Mu mu MUTEK

[in basic English below...]

Troisième MUTEK pour moi, vingtième les pour organisateurs. Beaucoup d'événements, un pass pour voir plein de truc, des trucs biens et d'autres moins intéressants, des rencontres, des gens cools, mais dans l'ensemble une très bonne semaine avec la possibilité de goûter à plusieurs courants de musique électronique dans un espace de temps réduit.

Toujours agréable de pouvoir passer d'une salle a l'autre, de traverser la ville la nuit, d'avoir le centre ville comme référence. J'adore toujours passer par le Metropolis avant de rentrer chez moi, passer le hall et palper l'ambiance dans la salle.

Cette année des shows ont lieu au Théâtre Maisonneuve, pas forcément le meilleur endroit pour de la musique électronique ou des instruments qui fonctionnent avec des hauts-parleurs mais un écran géant en arrière qui assurait. Aussi deux très bons shows sur les six que j'ai vu: le japonais Ryoichi Kurokawa avec son feu d'artifice visuel et sonore qui tient pendant tout le spectacle, artiste que j'avais déjà vu à Berlin, et le duo d'artiste russe 404.zero avec leurs visuels hallucinants.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by jeremie Gerhardt (@mrbonsoir) on Aug 28, 2019 at 9:42am PDT

Des sessions gratuites en plein air cachées sur la Place des Arts tout proche du festival pas top de fashion, sessions gratuites donc et de qualité avec entre autres The Quark Model et Jon Tejada et encore je n'ai pa assisté à toutes les sessions sur l'esplanade.

Un petit tour rapide au MAC pour l'installation ISM Hexadome de Herman Kolgen qui produit toujours des installations pointues et léchées, un régal.

Une session découverte avec l'annexe du festival Akousma au Gesu pour quatre performances. Dans la pénombre, un système de son spatial qui entoure les spectateurs. Une belle découverte donc avec l'artiste français Merovee. Chose amusante j'avais déjà assisté à un de ses shows quelques mois auparavant à la SAT avec blindsp0t pour les visuels. Dans tous les cas ces concerts dans le noir sans casque VR ni visuels étaient des plus immersifs, des images apparaissant naturellement au fur et à mesure des nappes sonores qui remplissaient la salle de concert.

[and not in approximate English translated by a French man, he apologies for the form..]

Third MUTEK for me, the 20th for the organisers. A lot of events, a full pass in my pocket to see many things, some good and some less interesting, new encounters, cool people, but overall a really good week with the possibility to taste many electronic musical streams and genres.

Always a pleasure to go from one theatre to the other, to cross the city by night, to have the city center as reference point. I still love to go back the Metropolis before aiming for home, just to get the pulse of the evening going on there, stay a few minutes to listen and leave.

This year some shows took place at the Maisonneuve theatre, maybe not the best place for music that only work with speakers, but a really nice massive display on stage. Among the three evening I did attend, two shows were particularly impressive to me: the Japanese artist Ryoichi Kurokawa with his visual and sound firework that keep you alive, artist I did already see performing in Berlin in the past, and the Russian artist duo 404.zero with their hallucinating visuals.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by jeremie Gerhardt (@mrbonsoir) on Aug 28, 2019 at 9:32am PDT

Some free sessions in the program each day on Place des Arts and free doesn't mean low quality, for exemple the performances by The Quark Model  and Jon Tejada and I haven't attended all the shows from this series.

A quick tour at the MAC for the ISM Hexadome installation and the piece of work by Herman Kolgen who always produces clean and precise object.

Then a discovery with the Akousma session at the Gesu, an open window in MUTEK for this other festival. Four performances, in the dark, spatial sound that englobes the audience. A nice discovery with French artist Merovee. Funny thing I already did attend of his show a few months before at the SAT when he was performing with another French artist blindsp0t doing the visuals. In any cases and for all artist of this afternoon session, to be in the dark, without VR headset was the best immersive experience of the week, the images coming naturally in your head under the influences of the sound floating in space.

Emile Berliner meets Ellen Allien

2:00pm
samedi, début d'après-midi, Montreal, il pleut, moyen cool... Mais c'est censé changer dans la soirée. En attendant je pars explorer à pieds mon quartier et j'en profite pour aller visiter le Musée des Ondes Emile Berliner. Comme souvent un lieu que je frôle quasiment tous les jours en allant au boulot, mais cette fois ci je m'arrête et ouvre la porte.

A peine entré le maitre des lieux secondé par une assistante commence sa présentation de l'espace. Un récit captivant sur St-Henri, Montréal, d'une industrie, d'un homme venu de Hannover s'appelant Emile Berliner qui trouva ici le spot parfait pour développer son business de chaine stéréo. Une bonne heure plus tard je re-sort la tête pleine de nouvelles perspectives sur ce quartier.

Le reste de la journée se passe, les nuages partent, le sol sèche, je vais pouvoir reprendre mon vélo. En soirée direction la Fonderie Darling pour entre autres un live de Ellen Alien. Autre figure allemande liée à la musique, histoire plus récente et berlinoise. A cent années près ces deux personnes auraient pu se croiser même si la seconde utilise encore très probablement la technologie developpée par le premier.

11:11pm
j'arrive avant la paire F&F, la salle est quasiment vide, le boum boum raisonne. Ellen Alien est programmée a 2h du matin, il va falloir être fort.

1:11am 
mes amis m'ont rejoint, la salle s'est bien remplie mais la musique me casse les oreilles, ca passe pas. Mais regarder autour de moi est toujours plaisant, les gens en groupes, les groupies, les clubbers qui on mis leurs tenues de clubbing. Comme les vernissages les salles de concert sont des lieux de spectacle ou le spectateur fait partie intégrante du show.

