‘Oui!’ and a thumbs up. She said ‘a Dedication’.
I dig Anjuna.
Tomorrow: I don’t know.
Paté and Heartbreak 