The Places Bond Has Taken Me

One of the things I love about Bond is seeing the locations where the stories are set. So as I watched one film after another in the Bond marathon on Sleuth this weekend, I began compiling a list of places Bond’s taken me over the years. And it’s a pretty impressive list. (I got Wikipedia’s help in confirming some of the places of interest as well.)

Dr. No (1962) I was still in diapers when this Bond, the first in the series was, was filmed in Jamaica. The story was set in Kingston, with the beach scenes filmed at and around the Dunn’s River Falls area in Ocho Rios.

Note: Ian Fleming wrote twelve of his James Bond novels at Goldeneye, his home in St. Mary, Jamaica. There’s a James Bond beach and the newly named Ian Fleming International Airport in St. Mary.

James Bond Beach, Jamaica

From Russia with Love (1963) I knew what I wanted to do in life after I saw this movie in my twenties: I wanted to traipse around the world watching James make his Bond films. From Russia with Love took me to London, Zagreb, Belgrade, Istanbul and Venice.

Goldfinger (1964) James sent me a special invitation to watch filming in England, Geneva, parts of the U.S. and Mexico. The highlight, for me, was going to Fort Knox. I hated when Goldfinger’s henchman painted Goldfinger’s assistant with gold paint.

Sean Connery

Thunderball (1965) I stayed in one of the rooms while James stayed at the spa in England, then went with him to France, Paradise Island (Bahamas) and the U.S.

You Only Live Twice (1967) I watched James disguise himself as a Japanese man and get married in Japan. I also followed him to Hong Kong.

On Her Majesty’s Secret Service(1969) The first

Roger Moore

time Sean Connery did not play Bond but nevertheless, I followed him to Portugal and Switzerland. If you look behind Moneypenny, you can just see the hat I was wearing at James’ (real) wedding to the countess. Sadly, she was killed on their way to the honeymoon.

Diamonds are Forever (1971) I was one floor above when James killed Peter Franks in the elevator in Amsterdam. I knew James would win but I was so nervous, I couldn’t watch. I also flew to Tokyo, Cairo, Southern France, Las Vegas, Los Angeles and Baja.

Timothy Dalton

Live and Let Die (1973) The first Bond with Roger Moore and the first time Bond went uptown to Harlem. By the time I realized he was there and ran down to where they were filming, they were gone – to Jamaica and New Orleans.

The Man with the Golden Gun (1974) I’d never been to Beirut, so I was excited to have Bond take me along with him. We also dropped in to Bangkok, Macau and China and returned to Hong Kong. That Scaramanga was an evil man!

George Lazenby

The Spy Who Loved Me (1977) I’ve never worried about the villains because I know James can hold his own. But I was worried for him when I saw Jaws. Man, he was scary! Apart from the locations, the best part of this film, was the car that could go underwater. I was one of the extras on the beach but when the camera panned in my direction, I was so excited by the car, my eyes almost popped out of my head. They had to cut me out. I still have my memories of being in the Alps, Scotland, Cairo, Luxor, sailing down the Nile, and Costa Smeralda.

Moonraker (1979) I’ll follow Bond anywhere but I didn’t think he’d take me to outer space. Yes, that’s where we went in this film.  We also went to France, Venice, Rio and the Amazon.

For Your Eyes Only (1981) I couldn’t imagine a more beautiful location than Greece. I had a lot of fun with the rest of the crew in Meteora and Corfu, in Madrid, and Cortina d’Ambezzo in Italy.

Octopussy (1983) From Jag Mandir in India, we flew to West Berlin, East Berlin and Feldstadt. India was a blast!

Pierce Brosnan

A View to a Kill (1985) My heart was almost in my throat as I watched the Grace Jones’ character fly off the Eiffel Tower with James in hot pursuit. Zorin’s chateau (Chateau de Chantilly) was like being in the lap of luxury. Great to see Ascot before the races and the crowd, Serbia and San Francisco.

The Living Daylights (1987) Timothy Dalton joins the franchise as the new Bond. I tagged along to Bratislavia (Slovakia), Tangier, Vienna and Baluchistan (Pakistan). The highlight, for me, was watching the filming with the muhajadeen in the desert in Afghanistan.

License to Kill (1989) Key West was the setting for the beautiful wedding that opens this installment of Bond. Again, I was among the guests celebrating then followed James to Bimini.

