Paris Parfait

Of textiles and tattoos

These antique textiles and jewelry (photos shot through glass) are on display at a museum at the Amman Amphitheatre. I forgot to bring a card reader and have had erratic internet service, so no chance yet to extract photos I've been taking this week. On Thursday, I visited the Jordan River Foundation's textile division, to watch talented women work on some stunning collaborative projects. More about their creations in another post.

Meanwhile, I'm working on a photographic essay and have been meeting the most astonishing Bedouin women. I'm thrilled with the images, as well as the experiences. Such amazing struggles these strong women have endured! I've been very privileged to spend time with them, not to mention the honour of photographing them.

William, my trusty driver and assistant and I have been trekking all over the country, seeking introductions to these women. Some of their stories are heartbreaking; others, inspiring. Their rich histories are etched on their faces and not just in tattoos, a dying tradition that's now frowned upon among Arab tribes.One lively woman told me she wants a copy of her photo, to display it in the church at her funeral!

I photographed a wonderful woman and her eight-year-old granddaughter, wearing their hair in matching braids. They insisted on giving me a beautiful traditional dress they'd hand-embroidered. Of course I couldn't accept, without paying them for it.

Some of the images I've captured were difficult to take. A blind woman was living in a tent swept bare of all but basic necessities. With every click of the camera shutter, she let out a sigh. The woman was desperately poor, as were many of the Bedouin families I encountered.

One large extended family lived among the ruins in an ancient stone village near Hmod. The village elders were happy to have their photos taken, but a young married woman sitting on a blanket drinking tea jumped up and ran away, even though I assured her I wouldn't take her picture. In contrast, the sheik in charge of the tribe was pleased to pose and discussed his efforts to try to improve their lot.

Today in our travels we encountered torrential lashing rains, which left roaring streams of muddy water rushing through the desert and across roads. Rocks fell from cliffs onto the roads below, while the desert was saturated, with giant pools of excess water remaining on the surface. On a mountain route near Kerak we were forced to turn back, as water flooded the road. But it was worth every inconvenience for the photos!

Antique textiles and heavy silver jewelry on display at a folkloric museum adjacent to the Amman Amphitheatre.

On Saturday, am off to a different part of Jordan, in search of more tattooed women in their colourful embroidered costumes.

And Sunday and Monday, the group of photographers arrive for the grand tour. We have a jam-packed schedule and I'm so excited to show them the best of the Kingdom's myriad attractions.

Hope you're having an adventure or two in your corner of the world! Do tell!

Leave a comment about your  latest adventure or your plans to welcome spring and I'll send the winner - drawn March 10 from commenters' names - a souvenir from Jordan. Good luck!

Amman

 

My daughter Jordana climbing the steep stone steps of the Amman Amphitheatre, which was built by the Romans.

 

Waving en route to the top.

 

The hills above the amphitheatre and a portrait of King Abdullah II.

A view of Amman and the amphitheatre from the Citadel. I am in Amman, for the next two weeks plus. Am looking forward to welcoming an interesting group of women (and one man) beginning Sunday. We'll tour Jordan's hot spots and the ancient Nabatean city of Petra, one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.

I'll escort the group to some of my favourite places and introduce them to some intriguing local customs. We'll also receive landscape photography tips from Zohrab, Jordan's most renowned photographer. Wish you could join us! But we'll take lots of photos and will blog about the trip, so it is hoped you'll feel as though you're here!

Other views of the city. Click photos to view details.

 

Obsession with letters

If you've previously read Paris Parfait, you're no doubt aware of my obsession for typefaces and fonts. I could happily live in a typeface foundry, with an abundance of old printers' tables and trays filled with metal type; the pungent aroma of printer's ink in the air.

It probably has something to do with my newspaper background, cemented with my first visit to the Putlizer-Prize winning newspaper the Arkansas Gazette, where I watched freshly-printed newspapers fly off the press.

Sadly, the Gazette was bought by Gannett Newspapers, whose inept management proved the demise of the "oldest newspaper west of the Mississippi." Bill Clinton then ran his 1992 presidential campaign from the Gazette's elegant office building.

