Avec le fêtes qui arrivent, les grands magasins de Paris exposent leurs magnifiques vitrines aux passants et enfants émerveillés.

Le thème ce noël: la Russie sous la neige.

Rien de tel pour me faire rêver. L’hiver froid m’évoque toujours la Russie de Michel Strogoff (même si dans le roman, il n’est pas question d’hiver).

Voilà quelques flocons (qui se font attendre), un manteau chaud, une chapka en fourrure sur la tête, je n’attends plus que mon traîneau pour me transformer en héroïne et vivre mille aventures; rencontrant bien entendu en chemin un sublime officier du Tsar en mission secrète… le tout sur la bande son de “Loin du froid de décembre” du dessin animé Anastasia:

mais je préferre la version originale de Liz Callaway:

Aaah… Disons que l’hiver fait tourner les têtes et que ces temps-ci j’abuse trop de certains romans qui ne valent pas deux sous…^_^

Sérieusement, avec 2009, la Turquie était à l’honneur pour une courte saison (d’ailleurs trop discret cet honneur…); 2010 fêtera la Russie!!!

Au-delà des considérations politiques (chacun son avis sur monsieur P.), la thématique russe a toujours été très populaire en France, et cette année on fêtera donc en fanfare  la culture russe.

Au programme, des concerts, du théâtre, des ballets, des livres, conférences, débats, multiples expo partout en France et surtout, LA future exposition du Louvre, Sainte Russie, qui exposera 900 ans d’art et d’histoire russe, de la Russie de Kiev à celle de Pierre le Grand.

A flash mob for charity:  La Chaîne de l’Espoir (The chain of hope), a charity that provides medical care for poor children in developing countries, organized a flash mob at the Louvre museum in Paris today.  Visitors enjoyed a surprise performance by 50 dancers from the Paris Opera Ballet, right under the Louvre’s glass pyramid.  They danced to the music of the “Blue Danube” first, before being joined by 200 people (who had previously signed up) and getting down to the beats of Outkast, Queen, and Daft Punk.  At the end of the performance, the dancers mingled back into the crowd, leaving behind dozens of pairs of ballet shoes marked with the organizing charity’s web address.  What a fun and amazing idea!!

More information about La Chaîne de l’Espoir can be found at www.chainedelespoir.org.

La ruota panoramica di Place de la Concorde

Anche quest’anno, per la gioia dei parigini e dei turisti provenienti da tutte le parti del mondo, la grande ruota di Parigi sovrasterà con la sua imponente presenza la Place de la Concorde.
La spettacolare istallazione permetterà dall’alto dei suoi 60 metri, di giorno o di notte, di godere di una vista spettacolare e suggestiva sulla ville lumière.
Situata a pochi passi dai giardini delle Tuileries e degli Champs Elysées, la ruota panoramica di Parigi vi offrirà la possibilità, fino al 20 Gennaio2010, di scoprire la città più bella del mondo da una prospettiva vertiginosamente insolita.

La ruota s’inserisce maestosamente nella “voie royale” di Parigi, quell’asse che va dalla piramide del Louvre alla Grande  Arche de la Défense passando per l’obelisco di Luxor (sito a Place de la Concorde) e l’Arco di Trionfo (che termina grandiosamente gli Champs Elysées).
La visione diurna lascia un pò perplessi poiché la giostra panoramica appare come una grande ruota di bicicletta e sembra stonare con il contesto monumentale in cui si inserisce; l’atmosfera notturna, tuttavia, conferisce un fascino e una magia nuovi alla ruota panoramica che si illumina integrando meravigliosamente i giochi di luce degli Champs Elysées.

La ruota gira lentamente compiendo cinque giri e vi permetterà di distinguere, da lontano, i principali monumenti della capitale francese.
Se non soffrite di vertigini, potrete godere una vista magnifica su Parigi: la Place de la Concorde, con il suo obelisco e le sue fontane, sarà ai vostri piedi; l’hotel Crillon e il suo edificio gemello, l’hotel della Marina vi guarderanno dal basso; un pò più lontano la chiesa della Madeleine emerge dai tetti parigini con le sue sembianze da tempio greco; il Sacro Cuore che dall’alto della sua collina domina il quartiere di Montmartre; l’immensità del Louvre apparirà dietro i giardini delle Tuileries e dall’altro lato della Senna il Museo d’Orsay vi guaderà innalzarvi in cielo; la Tour Eiffel con la sua silhouette metallica e il Grand Palais con la sua struttura di vetro osserveranno la vostra ascesa tra le nuvole.
 
