Monthly Archives: April 2012

“Face Britain” Does a Portrait of the Queen

22 Sunday Apr 2012

Posted by in Art, Art Museums & Exhibitions, England, entertainment, London, The Royal Family, Uncategorized, United Kingdom

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The Diamond Jubilee celebration is just beginning and the events are becoming more and more spectacular and creative leading up to the first week in June.

Gloiana ready for the jubilee

The Queen’s 94ft royal barge Gloriana that will lead the Thames Diamond Jubilee Flotilla was lowered in to the Thames on Thursday.

And now Face Britain has projected a huge composite portrait of the Queen on Buckingham Palace.

Projected images of the Queen, made up of over 20,000 self-portraits by children, is covering Buckingham Palace for three days this week.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Prince’s Foundation for Children & The Arts’ original project goal was to give every child the chance to create their own self portrait. By bringing them together, it could create a snapshot of the 2012 generation.

“We began talking to the TV programme, Blue Peter, to ask if they would help us to promote the project to children and teachers. One of the editors had the brilliant idea of not just collecting and displaying the children’s self portraits but knitting them into a single composite image of HM The Queen – each portrait forming a pixel of the larger image.”  They projected over 20,000 self-portrait images submitted to Face Britain onto Buckingham Palace this week.

What a fabulous idea.

Newton added, “We had to get the Queen’s approval, of course, because we’re projecting on to the front of her home,” he said. “I’m delighted to say Her Majesty loved the idea and loves the imagery.”

And all of these young children are introduced to the glory of creating art.  Well done.

It’s Lambing Season in England

12 Thursday Apr 2012

Posted by in England, Food, Grasmere, Lake District, Travel, Uncategorized

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My very first trip to England, I managed to drive up to the Lake District.  It was April and gorgeous.  I didn’t understand what all this fuss about rainy England was about.  I had clear skies the entire trip. Maybe that’s why I have always looked on England so favorably. It was good from the start.

I saw fields of yellow as I made my way north after a gorgeous stay in London.  Even picking up my manual rental car in London that I had to shift with the “wrong” hand couldn’t sullen my mood. (Manual shift cars are standard in Europe unless you specify automatic–there were many Americans at the rental desk that Sunday morning arguing the point when they discovered they had not reserved an automatic)

Spring Lamb. Photo by me

The first time I saw Grasmere I was in love.  I got a tiny room at a lodge on the outskirts of town.  It meant a leisurely stroll along the fields to go to dinner in the village.  It was lambing season, and all the new born lambs were skipping and playing in the fields.  They were already marked with a bit of bright paint, I assume to identify their owner.  But as far as they were concerned, the world was theirs.

Ready for spring? Almost time for the lambs to appear. photo by me

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I must admit, I was a bit put off when I went to the restaurant in the village with a lovely view of the fields of lambs.  Of course, I should have guessed it was a mainstay on the menu that night.  Spring lamb.  A little too close for comfort.  I ordered the fish.

 

Happy Easter

08 Sunday Apr 2012

Posted by in Burnham-on-Crouch, England, Sailing, Uncategorized

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It’s Easter.  And you know what that means…

The English sailing season officially begins!  There are intense calls on skype back and forth across the Atlantic discussing the pros and cons of the different races for the season…who has what boat…who might need a new set of sails…which crews are organizing for which races.

In honor of the beginning of the season, a photo of the "mates" from years gone by. Photo courtesy of My Beloved Brit

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And then there is the webcam down at the marina on the Crouch River at My Beloved Brit’s favorite racing spot. Each morning he can tune in to it and check the weather.  I have been hearing for weeks about boats being worked on, readied for the season.

He won’t make it over until May to join his mates, but I know he is feeling the excitement.  If it would only get a little warmer, it would all be perfect.

Cafes are always entertaining

04 Wednesday Apr 2012

Posted by in entertainment, Travel, Uncategorized

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England has its pubs, which I love. The Paris equivalent is the outdoor cafe, with a distinct personality all their own.  There’s at least one on almost every busy corner in the city. Since the start of my visit, they all seem to be full, and the temperatures have been in the 50s to low 60s. But Parisians love sitting outside at the cafe watching the world pass by.

photo by me

This particular one I saw on my first full day in Paris.  It was right outside the Comedie-francais (France’s National Theater) and quite near the Louvre. A group of very talented musicians was entertaining the crowd with classical music while trying to sell their recordings.

