Overwhelmed by the Christmas Spirit of Giving

It seems like all too often the true spirit of Christmas gets lost in all the commercialism.  I set out on a quest to find the spirit of giving.  

I found two groups of individuals in my local community of Tampa Bay who embody the spirit of giving, the staff of St. Joseph's Hospital and the Rough Riders.  

If you need a dose of the real meaning of Christmas, and yes I said Christmas, please follow these two links to the articles I wrote for Examiner.com.  I promise, the spirit of giving will amaze you, where you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah  Winter Solstice, or any other holiday.

http://www.examiner.com/charity-in-tampa-bay/the-spirit-of-giving-displayed-at-st-joseph-s-hospital

http://www.examiner.com/charity-in-tampa-bay/spreading-joy-one-teddy-bear-at-a-time

The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly of Emmys Fashion

I have been neglecting this blog for a little while, but as I was perusing the fashion websites to see who wore whom for the Emmys, I found a dress that compelled me to write.  This is the dress that I call "The Ugly".  

But first, let's start with "The Good"

If I had actually watched the show, I could say Sophia Vergara stole the show in her crepe coral custom Vera Wang creation.   She may not have taken home a statue, but she is the fashion winner of the night!

Coral is a flattering color, especially for those of us who can use a little color to liven up our skin tones.  

Sophia is a women that allows us to breathe a collective sigh of relief.  She proves that curves are sexy, and here to stay.  We can all enjoy half-a-cookie to celebrate!

 


While we are on the topic of women with curves, another spokeswomen for glamorous and not undernourished is Kate Winslet looking glamorous in an Elie Saab gown.  



















Some other looks that fall into the category of "The Good" and are worth mentioning (from left to right) include:  (Left)   I have never heard of Nena Dobrev, but I love the Donna Karen mermaid cut gown.  (Middle)  Evan Rachel Wood may not as curvy as Sophia and Kate, but so glad to see you had a meal this week, and the Elie Saab gown is stunning.  (Right)  Katie Holmes looks good for a brainwashed manikin in a royal blue Calvin Klein gown. 

Now onto "The Bad".

Heidi Klume, famous international model, star of Project Runway, fashion icon.  Really?  Where to start... 

That tired out shade of pink/lavender does not flatter.  If you are 5 minutes over 35, forget about this color.  

Heidi Klume is known for regaining her knock-out figure soon after the birth of her children.  This cut does nothing to prove that.  Instead of elongating her torso, it shortens it.  

And what is going on with the skirt.  Coral is in style, not coral reefs attached to your dress. 

Some other "Bad" dresses include:

This look is not funny.  Amy Poehler in a Peter Som gown is a perfect example of why spanx are worth their weight in gold, even at the price of gold these days.  

 

I am not sure if I should call this a failed attempt at a goth look, or somebody sadly not dressing their age.  Either way, Gwyneth Paltrow in a  Pucci Crop top and skirt that is not certainly not her finest fashion hour. 

 

And now for "The Ugly"

Justin Timberlake brought sexy back, and now Lena Headey is bringing Amish back.  The only thing missing from this outfit is the bonnett.  Did she arrive in a horse drawn buggy?

Lena Headey may star in the Terminator, The Sarah Connor Chronicles,  but this dress should be terminated. 

Source: 

Emmys Red Carpet Fashion Pictures 2011 - Best Dressed at Emmy Awards - Marie Claire

Happy Bastille Day

On July 14, 1789 the French Revolution began with the storming of the Bastille.  The storming of the Bastille prison was a symbol of French citizens rising up against the oppression of the Monarchy.  The only French monarch to ever be executed by guillotine was Louis XVI in January 21, 1793. The revolution continued eventually giving away to the First Republic.

This monument marks the sight of the Bastille.  

The French have celebrated Bastille Day since 1880.  And since 1918 a military parade has marched down the Champ-Elysees.

Arc de Triomphe

The French Revolution marks the uprising of the citizens against an oppressive monarch government.   Today citizens enjoy a free Republic.  Paris is an amazing city full of beautiful art, music and architecture.  It is evident that free people are creative people.  Parisians demonstrate a true joie de vivre (joy of living)

Viva la France!!

Finally - Day Two of my Paris Adventure

I cannot believe it has taken me a whole month to get through posting my pictures of my first day in Paris.  But here we are - day two!


We had to take a second look at the Hotel de Rohan in the Le Marais district.  As I mentioned in a previous posting, this hotel is actually 4 buildings with a park in the middle, known as the Place des Vosges.

Once known as the Palace Royal, ground was broken in 1605.  The surrounding area, including the park is referrred to as  Park Tournelles.

As you can see, it is another beautiful, sunny day in Paris.  Here I am again posing in front of the fountain in the park.  

And here is my favorite photography subject Jorge, posing in the park.