Il biglietto costa 9 euro (6 € per i bambini di meno di 10 anni) e la ruota è aperta tutti i giorni fino mezzanotte.

I took the train from Antibes to Paris: just over 5 hours door-to-door and a bargain at Euros 80 for a first-class return. I passed the journey lost in the pages of Sir Chris Hoy’s biography a very readable adjunct to “Heroes, Villains and Velodromes.

On my arrival in Paris, the skies cleared and the rain stopped so I decided to walk to our hotel on the Left Bank, near the Sorbonne. Each time we go to Paris we endeavour to stay in a different quarter as I enjoy traversing the streets looking at the magnificent architecture and window shopping – by far the safest type of shopping! In addition, I love browsing the art galleries, antiques and book shops.

I also adore finding us great restaurants for lunch and/or dinner. Now, of course, I could just fish out a guide book and book one of their many suggestions, but where would be the fun in that? No, I like to walk around, sizing up the restaurants and their menus before making my choice.

Over the years I’ve had many pleasurable trips to Paris. My first came courtesy of my French pen-friend who, while she lived in Grenoble, had a large family living in Paris. I spent a week with her aunt in an impressive apartment just off Boulevard Haussmann and traipsed to my heart’s content around all the sights of Paris and Versailles. Since then, I’ve been fortunate to visit it on a regular basis.

When I told my Dad we were off to Paris, he reminded me of the trip we had taken with them some years ago, at about the same time of year, where we had eaten “our most expensive meal”. He still has a copy of the bill from the now-defunct “Lucas Carton” near Place de la Madeleine.

I have to say it was a truly memorable meal but, at the time, I had no idea how much it had cost as neither my Mum nor I had menus with prices. I started with polenta and truffles, while everyone else had scallop tartar. Dad and my beloved followed that with lamb while Mum and I had lobster, at my Dad’s urging, as it’s my Mum’s favourite. We elected to have the wines chosen by the chef to accompany the meal, but didn’t have room for a dessert or coffee, although we did manage to demolish all of the mouth-watering, petit fours.

My Dad picked up the bill, which was not what I had intended. It was some months later that he asked me what I thought it had cost. The tilt of his eyebrows indicated that my initial bid was way off the mark. But he did concede it had been well worth the money.

My first job in Paris was to interview 20 French dentists about their periodontology regimes. After speaking to a couple, it was clear that a 4-page questionnaire was several pages too many despite the inducement of a free gift. I decided an alternative strategy was required and based myself outside of the exhibition, close to one of the many lunch-time venues. Sure enough, by 11:30am, there was a long queue of people waiting to be served and what better way to while away the time answering my questionnaire. By the time lunch was over, I had filled my quota.

After a delicious meal in a small family-run restaurant on Wednesday evening, we invited a business colleague to share some champagne and oysters with us on Thursday evening at a restaurant close to the Palais des Congrès where we have previously enjoyed many similar evenings. Like me, he’s a recent convert to cycling and we are considering organising a cycling trip next year for his readership, to coincide with the club’s “ Brevet Kivilev”.

I used to view oysters with great suspicion. After all, they look like large blobs of snot. Well, they do don’t they? However, I decided that millions of French people can’t be wrong and took the plunge. Now, they’re one of my favourite foods and I regret all those wasted oyster eating opportunities. So, if you’ve never tried them, go-ahead, just do it. I promise you won’t regret it.

I bought my beloved an oyster opening kit for last Xmas (among other things) so we can enjoy them at home. I like them best with a squeeze of lemon juice and a glass (or two) of champagne. As I’m fond of saying “I’m a woman of simple tastes, all of them expensive”.

Friday morning I rose early for a run along the Seine. I can’t totally abandon my new regime. Although my husband had promised to keep Friday clear, I truly did not anticipate seeing him at all. However, we shared lunch at a delightful Corsican restaurant I found in the Marais before he returned to the exhibition for a further round of business meetings.

Bike friendly Paris!

We rose on Saturday to find leaden skies. It rained from time to time but fortunately, not heavily. My beloved decided he wanted to look around the Louvre. I knew once he saw the queue, he would decide otherwise, and was proved correct. He hates to wait for even 5 minutes: strange behaviour from a guy who generally keeps everyone else waiting!

