This is the actual multi-day museum pass Frugal Scholar was referring to in her comment on my post on Musee D'Orsay this week.
I was simply suggesting you buy your tickets for the Musee D'Orsay on-line prior to the day you go, but she is right: the Museum Pass (which I have never used, fyi) does seem a great deal for the money: 4 days for 56euro? I think I'll buy one this summer when I am in Paris only for that short stay.
Researching the site further, I realize why I never bought one before: you can either have it shipped to you (for an additional cost, which lessens the economical appeal) ....or pick it up when arriving in Paris, on rue des Pyramids for free. Or buy it in the CDG airport, or FNAC outlets.
Okay, it's sounding better and easier.
Given that the pass includes entry to the Musee D'Orsay, the Musee national de l'Orangerie, the Musee Cluny (medieval art and culture), the Louvre, the Musee Rodin, and the Musees des arts decoratifs, when it costs me 16euro alone for the first two sites... and it will get me in without waiting on lines... and I'll have paid for all of my entries upfront and never have to worry/open my wallet again, this seems a worthwhile purchase.
It also means that I'll be bound and determined to get to at least 4-5 museums during my five-day stay, no matter what.
Showing posts with label exhibitions and art. Show all posts
Showing posts with label exhibitions and art. Show all posts
Sunday, March 16, 2014
Friday, January 18, 2013
2013 Resolution Bunch #3: Creative Life
Creative Life: writing, style, photographs and painting, new ideas and making them into something tangible. Primarily, for me this refers to my work as a writer and academic and teacher, but I believe creativity extends into all areas of life.
In 2013, I plan to stimulate my creative spark every month into a new project, as well as make collaborations with other creative people. This worked very well last year, mostly in the area of teaching.
But I need new projects, too -- like taking up photography again and getting back to sewing.
Resolutions 2013:
In 2013, I plan to stimulate my creative spark every month into a new project, as well as make collaborations with other creative people. This worked very well last year, mostly in the area of teaching.
But I need new projects, too -- like taking up photography again and getting back to sewing.
Resolutions 2013:
- Finish one new play and have a draft reading.
- Finish three new novels and get them in the publishing pipeline.
- Buy a new camera.
- Set out a local photo project.
- Print and frame three photos from Paris.
- Blog consistently, keeping content fresh.
- Take sewing class.
- Set out photo & blog project for London in June.
Friday, June 8, 2012
If I were in Paris... Friday, June 8, 2012
I AM in Paris!
Yesterday was another day of writing in the apartment. The view makes everything worthwhile and I am very pleased with my output.
Then, late in the day, I went here:
To see this Matisse exhibit.
The focus is on a lifelong habit by the artist of making two, three, four, or more versions of the same view or subject at the same time. The exhibition puts the different versions side-by-side for comparison. Most striking are the three versions of Pont Saint-Michael in Paris: one is a very Monet-like view, one seems an imcomplete Gauguin-like rendering, and the final one reminded me of a very colorful early Kandinsky. Amazing that all three were done in the same year, of the same subject, by the same artist using completely different styles, color pallates, painting techniques.
The exhibition was beautifully done, too, with the works on big, white walls and in large rooms, so the crowds seemed minimal. Delightful to walk around, see the work, then go eat dinner in a cafe at Chatelet. My favorite cafe there, Ma Vieux Chatelet, is apparently under construction, so we went to the Cafe Sarah Bernhardt across the place. Just as good, although my chicken was a skinny one.
The Pompidou cener is also having a retrospective of Gerhard Richter, so I'll be going back there this stop for that exhibit. Richter is simply brilliant.
On the way to the exhibition, I stopped at Mariage Freres and bought myself some tea: Casablanca, a green tea with mint, and Nil Rouge, a red tea with citus and spices. This is only my first stop: I ahve more tea to buy as gifts and for myself.
Big plans today? Finish the section of the manuscript I am engaged with, eat lunch at the little cafe down the block, buy more coffee capsules, walk up to Sacre Coeur, start rewriting the next section. A simple day.
Yesterday was another day of writing in the apartment. The view makes everything worthwhile and I am very pleased with my output.
Then, late in the day, I went here:
To see this Matisse exhibit.
The focus is on a lifelong habit by the artist of making two, three, four, or more versions of the same view or subject at the same time. The exhibition puts the different versions side-by-side for comparison. Most striking are the three versions of Pont Saint-Michael in Paris: one is a very Monet-like view, one seems an imcomplete Gauguin-like rendering, and the final one reminded me of a very colorful early Kandinsky. Amazing that all three were done in the same year, of the same subject, by the same artist using completely different styles, color pallates, painting techniques.
The exhibition was beautifully done, too, with the works on big, white walls and in large rooms, so the crowds seemed minimal. Delightful to walk around, see the work, then go eat dinner in a cafe at Chatelet. My favorite cafe there, Ma Vieux Chatelet, is apparently under construction, so we went to the Cafe Sarah Bernhardt across the place. Just as good, although my chicken was a skinny one.
The Pompidou cener is also having a retrospective of Gerhard Richter, so I'll be going back there this stop for that exhibit. Richter is simply brilliant.
On the way to the exhibition, I stopped at Mariage Freres and bought myself some tea: Casablanca, a green tea with mint, and Nil Rouge, a red tea with citus and spices. This is only my first stop: I ahve more tea to buy as gifts and for myself.
Big plans today? Finish the section of the manuscript I am engaged with, eat lunch at the little cafe down the block, buy more coffee capsules, walk up to Sacre Coeur, start rewriting the next section. A simple day.
