Secrètes de Paris

Omigod this is the cutest little penguin backpack! Couldn't help myself...

On February 8 the French rock group Astonvilla (not the soccer team) gave a surprise concert on the Esplanade of the Palais de Chaillot (Trocadéro).



It was recorded to be broadcast on the French TV channel France 4 on February 24 at 8:50pm. Look for me "stage right", wearing an olive hat and lavender scarf!



As the group started singing, a few curious tourists gathered around to listen, although they probably didn't guess that this is one of the most succesful rock bands in France! Fans who happened to catch the last-minute announcement on the band's website took photos and cheered (clapping and yelling also helped everyone stay warm...a frozen wind that day!)



As it got darker a chilly rain began to come down (see the crew in the back holding a tarp over the drummer), but the concert continue, even going 45 minutes over the scheduled time (the band had a concert later that night at the Trabendo). What troopers! (having the Eiffel Tower sparkling in the background doesn't hurt the mood, either)

Stay tuned for the location of the next "concert sauvage" by Louise Attaque scheduled to take place before the end of the month!

Lots happening down on the Quai François Mauriac (13th)...the new Passarelle Simone de Beauvoir (the first Paris bridge named for a woman) is almost finished. You can see its two levels (one to the street, one to the quai) connecting Bercy Park and the Bibliothèque National Mitterrand, due to be finished by this summer. In the foreground is the Guinguette Pirate, still open despite the quai being all torn up! (don't try getting down here in stilettos)



Here is the Batofar, a bit further down the quai, almost completely fenced in during the construction. I didn't take a photo of the new floating public pool dueto open in July 2006 (right at the foot of the new bridge) because at the moment it just looks like a construction barge. But just you wait! The 13th is going to be rockin' this summer!