Experiments with the “analog” SLR

Remember I bought an “analog” SLR? You don’t?? Where’ve you been? Read that post here. So like I mentioned there, I fed a black and white film roll to go all pristine with the shooting. And for the first one, I went through it really quickly and at the same time, experimented a whole whole lot. And so, turns out, out of 36 photos, I got only about 20 not to shake and remotely in focus. Since while shooting, you can’t see any previews, I was still trying to get a hang of the controls and so I figure this percentage while not too great isn’t too bad either. Here are a couple of shots from that bunch. Not bad at all, huh?

The Eiffel Tower. This shot was multiple-exposed 5 times in one click. Pretty neat, huh? 

And then one more -

View across the Seine. Metro 6 is making it’s away across too. 

The above photo however has a white-washed sky (which couldn’t be saved digitally after scanning either). And that proves that the ISO is too high for the light that was available. Nonetheless, considering that this was the first experiment, I am going to consider it a moderate success.

Interesting fact: Did you know that B&W films need special technology to be developed? And that it can’t be done in India? And that it costs maybe 5 times as much to do it wherever it can be? Who knew, huh?

Ah Paris!

Some of the best things in life can be free. And the city of lights is an everyday example. Some of the best sights it has to offer are absolutely free. Like this one.

 La Tour Eiffel: The single most-visited paid monument in the world.

Ah Paris! How I love this city and how I love showing its jewels off. With the sudden onset of intensive heat, all the monuments are shining in their well-maintained splendour in the bright sunshine. And with my new-found black and white film SLR mania, this is the best place to be to try and capture some surreally brilliant shots while I’m at it. And yes, I am yet to develop the 2 rolls of B&W film that I’ve already exhausted. Needless to say, exceptional results will wind up here. Until then, vivre la Paris!

P’Arc de Triomphe: The urban jungle

You have to hand it over to the French. The most famous road in Paris, probably even the world, Champs Elysées, was turned into a garden. For 2 days. At a cost of 4.2 million euros. You can see the news item here. And it was a sight to behold -

The Arc de Triomphe at the head of the world-famous Avenue de Champs Elysées.

And boy, did the people turn out or what! I have never seen a rush like that in Paris. Sure, Champs Elysées is always crowded. But the crowd yesterday was such that if you happened to drop something, it would cascade through at least 10 people before it reached the ground and inevitably got stampeded. It was an exhibition by young French farmers, displaying everything from their crop to their domesticated animals. However, the “natural” greenery was far less obvious than the urban jungle on display. The people who thronged the place in millions in the sweltering heat braving it all just to witness the miracle of having paved away the traffic from this amazing street and fill it with mud and trees, flowers and animals. I’ll admit. All we saw was people. Joie de Vivre!

The urban jungle. The street was so crowded it was impossible to see the Louvre at the far end of Champs Elysées.

Paris visits

Here's some of the scenes we've captured while taking S' parents around Paris. The beautiful Sacre-Coeur church in Montmarte. Gorgeous, isn't it?
Tip: Click on the photo for a higher-resolution image.

Happy Birthday RER E

Isn't it cute when people celebrate birthdays of trains? I think it is.. So it was my favourite train's birthday apparently one of the days last week. And the entire train was festooned with balloons and stickers saying "Bon Anniversaire" and all that. Not just that, they gave all of the travellers that day a free juice box and a madeline. Cute, huh?

Parisian Fashion - 101

So, you're visiting Paris, the city of lights and one of the fashion capitals of the world! Worried what to dress like? Don't fret... after living here for over a year, I have a pretty good idea of what Parisian fashion is all about. (Guys, you may want to stop reading right here because I cannot offer any tips on your dressing styles).

