Ditas 60th Birthday at Le Moulin de la Gallette Restaurant in Paris, France

I am getting old. My youngest daughter, Ditas Macrine Katague turned 60 years old yesterday. 

Carenna treated her Mom's 60th Birthday Dinner at Le Moulin de la Galette Restaurant💚 This is the  Famous restaurant where the Renoir painting was painted.  Here's a short video of this world famous restaurant in Paris, France,

https://youtu.be/da7Jdh078fw

From L to R: Carenna, Ditas, Yuka Maeda (first cousin) and Kiko Lenio( best friend) in front of the Restaurant.   

The Painting:  Bal du moulin de la Galette (commonly known as Dance at Le moulin de la Galette) is an 1876 painting by French artist Pierre-Auguste Renoir.

It is housed at the Musée d'Orsay in Paris and is one of Impressionism's most celebrated masterpieces. The painting depicts a typical Sunday afternoon at the original Moulin de la Galette in the district of Montmartre in Paris. In the late 19th century, working-class Parisians would dress up and spend time there dancing, drinking, and eating galettesinto the evening. Like other works of Renoir's early maturity, Bal du moulin de la Galette is a typically Impressionist snapshot of real life. It shows a richness of form, a fluidity of brush stroke, and a flickering, sun-dappled light.

From 1879-94 the painting was in the collection of the French painter Gustave Caillebotte; when he died it became the property of the French Republic as payment for death duties. From 1896-1929 the painting hung in the Musée du Luxembourg in Paris. From 1929 it hung in the Louvre until it was transferred to the Musée d'Orsay in 1986.

Here are some photos taken during Ditas 60th Birthday Dinner and Vacation in Paris, France, March 16 to 25, 2025.   March 23 is Ditas 60th Birthday.  

Here's are Ditas three videos of the Dinner and Celebration and sight seeing in Paris and vicinity

https://www.facebook.com/reel/3838755243102780

https://www.facebook.com/reel/546715627933418

https://www.facebook.com/reel/653335870964455

Meanwhile, Did you Know that....... 

Lastly,  here's my Poem of the Day -Keep Me Fiercely Kind!

💚https://www.moulindelagaletteparis.com/

Le Moulin de la Galette est un restaurant emblématique situé au cœur du quartier historique de Montmartre, à seulement quelques pas du Sacré-Cœur et de la célèbre Place du Tertre, dans le 18ᵉ arrondissement de Paris.

Ce lieu chargé d’histoire incarne l'esprit convivial et festif des guinguettes d'autrefois, parfaitement en harmonie avec son riche passé et son environnement pittoresque. Un véritable havre de vie où tradition et authenticité se rencontrent pour offrir une expérience inoubliable..

Personal Note: I know of several THD residents who have either travelled or resided in France during their younger years. I will be delighted to hear of your experience traveling or residing in  France. France is the most visited by tourist in the world. 

A Well-Attended THD Activity- Belly Dancing ( Moroccan Night)

Last Thursday night ( March 20), a well-attended ( enthusiastic audience as well) THD activity featured a belly dancer, Nicole Maria.💚   The Lobby was overflowing with a very appreciative audience including myself. 💚(https://www.bellydancewalnutcreek.com/)

Belly Dancing is not new to me. During my younger married years, My wife, Macrine ( RIP) took belly dancing lessons as part of her exercise activity to lose weight after the birth of our youngest daughter. She took the class for 6 months and was able to gain back her girlish figure.  The Health benefits of Belly Dancing is discussed as follows:     

Belly dance is a low-impact, weight-bearing exercise and is thus suitable for all ages and levels of fitness. Many of the moves involve isolations, which improves flexibility of the torso. Belly dance moves are beneficial to the spine, as the full-body undulation moves lengthen (decompress) and strengthen the entire column of spinal and abdominal muscles in a gentle way.

Dancing with a veil can help build strength in the upper body, arm and shoulders. Playing the finger cymbals (sagat/zills) trains fingers to work independently and builds strength. The legs and long muscles of the back are strengthened by hip movements. 

