Creeps and Crests
Last Friday I traveled outside of Paris to visit the chateau Vaux-le-Vicomte: model for Versailles,
set for Man in the Iron Mask, location for Eva and Tony Parker's wedding reception, and now home to creepy mannequins that talk! Now, I understand the historical chateau's duty to educate its visitors...but I think this may have gone too far! Each room which had personal significance to the historical owner was filled with one 1 to 5 mannequins. These mannequins were, of course, accompanied by a dialog soundtrack to suggest that a conversation was occurring right before your eyes.
Last Friday I traveled outside of Paris to visit the chateau Vaux-le-Vicomte: model for Versailles,
set for Man in the Iron Mask, location for Eva and Tony Parker's wedding reception, and now home to creepy mannequins that talk! Now, I understand the historical chateau's duty to educate its visitors...but I think this may have gone too far! Each room which had personal significance to the historical owner was filled with one 1 to 5 mannequins. These mannequins were, of course, accompanied by a dialog soundtrack to suggest that a conversation was occurring right before your eyes. I have been asking myself why this experience was SO incredibly freaky and am having a hard time to decide on one specific reason. At first I thought that it was perhaps because the mannequins look like they had been transported from a '70s department store and dressed in period costumes (weird makeup, bad wigs, and halloween versions of the 3 Musketeers' wardrobe). But then again, when I saw their more modern mannequin--a mannequin who's face was a digital projection which allowed it to move its mouth and display emotion--it was JUST as creepy. In fact, it's not going too far to say IT'S THE THING NIGHTMARES ARE MADE OF! So maybe it's just the fact that the chateau was trying to pass off the mannequins as real people. Now I know that sounds stupid at first because you're thinking, "That's the whole point of a mannequin!" But mannequins are not supposed to stand in place of people who actually lived or are living...and especially NOT with talking soundtracks playing overhead! So would it be better without the fake people? Trick question...and the answer is no. Allow me to elaborate. The chateau, which apparently is flowing in money and able to purchase expensive technology, was also displaying a room in which projected onto a transparent screen was a man sitting at a desk writing a letter--complete with soundtrack, or course! *shudder* Now they have real people playing real people, but none of the real people were really there--unless you count us, and we weren't there long! So if it's creepy with fake people and creepy with real people, I guess there is only one other explanation: PEOPLE SOUNDTRACKS ARE FREAKIN' CREEPY.
*Funny Story: After Louis XIV hired Vaux-le-Vicomte's landscape architect to design the gardens at Versailles he ignobled him and allowed him to choose his family crest. He chose 3 snails on a crest adorned with a ripe cabbage at the top; a replica exists in the chateau today! That was a sad day for his future relatives; let's hope he didn't procreate. Oh, the shame, lol. (I personally love it!)
Crepes and Creeps
I believe it is safe to say that La Crepe is a fundamental parts of one's visit to France. Light and rich, buttered and sugared, cheese or chocolate: it's every foodies delight. Yet it's shocking that its importance is constantly underrated by people everywhere--I, for one, hold fast to my theory that understanding the difference between a crepe and a pancake is absolutely necessary to understand the basic differences between the French and the Americans: its thinner, chicer, and less durable. (I jest.) I had my first Parisian-crepe experience on Rue du Montparnasse otherwise known as THE ESSENTIAL location for crepes in Paris. Ah, but let me not mislead you, dear reader. In order to be completely honest, I should mention that this "experience" lasted little more than 3 minutes. So I apologize for any faulty impressions derived from my vocabulary and ask permission to substitute my previous statement with
the following one: I had my first Parisian-crepe dEvOuReD on Rue du Montparnasse. Photographic evidence of this massacre is located to the right.