1. Made-up is beautiful: Practically no one, I repeat no one, from the ultra-busy medical intern to the office secretary wades into their workplace unkempt or un-madeup. Throw on the war paint, whether on the train, in the restroom or the window seat on the bus. A girl's got to do what she's got to do.
Tip 1: Over-emphasize just any one facial feature. If you're going heavy on the eyes, leave everything else subtle.
Tip 2: One to-blend-in makeup tool is your mascara brush. Coat on enough to blacken a zebra and you've got it right, Parisian ishtyle.

2. Layers: It's all about layers.. Clothes or hair, jewelry or makeup... more the better! So if you think you're gonna feel cold, instead of throwing on a rugged not-so-feminine jacket, wear a couple of layers and then a delicate pull. Want to wear a miniskirt over leggings or jeans? Go for it! That'll boost you right up there on the fashion scene.

3. Boots: Have a pair of boots? Then, wear them for crying out loud! Match 'em up with everything from dresses and skirts to skinny jeans and shorts. It's as Parisian as it gets. I bet all my money that every single Parisian woman has at least one pair of boots in her shoe cupboard. Anyone taking me up on this one? And if you don't have boots... there are only 2 other options - flats or stilettos... don't wear a mid-size heel... It has got to be either a stool or well-grounded.

4. Super-size me: Huge is in... but only in terms of accessories. Over-sized handbags, sunglasses and jewelry is totally trend-setting out here. Big baubles around your neck (by big, I mean the size of the pendant and the length of the chain), long earrings, sunglasses that cover 1/3rd your face (the upper third has the option to be covered by bangs) are all not-to-miss additions to your daily couture. They grab attention and that's what you're aiming at. Other than blending in of course..

5. Stockings: Maybe it's a winter thing.. but stockings are completely in.. And in various colors too.. not just the old boring black/skin. Whether it's a dress, a skirt or a mini, stockings are one thing that meld the dress and the shoes together. So, it's a no-brainer.

6. Brands: Ah, the ultimate tool for the blend-in experience. Sunglasses... handbags... perfumes.. clothes.. Chanel, Dior, Fendi, Valentino, Gucci and what not.. If you have something branded, flaunt it. I am not sure that every piece that everyone seems to be wearing is authentic. But to the untrained eye like mine, it makes no difference! Don't go for knock-offs though. Classic is still the best.

There you have it... a simple routine to rock the city of lights. Go Girl!

PS: I have a fashion faux pas list as well. Drop me a line if you wanna read it.

The silver lining

I’ve had the longest day.. it began with the culmination of the troubles that our cooking hot-tops had been giving us. One had failed a month ago and the other while tripping the electrical circuit periodically, gave up today and decided to trip the whole house’s electricity instead. While that was rectified with the flip of the fuse, the same cannot be said of my chai-less start to the day. And so it began. While it didn’t exactly go downhill from there, it sort of stayed at a plateau… a whole bunch of experiments underway and none of them close to completion meant it was a terribly long day. And then I decided to buy us a small table-top gas to stand-in and serve as my cooking essential. And so I found one in a seemingly nearby-to-college store. Ever notice how something light can slowly and steadily grow heavier as you take more and more steps? And it’d be of some merit if I was actually coming home with the burden. Unfortunately I had to head back to college to end my experiment. And so I lugged the stove back to school, shut my experiments off for the day, observed the current results and then headed homeward. All of a sudden, I remembered that I had to pickup a letter at the La Poste which meant I had to get off the bus a stop earlier rather than the one right in front of my house. The weather had changed steadily as if to mimic my mood. Now it was dark with heavy clouds looming and uncannily dull-lit for 7:00pm… While I mused over this, it started pouring. And not just rain… Ice rain. I’d never seen anything like it. While I scampered for cover, I couldn’t help admiring the whole scene. Everything from the loud clatter of ice on the roof below which I’d sought shelter, to the color of the sky to how pretty the city I lived in was. Suddenly I wished I had a camera. And then I remembered my cell phone’s camera. While it probably couldn’t do as much justice to the actual picture, it did a great job.. Here see (you can see the La Poste to which I was headed at the bottom of the left-side building) -

And then just as suddenly as the rain had started it stopped and the sun peeked out from behind the dense mass of clouds. And just like that, my mood brightened. Bonne soirée!

