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Music for Mango House

 ®Jeanne Henriques – Collage of Life


Hello everyone! For today, something a little different and a post that has absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with Provence. But music is the stuff of life, a subject very dear to my heart. When my friend Jeanne, whose incredibly inspiring blogs Collage of Life and Expat Diary: Vietnam–both of which are documenting her very recent move to Saigon–expressed interest in finding new music for her time there, I knew it was time to get out the DJ headphones! 

Remi and I had an exceptional experience in Vietnam. Saigon was the starting point for a cruise up the Mekong River to Cambodia. The feeling that stayed with me is that Vietnam is a land of incredible lushness with a vibrancy and kindness that cuts through the shadows of the past. Her new home has been painted a bright shade of mango (a surprise from her husband) and I tried to pick tunes that would waft well through the wide open verandas, both current and from long ago. Jeanne being the incredibly generous person that she is immediately suggested that I share the list with you. 

I hope that you enjoy! 

The song that I am currently obsessed with:
“Tease Me” by Lianne La Havas. I don’t love all of the rest of the album but there are some other bijous as well such as “No Room for Doubt”.
As well as:
Feist in a gorgeous video. Haunting is right!
For discovering new music:
Stereomood. I love that you can pick a mood! Isn’t that what listening to music is all about? I have found so many artists that I love including…
Colman Brothers. I love this album, especially “Some Other Wonder”.
As well as the last song that I was obsessed with (and still listen to when I am having trouble writing):
“1901” cover by Birdy.
Also found on Stereomood:
The Berlinist. I like all of the album but especially “Ollie Falls Asleep”. Soundcloud is another site that is wonderful for discovering.
Vincent Segal and Ballaké Sissoko. Chamber Music. If you don’t have this already, you will love it, I believe. Cello and kora played by two amazing artists.
Ali Farka Touré & Toumani Diabete. “Ali and Toumani”. This album has been out for a few years but is still a go to when I am in a bad mood.
This is a group that Remi and I have listened to a lot over the years. “Jazz” is a favorite tune but they have a new album out as well that I haven’t listened to yet.
This Japanese DJ/musician is another favorite. Amazing. Actually, here: http://youtu.be/HF5Eqvr7Qgk “Blue sky and yellow sunflower” a mashup with Claire de Lune…

Jean Sablon. Remi has been listening to some lesser known French singers from the 30s-50s and I am crazy for Jean Sablon.

“Stay the Same” by Bonobo featuring Andreya Triana. Actually the entire ‘Black Sands’ album could be wonderful.
“Do it again” by Shirley Horn because we all could use a dose of her fine voice now and again. One of my all time favorite chanteuse de jazz…
And finally:
Don’t be held back by this being a French radio station as it has the most eclectic playlist on the planet! Within an hour, you can hear everything from Jeanne Moreau to the Black Keys to Wagner.

®Jeanne Henriques – Collage of Life

So there you have it! Wishing you all a wonderful weekend ahead. Tomorrow is my birthday, 43 here I come…Hooray!



Bluer than

…And I am not referring to any sort of Joanie Mitchell type of “Blue” but rather a sky that is bluer than blue. So much so that it is best not to scratch for the words but rather sigh out a hip then a hooray in sun-soaked daze. For time is turning; the blinding white has been squeezed out of summer’s fist, one that is opening and sprinkling gold suspended way up high. A promise of the light to come.

To follow photos on a single evening while roaming with camera in hand, looking up, up, up…

 

 

This is the sky to dream of when you hope for Provence. 

Bubble

It is Sunday morning. Remi has gone to the train station to pick up a friend from Paris who is in desperate need of sun. At my suggestion, he took Ben with him. Before the heat sets in, our dog will enjoy the ride and make fellow drivers smile from his post at the back of the car. I had a few small but crucial items to buy–coffee, toothpaste–the things that glue our going together. I turned without thinking down the alleyway that curves sinuously to the shops, a route I now take to avoid passing in front of the door of a friend that is no longer a friend, my feet padding along the cracked pavement in my espadrilles like the paws of a dog. And that is when I realize that is precisely the sound that is missing. It is odd to not have Ben near me, trotting along, looking up at me with an expectant grin, just as it was unusual to move through the apartment, straightening up, grabbing my keys, without the pull of Remi, the knowledge of him working in the other room, fed by so many pricks of the senses. The sound of a sneeze, fingers clicking on keys. Such is the life that we have chosen together that I am rarely alone. Everyday, around the clock, so close as to be enmeshed. As it is with Ben too, who is always present because we are always present. He stares at me for no reason, reeling in my attention. This is how I found my myself waking while walking, oddly conscious of the boundary of me moving forward on my own. Quiet so that I can hear my pulse and feel the air parting around my torso as if walking through waves or breathing out a bubble. Suspended for an hour or so. I can hear Remi’s keys in the lock of the front door below. I turn my chin reflexively, in anticipation that the bubble will pop.