Talented musicians. photo by me

They did attract a crowd, and it was quite a gathering of amazing talent on the street. They really were very good and stayed quite cheerful seeing that is was chilly outside.

photo by me

I am sure the cafe didn’t mind one bit.  Often you see street performers near a large open air cafe. Definitely a symbiotic relationship.

Les Deux Magots and Cafe de Flore are two of the most popular cafes on the Left Bank.  After winding through the little narrow streets near the Seine , I came across them both on this gorgeous wide Boulevard St. Germaine where they are located a block apart.

Les Deux Magots, the name comes from the two wooden statues of Chinese commercial agents (magots) that decorate the interior. Photo by me

They have had the reputation for decades of attracting a great literary and intellectual clientele, beginning with Ernest Hemingway in the 1920s and 30s, and existentialist philosophers and writers in the 50s, including Jean Paul Sartre and Simone de Bouvier. You can just imagine the conversations that took place over a few drinks. The Sorbonne is nearby which can’t hurt cafes reputations for great thoughts occurring around their tables.

Cafe Flore is only a block away, but just as busy. Photo by me

One of the most charming cafes I saw was on Ile de la Cite, right around the corner from Notre Dame.  With just a few seats outside, it was none the less attracting a clientele that adored the sunshine under its wall of barely blooming wisteria.

A charming neighborhood cafe on Rue Chanoinesse, one of the oldest neighborhoods on Ile de la Cite. Racine lived here. Photo by me.

My favorite cafe to get coffee in the morning is just a short walk across from my hotel.  It looks empty now, but by lunch time it will be packed if it’s a nice day.

My favorite go to cafe located conveniently just in the Tuileries across the street. photo by me

The weather did turn warmer by noon, after a very chilly morning, so…

By noon the entire park was a mob scene. The temps shot up to 59 degrees! Photo by me.

And then there is this…

The MacDonald contribution to the cafe scene. This is right down the street from the first cafe near the Louvre, where the musicians were playing. photo by me.

Somehow it is just not the same thing at all.

Sad but true, it’s time to head home.  Luckily I have My Beloved Brit waiting for me at the airport tomorrow. That makes it bearable.

A Dream…Versailles

03 Tuesday Apr 2012

Posted by in Art, Art Museums & Exhibitions, entertainment, paintings, Travel, Uncategorized

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Ever since I saw Sofia Coppola’s 2006 production, Marie Antoinette, I have dreamed of visiting Versailles.  For her movie, Coppola was given unprecedented access to the vast palace and grounds and it looked magnificent.

It was pretty grand in true life, although the billions of visitors made it a tad crowded. Nonetheless…

I wasn't alone wanting to see Versailles this morning. The palace was overrun with tourists speaking many languages. Photo by me

The Versailles Station after a ride through the "country" from Paris on the double decker train. Photo by me

Thank goodness I managed to catch an early train this morning from Paris. The 30 minute ride was very pleasant, and the ticket seller at the station actually was quite helpful. Luckily with internet, I had researched the excursion and sort of knew what I was doing.

I even managed to get through the gates of the Palace fairly easily despite the massive crowds.  Having the museum pass helped a lot I think.  The ticket lines were unbelievable.

And once inside I got to see this…

Inside Versailles. One of many spectacular chandeliers. Photo by me.

and this…

This bedroom might be a tad fussy for me, but you have to admire how they mixed prints. Photo by me.

 

And this…

Hall of mirrors. Photo by me

Enough of the gold and the crowds, I looked for an exit.

The corridors were lovely and mysterious. Where did they all go? Photo by me

I headed outside, and even though very little had even started blooming or budding “Le Jardins” were spectacular.

Versailles' back garden. Photo by me

I walked around the grounds for hours before escaping back to the Starbucks in town and the train home. Another day in Paradise.

Peace and quiet. The further I got from the Palace, the less crowded it became. This was still on the palace grounds. It went on forever. Photo by me.

I got back to the train station in Paris just in time to catch the last hour at the Museum d’Orsay. I managed to fit in their special exhibit, “Degas, et le nu” (Degas and the nude).