So dark the con of man

Title courtesy: Dan Brown

Ah today was one of those dark days on which I had to return a rental car. If you don't know what I am talking about, read this post. And as always, I had to fill fuel and then go around in 3 long and oblong circles around the rental place for the lack of parking. And since the agency is located on a one lane street, there was no chance of turning on the hazard lights and hoping one of the agency guys took the car and parked it elsewhere. And so I roamed from ville to ville (town) in search of nearby parking and for the lack of sufficient U-turns. Finally, I decided to give up and randomly entered one of the perpendicular streets vaguely near the rental agency. And I found one parking space. It was going to be a tight fit but it was possible. While I was mapping out my parallel parking 'route' mentally, a young man on the street offered to park it for me. I took the chance. I knew that the French were superb in parallel parking and this guy would take 5 seconds or less to park the car. I was right and he was done in a jiffy. I started thanking him profusely and I fully expected him to walk away. Instead, he asked me for a pen and reached for the blue rental information folder that I had kept on the passenger seat. I watched uneasily as he started noting the kilometers from the odometer and checking the inside of the car. Taken aback, I asked him if he was from Rent-a-car to confirm anyway. It was a valid question given that this was some random street and a sizable distance from the agency. He just nodded his response and proceeded on with his inspection. A sudden thought struck me. What if this guy was a con artist? What if he was pretending to be someone from the car rental place while really he was trying to steal the car? In the few seconds that he checked the car, I played out an entire lawsuit in my head. He started walking away apparently indicating that I was to follow. Surely this was going to be okay? And as he walked into the store, relief flooded into me. He was genuine. He was from the agency. And he gave me the receipt and everything and signed off on the rental. And the guy who gave me the car in the first place was there. All was well. I wasn't conned. There was going to be no lawsuit. Whoosh!

So dark the con of man = O(h) often cars honk mad (Sorry, couldn't think of a better fit in viewpoint - Anyone who can come up with a better one will get it on the post!!) :)

Of forks n knives..

Well, we all know that the fork goes on the left hand the butter knife on the right hand. At least that’s how they place it around your plate during a formal meal.  But I’ve never been able to eat that way. The logic behind this arrangement is that the knife would be in your natural hand (predominantly right) to have the strength to cut whatever it is that you were eating while the fork held it down and then once it was cut free, you could use the fork that was still holding it to directly put it in your mouth. Makes sense on paper (at least to me). But while trying out, I’ve always found it bizarre. I switch hands. I use the knife on the left hand to hold the food down while I tear it away using the fork with my right and put it in my mouth. I’ve attributed this to the fact that it’s widely taboo to use your left hand to eat food in India (and we’ve been taught so). Even still, many many people have been able to make the transition to formal dining with etiquette and get it right. I haven’t. Consequently, once the waiters see the cutlery reversed around my plate, they assume I am left-handed and place everything accordingly (the wine/water glasses will go to the left instead of the right, etc). It’s a very subtle change but I’ve been amazed that so many places in France in particular have noticed and attempted to make it “comfortable” for me. For that matter, how many people know how to use the many different types of forks/knives/spoons that are cluttered around your plate during a formal meal? For this one, I can say I do. :D

Makeup to go

Having lived abroad for quite a while now, I can vouch for the fact that personal appearances do make a big part of the whole first impression deal. I mean, you could be smart and everything on the inside and stuff, but you've got to be presentable on the outside. In India, this just meant that you didn't look haggard... your hair was in place.. your clothes neat... you didn't have spinach on your teeth and you were just about set. But in the US and France it's a whole level upward. In the US, I observed how almost all the women carried a huge backpack/handbag which had their workday essentials and a tiny teensy purse/tote that consisted of their makeup. I found it extremely odd that they couldn't bother to put the small one into the big one and just carry one thing at a time... but would rather choose to carry this dainty tote alongside a massive one. And this seemed 'unfair' when I used to dress in the dark for my 7:30 am ECSS shifts in UC by not turning the lights on hoping not disturb my sleeping roommates. Indeed I think I've gone days without bothering about my reflection. After I became a "working woman", I started caring a bit more... but just enough to look put-together.

