Last month in Paris

(Wednesday) I'm cold. It's 11:20 PM and freezing cold here in the basement studio of IRCAM. I'm wearing two long sleeve sweaters, wool scarf and thin comforter on my lap! It is so quiet and I must be one of the only people here. July was calm but August is so quiet the BEST time to be here at IRCAM, I was told. I hear June and September are the worst with everyone coming back in force and festivals in June.

(Friday) I have been completely immersed in work, barely coming up for air. Because of the intensity, and need to stay inside this ice-cold Studio 1 at IRCAM, I brought in electric water boiler for my Oolong tea, blanket, leg warmer, sweater and scarf. It's very comfortable. My children are with grandparents visiting Brive la Gaillard (south of Limoge, north of Toulouse), a fois gras country where my sister-in-law lives. I would have gone with them but I really need to make a dent in what I'm trying to do...

I do occasionally dine out, when friends come to visit or someone at IRCAM asks me out. I went out with my dear Florence, the administrator of IRCAM who takes a great care of me. She took me to a restaurant near Les Halles, and I had the most fabulous "Dorade". Again I was silent in eating this. Then my old Juilliard classmate, turned out we also both went to Boston University, Chris Culpo came to visit and he took me to his favorite hound near Rue Rambuteau called Le Feteu. The owner Jerry said "Oh it was the birthday of Pierre Boulez yesterday!" How nice that a restaurant owner would proclaim the birthday of a composer. Paris is a big city but somehow it still retains that old small village quality. I had the most, most..... delicious Boudin (blood sausage) here, and learning I'm a visitor at IRCAM he said I'm welcome back anytime, and I certainly will. After all they had my favorite Confit de Canard, and judging from how Boudin tasted like...

My work now is very intense because I am now in the creative phase using all the hard work my team has been creating with me. The new ideas between us keep on growing in the form of, "Oh by the way, how if we do..." and off we go for another Holy Grail hunting. It is truly a rewarding experience. Here is my main host this summer Norbert Schnell who is one of the most elegant scientist/programmer cleaning up my mess grimacing :) and fixing my "DIY" (do it yourself) bulldozing programs.

(Saturday) For once I wasn't at IRCAM last night after midnight and had a decent sleep. I vowed myself to visit a museum today, Hôtel Carnavalet, Museum of the city of Paris which is in the Marais. Then I must go eat that famous Falafel. There is always a huge line I get discouraged...