GoldenEye (1995) Pierce Brosnan takes over as Bond, Judi Dench became M and I continued following Bond. This time, to Monte Carlo, St. Petersburg and Puerto Rico.

Daniel Craig

Tomorrow Never Dies (1997) I went with James to Hamburg (Germany), the South China Seas (China) and Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam).

The World is Not Enough (1999) I never tire of following James around. This time, it was to Bilbao, Spain, Istanbul and Baku in Azerbaijan.

Die Another Day (2002) I was in North Korea when James posed as an arms dealer. Sadly, he was captured but as soon as he was released, I was with him in Havana, London and Iceland.

Casino Royale (2006) Connery as Bond set the standard that, to my mind, only Daniel Craig can surpass. That long chase scene sent my blood pressure through the roof. Prague, Lahore (Pakistan) Mbale (Uganda), Nassau, Miami, Montenegro, Venice and Lake Como (Italy).

Quantum of Solace (2008) James is still mourning the death of Vesper Lynd in Casino Royale. I was in Siena when he brought Mr. White in for interrogation. I had just stepped out of the room when all hell broke loose. The chase and my travels continued in London, Haiti, Bregenz (Austria), Talamone (Italy) Bolivia and finally Kazen in Russia.

The next Bond is due to be released in 2012. Watch for me in one of the scenes.

Photo credits: Connery bondambitions, Moore amazon, Lazenby themoviecorner, Dalton cinemaretro; Brosnan howstuffworks; Craig flicksandbits.

 

Set in Paris

Since the release of the new Woodie Allen movie, Midnight in Paris, I’ve been thinking of the movies I’ve seen that were set there.

Eiffel Tower

Here’s my list:

  • The Day of the Jackal (Edward Fox) 1973
  • A View to a Kill (Roger Moore, Christopher Walken) 1985
  • Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (Michael Caine, Steve Martin) 1988
  • Frantic (Harrison Ford) 1988
  • Dangerous Liaisons (Glenn Close, Michelle Pfeiffer, John Malcovich) 1988
  • Valmont (Colin Firth, Annette Benning) 1989
  • The Bourne Identity (Matt Damon) 2000
  • Chocolat (Johnny Depp and Juliette Binoche) 2000
  • Amélie (Audrey Tautou) 2001
  • Le Divorce (Kate Hudson, Naomi Watts) 2003
  • The Truth About Charlie (Mark Wahlberg, Thandie Newton) 2003
  • Something’s Gotta Give (Jack Nicholson, Diane Keaton, Kneau Reeves) 2003
  • The Devil Wears Prada (Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway) 2006

Watching some of these movies – Valmont, Dangerous Liaisons, Chocolat and Something’s Gotta Give come to mind, really gives you a good feel for Paris. It’s also great to see a scene in a place you been to, like Roger Moore’s James Bond at the Eiffel Tower or at the Pont Alexandre.

I can’t wait to see how Midnight in Paris compares or what places I recognize.

Enjoy!

Travel Photo Thursday: Table Mountain

Table Mountain was not on our itinerary, not for that gorgeous day. After an emotionally charged visit to Robben Island, all we wanted to do was have a meal and take a nap.

But Ian, our guide, insisted. The weather was perfect, he said. There was no guarantee we’d have another one, best to take advantage. If the clouds came in, visibility on Table Mountain would be reduced. I know this mountain, he said. You only have five days, why wait for tomorrow when you could see something else? We’re so close.

We insisted. We huddled among ourselves. We were adamant. We didn’t want a tour guide to commandeer our vacation. After all, for more than a week, we’d had people telling us what to do and when do it. And after Cape Town, we’d have another tour guide shepherding us around. Independent people, we wanted our freedom or a least a little latitude.

I can’t remember now what Ian said that clinched it. But I’m glad he didn’t give up. It was the best decision we made that day. As it turned out, it rained all day the next day and for several days after that, Table mountain looked as if a crisp white tablecloth had been spread over it.

View of Cape Town from Table Mountain

From that moment, we never objected to anything Ian recommended.

Harlem’s Backyard Gems

“Harlem’s Backyard Gems is my entry into TBEX Blog Carnival Contest sponsored by Choice Hotels International Services Corp.

When I decided to move to New York in the late 90s, the only place I wanted to live in was Harlem. I imagined myself in a brownstones like the one of a family friend I visited in the 1970s that became symbolic of this historic neighborhood. With sweeping steps that led to beautifully hand-crafted double doors it seemed to welcome everyone in.