However, we happily whiled away the morning wandering around the area and I found a fabulous restaurant for lunch a few doors down from Le Grand Verfour, which, sadly, was not open for Saturday lunch – maybe, next time.

While from time to time, I enjoy a few days away, equally I enjoy getting back home. I’m already looking forward to tomorrow morning’s ride, weather permitting, to Roquebrune Cap Martin. It’s a 90km round trip for us and I still recall how equally exhausted and elated I was the first time I did it, two years ago. How time has flown!

Un instantané de vie

Paris / France
Photographie Ashraf Kessaissia

Ou vie est destin chez les arbres

Qu’on ait laissé l’Apple Store s’installer au Louvre (un peu les marchands du Temple )…

Cette maquette montre qu’outre une galerie commerciale, il y plein de chose ici : des salles de concert, de conférence, un parking, …;-)

A Milano è in mostra il San Giovanni del Louvre. Con nuove ipotesi sulla sua genesi e storia

di Simona Maggiorelli

Leonardo, San Giovanni Battista Louvre

Lo sguardo magnetico che richiama quello della Sant’Anna nel celebre cartone di Londra. E il sorriso enigmatico che contrasta visibilmente con il gesto della mano, tradizionalmente utilizzato nella pittura sacra per indicare l’Altissimo. Ma che nella concezione umanistica di Leonardo potrebbe anche alludere a una nuova umanità futura.

Gli studiosi per secoli si sono rotti la testa per interpretare questa criptica rappresentazione che Leonardo fece del Battista. E lungamente incerta è rimasta anche la genesi di questa opera conservata al Louvre insieme alla Gioconda, alla Belle ferronnière e a una delle due versioni della Madonna delle rocce, dove un San Giovanni ancora bambino richiama il gesto di questo San Giovanni Battista che, invece, ha l’aria di un giovane Ganimede o di un Bacco pagano (per la pelle di pantera che ha addosso).

Dal 27 novembre al 27 dicembre, eccezionalmente, l’opera sarà esposta in Palazzo Marino a Milano. Le storiche dell’arte Valeria Merlini e Daniela Storti le hanno dedicato una mostra dal titolo Leonardo a Milano.Esposizione straordinaria del San Giovanni Battista di Leonardo da Vinci, che offe l’occasione per fare il punto sugli ultimi trent’anni di studi leonardeschi.

Ne emerge che il quadro probabilmente fu iniziato a Firenze, come ha sostenuto fin dal 1977 Jean Rudel, il quale, studiando le prime radiografie del quadro, rilevava: «L’effetto generale di monocromo scuro, reso più ampio dal fondo unito, rafforza l’impressione di un avvolgimento d’ombra, ancora accresciuto dall’invecchiamento delle vernici superficiali: ciò aumenta il senso di mistero, velando alcune indiscutibili imperfezioni, rese meno percepibili, a prima vista, da una superficie spesso riflettente». Uno strato di pittura retrostante, con effetti di morbido e avvolgente chiaroscuro, contribuiva, secondo l’autrice di Leonardo. La pittura (Giunti), a rendere chiara l’autografia dell’opera. Che lungo la sua tribolata storia, fra sparizioni e riapparizioni in collezioni private, più volte era stata messa in discussione. Così, mentre avanzava fin dalla fine degli anni Settanta l’ipotesi di un’anticipazione della datazione del dipinto ai primi anni del Cinquecento – come ricostruisce Pietro Marani nel saggio pubblicato nel catalogo Skira che accompagna la mostra milanese – Rudel aveva aperto la strada al lavoro fondamentale di Martin Kemp.

In Leonardo da Vinci e mirabili operazioni della natura e dell’uomo (Phaidon e ora Mondadori) lo studioso inglese ha suggerito un’ipotesi affascinante, ovvero che il vero tema del dipinto fosse la luce. Servendosi del chiaroscuro Leonardo cercava «di inserire il rilievo nella superficie dipinta» e al tempo stesso di dare movimento alla figura, con una rotazione dai «mutamenti, potenzialmente infiniti».

Oltre a distinguere i danni reali che maldestri tentativi di restauro nei secoli hanno causato al quadro (che si era andato progressivamente scurendo), Kemp ha avuto anche il merito di fissare definitivamente la datazione del dipinto attorno al 1510, cogliendo il nesso con le ricerche sulle velature atmosferiche che Leonardo fece proprio in quegli anni.

