Palaces, aristocrats, casas de vecinos (Jerez, Spain-March 2015)

Spain is a monarchy, and there are still aristocrats.  The aristocrats have what is known here as "palaces," although these are usually considerably smaller than what you might think of when you're thinking of the palace of a king or queen.  They are the fine town homes of the aristocrats, who usually also have other residences in other places.

tree peeking out over the high wall of a palace grounds

The palaces open onto the street.  There is usually a patio in the center, and grounds - with a garden and trees - on one side, enclosed by a high wall.

There are quite a few palaces near where I live, about half of them in ruins but the others, still used by their aristocratic owners.  One very nice one is located about a block from my apartment.  

the palace of the Benavente family

It belongs to the Benavente family.  My street, named Benavente Bajo (Lower Benavente) and the street parallel to mine that is up the little rise, Benavente Alto (Upper Benavente), are both named after this family.  The Benavente palace is located on Benavente Alto.  

A friend of mine was fascinated by aristocrats and persuaded me to go to a lecture in which one of the Benaventes talked about his illustrious family.  I found the talk boring, but at least I know that the Benaventes actually exist.

Right next to the Benavente palace, in a FORMER palace, is something known as a "casa de vecinos;"  a building in which many, many families live in their own, small apartment.  They share a common patio.

"Casa de vecinos" right next to the Benavente palace.
Notice clothes hanging out to dry on the balcony.

In Spain, a class-conscious country, people of different classes often live next to each other.  (In the United States, where we claim we aren't class conscious but really are, different classes live in different neighborhoods.)

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Eve A. Ma is in Spain where, having completed the revised Afro-Peruvian documentary, she is getting back to work on a documentary about flamenco.  Subscribe HERE to our monthly newsletter to keep up with her work.

Event in a bodega (winery) in Jerez, Spain (early March 2015)

I've just come back to my apartment from something known as a "poster presentation," which means that a poster for an upcoming event is officially presented to "the public" in the hopes that everyone (especially business people) will take copies of the poster and stick it in the windows of their own, or someone else's, business.

These events come complete with wine (fino and the like), jamón (like prosciutto) and cheeze.

This is what the main bodega building looks like on most days.

But on special occasions, they open the gate, and voilá.

They are usually quite enjoyable, and the one I just went to was no exception.  It was held in a bodega (winery) near my apartment.  The bodega was established in 1730 by a Spanish family (the Domencq family).  It is now owned by a British firm (Harvey's Bristol Cream).

This is part of what we were served:  fino wine, jamón (Spanish prosciutto) and cheese.

This is not to say that the poster that was presented was spectacularly beautiful, but the designer, a neighborhood resident who fancies himself an artist, is an agreeable fellow.  The mayor was at the presentation and mentioned three times in her brief talk how "proud" she was to be sitting near such a talented artist who lives in a neighborhood with such an active neighborhood association.

Elections are coming up in about two weeks.

The poster.  No, it's not an oil well, and the yellow,
red and green things are not smoke, or cotton candy.

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Eve A. Ma is in Spain where, having completed the revised Afro-Peruvian documentary, she is getting back to work on a documentary about flamenco.  Subscribe HERE to our monthly newsletter to keep up with her work.

Chimney pots in Paris (late Feb. 2015)

My mother loved to go to Paris.  She first went when she was in her late teens, and she studied there on a couple of occasions.  She also went often after she married and had a family, both when her kids were growing up and after they were all grown and gone.

there was half a day of sun while I was in Paris

She had an aunt who lived there, who ran the student housing where she stayed when she was a student.  She became close friends with her aunt's companion, who she visited often after her aunt (my great-aunt, of course) passed away.

looking down from the window of my teeny, tiny apartment

Her aunt, Sarah Watson, was the first foreign woman ever to be inducted into the French Legion of Honor.  Her induction was to honor her for her work in France in World War II, during the French Résistance (resistance).

chimney pots up close and personal

My mother passed her love of chimney pots on to me.  I hope you enjoy these.

looking out across the rooves (roofs)

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Eve A. Ma passed through Paris on her way to southern Spain, where she is working on a documentary about flamenco, and finishing up a video about Afro-Peruvian music and dance.  Keep up with her work at http://palominoprodvd-cd.com.

