la_marquise: (Marquise)
la_marquise ([personal profile] la_marquise) wrote2012-07-05 09:48 pm

Au coeur du Lyon?

We are all, I suppose, getting older. But I, as you may know, am an ageing baggage whose skirts are occasionally Too Short and who will insist on dyeing her hair. (Right now I'm brunette. I felt like a change.) It seems that while I get older in body, I remain frivolous at core (well, at part of my core, anyway).
And in oh-help-just-over-a-week, I have a landmark birthday. A birthday, indeed, that my PhD supervisor once informed me was the beginning of old age. I seem to remember saying 'Bah humbug' to that at the time, and I still think it. But all the same...
The marquis, who as we know is wonderful in almost every possible respect, decided that I should have some kind of special celebration. So he's taking me to Lyon for a long weekend with flowers and champagne and traboules.
Being me, I am particularly excited about the traboules. I've spent the night in Lyon twice, but on neither occasion was there time or opportunity to see the city. I've wanted to see it for many years, since that first visit when I was 14 or 15. And now I'm getting to go. (Eurostar permitting. Those of you who know me well will know I'm a claustrophobe and I'm particularly antsy about tunnels. They catch fire. I know this. I told them so in advance.) We're off tomorrow morning and back late on Sunday. I am taking my posh dress and high heels and, yes, the laptop, because I have a deadline.
I am so looking forward to this. Because, you know, traboules. (And Roman remains and architecture ranging from the 12th to the 19th c. and silk weaving and, well, traboules. Yes, I am a bit fixated on those traboules. I've seen them elsewhere, but these are the really famous ones.)

This means that this year we are not having our usual summer party. (Various people have asked.) We are hoping to have one in the autumn, work permitting.

Skirt of the day: long burgundy silky.
korintomichi: (Default)

[personal profile] korintomichi 2012-07-06 06:12 am (UTC)(link)
Happy birthday. And have a wonderful time.

[identity profile] cmcmck.livejournal.com 2012-07-06 07:09 am (UTC)(link)
From one aging baggage to another then (and yes, my hair is coloured :o) have a hippo birdie in advance. I think I've passed most of the birthdays which could be considered young and am growing middle aged disgracefully- although I haven't started wearing purple yet!

Lyon is a lovely city and trabouling is great fun. Don't miss the statue of St'Ex and le petit Prince down on the lower square- there are a number of nice restaurants down that way too.

[identity profile] http://users.livejournal.com/la_marquise_de_/ 2012-07-06 07:55 am (UTC)(link)
Thank you: I'll look out for them.

[identity profile] coth.livejournal.com 2012-07-06 08:39 am (UTC)(link)
Good for the Marquis. I had to google traboules - but they sound fascinating, so enjoy. And we'll hope for an autumn party.

Happy Birthday!

[identity profile] bellinghwoman.livejournal.com 2012-07-06 09:03 am (UTC)(link)
Happy birthday, and have a great time!

[identity profile] aliettedb.livejournal.com 2012-07-06 09:34 am (UTC)(link)
ooooh, have an awesome time in Lyon! And happy birthday in advance.
In the unlikely event you have some time to kill in Paris, shoot me an email, but I imagine you and the marquis will have a full schedule :)

[identity profile] http://users.livejournal.com/la_marquise_de_/ 2012-07-09 10:30 am (UTC)(link)
Alas, we were in Paris for about 30 mins -- long enough to get from Gare du Nord to Gare de Lyon.
ext_12726: (cup of tea)

[identity profile] heleninwales.livejournal.com 2012-07-06 10:10 am (UTC)(link)
Happy birthday in advance from me too. I had to Google traboules, but they look fascinating. Tunnels and secret ways always have an air of mystery, even if they were totally mundane when built.

[identity profile] a-d-medievalist.livejournal.com 2012-07-06 11:15 am (UTC)(link)
Have a lovely trip, and no, our birthday of this year does not mark us as old. It marks us as no longer being able to pretend we aren't middle-aged!

[identity profile] http://users.livejournal.com/la_marquise_de_/ 2012-07-09 10:31 am (UTC)(link)
I like that idea!

[identity profile] birdsedge.livejournal.com 2012-07-06 01:11 pm (UTC)(link)
How can you be old when you are so much younger than me? Remember: it doesn't matter how old you get as long as you don't grow up.

[identity profile] fidelioscabinet.livejournal.com 2012-07-06 01:30 pm (UTC)(link)
Happy birthday in advance and...
OMG TRABOULES!!!!!!!!

[identity profile] mevennen.livejournal.com 2012-07-06 03:03 pm (UTC)(link)
Have a FANTASTIC time!

[identity profile] barbarienne.livejournal.com 2012-07-06 03:34 pm (UTC)(link)
Speaking strictly as someone who hasn't seen her natural hair color since I was sixteen: If your complexion can work with it, blonde is a great way to hide the gray or silver. As my hair grows out, it just looks as if the blonde streaks go all the way to the roots...

[identity profile] http://users.livejournal.com/la_marquise_de_/ 2012-07-09 10:32 am (UTC)(link)
Alas, I'm sallow, and blonde does not work. I foresee light browns in my future.

[identity profile] dorispossum.livejournal.com 2012-07-06 04:35 pm (UTC)(link)
Happy Birthday! You're still a babe (in both senses of word) from where I'm sitting, and I've not yet given up dying my hair or any other Unsuitable Pursuits. :) Absolutely loved my LB when it happened - and it sounds like you're all set for a fabulous time where you're off to. Have lots of fun! :)

[identity profile] shveta-thakrar.livejournal.com 2012-07-06 05:38 pm (UTC)(link)
But I, as you may know, am an ageing baggage whose skirts are occasionally Too Short and who will insist on dyeing her hair. (Right now I'm brunette. I felt like a change.) It seems that while I get older in body, I remain frivolous at core (well, at part of my core, anyway).

*wild cheers* This is only one reason why you are awesome. :)

The marquis, who as we know is wonderful in almost every possible respect, decided that I should have some kind of special celebration. So he's taking me to Lyon for a long weekend with flowers and champagne and traboules.

And only one reason why he is! I hope you have an absolutely amazing time, and happy birthday in advance.

[identity profile] anef.livejournal.com 2012-07-07 12:07 pm (UTC)(link)
Have a lovely time. I look forward to hearing about it.

[identity profile] helen-lerewth.livejournal.com 2012-07-07 07:56 pm (UTC)(link)
How lovely! Have a great time. And don't you know that seventy is the new fifty? Bin there, past it, still wearing the short skirts, still haven't cut my hair.

[identity profile] http://users.livejournal.com/la_marquise_de_/ 2012-07-09 10:33 am (UTC)(link)
Excellent. (You should never cut your hair: it's fabulous.)

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