Riguardo alle rocambolesche vicissitudini del quadro – che dopo la morte dell’artista in Francia “sparì” per tornare alla ribalta solo nel 1630 – nuovi studi ipotizzano che la tela sia rimasta sempre a Firenze. Leonardo non l’avrebbe portata con sé a Milano come si pensava. E neanche nella residenza francese Clos Lucé a Cloux nella quale visse gli ultimi due anni della sua vita.

da Left-Avvenimenti del  27 novembre 2009

5 (Anzi, 6) grandiose opera d’arte scoperte in luoghi insospettabili, classificate per voi dagli esperti d’arte di Alt(R)a Fedeltà.

5. Buchi

1) Il 21 Febbraio del 1978, gli operai della società elettrica di Città del Messico stavano sistemando I cavi sotto una delle strade più trafficate della città. Durante i lavori di scavo trovarono un enorme blocco di pietra del peso di 20 tonnellate, cos’era? Un enorme bassorilievo Atzeco raffigurante la storia della dea della notte, Coyolxauqui. Sembra che sia stato scolpito nel quindicesimo secolo e sepolto prima della distruzione della civiltà Ateca da parte dei delicatissimi Conquistador Spagnoli, nel 1521. Il sassone fu successivamente spostato di 300 metri dal sito al Museo del Grande Tempio.

2) Nel 1978 più di 500 film originali datati fra il 1903 e il 1929 furono scoperti in un buco sotto la strada di Dawson City, nello Yukon. In circostanza normali il nitrato delle pellicole 35mm si sarebbe deteriorato in modo irrimediabile, ma la temperatura assurdamente rigida dello Yukon li aveva conservati in modo perfetto…

4. Sul Muro di casa

Una coppia di mezza età, residente in un sobborgo di Milwaukee, Wisconsin, chiese ad un amico, esperto d’arte, quasi per scherzo, di valutare un dipinto che stazionava sul muro del salotto dal giorno dell’acquisto della casa. L’uomo si mise all’opera ed ispezionò con cura il quadro, che alla coppia altro non sembrava che una copia maldestra  di un lavoro di Van Gogh. Insomma, venne fuori che il dipinto era un Van Gogh originale del 1886 e il 10 Marzo del 1991, la famosa “Natura Morta con fiori” fu venduta all’asta per  1.4 milioni di dollari.

3. Mascherata da rastrelliera per Biciclette

Per anni I dipendenti della “God’s House Tower Archaeology Museum” di Southampton, Inghilterra, avevano appoggiato le proprie biciclette ad una curiosa roccia posta all’ingresso del museo. Nel 2000, due Egittologi mentre ispezionavano il museo, identificarono nella rastrelliera un statua Egizia del 7o secolo AC raffigurante il Faraone Taharqa, un Re Cuscita della regione oggi conosciuta come Sudan.

Karen Wordley, la curatrice del museo, riferì ai giornalisti: “E’ un mistero come la scultura sia finita all’ingresso”, contribuendo in modo decisivo alla soluzione della vicenda.

2. Ad un mercatino delle pulci

Un analista finanziario di Philadelphia stava curiosando fra I banchetti di un mercatino delle pulci ad Adamstown, Pennsylvania, quando venne attratto da uno strano dipinto su legno, tirò fuori 4 dollari e se lo portò a casa. Lo portò in garage e con cura rimosse la tela dal supporto di legno, scoprendo, con sua somma sorpresa, un documento nascosto nell’intercapedine. Lo portò ad analizzare e venne fuori che si trattava di una copia, datata 1776, della Dichiarazione d’indipendenza, una delle 24 copie originali scoperte ad oggi.  Giusto per la cronaca, il 13 Giugno 1991, fu rivenduta per 2.4 milioni di dollari…

1. In un campo

Nel 1820, un contadino Greco di nome Yorgos (Che in greco sta proprio per “Agricoltore”, ironia della sorte..) stava arando il suo campo sull’isola di Milo, quando intruppò in una serie di strani blocchi di pietra. Scavò a fondo e trovò 4 statue, tre raffiguranti Hermes, e una Afrodite, la dea dell’ammore. Tre settimane più tardi la spedizione archeologica guidata da Choiseul arrivo via nave, si caricò l’Afrodite e la portò in Francia. Luigi XVIII le diede il nome di “Venere di Milo”, presentandola e stabilendone come sede definitiva il museo del Louvre, dove divenne negli anni una delle più famose e conosciute opera d’arte della storia dell’umanità.

