Christmas in Paris

Like every year my parents & I went to Paris to spend Christmas Eve and Christmas Day in Paris at my brother's. This time round though my niece G. was among us for the 1st time ! She's really a lovely & nice baby. She never cries !
My brother cooked us one of his speciality : "Le Gigot de 7 heures" - lamb cooked very slowly in the oven with a few vegetables.
Christmas Day we met up again to see an exhibition at the Geoorges Pompidou Centre : Mondrian (see : dhttp://www.centrepompidou.fr/Pompidou/Manifs.nsf/0/BCC6CE781B245AA7C125777D0054F13D?OpenDocument&sessionM=&L=2&form=) Afterwards we had lunch in a local Brasserie. My brother was a bit in a rush because they didn't have a high chair hence he couldn't feed his daughter here & there. He went back to their flat and we joined them there for the coffee / tea.
My parents went back in the afternoon to Orléans. I stayed over myself as I was going to see my friend D. the following day.
I spent a nice evening on my own in Quartier Latin. I had a meal at "Le Balzar" rue des Ecoles. It's nice but they basically want you to get out as soon as possible ! Next to this traditional brasserie (although be aware it's now part of the group "Flo") there is a nonetheless famous cinema "Le Champo". They only show old films. I saw "L'Adolescence de Casanova" (Casanova's teenage years). See : http://www.lechampo.com/programme.php?titre=Casanova,%20un%20adolescent%20%E0%20Venise.
Funny & light : just what you want on a Christmas Day.
Sunday I had lunch with D. at "Les Editeurs" on Carrefour de l'Odéon. Nice, cosy, reasonably priced good food. D. was at my birthday in Sommières but it was nice to have a full day together to catch up on news and discuss about Life.
We then visited the exhibition André Kertestz at Jeu de Paume (see : http://www.jeudepaume.org/index.php?page=article&idArt=1312&lieu=7) before having a last drink in rue Royale. I would have like to go to Angelina's but there was too much queuing to get in and it was too cold !
So all in all it has been once again a lovely Christmas. I hope you had a nice time too whenever possible.

Last night : Tiffany's Christmas Dinner

That's how it had been advertised on the Meetup website : "A smooth and sultry Christmas evening at one of Nottingham's hippest joints. Afterwards we'll head on out into the city for more drinking, dancing, and general groovy-ing about.

Dress code. Gents: Strictly suited and booted of course for a main event like this. Ties optional but will get you points. Ladies: Stilettos, diamonds, hats and sparkly bits etc all good. Prize given to best dressed lady."

It turned out to be a nice evening. We were 8, not "tight-bottom" at all. The food was nice and we've been very reasonable : we had a hot drink instead of a dessert. There was as well a prize for the best dressed gent but I left them before they gave the prizes out at the pub afterwards.

Ready to go to the Tiffany's Club Christmas Dinner

Christmas Tree at home

Wallace and Gromite's Tea Party

Yesterday afternoon I joined my friend J. from WB at a Wallace and Gromite's Children Fundation Tea Party. (see : http://www.wallaceandgromitteaparty.org.uk/) It was hold in a café and there was on sale the usual raffle tickets, teas & cakes. But there was as well a very nice stall with fine handmade clothes and accessories. Some people were dressed in pre-20's costumes.

Last night : Meetup at the New Art Exchange

Last night was the opportunity to watch the 24 hours video (see :http://www.thenewartexchange.org.uk/BritishArtShow7.php) on Clocks. I only stayed for a short while and I was actually much more interested in the other 2 videos.

Birthday cards (2)

Birthday cards (1)

Montpellier by night : Esplanade Charles De Gaulle from Le Corum

50th Birthday Celebration in France

I celebrated my 50th birthday in Sommières near Nîmes. I rented a villa there for a week. I had a party on last Saturday. We were 10. Mostly from down south but I had as well a friend coming all the way from Bristol in England and an other one from Paris.
I song for them accompanied at the piano by my friend C. from M. We cracked Christmas Crackers and had Libanese food. The villa had an open fire and an outside swimming pool but for some odd reasons we chose the former !
My friends JF & E from N. were not available for the main party so we had a more intimate one last Tuesday.

Christmas Tree in Lille

View from my window in Nottingham last Monday

Christmas Tree in Nottingham

Christmas Tree in Montpellier (2)

Christmas Tree in Montpellier (1)