Alas, those days are over, both for newspapers and for typeface foundries. Today typeface design is more high-tech, once initial graphic design stages are complete. But the wooden letters or metal type blocks remain. I often buy them at brocantes or flea markets.

Last month I sold some huge zinc letters, worried I'd never find a proper place for them (plus, they were taking up a lot of space). But a few favourites remain, including a 1920s French cherry-picker's basket of assorted wooden letters (pictured). I also have three giant red metal letters spelling the word "ART" and four big wooden letters from a French restaurant that I alternate to spell "DARE" or "READ."

Last year when my lovely friend Di Overton referred me to Kent & London and their beautiful oak alphabet drawers, I fell head over heels. Even a waiting list didn't deter my enthusiasm. Recently Kent & London's charming owner and master craftsman Luke Ellis (aided by his friend Lloyd Hobbard-Mitchell) actually hand-delivered the chest, driving from Whistable, England to Paris! Such superb service, plus I got to hear Luke talk about his inspiration for the alphabet drawers and its rich patina resembling old typeface letters.

Meanwhile Lloyd is about to abandon his life in England in favor of rather exotic diving adventures in Egypt and Spain. I'm looking forward to following his exploits in his new blog The Meandering Gullbad Nogbee.

I'm using Kent & London's photograph for this post, as due to space constraints, the chest is temporarily in a back room; not exactly the proper setting. Am planning to giving it pride of place in Amsterdam. The alphabet drawers are perfect for holding photography equipment and photo cds. Thank you, Luke (and to my dear husband, who graciously considered the alphabet drawers as my Valentine's present).

Kent & London's hand-crafted alphabet drawers.

Red alert

Seeing red, London.

If it becomes law, the UK's Digital Economy Bill is basically a license to steal, allowing commercial use of any photograph whose creator cannot be identified "through a suitably negligent search." Further the bill seeks to ban "non-consensual" photography in public places.

For months now, UK police have been stopping ordinary citizens and press photographers alike - as they were taking photos of public buildings and at tourist sites - and deleting their photos. Under Section s44 of the Terrorism Act 2000, police do not have the right to delete photos - or even view them, other than in very limited circumstances. In response to such over-zealous and unwarranted police action, photographers formed a group "I'm a photographer, not a terrorist." 

With the proposed Digital Economy Bill, it appears the British government wants to provide virtually free online content for businesses, while insuring photographers aren't easily rewarded or recognised for their work. In a country where an estimated 4.2 million CCTV cameras located every few feet record its citizens' practically every move, it is deeply ironic that the government is trying to censor photography in public.

I can't imagine these latest Draconian measures will prove popular with the tourism industry, or with the press trying to cover news events.

For more information about photographers' rights in the UK, visit Photorights.org and "I'm a photographer, not a terrorist."

Thank you, Romantic Homes!

A 1920s French mannequin wearing a vintage apron from Thailand and antique Jordanian and Bedouin ornate silver and coral necklaces (including as a headdress) and bracelets.

Many thanks to fabulous editor Jacqueline deMontravel for featuring Paris Parfait as a "Blog We Love" in the April issue of Romantic Homes magazine!

Jacqueline contacted me last November, just before my daughter and I were departing for Jordan. As requested, I sent some photos upon my return to Paris, but wasn't sure when my blog would be mentioned.

Alas, the magazine isn't available in Paris.  So it wasn't until today, when my friend Marilyn opened the magazine's latest issue and emailed me, that I knew the feature had been published, along with three of my photos. Such a lovely start to my Wednesday morning!

Merci bien, Romantic Homes! Now where can I find your magazine in Paris??!! I usually buy copies in London, but since Borders closed, difficult to find.

La vagabonde

Camels in Petra, Jordan.

Am busy trying to finish some projects, as well as preparing to depart for the Middle East. If I haven't caught up with your email or your blogs, I will soon. Check back later for a more substantial post.

Meanwhile, have you seen the World Press Photo award winners? Powerful images.

Two hearts

Macaroon double heart tarts stuffed with strawberries and creme and sprinkled with pistachio nuts, from a Paris boulangerie. The platter is 1950s American and the lace-trimmed linen, vintage French.