Milano fino al 27/12/2009 piazza della Scala, Palazzo Marino Esposizione del San Giovanni Battista di Leonardo da Vinci. Dal Louvre a Palazzo Marino. Palazzo Marino riapre liberamente le porte al pubblico milanese per un altro straordinario evento, riproponendo come per la precedente edizione dedicata a Caravaggio, una mostra monografica di altissimo livello. Promossa dal Comune di Milano e da Eni, in collaborazione con il Museo del Louvre e con il patrocinio del Ministero per i Beni e le Attività Culturali, curata da Valeria Merlini e Daniela Storti, la Mostra: Leonardo a Milano. Esposizione straordinaria del San Giovanni Battista di Leonardo da Vinci. Dal Louvre a Palazzo Marino  offre al pubblico per un intero mese l’ opportunità di un confronto diretto e approfondito con un grande capolavoro leonardesco.  Il San Giovanni Battista del Louvre e’ infatti, una delle opere piu’ enigmatiche eseguite da Leonardo da Vinci e segna il culmine della sua produzione pittorica. Ci sono fondate ragioni per credere che esso sia il suo ultimo dipinto e che rappresenti una intera vita di ricerche sulla tecnica dello sfumato e sugli effetti di luce. Il quadro si trovava già terminato, nello studio di Leonardo, nel 1517, a Colux in Francia, paese dove trascorse gli ultimi anni della sua vita. Questo dato ci permette di comprendere l’importanza dell’opera dalla quale il maestro per lungo tempo non volle separarsi. Fu esposta a Milano nel 1939 nella mostra dedicata a Leonardo, evento di grande rilevanza anche in considerazione della delicatezza del momento storico che l’Europa stava attraversando e da allora non e’ piu’ tornata in Italia.  La mostra prodotta da Aleart, prevede un’ allestimento progettato da Elisabetta Greci, che accoglierà i visitatori, in un percorso propedeutico che attraverso una serie di pannelli didascalici, immagini e video, acquisiranno informazioni utili alla comprensione del quadro. Attraverso un catalogo ragionato, prodotto con la casa editrice Skira, in occasione dell’ evento, verranno raccolti studi storici e riflessioni filosofiche ed estetiche. Di grande importanza sarà la pubblicazione di dati inediti relativi alle indagini scientifiche ed alla tecnica esecutiva recentemente elaborati dagli studiosi del Museo del Louvre e messi a disposizione del progetto. (leonardo)

Comprei essa latinha na Colette, em Paris, em junho. Quase morri quando vi a Marilyn estampada nos pedacinhos de chocolate e surtei de felicidade quando vi que só custava $ 12 euros.

A Colette é, de longe, uma das lojas mais legais que já visitei na vida. Ela é tipo uma prima elegante, chic, sofisticada, francesa e absoluta da Urban Outfitters.

Super descolada e com uma fachada inteira de vidro na Rue Saint-Honoré (pertinho do Louvre), o espaço é referência em consumo cool e especializado em peças únicas e de morrer de designers do mundo inteiro.

No entanto, minha visita foi mais sofrimento do que prazer, já que lá é tudo caríssimo (tirando o super deal que consegui nos chocolates). Afinal, o que esperar de uma loja que oferece peças exclusivas de Balmain e Lanvin?!

last weekend i had the fortune of taking a nice and long plane ride over to paris. instead of going to the marc by marc jacobs shop and going to musee d’orsay, i ended up spending an entire day ‘testing’ myself to see how well i could get around by memory. this involved bumping into a chanel/gucci/dior store every narrow street i ventured down and spending quite some time looking at notebooks in galeries lafayette and then i obviously had to end up at colette (my fave!). after getting a smoothie and reading some magazines in a quaint cafe, i found myself sitting in jardin des tuileries and snapped a few pictures of some lovely couples strolling along- just some nonsense really (and a quick thanks to nick from the elixe for this post).

The ROM and its new addition: building of beauty or one of the world's ugliest?

TORONTO, the city that wants so badly to be considered world class, was dealt a bit of a blow in that quest the other day.

The website www.virtualtourist.com put the city’s Royal Ontario Museum on its list of world’s ugliest buildings.

The ROM opened a new addition two years ago. The Daniel Libeskind-designed aluminum and glass structure, which shoots out in sharp angles, contrasts sharply with the existing museum.

