Sunday, May 11, 2008

Paris is growing!


You're looking at one of the largest real estate programs in Paris at the moment. It always fascinates me to see that even in 2008, in one of the smallest capitals of the world (Yes, Paris area is small) you can still find 500 acres (200 hectares) available. In 2010 what you're looking at will be turned into offices, housing, industrial facilities and public equipment! All this in the 19th arrondissement, that is inside Paris.

93 comments:

  1. Wow, progress but a loss of les espaces vert huh? Am i GF?

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  2. I am i am i am! he he oh shit i didn't do two lines well erm ERic are you going to move there? Do you approve of this development? Arrrrrrrgh!

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  3. Phew that was close. lol! My keyboard's steaming. It'll be good if you can show us periodical shots of the transformation. Phew. I need a lie-down...........

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  4. Lynn, while you're lying down, you may want to play a little game of "Where's Eric?":
    Can you find hime? Exactly where is he?

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  5. UsElaine that was hilarious. How clever of you! Thank you for the entertainment. I found him!! I won't spoil it for the others...

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  6. Congrats Lynn!
    Eric, this is fascinating to learn. I'm curious if the land was developed and whatever was there is demolished to make way for the new? Now, I'm off to play Uselaine's game of finding you!
    (where have you gone on holiday, anyway? Any chance of a photo from there, or have you lined up your shots and cued them up with Blogger's new post date feature?
    -Kim
    Seattle Daily Photo

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  7. Well, Lynn, I'm glad you were afraid of the PDP Police, and made up a second line in order to win GF.
    Sorry to inform you, that Alexandra got Jeff's beu deu pfft correct.
    Eric's picture looks like Phoenix!!!!
    Here's one more "blogger's famous quotes" from the picnic. I thought it was a dead give away, but there were a few puzzled faces in the crowd.
    Here's the quote:
    "OK, I am going to comment on Eric's photo for a change. I love the way he captured the people's hands. As you my know ,in art school, you have long and grueling hrs. drawing, painting and sculpting peoiple's feet"

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  8. UsElaine, I found him. . .seems you've got a magic shot! ;^)

    Phx-Cdg, That quote's hysterical! And, the dirt's not quite the right color for Phoenix, but the feel of the shot sure is right.
    -Kim
    Seattle Daily Photo

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  9. Kim we've already asked Eric; No answer was the stern reply. lol. I wish you luck.

    Phx; I was indeed scared about the PDP police. Looking nervously over my shoulder, my fingers bashed out some sort of reasonable relevant comment. I did it so fast that after i sent it, i'd forgotten what i'd said!

    I don't want to cross the Legal Eagles who drew up the PDP Constitution. I've heard the penalties involve withdrawal of treats such as virtual chocolate, wine and macarons. That's enough to scare the pants off each and every one of us.

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  10. Yes, I'd guess Lois too, I think, Lynn. :)
    Glad I got the other one right; I remember reading it ... I think I spend too much time here, heh.

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  11. I can't believe this is Paris and that there was 500 acres available! Will there be any requirement that low-cost housing be part of this complex?

    PHX I totally agree with Lynn in her sexy glasses (LOVE the new photo Lynn) that it's Lois the wonderful artist who talked all about Eric capturing people's hands. Now that I've met the lovely Lois, I can SO see her saying this too. (And Lynn I can't BELIEVE you swore on PDP! What kind of example is that for your boys??! ;-)

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  12. "I've heard the penalties involve withdrawal of treats such as virtual chocolate, wine and macarons. That's enough to scare the pants off each and every one of us." Hahaha! How can you possibly manage to be that hilarious at this hour!?!?! XD

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  13. You all just have to be there next yr. for the quiz...Lynn got it right as did you Alex. and Kim, but Lynn got there first....again.

    Here is another quote:
    I'm SQUEELING with delight as I haven't HEARD of this place even with all my guidebooks in my library.!!!!!On my to do list for my next trip!!!!!!!

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  14. Alexandra thanks! It was sheer hysteria by that point. I could almost hear the knocking on my virtual door.

    Thanks Katie about the pic. About the swearing, "I. DID. NOT. HAVE. SWEARING. RELATIONS. WITH. THAT. PDP." er oh no that style didn't work for someone else, did it. Ok then, hands up, it was a sudden attack of verbal diarrhoea i'm afraid and the filter button in my head was turned off. I apologise lol. My boys don't come here; more's the pity.