2:22am
ne bougeant pas assez sur le dance-floor on me prend pour le dealer de la soirée.... trop net, trop en mode attente les gens se trompent, j'ai raté ma vocation, breaking bad sort de ce corps.

3:33am
Ellen Alien est enfin arrivée, a commencé son set, c'est mieux qu'avant mais je n'arrive pas a rentrer dedans. Je ne ferai pas long feu et quitte les lieux. Pour rentrer je longe le canal, m'arrête sous le bâtiment farine five rose, regarde les lettres qui clignotent dans la nuit et continue jusqu'à St-Henri

Toronto with locals

9:09am
Heavy beer glasses lifting by night last night. I wake up and decide semi immediately to post-pone my morning run and instead go for sipping coffees in the theatre center cafe in West Queen West recommended by Spotted by Locals Toronto.

1:01pm
Morning is passed and I met my day time local guide Laura nearby Trinity Bellwoods South on Tecumseth street. Galleries on the menu, second stop is for the the Birch Contemporary. We almost looked at all the art pieces exhibited conversing with the curator.

A post shared by jeremie Gerhardt (@mrbonsoir) on Feb 21, 2018 at 8:52am PST

What follows is a marathon of city exploration, walking on King street after Queen street, normal, Financial District, checking the various art installations, tripping on giant black and white circle by Micah Lexier, being hypnotized by the colorful work Straigh Flush of James Turrel, failing to visit an image archiving lab, getting cold, leaving quickly a too smelly perfume installation, getting warm again eating fried dumplings, re-entering Kensington Market, needless to stay it's different by night but it's also enjoyable by day when you stopped in warm coffee place.

7:07pm
A lot of pleasant talking, a lot of image taking and now quiet evening coming for me. I mean I will skip the beer drinking but go out to the movie, there is always the train back to Montreal for sleeping.

11:55pm
For sure good last 24h, always a pleasure to have local guides to show you their city.

Meet the parents in New York, day 2

9:33am
C'est le jour des galeries, on reste sur Manhattan, saute dans le métro et nous retrouvons du côté Hudson River au départ de la HighLine. J'en ai entendu parler de la HighLine souvent mais je l'ai toujours raté ou manqué l'occasion de la foulée, aujourd'hui on, je corrige cela.

On n'a pas fait tout le trajet d'une traite, nous avons habilement fait quelques pauses dans les nombreuses galeries d'art présentes tout le long, entre autres dans la W 28st street. Les galeries c'est comme les soirée couts-métrages, on y trouve toujours quelque chose d'intéressant, ce fût le cas.

Nous quittons la HighLine quelques blocks avant sa fin et Greenwich Village. De la nous partons en quête de nourriture, l'art c'est bien, lard c'est mieux. Un bref passage au Chelsea Market, c'est chouette mais ca ressemble à tous les marché tendances du monde entier de Copenhague à Berlin et c'est blindé, on pousse la marche un peu plus loin et entrons au Corner Bistro, petit burger joint et bar sympathique. Le burger est bon, la pause salutaire, on peut repartir!

3:44pm
On retourne vers la HighLine pour rejoindre le Witney museum. Bâtiment intéressant, quelques oeuvres de la collection permanentes aussi et des expositions temporaires un peu décevantes surtout après les zillions de galeries que nous avions visité plus tôt.

5:44pm
Il fait nuit, c'est l'hiver, c'est normal. Nous déambulons dans Chelsea, Prince puis Mulburry street histoire de re-visiter le magasin Chrome pour moi. Shopping d'avant Noel, je ressort avec une nouvelle veste!

Les rues sont bondées, il ne se fait pas si tard et la fatigue aidant nous rentrons. Près de chez nous quelques emplettes au supermaché et un arrête à la pizzeria du coin. Ce sera pizza salade bière  de Broolklyn pour le diner.

Mexico City Arrival

Jeudi matin, il est 8h, Montréal, vol tôt mais pas trop. J'arrive à l'aéroport YUL, les cafés et autres restaurant fonctionnent au ralenti comme moi, je continue à me réveiller devant une assiette de petit déjeuner relativement quelconque.

Jeudi début d'après-midi, Mexico City, il fait chaud mais pas trop. Par le hublot la ville se découvre soudainement à travers la brume. Douane et duty free passés j'attends dehors, Amérique du Sud j'arrive. Après le Texas, le Nouveau Mexique, la Californie et le Brésil il y a 20ans je visite enfin le Mexique.

Mon chauffeur uber peine à me trouver dans un traffic qui s'annonce sympathique. Mon périple continue et la douzaine de km restant qui me sépare de mon point de rendez-vous s'étire à n'en plus finir. En bonus la radio de mon taxi est branchée sur une sélection de hit des années 80-90 à vous faire regretter de ne pas être sourd. Mon chauffeur s'impatiente, peste un peu mais se signe devant chaque église que nous passons, et il y en a plus d'une, true story.

J'arrive finalement à l'adresse prévue rue Yautepec dans le quartier de La Condesa. Le code pour rentrer, une Nicole dans la cuisine puis dans mes bras, puis direction la terrasse et le premier mezcal (l'eau minérale local). Il est 16h.

Nous sortons faire un tour dans le quartier, rencontrons le reste de la troupe et nous dirigeons doucement vers le restaurant choisi pour ce soir. Le repas est bon sauf que j'ai pas vraiment choisi les meilleurs trucs. Comme avec les sushis je confonds encore tous les noms et ce qui arrivent devant moi est vaguement ce que pensais avoir commandé... Mais la soirée est plus qu'agréable.

