Saturday, November 22, 2008

Green Green


I came across this row of trees this morning on my way to work and I could not help but stop and take a photo ;-) They were being delivered to a florist in Rue de Richelieue and formed an unexpected scene in this very urban area where absolutely nothing grows! Like I already told you there are 484,000 trees in Paris, 96,500 of which are to be found in the streets. These ones are not included! Have a nice weekend everyone, I will be visiting Ikea tomorrow, how is that for a treat?!

54 comments:

  1. They look loke mini christmas trees for the gnomes people buy for their lawns in the UK!

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  2. Sorry UKLynn and Rose, no offense intended. I was rrying to write something fast.

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  3. Now that I really look at the pix, the trees look like they are in conversation with each other. Wish I wrote that first.......

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  4. congrats on the GF, phx. Will your crown have small greens on it?

    Eric, visiting IKEA is always a treat. Have some lunch there. It's a real bargain.

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  5. Phx no offence taken! They DO look like that.
    Don't they look sweet? I love them. elegant versions of the christmas tree if you have limited space.

    Eric: No. Ikea is not a treat. Mark my words, whatever it is you are looking for will be at the other end of the store, wherever that may be. You will be on a real live yellow brick road with no destination. You'll go in for a bookcase and come out with myriad small, attractive items which scream BARGAIN from the sides of the path. Your trolley will be spilling over with unintended purchases. Make sure you go to the loo before you go in, because you will never find them in there. The final checkout will be found after a treck through EVERY department - a company ploy to show you the entire contents of the shop. Should you suddenly decide you don't want anything at all and prefer to go home empty handed or become unwell, bad luck. It's not allowed. To find an exit without paying for something is virtually impossible. This is why you must pick up a wooden spoon as you go around. If nothing else, it will be your compulsory-purchase-ticket home. When home, soak feet in warm, bubbly water. Oh and the self-assembly packages? Don't get me started.

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  6. They do look like they are talking, Phx. One of them fell over - or do you think it was pushed? :D

    What will you buy at Ikea, Eric? I have the most marvelous bookcase from there. Wish I'd bought the larger one. Always think BIG!

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  7. Eric

    Please take Lynn's advice. Avoid IKEA like the plague. Do something relaxing instead.

    Her description of shopping there is painfully accurate.

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  8. These are infinitely better than gnomes, any day of the week! Although, some of these look like they have faces...

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  9. I do admit to having bought some Ikea items though and like them very much. I just didn't enjoy the journey. Ideally, I'd have them delivered without paying the thousands of pounds that costs, and someone else would pop by to assemble them for me.

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  10. Hmm.. If IKEA Paris is anything like IKEA around here, I feel sorry for you, Eric. Just be sure to go armed with a lot of patience, you'll need it (if you can ever go out, that is. The place is deliberately designed like a labyrinth so people can't get out until their carts are full!;)

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  11. Lynn, where were you a week ago with that advice? I finally made it to our new Ikea a week ago. I was lost in the maze for what seemed like days and even after my cart was filled to overflowing and my feet were screaming for relief,
    I could not find the exit. I think I was next to it but separated by a wall and had to walk for miles to finally get to the checkout.

    Then I had to purchase a huge plastic bag to hold all of the items.

    It will take a long time to recover. My biggest mistake was having lunch before I went. Their caffeteria did look inviting.

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  12. Oh, I see, Lynn beat me to it. Well, I wholeheartedly agree with Lynn's description. If you come to IKEA around here, you will also be blessed with the occasional fist-fight in the parking lot over the impossible-to-find parking spot (I wish I were making it up, but I'm not). Once, some lady almost got in a fight with me over a catalog (they were giving out IKEA catalogs to everybody and I picked up "her" catalog, I guess (all catalogs were identical and free, so go figure). They have some good stuff, but man, I hate the place.

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  13. But Lynn, can you tell us how you really feel about IKEA? None of this beating around the bush. ;)

    Beautiful and vibrant green in this photo, Eric!

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  14. Karen I wish I could have saved you. There is still time for Eric though. Eric run while you still can. Possibly the cafeteria is the best bit. It's not terribly uplifting, however, regardless of how yummy the chocolate brownies are, to be surrounded by prematurely aged, marathon-weary, stamina-zapped customers staring into space trying to remember what their loved ones look like.