This architectural contrast is the primary reason virtualtourist.com gave for ranking the ROM the eighth ugliest building in the world (it beat out only a library in Kosovo and some yet-to-be built hotel in North Korea on the Top 10 list):

“What I.M. Pei’s pyramid is to the Louvre, so is the relatively new Michael Lee-Chin Crystal to the Royal Ontario Museum. While many praise the glass structure, just as many are troubled by the incongruity to the original, more traditional museum that still sits directly beside it.”

Some readers on the Toronto Star’s website concurred.

“It’s like sticking Godzilla’s head onto Pam Anderson’s body,” is how one commenter described it. (I’m not sure Pamela Anderson could ever be considered an apt analogy for a museum/heritage building – an inflatable bouncy castle, maybe – but I think I get his point.)

Well, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. There are just as many, like me for one, who think the ROM addition is a striking architectural achievement worth celebrating. And if the new building is being likened to the Louvre pyramid, that’s good company to be in.

For too long Toronto has been plagued by boring, ugly, conservative architecture. Thankfully times are changing and the ROM addition is one of many projects cropping up around town that take some chances, architecturally speaking.

The folks at virtualtourist.com should be real tourists and come check it all out.

ryan@roadtostarrdom.com

Related: City’s new architecture frees Toronto the timid

(Except without that whole being executed for treason under the guillotine thing.  I bet that kinda sucked.)

Wow.  Amazing.  That is all I can say to describe this past weekend in Paris.  Paris is a city which affects me more than any other city that I have been to and I could never really articulate why… It is just a feeling and each time I come here (this was my 3rd visit) I have a completely new experience, regardless of whether it is my first or my third visit to the sight.  This weekend was a very special weekend because I was able to meet up with one of my best friends Alison, currently studying abroad in Barcelona, and introduce her to this wonderful city.  Sadly, as I write this post she is already on her way to the airport (I still have an hour wait or so before I jet back off to “reality”).  As I sit here I can feel my body giving into the exhaustion of a weekend of non-stop walking, eating, gawking, and just pure glee and excitement.  I hope that I can make it on and off the plane… (However, if I don’t I would be happy to eat beans and live in a cardboard box here.  I am sure even their beans are doused in butter!)

Yesterday was really our only full day together to sight-see so we decided to make the most of it even if it killed us, our joints, and our shoes.  Started our morning at the Louvre, made a bee-line for the Mona Lisa, wandered around a bit but decided that as guilty as we felt the Louvre, with it’s sheer gargantuan size was overwhelming and we would just have to come to Paris to do it justice!  St. Chapelle and Notre Dame were just as hauntingly beautiful as I remembered with the stained glass and dark stone that takes me right back to the middle ages.  (Yes, of course I remember it.)  We even got to sit in on a Mass!  Lunch was delectable with pumpkin soup, salmon, and ratatouille in a little café with low ceilings off of the Seine and then we started our biggest trek of the day through the Tuilleries, down the Champs-Elysée and up to the Arc de Triomphe.  Apparently driving there is so dangerous that if you get in an accident your insurance is void!  Our last stop of the day was the Eiffel tower, which while impressive during the day was a million times more amazing at night all lit up and sparkly.

Today, mindful of our time constraints we headed off to Musée d’Orsay, enjoyed the beautiful architecture of the former train station, the Van Gogh, Rodin, and Impressionists inside (among many others!).  Our last stop was the Garnier Opera house, which I had never been inside before and it made me wish that we had had more time to actually go and experience an opera or ballet production there…Oh well!  We have already started planning our next visit so it will definitely have to be on the list!

For those of you planning on visiting Paris here is a helpful article written by a traveler looking through the eyes of the 18-19th century:

http://travel.nytimes.com/2009/11/22/travel/22Grimod.html?pagewanted=3&sq=paris%20travel&st=cse&scp=1

I knew there was a reason I’ve studied the French Revolution four times…

p.s.  We should all thank Miss Alison for commandeering my camera and providing the pictures to accompany this post!

On va nettoyer les façades du Louvre

SEBAH Jean Pascal, Joaillier (dit). Intérieur de la mosquée de Ste Sophie. Vue générale, entre 1860 et 1870, papier albuminé.

Istambul…..

Le nom me fait rêver depuis que j’ai vu une superbe expo au Louvre ces derniers jours.

En l’honneur de l’année de la Turquie en France (et je ne m’y suis jusque là, à vrai dire, pas du tout vraiment intéressée…), le Louvre organisait en effet une petite (toute petite même) expo:

“À la cour du Grand Turc : caftans du palais de Topkapi”

Tout d’abord, c’est quoi un caftan, hein?