As Emily Dickinson noted, "That love is all there is, is all we know of love."  Wishing you a very Happy Valentine's Day!

Shepherds tending their flock

Getting an unruly flock of sheep out of the road, Ajloun, Jordan.

Live sheep and goats were for sale all over the country on the eve of the Eid Muslim holiday.

A child tentatively touches a sheep.

Children continue to bother the sheep feeding at a trough, annoying this ram.

This little boy is a blur of motion as he touches a sheep, then turns to run.

  

After their purchase, this family heads home. Each animal costs around $250 and up. The sheep would have been slaughtered and eaten during the Eid celebrations.

The little boy (center) with energy to burn certainly enjoyed attention.

These laughing boys could barely stay still long enough for a photograph.

Young shepherds with their flock at twilight.

Sand in the bottle

The entrance to Kan Zaman near Amman, Jordan, a unique complex featuring shops and restaurants.

 

A charming shop owner and artisan custom-creates a custom sand-in-the-bottle design for my daughter Jordana.

 

The painstaking process took only about five minutes!

This is one of the artisan's more elaborate art pieces. At Kan Zaman, you can request any design you like.

Triple snowfall

It snowed twice Wednesday and today as well in Paris: huge fluffy flakes that quickly coated everything in a blanket of white. An hour later, the sun shone and the snow melted. This afternoon, another flurry came down hard, only to vanish in an hour. That's the thing about weather in Paris: not only is it unpredictable, it changes every few minutes.

Of course, this is mere confetti, compared to the East coast of the United States. And Canada. Oh Canada! Hope some of my favourite Vancouver bloggers will be posting about the Olympic games, which commence on Friday.

Doing more with less

 

Downward arrows, shop window and reflection of Oxford Street, London.

What could you do with less? These days, many of us are asking ourselves that question.

While the family that sold their house and moved to a smaller one, using proceeds to help fight hunger in Ghana is laudable, one doesn't have to travel to Africa to find poverty. Vast pockets of impoverished people live in the United States and in most countries. Shockingly, in the developed world, the only place where poverty is worse than the USA is Mexico!

As a child growing up in the Southern United States, I saw plenty of poverty, particularly in Georgia, Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana and Tennessee. In all these states, many families didn't have enough to eat, much less adequate health care. They sent their children to school with ill-fitting hand-me-down clothes and often lived in squalid or substandard conditions, as that's all they could afford.

Poverty, ignorance and oppression are at the root of most of the world's ills. Education, in particular, is often unavailable to the poor and this, perhaps more than any other factor, matters. Without education, people are unable to think for themselves or rise above their humble beginnings. They're unable to better their environment or make wise choices that will inform their future.

In the West, we are spoiled. We have too many material things and we keep accumulating more.  We're besieged with endless advertising and marketing, suggesting we're not good enough. So we scramble to purchase a particular dress, a designer handbag, a luxurious mansion that we've been persuaded might make a difference in our lives. But the truth is, none of it matters.

We are enough. Without the designer clothes, the flash sportscar, the expensive jewelry, the fancy address, we are enough. If we have been educated to think for ourselves, be kind to others and use our talents to benefit not only ourselves, but others, we can move mountains. There's nothing stronger than sheer will and determination as a powerful force for good.

Living with less so that others have more doesn't suggest we must surrender all our comforts. It means that we deliberate more, when making decisions about how to spend our hard-earned money. In my case, I've started selling some of the antique furniture and collectibles I've accumulated over more than ten years in Europe. I'm donating clothing, furniture and money to charity. I'm discarding many beautiful pieces of decorative art in favour of useful tools, i.e. camera and computer gear that will help me generate income.

I'm reconsidering the clothes and shoes in my wardrobe and giving away items that no longer suit. Instead of purchasing hardback books (I consider books a necessity), I'm saving money by buying ebooks for my Kindle (unless the books are MacMillan's, who insist on charging considerably more than other publishers, even though ebooks cost them very little).

While still frequenting brocantes and flea markets, I'm thinking twice before buying. Am only scooping up rare things that I know I can re-sell for a profit. But I allow myself the occasional purchase, if something  tugs at my heartstrings. After all, no reason to be fanatical about living with less! But for every item that comes into the apartment, something else goes out. I've adhered to this rule for over two years and it's proved surprisingly effective.

