Tableau Vivante

This shot was taken looking through the corner glass of a butcher’s meat case (in Rue Mouffetard) as he was pulling cuts for a customer. It’s one of my favorite shots from the trip. It’s not especially great, composition-wise. But I remember the moment very clearly.

It was the moment when I wished JJ was with me. I think it was because on the day I went there, the street was full of couples holding hands. February 16th - the first Saturday after Valentine’s Day. I was working Valentine’s Day so I didn’t give it much thought that I was thousands of miles away from him during a “love holiday”. But Saturday, it felt like I was the only lone woman on the street. I’m sure I wasn’t. But at the meat case, I remember turning around and taking it all in and then wishing I could buy one cut of ‘rosbif’ with him to take back to a rented apartment for a decadent lunch.I liked France. But I love JJ. Food just isn’t the same without him.

A little bit of macaron comparison is underway here. During my past few days in Paris, I was sickity sicky sick. The cold air outside would hit my lungs and I’d be leveled by a string of coughs that made me unfit for human company, let alone trips on the Metro or strolls along the Seine. For health’s sake, I confined myself to a one block walking radius from my hotel. Normally, this situation would have had no redeeming aspects. I anticipated pawing at the window of my room, full of longing and a pout stretched across my mouth as I watched Paris be interesting and tasty without me.

Read the rest of this entry »