Whoop, pictures!
[mood|
Happy]
[music|The Blower's Daughter- Damien Rice ]
I've finally got my hands on the Il Divo Live at the Greek DVD (okenakab still owns my soul with her fantabulousness) and finally found Siempre. My Divo-related emoness has now pretty much evaporated, so everyone can stop hiding under their desks ;)
-- Friday night we headed to Opera, the one dance club in Chambery, because it was an all girls, Chippendale night. Plus, if you booked your space ahead and had at least 6 people, then you get in free (when it's usually €10, ouch! Although that includes one 'free' €6 drink. Again, ouch!) and a free bottle, which we assumed would be wine or something. We got there at 7:50 to meet up with Amy, Marilies and Jen. Didn't get into the club until 8:30 or so. Once inside we all got Gold cards, which gives us free admittance and drink when we go next. The free bottle we were promised? We were expecting the bartender to just hand us whatever they were promoting until she asked us what we wanted. Huh? Turns out we could have our choice between rum, etc. We ended up getting a big bottle of vodka and free coke and orange juice all night. I was happy! Freeeeee!
The strip show didn't start until 10:30 or so and I definitely found it more funny than scream-worthy, unlike the girls right at the stage. The four guys came out and 3 of them did this interpretive dance dressed in blue vests with "Prison Break" written on the back and chained to each other. They just heaved each other back and forth until the fourth guy dressed as an FBI agent starting shooting a pop gun. A minute later they were "free" and their little number was over.
Finally each of them did their own dance. I only liked one of the guys, Julian, and that may have been swayed by the fact that he came out in a nice Navy uniform. I had to restrain myself from making a crude Hornblower joke. One of the other strippers, Lorenzo I think was his name, was so full of himself! His little skit was something Matrix-y or Shaft-y (*snerk*) and he had this samurai sword he kept swinging and flailing around trying to look impressive. Didn't work for me although the 17 year olds at the front were having a blast. I remember making the comment that he'd better use the sword to cut off his pants before I became completely bored. And the dancers didn't have the patented Chippendale bow ties and wrist cuffs. Severe disappointment for us.
Headed home around midnight, threw my clothes in a corner and went to sleep. I woke up in the morning with a pounding headache (I don't get hungover, so it wasn't the drinks) and then I smelled the smoke. My skin, my hair, my clothes reeked of the worst cigarette smoke I've ever smelled. It was like a toxic blend of every tobacco brand in existence. If those were my clothes, I'd hate to imagine what my lungs looked like after four hours in that club! Ugh, gross.
-- Last night we headed to Jen's for a movie night in her new residence in town, instead of out in Bourget where she was all alone. Martin, Jenny, Jen, Lauren, Sally, Sanni and I watched Johnny English and had a good laugh. John Malkovich should stop playing with accents. I really hope that was supposed to be an extremely exaggerated French accent. And why do they insist that female spy characters wear stiletto-heeled boots? You can't run or fight [realistically] in them, it just looks ridiculous.
-- Today Sally and I worked on our Greek history presentation for Friday before we headed out to hunt trompe l'oeils for a couple of hours.
Trompe l'oeils are architectural fixtures that are actually painted on and meant to look real. Sometimes they're well done, sometimes they drive Sally around the bend.
We brought our cameras and had a joyous time wandering around in the ridiculously warm weather (um, December? Hellooo? I'm Canadian, I don't understand this heat!) and took a ton of pictures.
I swear it's December.
Honest. I mean, that's when palm trees bloom, right?
:D
But there is a big Christmas tree by the cathedral (which is full of trompe l'oeils!)
We started out here, where the huge Saturday market is held.
Sunday, so it's completely deserted.
*gasp* Is that...?
It is! Our first trompe l'oeil of the day!
This is just a cool building, but beside it?
A whole little alley chock full of them!
Different angle so you can see the Leaning Building of Chambery!
Were they too bored to paint the last "brick"?
T.O. on the left, neat little tower on the right.
This was one of my favourites.
See all around the windows? Fake.
Terrible.
And more.
So what's occupying the corner of that building since that's actually a fake, painted-on shutter?
This entire wall is a trompe l'oeil.
Sally's right, this would look so much better if they hadn't put people in it!
I love the fake chimneys on this section.
If you want the lights on, pay two bucks.
Remember, all of this is painted on:
(The curtains on that one really got me)
Randomness:
Which of these things just doesn't belong? I think the French just don't pay attention to their own signs and rules.
A local primary school yard, it's like a cage for children!
With 3 Whomping Willows!
At least they have some Astroturf.
Oh, no, that's actually coloured gravel or rubber chunks.
It has no face!
Can you see the little dot in the sky? That's a Santa balloon that some kid let go of. Yesterday Sally and I counted 15 in the sky at once at the children's festival.
Who needs a 3.5 hour lunch? You're a fruit and veg shop!
Chambery is full of these little alleyways.
You end up in little pockets and courtyards all over downtown. Walking around it feels like you're on the set of Perfume (seen it? I love it, but the book still wins) or you're just stuck in the old chamber-pots-through-the-window days.
For anyone who has an apartment within this alley? Worst. View. Ever!
Too bad for Jean Jacques Rousseau who used to have an apartment in there. Depressing.
The water's gone from all of the fountains, but they replaced it with lights.
Welcome to the Christmas Market!
It's on every day for the next couple of weeks! They sell hot wine, chestnuts, baked goods, Christmas trees and...
Nesting dolls!
The Elephants and the stage.
I have a gajillion more photos to make into posts, but right now I'm going to make some popcorn on the stove (best kind!) and finally watch my Il Divo DVD.
