PARIS 2e

According to french newspaper Le Monde (29/06/07), the french government considers a gay civil union and rights for parents-in-law.

The proposed contract would grant the same social, patrimonial and tax rights as marriage, except for 'filiation' (Paternity (law), the legal acknowledgment of the parental relationship between a father and his child) .

If France was to create this statute, it would join the European countries that have taken this route almost 6 years ago. Denmark - first country to authorize a gay marriage in 2001 - was followed 2 years later by Belgium, then by Spain while Great Britain created a civil partnership in 2005, giving the same rights as marriage.

On my way down to the Louvre to check if my damn contemporary art results aren't on display yet (as usual, they weren't...) I passed the empty terrace of the newly opened restaurant of the Musée des Arts Décoratifs. Doesn't seem to attract much outdoor customers yet; quite unbelievable for a centrally located outdoor spot with dramatic views of the Louvre and Eiffel Tower

The ceiling painting (assembly of the gods) in the Room of the Emperors

The still closed down roman courtyard, used as storage room for antiques evacuated from their regular storage spaces, in fear for a possible flooding predicted around 2010 (the last devastating flooding took place in 1910 and left half of Paris flooded)

Let me out!

The ass of the Venus of Milo, a not-so-sought after picture spot

The Venus of Milo seems to enjoy travelling: these last months she's been moved around a couple of times already, you never know where you may find her next. She was actually kept in the room on the picture below, the 'Room of the seven chimneys', formerly used to display the scarce collection of paintings from the English school (nearly nonexistent) which is now completely empty, except for some lost paintings and a ton of disoriented tourists, seemingly seeking the Venus (I wonder if they reprinted the new location on the maps, but knowing the french efficiency... )

The back of the Louvre, with its wonderful colonnade, still closed to the public. I hope they will open it again soon

Tourists at the pyramid strutting their stuff

Putties on the roof strutting their stuff

I love taking pictures of people watching paintings

the Rembrandt room

It's just like watching TV... 'Wow, I want one of those plasma screens!'

Inside the Napoleon III rooms

Escalier Lefuel, one of my favorite staircases, originally built to give access to the never completed Imperial Library

Crates packed and ready to return to their Greek museums after a Praxiteles exhibition

Other day, other museum: the Arts Décoratifs Museum, with an exhibition of old ads

Nice hands, Jesus!

Fooling around in the elevator

He could sit on it, but it could hurt...

Tuileries

Remember the movie shooting from last week? guess what, they're still shooting at the very same spot...

And we are getting ready for a little fun fair: the Ferris Wheel is already turning... without any gondolas on it. Will people just have to "hang on" there?

pre-weeeeeeeeeeee!

Oh, poor chair! Broke a leg! Dead! Lost its soul! Pray!

Preparing the tribune on Place de la Concorde; for the 14th July celebrations already?

Tourists

Palais Royal getting ready for the Fete de la Musique Cocktail Party

Mmmmmmh, macaroons!!! gaaaaaaaaahhhh...

38 years agoJune 28th 1969

'We are the Stonewall girls
We wear our hair in curls
We wear no underwear
We show our pubic hair
We wear our dungarees
Above our nelly knees'

Pierre et Gilles are a gay French artistic and romantic duo. They produce highly stylized photographs, building their own sets and costumes as well as retouching the photographs. Their work often features images from popular culture, gay culture including porn and religion.

Their personal pantheon is peopled by stars from the worlds of pop, rock, fashion, art, cinema and the clubbing scene, but also by unknown individuals they have met over the years. They have also produced numerous self-portraits. Each image tells a story, with the effectiveness and often cruel tenderness of tales for children.

People photographed by Pierre et Gilles include Marilyn Manson, Madonna, Kylie Minogue, Erasure, Deee-Lite, The Creatures, Nina Hagen and CocoRosie (cover of their 2007 album The Adventures of Ghosthorse and Stillborn); model Naomi Campbell, actress Catherine Deneuve, actor Layke Anderson and designer Jean-Paul Gaultier.

