Chapter Twenty Nine: Sketches & End of the Year

This year, I started to draw in a different way, or should I say, I went back to the source.
Here is some sketches I did, from the very worst to better:

First attempt: Silvia

Second attempt: Still Silvia

Third attempt: Silvia again

Fourth attempt: Silvia. Here, I started to get my hand on it.

Poor drawing of Mike

Silvia

Ethan as Le petit Prince

Man in a coffee shop

Princess Leia

Dangerous Meghan

Jessica

Meghan & Faye

And my favorite, Silvia undressing

Chapter Twenty Eight: Photos, Art, Julian Assange & Mark Zuckerberg

A while ago, I went to the Museu Oscar Niemeyer in Curitiba.
It's massive.
The architecture, that is. I must admit that Brazilians are greatly surprising me with what they build.
I ain't an architect kind of guy, and must, sadly admit, that I have a limited interest in architecture.
However, that museum is something to witness.
What is amazing is the way it was built, a gigantic platform with no poles to maintain it but on the outskirts.
It's kinda surreal: Museu Oscar Niemeyer

Museu Oscar Niemeyer, Curitiba, Parana, Brazil

Now, let's be honest.
The museum is filled with terrible painting, poor design, atrocious furniture, and the worst photographs I have seen in more than a decade.
Some of the work there is absolutely outrageously bad.
But, there also was an exhibit on design made by Art students.
The theme was recycled and organic material.
And, the kids are all right!
I mean, it was mind blowing. Excellent. Inspiring. Simply good.
I invite you now for a little tour through my eyes:

Giant cones in the entrance

Inside the cones

Organic textiles

Organic guirlandes

Recycled exhibit

Bottle cap

Light made of plastic bottles bottom

Light made of cans bottom

Light made of cans bottom from another angle

Wall of cans

Artwork made of eggs cardboard used for sound proof

Artwork made of eggs cardboard used for sound proof from another angle

Wall of tires

The Times Magazine, if I am not mistaken, as declared Mark Zuckerberg as the main of the year...

Mark Zuckerberg

Are you kidding me?
This guy is disgusting.
He is an opportunist who, also, "created" a tool which allows all the imbeciles on the planet to let us know their meaningless thoughts, what they are eating, and all the crap that fulfill their lives.
Ok, I admit it, I am harsh and cruel.
But you know what?
So be it.
FB sucks, is irrelevant, and stinks.
Yes, I do use it too, but to my defense, I blame myself and spit on it!
Also, if you watch The Social Network, a pathetically lame movie, you just want to kick Zuckerberg in the ass.
What a bastard!

On the other side, Le Monde has chosen Julian Assange as their man of the year.

Julian Assange

Now, don't get me wrong, I am not a huge fan of Mr. Assange, I have my doubts about what's really going on and all that Jazz. But, to me, what he does is more interesting and he has definitely most merit that the previous dude.
This said, let's move on...

To finish, here is a picture of Sabrina I took at Christmas.
Enjoy.

Sabrina

Voila, that's all folks.
Have a happy new year, and I'll talk to you in 2011.

Sincerely,

Serge

Chapter Twenty Seven: New Blog's name, Tortellini & more...

Bonjour.

So, I woke up and wondered why I wasn't using my name for my blog.
Oh, I can come up with plenty of reasons, but none can actually be good enough for me.
Because, after all, I am me, and me, and myself.
So, here we go, new name for the blog, and slight change of design.
All in all, I like it better.

Now, I could never rant enough to tell how much Xmas is disturbing for me, because, for a religious holiday, it has become something quite different, to say the very least.
Don't get me wrong, when you have kids, it's different, it gives an opportunity to spend some special time with them, but it puzzles me the way people are and react, totally buying into the system, head first please.
We need to be progressive.
And it starts with us, by the way we change the way we live.
It is time to take responsibilities.
And no, I am not a dreamer.
They are. And soon, all are gone have to wake up.
Sooner or later, anyway, we'll have to come face to face with the truth.
So, I ain't gone say $%#^# xmas, but $%#^@* the people who still act like Candide.
Everything is perfect in this perfect world.
Pfff, once and for all, wake up fools!

As for me, I had a wonderful time.
I was welcome in a new family, a bras ouvert, and I could share and experiment what tradition is, here in Brazil. It was sweet and enjoyable.
And no, I didn't spend tons of money.
Now, my favorite part of xmas this year, being without the kids, was the food that my wife's family made. Her Dad is from Milan, Italy, so we had some pretty amazing food!
From the home made tortellini to the filled chicken in jelly, to the Russian salad, well well well, it was something else!
On a side note, having spent the last 4 months in a family who lives like European do, it reminded me my origins. This is really important, as, after all, it defines who I really am.
Something I need to keep deep in my heart, and share with the kids when I'll be back in Canada in a month or so...
Oh, we also had a lemon cake, Brazil style, which was okay I guess, but not holding up to the standard of the Italian food...
Enfin, I am just saying...