A post shared by jeremie Gerhardt (@mrbonsoir) on Nov 9, 2017 at 1:34pm PST

Tour de Montreal, stage 1

Below in approximative English

Finalement il est arrivé, en pièce détaché, mais il est arrivé, mon vélo rouge. Déposé au Plateau Vélo Garage la semaine dernière après qu'un ami m'ait conseillé cette adresse il est maintenant flambant quasi neuf, prêt à arpenter Montréal.

Donc, samedi après-midi, mission du jour ou étape du jour,  aller dans le quartier italien trouver des pâtes aux encres de sèche, passer par la galerie station 16 gallery histoire de voir ce qui s'y passe, se perdre, prendre des photos, continuer jusqu'au parc Jarry, voir des indiens et pakistanais jouer au cricket, revenir en sens inverse, acheter des bagels frais chez bagel St-Viateur, traverser le centre ville, rattraper le canal et continuer jusqu'à mon point de départ St-Henri, elle était longue cette phrase.

A post shared by jeremie Gerhardt (@mrbonsoir) on Aug 5, 2017 at 10:43am PDT

Une bonne journée sportive qui avait commencé par l'ascension du bois Summit au dessus de Westmount. Au final j'ai presque fait le tour du Mont-Royal. Un challenge à retenter bientôt.

In broken English

Finally he is arrived, in pieces but arrived, my beloved red bike. Deliver at the Plateau Vélo Garage last week after a friend advised me this address he is now almost shinning new, ready to stride across Montreal.

A post shared by jeremie Gerhardt (@mrbonsoir) on Aug 2, 2017 at 7:52pm PDT

So, Saturday afternoon, mission or stage of the day, go to the Italian district to find squid ink pasta, visit the station 16 gallery to see what's going on there, get lost, take pictures, reach the park Jarry to witness Indians and Pakistanis cricket players playing cricket, come back, buy fresh bagels at bagel St-Viateur, cross downtown, come back at the canal and continue until my starting point in St-Henri.

A good active day who started by climbing up to Summit wood above Westmount. I almost made a round around Mount-Royal. A challenge to take up soon!

Weekend in Madrid

I only took part in two bachelor parties, both were cool because my friends can behave I suppose. Once in Dublin a few years ago when I was living in Oslo and a second one in Madrid as living in Berlin, this weekend.

After weeks of strategic decisions Madrid was chosen, flight tickets were bought and the groom had no ideas what will happen to him this weekend.

Friday morning early, the mission from the Berlin team was to pick up the packape. So we did. Two French and Swiss/French are travelling to Madrid. Once arrived in the Spanish capital we meet semi randomly an Austrian coming from Vienna, a French coming this time from South of France, another French arriving from Göteborg, more Frenchies from Paris and a Portuguese, a French, a Greec, a Germnan/Israeli and even a British from London. L'internationale quand tu nous tiens. But that's the problem or the solution when you are traveling, speaking at least two languages and a bit open minded (I don't want to change my friends).

A lovely weekend filled with walk, street art tour, 5k run, servejas, jamon, crossing other bachelor parties sometimes less classy, a show at the circus, good food, good time, not long enough sleep, what else?

A post shared by jeremie Gerhardt (@mrbonsoir) on Apr 4, 2017 at 4:10am PDT

Saturday is tourist day

English notes below

C’est le jour du touriste, la mission du jour est de comprendre un peu comment cette ville fonctionne, comment on s’y déplace parce qu'à vue de nez ca à l'air d'être un gros bordel sans nom, ou alors un gros bordel hollywoodien.

Premier trajet à mon airbnd dans South Central pour y déposer mes affaires, puis direction Griffin Observatory. De là j’y observe la ville, grande et étalée avec HOLLYWOOD en grosse lettre dans mon dos. Belle vue - impression d'être au Montmarte locale.

A photo posted by jeremie Gerhardt (@mrbonsoir) on Nov 12, 2016 at 3:10pm PST

Je redescends, direction HVW8 pour visiter l’adresse locale de la galerie du même nom à Berlin. Je manque de peu le boss de la galerie et remonte Melrose Av., m’arrête manger une salade et continue jusqu’à Hollywood Bd. Il fait nuit, les lumières sont là, les étoiles sur le trottoir, les touristes et autres anges déchus aussi. Je change de rue, arrive sur Sunset Bd et rentre enfin dans Amoeba version LA, pas déçu je suis.

Retour à South Central, il fait nuit, me pose 30min et repars. Ce soir c’est taco party. Un trajet d'une quinzaine de km, cette fois dans une direction non embouteillée ce qui est un peu un pléonasme ici. J’arrive dans un quartier plus résidentiel, belle maison, derrière un jardin, des mexicains préparant des taco et un avocado centenaire. Classe.

En arrivant je tombe sur l’une des deux personnes dont c’est l’anniversaire - nous l’appellerons Nicole - qui comprend tout de suite que je suis le français invité par son amie Betsy rencontrée la veille, l'accent sans doute pourtant je le travaille.

A photo posted by jeremie Gerhardt (@mrbonsoir) on Nov 12, 2016 at 4:47pm PST

I did promise an English version

It's the tourist day and the goal is to understand a bit how does this city work, how do you travel, how do you commute, how do you survive because at first glance it's an enormous chaos. Later I will learn about car-magedon expression to describe the insane traffic.

First journey to my airbnb in South Central to let my luggage then direction Griffin Observatory. From there I observe the city, wide and spread with HOLLYWOOD written in big behind me. Nice view - impression to be at the local Montmartre.