I took some pictures during this activity and very happy to share it with you.

Here's a short information on the history of Belly Dancing from Wikipedia 

Belly dance (Arabic: رقص شرقي, romanized: Raqs sharqi, lit. 'oriental dance') is a Middle Eastern dance^[ that originated in Egypt, which features movements of the hips and torso. A Western-coined exonym, it is also referred to as Middle Eastern dance or Arabic dance. It has evolved to take many different forms depending on the country and region, both in costume and dance style; with the styles and costumes of Egypt being the most recognized worldwide due to Egyptian cinema. Belly dancing in its various forms and styles is popular across the globe where it is taught by a multitude of schools of dance.

Belly dance is primarily a torso-driven dance, with an emphasis on articulations of the hips. Unlike many Western dance forms, the focus of the dance is on isolations of the torso muscles, rather than on movements of the limbs through space. Although some of these isolations appear similar to the isolations used in jazz ballet, they are sometimes driven differently and have a different feeling or emphasis. For Details read:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belly_dance

Meanwhile, here's a photo of Filoli Gardens in Woodside that is in THD Schedule of Activity for March 26.  

Lastly, Did you now that....

In 1983, First Lady Imelda Marcos went on a legendary $5 million shopping spree in just one day during a trip to New York and Europe! She reportedly splurged on luxury jewelry, designer clothes, and fine art, all while millions of Filipinos lived in poverty.

Shocking fact? She once bought an entire building in Manhattan on a whim and even sent an assistant to buy the world's most expensive perfume—because she liked the bottle!

Her lavish lifestyle became a global scandal, cementing her reputation as the "Iron Butterfly" with a taste for luxury.

Personal Note: Sound Boards ( Circular) have been installed in Newton's Restaurant. They look very modern and beautiful. They seemed to work during dinner time in the First Seating. Thank You, THD Management for this improvement. I remember very well the first time I suggested this in my blogs.

 https://theintellectualmigrants.blogspot.com/2024/07/newtons-restaurant-noise-and-its-health.html

https://chateaudumer.blogspot.com/2024/09/newtons-renovation-redecoration-and.html

https://chateaudumer.blogspot.com/2024/02/suggestions-for-improvement-on-quality.html

If you are assigned in the 2nd Seating, I like to know if the newly installed circular sound boards have helped diminish the noise levels in Newton's. Your response will be highly appreciated. 

Excerpts 19 and 20 from Dodie's Book- The Cloyne Court- A Repost

The other day, I had guest in my Apartment. Dodie's (my son) book Cloyne Court  was on display on my coffee table. My guest saw the book and asked a lot of questions about the book. I told her it's my son's first novel about his dorm life at UC Berkeley during his college years ( 1970's). I told her it's available in Amazon.    https://www.amazon.com/Cloyne-Court-Dodie-Katague/dp/0981955339

Another reason why I am reposting this post- One of my loyal readers here at THD asked me the other day, what am I doing to be able to write diverse and interesting articles daily. I told her a lot of reading and inspiration from readers like her. This posting is another example of the diverse and interesting articles in my blog. Let me know if you agree or disagree!    

Cloyne Court- Excerpts 19 and 20 by Dodie Katague

Dick Fine-Photo from touristseason.tumblr.com

Cloyne Court, Episode 19
By Dodie Katague 
Wednesday, November 11, 2009 
Rated "R" by the Author. 

Cloyne Court, Berkeley, California in the late 1970s.

Months later, as I became friendly with the people in the house, Lorna, who did have a slight mustache and a deviating left eye and buckteeth, recounted her date. "A lot of women in the house said I should ask him out. They assured me that Dick wouldn't say no. They told me he was an experience I shouldn't miss. I'll never do that again."

"You were disappointed?"

"Not at all. It was earth shattering, but he was enormous. I couldn't fit it all in."1] She sighed. "At least I can say I rode the big one."

