High Contrast Grey.

In the gallery of the Machines de l’île they had more of their steampunk creations that are intened to be part of a three story carrousel of sea creatures. [Nothing less would be expected from the city that is the birth place of Jules Verne.] But as they reach their point of completing all the different creatures they have started to move onto a new project of building a larger than life tree out of metal framing with wood planks and covered in plants. The whole plan is to have one of their animal creations (a heron) at the top that, with some baskets, will give people rides at the top. This idea of combining architecture and nature is making me quite giddy. Although they are predicting that it will be another 5 years until it is completed.. I guess I will have a reason to come back to France.

Today it was finally nice and rainy out. Since all I had was one class this evening my plan became to spend the day studying and doing a few errands (like hitting up the thursday antique market, which is yet again too rich for my blood). But of course studying for me means finding a nice restauant or café to sit and do my homework at while enjoying the setting. For lunch I went by this restaurant/café/bar that I have seen sightly off the main drag of Sainte-Anne that always seems to have an interesting crowd of people and books on a wall that has been converted to a bookcase. Not exactly Bauhaus in Seattle, but perhaps something close and much much smaller. This French thing of loving courses is so nice. I start with fish soup and spiced tea since it has been a cold(ish) rainy day followed by some vegie tartines, or more directly translated as; potatoes and zucchini on artisan toast with melted cheese. Delicious. I think my banker sat down at the table next to me with so...

“Self-Portrait ca.2011” iron casting, acrylic. The semester has ended and I have left Missoula. Like when I left Seattle it was raining, but of course the weather is not dependent upon my moods. Billings has been like how Billings always is. At one point in my life I would like it that I will never have to end up back here. I am already trying to think up new places to run away to. Perhaps finish out university in Missoula, which should hopefully only take one more year after coming back from France, then grad school in New Orleans? I would think that there should be a university there that should have a pretty interesting architecture program, with some French architecture influence which I would enjoy. Assumptions.

One of the amazing things about Seattle is just how many options there are for food. Especially when coming from Montana. Here we enjoy some Vietnamese tucked away in Ballard. I went off on some tangent about how the French during their occupations of other places influenced food. Thus why I chose this ginormous crepe… so amazingly good.

I have found a pretty nice antique store here in Missoula. The prices are a bit more reasonable than what I would sometimes find in Seattle (though I have still yet to find an amazing thrift store..). I’ve been wanting to work more on my collection of tea pots (and tea cups of course…), being somewhat jealous of Charlotte’s collection I got to see so much while being back in Seattle this past fall. I have found two candidates. One is metal and gorgeous with faces coming off of the framing and leaves stamped into the body. The other is an off white clay with a beautiful dark blue and gold painted on and comes with three tea bowls to match. The first is $44 (on sale) and the latter is only $15. Translation: Addiction.