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  15. Ehehe! I think? Well, I'll just see. :)

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  16. Yes, that's Katie. That's how she looks in real life -- what a smile. And she smiles a lot! She's tall you know, and slender. Like a model.

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  17. Everyone is a lot more beautiful when they smile. Now I must really go to bed. :)

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  18. Wow! I had no idea Paris had that much open space still left for development!

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  19. I wouldn't have guessed that Paris would still have 500 unspoiled acres available! Not sure if Atlanta proper still has any unused acreage, but here in my county, we still have quite a bit but it's going too quick, being purchased by developers and turned into subdivisions and strip malls. I'd much rather look at an open pasture or woods than another strip mall, ugh!

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  20. When I saw this photo, I thought, Denver, Colorado? Even the sky looks like the West. Then I read the comment -- what! Paris? Maybe Eric meant Paris, Texas. All this traveling has him confused;-)

    It's Monica.

    Lynn, you are looking and sounding much better.

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  21. Thanks Lois, i do feel a little improvement, thank goodness, i hope it continues. Those hospital gowns which open at the back showing one's baggy paper knickers are not entirely becoming.

    It's way past my bedtime too at the moment, Alexandra. Night night everyone x

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  22. Amazing. That area is almost as big as my whole town's area! (If you squished it all together; it is spread along a lakeshore, long, but skinny)

    Eric, I hope you have a simply lovely vacation!

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  23. "I. DID. NOT. HAVE. SWEARING. RELATIONS. WITH. THAT. PDP" Very funny. Reminds me of a bumper sticker I saw the other day "Will someone give Bush a Lewinski so we can impeach him."

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  24. I'm pleased and thrilled that there's still open space in Paris. The parks are certainly big and lovely.

    Okay Lynn, way too funny! In the olden days, one would have made you wash your mouth out with soap. Whoever "one" is.

    But I laughed loud and long when I played "Where's Eric," so I say USelaine wins BIG FUNNY of the Day. That's BFOD, for short.

    The first quote is Lois, of course. I thought the second one was Katie.

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  25. You said it Lynn, "gowns which open at the back showing one's baggy paper knickers are not entirely becoming." I hate that outfit! Maybe the medical profession will hear your words. It's bad enough to be in the hospital without showing your bum to every passer-by.

    This photo of me was taken by Katie at the SF PDP picnic.

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  26. USelaine, "Where's Eric?" I think Eric is skateboarding. I love the photos BTW. They all have an Eric style to them -- you've got him down;-)

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  27. LOL, Monica? Katie? I love being in their company. No, it was a quote from ME! I also can't write without capitalizing full words here and there and I am full of exclaimation points!!!!

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  28. I won't be at home watching PDP as I have to go to work for long stretches now, and can only access a computer here and there.. But here is one more quote:
    "This picture is a little at odds with all the scenes of suffering and deaths its walls have witnessed, but not of course at all out of keeping with Napoleon's self aggrandizing use of public ceremony, state art,and in this case,military architecture and monuments. Things are different, when one enters, however. When one stands next to long silent canons, or on flagstones tht once ran blood, it is hard not to feel the discordance between the beauty of the bldg. and the horrors it once held."
    ( there is a bit more, but you have enough of a clue!!)

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  29. Lois, you may want to check again, because Eric appears in all of the photos, looking very much like he did at the picnic. In fact, exactly like he did at the picnic! ;^)

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  30. Lucio is right! BINGO!

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  31. OK, this one Monica sent to me to use before I got to the picnic.
    " When I read about the accomplishments of a person like this, I realize how boring my life is. BTW I took this at a fabulous Microsoft launch party that I attended at Palais de Tokyo and now I have to pack 'cause I'm off to the Alps tomorrow".
    It's a no brainer but it also got the biggest laugh.
    "

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  32. phx-cdg: LOL! I can't believe I was part of the quiz! I mean, I hardly ever comment - and, when I do, I hardly ever say anything of interest or import. How is it that someone answered your question so quickly, and even knew how to spell my name? ;)

    Actually, I'm tickled pink that my name was spoken on the banks of the Seine the other night. I only wish I'd been there to "answer" to it in person.

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  33. USelaine that was hilarious!!! I love your "Where is Eric?" game.


    Phx, I knew it was you!!! You are an exclamation point!!!

    Lynn I saw it, you said the S word, you can't deny. (that was too funny)

    Love everyone new pictures. Lois I saw this photo of your at Katie's. BTW, Katie's mom photo is soooo lovely!