I believe it is safe to say that La Crepe is a fundamental parts of one's visit to France. Light and rich, buttered and sugared, cheese or chocolate: it's every foodies delight. Yet it's shocking that its importance is constantly underrated by people everywhere--I, for one, hold fast to my theory that understanding the difference between a crepe and a pancake is absolutely necessary to understand the basic differences between the French and the Americans: its thinner, chicer, and less durable. (I jest.) I had my first Parisian-crepe experience on Rue du Montparnasse otherwise known as THE ESSENTIAL location for crepes in Paris. Ah, but let me not mislead you, dear reader. In order to be completely honest, I should mention that this "experience" lasted little more than 3 minutes. So I apologize for any faulty impressions derived from my vocabulary and ask permission to substitute my previous statement with
the following one: I had my first Parisian-crepe dEvOuReD on Rue du Montparnasse. Photographic evidence of this massacre is located to the right. My second crepe experience, though noted as an essential part of integrating into Parisian life, is associated with events much less enjoyable. This past Saturday/Sunday Paris held it's annual artistic soiree, an all-night (7pm-7am) event during which contemporary artists show their work and Parisians show how many drinks it takes to lose the ability to walk. In the wee hours of the morning, my friends and I were resting in a plaza while eating some crepes and falafels only to be disturbed by a drunken Frenchie. The creeper sticks his fingers in my friend's food as if trying to steal a bite, bends down, places his face within 7 inches of her own, and asks, "Yoo wan tah Frehnsh kiiss?" I wont go into all the details except to mention that he was soon dissuaded in persisting when a certain American hand contacted a certain French face. This anecdote is just to say, "Where crepes are present, creeps may follow." My earlier may observation may, therefore, be expanded to note that La Crepe AND Le Creep are fundamental parts of one's visit to France.
A Creep's Creed
As I mentioned before, last Friday was spent at the chateau. While a lovely portion of it was spent inside, an equally lovely portion was spent on the grounds and in the garden. It was a beautiful day and one which was immediately christened as an Austen of a day, for the grass was green, the leaves were turning, the wind was whistling, and the sun was shining. And on this fine day, I was doing my very worst...stalking the cute old man with the pipe.
As I mentioned before, last Friday was spent at the chateau. While a lovely portion of it was spent inside, an equally lovely portion was spent on the grounds and in the garden. It was a beautiful day and one which was immediately christened as an Austen of a day, for the grass was green, the leaves were turning, the wind was whistling, and the sun was shining. And on this fine day, I was doing my very worst...stalking the cute old man with the pipe.
For those of you who don't know me very well, you should be warned that I have stalker tendencies. But I wasn't always this way; college is to be blamed (as for so many of our addictive ailings). It all started the semester I took my first photography class. Photography opened up a whole new world for me and, apparently, a whole new person. I thrived on getting the photo with the story behind it. And, thus, I focused on street photography and on finding my muse, the fabulous subject who was lucky enough to be my subject (often times a member of the 
older/OLDEST generation). I began timid and weak and would berate myself for not having the courage to get the shot I wanted. But with time, I gained those qualities which can only truly define one as an American: a lack of concern for another's comfort (lol). I finally came to possess the audacity to take 10 shots of the same chess game, to follow that woman in head-to-toe Chanel around the museum for 20 minutes, to get closer to that old man sleeping in the park, to stalk the pipe man at the chateau. Since that moment I have developed the creed by which I live my life, a creep's creed as it were. It is as follows: "If ever an interesting person I see, the victim of my stalks they shall be. Until I take the perfect shot, the Keck's stalk shall be their lot." It's a dangerous life to lead, but what can I say...I'm a rebel!
older/OLDEST generation). I began timid and weak and would berate myself for not having the courage to get the shot I wanted. But with time, I gained those qualities which can only truly define one as an American: a lack of concern for another's comfort (lol). I finally came to possess the audacity to take 10 shots of the same chess game, to follow that woman in head-to-toe Chanel around the museum for 20 minutes, to get closer to that old man sleeping in the park, to stalk the pipe man at the chateau. Since that moment I have developed the creed by which I live my life, a creep's creed as it were. It is as follows: "If ever an interesting person I see, the victim of my stalks they shall be. Until I take the perfect shot, the Keck's stalk shall be their lot." It's a dangerous life to lead, but what can I say...I'm a rebel!
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