Golden: Meeting Aidan

“I think that I am on your street.” I looked out of the window to see a lovely blonde precariously balancing a tray while leading a Golden Retriever and talking on her cell phone zoom past our corner. “Wait! Stop! Back up! Look up!” I leaned out of the window and waved like mad. I could see Aidan’s smile blossom from a far and with a “Hooray!” I ran down to open up the front door to let her inside.
I remember writing to Aidan on her wonderful blog Conjugating Irregular Verbs pretty much immediately after we first came into contact asking “When can we meet?!”. She had somehow stumbled upon my Haunted series and we clicked right away. And she  lives in Montpellier! A mere 40 minute drive away! Alas, these things take time. There are children to be wrangled (Aidan has three beautiful ones) and schedules to be balanced. Six months later, it all came together.
Although I am shy, I knew that Aidan and I would get along and it felt wonderful to not be even the slightest bit nervous, just excited. And I wasn’t the only one! Within minutes our words were over-lapping and we could barely finish one thought because it sparked off several others. There was so much that we wanted to cram in we were practically hyper-ventilating! Although we eventually settled down to a fine lunch of the crisp pissaladière that Aidan had generously baked, the five hours we spent together passed far too quickly and we were literally still chatting in the parking lot as she was loading up the car to head home.
But I wasn’t the only one that was thrilled. As previously mentioned, Aidan brought along her one year old Golden, Clementine. The meeting of our two beloved puppers was just the icing on the proverbial cake. Oh, how she tortured Ben! She chewed on his ears until they were a soggy mess and pounced on his back until they rolled into the furniture. And he loved every minute of it. Goldens seem to have an innate recognition for other Goldens and they quickly formed a big brother/little sister bond. Unfortunately, it was way too hot to take them on the stroll that I had imagined (32°C/90°F) but we did manage to stop off at the new gelato shop with dollops of salted caramel for Aidan, beet and cucumber for me. Surprisingly, Clementine was less than thrilled when I offered for her to lick the bowl for the last crimson stain of beet! I wonder why…
Aidan’s writing is open, honest and so funny, just like her wonderful self. Now I know firsthand and I am so thrilled to have made a new friend. I have to say it has been a pretty fabulous week as far as connecting due to the internet and thank you to all that were so supportive about Wijnand Boon’s peace-walk. Such positive experiences. Let’s hear it for the joy of discovery!
Bon weekend! 

For those of you in the Northern Hemisphere, summer is running at an Olympic pace so let’s make the most of it…

Meet Wijnand Boon, Peace-Walker

A week ago, I received an email that caught my attention. “Peace-walker passing through Arles” was the title. “Oh, really?” I thought with a sardonic arch of the eyebrow. But as I continued reading, I was immediately intrigued. It had been sent by Wijnand Boon (pronounced Vine-andt) and after explaining that he had come across my blog while googling Arles, here is how he introduced his mission:
“I have started walking from the Netherlands in September 2010 and I just got back in France after having crossed Portugal and Spain. I am on my way to Cairo in Egypt for a peace organization called MasterPeace (www.masterpeace.org). I find my places to stay along my way through the internet, the mission being to show how the internet can bring people together and that help can be found everywhere. A simple, positive message and I try to share my experiences with as many people as possible.”

Wijnand’s message was extremely articulate and included links to articles that had been written about his journey as well as to the social media accounts that he uses both to document his experience and solicit aid. He was simply asking if Remi and I would be willing to host him for Friday night, when he estimated that he would be in Arles. After a verification of all of the info (once a journalist, always a journalist) we quickly agreed. And I am so glad that we did.



He arrived in the early evening and after hauling up the fantastically designed cart that holds his belongings, we settled in for a long apéro during which we learned more about him and his fascinating project. He explained that it was initially inspired after a speech by the Dutch Queen Beatrix in which she claimed that the internet was pulling people further apart, that the essence of virtual connections are a detriment to society. Wijnand was determined not only to prove her wrong but decided to go on a pilgrimage using social media to do so. Via Twitter and Facebook, he has reached out to strangers along his route. So far, he has stayed with around 250 families (from sleeping on a mat in a crowded studio to ocean-view mansions) with nary a bad experience in the lot.

A lot of that has to do with Wijnand, of course. He is incredibly charming and well-spoken on so many subjects that at one point I turned to him and asked “is there anything that doesn’t interest you?” He is aware that people might be shy or nervous about letting a stranger into their homes and has that magical quality of immediately putting someone at ease. It was a delight listening to his rapid fire political and economic discussions with Remi that took place until long into the night and watching him capture the essence of the Saturday market the next morning. He is never intrusive and was respectful of our schedules and space. As he was recovering from an injury, we were in ready agreement that he stay with us for an extra night, for in truth, while we were providing a roof and dinner, he was giving us just as much if not more in return, including performing a few songs on his guitar.
I have written quite effusively on this blog about the positive and real impact I feel from the contacts that I have made here and Wijnand is literally walking proof of that. It is just that he is taking it to a global level. He is an incredibly inspiring person that embodies the idea that we can make our dreams into reality and even if we don’t know what the future holds, we just need to keep going, one step at a time…
Friends, Wijnand is heading East towards Salon-de-Provence on his way towards Rome and then Jerusalem before his swing towards Cairo in time for MasterPeace’s International Day of Peace in September 2014. An approximate list of the cities that he will be travelling to can be found here. Would any of you be willing to host him on his journey or do you know anyone that might? And if that doesn’t interest you (and he does not put pressure on folks), would you be willing to mention this on either Twitter or Facebook? You can find his links below and his email is tw*********@***il.com.
Wijnand’s project is Ben-approved! 

Wijnand Boon:
Check out my website
www.twalkwithme.eu

Follow me on Twitter
@TwalkWithMe

Join me on Facebook
Twalk with me

Twalk with me for MasterPeace
www.masterpeace.org



Help me share my story and complete my mission:

One day of walking costs about five euro’s, but you already make my day with a cup of coffee a month. You can support my mission by donating to 3156.17.918. I thank you for your support!

PS You can also help by retweeting on Twitter and share my posts on Facebook with you friends. Help spread the word!

Bonne Route, Wijnand. Here is one for the road…With all our best from Heather, Remi and Ben…

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