Paris, December 21
The Idiot has always been a serious fan of December 21st — the winter solstice and the shortest day of the year — because it’s not only the advent of winter but also the herald of longer days.
Here’s how he celebrated the key and titillating autumn-to-winter transition in Paris on the eve of 2024.
The Idiot kicked off the winter solstice before 8 a.m. at the Arc de Triomphe.
The Idiot had breakfast with his son on the Champs Elysees.
The Idiot visited an exhibition of dragons (2024 is the year of the Dragon in the Chinese calendar) in the Bois de Boulogne on the way to the Mark Rothko exhibit at the Louis Vuitton Foundation.
The Idiot liked the double shadow created by an Alberto Giacometti sculpture at the Mark Rothko exhibit at the Louis Vuitton Foundation.
The Idiot visited a Christmas scene in the Bois de Boulogne after the Rothko exhibit at the Louis Vuitton Foundation.
The Idiot passed Notre Dame Cathedral on his way to lunch.
The Idiot enjoyed a winter solstice lunch at La Tour d’Argent overlooking the Seine and Notre Dame Cathedral. Happy Birthday Luke and Alex!
The Idiot fell in love with Nam June Paik’s depiction of Gertrude Stein at the “Gertrude Stein & Pablo Picasso” exhibit at the museum in Luxembourg Gardens.
The Idiot couldn’t resist a selfie with Andy Warhol’s depiction of Gertrude Stein at the “Gertrude Stein & Pablo Picasso” exhibit at the museum in Luxembourg Gardens.
The Idiot spent an afternoon visiting the anti-slavery exhibit in the Pantheon.
Baby Gaga, The idiot’s 6.25-year-old granddaughter, listened to a description of the Pantheon’s history in the crypt near Victor Hugo’s tomb.
The Idiot looked onto the Place de la Concorde and the Eiffel Tower during a visit to the Hotel de la Marine. “There’ll be days like this” (sang Van Morrison) about winter in Paris.
“There’ll be days like this” (sang Van Morrison) about winter in Paris.
“There’ll be days like this” (sang Van Morrison) about winter in Paris.
“There’ll be days like this” (sang Van Morrison) about winter in Paris.
The Idiot attended a holiday pizza party with chef Yoann Mormile, the former rugby star who was crowned the Champion of the Pizza World in Las Vegas last April.
The Idiot loved the expression Baby Gaga, his 6.25-year-old granddaughter, had during a visit to the Dalí Museum in Paris. (Photo: Luke Stratte-McClure)
“There’ll be days like this” (sang Van Morrison) about winter in Paris.
“There’ll be days like this” (sang Van Morrison) about winter in Paris.
“There’ll be days like this” (sang Van Morrison) about winter in Paris.
“There’ll be days like this” (sang Van Morrison) about winter in Paris.
The Idiot frequently admired the Christmas lights on the Champs-Elysees when they were turned on at five p.m. every day.
The Idiot took Baby Gaga, his 6.25-year-old granddaughter, Christmas shopping and everyone knew what they were getting the second she got home.
The Idiot attended a holiday cocktail party on Ile Saint-Louis.
The Idiot visited a manger scene in a church.
The Idiot walked through a Dalíesque light show at La Villette.
The Idiot ended autumn with an excellent lamb dinner at La Contre Allée. (Credit: Sonia Stratte-McClure)
The Idiot celebrated a friend’s 90th birthday.
The Idiot had his first bûche de Noël (a chocolate cake rolled with whipped cream and decorated to resemble snow on a yule log) well before Christmas.
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