Friday, March 30, 2012
If I were in Paris... March 30, 2012
Supremely cool, the season of tourist exhibitions intended to blow out visitors' minds has begun. Right now, for instance, you can see the following exhibitions:
Oh, and tonight or tomorrow, Go see the Ballet of the National Opera of Paris dancing to Jerome Robbins' choreography for "Dances at a Gathering." That's at the Opera Garnier. Of course, you can also go to The Merry Widow at the Opera Garnier in a new staging of this delightful operetta.
Or tomorrow go to a concert of medieval music and Gregorian chant and Greg at Notre Dame de Paris in the afternoon, part of a concert series about Lent.
I think that's enough for now. Get out, go see, enjoy.
- Debussy, art and music: Musee de l'Orangerie, through June 11
- Louis Vuitton, Marc Jacobs: Les Arts Decoratifs, through September 16
- Ricard: again, Les Arts Decoratifs, through August 26
- Jews in Orientalism: Musee d'art et d'histoire de Judaisme through July 8, an exhibition on the perception of the Jew as an "Oriental" figure in art and history of the 19th century
- Matisse: a huge exhibition at the Centre Pompidou
- Degas and the Nude: the first major exhibition of the works by Degas in Paris in 24 years. Musee d'Orsay, through July 1
- Artemisia: Musee Maillol, through July 15; an exhibition of the works of Renaisance female artist Artemisia Gentileschi
- Rain: Musee du quai Branly, through May 13
- Twilight of the Pharoahs: Musee Jacquemart-Andre, through July 23
Oh, and tonight or tomorrow, Go see the Ballet of the National Opera of Paris dancing to Jerome Robbins' choreography for "Dances at a Gathering." That's at the Opera Garnier. Of course, you can also go to The Merry Widow at the Opera Garnier in a new staging of this delightful operetta.
Or tomorrow go to a concert of medieval music and Gregorian chant and Greg at Notre Dame de Paris in the afternoon, part of a concert series about Lent.
I think that's enough for now. Get out, go see, enjoy.
Friday, March 2, 2012
If I were in Paris... Friday, March 2, 2012
This seems like a good week to go walking on the Left Bank.
Over in the 5th arrondissment, at the Musee Cluny, there is an exhibition that closes Monday, 3.5, on Gaston Febus. The Cluny is another of the small, brilliant museums scattered throughout Paris; this one focuses on medieval life--and if you think you'll be bored, you're very wrong.
Febus -- or the very first self-named "Sun King" -- was a medieval lord of some skill, but also an early man of letters. A writer and bibliophile, the Cluny has a number of his illiminated manuscripts on view, as well as documents and other artifacts of his earl court and fascinating medieval rule.
The Cluny has an excellent bookstore and is best visited now, during cool weather. The museum also includes the foundations and remains of a Roman bath, again demonstrating not only how old the city is, but how many, many layers of history and living have occurred in this one, small urban space. The museum is housed in a medieval hotel, which is also worth seeing.
Then one might stop for a cup of coffee and some people watching along the Boulevard St. Michel, and continue to the Musee Rodin, where there is an unusual exhibition, "Capturing the Model." On view are 300 drawings by Rodin -- better known as a sculptor -- combined with a series of paintings by Paul-Armand Gette, based on his 40-year study of the female body; the Gette exhibition is titled "Artemis and her Nymphs." Both exhibitions run through April 1.
The Rodin museum is of course in Rodin's home. One can walk through the grounds, and although June is the prime time to visit the museum for this purpose -- when the many, many rose bushes are in full blossom, with Rodin's sculptures scattered throughout the grounds -- the opportunity to see the house, sculptures, and grounds is fantastic any time. Additionally, there is a much better cafe now than when I first visited this site, 25 years ago.
Over in the 5th arrondissment, at the Musee Cluny, there is an exhibition that closes Monday, 3.5, on Gaston Febus. The Cluny is another of the small, brilliant museums scattered throughout Paris; this one focuses on medieval life--and if you think you'll be bored, you're very wrong.
Febus -- or the very first self-named "Sun King" -- was a medieval lord of some skill, but also an early man of letters. A writer and bibliophile, the Cluny has a number of his illiminated manuscripts on view, as well as documents and other artifacts of his earl court and fascinating medieval rule.
The Cluny has an excellent bookstore and is best visited now, during cool weather. The museum also includes the foundations and remains of a Roman bath, again demonstrating not only how old the city is, but how many, many layers of history and living have occurred in this one, small urban space. The museum is housed in a medieval hotel, which is also worth seeing.
Then one might stop for a cup of coffee and some people watching along the Boulevard St. Michel, and continue to the Musee Rodin, where there is an unusual exhibition, "Capturing the Model." On view are 300 drawings by Rodin -- better known as a sculptor -- combined with a series of paintings by Paul-Armand Gette, based on his 40-year study of the female body; the Gette exhibition is titled "Artemis and her Nymphs." Both exhibitions run through April 1.
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| The front of Rodin's museum... note roses |
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| Interior staircase |
Friday, February 24, 2012
If I were in Paris... Friday, February 24, 2012
The temperatures hover in the 50s and the sky is overcast... it's still officially wintery in Paris.
Les Arts Decoratifs--one of my favorite museums, for obvious reasons, is holding an exhibit on Jean-Pul Goude, called "Goudelamion." I don't know Goude, but any exhibition that includes images, television, film, photography, and pop culture (to put it crudely) sounds promising. Goude is apparently a stylemaker, a stylist of images in advertising, music, and culture. Cool, man. The exhibition inclues material from 40 years of his work (check out the Diaporama).
The same museum just opened an exhibition on "Trompe-l'oeil" which I would definitely find fascinating. "Trompe-l'oeil" refers to images or illusions meant to fool the eye in one way or another: to create a 3-D image in a 2-D space, for example. I love it from the Baroque, especially, when the art of illusion was meant to fool the eye and please the mind, in paintings, murals, architecture, etc. The Diaporama shows the pieces of the exhibition, plus a little about them.