I go down, direction HVW8 to visit to local address after the one I know already in Berlin. I miss the gallery owner for just 2min and I continue my exploration, I go along Melrose Av., stop for a chicken salad recommended by spotted by locals and continue until Hollywood Bd. The night has fallen, the night lights are there, on the pavement the stars, tourists and others fallen angels. I change streets and arrive on the famous Sunset Bd and the not least famous music shop Amoeba, long story short I'm not disappointed.

A photo posted by jeremie Gerhardt (@mrbonsoir) on Nov 13, 2016 at 5:28pm PST

Back to South Central, it's dark, lay down my bed 30min and go out again. Tonight it's taco party. For change no traffic on my trip to Culver City. Different neighborhood, more residential, nice house, in the back a garden with Mexican caterers preparing tacos and an one-hundred-year-old avocado tree. Classy.

While arriving at the party I met two persons, one of them has her birthday - we will call her Nicole - who understands straightaway that I'm the invited French person by her friend Betsy which I met yesterday, the accent probably and yet I'm working on it.

Samedi à Athènes

in English below

courte nuit, trois cafés et la journée peut commencer - au programme déambulation en groupe dans la ville - suivre les jambes de Riga sur des km et des km, quasiment un marathon - coller des stickers - prendre des photos - être pris en photo - parler avec Rome, Paris, Munich, Tirana, Riga, Sofia, Cologne, Talinn, Vilnius, Athènes et j'en oublie,  rater la photo de groupe à errer autour de la prison de Socrates - rentrer à l'hostel et boire une bière dans le dortoir avec ses nouveaux collègues - ressortir avec tout le monde - diner dans une taverne et manger comme douze - retourner à l'Art Tower Agora pour une grosse grosse grosse mais grosse grosse fête pour finir - marcher dans  la nuit jusqu'à son lit - impression d'épuisement heureux

A photo posted by jeremie Gerhardt (@mrbonsoir) on Nov 5, 2016 at 3:18am PDT

in broken English

short night, shit loads of coffee and the day can start - today's program is ramble in group in to the city - follow the legs of Riga on kms and kms, almost a marathon - sticking stickers where you can - taking pictures - being taken into pictures - talking to Roma, Paris, Munich, Tirana, Riga, Vilnius, Talinn, Sofia, Cologne, Athens and many more, missing the group picture while getting lost around Socrates's jail - going back to the hostel and sharing beers with your new colleagues - going out again with all the people - having diner in a tavern and eating like you never have eaten before - going back to the Art Agora Tower for a big big big but really big party in order to remember the weekend - walking alone in the city by night to your bed - an impression of happy exhaustion

Vendredi à Athènes

In English below

9:09am
mettre ses chaussures de course, partir courir vers l'Acropole, monter vers la prison de Socrates, admirer la vue du monument Philoppapos avant le flow des touristes, redescendre par les petites rues, déjeuner des trucs super bons, prendre un café à l'ombre, c'est déjà pas mal cette ville.

5:05pm
retrouver les spotters à l'auberge de jeunesse, aller doucement vers le lieu de rdv,  prendre une bière avec un petit nouveau, revoir des têtes connues, se présenter aux autres petits nouveaux, le weekend peut commencer - impression de réunion familiale

A photo posted by jeremie Gerhardt (@mrbonsoir) on Nov 4, 2016 at 2:07am PDT

in broken English now

9:09am
putting his running shoes on, going toward the Acropolis, climbing toward Socrates jail, enjoying the view from the Philoppapos monument before the stream of tourists, going down by the small roads, having super delicious stuffs for lunch, having a coffee under the shadow, not a too bad feeling for this city after only a few hours there.

5:05pm
meeting the spotters at the youth hostel, moving slowly toward the meeting point, having a beer with a new spotter, seeing known faces, introducing yourself to more new faces, the weekend can start - impression of a large family gathering

Jeudi soir à Athènes

in English below

Prendre le métro S9 près de chez soi - prendre l'avion un peu plus loin - atterrir à Athènes - prendre le bus X95 à l'aéroport - être bloqué dans les embouteillages comme prévu - retrouver Juan, déposer ses affaires et ressortir manger un bout - voir le stadium marbré de nuit - diner en terrasse des mets délicieux sans trois épaisseurs de vêtements, boire son premier raki - rentrer et jouer avec le chat - dernier raki et dernière clope sur le balcon - impression marseillaise et bienvenue à Athènes

A photo posted by jeremie Gerhardt (@mrbonsoir) on Nov 4, 2016 at 2:01am PDT

in broken English now

Take the subway S9 near my place - take a flight a bit further - landing in Athens - jumping into the bus X95 - being stocked in the traffic as it was planed - meeting Juan, dropping off my luggage at his place and going out to eat something - seeing the stadium in marble under the darkness of the night - eating outside delicious dishes without three layers of clothes, drinking its first raki - going home and playing with the cat - last glass of raki and last cigarette on the balcony - impression of Marseille and welcome in Athens

Virtual guide in town

I'm one of the bloggers for Spotted By Locals Berlin, sometimes we have an operation called weekendbylocals where one spotter is asked to take over the instragram account of Spotted By Locals. It's did happen to me this weekend. First of all I love the concept, it gives you the possibility to follow a virtual guide in a city in real time, watching his pictures, seeing how he/she is moving into the city. So let's put some words on my path as the weekend was pretty dense again.

It started yesterday morning by shooting a small video showing the public transport trafic at Eberswalderstrasse. It continues with a semi random city exploration from Prenzlauerberg, Mitte to Tempelhofer park. Two airports for me this day, I registered during the week for the night airport run on the tarmac of the newly not yet open airport BER, one on a bike and the second with my running shoes. Semi-marathon started at 7:00pm by day light and finished into the darkness with for only lights the traffic lights on the tarmac, spooky... Almost if not the same time as last year, only difference I felt much better during and after, but running without hangover does help a bit.

