An update from my eye sabbatical in Paris...

(The new flat)

My ongoing exile in Paris continues. Current return date is October 5. I went for my one month check up recently, and all is healing well from the unexpected detached retina that I was diagnosed with the day after arriving here in July. My docs said I couldn't fly for several months after the surgery, because the pressure change in the plane, along with the dryness, could undo the surgery. So, a forced sabbatical in Paris. Life could be worse.

I moved last week to another country, also known as the 11th arrondissement, a neighborhood of Paris on the right bank (north of the river).

The old neighborhood was old Paris, the Paris of Hemingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald (who met at a bar across the street from Chris and Joelle's). Gaugin lived on their block as well, as did Man Ray, who had a studio across the street. Montparnasse looks like something a bit of a Toulouse Lautrec painting. The new place, not so much. Not to knock it though, it's really quite fascinating. The 11th, at least where I am, is basically a blue collar Arab immigrant neighborhood, with a dash of white French yuppies thrown in for color. It's fascinating. The old patissier was a middle-aged French woman who did the old "bonjour madame, bonjour monsieur" sing song. Here, it's a guy - a guy! - who pretty clearly immigrated from somewhere south of here (I had a hellacious time understanding his accent). The neighborhood is a mini Middle East. Absolutely fascinating.

The old hood:





The new hood:







I'm staying at my friend Marcus' place, the American artist I've introduced you guys to before. Marcus has an exhibition in the states for the next month, so I'm crashing at his place until he gets back and the doctors permit me to leave. Marcus' place is a bit over 300 sq ft, which isn't horrendously small for a Paris apt (I'm only living in half of it, the left half of the photo at the top of the post (the right half is his actual studio) and it's surprisingly perfect). It's his atelier, or workshop, where he draws and paints. I'm listening to an online music site Marcus turned me on to - Deezer.com. I think it's French. I'm listening to a great list of modern French pop. It's wonderful. If you go there, try the group "Les Wriggles" - almost a bit folky, very nice.

Yes, I'm living in an artist's studio in Paris. God I'm gonna be bored when I get back to DC.

PS It's now been 7 weeks since my $2300 surgery (1600 euros), and still no bill. I have another check up next week, it's going to cost me a whopping $40. It's that "expensive" because I don't have French insurance, and the exchange rate is so screwed up - it really should be 28 bucks.