After that, stroll up the Avenue de l'Opera to the Opera Garnier and see their exhibit on Massenet, the great 19th-century composer. 2012 is the centennial of his death, and through mid-May, the exhibit celebrates the composer's life and work, which were extremely popular in Belle Epoque France.
Then, because you should, go across to the Galeries Lafayette and have a light snack or lunch in their cafe, overlooking the rear of the Opera Garnier (I know I've mentioned this eatery before!). The food is relatively inexpensive, the food is well-cooked and the choice is staggering (even for fussy teens), and the view is breathtaking. Go upstairs to the outside viewing deck before you eat and photograph the city--then come back downstairs and relax for a little bit. I eat here consistently because of the food, the prices, the view, and--afterwards--the chance to buy souvenirs in the G-L couveinir stores. They sell Kumi tea, excellent t-shirts, jewelry, and all sorts of trinkets for friends, family, and loved ones who don't need the regular souvenir fare, but something that won't break the bank, is fun, and discreetly screams "Paris." I've bought myself and others inexpensive charm bracelets with the Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, and other little silvery charms; the bracelets are cute and classy but obviously not Tiffany's. Perfect!
Over the weekend, there is something that might be quite delightful. On Sunday, the Theatre des Champs-Elysees is performing Berlioz's Romeo et Juliette, a "dramatic symphony" with 3 actors singing the roles of the play to Berlioz's composition. With the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, the BBC Symphony Chorus and the Schuola Cantorum of Oxford.
Les Arts Decoratifs--one of my favorite museums, for obvious reasons, is holding an exhibit on Jean-Pul Goude, called "Goudelamion." I don't know Goude, but any exhibition that includes images, television, film, photography, and pop culture (to put it crudely) sounds promising. Goude is apparently a stylemaker, a stylist of images in advertising, music, and culture. Cool, man. The exhibition inclues material from 40 years of his work (check out the Diaporama).
The same museum just opened an exhibition on "Trompe-l'oeil" which I would definitely find fascinating. "Trompe-l'oeil" refers to images or illusions meant to fool the eye in one way or another: to create a 3-D image in a 2-D space, for example. I love it from the Baroque, especially, when the art of illusion was meant to fool the eye and please the mind, in paintings, murals, architecture, etc. The Diaporama shows the pieces of the exhibition, plus a little about them.
 |
| Trompe-l'oeil in action |
After that, stroll up the Avenue de l'Opera to the Opera Garnier and see their exhibit on Massenet, the great 19th-century composer. 2012 is the centennial of his death, and through mid-May, the exhibit celebrates the composer's life and work, which were extremely popular in Belle Epoque France.
Then, because you should, go across to the Galeries Lafayette and have a light snack or lunch in their cafe, overlooking the rear of the Opera Garnier (I know I've mentioned this eatery before!). The food is relatively inexpensive, the food is well-cooked and the choice is staggering (even for fussy teens), and the view is breathtaking. Go upstairs to the outside viewing deck before you eat and photograph the city--then come back downstairs and relax for a little bit. I eat here consistently because of the food, the prices, the view, and--afterwards--the chance to buy souvenirs in the G-L couveinir stores. They sell Kumi tea, excellent t-shirts, jewelry, and all sorts of trinkets for friends, family, and loved ones who don't need the regular souvenir fare, but something that won't break the bank, is fun, and discreetly screams "Paris." I've bought myself and others inexpensive charm bracelets with the Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, and other little silvery charms; the bracelets are cute and classy but obviously not Tiffany's. Perfect!
Over the weekend, there is something that might be quite delightful. On Sunday, the Theatre des Champs-Elysees is performing Berlioz's Romeo et Juliette, a "dramatic symphony" with 3 actors singing the roles of the play to Berlioz's composition. With the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, the BBC Symphony Chorus and the Schuola Cantorum of Oxford.
Friday, July 15, 2011
If I was in Paris... July 15, 2011
I'd definitely enjoy the clean-up from Bastille Day celebrations, which is undoubtedly going on all over the city. And with the temperatures only at 79 degrees and sunny, it would be a beautiful day to take the train to Versailles and enjoy the gardens.
Versailles is a wonderful day trip, but you do have to plan carefully in order to miss the hoardes of tourists who go there every day during warm weather.
A couple of serious pieces of advice:
reserve/buy your ticket on line a day or more ahead of time, including printing it out;
the chateau opens at 9 am: get there before it opens, by taking an early train from Paris and a picnic breakfast; plan to arrive by 8:30, at least;
the gardens open earlier and stay open later... go after you've seen the chateau.
If this is your first visit, buy the ticket for the general chateau (des Grands Appartments,15 euros), which includes all the public rooms in the main building, including the Hall of Mirrors. If you go on a not-so-busy-day that will take you about 90-120 minutes, unless you simply cannot stand the crowds or get caught in them.
After that, you must make a choice.
I would suggest the tour of the private rooms including the Chapel/Theatre for an English-language tour (and these ONLY go at 930 am daily) which take you to the royal apartments of Louis XV, the Chapel, and the Opera in a guided tour. If you buy the tickets online, you will also get a ticket for the Petit Trianon and Marie Antoinette's theatre: a 2-fer. I have taken this tour several times and it is very good; you'll have to do it prior to the general tour.
Or--plan to see the gardens. The gardens are extensive--including the Petit Trianon, Marie Antoinette's "farmhouse" and the Grand Trianon. The gardens between the house and the Canal are much, much bigger than they look, and making it to any of these three very interesting constructions, especially on a hot day... enough.