But brownstones are just one of many things Harlem is known for. Formerly a Dutch village, Harlem got its name from the city of Haarlem in the Netherlands. It was also once the second largest Jewish community in the U.S. and home to a large population of Italians.

Continue reading “Harlem’s Backyard Gems”

Is a Tour Bus Right for You?

A tour bus gives visitors the option to disembark and re-embark at designated

Is a tour bus right for you?
London tour bus

points, makes it easy to cover a lot of territory while on vacation.  With knowledgeable guides and pre-recorded information available in several different languages, taking a tour bus also offers a quick overview of points of interest along the way.

But is a tour bus tour right for you? It depends.

If walking around a new city makes you nervous or uncomfortable, if a semi-structured tour is more your speed or if you don’t have much time, then a tour bus tour is your best option.

If you’re like me, however, and you like to be on your own schedule, wander around, stop, take photos, talk to people, don’t mind getting lost, etc., then a tour bus tour might not be your cup of tea.

I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve taken a tour bus tour. When I’m in a new place, I want to explore, preferably on foot. So a tour bus, for me, is like an expensive cab ride.

But after walking for what seemed like hours in both London and Paris, I decided to hop on a bus so I could cover a bit more territory. In London, the tour bus tour I selected was led by a pleasant and knowledgeable guide who had us laughing at his sometimes corny anecdotes. However, not even that kept me on longer than the first leg. The same thing happened in Paris.

What I learned from my brief tour bus experiences

  1. Get on the bus early. Typically, tickets for tour buses are valid for 48 hours from time of purchase – they are time-stamped. The earlier you start, the more you’ll get to see. (It’d be interesting to find out how many people do take advantage of the full 48 hours.)
  2. Plan your route carefully. You don’t want to have to loop back.
  3. Pick a seat on the top deck. Weather permitting and if you don’t mind heights, select a bus with an upper level. It’s a whole different experience seeing a city from one story up.
  4. If you want photos (and who doesn’t?), choose a seat at the front of the upper level or take a tour bus with few people on top. That way, you’ll (hopefully) avoid other people’s heads when you go for that all important shot. Unfortunately, if you’re sitting in any other seat and you’re not quick, by the time you get into position and line up the shot, the bus has moved on or someone or something else is in your way.
  5. If you decide to leave the tour bus early, pick a spot that has a lot of different attractions or is well-populated.
  6. Know when and where the last tour for the bus you’re on finishes and avoid being stuck too far away from anyplace you’re familiar with.
  7. Consider taking a tour bus to get a general orientation of a place, then explore on foot the following day.

A tour bus is a great way to get the lay of the land. But walking allows you more freedom to see the sights, interact with people and adds new layers to the memories you’re creating.

A few of my missed tour bus shots.

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I Didn’t Even Get a Croissant! Ten Things I Wish I’d Done in Paris

Okay, so eating a croissant wasn’t really on my list of things to do in Paris. But I had envisioned a much different trip than the one I actually had.

In the trip I imagined, I’d spend a week in Paris, visit a few friends and all the must-see spots, the Champs-Élysées, the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, etc., then make my way to Bordeaux, the wine region, and Saint-Émilion in search of the Château Grand Mayne. (About 10 years ago, I discovered a Bordeaux with my name on it. I was so excited, I bought a case! Visiting a place that had my name was high on my list.)

At some point, I’d travel to Lons le Saunier, to visit ma petite soeur, Murielle, and her family. I was looking forward so much to seeing the French countryside that I’d sit at my desk when I was supposed to be working and daydream about it.

But life (aka work) intervened. Instead of spending two weeks in France and two in London, I had two weeks between London and Paris. I could manage only three days in Paris. It wouldn’t be enough — I like to spend my time, slowly peeling back layers and discovering a new place — but it’d have to do.

Lines outside the Musée d'Orsay

Don’t get me wrong, I loved every minute of my three days but it went by so fast, if I didn’t have photos, I’d think it had been a dream.