    Phx, when will Mr. Phx help you upload your photo here??? It's about time.

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  34. Now about Eric's post. I think it's amazing to witness the growing of Paris at this day and age.

    Another great accomplishment Eric. So, where are you??!!

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  35. I say boo to anything modern in beautiful Paris - I like it the way it is!

    Lovely new photos, ladies (Lynn, Katie, Lois & Monica) Tres glam, je crois. If I wasn't computer impaired I could post a new one too, but no such luck - you're all stuck with me kissing le poisson.

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  36. Paris is small indeed... Great city to walk.

    Eric won't be able to answer you until Wednesday at best. The most connected man I know is... off line. lol!

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  37. PHX your quiz is brilliant. I love the Eric quote. I love them all.

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  38. Did not realize that there was this much land still available in Paris...do hope it is used wisely. I'm sure it will be tastefully architectured as only Parisians can do. :-)

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  39. BTW...I thought I'd throw my "mug" into the ring since everyone else is changing their photos. Just for the record, I'm lousy at posing for photos...this one was taken in Antigua, Guatemala a few months ago.

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  40. Yay Lois we can see you now!! Great new photo, if I do say so. Thanks for taking mine! Monica my Mom was thrilled that you liked her photo! (And I think your new photo is fabulous too Monica!) I'm chez Maman this weekend for Mother's Day (thankfully she was wi-fi!), and she insisted I help her create a profile so she could stop being Anonymous Mom on my blog. Luckily she already had a good photo of herself in iPhoto. I was going to suggest the photo I took of her wearing a crazy Viking horned helmet with her laughing hysterically at something I'd just said, but I thought better of it.

    Eric's going to come back from vacation and not recognize any of us!!

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  41. How incredible! Extraordinary to think this land even exists and within Paris.

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  42. When I first saw this photo I thought it was in the outskirts of Paris, somewhere on the other side of the périphérique. I would never had guessed that this is in the
    19.arr.
    Like Lynn said it would be fun to follow the progress,Eric. Will you do that for us - go there once in a while to take a new photo ???

    Nice sunday and mothers day to everyone !

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  43. Happy Mother's day in America (not yet in France)!

    Lois have a blast parading your perfect pin (matisse and not pdp today)!

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  44. Lucio and Eric!! Oh yes i know i'm far too late.

    Not Mother's Day in the UK, we've had it and lovely it was indeed. One of my sons turned up as a surprise from uni! Ahhhhh.
    Happy Mother's Day to US Mummies.

    So here i am in yet another guise, this one for reasons at my blog. I cheated though. That sunny day is 1983! Now? No way! he he. More changed profile pics please! I love them.

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  45. Great photos, Lois and Coltrane!

    Does anyone else think Eric's pic might be a trick? Maybe that's where he is, somewhere else in the world. Wouldn't that be funny. A typical Michael-trick, but not sure about Eric... hmm.

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  46. I agree with Pont Girl -Paris is fine as it is!

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  47. oh la la lynn! you look just fab! here is a cold pina colada just for you:) I'm going to check your blog now:)

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  48. Oh, dang, I was so sure I was right on that quote! (It could've been, Monica, right? ;)) Lucio on the other one was not hard to figure!

    Reply to Lois from yesterday's comment box: Thank you so much for your kind words - and the e-mail! No, I'm not at all bored with my pic. - I'm rather reluctant to change it actually, because I don't know if I can come up something quite as good!

    Lynn, that picture is faboulous! Oh, if one were young forever ...

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  49. Your pic is really lovely, Alexandra. My thoughts exactly by the way, and i'd like to be back in St. Lucia on that ship too! lol. Ah well.... Thanks Marie!

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  50. Happy Mom's Day! (official holiday since 1914 here in the States)

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  51. Well done, Coltrane Lives. You're tiny, but I can tell you're a handsome guy. Close-up, please!

    Babe-a-licious, Lynn.

    I'll have to dig through my stuff when I get a chance.

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  52. Paris is growing?! Oh no, I like my little and tiny Paris... If they build some museums or nice-classy-cheap students rooms, it' okay for me.

    I just have one question Eric, did you go there especially to take the picture? I mean, was it the goal of your trip? It looks like Beirut in this time. Sad story btw...

    Trust me guys, I won't do this once a day (to change the profile picture), but it's okay for this time because we're sunday...
    It's not the mummy day here either, but at least MY mummy day, today is her birthday!