You will also want to visit one--or more--of the several shops, which do not duplicate merchandise.
In other words, make a plan and work it thoroughly. There are places to eat on site, where you cna grab a sandwich or sit down to a more elaborate (and expensive) meal. It is not worth it to leave the site, eat, and return. (See below for my caveat here.) If you can, bring sandwiches, fruit, a baguette and cheese, and your own water. mostly to avoid the crowds. You can certainly eat in the gardens, and alongside the Canal is a nice spot.
You can also rent a boat and go out onto the canal, andI believe bikes are for rent in town, if you simply want to bike the gardens and do nothing else. Also not a bad way to spend the day.
Right now there is an exhibition on "Le XVIIIe au gout du jour" at the Grand Trianon of the fashions of the most popular era of the early 18th century. It is co-curated with the Musee Galliera, which is the leading fashion museum in Paris (I've written about it before here and in other Friday in Paris posts). The description looks fantastic, if you are a buff of history, fashion, costume, or cultural history.
And closing this weekend--Sunday--is an exhibition "Venise Vivaldi Versailles" about the baroque triad. Yes, I would go go go! This weekend is a performance of Vivaldi's The Four Seasons played by Fabio Biondi, the violin soloist. Played in the damn Opera! Oh, my goodness!!!!
In other words, Versailles is a huge "French baroque" theme park and it will take you at least a day to see even part of it. Oh, and on the way home stop at Le Potager du Roy for dinner: the vegetarian food expertly prepared there comes from the original gardens of Louis XIV, which are also open for viewing. The Sun King loved vegetables, including asparagus, peas, and enarly everything except the potato, which he found to be common. Expensive but worth it.
Versailles is a wonderful day trip, but you do have to plan carefully in order to miss the hoardes of tourists who go there every day during warm weather.
A couple of serious pieces of advice:
reserve/buy your ticket on line a day or more ahead of time, including printing it out;
the chateau opens at 9 am: get there before it opens, by taking an early train from Paris and a picnic breakfast; plan to arrive by 8:30, at least;
the gardens open earlier and stay open later... go after you've seen the chateau.
 |
| Entrance courtyard |
If this is your first visit, buy the ticket for the general chateau (des Grands Appartments,15 euros), which includes all the public rooms in the main building, including the Hall of Mirrors. If you go on a not-so-busy-day that will take you about 90-120 minutes, unless you simply cannot stand the crowds or get caught in them.
After that, you must make a choice.
 |
| Map: Chateau at bottom, canal at top |
I would suggest the tour of the private rooms including the Chapel/Theatre for an English-language tour (and these ONLY go at 930 am daily) which take you to the royal apartments of Louis XV, the Chapel, and the Opera in a guided tour. If you buy the tickets online, you will also get a ticket for the Petit Trianon and Marie Antoinette's theatre: a 2-fer. I have taken this tour several times and it is very good; you'll have to do it prior to the general tour.
Or--plan to see the gardens. The gardens are extensive--including the Petit Trianon, Marie Antoinette's "farmhouse" and the Grand Trianon. The gardens between the house and the Canal are much, much bigger than they look, and making it to any of these three very interesting constructions, especially on a hot day... enough.
 |
| Latona Fountain: looking to canal from back of chateau |
Les Grands Eaux are on Saturdays and Sundays only during the summer season: the fountains in the gardens are turned on, and baroque music blasts as well, giving it a certain aspect of "The Sun King" as you promenade. The tickets are extra, unlike the free access during the rest of the week.
You will also want to visit one--or more--of the several shops, which do not duplicate merchandise.
 |
| Orangerie: Still holds orange trees from 1660s |
You can also rent a boat and go out onto the canal, andI believe bikes are for rent in town, if you simply want to bike the gardens and do nothing else. Also not a bad way to spend the day.
Right now there is an exhibition on "Le XVIIIe au gout du jour" at the Grand Trianon of the fashions of the most popular era of the early 18th century. It is co-curated with the Musee Galliera, which is the leading fashion museum in Paris (I've written about it before here and in other Friday in Paris posts). The description looks fantastic, if you are a buff of history, fashion, costume, or cultural history.
And closing this weekend--Sunday--is an exhibition "Venise Vivaldi Versailles" about the baroque triad. Yes, I would go go go! This weekend is a performance of Vivaldi's The Four Seasons played by Fabio Biondi, the violin soloist. Played in the damn Opera! Oh, my goodness!!!!
In other words, Versailles is a huge "French baroque" theme park and it will take you at least a day to see even part of it. Oh, and on the way home stop at Le Potager du Roy for dinner: the vegetarian food expertly prepared there comes from the original gardens of Louis XIV, which are also open for viewing. The Sun King loved vegetables, including asparagus, peas, and enarly everything except the potato, which he found to be common. Expensive but worth it.
Friday, July 1, 2011
Because I wish I was in Paris...
Some sunny day images from Gustave Caillebotte. I love all the portraits of men or women staring out windows or over railings to the street below. What are they looking at? What are they thinking, these well-dressed folk?
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| Perhaps at the Jardin du Luxembourg? |
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| Watching the 14 juillet parade on the Champs d'Elysees? |
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| Sighting tourists on the Boul' Mich? |
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Simple Pleasure: Cezanne's Apples
I love looking at Cezanne's paintings, pastels, drawings of apples. And pears. And oranges.
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But especially apples. Something so simple, and yet...
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But especially apples. Something so simple, and yet...
Saturday, November 27, 2010
If I were in Paris... Friday, November 26 (late!)
I missed the last two week's of this round-up, so this is a slight catch-up post. I know we were all too busy with eating turkey and spending Christmas dollars to miss it.