I didn’t like showering when Dick Fine was there, because I knew the women, and some men, were looking at him, then looking at me, and looking back at him and making a mental comparison. It was a low blow to self-esteem. The downside of showering in a unisex shower was just as I could see women in their birthday suits, they could see me naked and think the same things I was thinking about them. How humbling. I was a typical young man with average everything and the law of averages meant nobody was ever going to take an interest in me because of my body.

The shower room was not the sexual playroom it could have been. First, there were too many people going in and out to give any couple or group sex any privacy; second, the militant feminists wouldn’t have permitted it. The shower room was supposed to be a safe, nonsexist, utilitarian place to wash. With some private exceptions, it was.

The co-ed shower idea was supposed to be the epitome of an egalitarian ideal that nakedness should have no sexual overtones. When the unisex shower proposal was introduced at a house meeting, the feminist women supported it. Guilt and shame over the naked human body were religious indoctrinations that had no place in the free exchange of new ideas and social theories, as we were to discover at Berkeley.

However, it is not easy teaching an old dick new tricks. My little William and I would learn the hard way from experience.

As I quickly showered, dried and dressed, the blood rushed back to my brain saving me from embarrassment. I grabbed my books and ran down the back steps toward the campus. Once I crossed Hearst Street to the university, I had gone from Venus to Mars in my little galaxy that I now called home.
_______________________________________

Cloyne Court, Episode 20
By Dodie Katague 
Wednesday, November 18, 2009 
Rated "R" by the Author. 

Cloyne Court, Berkeley, California in the late 1970s.

Rhetoric 1A: Intro to Logical Writing

Rhetoric is the difference between rape and seduction. It is the ancient art of logical argumentation and discourse for decisions that are decided by emotion. I chose to study this subject over English, because I felt persuasive writing was of more practical use to me than the study of Jane Austen.

Graduate Teaching Assistant Ms. Barbara Zimmer taught this small class of twenty. She was feminine in her brusque manner, but a feminist in all other respects. She exuded the same attitude of Berkeley graduate students forced to be teaching assistants. She was a “there’s-only-one-correct-answer, do-it-my-way, why-do-I-bother-teaching-undergrads” dictator with the power of my future in her grading pencil, and she wielded it like an old-style Catholic nun with a ruler. Whack!

The assigned reading was Virginia Woolf’s essay, A Room of One’s Own, a selection from the class textbook, The Feminist Reader: A Feminist Approach to American Fiction.

Ms. Barbara taught Woolf's Room as if it were a landmark in feminist criticism. Like Mao’s Little Red Book, she disseminated to our blank freshman minds the revisionist view of Marxism, lesbianism and modern feminism.

“Men have different degrees of access to the mechanisms of oppression,” she said. 

“Almost every man and woman encounter has sexual overtones designed to reinforce the sexual dominance of men.”

I dutifully wrote the statement in my notebook. I didn't know when the quote might come in handy at some cocktail party.

Ms. Barbara walked down the rows of chairs glaring at the men but gently touching the desks, and sometimes the shoulders of the women students as she continued to pontificate. “Men are socialized to have sexual desires and to feel entitled to have those desires met, whereas women are socialized to meet those desires and to internalize accepted definitions of femininity and sexual objectification. As men cling to the idea that their sexuality is an absolute expression of their need and dominance, they prevent women from effecting new attitudes, self-realizations, and behaviors.”

I translated that to, "Men are horny bastards and women let it happen to their detriment." Perhaps, from the top of the ivory tower, Ms. Graduate Student Barbara’s view of the sexual battlefield had the masculine missiles of October menacingly pointed at the feminist motherland, but she was wrong.

I knew from watching my parent’s marriage and the male-female interactions at Cloyne Court, that women actually run society but let men think they do.

