Pretty girls who wish to model for you are not rare in Paris and I found a great one, Lisa Tahmassi, to walk with me in La Butte aux Cailles neighborhood . You are never sure whether it will rain or not—an umbrella is usually a must in almost any season.
These two old gentlemen were so out of place in this very chic neighborhood (ok, the café was pretty beat-up)—they couldn’t take their eyes off of her!
Ah…the never-retiring beret…
It was too early to start drinking anything but an espresso at the counter:
I love these no-fuss cafés of Paris where you can have the best “petit noir” for 1.5 euros.
A world in turmoil screams for our attention,
the financial meltdown was starting to hit the front pages.
I have more pictures of Lisa but they have to wait for another post, another day.
Putting these images together, I am reminded of this terrific, light-hearted song about being young and in love in Paris by Jacques Brel,”Les Prenoms De Paris” (Names For Paris); listen to it here.
“Le soleil qui se lève
Et caresse les toits
Et c’est Paris le jour
La Seine qui se promène
Et me guide du doigt
Et c’est Paris toujours
Et mon cœur qui s’arrête
Sur ton cœur qui sourit
Et c’est Paris bonjour
Et ta main dans ma main
Qui me dit déjà oui
Et c’est Paris l’amour
Le premier rendez-vous
A l’île Saint-Louis
C’est Paris qui commence
Et le premier baiser
Volé aux Tuileries
Et c’est Paris la chance
Et le premier baiser
Reçu sous un portail
Et c’est Paris romance
Et deux têtes qui tournent
En regardant Versailles
Et c’est Paris la France
Des jours que l’on oublie
Qui oublient de nous voir
Et c’est Paris l’espoir
Des heures où nos regards
Ne sont qu’un seul regard
Et c’est Paris miroir
Rien que des nuits encore
Qui séparent nos chansons
Et c’est Paris bonsoir
Et ce jour-là enfin
Où tu ne dis plus non
Et c’est Paris ce soir
Une chambre un peu triste
Où s’arrête la ronde
Et c’est Paris nous deux
Un regard qui reçoit
La tendresse du monde
Et c’est Paris tes yeux
Ce serment que je pleure
Plutôt que ne le dis
C’est Paris si tu veux
Et savoir que demain
Sera comme aujourd’hui
C’est Paris merveilleux
Mais la fin du voyage
La fin de la chanson
Et c’est Paris tout gris
Dernier jour, dernière heure
Première larme aussi
Et c’est Paris la pluie
Ces jardins remontés
Qui n’ont plus leur parure
Et c’est Paris l’ennui
La gare où s’accomplit
La dernière déchirure
Et c’est Paris fini
Loin des yeux loin du cœur
Chassé du paradis
Et c’est Paris chagrin
Mais une lettre de toi
Une lettre qui dit oui
Et c’est Paris demain
Des villes et des villages
Les roues tremblent de chance
C’est Paris en chemin
Et toi qui m’attends là
Et tout qui recommence
Et c’est Paris je reviens.” Jacques Brel
c’est parfait!
l’italien chapeau, je l’aime.
Quelle Belle Chanson! Merci de partager cette belle chanson. It took me back to those days when i was learning French in Alliance Fracaise de Bombay, where we were exposed to French Songs by Maurice Chevalier, Joe Dassin, Jacques Brel, Edith Piaf, meme Serge Gainsbourg etc.
i was in Love with Paris but hadnt visited it then. So it was more with the mythical image of Paris. Paris of Godard, Truffaut and Rohmer, Paris of the Cafés, of Robert Doisneau, of Jean Pierre Jeunet’s Monmartre etc.
But on the first day in Paris, i was given an apartment near Cité des Sciences, I went for Petit Café for my Petit Déjeuner, I saw many homeless people drinking on streets. I can never forget this image. Ofcourse i did discover remnants of my mythical Paris in St.Germain des Prés, Montmartre, Le Caveau de La Huchette,Le marais , Pont des Arts etcc. I also took Free Tango Lesons
But Paris to me is more of a Museum, an awefully well preserved city, not impromptu and evovling like New York City.
Perhaps you would be a better judge as you visit the city more often.
I Love Paris
Writer(s): cole porter
I love paris in the spring time
I love paris in the fall
I love paris in the summer when it sizzles
I love paris in the winter when it drizzles
I love paris every moment
Every moment of the year
I love paris, why oh why do I love paris
Because my love is here
You should hear the Helen Merrill’s renedition of this song in her Album “No tears, no goodbyes”
Nimesh
I , too cannot get my eyes off her. For many reasons ofcourse, She is beautiful and has so much charachter on her face. The scarf if so beautiful.
J’aime cette marche antiquaire a la Butte aux Cailles.
Nimesh
میشل جان .عکس هایت زیبا و پر از انرژی برایم بود .من عاشق پاریسم .همین کافی شاپ ها و روزنامه فروشی ها برایم بس است !! روزهای خوب برایت آرزو می کنم رفیق جان
Emotion avec cette belle jeune femme,
le rouge, le noir, paris, la pluie, Brel
et tout ce tourbillon qui va avec Paris …..
et que je nomme ….la vie
I have always believed that one must go to Paris as often as one can. Thank you for the beautiful images – it took me there for a moment and your model is sure easy on the eyes.
I think this photo has not enough feel but …
Great post Michele. Great music and great model.
I wish I had such a model to shoot from. I love Paris and never regret going there. I was there in the summer of 2006 and took a lot of pictures.
They were posted in Kodak gallery for a while but I had to remove them recently. However there are tone of pictures from Spain and Yosemite. If you are interested go there.
http://www.kodakgallery.com/welcome.jsp
Email; mehrdadr@verizon.net
Password:358535
Paris is always a good idea – The movie “Sabrina”
Happy Birthday Dordaneh. Wish you will celebrate your next birthday in beautiful Paris.
thanks alot for your attempt
Could you not find a girl without a tableau nose-job? :))
Lisa un réel plaisir d’avoir vu tes belles photos et il est vrai que la chanson de Jacques Brel est à partager . Bises . Patricia