Today in Paris it is nearly freezing (34 degrees F),so I would opt for indoor happy places.
I would definitely try to get tickets to LULU, by Frank Wedekind, playing at La Colline, in the 20th. This is a brand-new production of the play and the production photos look great. There are two English-subtitle performances coming up. Wedekind began this play in 1892 and finished it in 1913, thereby spanning the entire period of early modernism/abstract theatre. Most famously, this was translated into film by G.W. Pabst, starring the incomparable actress Louise Brooks. This production looks to be using the 1960s as the erotic background.
Overiew from website: "In a world where eroticism seems to have become a common law, no man can resist Lulu, even if death is the consequence of pleasure.... In Lulu’s story, the enchanting eros, promise of happiness, ends up turning to trash. The grotesque accents Wedekind valued so much echo till the very last tragic burst of the plot. It is this vim and the combative strength of this writing Stéphane Braunschweig will nourish his staging of the “monstrous tragedy” with."
Besides that, I would definitely be tempted to go see the windows (surely up by now!) at the major department stores. Just as in American, Galleries Lafayette, Printemps, and Bon Marche come up with something brilliant as their theme and decorate inside and outside to the fullest extent of the law. Here's an example from 2008:
Stunning.
Given, too, that this is not a time for tourism, I would certainly enjoy longer, less crowded trips to the Louvre, the d'Orsay, and any other museum usually so crowded in the summer or Christmas time that visits are painful. Now, there would be room to stroll, linger, and visit those odd little rooms that do not hold famous treasures.
I would definitely be interested in the current exhibition at the Musee de Cluny, the premier medieval museum in Paris, on "Out of Gold and Fire: Art in Slovakia at the End of the Middle Ages." This is the kind of event one can see in Paris that in the US people would simply ignore. Again, with 60 different works--as well as mthe museum's superb gift shop--this would make for a lovely afternoon's visit. Followed by a walk through the Jardins de Luxembourg and a glass of wine or cup of hot cocoa on the Rue des Rennes, while staring at the windows. Even with the cold, this walk--with frequent stops--would allow one to get fresh air, exercise, hot cocoa, and see medieval treasures.... what more could one ask?
Today in Paris it is nearly freezing (34 degrees F),so I would opt for indoor happy places.
I would definitely try to get tickets to LULU, by Frank Wedekind, playing at La Colline, in the 20th. This is a brand-new production of the play and the production photos look great. There are two English-subtitle performances coming up. Wedekind began this play in 1892 and finished it in 1913, thereby spanning the entire period of early modernism/abstract theatre. Most famously, this was translated into film by G.W. Pabst, starring the incomparable actress Louise Brooks. This production looks to be using the 1960s as the erotic background.
Overiew from website: "In a world where eroticism seems to have become a common law, no man can resist Lulu, even if death is the consequence of pleasure.... In Lulu’s story, the enchanting eros, promise of happiness, ends up turning to trash. The grotesque accents Wedekind valued so much echo till the very last tragic burst of the plot. It is this vim and the combative strength of this writing Stéphane Braunschweig will nourish his staging of the “monstrous tragedy” with."
Besides that, I would definitely be tempted to go see the windows (surely up by now!) at the major department stores. Just as in American, Galleries Lafayette, Printemps, and Bon Marche come up with something brilliant as their theme and decorate inside and outside to the fullest extent of the law. Here's an example from 2008:
Stunning.
Given, too, that this is not a time for tourism, I would certainly enjoy longer, less crowded trips to the Louvre, the d'Orsay, and any other museum usually so crowded in the summer or Christmas time that visits are painful. Now, there would be room to stroll, linger, and visit those odd little rooms that do not hold famous treasures.
I would definitely be interested in the current exhibition at the Musee de Cluny, the premier medieval museum in Paris, on "Out of Gold and Fire: Art in Slovakia at the End of the Middle Ages." This is the kind of event one can see in Paris that in the US people would simply ignore. Again, with 60 different works--as well as mthe museum's superb gift shop--this would make for a lovely afternoon's visit. Followed by a walk through the Jardins de Luxembourg and a glass of wine or cup of hot cocoa on the Rue des Rennes, while staring at the windows. Even with the cold, this walk--with frequent stops--would allow one to get fresh air, exercise, hot cocoa, and see medieval treasures.... what more could one ask?
Friday, November 5, 2010
If I were in Paris... November 5, 2010
Today: in the 50s! Coat and sweater weather.
I might be tempted to go to the Centre Pompidou and see the exhibit elles@centrepompidou, an exhibition of 350 works by 150 female artists throughout the 20th and 21st centuries, in all genres and materials.
The nice thing about going to the Pompidou is that it is dead easy from there to go to either Les Halles and shop a little at FNAC (books, CDs, computer toys, etc.) or go to the Marais and get the most delicious (and cheap) falafel from L'as du Falafel or get the most delicious takeaway from Sacha Finkelsztajn. It is cold now, and the hearty, heavy food here is perfect... as it is in just about any spot in between! The rue des Rosiers is one of my favorite spots, and strolling here is fabulous simply because everything smells good, the windows are pretty, and I can make my way past the beautiful Art Nouveau synagogue designed by Hector Guimard, 10 rue Pavee.
There is also a tribute to Merce Cunningham at the Theatre de la Ville, with four pieces from his career. A lovely way to end a late autumn/early winter day in Paris. Since one of my absolutely favorite cafes is just next door, I would certainly have dinner there: either their mussels meuniere and frites, or their roast chicken. They have a delightful wine list and the perfect view of the Ile de la Cite and the Seine.
I might be tempted to go to the Centre Pompidou and see the exhibit elles@centrepompidou, an exhibition of 350 works by 150 female artists throughout the 20th and 21st centuries, in all genres and materials.