Here in France, women carry just one huge handbag which presumably has everything in it. But here's the twist. Many many of them wear their makeup in public. On trains... in buses, no matter where... no sooner than they find a reflecting surface (or have a place to sit to hold up their compact), they go at it. And not just something simple like powder/compact/blush, but even the hard stuff like mascara and eye liner. France is a country of mascara. If you wanna blend right in, coat your lashes with oodles of the stuff but tastefully and you're set. And practically no one looks unkempt. I think what's striking is that these people who wear their makeup on the go have absolutely no qualms in peering at themselves from various angles to check their makeup, fully aware of the fact that gazillions around them are just staring at them for the lack of anything better to do (especially when the train goes underground and there's nothing to see on the outside). Not that this deters them in the least. I suppose they'd rather show up to the people they know, all well-madeup than bother about the strangers on the journey who aren't going to remember them anyways. In some weird way, it all makes sense. Each one to herself.

Winter Blues

Paris had another bout of snow last week. I am about done with winter here. I am told by the Parisiens that this winter's been especially bad. We had a low of -7°C this season and that was the first week of school. The regulars probably remember a complaining post back then too. But seriously... the black ice and slippery roads apart, I have other complaints too. I am bored of my winter wardrobe and of not wearing open-toed sandals/shoes. Yeah these are frivolous issues... but they do exist. The only thing I see myself in is my variety of sweaters, sweatshirts and jackets. And its gotten boring to me more than anyone else. And the cold weather and dreary climate outside have a way of making your spirits gloomier too, brightened only by the occasional hot drink. And that's not sustaining enough. If that's not enough the barren tree branches don't call for any cheer either. The literal bright side of this is that finally the daylight has started extending past 5:30pm. For a period in between, I was leaving home in complete darkness and returning in darkness as well. And the only daylight I caught was outside my cold office's window which was minimally comforting. I guess I didn't complain much about much harsher Cincy winters because I didn't have anywhere to go to. My life was encompassed around the 1km radius of UC and home and that's all I saw. Everyone I knew lived near me and we had a blast in each others well-heated homes n such and barely skipped the UC perimeter. We even saw movies and everything in the big screen of ERC 427. That was life there. Life here has the potential to be a bit more happening. There are places that we'd like to go, things we'd like to do but we find ourselves modifying plans in keeping with the sad weather. The good part is that the lament has struck in the latter part of winter and the snow is slowly melting away to admit Spring. Soon, it'll all change.

The guide to navigate snow

I love it when it snows... Indeed I think my affinity for snow has carried it across the Atlantic into normally less-snowy Paris. The whole place looks like a black and white postcard where the only color that matters is white. Here are a couple of shots outside my window..


At the same time, I hate it when the snow melts... that's when it starts getting dangerous, slippery, dirty, cold and ugly, in no particular order. You don't survive 3 winters in Cincinnati and not know a thing or two about snow.. So, if it's your first snow or if you simply want tips on how to have a fall-free winter, read on..

1. Fancy shoes just don't work. Stick to good old sneakers with solid soles. Don't make the mistake of wearing sole pattern-free footwear.. they almost guarantee a slip.
2. Walk on fresh patches of snow. The lesser walked upon the path, the less likely one is to slip. the places where people have walked, the snow is often eroded to a murky slush which can be rather slippery if one is not careful.
3. Walk with chomp-chomp steps and not gliding ones. You needn't walk like a soldier on march-past drill.. but there is no need for large foot falls either. Closely spaced walking is safer.
4. Navigating slopes can be tricky if you are new to it... being a veteran resident of the Riddle Road Lookout Apartment (people in UC will be familiar with it's up-slope into the driveway and down-slope to the steps of the building). Keep firm steps and make sure that you are steady before you take the next step.