However, I could never state that blasphemy in Rhetoric 1A. My viewpoint would not be given any credence in her classroom, because I had a Y chromosome. Therefore, I suffered in silence at the indignity of learning that I, as a man, was the oppressor of women, the cause of famines in underdeveloped Third World countries, and the inventor of hot pants and disco music done under aegis of politically correct scholarly dogma.
_____________________________________________________
This episode is based on a true story.

Do you find this posting Diverse and Interesting?  I love to hear from you!!!

Lastly, here are some photos of Ditas and Carenna in France taken just recently.

Today is National Rosie the Riveter Day- Tour is Another Worthwhile THD Activity

Today, Friday, March 21 is National Rosie the Riveter Day.   Wear your Rosie attire in Celebration of National Rosie the Riveter Day! Be sure to tag. #WomensHistoryMonth.

THD Rosie the Riveter Tour was scheduled last Wednesday, March 19. I originally signed for the tour.  I thought there will be a lot of walking, so I cancelled.  I heard from THD Attendees that the tour was a very informative and worthwhile specially for World WarII enthusiasts/veterans. 

 I did a little search on the subject as well as the Rosie the Riveter Visitor Education Center located in the historic Ford Assembly Plant in Richmond, CA.💚    Here's what I learned,   

Rosie the Riveter is an allegorical cultural icon in the United States who represents the women who worked in factories and shipyards during World War II, many of whom produced munitions and war supplies. These women sometimes took entirely new jobs replacing the male workers who joined the military. She is widely recognized in the "We Can Do It!" poster as a symbol of American feminism and women's economic advantage. Similar images of women war workers appeared in other countries such as Britain and Australia. The idea of Rosie the Riveter originated in a song written in 1942 by Redd Evans and John Jacob Loeb. Images of women workers were widespread in the media in formats such as government posters, and commercial advertising was heavily used by the government to encourage women to volunteer for wartime service in factories. Rosie the Riveter became the subject and title of a Hollywood film in 1944.(From Wikipedia)

Rosie the Riveter and the Women Who Changed History

During World War II, the iconic figure of "Rosie the Riveter" emerged as a symbol of women’s vital contributions to the Home Front. As millions of men left for military service, women filled critical roles in factories, shipyards, and beyond—riveting, welding, and assembling the tools of war. For many, this was their first time stepping into jobs traditionally held by men, reshaping societal perceptions of what women could achieve.

Rosie’s story traces its roots to a 1942 song celebrating the fictional factory worker Rosie, a patriotic and industrious figure who embodied the collective effort of these women. Visual representations soon followed, with J. Howard Miller’s "We Can Do It!" poster for Westinghouse Electric being one of the most enduring. Though initially a workplace morale booster, the poster gained fame in the 1980s as a feminist icon. Norman Rockwell’s 1943 depiction of Rosie on the cover of The Saturday Evening Post offered another interpretation, showing a strong, confident woman wielding a rivet gun with an American flag backdrop.

Breaking Boundaries

Before WWII, women were largely confined to domestic roles or jobs considered "feminine," such as teaching or clerical work. Wartime necessity shattered these boundaries, demonstrating women’s capability in skilled, technical fields. While many returned to traditional roles after the war, the experience planted seeds of change. Women had proven their value in the workforce, and the demand for workplace equality grew louder in the decades that followed.

An Icon for Generations

Rosie’s impact extended well beyond the war years. Her image became a rallying cry for the women’s rights movements of the 1960s and 1970s, inspiring legislation like the Equal Pay Act of 1963 and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Today, Rosie continues to inspire advocacy for gender equality and representation in fields like science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).

At Rosie the Riveter/WWII Home Front National Historical Park, visitors can learn about the real women behind the symbol—those who balanced hard labor with family responsibilities, all while contributing to the war effort. Their stories remind us of the profound impact individuals can have when given the opportunity.

Rosie’s legacy isn’t just about breaking barriers; it’s about showing what’s possible. Her enduring message of "We Can Do It!" continues to encourage people to challenge limitations, pursue their ambitions, and work toward a more equitable future.

https://www.nps.gov/rori/learn/historyculture/who-was-rosie-the-riveter.htm

Who is Rosie the Riveter in real life?