I’ve been reflecting on the dream and all the things I didn’t get a chance to see or do in Paris, and I made a list:

  1. Sunset Cruise on the Seine Bateaux Parisiens offers dinner, nighttime and private cruises on the Seine that leave from the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame.
  2. La Sainte-Chapelle – I don’t consider myself a very religious person but looking at cathedrals always humbles me. Located at Île de la Cité, this Gothic Cathedral was consecrated in 1248. It has been a national historic monument since 1862.
  3. Église Saint-Suplice – The second largest church in Paris.
  4. Moulin Rouge – Home of the can-can, the Moulin Rouge has been around since the late 1800s. Artists from Edith Piaf to Josephine Baker have performed there.
  5. Montmartre – The bohemian place that played host to artists like Picasso, Dali, Modgiliani, Monet and others.
  6. La Basilique du Sacré-Cœur de Montmartre – The Basilica is located in Montmartre, the highest point of the city.
  7. Musée d’Orsay – I wanted to visit this elegant former train station turned gallery for Western art but after standing in line at the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower, I couldn’t muster up the energy for another line.
  8. Montparnasse – I have created my own (highly romanticized) narrative about what living in Montparnasse must have been like for artists such as Jean Rhys, Madox Ford, Henry Miller, Salvador Dali, Jean Miró, Diego Rivera and many others who made it their home. I wanted to walk in their footsteps.
  9. Château de Versailles – One of the largest palaces in the world, it is the location where the Treaty of Versailles was signed in 1919.
  10. Luxembourg Palace and Luxembourg Gardens – Built between 1615 and 1627 for Marie de Medici, the widow of Henry IV, the Luxembourg Palace is home of the French Senate. Wonder how difficult it must be to have to work there? I’ll never know!

The trip I took was an appetizer. I’m ready now for a more leisurely and elaborate feast with ten (or more) reasons to return to Paris.

What Do You Do With Your Leftover Coins?

What do you do with your leftover coins?

Whenever I’m go on vacation, I keep some leftover coins for my collection and spend the rest at the airport duty free shops. But no matter how hard I try, I usually find a few more when I unpack.

Since currency exchanges and banks don’t buy back leftover coins, I usually add them to my collection. But that’s becoming quite sizable and very heavy.

Some of my leftover money

On my last trip, I was pleased to hear Virgin Airlines’ appeal for leftover coins — but I didn’t have any, or so I thought. (I found a few Euros when I got home.)

Later, I did some research and discovered UNICEF’s Change for Good® program.

Change for Good is a partnership between UNICEF and the international airline industry. It was established in 1987 to help UNICEF’s mission to reduce the number of preventable childhood deaths.

Change for Good allows passengers on nine participating airlines to donate their leftover U.S. and foreign currencies to flight attendants on board and at Admirals Clubs and Flagship Lounges worldwide.

The airlines participating are Aer Lingus, Alitalia, All Nippon Airways (ANA), American Airlines, Asiana Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Finnair, Japan Airlines (JAL) and QANTAS.

Virgin Airlines and British Airways have their own programs.

If you find yourself with leftover coins when you get home, don’t panic — you can still donate. Send them to:

U.S. Fund for UNICEF

Attn: Change for Good

125 Maiden Lane

According to UNICEF’s website, because donations of leftover foreign coins are processed in bulk by a third party vendor, the acknowledgement you’ll receive for your donation will, unfortunately, not specify the amount of your gift. But you shouldn’t let that dissuade you from donating.

The global Change for Good program has generated over 90 million dollars for UNICEF. That’s no small change!

I can’t think of a better way to get rid of leftover coins.

Tasty Thursdays: Coq au Vin

Solange, my almost-mother-in-law, used to make coq au vin (chicken in wine) quite often. Stylish, beautiful, generous and funny, she was a stay-at-home mom, long before the term came into vogue, to eight children. Her home was inviting and warm and almost always full of people.

With Mom and Dad

Mom had a habit of “spicing up” everything she made — it just wasn’t done until she added her own flavors and seasoned it with love. She was a stickler for attractive food presentation. “La nourriture doit plaire a l’oeil avant de plaire a l’estomac. (Food must please the eyes before it pleases the stomach.),” she’d always say. And her coq au vin was legendary.

Mom shared her recipe for coq au vin with me several years ago. I’m kicking myself now because I can’t find it anywhere. I’m hoping it’s with my own mother’s recipe for the fruit cake she used to bake every Christmas (we were all given chores — mine was to chop the fruits). She had written it in her own hand on the back of an envelope and given it to me when I was dating Mom Solange’s son. Now they’re all gone and I can’t find either the coq au vin or the Christmas cake recipe anywhere.

Epicurious.com to the rescue! I found something similar to Mom’s coq au vin which I’m sharing with you. It doesn’t have her secret spices but I think you’ll like it.

