The Flâneur [A Trip with Emily]

Down with the Incas! Go Aztecs go!

2009-09-24T10:54:00.004-04:00

This just a small note to specify and inform the few readers who were awaiting updates of the humanitarian mission that wife and I were supposed to be part of in Peru:

We were denied entry to Peru because of our Lebanese Passports.

Despite the Organization’s credentials and letters, the two Lebanese members had to turn back while the rest of the mission went on. With teary eyes, we bid our friends farewell and wished them the best of luck as we were put back on the next plane to Montreal, via Mexico.

After about a year of planning, hard work, and a lot of financial investment in equipments, we were turned back just like that, just because we were born in a certain country. It became evident to me that before the Lebanese help others, they have to help themselves, and I will apply for my Canadian citizenship as soon as I get back. I actually should have done that a long while ago.

However upon our arrival to Mexico, we decided to make the best out of this entire ordeal, and stay for a few days in Mexico City, and Acapulco.

And this is where we will be for the next few days before our trip back home to Montreal.

Hasta Luego.

Mission: Peru -1.

2009-09-18T21:30:00.002-04:00

I met Père Labine last year through two of my good friends who graduated from the School of Optometry at the Université de Montréal, and are now established optometrists working in different parts of the city.

Father Labine, or Pierre, dedicates most of his time to restoring sight and vision to the “unprivileged” citizens of third world countries. Operating as part of “Vosh Santa Cruz Montréal” (a humanitarian mission caring for the eyes and sight), he leads and guides a vast network of benevolent doctors, students, companies, non-profit organizations, and volunteers that travel around the world trying to offer hope of a better future, by providing the needy with free eye exams, some medicine, and recycled eyeglasses... needless to say, the patients don't need to pay one cent, as everything is for free... they just have to show up!

For years now, and with a small circle of friends, they have organized, and deployed missions to Ecuador, Romania, Mexico, Morocco, now Haiti, and Peru; our mission…

I have wanted to be part of something like that for so long, and now the opportunity presented itself to me, and it is actually the time to walk the walk.

For months, wife and I have training at the “mission’s headquarters”; an old and abandoned downtown Montréal industrial loft (warehouse), full of dust and old remnants of what was. They say it was a place where secret raves used to held (I wish I knew about them), but for the time being it is ours, and we call it “l’entrepôt”. Every Monday we were given a crash course, on the things or the "jobs" we would be fulfilling during the next mission in which we are taking part: Lima, Peru; basically a fast guide on how to lend a helping hand on site.

We have to be fast and efficient, as we should be working with around 700 patients every day. We’re bringing along about 9 thousand pairs of used and recycled prescription eyeglasses that we helped, cleaned, fixed, analyzed, labeled, sorted out and ready to be donated.

From 7 am to 5:00 pm, we have to be at our best. Armed with warm hearts, passion, enthusiasm, curiosity and humility we will be part of the team from Montreal, that is trying to give back to the world.

It is definitely going to be a most enriching experience. I am very excited.

I am also looking forward to the last 4 days of our mission. These are the days where we are free to roam Peru, and actually chill. So for that we reserved for a trip to Cuzco, to be able to journey to the ancient Inca ruins of Machu Picchu.

Today was a bit of a hectic day, but that's quite normal for the day before the big trip, as there were still a bit of last minute preparations to be done, but mainly we are now set to leave Saturday, early in the morning.

The bags and packages are ready, and we're in anticipation for the wonderful adventure. In just a few hours, we should be on the plane to Lima to live a life altering experience.

I will try to keep updating with details of our trip every other day, on the condition that I have internet access. It may be very hard to do, as we will be stationed in a very modest part of the slums of Lima. But I promise that I will try my best to post. This should definitely be an experience to be shared, and I won't refrain.

mission: peru | Day -2 | Re_cyle!

2009-09-17T22:13:00.007-04:00

July 09 / Montréal, Qc. / Canon PowerShot SD 750

Colors.