Sunday was a bit more relax, meeting friends, one being a spotter too, discovering new place, having lunch on a boat, taking more pictures and not feeling guilting to overshare images on the internet for once :-)

Très beau mais très très très frais - jour 1

in English below

Une excursion en terre d'Oslo où je n'avais pas mis les pieds depuis plus d'un an! Une éternité donc.

Vendredi 15 janvier

Décollage vendredi midi par temps frais pour Berlin mais de saison. Mon pot de moutarde excède les la limite de 5ml et il est confisqué au contrôle sécurité, la guigne. Au duty free un employé me fait une tête mais elle est débile votre question après lui avoir demandé s'ils vendaient de la moutarde allemande... La moutarde ce sera pour une autre fois. 

Dans l'avion c'est le grand luxe, chaque passager a le choix entre six sièges. Vol sans turbulences et survole des alentours d'Oslo sous la neige. Peu de temps avant d'atterrir le pilote nous fait redescendre de nos petits nuages, température annoncée -18c°.

Passage au duty free où après avoir demandé à une employée quel était le vin le moins pire en cubi elle me répond en francais courtoisement celui la ca va, l'autre la pas top. Mon sac rempli je file, enfin je sors direction le train normal et pas le hors de prix flytoget train rapide qui relit l'aéroport à Oslo en 3min plus vite que le train normal et deux fois plus cher. 

En ville je retrouve Glenn - ami américain - un spotter historique d'Oslo et fin connoisseur des lieux. Un burger au Munchies, une bière Brooklyin Beer, une balade pour me montrer les nouveaux lieux, je perds presque un doigt tellement le froid tout ca, plein de nouvelles anédoctes sur cette ville que je connais un peu quand même.

Puis je file, direction le métro et un changement à Majorstua pour un dernier voyage en bus arrêt Liabakken où un germain me réceptionne dans le froid. Content de retrouver el senor Stephan et de découvrir son nouveau refuge qu'il partage depuis peu. J'ai l'impression d'être sur Mars ou une planète glacière avec vu sur l'inconnu. Tout est blanc et on est mieux à l'abris à contempler le ciel étoilé, il est 15h33...

* badly English translated

A short trip to Oslo where I haven't been for more than a year! An eternity.

Friday 15 January

Take off Friday at lunch time from Berlin, fresh weather but seasonnal. My spicy mustard gift doesn't pass the security control as it exceed of 5ml the maximum authorized amount, too bad. Hoping to find some at the duty free the look I got from the employee after I asked about the possibility that they sell mustard I understand that mustard will be for anoter trip. 

The plane isn't full at all, almost each passanger has a full raw for himself. Flight without turbulences, the arrival near Oslo let us see the country under a thin layer of snow. Only the pilote annoucing the imminent landing and temperature -18c° on the ground put recall us to the reality.

Duty free again, after asking in English which of the 3L wine boxes was the less worse the employee answered me in French this one is fine the other you may skip it. My bag is full, direction the normal train to Oslo and not the crazy expensive flytoget which is just 3min faster.

Downtown I met Glenn - an American friend - an historic Oslo spotter and connoiseur of the area. One burger at Munchies - my other local friends agreed with the choice after I told them - with a Brooklyn Beer, a walk in the center to see the changes. I have now new stories to tell about the city, let say I know about the cookies scene in Oslo. 

Back to the subway until Majorstua, then bus 45 and stop at Liabakken. At my arrival a German friend welcomes me in the cold. Happy to meet again el senor Stephan and to discover his new place he is sharing. Entering their flat I feel I'm in Mars with the view by the window to the unknow: all is white and we are better indoor ready to watch the stars in the sky, it's 3:55pm.

Eschschloraque - Spotted by Locals Berlin

My last post on the SpottedByLocals blog is called Eschschloraque - Underground multimedia platform, full text on the link and below. I let you discover it. And long story short it's a good place.

http://www.spottedbylocals.com/berlin/eschschloraque/

Eschschloraque – Underground multimedia platform

I already wrote about this area, but the density of interesting spots in that tiny street now surrounded by a polished touristy area is amazing. There is always something to discover, be it a gallery and bookshop neurotitan or the Kino Central (check the Kino Central article). And that’s not all! The bar Eschscloraque is a kind of gravity center that keep all the places together.

Eschchloraque did celebrate its 20-year anniversary this summer 2015 and its art activity is still swarming. The bar is obviously not only a bar; there is a stage and regular concerts, shows and performances. A kind of place where opera singers, cabaret freak shows, musicians and dancers can be on stage. About dance, the series of events Band à Part takes over the place regularly on late

Tuesday evenings and it’s always interesting.
Again about the place, it looks rusty, dark, made with steel pieces. I don’t know if this is something typical about this city, but it always make me think of Berlin as a giant spacecraft waiting to take off again. I love it.

Berlin bikes and pumpkins

A weekend including Halloween over Friday and Saturday, the guarantee to witness how mainstream we all went, but there is hope, I hope.

Friday evening at a checkpoint
I'm sick this week, no sport, keep calm and have some rest said the doctor. But it's Friday evening and I want to move and see what is happening outside. I heard there is a traditional alleycat around Halloween and decided to stay at one of the checkpoint, one appears to be at the cicli-berlinetta bike shop - probably the best bike shop in Berlin - about 800m from our place.