The nice thing about going to the Pompidou is that it is dead easy from there to go to either Les Halles and shop a little at FNAC (books, CDs, computer toys, etc.) or go to the Marais and get the most delicious (and cheap) falafel from L'as du Falafel or get the most delicious takeaway from Sacha Finkelsztajn. It is cold now, and the hearty, heavy food here is perfect... as it is in just about any spot in between! The rue des Rosiers is one of my favorite spots, and strolling here is fabulous simply because everything smells good, the windows are pretty, and I can make my way past the beautiful Art Nouveau synagogue designed by Hector Guimard, 10 rue Pavee.
There is also a tribute to Merce Cunningham at the Theatre de la Ville, with four pieces from his career. A lovely way to end a late autumn/early winter day in Paris. Since one of my absolutely favorite cafes is just next door, I would certainly have dinner there: either their mussels meuniere and frites, or their roast chicken. They have a delightful wine list and the perfect view of the Ile de la Cite and the Seine.
Friday, October 22, 2010
If I were in Paris... Friday, October 22, 2010
The weather in Paris is still crisp, er, cool? 51-35 degrees Farenheit. Yikes, with a coat!
Today, I'd visit all the good museum shops in Paris so that I can be indoors. Here they are.
The top three:
Musees des Arts Decoratif: decorative arts, fashion, and the craftspeople & artists to know. Superb.
Musee d'Orsay: 19th-century Paris, in all its tremendous glory, plus the best knick-knacks and small/soft goods to take home to friends who love Monet, Van Gogh, Renoir, etc. Best jewelry and scarf selection, without hugeness of Louvre (same selection here, mostly). Good for kids, too. Fantastic bookstore.
Cathedral de Sainte-Chapelle: Medieval Paris, in all its glory. Best CDs, best gifts and postcards, least number of crazy people (for a cathedral gift shop!). Wonderful tapestries, pillows, etc. Bonus: you have to see the cathedral to shop here, which is a huge upside to any day!
What I consider the basic or middle-tier five:
Musee Carnavalet: Good bookshop with material that ranges throughout the history of Paris and from kids' books to scholarly tomes. Good tzochkas, small-change gifts and clever stuff about Paris. Good bookstore for material about Paris's history, famous people, and so forth without being academic. Very small and crowded, however, with erratic hours.
Musee Louvre: Huge, with much "stuff" from Louvre junk to academic/excellent books on the ground floor, and "gifts" on the first floor, with everything from jewelry to sculpture to prints and coasters. If in doubt, also visit the kiosk right outside for notepads, pencils, etc. or the shops in the alleyway from the Carrousel to the Louve lobby proper for postcards, notepads, pencils, and other small gift items. Why make yourself crazy in the actual shop? And the kids' shop in the alley is excellent: lots of great stuff for kids up to teens.
Musee Rodin: small, tight shop focused on Rodin and his cronies. Small but good selection of postcards and books relevant to same. Some worthwhile stuff on 19th-century.
Centre Pompidou: Modern to contemporary art, video, and digital stuff. Wide range of books, postcards, and materials. Excellent coverage for 20th-21st century art and artists.
Musee Cluny: excellent site for medieval goods. Small, hot, crowded shop... usually... which detracts from its charm. But I've found some good (overpriced) things here that I love.
Small bookstores that are only okay:
Musee de la Vie Romantique: tiny space not properly called a bookstore. But the connection to the tea garden is worth it. When they have a good book about an exhibit, it is GREAT! Ditto jewelry selection here, when it is present. Only a handful of postcards, ever.
Opera Garnier: Again, small kiosk, erratically open, but great selection of CDs, DVDs, and print material about opera and ballet: best in city. Don't go out of your way, but the location and the opportunity to visit the museum/opera itself is worth a trip. Nice selection of stuff for young girls who are ballet-mad, including jewelry.
Cathedral de Notre Dame: I find this bookstore (and the one at Sacre Coeur) annoying on several levels. The space is too small and always over-crowded, the merchandise is poorly displayed, the clerks are haphazard int heir desire to help or to sell to you. Sigh. Too many crazy people looking for a holy item--sorry, but that's not for sale here. I don't mean to be disrespectful, but the fact is what they sell are CDs, rosaries, and postcards, not the bones of St. Peter. Unfortunately, I've been elbowed by too many people who think they're fighting me over a piece of the True Cross to even waste my time here.
Finish with a hot chocolate in an outdoor cafe with heaters or the Galleries Lafayette cafe overlooking the rear of the Opera Garnier. Perfect!
Today, I'd visit all the good museum shops in Paris so that I can be indoors. Here they are.
The top three:
Musees des Arts Decoratif: decorative arts, fashion, and the craftspeople & artists to know. Superb.
Musee d'Orsay: 19th-century Paris, in all its tremendous glory, plus the best knick-knacks and small/soft goods to take home to friends who love Monet, Van Gogh, Renoir, etc. Best jewelry and scarf selection, without hugeness of Louvre (same selection here, mostly). Good for kids, too. Fantastic bookstore.
Cathedral de Sainte-Chapelle: Medieval Paris, in all its glory. Best CDs, best gifts and postcards, least number of crazy people (for a cathedral gift shop!). Wonderful tapestries, pillows, etc. Bonus: you have to see the cathedral to shop here, which is a huge upside to any day!
What I consider the basic or middle-tier five:
Musee Carnavalet: Good bookshop with material that ranges throughout the history of Paris and from kids' books to scholarly tomes. Good tzochkas, small-change gifts and clever stuff about Paris. Good bookstore for material about Paris's history, famous people, and so forth without being academic. Very small and crowded, however, with erratic hours.
