Bastille day in NYC

Today were the celebrations for Bastille day. Even though July 14th was on saturday and not sunday, there were two large street events planned. As I stayed at home for the 4th of July this year (it was raining and I could still not walk too much), I decided I had to go out at least for one National Day this year and see what these French gatherings were all about. Weather was great: typical NYC summer: 32C and humid.

The first one was on 60th st, around the French Institute. After my morning visit at the Whitney museum with Laetitia (a very well documented exhibition on the Psychedelia period of the late sixties), I was able to get there and meet my friends at the Brittany and Alsace promoting booths. I had a delicious buckwheat crepe for lunch, but did not ask them for a glass of prohibited cider (they did not have the license). (Un)fortunately, there was no choucroute.

I then proceeded to the alternative French street fair in Brooklyn, where they filled the streets with sand and people were playing Petanque. Instead of the bretons and alsatians, I was surrounded by people from Southern France, brandishing Olympique de Marseille T-shirts! It was as crowded as the 60th party, smaller in size but probably more authentic too. This is Brooklyn after all.

2 "parties" in one afternoon + a museum visit, and a bike ride in Central Park on saturday (thanks to Vincent): it's amazing how many things you can enjoy when you have a fully functional ankle. Yes, I am finally on the ultimate phase of recovery and my co-workers soon won't be able to call me the Crippled French Man.

ATM Reprogramming Caper Hits Pennsylvania

I found this story on the Wired blog. It sounds so easy, I am really impressed. This is why you should always change your default password and never ever tell anyone what it is... Ah, basic computer security...

Threat Level - Wired Blogs

Sunday at the beach

I never spend my week ends at the beach, but this year it's different. Let's consider this part of my therapy.Walking barefoot in the sand was no picnic.

Juliette & Vincent, the serial beachers, organized a Sunday in Long Beach, 45min away from the city by train. It was supposed to be 93F in Manhattan, and cooler and breezy at the beach: perfect day. Of course the water was too cold for my taste, but I still swam :-) The waves were pretty big: I got knocked out and flipped over twice, while Vincent had to relinquish his sunglasses to the mighty Ocean. A bit scary when you know your ankle is not very robust yet.

A very relaxed afternoon, and then I hopped back in the train to be back in the city and have a couple of beers with Alvin, Don, and the Nebraskan gang.

A Tale of Two Cities: London Bomb Plot, NYC IPhone Launch

Link to Wired: Gallery: A Tale of Two Cities: London Bomb Plot, NYC IPhone Launch

I found that gallery of pictures quite interesting, even though many people hated it (see the comments). As London is slowly but steadily taking over New York as World capital, it seems that the terrorist violence is moving there too, while America is stuck in the materialist race for the new Apple gadget.

Well, I have to say I'd love to get an iphone too, but I wouldn't wait in line for hours/days for that! Maybe I'll buy one of the second generation. I was lucky enough to touch the "Jesus phone" on monday morning. Alvin would not be brave enough to show his in a public place on Friday evening :-)

Anyway, it's been a quiet week for me, even though I'll publish some big news on the blog soon. As usual, the ankle is slowly healing, I an now able to take the subway to the office every day, sans crutches! Yoohooo!