2008-09-23T22:55:00.003-04:00

June 07 / Montréal, Qc. / Canon Eos Digital Rebel XTi

Pinus Pinea [02].

2008-08-05T23:55:00.006-04:00

July 08 / Rass el Harf, Lebanon / Canon PowerShot SD 750

Greenacre Park [postcard]

2008-06-07T20:21:00.002-04:00

Greenacre Park / May 08 / New York City, NY / Canon Eos Digital Rebel XTi

2008-06-01T14:49:00.005-04:00

■ ╓☺☻♥ ■ ⁿ²√╪

Mitsy [one].

2008-05-08T02:04:00.002-04:00

The Lachenaie Series: Wired / April 08 / Lachenaie, Qc. / Canon Eos Digital Rebel XTi

Wired.

2008-04-30T00:53:00.004-04:00

The Lachenaie Series: Wired / April 08 / Lachenaie, Qc. / Canon Eos Digital Rebel XTi

Casablanca Hotel [two]

2008-03-07T16:35:00.002-05:00

Casablanca Hotel Series / Jan.08 / Casablanca, Morocco / Canon Eos Digital Rebel XTi

Under Construction.

2008-02-23T14:42:00.007-05:00

The flâneur [a trip with emily] is undergoing cosmetic reconstruction...

comments and critiques are appreciated.

Casablanca Hotel [one]

2008-02-13T22:41:00.005-05:00

Casablanca Hotel Series / Jan.08 / Casablanca, Morocco / Canon Eos Digital Rebel XTi

Crystals.

2008-01-16T00:16:00.002-05:00

Gentleman Kaak.

2008-01-14T00:43:00.002-05:00

Kaak / Dec.07 / Ashrafieh, Lebanon / Canon Eos Digital Rebel XTi

Hôtel de Ville.

2007-12-16T22:25:00.002-05:00

Hôtel de Ville / Dec.07 / Montréal, Qc. / Canon Eos Digital Rebel XTi

Which College Major Should I Be?

2007-12-07T21:52:00.001-05:00

Which College Major Should You Be?
	Your major should be Art. You are sensitive, creative, and you don't follow established rules. Unfortunately, you'll have to follow some rules if you ever want that promotion at Starbucks.
Find Your Character @ BrainFall.com

Which Famous Artist am I?

2007-12-07T21:37:00.000-05:00

Which Famous Artist Are You?
	You are part Ansel Adams. Your artistic tool of choice is the camera, but you've got lots of other skills as well. Spoiled when you were young, you grew up to be a loving person and you have a deep affinity for nature and all things black and white.
	You are part Andy Warhol. Your artistic talent became clear at an early age. As a result, you are still developing your talent now, chasing the dream. A big fan of commercial art, you see greatness in the ordinary.
Find Your Character @ BrainFall.com

Sendai Mediathèque Model.

2007-11-26T21:54:00.001-05:00

Sendai Mediathèque_Toyo Ito / Feb 05 / NYC, NY / Canon Eos Digital Rebel XTi

garden of senses

2007-10-17T11:27:00.001-04:00

When a woman loves a man's garden,
She has to love the man.

-- serpico

what the f.

2007-10-16T19:44:00.001-04:00

Dearest Serene Lady_

On behalf of many of the members of the Dead Poet Society, I would like to thank you for your kind and sincere words.

-- Apparently, I wrote this.

Moody Sky.

2007-10-14T03:10:00.001-04:00

view from the office.

2007-10-14T03:00:00.001-04:00

view from the office / Oct.2007/ Montréal, Québec / Canon EOS Digital Rebel XTi

Out From Lampasas to Odessa

2007-10-02T23:43:00.001-04:00

Cold Chair / January 2006 / Montréal, Qc / Nikon Coolpix 5700

The rocking chair is the soul
of the porch
remove it and all you have left
is white pine for carpenter ants

-- John Hejduk

Oslo Room

2007-09-30T12:25:00.001-04:00

Limp flesh arm
and black hair
extend towards the floor
Perhaps the wrist bleeds
into the palm
or is it the
red of paint
brushed in
She lies two degrees
down from an exact
horizontal
her white blouse upen
sweet breast exposed
The mattress cover
billows
from the fold
A weighted black stocking
concaves turquoise blue
silk blanket
The heavy cloth of skirt
bent under knees
pyramid thrust
The Siena bed
slides deep
Although drunk or dead
mouth nose eyes
might be kissed

--John Heijduk

SkyWheel [niagara falls].