Happy]
[music|The Blower's Daughter- Damien Rice ]
I've finally got my hands on the Il Divo Live at the Greek DVD (okenakab still owns my soul with her fantabulousness) and finally found Siempre. My Divo-related emoness has now pretty much evaporated, so everyone can stop hiding under their desks ;)
-- Friday night we headed to Opera, the one dance club in Chambery, because it was an all girls, Chippendale night. Plus, if you booked your space ahead and had at least 6 people, then you get in free (when it's usually €10, ouch! Although that includes one 'free' €6 drink. Again, ouch!) and a free bottle, which we assumed would be wine or something. We got there at 7:50 to meet up with Amy, Marilies and Jen. Didn't get into the club until 8:30 or so. Once inside we all got Gold cards, which gives us free admittance and drink when we go next. The free bottle we were promised? We were expecting the bartender to just hand us whatever they were promoting until she asked us what we wanted. Huh? Turns out we could have our choice between rum, etc. We ended up getting a big bottle of vodka and free coke and orange juice all night. I was happy! Freeeeee!
The strip show didn't start until 10:30 or so and I definitely found it more funny than scream-worthy, unlike the girls right at the stage. The four guys came out and 3 of them did this interpretive dance dressed in blue vests with "Prison Break" written on the back and chained to each other. They just heaved each other back and forth until the fourth guy dressed as an FBI agent starting shooting a pop gun. A minute later they were "free" and their little number was over.
Finally each of them did their own dance. I only liked one of the guys, Julian, and that may have been swayed by the fact that he came out in a nice Navy uniform. I had to restrain myself from making a crude Hornblower joke. One of the other strippers, Lorenzo I think was his name, was so full of himself! His little skit was something Matrix-y or Shaft-y (*snerk*) and he had this samurai sword he kept swinging and flailing around trying to look impressive. Didn't work for me although the 17 year olds at the front were having a blast. I remember making the comment that he'd better use the sword to cut off his pants before I became completely bored. And the dancers didn't have the patented Chippendale bow ties and wrist cuffs. Severe disappointment for us.
Headed home around midnight, threw my clothes in a corner and went to sleep. I woke up in the morning with a pounding headache (I don't get hungover, so it wasn't the drinks) and then I smelled the smoke. My skin, my hair, my clothes reeked of the worst cigarette smoke I've ever smelled. It was like a toxic blend of every tobacco brand in existence. If those were my clothes, I'd hate to imagine what my lungs looked like after four hours in that club! Ugh, gross.
-- Last night we headed to Jen's for a movie night in her new residence in town, instead of out in Bourget where she was all alone. Martin, Jenny, Jen, Lauren, Sally, Sanni and I watched Johnny English and had a good laugh. John Malkovich should stop playing with accents. I really hope that was supposed to be an extremely exaggerated French accent. And why do they insist that female spy characters wear stiletto-heeled boots? You can't run or fight [realistically] in them, it just looks ridiculous.
-- Today Sally and I worked on our Greek history presentation for Friday before we headed out to hunt trompe l'oeils for a couple of hours.
Trompe l'oeils are architectural fixtures that are actually painted on and meant to look real. Sometimes they're well done, sometimes they drive Sally around the bend.
We brought our cameras and had a joyous time wandering around in the ridiculously warm weather (um, December? Hellooo? I'm Canadian, I don't understand this heat!) and took a ton of pictures.
I swear it's December.
Honest. I mean, that's when palm trees bloom, right?
:D
But there is a big Christmas tree by the cathedral (which is full of trompe l'oeils!)
We started out here, where the huge Saturday market is held.
Sunday, so it's completely deserted.
*gasp* Is that...?
It is! Our first trompe l'oeil of the day!
This is just a cool building, but beside it?
A whole little alley chock full of them!
Different angle so you can see the Leaning Building of Chambery!
Were they too bored to paint the last "brick"?
T.O. on the left, neat little tower on the right.
This was one of my favourites.
See all around the windows? Fake.
Terrible.
And more.
So what's occupying the corner of that building since that's actually a fake, painted-on shutter?
This entire wall is a trompe l'oeil.
Sally's right, this would look so much better if they hadn't put people in it!
I love the fake chimneys on this section.
If you want the lights on, pay two bucks.
Remember, all of this is painted on:
(The curtains on that one really got me)
Randomness:
Which of these things just doesn't belong? I think the French just don't pay attention to their own signs and rules.
A local primary school yard, it's like a cage for children!
With 3 Whomping Willows!
At least they have some Astroturf.
Oh, no, that's actually coloured gravel or rubber chunks.
It has no face!
Can you see the little dot in the sky? That's a Santa balloon that some kid let go of. Yesterday Sally and I counted 15 in the sky at once at the children's festival.
Who needs a 3.5 hour lunch? You're a fruit and veg shop!
Chambery is full of these little alleyways.
You end up in little pockets and courtyards all over downtown. Walking around it feels like you're on the set of Perfume (seen it? I love it, but the book still wins) or you're just stuck in the old chamber-pots-through-the-window days.
For anyone who has an apartment within this alley? Worst. View. Ever!
Too bad for Jean Jacques Rousseau who used to have an apartment in there. Depressing.
The water's gone from all of the fountains, but they replaced it with lights.
Welcome to the Christmas Market!
It's on every day for the next couple of weeks! They sell hot wine, chestnuts, baked goods, Christmas trees and...
Nesting dolls!
The Elephants and the stage.
I have a gajillion more photos to make into posts, but right now I'm going to make some popcorn on the stove (best kind!) and finally watch my Il Divo DVD.