Musee Louvre: Huge, with much "stuff" from Louvre junk to academic/excellent books on the ground floor, and "gifts" on the first floor, with everything from jewelry to sculpture to prints and coasters. If in doubt, also visit the kiosk right outside for notepads, pencils, etc. or the shops in the alleyway from the Carrousel to the Louve lobby proper for postcards, notepads, pencils, and other small gift items. Why make yourself crazy in the actual shop? And the kids' shop in the alley is excellent: lots of great stuff for kids up to teens.
Musee Rodin: small, tight shop focused on Rodin and his cronies. Small but good selection of postcards and books relevant to same. Some worthwhile stuff on 19th-century.
Centre Pompidou: Modern to contemporary art, video, and digital stuff. Wide range of books, postcards, and materials. Excellent coverage for 20th-21st century art and artists.
Musee Cluny: excellent site for medieval goods. Small, hot, crowded shop... usually... which detracts from its charm. But I've found some good (overpriced) things here that I love.
Small bookstores that are only okay:
Musee de la Vie Romantique: tiny space not properly called a bookstore. But the connection to the tea garden is worth it. When they have a good book about an exhibit, it is GREAT! Ditto jewelry selection here, when it is present. Only a handful of postcards, ever.
Opera Garnier: Again, small kiosk, erratically open, but great selection of CDs, DVDs, and print material about opera and ballet: best in city. Don't go out of your way, but the location and the opportunity to visit the museum/opera itself is worth a trip. Nice selection of stuff for young girls who are ballet-mad, including jewelry.
Cathedral de Notre Dame: I find this bookstore (and the one at Sacre Coeur) annoying on several levels. The space is too small and always over-crowded, the merchandise is poorly displayed, the clerks are haphazard int heir desire to help or to sell to you. Sigh. Too many crazy people looking for a holy item--sorry, but that's not for sale here. I don't mean to be disrespectful, but the fact is what they sell are CDs, rosaries, and postcards, not the bones of St. Peter. Unfortunately, I've been elbowed by too many people who think they're fighting me over a piece of the True Cross to even waste my time here.
Finish with a hot chocolate in an outdoor cafe with heaters or the Galleries Lafayette cafe overlooking the rear of the Opera Garnier. Perfect!
Friday, October 15, 2010
If I were in Paris... Friday, October 15, 2010
Autumn is actually my favorite time of year in Paris. The heat is gone, and there is a real season to be experienced. The temperatures are dropping, the air is crisp, and sundown comes early: nights are dark and cooooool. I'd already be wearing a jacket, sweaters, scarves, maybe even gloves.
Tomorrow's temps are going to be between 60 and 44 degrees. Crisp, cool, and stimulating.
On a normal day, I'd be tripping over to Tolbiac (here's my first ever link to the library, on the old blog). Most days, I'd take the Metro #14: a quicker ride than the bus.
I know that sometime during this fall I'd be visiting the new Greek rooms at the Louvre. Two whole new galleries, according to the website. There is also an exhibition on 17th century books: Musees des papiers--L'Antiquite en livres, 1600-1800.
The Cape Town Opera is presenting Show Boat at the Theatre du Chatelet. I saw signs for this in June, and just wondered about seeing this intrinsically American musical presented by a South African company to a Parisian audience. Would be worth getting a ticket just to see. And I've never seen a reallly good version of Show Boat.
One perfect autumnal day would include a morning spent with a book, coffee, and a croissant at a cafe overlooking the backside of Notre Dame as the sun crawls up the sky, followed by a slow, soft walk along the Seine westward (an old blog entry from 10.08). I'd head over to Eglise Saint-Sulpice to see the Delacroix mural. Then to the Musee National Eugene Delacroix, which I found this summer. It is a small museum based in the artist's home, with a back garden ripe for sitting and reading. The museum is located in a small, quiet square. Delightful. As I do this, it would be great to have Delacroix's journal to read.
And around the corner is St. Germain-des-Pres, Monoprix, Repetto (ballerines), Grom (gelato), the Village Voice (English-language bookstore), and Coffee Parisien, one of my favorite "American" joints. All within walking distance, all offering wonderful diversions. Tired? An espress' at Cafe de Flore provides a second wind.
I'd really like to finish the day by finding one of those cafes overlooking a busy square (where four or five streets come together) and, grabbing a table overlooking the square, sip a glass of robust red wine and watch les Francais exit from cars, busses, and Metro. We would all enjoy the end of the day with a little wine, a kir, a coffee while the darkness of the fall night settles in. Maybe a little bit of The Sun Also Rises--or is that too cliched? I haven't read it for a long time, but like Remembrance of Things Past, I bet it is easier to read in Paris.
This is also the season to take a final day-trip to Vernon and Giverny before Monet's home is closed forthe winter. Few tourists, small crowds, and the garden in its autumn glory--a very dfferent picture than we usually see.
Tomorrow's temps are going to be between 60 and 44 degrees. Crisp, cool, and stimulating.
On a normal day, I'd be tripping over to Tolbiac (here's my first ever link to the library, on the old blog). Most days, I'd take the Metro #14: a quicker ride than the bus.
I know that sometime during this fall I'd be visiting the new Greek rooms at the Louvre. Two whole new galleries, according to the website. There is also an exhibition on 17th century books: Musees des papiers--L'Antiquite en livres, 1600-1800.
The Cape Town Opera is presenting Show Boat at the Theatre du Chatelet. I saw signs for this in June, and just wondered about seeing this intrinsically American musical presented by a South African company to a Parisian audience. Would be worth getting a ticket just to see. And I've never seen a reallly good version of Show Boat.