    For my faithful servant Lucio, I have a gift:

    "This air which obsesses me day and night
    This air was not born from today
    It comes from also far I come
    Trailed per a hundred and thousand musicians
    One day this air will return to me insane
    Hundred times I wanted to say why
    But it cut me the word
    It speaks always front me
    And its voice covers my voice
    Padam... padam... padam...
    It arrives while running behind me
    Padam... padam... padam...
    It makes me the blow of remember
    Padam... padam... padam...
    It is an air which shows me finger
    And I trail after me like funny of error
    This air which knows all by heart

    It says: "Remembers your loves
    Remember since it is your turn
    ' there does not have reason so that you do not cry
    With your memories on the arms... "
    And me I re-examine those which remain
    My twenty years make beat drum
    I see entrebattre gestures
    All the comedy of the loves
    On this air which always goes

    Padam... padam... padam...
    "I love you" of fourteen-July
    Padam... padam... padam...
    "always" that one buys with the reduction
    Padam... padam... padam...
    "you" in here are per packages want
    And all that to fall right to the corner from the street
    On the air which recognized me

    ...
    Listen to the uproar that it makes me

    ...
    As if all my past ravelled

    ...
    Is necessary to keep sorrow for afterwards
    I have a whole musical theory of it on this air which beats...
    Who beats like a wood heart..."

    :)

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  53. Bon Anniversaire a la Mere de Guille! Love from Lynn in UK x

    Guille your photo is incredible. Dark, mysterious, arty, sultry, fanTASTIC. Very French. Very you.

    Petrea, wow Babe-a-licious? Thank you. I LIKE being called that :)........it's been a while........ lol.

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  54. Guille I totally agree with Lynn about your new photo. Sultry is such the perfect word! And Guille Lucio is gonna FLIP when he sees that you've translated the song for him. I could sort of understand the lyrics in French, but now I really get what so moving about this song. I thank you too for doing this. And Happy Birthday Guille's Mom!

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  55. Girls you're REALLY sweet about my mum. I'll tell her! We going to celebrate it tonight with some of her friends.

    Thanks for the compliments about my picture, my best friend is a photographer, she deserves all the compliments, I don't! This one is quite old, I mean something like 5 years...Yes Lynn, not from 1983 but almost. LOL

    Have a nice evening!

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  56. Happy Mother's Day to all from rainy Virginia! Oh, what fun, there are some wonderful new profile photos on PDP today...Lynn, Monica, Guille and Coltrane. :) Today I wish I was walking on a Cape Cod beach with my daughter and sons (where my little photo was taken).

    Thank you for the translation Guille, these are some powerful lyrics. I’m listening to Marion Coutillard on youtube as I write.

    Hello to Eric, hope you are having a relaxing vacation!

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  57. Ah...something else I meant to say..
    One thing about Guille that you don't realise until you meet her is how clever and quick thinker she really is. Way to fast for me!
    Really, really smart cookie!

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  58. You know what? I love all your changing photos ;-)

    Guille, well done for the translation.

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  59. Hi everyone, just a quick hello from a bus station on my way from Kayseri to Antalya...

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  60. Marie, You remembered my brooch. Yes, I showed it off at the SF PDP picnic. Thank you, I will have a wonderful Mother's Day. I'm not really celebrating it until Tuesday though. I am going to go to the spa -- Elizabeth Arden's Red Door. What a treat -- instigated by my daughter (as always).

    Bon Anniversaire a la Mere de Guille! That is the best photo of you yet. You have beautiful eyes and this photo really brings that out.

    Petrea, Babe-a-licious -- Austin Powers right? That would definitely describe UKLynn.

    Jennifer, that is a beautiful photo of you.

    Rose, I noticed the same thing about Guille -- very intelligent. You have a beautiful accent Rose.

    Lucio, "tickled pink" I'm still laughing. You're funny!

    Monica, I heard it too -- she did use the "S" word -- shhhh, the PDP cops are looking for her.

    So Igor, are you doing all the posting for Eric in his absence? Does that mean, you know where he is?

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  61. Scratch that last question to Igor. Eric's comment and mine crossed in the mail. Turkey -- the mystery is over. It was fun. Monica, did you guess that?

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  62. Oh, I was going to guess that Eric is in the Seychelles.
    Hope you're having a wonderful time in Turkey, Eric.
    Interesting yet somewhat disturbing photo today -- although some charming, affordable housing would be nice (or is that an oxymoron?).
    Just don't want to see Paris become like here (New York), where most of the time they tear down whatever is beautiful and put up the ugliest thing possible.