The rest is just practice. It does make perfect! Have a wonderful winter (or season), everyone!

Instant Cheers

You know how when you want to feel suddenly good, you need to do something silly? Utterly childish and something completely face-value. I did too. I was pretty bored this afternoon, not to mention fretting over the fact that I had 20 long days to face alone before my own India trip. Guess what I did? I made a countdown calendar which I hung very prominently on the wall in the front room. Now I'll scratch off each day as I pass it. And already I feel tonnes better. :)

Nothing like home

I love travelling, seeing new places and everything and I would do it many many times... but the feeling of coming home is unique. It's peaceful, its welcoming, it's warm and comfortable and mainly, it's yours. No place can feel better. But like many things, the distance makes the heart fonder and you truly appreciate home only when you have been away from it and then of course, no sleep is as good as it is on your own bed. Besides, the feeling is multiplied if you've had a tiring weekend albeit fun-filled, with over 1000km of travel in 2 days, add to that being the only driver. I've had the joyous homecoming twice since last night - once when we actually got home after the trip last night and once today when I went to return the car. You might wonder why the second time. The rental place is just behind my house and naturally to return the car there, I opted out of taking the GPS. As luck would have it, the roads were closed at certain points for maintenance and an innocent hunt for a U-turn turned into a massive diversion from my ville (city) to another. Throw in a couple of highways and it's chaos. After accurately memorizing the path I was taking and needing all of 1 U-turn to just turn back, I found myself on the highway. A couple of exits later, I landed at a familiar sounding locality and in there after a few circles around the town center, finally I caught sight of signs pointing to my city. The gush of relief was unmistakeable. In a few short minutes, I had the car returned to it's owners while I got back to the sanctity of my sweet home.

Parking in Paris

Pure nightmare. And I don't live in hardcore Paris. I live in Ile de France. I just spent the last 60 minutes (it felt like eternity) driving all sorts of circles around my house through the one-ways and what not. To top it, the spot I found finally is about 15 minutes from home and I spent another 10 minutes parallel parking in the space that was exact for the mammoth that I had gotten for rent. The only good thing was that it was not a busy street... or I'd have had cars queing up behind me giving me sour looks. Now I know why many people don't have cars around here. There is no space to park!! Yes, our building has underground parking. But we are not allotted the space unless we actually have a car. So that means we are left to find spaces in the streets. Hmph.

The best vs the rest

Once you get used to the best, it's very hard to go back to the rest. I've learned this the practical way. As a student, I experienced the 'rest' firsthand. And after marriage now I get to experience the best. (Actually that started sometime after I started working having graduated from school, but this claim makes it sound even better, what say?) Before my family starts wondering if they haven't succeeded in offering me the 'best' in every way back when I was home in India, let me put those thoughts to rest. I am exclusively talking about the time that I have lived away from home.

These thoughts all occured to me when I was sitting at the coin laundry mindlessly watching my clothes toss and turn in the tumble dryer. As the clothes merrily danced into dryness, I caught sight of a white sock, now sooo pearly white that it was virtually unrecognisable from it's earlier self that can only be described as blackened at best. The difference was unbelievable. Who thought a machine could wash every garment soo well? I then realized that more than the machine itself, it was the detergent that made the difference. The clothes never felt this clean when we were previously using even the powder Ariel. But enter the liquid Ariel I am never going back to any other detergent. Makes me think back to the days at grad school when we used to buy something, the brand name which I can't remember because it wasn't economical to buy 'Tide', the best-selling counterpart out there for 3 people with laundry weekly.