For the occasion the entrance of the shop was turned into a photo studio, each participant was taken into picture before rolling some dices and jumping almost immediately again on their bike to their next check point. Basically people - the bike messengers - playing a game being what they usually do by day for living. Why will you ask? Why not will I answer and people seem to have fun.

It was not my first time hanging around after the closing time of the shop - and by the way the shop online never stop. Always interesting bike fellows to meet and talk to. A ratio of one nationality per person, English, German and more languages spoken with various accents. I love that. Always interesting to hear the story behind the people - by people I meant mostly bike messengers - and the relationship with the streets. Something I like while being on my bike - or my roller skates back in the days in Paris - is to move faster than the pedestrians, sometimes faster than the cars and to observe the city, the multiple interactions at each street corners.

Saturday evening counting the pumpkins
Still sick, always a good excuse to not go out. Only expedition I did was to attend a pre-party in Schöneberg. I crossed the city, avoid a taxi - by that I meant I had to stop or being rolled over by taxi while driving at the green light in the bike lane - reach the place, had a tea, two snaps and I let my friends sheep-ing or penguin-ing the rest of the night - by that I meant behaving like sheep and/or penguins and do like everybody else like going to a costume party tonight.

Berlin is a place where you can go out and get good music all the time, Halloween should a night where you do nothing.

It's 11:00pm and I jump on my red bike - not because of the dress code of the night, my bike is always red - and hit toward Prenzlauerberg following another way. Nollendorf Platz is quiet, nothing special is happening.

Passing behind Potsdamer Platz I see my first accident: three cars and bus trying to compress themselves into one art pieces, nobody seem to be injured except the cars, losers.

I keep going and enter the Hannah-Arendt street. Parallel to Unter del Linden you are mostly alone by night in that street, the city looks like a zombie spot and you will not be surprised to see some at each corner.

Then it's Alexander Platz. I like this place, tonight the police is there and a lot of lost people as well, some going to Halloween party. I see a lot of witches, skulls faces, zombie nurses, group of cats - more the pajamas costume than the slutty version - nothing very original.

I passed U-Rosa Luxemburg Platz and start Schönhauser Allee. First bar is the gothic Lost or Last Cathedral where it seems people having a casual dress code evening. Getting closer to U-Eberwalderdstrasse and the Ferdinand club where only ugly locals are going I see my second car accident. Always funny to see people in costume looking at they cars into each other, hopefully nobody is hurt, just the cars.

First marathon, sympa mais long

[in english below]

Pourquoi?
Pourquoi pas j'ai envie de dire. Même si je cours beaucoup plus régulièrement, je n'avais au départ l'idée de faire une course aussi longue. Mais voilà, on court un peu, deux-trois fois par semaine, le corps s'habitue, la tête suit et y prend du plaisir. Tout ça marche par étape. La barrière des 10km sans fatigue est franchie depuis plusieurs mois, dans le même intervalle de temps consacré au jogging les distances se rallongent. Il y a un nouveau palier à franchir.

Et voilà qu'au détour d'une réunion mémorable de spotters à Amsterdam en octobre dernier beaucoup se rendent comptent que la course à pieds est pratiquée par pas mal d'entre nous. Mais bon, on vit tous dans une ville différente et on va pas aller s'entrainer ensemble tous les weekends non plus...

Courir un marathon peu l'avait déjà fait, mais l'envie d'en courir devait être là et moi compris - d'ailleurs fun-fact-number-one, dites à quelqu'un que vous courez et il vous demandera "pour un marathon???" répondre non clôtura la discussion aussi vite.

C'est donc d'un oui massif que l'idée de se retrouver pour un courir un marathon a été reçue. On ne remerciera jamais assez Martin d'avoir lancé l'idée. Vote il y a eu et Vilnius fut choisie. J'en reviens juste, de la lumière dans les yeux et des courbatures partout ailleurs.

Fun-fact-number-two, dites à quelqu'un que vous allez faire un marathon dans les semaines qui arrivent et il vous répondra "un semi-marathon" ou "un vrai marathon?" comme si... Bref.

Un peu avant la course
La course est à Vilnius, capitale de la Lithuanie. Pour la rejoindre j'atterris d'abord à Riga où je retrouve un spotter en chef que nous appellerons Bart et une spotter en voyage que nous appellerons Gol. De Riga nous sautons dans un bus, quelques trois cents km plus loin nous arrivons à destination. On est vendredi soir et la course est dimanche. Superbe accueil des locaux, on peut difficilement faire mieux.

Pendant la course
Deux tours de piste au programme, mais une piste de 21km.

Départ groupé pour le marathon et le semi. La première boucle se passe bien pour moi, je suis dans mes temps sans aller trop vite ni trop lentement, un bon 10km/h.

La ligne d'arrivée franchie pour la première fois la route devient déserte devant nous. En gros la majorité des coureurs au départ de 9h00 étaient là pour le semi.  Une sorte de second départ, des coureurs tous les 100m et peu de gens pour applaudir dès qu'on quitte le centre ville. Un mal pour un bien car le revêtement est beaucoup plus confortable.

Peu après la moitié faite une petite douleur se présente autour de mon genou droit. La guigne ou les restes d'une mini entorse en beach-volley début aout... Je ralentis, fait un peu plus attention quand je pose mon pieds sachant qu'après deux heures déjà les jambes sont lourdes. Heureusement en chemin je retrouve un Lucas avec qui j'entre dans le parc. Nous sommes dans la forêt, de longues lignes droites. Bientôt nous dépassons la marque des 28km, distance la plus longue jamais couru en une fois par moi même. Cool! Mais c'est pas fini, il en reste 14...