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  15. That's really cute! The green of these little Xmas trees is so beautiful! I want one...

    Come on, Ikea is the best place ever if you're looking for something for your place.Okay, when it's crowded (and it will be, tomorrow, one month before Xmas...) it's awful...
    Anyway, I can spend hours there. And hundreds euros.

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  16. Oh yes, Tomate, the parking. I once successfully persuaded a member of staff to help me to the car with a package. That's unprecedented. I deserve an award but I think he must have heard me ask something else entirely.
    I witnessed too (no joke) a woman sitting on the ground crying, sniffing and shaking her head whilst her husband fought valiantly, sweating profusely, with a large box of unidentified Swedish home-happiness he was attempting to squeeze into a boot the size of a large handbag.

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  17. Guille, you are young - and fit. I've seen you in jeans. Only the young and fit need apply.

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  18. Eric, do you like screaming children? Cause they'll be there, too. Lynn, did we tell him about the children or did we conveniently blank out that part?

    (It never ceases to amaze me how these little bodies can pack such powerful voices, actually ;) but I digress)

    Children will be there and they will NOT be in a good mood. Why should they? They, like their parents, will be very frustrated and they will let the whole store know...

    I don't care how much you think you love people. After a trip to IKEA, on a Saturday, just a few weeks away before Xmas, you'll be seriously thinking about becoming a hermit for a while.

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  19. he he Tomate. There are so many aspects we have not yet covered. Yes the children will be there under sufferance themselves, poor devils. Tiny toddlers tantruming with wisdom far beyond their years, wondering what the hell they are doing wasting playtime in a furniture maze.

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  20. Is that Eric, I see, third row, left?

    http://blog.syracuse.com/storefront/2007/11/large_ikea.jpg

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  21. Phx I see what you mean, it seems to me too that the trees are talking to each other!!!


    Eric, could you please provide Ikea's address? I looked for it the last time I was in Paris but couldn't find it. I'd love to go there for a little treat!!

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  22. Wow!!! That's what I call being GREEN!!

    I agree with tomate, IKEA is a frikkin nightmare!! Once you get in you can't get out and don't try to go back to find something you forgot to purchase, it only gets worse!! When you finally see the cashiers and the EXIT sign it is like you are being rescued after being trapped underground or something! Oh, and then you have to deal with the parking lot where everyone is haphazardly rushing for the exit trying their best to get the hell away from there as fast as they can!! Stay home and shop on line!! LOL!!! ;-)

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  23. Love this photo, Eric—and I remember your post about the (somewhat surprising) number of trees to be found in Paris.
    Here's my 2 centimes about Ikea: Say what you will, the Swedish meatballs in the cafe are fabulous! They've just opened an Ikea here in Brooklyn -- although if you live here but are sans vehicle (comme moi and many others), the easiest way to get there is actually to go to Manhattan and take the free ferry to the store—but how much fun is that? Although if I was planning to purchase anything too big to carry home on the ferry & subway, I'd probably have to call my daughter Katie's friend Elvis (yes, that's right), who has (no, not a pink Cadillac) a pickup truck.
    And way to go, GF PHX! (When's our next playdate?)
    Carrie -- I loved your comment on yesterday's post -- you are really making the most of your time in Paris!

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  24. Congratulations CDG-PHX. It's fitting that the one that came up with the Golden Finger award win it from time to time!

    The green of these trees look so bright and, er, artificial. It does bring some nice colour to the street and photo. But I bet you can even buy these at Ikea.

    Lynn and all, I love your description of the Ikea experience. It is so spot on. But I have to admit, a once a year to Ikea is a treat. Like a kid in a candy store fighting the other kids for the stuff. Maybe I'll tag along Eric if you don't mind. I have absolutely nothing I have to have so a trip to Ikea will change all of that.

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  25. I love going to Ikea but not at rush hours a weekend before Xmas. Welcome to hell ;)
    Buy some pepparkakor, the typical spicy cookies for Xmas, as "comfort food".

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  26. Well, after ALL THAT, we better get some pictures of a Parisian IKEA, lol! ;)

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  27. I like the idea that they're talking.......whatever number 8 said, it surprised number 7 -- and bowled number 9 right over!