En fait, c’est un manteau, où une robe, porté par-dessus la chemise et le pantalon.

çà donne çà:

Caftan à manches longues à motifs feuilles et fleurs de saz. Milieu du XVIème siècle © Hadiye Cangökçe, Topkapı Palace Museum, Istanbul, Turkey

Ce qui m’a marqué, même ébahie, c’est que ces vêtements et soieries, avaient plus de 300 ans mais conservaient toujours leurs couleurs originelles, la brillance des matières, le velouté, etc…

Sublime!!! On est littéralement transporté à la cour du grand turc!!!

L’histoire de la conservation de ses vêtements et bijoux est peu banale aussi: à la mort d’un membre de la famille ottomane, grand turc compris, tous les effets personnels du défunt étaient saisis et envoyés au Trésor royal pour conservation. Il étaient emmaillotés, étiquetés (nom et date), et rangés dans de grands coffres. Tous ces effets étaient sorties une fois par an pour être aérés et nettoyés si besoin(ce qui explique la confusion quelques fois entre les étiquettes).

Toutes ces merveilles sont encore conservées dans le palais de la dynastie Ottomane: le palais de Topkapi à Istambul!!!

Je vous invite donc à courir pour aller la voir car l’expo ferme ses portes en janvier…

Très intéressant aussi: les vêtements talismaniques, sensés protégé du mauvais oeil, des maladies, etc…:

Oh, yes! décidemment, I’m in love, c’est trop beau!!!!

Dal 19 al 22 di novembre si terrà a Parigi la consueta rassegna fotografica ‘Paris Photo’, dedicata per l’occasione ad una prospettiva sulla fotografia del mondo arabo e iraniano. Vi verranno esposti lavori rappresentativi della realtà attuale e storica dei paesi interessati, in modo da trasmettere una visione quanto più ampia sullo scorrervi del tempo e sui suoi inevitabili, e sovente ricorsivi, effetti.
L’esposizione avrà luogo al Museo del Louvre di Parigi (sul sito sono disponibili maggiori informazioni), ma a chi non avesse la possibilità di recarvisi consigliamo di gustarne un assaggio dalla galleria immagini del sito della mostra.
Il sito è anche una fonte formidabile di spunto per una navigata alla scoperta degli artisti più attivi nella scena arabo-iraniana. Nelle società rappresentate l’immagine come forma di comunicazione si trova a doversi smarcare da una concezione tradizionale, che la vede con diffidenza, per affluire al circuito mondiale dei medium di massa nella quale è divenuta lo standard.

Museoak arte obrak kontserbatzeko, aurkezteko, ikasteko eta zabaltzeko lekuak dira. Bi taldetan sailkatzen dira: publikoak eta pribatuak.

Museo publikoak XVIII.mendeko amaieran hasten dira, gehienak europako erregetzen arte bildumei esker. Batzuk sortzen dira erregetzaren desagerpenagaitik (“Louvre”ko museoa) eta beste batzuk lagapenagaitik (“El Prado”ko museoa,Madrid). Museo pribatuak artistei eta jabedum bildumetarei daude elkartuta. Bildumetakoak oso ugariak dira Estatu Batuentan eta anglosaxoniar lurraldeetan (Wallace Colection eta Fryck Collection,adibidez). Orainaldian museo berriak eta instituzioetara edo fundazioetara loturiko arte erdiguneak egiten dira.

Beste sailkatzeko mota bat dago, barruko obrak aurkezteko motaren arabera: Arte ederrak, Arte plastikoak, artisautza, arkeologia, antropologia, historia, zientza, militarrak, Botanikoak eta abar.

Went to France over the weekend as many of you know. Stayed there for two whole days. Saw the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, Notre Dame, and Monte Mart (a neighborhood). Probably saw more than that but I do not know the names of all the buildings so I shall just pass them by.

On Friday we went to the Louvre and spent a good 4 hours there. Not enough of course. I will have to go again one day. We got in for free because we live in Spain, part of the EU. How cool is that?! Forgot to charge the camera’s battery so I wasn’t able to use the camera for pretty much the entire trip. Oh well. My friends took pics. The Louvre was cool, as expected. Sculptures were amazing and I fell in love with this one that reminded me of Linnara, my Diva in D&D, and a little of Tathian, my elf, but no picture was taken.