De là je continue seul, obligé de faire des pauses, mini étirements, petits intervalles marchés. Si je cours seul je ne le suis pas vraiment. On est tout un groupe à courir par intermittence, se dépasser, s'arrêter, se saluer, se sourire. Mais bon, la barre des 36km vient d'être passée et le reste du parcours est dans la vieille ville, c'est jolie certes mais aussi plein de pavés qui vous pètent les pieds et les jambes, de plus ça monte...

C'est un peu dure quand les jambes n'avancent plus, même marcher est dur, même la dernière descente est dure et je n'arrive pas à m'étirer les jambes, tout est bloqué.  Mais les barres des 40km, 41km font plaisir à voir et je réussis à finir les 500 derniers mètres en courant. Les spotters cheerleaders sont bien là! Ca fait plaisir et cette bière sans alcool est la meilleure du monde!

Je rentre à l'hostel en boitant avec Martin, un Martin avec plein d'étoiles dans les yeux et moi déjà en train de penser à changer mon entrainement. En gros je dois faire plus de longue distance et apprendre à courir, manger, digérer en même temps et améliorer ma technique, réparer mon genou, bref il y a du boulot.

Mais quelle journée! On, c'est à dire deux bulgares et une lettone la plus discrète et la plus rapide des spotters marathoniens du jour, la plus jeune mais aussi la moins novice. Toujours bien de pratiquer un sport avec plus fort que soi, ce n'est que plus de motivation pour la prochaine fois.

On est lundi soir, je commence juste à sentir mes muscles se détendre. Joie.

--

[and now in English]

Why?
Why not will I answer. Even so I do jog regularly, I didn't have the idea - at the beginning of my numerous attempt to have a sporty life - to make one day such a long run. But here is the thing, you go jogging a bit, two-three times a week, the body gets used to it, the head follows and has some pleasure doing it, it goes step by step. The 10km barrier is crossed since a few months without being tired, for the same training time a longer distance is reached. A new level will be taken soon.

While we were having an amazing spotter weekend in Amsterdam last October, many people  did realize jogging was an activity shared by many of us. But we do live in different cities and we can't go jogging together every weekend... Running a marathon, some of us did it already and obviously the wish to do it was in some of us.

Fun-fact-number-one, if you tell someone you are running regularly he/she will almost instantly add "for a marathon?" and answer no will ends up the discussion.

Following the spotter weekend, someone - we will cal him Martin - propose to join the force and to register to marathon. Destinations were proposed and Vilnius won. Lithuania it will be! I'm just coming back from it, lights in my eyes and stiffness everywhere else.
 
Fun-fact-number-two, tell someone you are going to run a marathon and he/she will reply "an half-marathon, a real marathon?" just checking if...

A bit before the run
The run is in Vinius, capital of Lithuania. To reach my destination I first land in Riga where I met one of the spotter bosses - we will call him Bart - and a traveling foody expert/instafood addicted - we will call her Gol. From the capital of Latvia we jump into a bus aiming for Vilnius. It's Friday evening, run is on Sunday. Wonderful welcome of the locals, it's difficult to do it better!

During the run
Two loops only are scheduled, but each loop has 21km. Grouped start for the half-marathon and marathon. The first round is going according to plan for me, not too fast/slow, a good 10km/h pace.

The arrival line is crossed for the first time letting the road empty in front of us. We were a few thousand two hours ago, now only the marathon runners stay in the race. We left again the city center, less people to encourage us but more space and flatter road.

Then I start to feel a little pain in my right knee. Bad luck. The remains of a twisted ankle while playing beach volley-ball a month ago. I need to slow down, to be more careful how I land my foot, but after two hours your legs are getting heavy and it's difficult to control everything. Luckily it's the time I meet a Lucas with whom I run for a few kms. We enter the big park, jog into the forest and the soon cross the sign 28km, the longest distance ever ran for me. Cool! But there is still 14km to do...

From there I continue alone letting my partner at his speed. I need to stop sometimes, to do some stretching exercises, sometimes walk a bit and start again. I'm not completely alone, the remaining runners around me are pretty much like me running/walking/making faces. We recognize each other, smiling to each other. The 36km sign is passed and the rest of the path is crossing the old town, it looks nice but the road sucks, full of up and down and ugly pavement...

Now it starts to be difficult really, the legs are super heavy and sometimes don't even want to walk. In the last going down slope I can't relax my body, but the 40km have been reached! Then 41km and gathering my last energy I can finish the last 500m running for real in pain. The spotters cheerleaders are there! And the non-alcoholic beer you get at the arrival is the best drink on earth!

I go back limping with Martin to our hostel. On our way we have to time to cheer one Bart followed by one Sarunas in the 10km race, go go go! A Martin full of lights in his eyes and me thinking of my new training. Basically I need to do more long distance training, improve my technique, learn to jog/eat and digest, in the same time, fix my knee... There is room for improvement.

What a day! My flight to Berlin is taking of from Riga tomorrow, so I need to reach this city in time. We - two Bulgarians and me - are joining Anete which is driving back to Riga - one of the Latvian spotter in Riga, of the marathon runners and spotters the youngest, the most discrete, the fastest and the most  experimented of us. It's always good to practice a sport with stronger than you, to share experience, it's only motivation for the next run.

It's Monday evening, I slowly feel my muscles relax. Joy.

Chez Michel - Spotted By Locals Berlin

My last post on the SpottedByLocals blog is called Chez Michel, full text on the link and below. I let you discover it. And long story short it's a nice place.

Chez Michel

Discussions about food with me are endless. Not because I’m French and that I’m supposed to know about food in general. But there is a great chance that topic comes up after just the first few words with a new acquaintance. Especially if you are a foreigner in a foreign country like me. Often I can’t answer the question “where is the best French restaurant in Berlin?”. It’s just that I’m interested in food in general, when it’s good it’s good.

