adieu 2014; bienvenue 2015

Imagine le juillet every day

2015 is almost here. 2014 has gone faster than a Yule log at a hungry table.

Rather than another holiday recipe, I wanted to post a little feast for your eyes.

Some of my favorite things this time of year are those “year in review” specials summarizing the year’s events. It is always the photographs that are particularly poignant because they instantly transport us to that moment, visually and emotionally.

My daughter and I were looking through photographs of 2014. We reminisced and had our own little “year in review” reflecting on our favorite moments in 2014. There were many. 

One event was le 14 juillet, Bastille Day. 

On that night, we walked from our apartment to a neighboring street which has a direct view of the tower. It is barricaded off at the end, the  end closest to the tower, so that traffic, both vehicular and pedestrian, cannot enter. On this street, residents and those that have caught wind of our secret, sit in the street. Families, couples, friends, and children running around partout. Some lay blankets on the ground and eat their dinner with candles and Champagne (which they are told to put “away”, usually interpreted as “drink faster”).

As we say adieu to 2014, I want to share with some photographs of le juillet, 2014, for a few reasons.

First, the light and firework show over the tower was the most beautiful and artistically orchestrated firework display I have ever seen. 

Then there was the music…

Every year the music is different. This year it was classical, perfectly timed with the lights and fireworks, and then the music changed and John Lennon’s Imagine sounded throughout the Parisian night air. 

And everyone sang.

Together.

On that Parisian street.

I cannot think of a nicer (or more timely) message this holiday season; A message of peace and community now and for 2015.

Imagine that.

To play John Lennon’s Imagine while viewing the photos below, copy this: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLgYAHHkPFs), open a “new tab” in your browser, paste the youtube site, and once the piano begins click on the tab to return to this page and scroll through the photos with the music. Enjoy. Bises, LM

Imagine there’s no heaven
It’s easy if you try

No hell below us

Above us only sky

Imagine all the people

Living for today…

Imagine there’s no countries

It isn’t hard to do

Nothing to kill or die for

And no religion too

Imagine all the people

Living life in peace…

You may say I’m a dreamer

But I’m not the only one

I hope someday you’ll join us

And the world will be as one

Imagine no possessions

I wonder if you can

No need for greed or hunger

A brotherhood of man

Imagine all the people

Sharing all the world…

You may say I’m a dreamer

But I’m not the only one

I hope someday you’ll join us

And the world will live as one.