Paris, art and movie

I had a Paris weekend in LA!

On Saturday, I went to see the Paris Life & Luxury exhibit at the Getty. We went on Saturday evening, which means the parking is free, and the crowds are smaller. Our picnic lunch came from Bay Cities Deli (order online and avoid the never ending long lines at the counter!) although it was a little chilly to be eating outside. As we were walking to the exhibit building, the sun was setting and the combination of the ominous clouds, the low angle of the sun and the white buildings of the Getty Center was just spectacular. Everyone was lined up at the balcony railings to take it in. The exhibit is a wonderfully coherent way to display a particular way of life at a particular time and place (mid-17th century Paris among the wealthy class). They had paintings, sculpture, furniture and various objects of daily use organized by the routines of the day-bedroom, women's powder room, entertainment room, etc.-which gave meaning to even the smallest object. The level of artistry and craftsmanship is exceptional but what was surprising to me was the interest in science and technology (represented by a microscope and mechanical devices). The curators include sound in some of the rooms with chiming clocks and recorded harpsichord music which adds a lot to the atmosphere.

On Sunday I went to see Woody Allen's new movie, Midnight in Paris, which is on the one hand a love letter to Paris and on the other a cautionary note to avoid living in the past.  Owen Wilson makes for a much more likeable 'nebbishy intellectual' than Woody ever did (at least for me) and the cameos by various luminaries are hilarious. For me, there were so many aspects of visiting Paris that I recognized from my past trips-hanging out on a bridge at night watching the Eiffel Tower light up, walking down random streets with no real aim (although not at midnight), checking out the book seller stalls along the Seine, and totally getting caught up in the cities illustrious past.

Paris is certainly a more beautiful city than Los Angeles could ever pretend to be, but on Saturday night as we were leaving the Getty, we got a view that is essentially LA-a clear night and the lights in the LA basin are sparkling with the ocean just beyond and a crescent moon darting behind the clouds. It's good to appreciate the past, but there's a lot to enjoy about the present, as well.