After years of travelling I learned how to cook recipes that please my taste buds with the ingredients I can find where I live. And it’s very seldom that I can recreate a taste I remember, especially family recipes as there are so many parameters more than just the ingredients. You may need the sound of the wind in the trees, the smell of the bbq or the voice of your grandmother telling you to stop playing football and to come eat.

Therefore I was happily surprised when I joined friends in the restaurant Chez Michel. Here I found a simple kitchen, authentic, a menu full of classics from boudin to quiche and amazing pies. Amazing because they taste as if there were just leaving the oven in the family kitchen I grew up in. I can’t wait to go back!

Run forest, run and don't forget to drink water

10:33am wake up with the feeling maybe you drunk one or two beers too much yesterday evening, this despite the good evening. Without a good evening the morning would have been terrible. It was a classic international Friday: meet the spotters from Berlin plus the spotters bosses from Amsterdam plus a visiting spotter from Vilnius and later re-meeting for the first time in 14 years a fellow from Ecole Polytechnique de Montréal and Polyscope. All and all a blast :-)

Some statistic for Friday evening: talked with 10 people, 8 different nationalities. Take that morons.

3:33pm getting some rest in order to give to my body the time to reload before the run. I register for the airport night run in Berlin. They do it regularly and after some years I finally did register, not for the 10km but for the half-marathon.

7:01pm  in night run there is night. The half-marathon group starts now and the 10km group one hour later. The feeling you have for this run is pretty cool. The new airport BER is there but empty and you are running on the landing area and tarmac. Two loops to do of 11km something and 10km and the first line is toward the East, the sun is going down, there is nothing miles around you, just some clouds, look to the North and you can see the top of the tv tower and you keep running.

Passing the sign 7km is nice, a third of the run is down! The group is now stretched, I'm running alone, my time after 5km is in my range (below 25min), but sadly I'n not fast enough to keep the same speed of the few jogging babes... my first attempt to drink water without stopping is a big failure as I only manage to spread water in my face.

8:00pm First loop done, meaning for me 11km something in less than an hour, I'm in my time track. As we reach 8:00pm the second group of runners is launched and soon two speed groups are mixing. It's a bit like in zombies movie when a crowd of zombies are all running in the same direction. If you have seen War Z and remember the scene with airplanes chased then it's the same, except there are no planes as the airport is still not open...

8:55pm I'm crossing the arrival line. I'm relieved, less than two hours as I was planning/hoping to do! The temperature is freaking cold, near 4 degrees Celsius only, so fast changing clothes and I leave.

11:04pm S-Bahn, tramway and bike later and I enter the Studios-ID in the middle of Alt-Hohenschönhausen. It's their open studio evening event where I know some the artists (check the website of Kyle Fitzpatrick).

I'm a bit destroyed but I managed to stand on my legs. I talk with many people, once again it's über international, Americans from Miami and Chicago, Russian, German, Portuguese and many more. English, French and German in the same conversation, after my legs it's my brain which is working. And at the question so you are an artist too the response is always or becomes complicated. Well I say, I'm working with color, I'm a color and imaging scientist bla bla bla... but it's usually a good start.

1:04am time to go home, I jump on my bike, 7km to do to reach my bed. The night is fresh but the stars visible. Another full day full of new images in my head.

Warszawa Vs Berlin

Third round in Poland, this time further to the East in the country. A long and full weekend to discover this city, meet my not only Norwegian friends from Oslo and eventually meet locals and/or spotters. It was a good weekend for many reasons putting aside the fact that I was travelling alone. I experienced or entered different layers, networks to get to know this city.

This time I traveled with the Die Welt von Gestern de Stefan Weig which I was reading in French.

I use the public transport, tramways are so cool in Poland.

I made new connections.

I got frustrated to not be able to say more than three words in Polish.

I traveled slow and cheap, train and bus, in total 1000km for a total 82€.

Warsaw - troisième jour

A last full day full of resolution. I crossed the city by tramway, entered its many parks, visited the POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews and later in the afternoon met the Oslo team again.

4:00pm we are all waiting for our guide for a scheduled tour of the city. Then he arrives with its old cool mini yellow van. No need to worried about safety belts as there are not safety belts. We just need to relax and grab the red and black fur on the seats to not fall at every turns or bumps on the road.

The path followed by the mini van brought us to many places I have seen the last two days, but the tour guide was entertaining. To conclude our exploration we crossed the river and had a snack in what we can call a witness apartment of old Polish communist time. The vodka was good.

8:08pm despite the aperitif we start looking for a place to have diner and we end up in a kind of semi classic restaurant called Folk Gospoda. To give an image it's all in wood, a bit German style, waiters and waitresses are wearing "traditional" costumes. In comparison to the German version, the waitresses are wearing white socks, semi short skirts revealing her knees but without "décolotté pigeonnant" Bavarian style.

About the food is was way too big, good but way too big, but the beer drinkable. And sadly I could not see the couple making out in the other restaurant room in my back, but at some point two of my friends said "I think the woman on the back is giving an hand job to the guy next to him, noooo" we all said turning synchronously our heads. That was fun.

11.34pm the day isn't over and I left my Norwegian crew at its hotel and continue my city exploration. I have not idea where I'm, but I'm. I met again the Polish and French pair of yesterday with more Polish people. A very nice end of my short trip in Warsaw. I never thought this trip will have ended up with a long and passionate discussion about color imaging and ACES, but life is full a surprises.

I will have to go to bed at some point, my Polskybus is leaving the city in a few hours.