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  63. Thank you everyone for wishing us U.S. Moms a happy mother's day. You are my extended family here at PDP.

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  64. lois simon: yes I usually do the posting for Eric when he travels, but this time he is using the new scheduling feature blogger introduced lately... And yes, I knew where in the world was Eric..! ;~)

    Happy Mother's Day for those in the US!

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  65. Happy Birthday Guille's mom!!!!!!!!

    Rose, I always had the impression that Guille is very clever and a fast thinker!

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  66. And you didn't tell us, Igor? Part of the Constitution states that all gossip learned about Eric is to be shared. Didn't you read that bit? lol.

    I too knew how quick Guille is. Your friend is really talented at photography, Guille, but she also must have spotted what a good model you make. Moody, Baby, Moody....!

    Eric: You're on your way from where to where? lol. Ohhh pity you couldn't stay longer.... I'm in my bikini....?

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  67. So that's Turkey? Ok then.

    Lois, I did guess it. I said it might be going to Turkey, or Nw york or Miami. Or something like that.

    Eric is a big fan of Turkey. He goes there every year.


    Hey Happy Mother's Day to all those who celebrate it. It's Mother's Day here too and I just came back from lunch with my wonderful mom and my lovely grandma!

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  68. Lynn I think that when Eric logged in he couldn't see pictures from the computer he was using. Otherwise I'm sure he would have stayed longer at the sight of you in your bikini.

    You look like a mermaid!!!

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  69. he he i was joking of course, Monica but thanks anyway i quite like the mermaid thing lol!

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  70. Ok, who decided to praise me tonight?! (I'm not sure about the verb 'to praise someone' but..)
    I think the same about you all, to me, there is only intelligent and interesting people here... I'm glad to have met you all!! And for those that I didn't met personally, I'm sure I won't be disappointed.
    Yes, it was a declaration of LOVE!

    Btw, I didn't make the translation by myself!! I'm not THAT good (and no, I'm not fishing for compliments LOL).

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  71. lynn: Impossible to share all gossips I have about Eric, I cumulated too many in 30 years!! lollll!

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  72. We love you too chère Guille!!! Can't wait to meet you in person!

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  73. Yes we do, Guille, it was great when you joined - a new perspective, so diverse and thought provoking, as well as fun. Yes we are praising you! I don't know how it started but it's well meant.

    Igor, I- GORRRRR.... you know you can whisper a few things to meeeee.... come on.... I won't tell anyone.......! lol no actually i'm playing the journo card but in fact, i'm terribly discreet and admire it in others. Thirty years, my goodness, what's your favourite memory, Igor? ...oops ok there i go again....!

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  74. Guille: Thanks for the translation! I'm sorry it's taken me so long to get back to you, but my internet connection has been irritatingly unreliable over the past twenty-four houyrs. As soon as I get the time (the next few weeks are going to be very busy because I have a major research essay to write), I will polish the lyrics of 'Padam...Padam...' and post them alongside the original French ones.

    By the way, I assume your new B&W profile photo was taken during your Albert Camus period - long before you were crowned queen of this little corner of the blogosphere.

    As always, your loyal and obedient servant,

    LCDC (the rockin' 'n' rollin' aristocrat)

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  75. lynn: there are sooo many great memories with Eric, it is difficult to pick one!! Eric has organized several memorable costume parties in Paris, and it was HUGE fun. I remember once I came with such a good costume and make up, it took him more than an hour to find out who I was... :~)

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  76. Petrea...thanks for the compliment. PDPers are a handsome, beautiful lot, eh. :-)I'm not the most techno-savvy guy so was not able to enlarge the photo you see (or kind of see). I'll see what I can do when I get the time.

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  77. Coltrane lives, no pressure. I haven't exactly come up with anything yet.

    Igor! That's a great story! You're usually so quiet. More, please.

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  78. petrea: I'll tell more stories someday, I promise! :~)

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  79. Thank you, Igor. It's worth the wait. Were you at the picnic?

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  80. No, I was not at the picnic unfortunately, it was a little too far for me, I live in the US... :~} Maybe next time..

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  82. Hey, that place should be featured on ParisAvant.com! Before: nuthin'. After: cars, buses, cars and cars. Possibly some humans doin' their best to avoid cars.

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  83. I just saw this Lynn the Mermaid shot! Awesome!!

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