The laundry is just an example and a very feeble one at that, on the topic that I am harping on. Here in Paris, alongwith my brand-conscious husband, I have had the fortune of experiencing really what the brands are about. We shop at Sephora, a very popular perfumerie that stocks the most famous brands in the world. I've found my scent there - Pure Poison by Dior. Once you use something like that, it's impossible to relapse to the happy days of Bath and Body Works sprays (though I love their bath products still). And then when we bought the perfume there, we were given samplers. This is what kills you. They give you free samples of some of the great stuff that they stock. For me, it was a J'adore (by Dior) bodywash and body lotion. I was sold. After using that, who could go back to buying Nivea or Faa? Not me. Yesterday I bought the full-size version. As for my husband, he is a walking n talking 'Jean-Paul Gaultier' brand ambassador (except he doesn't get paid for his conquests). He not only takes his personal care products seriously, religiously refilling every time he is out, he has sold no less than 10 people on the same products, some as unlikely to pick it up as my brother (Now my bro is soo sold on it, that he has located Sephora near his home in California for refills). If JPG agents are looking for representatives, please contact me for the details of my husband :D. That's what I am talking about. There's certainly more than just the names to the brands, if not in something less important as accessories, but in something as important as personal care. Having used Dior makeup also, I find it hard to use much else. What's the end to the story? Empty pockets, in a manner of speaking. Is it worth it? Maybe... after all, life is about living.

Boot-ed

Ever since I've gotten to Paris, I've been taken by a shoe obsession. You'll know what I mean if you've read Happy Feet and it's sequel on this blog. And here I am... yet again with a new pair of boots. These are ankle-high and I had been on the lookout for them. And they're black... so no worries about matching with anything else. They are smart, chic and at the cost of sounding like Monica (in F-R-I-E-N-D-S), I must add that they go with almost every attire. Look for yourself...

(P.S: It's hard trying to get the SLR to focus on both your feet especially with no one to help AND when you are wearing the shoes and are bent at a very acute angle trying to reach the 'CLICK' button on the camera.)

Eiffel again

Some things, you just can't help taking pictures of.... This is one of those occasions. The day was brilliant and the angle of the light playing on the tower was perfect. The result - a postcard from Paris.

The 26 year old student

France is a country with many provisions for students/people of the lower income group, etc. But I was really sad to discover that most student benefits end the day you turn 26. It's almost as if they think you shouldn't study past the age of 25 or that if you wish to study past this hideous age, you are on your own and the government doesn't plan to help you. One of the main places this affects me is the railway/metro pass. It costs a steep 90€ a month with a huge variety of places you can go to. Even then! I discovered that students under 26 can get a 50% discount on that. And students above 26? A measly 2%. I wonder why that's even there! And then for most working people, 50% is compensated by their companies in their allowance. Not for us... because you are supposed to be able to get the transport system offered discount. I am a wee bit disgruntled ever since I found out. Hmph. Also in tourist spots... students under 26 can get tickets also for upto 50% off with their IDs. Not if you're over 26. I think it's a national rule that once you cross 25, you'd better be contributing to the household income... or go jump.

Sadly, this affects the highest educated bracket, like us doctorates, or the latecomers who decide to go back to school. Hell, at least the second category had their fair share of bucks before return to academia... I think this is just one of those days, when you can find fault with almost anything. But something tells me I am a wee bit reasonable here.

The comparison of the Eiffels...

France is the head of the EU council for the ongoing 6 months. To commemorate the occasion, the Eiffel Tower glows blue instead of it's usual gold. That apart, there's a circular arrangement of stars around the centre. Here's what they look like -


I was blown away when I saw the blue one recently. Its soo pleasant on the eye and stands totally apart from the other lights of the street, the other buildings etc., almost all of which are yellow/gold. And the stars on the centre that look drab by day look spectacular at night. Even better is the show of blinking lights every hour at the hour. It goes great with the blue. More of a contrast, than with the gold. Maybe its just that it's different and I am sure other people have other opinions. But personally, I hope they vouch for keeping the blue throughout. After all, it doesn't hurt to add one more reason to the Le Bleu tag on France's collar.