    Numer 1 wants to get in on the secret that 2,3, and 4 are sharing, and 5 and 6 are trying to figure out which metro connection will get them home fastest - oh - wait, I must be anthropomorphizing a bit......!


    : )

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  28. Yes, they look like they're having a chat.

    PHX, congrats on your GF.

    I once saw a comedy show where they did a musical spoof of Ikea to the tune of "Maria" from West Side Story. It was all about getting lost and the stupid names they give the products. Flruk and Grloid and such. Acildik! (from Bursa DP).

    Elaine suggests shopping online, but watch the shipping costs. We almost ordered a shelf that weighed 20 pounds, but shipping was something like $169.00. The shelf cost $30 and we found out they were going to ship it from Burbank, which is 10 miles from us.

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  29. Oh no Michael has been sucked into Ikea today too. My fears realised. They may be gone some time.

    It will be interesting to see when, or if even, they come back, what their verdict is. I am sure they have been before though. All of us who have been, unfortunately revisit the place from time to time. I haven't worked that one out yet. I have a suspicion one is sprayed at the checkout with an invisible, penetrable 'return' fine mist, seeping into the pores.
    Michael even if you don't need anything, I absolutely guarantee you will buy SOMEthing, and I will need to know what it is; I need up to date exit-ticket data. Do take my suggestion of the wooden spoon on board, otherwise you will not get a response from staff when asking for the exit. It's an unknown concept. Their training must work like this: Exit = checkout and checkout = compulsory purchase. If you are in dire need of leaving, don't mention the exit word on its own. This is code for 'send the customer back to the beginning. They haven't yet chosen.' Good luck, you twooooooooo (that's a hollow echo).

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  30. I found the woman in the background but can't figure out what she's doing ... maybe repotting something. Great shot. Fresh green is is wonderful and I hope you got a whiff !!!

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  31. Yeah, the green photograph is in sharp contrast with what you are about to experience today!

    I think Michael will probably come out of there decorated from head to toe like a Christmas tree (yah, I know these are supposed to go in the cart, but in the excitement of trying to get out of there, who knows...)

    That is a good point about returning... I've often wondered that myself.

    Could be because when you find what you need online, it says "unfortunately this item is only available in the store" and of course when you get there, you can't find it ...

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  32. One wonders if we will ever hear from Eric & Michael again, if my experience of Ikea is anything to go by.......

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  33. Just tuning in to see if they're back. No, I see. Ah how we'll miss them now they've been recruited to Ikea management (I suspect also there's a rule that if you're there for more than three hours you are conscripted).
    Sigh..... remember all the times, DP members, we've had here with Eric and Michael...? Ah, those were the days huh, pre-Ikea-trip...:( it'll be meatballs every day for them now...sigh.

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  34. Well folks, I survived. It actually wasn't that bad this trip (well, maybe bad for the Ikea owners) as it wasn't as crowded as usual. That doesn't mean there weren't loads of people and screaming kiddies, but not what I anticipated. Ok, I have to admit that I went for the Swedish meatballs again. Why do I do it? They always look better than they taste, and make me want to take a nap right after.

    I took your advice Lynn and didn't use the "Exit" word. Just shimmied past the cashier to get outside for a little bit. Of course, coming back in via the Ikea-maze was another story.

    Purchases:
    A bathrobe
    A waste basket
    A palm tree (yes, a palm tree! for this Florida boy)
    And that's about it actually.

    I'll let Eric tell you the rest...

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  35. Maybe we better send Guile to see if she can rescue them out of there. Shall we all chip in and get her a GPS navigator to make sure she can get them out? Or better yet, let's send in some specialized troops ...

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  36. Hey, Michael's back!! I was just picking up the phone and calling your embassy, you know ;)

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  37. I had no IDEA about IKEA until I read your comments. Doesn't seem like my kind of place...too many aisles and people. I like the little trees though. Ciao!

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  38. I was thinking Guille could go on a rescue mission, too Tomate. Though she loves it. She might defect.