I am not really sure what the sculpture is, coming out of the ground, but it was worth taking a picture of.  Some sort of restoration work is going on to the building to the right.  Parisians take great care lovingly restoring and preserving their historical buildings.

After our delightful morning walk, we visited a cafe to have breakfast.  It was a wonderful experience to start the morning with a walk and top it off with a breakfast in a cafe with a view of the bustling street.  While we were eating breakfast, we had a lovely couple from Vermont who were also visiting Paris.  

Another beautiful start to a beautiful day in Paris.

Au revoir mes amis!

Perfect End to a Perfect First Day in Paris

After a long first day full of adventure and marvelous sights, we returned to the Le Marais district for dinner. 

La Terasse did not disappoint.   The food, wine, and service was wonderful, as is evident by the smiles on our faces.

I sampled what was to become one of my favorite French dishes.  Tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, and pesto.  I tried it at several different places, but the dish at La Terasse was my favorite.  

This cafe was quaint and romantic.  

A perfect end to a perfect day.  

Check back, as I financially move on to day two of my French adventure. 
Bon Jour mon amis!

Wonders of the IV Arrondissement – Hotel de Ville

Three different city halls have stood on the sight of the Paris city hall building.    

The first was the House of Pillars (Maison aux Piliers) from 1357 to 1533.  

In 1553 King Francis decided to build a dedicated City Hall, which was completed in 1628.  

However, the original Hotel de Ville was destroyed by fire in 1871 by insurrectionary Communards. 

In 1873, Architects Theodor Ballu and Eduard Deperthes designed the Hotel de Ville in its original Renaissance style.  

The rebuilt Hotel de Ville was completed in 1882. 

In true Parisian style, the Hotel de Ville is situated in a public park with a lovely carousel on the grounds.

Third time is a charm for the Hotel de Ville, this is an amazing place. 

Location:

The Hôtel de Ville is in the IV Arroindissement, near the Seine River.  It is near the Centre Pompidou (to the north), and the Notre-Dame Cathedral (to the south) across the pont d'Arcole.

When decided to post my pictures of my Paris on my blog, I wanted to be able to do these pictures a little bit of justice and include some history on the sights I was taking pictures of.  As I do some basic research on that various monuments, I marveling at the history of Paris.  The more research I do, the more I am convinced on visit to Paris is simply not enough!

If you have been following this blog, you know that we stayed in the La Marais district.  La Marias is located on the right back of the Seine River, near the Notre Dame.  From what I gather La Marias is located in the IV Arroindissement.  I am learning as I go….

Au revoir!  Rendez-vous la prochaine fois!

For more information visit:

http://www.aviewoncities.com/paris/hoteldeville.htm

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/443621/Paris/60497/The-Hotel-de-Ville

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/443621/Paris/60497/The-Hotel-de-Ville

Wonders of the IV Arrondissement - Tour Saint-Jacques

As we were returning to our hotel, in the La Marais district we ran across the Tour Saint-Jacques in the IV Arroindissement.  I will be honest, I am not quite yet sure if La Marais is part of the IV Arrondissement, or the IV Arrondissement is part of La Marais, but they are pretty close to each other.

This tower and surrounding park caught my attention because my name is Jacquelyn, which I shorten to Jacque, and any reference of Saint Jacques is of interest to me. 

The Saint-Jacques 170-foot bell tower is what remains of Saint-Jacques-de-la-Boucherie Church.  The Saint-Jacques-de-la-Boucherie Church was built in the 15^th century.  The church was destroyed shortly after  the French Revolution.

The tower and the surrounding park was declared a Monument Historique in 1862, but was in disrepair.   The tower and park was reopened to the public on April, 18, 2009.

Location:

Square de la tour Saint-Jacques, 88 rue de Rivoli,4th arrondissement

Sources:

http://goparis.about.com/od/parismonuments/a/tour-st-jacques.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint-Jacques_Tower

The Palais Garnier

The Palais Garnier is relatively new when compared to some other Paris landmarks.  


It was originally built to house the Paris Opera.  The Paris ballet still performs there today.


Designed by Charles Garnier a nearly unknown architect who was selected out of a field of over 170 contestants.  


It was built between 1860 and 1875.  The grand opening was January 15. 1875.




The Palais Garnier is a reflection of the extravagance that was popular during that period.

Jorge could not get enough of pictures of this building, so here is a picture of him taking a picture...

And he caught me taking his picture and took a picture of me taking his picture.

What could I do but take his picture again!

Yes, we are the silliest people in Paris.

The following pictures were taken by Jorge.  He is quite a photographer, and we could not have asked for a more beautiful and clear day to take pictures of this beautiful building.

Location:
8 Rue Scribe
Avenue De L’Opera






For more information visit these websites:



http://www.parispass.com/paris-attractions/Opera-De-Paris-Palais-Garnier.html

http://www.parispages.com/Monuments/Opera/

http://www.parissightseeingguide.com/paris-tourist-attractions/paris-opera-house.php