Now, making tortellini from scratch is a serious task, but totally worth it!
First, you got to make the dough, with flour and eggs. You work it kind of like for bread, then roll it into a very thin layer making sure it stays together:

Marlene working the dough

Then, you cut that dough into little squares, and put some yummy filling made of some secret mix of meet cheese and herbs and roll into little balls onto the dough:

We're getting there!

When this is done, you seal every square, making then into triangles with the filling inside, and then, make them in some kind of little hat, :), which is an exercise that requires some serious skills. :D

Marlene making the neat little hats that will end up in our bellies

You place them all in a large plate or so, but that's just because it looks pretty:

Tortellini waiting to be thrown into boiling water

And, pouf, all go into boiling water, and must cook for about 20 to 40 minutes.
Then, you eat then with a broth, to which, you add Parmesan cheese, Nutmeg and red wine.
It is so good, there is no words to describe it!

Obviously, I am still in Brazil.
Soon, I will have to head back to Canada and reunite with the kids.
But only for a short period of time.
After 10 days, and after 8 years, I will be flying to France with my little boy Ethan, to this time, being reunited with my family, the European one.
It's been 8 years since I saw them last, my father and mother, my brother, his wife and their two kids.
I am looking forward to go there with Ethan, and, I must admit, a little anxious.
The only sad part is that, my wife Sil will not be able to come with me.
For many reasons, she'll have to stay in Brazil, but after my 3 weeks in Sarko land, we will meet in Canada, and stay for about 1 year. :)
I am going to miss her a lot, because, she is all I ever wanted, she is perfect for me, and we love each other so much. It is hard to be separated from the woman of your life. And hard it will be.
And there is nothing much I can say, but close my eyes and see her face.

Sil

Brazil is cool!
It is such a different place.
But I already ranted enough about that.
Let's just through a couple of pics here:

More buildings and clouds and sky in Curitiba

When it feels like in the middle of nowhere

Finally, I have been drawing.
I must post more of my work, cause, it really is a shame.
I'll do that more intensively soon, but here is some of the work I recently did:
First, some work in progress for a client, the background still needs to be drew:

Mr. Meeker opening Oysters

Then, 2 illustrations I did in the past 2 months:

The Forced Model

The Travel Agency

And, few photographs I worked on:

Mariana

Wood and Smoke

Curitiba's Botanical Garden

Voila, that's all folks, for now.
I hope you enjoyed.

Sincerely,

Serge

Chapter Twenty Six: Christmas Cards from an Italian in Brazil

I received that Christmas card from my father in law, the brilliant Mr. Davide Boriani.
I love it! :)

I thought it was totally worth sharing it on my blog.

Enjoy!

Dorme - ©D. Boriani 2010

Chapter Twenty Five: Valhalla Rising

This is one of the best movie I've seen this year.
I was kind of resisting watching it, but, as often, my humble mistake.

It is finally a pleasure to see a movie about the Saxons from someone who has something to say.

From the filmography to the point of the story, to the way it comes in parts, this is something we have been waiting for a long time.

The main character doesn't say a word through the entire movie, but speaks by the intermediary of a kid.
Think about it.

The point made about teh christian religion of that time (hmmmmm) is nothing short than brilliant, and the acting is outstanding.

Instead of all the garbage we are being fed, this is a master piece Nicolas Winding Refn with Mads Mikkelsen that is a must to see, and has become a cult movie in a mater of seconds!

Go enjoy it people!

Valhalla Rising

Chapter Twenty Four: The Human Condition

English:
The Human Condition

French:
la Condition Humaine

Chapter Twenty Three: A little more about here... and there...

So, I got a wicked haircut last Saturday.
Went with my love to those 2 hairdresser, it was a blast and they gave me a fantastic haircut.
The problem is that, it is cold here in Curitiba.
Left, all happy, then went to a beer festival, had another great time, met a french canadian, drank and got a nasty flu.
Well done Serge!
Sunday, I was in bed with fever and shivers.
My favorite.
But today, I am way better.
Go figure.