Ingredients

  • 1 750-ml bottle of dry red wine
  • 2 medium carrots, sliced
  • 2 onions, coarsely chopped
  • 3 celery stalks, coarsely chopped
  • 6 large fresh thyme sprigs
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 6 whole chicken legs with thighs
  • 1 1/2 cups pearl onions
  • 5 tablespoons butter, room temperature
  • 12 ounces large mushrooms, quartered
  • 4 bacon slices, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1 1/2 cups Port
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Preparation

Stir first 6 ingredients in heavy large nonreactive pot. Add chicken, submerging completely. Cover; chill overnight.

Cook pearl onions in large pot of boiling salted water 3 minutes. Drain and cool. Peel. Melt 3 tablespoons butter in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add pearl onions and mushrooms and sauté until mushrooms are tender, about 10 minutes. Transfer to bowl. Add bacon to same skillet and sauté until brown and crisp. Transfer bacon to paper towels to drain. Wipe skillet clean.

Using slotted spoon, transfer chicken from marinade to strainer (reserve marinade in pot). Pat chicken dry with paper towels; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in same skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and sauté until skin is brown, turning once, about 10 minutes. Transfer chicken to pot of marinade; bring to boil. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered until chicken is very tender, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Strain chicken and cooking liquid over large bowl. Transfer chicken to medium bowl; discard vegetables in strainer. Return liquid to pot. Add Port and bring to boil. Combine flour and remaining 2 tablespoons butter in small bowl. Whisk into cooking liquid. Boil over medium heat until sauce thickens and is slightly reduced, about 15 minutes. Return chicken to pot. Add pearl onions, mushrooms and bacon to sauce in pot. Simmer until heated through and flavors blend, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes.

Recipe courtesy of epicurious.com

Enjoy!

 

 

Paris, Day 2: Jardin Tuileries

After checking out the African and European galleries at The Louvre, I walked back to the Jardin Tuileries, a large public garden located between the Louvre and Place de la Concorde. This time, I sat for a while and people watched.

View of the Louvre from Jardin Tuileries - Maynefoto
View of the Jardin/Garden Tuileries - Maynefoto

The Jardin Tuileries has been opened to the public since 1667.

More garden view - Maynefoto

Thousands of Parisians and tourists stroll, sit, eat and relax in the Jardin Tuileries everyday.

Garden fountain - Maynefoto
View of the Eiffel Tower from the Jardin Tuileries

Jardin Tuileries, a great place to spend a Paris afternoon.

Paris, Day 2: The Louvre – Cameras Allowed

As I walked through gallery after gallery in The Louvre in search of the European and African art collections, I couldn’t help notice that many of people ahead of me were taking photos of the artwork. Most didn’t even look at a painting long enough. They just got within camera range, snapped and moved on to the next one.

Granted, with the size of The Louvre — I’m sure I could visit every day for a month and not see the same collections twice — the objective for many visitors is to capture as much as possible in the time that they have. But, to me, it just waters down the experience.

Sculpture from the African Art collection at The Louvre - Maynefoto

I couldn’t help thinking about it for several hours after — and it comes back to mind each time since that I’ve been to an art gallery or a museum.

In this time when cell phones and digital cameras are so ubiquitous, it shouldn’t have been surprising but it was.

In thinking about what I’d write in this post, I thought about a comment Chris Blackwell, founder of Island Records, made recently at a talk at the New York Public Library. To paraphrase, he said CDs and computers make a large collection of music more easily accessible but flattens the sound.

The same could probably be said about taking photos of works of art. By relying on a camera instead of the eye to interpret and record the image, we reduce it to one dimension. Sure, it’s accessible — we can load it on to our computers, print a copy, share it with our friends, etc., but no camera I know of can capture the subtle qualities, like the light or tiny brush strokes that the eye can pick up, or the feeling that some works of art can evoke in a viewer.

Seeing this “drive-by viewing” had me thinking about how we engage the things around us and how technology is allowing us to breeze through our lives without slowing down or stopping to notice, to take stock.

Having worked with creative people in different fields, I’m acutely aware of the right of ownership whether of a manuscript, photograph, song or painting and how easy it is for us to ‘own’ a knock-off or a copy of the original. I’m also well aware that some museums, like The Louvre, allow visitors to take photos (sans flash).

Maybe it’s not such a big deal to allow cameras in museums since most of their artists are dead and maybe they recognize that a lot of us take photos on our digital cameras and never print them.

What do you think?