The perfect show to see before attending the Paris Gay Pride this Saturday!

Marais

If you would like to be featured as a "guest toilet" on this spot, please send me pictures of your toilets! I'll love you long time and post them!

The return of the pissoir!

Restaurant Georges, Centre Pompidou

Ah, finally one of my favorite blog themes is back! The toilets strike again!

One of the most interesting public toilets in Paris, next to Madeleine, these toilets were constructed in 1905 art nouveau style and still keep their original decor, as well as a still working shoeshine chair...

You ever wondered what music I may be listening to? What weird and creepy sounds might come out of my record collection? Well, I thought that I should share the best of my records with you, dear audience, to show you that I listen to regular music, just like everybody else does.

Let's have a look now, shall we? Here we go:

Hell, why not start with a lovely gospel group... a rural gospel group... an axe-swinging rural gospel group that loves to wear the clothes of the modern man in the street... If I had to pick a choice, I would chop them all off! Guys, no one wears wigs anymore! And I'm still wondering who's the butch...hmmm

"Smile grandma, you're gonna be on my new album cover!" ... Possibly, god isn't dead, but he could have at least had the pity to make dear Gertrude less ugly? And what about the booze bottles and syringe? Still I deem these songs church-worthy.

When I look at this, I get serious doubts if god is really still alive... Are you girls of legal age and consent? Do I care? No, I don't wanna see your panties.... uhhh

I used to listen to this song a lot... then I got lots of indigestions! A great diarrhea product!
(A tip: don't look at pineapples while listening to this song...)

Lesbians, this one is great when you are having your regular prolapse! It helps you keep your woman-stuff where it belongs, or does the opposite. I think there was also a song in there, but I didn't dare to open up this 'lesbian concentrate'... imagine that!

This one is lovely, I actually thought there were no more real manly farmers out there!

Oh I could explain this cover to you, but I am wayyy too occupied laughing my head off! Finally a superhero who brings hope to the average moustache-wearing guys out there. Why he married a prostitute from Kazakhstan who drives her own go-kart, I don't know... Oh and the music on this one sucks too, but the cover makes up for that! Featuring a bonus track with Alla Pugatjova farting 'god save the queen' in dutch! A festival of lyrics for every good trash can!

He's David Ingles, and he comes with his own genuine show-master smile and the cheesy background music. Satan actually got paralysed AFTER listening to this album, so the cover had to be rearranged. The original title was "I suck at this so much, even Satan couldn't listen to the crap I'm singing"

Who hasn't dreamed of having a night out in popular Moscow? Guys with plastic hair, women with plastic flowers, plastic balloons - fun!

They must have listened to your new album, Freddie. An afternoon lost for the whole family! And more!

Ok this is one of my absolute favorites! Oh the suspense: who will touch whom? And where? And will I vomit?

The Murk family! Less famous than the Brady family, but also more ugly... and flowery! My neighbor used to have the same flowery pattern on her bathroom curtains. She killed herself in her bathroom...

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you miss...ter Mike Terry LIVE! And his amazing Dream coat? Oh don't tell me you're Elton Johns mother!

Do I really need to disturb you with a comment while you are laughing your ass off this one? I will just say, look closely at the love of detail in their clothes...

Now which one of these do you think is "God's Child?" It's just like the Oscars, I can't decide! Maybe Tootsie should win...

Don't play this to your cats, they may turn out lesbians! Paddy and his dog later got married in Vegas, baby! Together they have adopted a lovely stapler.

Do I have to explain this? Come on! Colonel Sanders, Tijuana, chicken wings! Doesn't he just deserve the same amount of cheap tequila and Mexican hookers any other American could get?
Still wondering why he's always smiling?

There were originally seven christian crusaders, but then one band member (whose identity has not yet been discovered) decided he could eat 3 of them, to save on bus fares!

'for the first time'. He must have been a real role model for Ricky Martin. he was also spokesperson for Lacoste and bikini-waxing inc.

"Working at the car wash"? Thank you for the ... boots! People died in these overalls I bet...