2007-09-25T22:27:00.002-04:00

La Valse d'Amélie - Yann Tiersen

SkyWheel Series / Sept.2007/ Niagara Falls, Ontario/ Canon EOS Digital Rebel XTi

eyes are red, brain is curved.

2007-09-18T23:09:00.002-04:00

eyes are red / April 2007/ Montreal, Quebec/ Canon EOS Digital Rebel XTi

Nothing Else Matters - Metallica

Production_It's Written on the Walls.

2007-06-29T22:29:00.001-04:00

La 129

2007-06-16T22:52:00.002-04:00

On The Grid!

2007-06-11T00:25:00.001-04:00

palimpsest on a farm_ el croquis.

2007-06-09T11:06:00.001-04:00

palimpsest on a farm_ the design

2007-06-05T23:26:00.001-04:00

this design (my work) is part of a project I am developing for WAA.

palimpsest on a farm_ the evolution

2007-06-01T23:06:00.002-04:00

palimpsest on a farm_ the concept

2007-05-15T12:11:00.001-04:00

Urban Blades.

2007-05-09T11:58:00.001-04:00

Nikon FG [1982].

2007-04-20T23:57:00.001-04:00

I inherited this Nikon years ago. Its previous owner either thought it was dead, or just couldn't be bothered with film cameras anymore ... He wanted to go digital.
I mean, don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with digital technology, but since I am not too fond of Photoshop enhancement for photographs, I can at least be sure that Black & White photography is going print marvelously, shot with this old school camera.

This is an homage to my 1982 Nikon FG.

A Traditional Chinese Garden.

2007-04-14T15:46:00.001-04:00

a sketch by my good friend, Ran Li.black ink on tracing paper.

macro_zipper.

2007-04-12T21:20:00.001-04:00

Caged.

2007-04-09T20:34:00.001-04:00

Caged / 2003 / Toronto, ON. /Nikon Coolpix 5700

my brain these days is...

2007-04-07T23:14:00.001-04:00

samu_rai.

2007-03-31T01:06:00.001-04:00

Streets of Montréal.

2007-03-22T00:53:00.001-04:00

burned out #2.

2007-03-10T13:07:00.001-05:00

burned out.

2007-03-02T14:35:00.001-05:00

Counting on Lebanon. [3iddo ma3e]

2007-02-28T11:52:00.003-05:00

Click HERE for the Literature.

I Like the Way You Move!

2007-02-28T11:44:00.001-05:00

Illusions / delusions of Being.

2007-02-28T11:37:00.002-05:00

Click HERE for the Literature.

□ □ □ □

2007-02-14T02:35:00.002-05:00

[....]

- Why do you love me so much?
- Because you cry everytime you see a dog on television.

[....]

music: Bala Wala Chi/composer: Ziad Rahbani/singer: Joseph Sakr

Gladiators; from the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave [Super bowl 41]

2007-02-04T23:56:00.000-05:00

Elevated and Above.

2007-02-02T13:02:00.001-05:00

Dessine moi ton pays!

2007-02-02T00:16:00.000-05:00

music: Jay Jay Johanson - Lychee

Bleu Ciel. [les carreaux les parquets]

2007-02-01T17:57:00.002-05:00

music: Martine St.Claire / Lavez, Lavez

1701 Balloons. [Truth or Paranoia]

2007-01-31T01:25:00.000-05:00

Click HERE for the Literature.

Far Away. [love hasn't died]

2007-01-28T15:25:00.001-05:00

music: Jay Jay Johanson / Far Away

Political Suicide.