After that I have no clue where we went. Walked around, had lunch, got dessert, and then eventually made our way to the Eiffel Tower. It’s a tall metal sculpture. The end. No, okay, maybe that’s a bit unfair. I guess it’s cool. It is pretty tall and they have cool light shows at night. But to pay 4.50 to walk up millions of flights of stairs in the wind and rain and cold just to see the Paris skyline which wasn’t very lit up? I don’t know if that’s worth it. It is worth it to say that I did it I guess. We went there both nights.

Saturday we met up with Montse, my Spanish friend I had met in high school. Hadn’t seen her for two years so that was lovely. Spent the morning and early afternoon with her. She showed us around the Monte Mart neighborhood. We got to see the grocery store where some scenes in the movie Amelie were filmed. How cool is that?! I liked it. Meseret wandered off during that time so we lost her for probably 20 minutes but found her eventually. Had crepes for lunch. Too much cheese so I couldn’t finish mine. I’m not a big of fan of dumping cheese onto my food.

Montse left to go to a concert so we went to Notre Dame. Pretty much just like every other old European church. Had some cool stained glass though. Then we decided to go to Pompidou, another museum. Didn’t actually go in cause the line was long and Sarah wanted to go to the Eiffel Tower when it was light (which didn’t actually happen) so instead we had a snack at a cafeteria and rested.

Eiffel Tower again then Hard Rock Cafe then hostel then up at 5:45 am to leave the hostel and don’t get home until 9 pm. Long day. And the stupid bus driver decided she needed to take a 20 minute detour just so she could say hello to her family. What the hell? I’m not paying you to chop it up with your relatives. I am paying you to get me home as quickly as possible. That was frustrating.

Now here I am, ready to be back in the States but also not ready. Maribel has grown on me, though I still dislike her at times, but that’s how it works, right?

Birthday is next week. Friends are gonna take me out and Maribel is having a little party for me. How sweet is that.

Here is a video I made a week or so ago that was just now posted on youtube. enjoy.

5am: alarm // 5:45am: Hilton Olympia Hotel lobby // 6am: private transfer // 6:30am: St. Pancras International // 7:05am: Eurostar boarding // 7:27am: Eurostar to Paris, Gare du Nord departure from London St. Pancras // 8am: beautiful British countryside // 8:35am/9:35am [local time]: cross the border; Beauty and the Beast on the iPod-one earphone for each of us // 10am: “there must be more than this provincial life” but it’s so beautiful! // 10:50am [local time]: arrival at Paris, Gare du Nord; madre = ma mère

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Let the whirlwind begin!  We met our fabulous tour guide, Sammy, and the rest of our group: Anita (Canada), Steve (Austrailia), and Sandra (Canada/Middle East).  And then we embarked on the most surreal day of our lives.

I was completely “nerd-ing” out and loved having so many of my interests connect with the beautiful city I was experiencing.  Apparently I did manage to retain some high school French; French history was my favorite unit in AP European History four years ago (woah); the opera house was where so many of the operas I’ve studied and have sang arias from; driving through Haussman’s urban planning and on the boulevard named after him was an urban studies dream come true; gaining another cultural frame of reference was the best souvenir of all, and I definitely understand how and why so many great minds were inspired by Paris.

The only complaint we both had was that we needed to leave at the end of the day!  We may have scratched an itch but we barely scratched the surface of Paris.  Seeing the sights was amazing but there wasn’t any time to experience “Panam,” the people’s Paris, which is my favorite way to explore new cultures and territories. Instead of fretting, we just promised ourselves, and Paris as we pulled out of Gare du Nord, that we would be back.

The photo gallery below includes the hundreds (literally) of photos snapped throughout our day.  They cannot possibly do justice to actually seeing/experiencing Paris live.

In this interesting interview by Spiegel,  Umberto Eco, renowned author and scholar, perhaps best known for his mystery work The Name of the Rose, explains his upcoming exhibit at the Louvre–a showcase on the importance of lists in society and the arts. While this seems like an abstract (or odd) choice at first, Eco explains that lists have a way of combating mortality, saying “We have a limit, a very discouraging, humiliating limit: death. That’s why we like all the things that we assume have no limits and, therefore, no end. It’s a way of escaping thoughts about death. We like lists because we don’t want to die.”  Eco goes on to explain why the lists generated by Google do not fulfill these spiritual needs, and how education should address the transient and unreliable nature of information on the web. Though he may not realize it, he is fighting for information literacy as an educational standard; something we American librarians have been fighting for for a long time. Eco, we are behind you!