More Alleycats, plus 3 side notes

I visited a very trendy/ritzy/expensive boutique in the Marais today, Colette. It is a boutique that I had found references to online about an art exhibit in July dedicated to bicycles, and also that an Alleycat race had started there during the weekend-long festival that was also held that month, coinciding with a bicycle film festival. It took me a while to find the boutique but when I did come across it, I found that it was absolutely packed full of people. There was a new art exhibition opening today and there were photographs displayed all around the store, I later found out that several of the featured artists were present and signing prints and things today. I wandered around looking at the mannequins standing around the store but spent more time looking at the photographs on the walls. I think the theme of the photographs was "people on the street" and the title of the exhibition was "From the Street to the Night."

The store spanned three floors with music and accessories on one level, clothes and shoes on the second floor, a small hideout with lots of men's clothes, and in basement there was a aqua-bar. I didn't venture down into the basement, but I heard that they have something like 40 different flavors of mineral water down there. I wasn't interested in the expensive clothes or special water, but I spent a good deal of time looking at the photographs and wondering what I might find out about the Alleycat race. I found a section of the store that didn't have any merchandise in it- only pictures displayed. There was a desk with a woman sitting at it and I was unsure if I was allowed to enter that section of the store, but I went up the stairs and started looking at the photographs when the woman approached me. She was very friendly and started talking to me about the new exhibition. She gave me a program for all of the photographs and told me about the artists who were signing things and told me that if I had any other questions, I should feel free to ask her. She must have known that I wasn't there to shop.

I looked around at the photographs in her area and after a few minutes, decided to inquire more about the bicycle art exhibition. This conversation led to talking about the introduction of Vélibs to Paris and how although bicycles are becoming more widely used, they still aren't terribly popular... other articles I've read about bicycles in Paris seem to suggest otherwise, but that was the gist of our conversation. I finally asked her about the Alleycat race that happened and if they happened regularly in Paris. At first she told me no, but then gave me a look and told me that I might be able to find out more about them by going to this other place nearby and asking there. She seemed kind of sly about it and mentioned something about the organizers trying to keep it secret, but she gave me the name of the location and directions to get there, wishing me luck on finding Alleycats in Paris.

I am really not sure what the level of secrecy is concerning these Alleycats she was telling me about, so for now I will withhold the name of the location where I went to continue my search. By piecing together my clues, I'm sure anyone would be able to find out about them on their own too. I followed her directions and turned down this tiny street with no traffic or visible shops and found the location I thought she was referring to. It was locked up for the day and didn't have the same name she had given to me, but the directions made sense and I figured that it could be the right place if I came back during the week.

There was a small used book store across the street from my mystery location and I poked my head inside asking if the business across the street involved bicycling and when they were open. The man working at the bookstore verified that I had found the right location and asked me why I was trying to go there and I hesitantly explained to him that I was interested in Alleycat races, not knowing if it was okay for me to share this information with him (secret Alleycat race!!!). He told me that he was friends with the people across the street and that I could write them a note and leave it on their doorstep or he could deliver the note during regular business hours. It all seemed very sneaky and I couldn't resist. While I was writing the note which simply said, "HALDEMAN, Rebecca. Student, bicycle enthusiast. Interested in Alleycats. rebhal87@gmail.com." he went on a long one-sided debate about American politics (he knew I was American) and it was very difficult to leave. I gave him the note and apologized for the decisions of my country's government and wished him a good day, with the hopes of perhaps hearing back from this mysterious Alleycat organizing club.


Although most of this post is dominated by my quest to find Alleycats, a few more things to note:

-The dance performance I went to tonight was very strange. A sod-covered stage that moved by balloons inflating under it, 9 dancers that all moved in unison, chaotic music that played at random intervals during the performance... I wasn't entirely sure what to think about it and my host mom wasn't too impressed, but I'm glad I got to go and experience a new kind of entertainment.

-I made the GateauSport tonight (SportCake) and will give it a try tomorrow... Although I took a wild guess at the recipe since the directions on the box were very unclear, it smelled fine when cooking and when I stuck a knife in the middle, the knife came out clean. Hopefully it will work?

-I visited another bike shop today in the Marais that is very nice- new road bikes and commuter bikes and even a foldable mountain bike. I'm very excited to continue compiling a list of places to take my tikit once it arrives.

I think that's it for the night.
with love,
from Paris,
Rebecca