First Signs of Summer

The Imperial War Museum is one of my favourite places in London, so I couldn't wait to visit once the renovation work had been completed. 

I love that the building is shrouded in so much history, as it was first used to house the mental asylum, also known as Bedlam. Today, the building houses the history of a complex and tragic past, but is paradoxically beautiful outside. 

AN and I spent a thought-provoking day wandering the exhibition halls and soaking up the incredible stories that have been immortalised forever. 

I do miss studying history and so this day was a brief re-visit to this geeky part of my personality. 

Obviously, AN was in heaven and was so deeply engrossed that I had to bribe him with a doorstep sized slice of cake to drag him away for a quick 10 minute break. I would definitely recommend a visit to the tea rooms at the IWM, they are akin to a National Trust tea room and should not be missed. 

AN spends all day everyday with tanks and yet spent a long time wandering the large entrance hall looking at the tanks and planes. The one thing he wanted a picture of.....his girlfriend with a tank, I was happy to oblige! 

We ended the day with a quick ice cream sat in the grounds and enjoyed the last few rays of the afternoon sunshine. 

Another perfect day 

Mood - proud

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Palais de Tokyo

A lesser-known but equally interesting sight in Paris is the Palais de Tokyo. I only recently discovered this little, well actually rather large, gem and thank goodness I did because so many tourists get very wrapped up in the Eiffel tower and the Champs Elysees that they miss amazing things right in front of them. From the beginning I was determined not to fall into this trap and so finding places like this makes me feel very accomplished. Silly really considering all good guide books will at least have a little paragraph dedicated to the Palais and the fact that it was just a hop and a jump across the Seine from the apartment.  

The centre itself is a modern art museum and the reason I love it is because of its large-scale art installations that feel interactive to the point that you cannot help but get involved and drawn into the pieces. In particular the rainbow room as I like to call it is sort of a cross between a paint-shop explosion and a skate park and as such attracts adults and children onto is colourful levels. We are drawn in to become participants, not observers but part of the work itself, to use, play and explore the art. That to me is what art is all about, enjoying oneself and feeling part of something.

Several other statement pieces reflect powerful opinions and thoughts on society, calling the watcher to question and reflect on this interactive dialog.

When you have finished being manipulated and examine by pieces of art take a moment to notice how amazing the actual building is in itself, especially the courtyard and garden, which make the whole experience even more pleasant. The café also deserves a mention and is the perfect place for a little pause, chat and pick me up. I would even come here for dinner it’s that cool!

The artwork even continues outside!

Mood – pretending to know what I am talking about!

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Little Black Jacket

 With winter just around the corner, tiptoeing every so slightly a little closer, I started thinking back to winter in Paris and realised that I had completely forgotten to share the details of an exhibition that I saw in November at the Grand Palais. So, without further ado here is a little reminiscent post about the Little Black Jacket exhibition that I went to see with Miss JJ and IS.

The collection was put together by the Chanel fashion house and was comprised of hundreds of photos of influential fashion people, actors, musician and other recognisable faces all wearing a little black jacket. The photos were mainly in black and white and were largely taken by Karl Lagerfeld himself. We spend an hour of so wandering around appreciating the diversity, simplicity and beauty of the photographs and the fashion. I find it amazing that such an iconic garment can be so universal but so unique at the same time. Each person imprints their own personality and life into the jacket and yet the jacket in itself makes a unifying status that is instantly identifiable.

The best thing was that entrance was completely free and we were all given a poster of one of the pictures as a souvenir. An absolute bargain way to spend a chilly afternoon. Although the exhibition is finished in Paris now, it is making its way across the world and will next be arriving in Shanghai!

Mood – Chilly 

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Musee d'Orsay

One of the first things that I visited when I arrived in Paris was the Musee d’Orsay, to check out Degas’s ballerinas and to see the giant clock. In reality the museum is so much more than that. It is an old train station and so the giant clock provides a window into Paris as well as being a nice reminder of the past. There is a romantic atmosphere to the whole museum, which I feel is largely due to the rich history of the building. It is easy to stand on the balcony and conjure up images of lovers meeting on the platform after months apart and families being joyfully reunited. Basically, the same sort of warm, snugly feeling that you get at airports watching people in the arrivals hall comes across you, but in a much more reminiscent and romantic way.

Of course the paintings are also beautiful and time passes so quickly as you wander through gallery after gallery. Ironic really as time is watching over you in the form of the giant clock, a bit like Midnight in Paris, when the hour comes it is time to go back to reality and to the busy streets of the city.

The museum is well worth a visit, several times in order to have time to enjoy each painting as it should be enjoyed as well as to stop at the lovely little restaurant which only adds to the romanticism.

Mood - Charmed

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Le Petit Palais

During my family's visit we took a petit trip to the petit Palais, the museum of decorative arts and little sister to the Grand Palais which lies on the road opposite. The beautiful thing about this museum is the actual building itself, which I personally found more interesting than the art itself.....but shush don't tell anyone that. Architecture counts as art in my book and I never tire of seeing the wonderful array of buildings that Paris has to offer. Wandering the streets you can find everything from a southern village-style villa to a living building covered in plants (Quai Branly) and an art nouveau facade. 

This is exactly why I was so fascinated by the Petit Palais and its incredibly architecture. Inside, the palace is a tribute to the artists that were commissioned to contribute to its design, with mosaic floors, painted frescoes and sculpted sweeping staircases. 

The palace is built around an inner courtyard garden, that curves around several water features and shaded walkways lined with sculptures. The gardens are overflowing with green vegetation and the whole place has a feel of natural beauty to it which contrasts with many neatly pruned and carefully cultivated French gardens. The whole museum was so peaceful and we only came across a couple of other tourists. 

As always, I just don't believe it's necessary to queue in Paris or to have to push your way through crowds of tourists. The way to see the city in all its glory is make the most of off-peak tourist hours, so post-5pm during the week and early in the morning on the weekends. Perfect for popping to a gallery after work and making the most of a sunny day at the weekend. Having said that, it was not sunny when we visited the Petit Palais, not that it stopped us from enjoying it at all. 

Mood - Hot and flustered (crazy heat wave in Paris) 

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Musée Rodin

I am very lucky to live next door to the beautiful Rodin Museum, a stunning house dedicated to displaying the biggest collection of Rodin's works and the prettiest little garden on the rive gauche. Last year NT and I took the first of what we now call our annual trip to Paris and we spent a glorious day in the musée and then picnicked amongst the roses. Contrary to most parks in Paris, in this hidden garden you are free to wander everywhere and even to sit on the grass. The other thing that adds to its perfection is its relative quietness, being tucked away from main roads and being free from the sounds of passing traffic. Every time I visit I never queue and the garden is always filled with people appreciating its beauty, reading on a bench and lying on the lawn appreciating a moment of peace. A little slice of calm amongst the hustle and bustle of the city. 

Once you have wandered around the classically elegant house, and appreciated the incredible sculpture and painting on display, stroll into the garden and just enjoy. In particular, "The gates to hell" and "the kiss" are well worth a couple of minutes of reflection and appreciation. Finish by visiting "the thinker", Rodin's most celebrated piece. Sculptures are scattered amongst the roses and complement the pastel colours perfectly. The roses were just beginning to bloom and everything about our trip was simply perfect. 

We rounded off the day with a picnic outside Invalides, complete with a melty camembert and rose lemonade. 

Mood - Wanting a rose garden

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