And then, the rest of Paris (or some of it) (late Feb. 2015)

(late Feb. 2015)

When I visit Paris, I in fact DO do things outside of the Jardin du Luxembourg.  I have lunch with my cousin, I walk up and down streets, I look at beautiful things like les Invalides, I go to movies or to a play, and if time and weather permit, I go to museums.

fine buildings on the Blvd. du Montparnasse

On this trip, I didn't make it to any museums but I did have lunch with my cousin, go to a movie, and also did a LOT of walking, and etc, etc.  Don't have photos of ALL of this but do have some to share.

a smaller street near where my cousin lives

I'll do one more Paris blog after this, which will be dedicated to the chimney pots of Paris...something my mother used to love.

the Eiffel Tower on a rainy night

don't know why I like this;  the man is coming out of the place I get chocolate and croissants

I would, by the way, love to do a documentary about the Jardin du Luxembourg, looking at it as it changes with the four seasons.  Maybe one day....

woman with dog

people hurrying along on a dark, cold winter's day

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Eve Ma passed through Paris on her way to southern Spain, where she is working on a documentary about flamenco (and finishing up some work about Afro-Peruvian music and dance).  Keep up with our work at http://palominoprodvd-cd.com.

On the road again (late Feb. 2015)

I'm in Paris now, on my way to Jerez (Jerez de la Frontera, Spain).  The main purpose of this trip is to film material that "we" have agreed is needed in order to make our trailer for the flamenco documentary a knock-your-socks-off trailer that will bring in grants, funding, and, well, money.

It's winter in Paris.  No surprise there.  The skies are grey and heavy with water.  It hasn't really rained since I arrived day before yesterday, but the air gets thicker at times and delicate droplets of water permeate the air.  Sometimes they even fall out of the sky.

A grey winter's day on Blvd. du Montparnasse, Paris.

It's cold, but not frozen cold with ice and snow.  Cold enough, however, that I'm very glad I brought a winter coat and a sweater.

I have now walked around the Jardin du Luxembourg two times.  It's an immense park, formerly the "back yard" for one of the palaces of the French kings, right in the center of Paris.  It's at least a mile long, and one of my favorite places on earth.  In the mornings, it's more a land of joggers than anything else.  Serious joggers.  Muscular joggers.  If I were here longer, I'd join in but I don't have the clothes, I'm not going to get the clothes, and I will just walk.

The lone jogger...but many more in front and behind.

The joggers - of all ages, both sexes, mostly white but some Moroccans and I even saw one black person.  About half are plugged into their music with earphones tightly ensconced in their ears and the other half are open to the world, as it were.

Most of the joggers are also solitary, but there is one large group at a certain point in the morning:  men from a nearby fire station with their fire station jogging suits, keeping very, very fit.

Children playing in a section of the park.

There are also some other people:  people out walking their dogs (dogs are permitted in certain sections of the park), a few people out with children in strollers, a few people like me, simply walking.

The palace.  It used to be a residence of France's kings;  now, it's the Senate building.

One of the park's fountains, dry now because it's winter.

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The American premiere

The American premiere of Domino:  Caught in the Crisis (Dominó:  agarrado por la crisis) - first, special THANKS to the non-profit Media Art Works (MAW) for their generous donation to support the event.

And do we plan to hold more screenings?  Of course.  We're in conversations with organizations in Berkeley and San Francisco, to name only a few...but it won't be until this summer or fall, because I'll be leaving soon for another trip to Spain.

And now, some photos from the premiere, followed by quotes from comments written by the audience:

MC Hershell West with filmmaker Eve A. Ma

Ruth Cazden, chair of the El Cerrito Arts & Cultural Commission, spoke briefly before the film started, as did Hershell West, chair of Media Art Works (MAW), the event's major supporter.

Inside the theater.

We had a good audience.  I want to thank our sponsors again, without whom the event truly would not have been possible:  City of El Cerrito (through its Arts & Culture Commission);  Rialto Cinemas Cerrito, City of Richmond (through its Arts & Culture Commission);  and our fiscal sponsor, From the Heart Productions.

Mixing & mingling after the premiere.

After the film was over, we had a little social time in a special room in the theater.  We also held a raffle there, which was a great success thanks to the donations of our supporters:  César's Restaurant of Berkeley, Pam Fingado Art of El Cerrito, Pearl Lounge Jewelry Design of San Francisco, Lucy Armentrout of Piedmont, The Spanish Table of Berkeley, Pyramid Brewery of Berkeley, and La Fonda Restaurant of Berkeley.

I should also thank our publicists, Social Lighthouse.

Now, here are some of the comments from the film's viewers:

"...very compelling...."            Natasha Ravnik, Oakland

"Really enjoyed the movie.  Loved the music...."             Luinda Dayak, Bay Point

"Well done and thought provoking.  Brings focus to an issue that needs much more attention."
                    David Rosenberg, Berkeley

"...different from any film I've ever seen."              Lucy Sterba (residence unknown)

"...I gained an appreciation for how hard it must be to edit a film..."              anonymous