    Michael you are back! phew. Ok those purchases are ok, you're safe...! Bet the bath robe is cosy and I like the palm tree idea. Mind you, they probably saw you coming and placed it in front of you to hook you in. Homey stuff for the Florida boy, here he comes - quick!
    You shimmied past the cashier to get out? Wow. Ours is in a different place altogether. There's no sign of the outside world until your wallet's emptied and you've navigated the whole store a second time.
    If nothing else, Ikea has had more than a mention here today! Nothing like free publicity huh? The likes of Coltrane have had their curiosity stimulated perhaps.

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  39. Hey Lynn...afraid not. Say are my eyes deceiving me but you appear to be in some expanding universe...lol

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  40. personally, i think there are a lot of "closet" ikea lovers. the first ikea i ever visited was outside of paris in 1990 - whew!! you can visit different homes and you will find at least one ikea item, no matter how they try and disguise it. bon chance eric and have fun ;-)

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  41. Coltrane, huh? You mean my photoshopped profile pic? Yeah I like to fiddle with it. The...Photoshop.

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  42. Yeah, I was serious about sending the troops. After all, everybody knows that IKEA has all sorts of weapons of mass consumption.

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  43. My bit of green today came in the Parc Monceau, in the 8th, a charming oasis with faux Roman statuary and ponds strewn about. I crossed it on my way from the Musee Gustave Moreau to the Musee Nissim de Camondo, 2 turn of the century houses that couldn't be more different.

    Moreau painted. What seems a rather average, if artsy 1890s home (lots of "after so-and-so" canvases), suddenly opens up into two huge salons with 25 foot cielings covered with his huge canvases.

    The Conte de Camondo collected. He was rich, his family came from Istanbul, and he was Jewish. He built a stunning home in the style of the 1700s and collected the best in 18th C. furnishings. But, by the end of WWII, his wife had left him and his children and grandchildren were all dead. He left his intact home to France and named it after his son, to whom it would have gone. It's a gem.

    Before that I went to the Roman ruins and Abbey at Cluny, near the Sorbonne, which has a wealth of medieval art and a show on the Celts and Vikings. Afterwards I went to the suburb of St. Germain-en-Laye where a chateau now houses the Archeological Museum, full of very fine Gallic, Roman, and prehistoric finds.

    Facing the chateau and its park is a church and as the sun set I wandered in. I heard singing as I opened the door and found myself privileged to witness the baptism of not one, but four new infants, little round cherubs in white, their parents all aglow. It was a pretty informal congregation compared to what I'm familiar with and I kept wondering if this is typical of France or not. Either way it was a window into at least one French community.

    I was the only adult not a parent or grandparent in the place and the service was full of the squeeks and squeals, coos and giggles of children. It was really beautiful. The kids were playing on the altar steps and parents were following their toddlers unhindered around the church.

    Afterwards I found a statue of St Joan and discovered that one of the Kings of England is buried there! He'd been unseated and given safe haven to govern from the edges of Paris. Amazing.

    Finally I made it to the concert at St. Merri's and listened to student musicians doing a fine job. Listening to that music in a Gothic church in Paris makes it all make sense in a way it just doesn't in the US.

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  44. he he Tomate!
    What an interesting day you've had, Carrie.

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  45. Lynn -- I just saw your comment about looking like a tourist from a couple days ago - I'm still laughing.

    The string of onions and the beret do help I'm sure!! I see so many other middle aged French women dressed just that way.

    You have to buy just the right onions, though. (Yes, that farmer's market trip at the beginning of my stay was no mistake, dearie!)

    Truly, what I find hilarious is that they should keep doing so even though I'm carrying a huge camera bag and holding a big map titled PARIS out in the open most of the time.

    When one is lost, though, one feels vunerable and doesn't see so clearly. Perhaps the beret just makes them feel all warm and safe and they hone right in on me!!!

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  46. he he maybe, Carrie. It is odd they still approach you during your map reading...perhaps they think you're French but you just escaped from Ikea.

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  47. Carrie, are you keeping copies of your comments? You should go back and copy and paste them into a document when you get home. They're a wonderful journal of your trip.

    Just don't go to Ikea, because you'll never get out and I enjoy your postings.

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  48. I think I was next to it but separated by a wall and had to walk for miles to finally get to the checkout.

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  49. wow~ the # of trees are being counted in Paris? :p

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  50. It's great to see a blog of this quality. I learned a lot of new things and I'm looking forward to see more like this. Thank you.

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