The main hall of Museum d'Orsay. Such a uniquely beautiful museum in an old train station. Photo by me

It was a spectacularly rich show including sketches, influences by other artists and final paintings, but no photography allowed so you’ll have to take my word for it. It even had one of Degas’s small sketch books on exhibit behind glass. Amazing.

The sun sets on Paris and the Museum d'Orsay. Photo by me

I walked back across the park for my last evening in Paris.

A final sailboat race on the fountain pond in the Tuileries. These are the first clouds I've seen all week. Rain tonight. Photo by me

I paused to watch a rousing game of boules. Photo by me

And finally crossed over to my hotel during rush hour. Photo by me

Good Night, Paris.

 

 

Taking a bite out of the Louvre

02 Monday Apr 2012

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I love this image of the new Apple store underneath the Louvre Museum in Paris.  Yes, that is the underside of the smaller I.M. Pei Louvre pyramid reflected in the store front window. This is at the “Carousel” entry to the museum.

Mac is everywhere, even the Louvre. Outside the packed store looking in.Photo by me

The inside of the Apple shop was just as crowded as the museum. There was barely standing room only. I did notice that most of the shops in Paris were extremely busy this week.  I hope this is a sign of good economic times for Europe this summer.

Although Dior near the Champs-Elysees did not look quite so busy.  Hmmmm.

Dior Couture on Avenue Montaigne. photo by me

 

 

Palm Sunday in Paris

01 Sunday Apr 2012

Posted by in Art, Art Museums & Exhibitions, Gardens, paintings, Travel

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Today is Palm Sunday in Paris, a point hard to miss in this city.  On my way to breakfast I passed the ladies at the door of the church preparing the greenery.  In Paris, it is sprigs of boxwood rather than palms, but the point is made just the same.

The ladies prepare greens outside the church for Palm Sunday. photo by me

At every church in the city, it seemed you could get a sprig of green to carry around.  And at Notre Dame they had big white tents set up to entertain the children. Church members in white sweatshirts would answer any questions you might have about the day, and their church, and their religion.

Notre Dame, photo by me

Around the corner, a flower market bloomed.  I happened on it quite by mistake while making a detour for a scoop of haagen dazs (chocolate praline carmel crunch).

This flower market went on for blocks around the corner from Notre Dame. Photo by me

Perfect for the patio, from peach trees to pussy willows. Photo by me

And as I became intoxicated with the smell of fresh spring blooms, I heard  birds chirping away.  There were cages full of tiny birds, every variety imaginable, to the great delight of children straining to escape from their parents to see what it was all about.

Tiny birds, chirping away, hoping to find a home for Easter. photo by me

There were all shapes and sizes and colors. Fascinating. I don’t know if this was just for this weekend or if this a regular occurrence, but it was really quite magical.

The varieties were endless. Something for every taste, so to speak. photo by me

There were booths with all types of birdseed…

Bird seed by the bulk. photo by me

…so you can feed your nesters and get your own fresh eggs.

You could also buy live quails, chickens and doves at the market if you wanted your own endless supply of fresh eggs. Photo by me.

And that was just part of my day.  The highlight was a visit to Centre Pompidou, the Paris version of New York’s Museum of Modern Art.  A unique building, very modern and industrial, it was a delight, and the collection was interesting and varied.

The courtyard from the roof of Centre Pompidou. Photo by me

The last time I was in Paris, much of this museum was closed for renovation, so today was a treat and I spent hours there. My poor Beloved Brit I am afraid would have been bored to tears, which is why I came on my own.

Outside the galleries are sculpture gardens in a pool high above the city.The views of Paris from up here are spectacular. Photo by me

The collection is varied, but my favorite area is Floor 4 and 5, 1900 to present.

Matisse cutouts. Never disappoint. Photo by me

A few of my old favorites…

Joan Mitchell. I have this image in a book back in the studio, but it pales in comparison to the real thing. Photo by me

And of course Peter Doig…

Peter Doig, the painting in real time. Photo by me

I could go on and on and on–way too many to mention here.

Just a spectacular day.  And then I walked outside and down the street on my way to Notre Dame, and saw this…

A small side street captured my attention. Ssssh, don't tell anyone. Photo by me

You’ve got to love Paris for the art.  Just when you think you’ve adjusted to the visual overload, something else pops up and blows you away.