For three decades, Geraldine Hoff Doyle was widely acknowledged as the inspiration behind Rosie the Riveter. However, an investigation conducted in the 2000s revealed that Naomi Parker Fraley, who worked at the Naval Air Station in Alameda, California, was the true inspiration behind the image.

Two Photos of the Richmond Rosie the Riveter Education Center, Richmond, CA

💚For Details visit:https://www.nps.gov/rori/planyourvisit/directions.htm

Meanwhile Did You Know that... 

Chinampas were so efficient that some still exist in Xochimilco, Mexico, today—though they’re used more for tourism than farming! The Aztecs mastered farming with chinampas, artificial islands made of mud and reeds, floating on lakes. These self-watering farms could produce up to seven harvests a year, far outpacing many modern methods. This innovation helped sustain Tenochtitlán, a city of 200,000+ people, making it one of the most advanced urban centers of its time!

Lastly Did you Know that....

Memory Problems, Forgetfulness, and Aging

The other day ( Tuesday) I was supposed to play Ladder Ball at 11AM. I was so busy updating and writing my blogs, I completely forgot about it.  I have been doing this 11AM activity every Tuesday for the last 18 months here at THD. This was the first time, I forgot an activity that I really enjoy.   So, is this normal? Three THD residents saw me picking up my lunch at noon that day and they asked what happened. I was honest and told them I forgot.  One of the residents said if she knows, she might have call to remind me. I would have not mind it, if I got that call. 

If you are reading this blog and resides in THD, I will not mind if you call me between 10:30AM to 10:45 AM on Tuesdays to remind me of the 11AM activity of Chair Volleyball, Corn Hole and Ladder Ball.  This episode inspired to so some search an Aging and Forgetfulness.

Here's what I learned:   

Memory changes with age: As people grow older, changes occur in all parts of the body, including the brain. As a result, some people notice that they don’t remember information as well as they once did and aren’t able to recall it as quickly. They may also occasionally misplace things or forget to pay a bill. These usually are signs of mild forgetfulness, not a serious memory problem.

It’s normal to forget things once in a while at any age, but serious memory problems make it hard to do everyday things such as driving, using the phone, and finding the way home.

Signs that it might be time to talk with a doctor include:

• Asking the same questions over and over again
• Getting lost in places you used to know well
• Having trouble following recipes or directions
• Becoming more confused about time, people, and places
• Not taking care of yourself — eating poorly, not bathing, or behaving unsafely

It's normal to experience occasional forgetfulness as you age, with many people noticing these memory lapses starting in their 40s or 50s, but these should not be confused with dementia. 

Here's a more detailed explanation:

• Normal Aging vs. Memory Impairment:

  • Normal Aging: Includes becoming a little more forgetful, taking a bit longer to remember things, getting distracted more easily, and finding it harder to do several things at once. 
  • Dementia: Dementia is a group of symptoms caused by brain damage, and is not a normal part of aging. 
• Age-Related Memory Loss:

  • After age 50, it's common to have trouble remembering the names of people, places, and things quickly. 
  • Occasional memory lapses are a normal part of aging, but if they become frequent or interfere with daily life, it's important to seek medical advice. 
• Signs of Normal Aging:

  • Forgetting the names of people you don't know well. 
  • Difficulty taking in new information. 
  • Misplacing items. 
  • Missing appointments or birthdays. 
  • Struggling with new technology. 
  • Taking longer to think things through. 
• When to Seek Medical Advice:

  • If memory loss is causing significant disruption to your daily life. 
  • If you are experiencing memory loss in addition to cognitive changes, such as thinking or reasoning skills. 
  • If you are concerned about your memory or notice a pattern of memory problems. 
    
    
    

Meanwhile, here's my Food for Thought for Today!

Lastly, here's my word for today!

Personal Note: Today is also the Spring Equinox