Paris Parfait

For the people of Gaza

Stone sculptures with sorrowful faces, Antoni Gaudi's Sagrada de Familia, Barcelona, Spain.

"And now, I am not I
and the house is not my home."

- Federico Garcia Lorca

"Murdered and unknown. No forgetfulness gathers them
and no remembrance scatters them...they're forgotten
in winter's grass on the public highway
between two long stories about heroism and suffering.
"I am the victim." "No. I alone am the victim."
They didn't tell the author: "No victim kills another.
There is in the story a victim and a killer."
They were young, picking the snow off Christ's cypress
and playing with cherubs...
They were young, playing and making a story
for the red rose beneath the snow
behind two long stories about heroism and suffering
and they were running away with cherubs toward a clear sky."

- Mahmoud Darwish, from the book The Butterfly's Burden

As of today, more than 1,000 Palestinians have been killed and more than 5,000 seriously injured during the Israeli assault on Gaza. Nearly all of the dead and injured are civilians. Three Israeli soldiers have died as a result of friendly fire and ten Israelis have died from Hamas rockets or from fighting in Gaza. Both Israel and Hamas continue to ignore a UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire.

The borders remain sealed, preventing Palestinian civilians - even those critically wounded - from crossing to Egypt. The Israelis are allowing only a trickle of humanitarian aid into Gaza. Electricity has been cut and food, water and medical supplies are in short supply. While UNRWA is maintaining nine shelters in Gaza, they cannot accommodate the thousands of families made homeless by Israeli missles and bombs. The people of Gaza are trapped with no way out, while the international community tries to negotiate a ceasefire agreement.

Philadelphia architecture and Louis Kahn

Last month in Philadelphia, I was walking down the street, telling David that I'd seen a fascinating documentary, "My Architect" about Louis Kahn, produced by his son Nathaniel. When I looked up, I was thrilled to see the sign and realise I was standing in front of Louis Kahn's office. I also saw a small park near the antiques district that is named after Kahn.

Among Kahn's most famous designs is the capital of Bangladesh. Respected architects including I.M. Pei and Frank Gehry talk about Kahn's work in the documentary.

Last night I was flipping through a book I've had for years, Laura Cerwinski's In a Spiritual Style, when I came across a quotation by Louis Kahn. "The room is the beginning of architecture. You do not say the same thing in one room as you say in another, that's how sensitive a room is. A room is a marvelous thing, a world within a world. It's yours and offers a measure of yourself."

The top of the art deco building reminds me of the Chrysler Building in New York.

This photo was taken from a different angle and a different street, on a different day.

City views.

The city's giant clothespin sculpture at 15th and Market Streets. Designed by Claes Oldenburg, this 20-foot curiosity was featured in a scene in the Dan Ackroyd/Jamie Lee Curtis film Trading Places.

Isn't the blue art deco building beautiful?

Decorative detail.

Leaded windows on this old brick building with a stone eagle and portico.

A gold Philadelphia eagle, the city's historic symbol of liberty and freedom.

Purported site of the first American photograph.

An historic building next to an art supply store's mid-20th-century facade.

The Quaker Bank building.

Traditional brownstones in a downtown neighborhood.

An ornate door.

One of Philadelphia's many unique artists' murals throughout the city. See more here.

An edgy storefront complete with fake bullet holes in the Northern Liberties neighborhood. Read more about this diverse, artistic area here and here.

An old brick building for sale in Northern Liberties. Wish I had the money to buy it, gut it and create a live/work space.

A special treat

One of the best bits of my trip to Philadelphia was having lunch at the Capital Grille with the witty and talented Karen of Artsortments. She is charming and clever and fun and we didn't have nearly enough time together. We plan to make up for that during my next trip to Philadelphia.

Karen brought me a beautiful handmade card using copper, decorative gold trim and various materials. Check out Artsortments to see Karen's gorgeous original creations.

The girl in the red hat

A 1920s' child mannequin at Marché Paul Bert at St. Ouen, Paris. The mannequin is in the style of Louise Brooks and the flapper girls. Excuse her current state of undress, other than the red velvet hat and painted-on black Mary Janes. She's coming to live here, where she will be dressed in vintage clothes reminiscent of her era.

Winter wonderland

Pine tree laden with snow, Paris.

I got my wish for a winter wonderland! It snowed all day, so I pulled on my suede fur-lined (made in Canada) snow boots, bought years ago in San Francisco and worn maybe five times. First, I went onto the balcony to take photos of the snow-covered bamboo tree. Then I went out into the snow, taking my camera and macro lens, with which I'm still experimenting. No doubt many of you Canadian readers will laugh at the small amount of snow in Paris, since you're used to several feet of le neige blanc. But it's been a while since it snowed much here - so we'll take what we can get!

When I walked past a neighbourhood school, the sound of children laughing rang out; happily, the teachers were letting them play outdoors and throw snowballs. Later, I saw a sadder sight: an old man, sans chapeau, carrying an unwrapped bottle of liquor. He seemed mentally unbalanced, mumbling to himself and weaving from one side of the sidewalk to another. It is hoped he was en route to the senior citizens' residence, maintained by the local Red Cross.

Peaceful.

Hope your week is off to a good start. Please spare a thought and prayer for the people of Gaza. I've been reading Pema Chodron's Practicing Peace in Times of War. She writes: "Someone once gave me a poem with a line in it that offers a good definition of peace: 'Softening what is rigid in our hearts.' We can talk about ending war and we can march for ending war, we can do everything in our power, but war is never going to end as long as our hearts are hardened against each other."

Snow blossom.

Droplets of melting snow.

Every lace-like snowflake in this cluster is unique.

Branches bending under the weight of snow.

Little snowbursts.

The street where I live. The city's largest park, the Bois de Boulogne is across the street and the River Seine is at the end of the block.

A street called Hope

In 2009, let's dwell in hope...

...and take Ben Franklin's words to heart.

Let's appreciate every sunrise for the gift it is.

Take time to watch the sunsets.

Help protect human rights and civil liberties.

Cherish our freedoms.

Remember our history.

Get involved in our communities, government and schools.

Indulge our child-like wonder and sense of fun.

Shake things up.

Honour our achievements.

Open new doors.

If a door closes, open a window.

Notice the beauty all around us, even in the damaged or broken.

Spend lots of time outdoors.

Remember things aren't always what they seem.

Ride a bike or take a hike...

Do something different.

Create something magical.

Bask in the sun (don't forget the sunscreen)!

Explore foreign lands, even if only through the pages of a book.

Learn more about other cultures and traditions.

Practice tolerance and understanding.

Protect the environment.

All photographs, December, 2008, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.