I also donate my writing and photography skills to human rights work and political causes. Sometimes time and energy can be more effective than money.

Do you see signs of poverty in your city?  Have you made any major changes in your lifestyle and spending habits?

Making music

It's the weekend. Have some fun. Fix your hair in a daring new way. Get together with friends and make some music. Sing opera in the supermarket. Laugh, then laugh some more. Hug someone you love.

 

This group of musicians was entertaining patrons at Covent Garden, London.

 

A musical conversation.

Posing for the photographer.

Joyful.

Welcoming ladies descending the stairs.

Singing opera with passion and gusto.

 

Challenging the photographer.

 

Three-part harmony.

Grand finale.

Whatever your weekend plans, make the most of your time.

Four winners

Four colourful signs in Chinatown, London.

Dear readers, thank you for all your lovely comments and kudos for my four years of blogging! I appreciate each and every one of you. Alas, I can offer blog birthday prizes to only four readers.

Tonight my husband drew names from a French policeman's hat, as in the film Casablanca. Am happy to report the prize winners are Mary Ann, Mary H., Vida and Georgie. Each will receive a souvenir from the Paris flea markets. Please email your address to Bradford.Tara@gmail.com. Merci bien!

Brocante featuring old books and papers

If you love old letters, documents and books as much as I do, you'll undoubtedly enjoy the Antiquites Brocante  Livres et Papiers Anciens beginning Friday, Feb. 5 at  Halle Freyssinet. The event at 55, bd. Vincent Auriol continues from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily through February 14th.

Be sure and stop by my friend Gunnar Pettersson's Stand No. 418 for an intriguing selection of antiques and collectibles. Take the Metro Line 13 to Chevaleret. Happy hunting!

Photos above and below of 18th-century documents.

 

A June 1910 issue of Le Parisien magazine.

 

An early 20th-century handwritten book of French poetry.

The Bani Hamida Women's Weaving Project

Handmade fabric dolls at the Jordan River Foundation, Bani Hamida Mountain, Jordan.

A weaver puts finishing touches on a rust-coloured rug featuring numerous patterns. 

Last December my daughter Jordana and I made an impromptu visit to the Jordan River Foundation. The women were kind enough to give us tea, as well as allow us access to their showroom and their work area. Of course, a couple of beautiful handmade rugs came home with us!

The Bani Hamida Women's Weaving Project has revived traditional Bedouin rug weaving in the Makawir community, with older women teaching rug-weaving techniques to younger generations. The effort was initiated in 1985 by Save the Children Federation. In 1998, the project was absorbed into the Jordan River Foundation. Women in several villages now help maintain the Jordanian rug-weaving tradition.

With hand-made looms and wooden spindles, the women create flat weave designs in pure wool. The colours and patterns result in stylish looks that blend beautifully with modern design, while remaining true to Jordan’s traditional rug-making techniques.

To date, the Bani Hamida Women's Weaving Project has utilised the skills of nearly 2000 Jordanian women, including spinners, weavers and dyers. These talented women produce unique, artistic designs renowned around the world.

 

Close-up detail of the rug panels.

 

Stacks of handmade rugs.

Trimming fringe on a small rug.

A container of rugs and wall-hangings.

A decorative wall-hanging.

 

Rugs in variations of browns, rusts and creams.

 

Aqua, rust and cream patterns.

 

Rusts, yellows, blues and greens in these rugs and wall-hangings.

 

 

Strong primary colours are dominant in these rugs and wall-hangings adorned by thick yarn tassels.

Scroll down the page for a post about the Bani Hamida weavers' yarn and wooden spindles.

Wool yarn used in Bani Hamida rugs

A weaver uses a wooden spindle for yarn at the Jordan River Foundation on Bani Hamida Mountain, Jordan. The beautiful rugs produced by Jordanian Bedouin women weavers are made by hand.

Unravelled yarn.

Balls of colourful yarn used for weaving rugs.

Compartments separate yarn via colour and shade.

 

Cream and white balls of yarn.