2007-01-26T02:19:00.001-05:00

Dear Diary.

2006-12-09T14:38:00.001-05:00

"Dear Diary, each day, I die"

(Rem Koolhaas)

House.

2006-12-06T13:39:00.002-05:00

Emily, tell them who's it is please!

2006-12-01T19:20:00.001-05:00

The Flâneur:

2006-09-21T19:38:00.001-04:00

"Flâneur" is a French word. A flâneur is a detached pedestrian observer of a metropolis, a 'gentleman stroller of city streets', first identified by Charles Baudelaire. The word has no exact equivalent in English. The concept of the flâneur is important in the work of Walter Benjamin, is important in academic discussions of the phenomenon of modernity, and has become meaningful in architecture and urban planning.

Around 1850, Baudelaire began asserting that traditional art was inadequate for the new dynamic complications of modern life. Social and economic changes brought by industrialization demanded that the artist immerse himself in the metropolis and become, in Baudelaire's phrase, 'a botanist of the sidewalk', an analytical connoisseur of the urban fabric. Because he coined the word about Parisians, the 'flâneur' (the one who strolls) and the 'flânerie' (the stroll) are associated with Paris and the kind of pedestrian environment which accommodates leisurely exploration.The Flâneur is typically well aware of his slow, leisurely behaviour and had been known to exemplify this state of being by walking turtles on leashes down the streets of Paris [1].

Walter Benjamin adopted this concept of the urban observer both as an analytical tool and as a lifestyle. From his Marxist standpoint Benjamin describes the flâneur as a product of modern life and the Industrial Revolution, unprecedented in history and definitely of a certain social class, parallel to the advent of the tourist. His flâneur is an uninvolved but highly perceptive bourgeois Arcades Project dilettante. Benjamin became his own prime example, gathering his social and aesthetic observations from long walks through Paris. Even the title of his unfinished comes from his affection for covered shopping streets.

In the context of current architecture and urban planning, designing for flâneurs is one way to approach issues of the psychological aspects of the built environment. Architect Jon Jerde, for instance, designed his Horton Plaza and Universal CityWalk projects around the idea of providing surprises, distractions, and sequences of events for pedestrians.

source: Wikipedia

meet emily.

2006-07-19T20:27:00.001-04:00

Emily is supposed to be Perfect,
but she is not. And that's why I like her.

The Flâneur [A Trip with Emily]

Down with the Incas! Go Aztecs go!

Mission: Peru -1.

mission: peru | Day -2 | Re_cyle!

Colors.

Pinus Pinea [02].

Greenacre Park [postcard]

Mitsy [one].

Wired.

Casablanca Hotel [two]

Under Construction.

Casablanca Hotel [one]

Crystals.

Gentleman Kaak.

Hôtel de Ville.

Which College Major Should I Be?

Which College Major Should You Be?

Which Famous Artist am I?

Which Famous Artist Are You?

Sendai Mediathèque Model.

garden of senses

what the f.

Moody Sky.

view from the office.

Out From Lampasas to Odessa

Oslo Room

SkyWheel [niagara falls].

eyes are red, brain is curved.

Production_It's Written on the Walls.

La 129

On The Grid!

palimpsest on a farm_ el croquis.

palimpsest on a farm_ the design

palimpsest on a farm_ the evolution

palimpsest on a farm_ the concept

Urban Blades.

Nikon FG [1982].

A Traditional Chinese Garden.

macro_zipper.

Caged.

my brain these days is...

samu_rai.

Streets of Montréal.

burned out #2.

burned out.

Counting on Lebanon. [3iddo ma3e]

I Like the Way You Move!

Illusions / delusions of Being.

□ □ □ □

Gladiators; from the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave [Super bowl 41]

Elevated and Above.

Dessine moi ton pays!

Bleu Ciel. [les carreaux les parquets]

1701 Balloons. [Truth or Paranoia]

Far Away. [love hasn't died]

Political Suicide.

Dear Diary.

House.

Emily, tell them who's it is please!

The Flâneur:

meet emily.