The more I stay here, in Parana, the more I like it.
I finally got the battery for my camera that I had forgotten in Victoria -don't ask- , thank you to Athanasia who send it to me, and so, I have started to take some real pictures.
Not that I don't like my IPhone, but, it's kinda limited to take pics.....
So, here are some pics:

Organic life in Curitiba

Building in Curitiba

Buildings and sky in Curitiba

Street light in Curitiba

Wicked bus stop in Curitiba

It's interesting how, as a new comer, you see things that people don't see. In the meantime, as a new comer, you don't understand it.
However, Curitiba has that mix of everything and nothing as I have already said. However, I find most of the architecture very organic, the city is very much alive and not safe. This make it interesting to me, fascinating if I could. It forces me to come up with tricks to take pictures. For instance, all of those pics were taken from a car.
I am falling in love with the insane wire line there is everywhere.
Such perfect lines, made with no other purpose than being utilities wires. But somehow, it all mixes in some wonderful lines and curves, so well defined that it becomes difficult to see what is organic and what is not. Maybe, it all is, what do we know after all?


A couple of week ends ago, Silvia and I went to a wonderful island called Ilha do Mel, which means Honey Island. There is a lots of funny and goofy names here, like on our way there, 3 hours by bus or so, in some destroyed area, a large avenue was called Las vegas. I couldn't but smile at the absurdity of the world.
Anyway, when you get close to the island, you got to take a boat.
Not a ferry like we have in BC, but one of those old crappy boat that I like so much.
The ocean was some kind of blue green, just wonderful.
There, even though it is a super touristic place, it is out of season here, as it was still winter.
But it wasn't that cold.
Now, let me put one thing clear once and for all. Brazil is huge. And not the stereotype we think it is. So, where I live, it's cold. OK!!!!!!!! Everyone gets it?!!?!? it's c o l d !!!!!
The weather is kind of similar with victoria, with the exception than rain and heavy and short, and there is thunder and lightnings. Me luuuuuuuuuuuurve thunders and lightnings. :)
This said, Ilha do Mel wasn't that cold.
We got a fantastic bungalow just for ourselves, with a sort of amazing patchwork of things, but so nicely decorated, an incredible harmony I tried to absorb as much as I could.
We walked to the light house, the jungle and the immense beaches with no one in sight.
Perfect for us.
Food was good, and not too expensive, the people were simple and agreeable. Something I am not too use to. Or maybe, something I forgot, something I took for granted and stopped appreciating. Ah, there is always so much to learn.
And, well, Sil and I had some veeeeeeeeeeery good time there! :)
It is so good to see her so happy.
Then, we went back, took our big bus Greyhound style, and mid way, the bus had a flat. :|
This was amazing, but again, this is Brazil. And, the driver simply changed that enormous wheel, and we were back on our way back. I was stunned how this event was seen as normal there. People didn't even get of the bus, but I surely did to see the titan work that this task was. :)
Here are some pics:

Our boat

On the boat

Our hotel entrance

Our bungalow

Amazing beaches where we swam

Beach with the light house

Up to the light house

Serge happy

The empty hotel at night

More of the hotel at night

Our perfect hotel at night

On the way back

Simple love

So, it was just wonderful!




Now, let's do something new here, for fun and what's not. I have been thinking of adding more bla bla bla parts to my blog, like some rants that I like so much, :D, but to start, let's do a short movie review of the crap I have been watching recently. :D

1. The good, the bad and the weird

Well, Korean movies are getting better by the second. In fact, nowadays, I believe they are some of the best. Subtile, funny, and magnificently directed, a mix of western spaghetti and a lesson o history... Well, at least, one side of it. A good time!

2. It's complicated

What a piece of crap!

Don't get me wrong, I actually like romantic comedy quit a lot. But here we are, rich people with a perfect family and a view of the world that makes me sick. This is a complete imbecility. It valorizes cheating and once again, the individuality over the real meaning of what a couple is.

Don't lose your time. Read a good book!

3. Plein Soleil

Magnificent movie from René Clément, based on the book called Mr Ripley.

Does that reminds you of anything?

Admirable acting, cold and deep, gorgeous Alain Delon, and produced by Martin Scorcese back in 1960. A must see!

4. Police Python 357

Interesting movie, definitely inspired by Dirty Harris, I believe that, what Alain Corneau was trying to show was the hypocrisy of the french bourgeoisie in a province of France, in the city of Orleans.

Excellent acting by Yves Montand, as cold as a coal, fermé a double tour!

A little long from time to time, and maybe a little too slow.

5. A bout de souffle or Breathless

A french classic from La nouvelle vague or La nouvelle blague from Jean-Luc Godard.

Not a huge huge fan of la nouvelle vague, but this one, with Les 400 coups is still one of my favorite.

A must see, even just to see how the world has changed.