One perfect autumnal day would include a morning spent with a book, coffee, and a croissant at a cafe overlooking the backside of Notre Dame as the sun crawls up the sky, followed by a slow, soft walk along the Seine westward (an old blog entry from 10.08). I'd head over to Eglise Saint-Sulpice to see the Delacroix mural. Then to the Musee National Eugene Delacroix, which I found this summer. It is a small museum based in the artist's home, with a back garden ripe for sitting and reading. The museum is located in a small, quiet square. Delightful. As I do this, it would be great to have Delacroix's journal to read.
And around the corner is St. Germain-des-Pres, Monoprix, Repetto (ballerines), Grom (gelato), the Village Voice (English-language bookstore), and Coffee Parisien, one of my favorite "American" joints. All within walking distance, all offering wonderful diversions. Tired? An espress' at Cafe de Flore provides a second wind.
I'd really like to finish the day by finding one of those cafes overlooking a busy square (where four or five streets come together) and, grabbing a table overlooking the square, sip a glass of robust red wine and watch les Francais exit from cars, busses, and Metro. We would all enjoy the end of the day with a little wine, a kir, a coffee while the darkness of the fall night settles in. Maybe a little bit of The Sun Also Rises--or is that too cliched? I haven't read it for a long time, but like Remembrance of Things Past, I bet it is easier to read in Paris.
This is also the season to take a final day-trip to Vernon and Giverny before Monet's home is closed forthe winter. Few tourists, small crowds, and the garden in its autumn glory--a very dfferent picture than we usually see.
Friday, October 8, 2010
If I were in Paris... Friday, October 8, 2010
If I were in Paris today... how would I spend my day? Well, it's Friday, so I might, just might, give les archives a pass and do a little sightseeing, a little shopping.
Since it is autumn already in Paris, I might want to go and get myself some hot chocolate at Angelina's. On the Rue de Rivoli, across from the Tuileries, Angelina's serves the best (THE BEST) hot chocolate in Paris. Thick, rich, real l'Africain which must be diluted with cream. If you think, oh, no, too fattening! you are not thinking like a Parisian. Enjoy one cup and then take a looooooong walk through the Tuileries and along the Seine, n'est-ce pas? Pleasure in many forms.
Probably, being me, I would have stopped in to Galignari's, one of my favorite bookstores, right next door to Angelina's, and bought a new book or magazine to pass the time with while I drank my l'Africain. Galignari's is where I saw Karl Lagerfeld, big as life and fully tricked out, with his "assistant." Aside from that, an excellent site for finding new English-language books, great guides to obscure Paris, or glossy fashion or house magazines from all countries (my guilty pleasure).
Since it is autumn already in Paris, I might want to go and get myself some hot chocolate at Angelina's. On the Rue de Rivoli, across from the Tuileries, Angelina's serves the best (THE BEST) hot chocolate in Paris. Thick, rich, real l'Africain which must be diluted with cream. If you think, oh, no, too fattening! you are not thinking like a Parisian. Enjoy one cup and then take a looooooong walk through the Tuileries and along the Seine, n'est-ce pas? Pleasure in many forms.
Probably, being me, I would have stopped in to Galignari's, one of my favorite bookstores, right next door to Angelina's, and bought a new book or magazine to pass the time with while I drank my l'Africain. Galignari's is where I saw Karl Lagerfeld, big as life and fully tricked out, with his "assistant." Aside from that, an excellent site for finding new English-language books, great guides to obscure Paris, or glossy fashion or house magazines from all countries (my guilty pleasure).
Today I would probably also take myself back along the Rue de Rivoli to the Musee des Arts Decoratif (1st arr.) for their current exhibits, "Jewelry Art Deco and the Avant Garde" or "Le Belle Epoque de Jules Cheret: l'affiche au decor." The website is: http://www.lesartsdecoratifs.fr/english-439/accueil-710/une-715/english-439/exhibitions/current-events. This poster is one of Cheret's most famous, being Bernhardt herself advertising rice powder.
I might go along to the Centre Culturel Irlandais (5th arr.) to see one of several exhibits they have right now on Irish artists, including an exhibit of work by the sculptress Vivienne Roche, on "The Geometry of Water." Her work, focused on the sea and the beach, sounds fascinating, and it is actually very illuminating to see artists from non-French countries exhibitied in Paris. Here is the site: http://www.centreculturelirlandais.com/modules/movie/scenes/home/index.php?fuseAction=art. Below is one of Roche's scupltures: none of the ones in Paris are this grand in scale, I think. I don't look at sculpture enough: I mostly do the painting and photography route, but my trips to the Musee Zadkine for example, convinced me that I should spend more time looking at 3-D art as well.
Having walked back along the Seine to the 5th, I would probably search through a few stalls of les bookinistes (or bouquinistes), perhaps finding something delightful in an old print or used book, then sit myself down at a cafe that has a fabulous view of Notre Dame for a glass of wine or an expresso. Watch the sun set, the sky turn dark (well before 6 pm), and then wrap myself in my warm coat to hurry home on the Metro.
Tomorrow, I would head back to les archives, to Tolbiac in particular, not for research, but to hear Alain Baraton, the head gardener at Versailles, talk about the potager of Louis XIV. Ooh la la! I have visited le potager, which is open to the public but no on the grounds of the famous chateau: one must search a little bit to find this vegetable garden of the Sun King. And it is worth it! Louis loved his vegetables--artichokes, asparagus, etc., but not the common potato--and had then served in delectable variety. I have also eaten at the restaurant nearby that specializes in dishes made from the vegetables and fruits grown in this garden, all gourmet fare. The talk is free, from 11 am-12 noon, and could be followed by a delightful lunch at one of the many Asian restaurants in the vicinity of Tolbiac.
Below, a view of le potager.
Happy Friday!
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