Then and Now ( III )

One of the paintings in the Lyon collection donated to the Louvre in 1961 is this Impressionist painting by Alfred Sisley (1839-1899).  The title "Saint-Cloud" made me curious because I could recognize the church.  We live in Boulogne-Billancourt, the town which is on the other side of the Seine from where we always see the steeple of the church.  I decided to take a walk along the river to try to find Sisley's viewpoint.

The pastoral setting is now lost because of the many houseboats anchored at the banks and the wide bridge and motorway A 13 (Paris-Rouen) are criss crossing the river.

The panorama from the bridge in the direction Paris with the Bois de Boulogne to the right is now much more appealing and "impressionistic".     http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pont_de_Saint-Cloud

Then and Now ( II )

Walking along the rue Lepic on Montmartre, building number 54 has a small plaque which reminds us that Vincent van Gogh lived here from 1886 to 1888.  He arrived in March, just this time of the year and left two years later for Arles in the South of France.  

 Reading the letters between the Van Gogh brothers and to family and friends, we are painfully reminded of the numerous difficulties which surrounded them both.

                                        http://www.webexhibits.org/vangogh/browse.html

In the last 100 years Vincent's influence as a "post-Impressionist" on subsequent artists is recognized and his paintings which at his time did not find buyers are now sold in auctions for astronomical amounts......Then and Now!

Then and Now ( I )

Henri Gervex (1852-1929) painted this 'Evening at the Pre-Catelan' in 1909 and for his contemporaries it was easy to recognize known society figures standing outside and sitting inside this well known restaurant in the Bois de Boulogne near Paris.

Here le Marquis de Dion and friend, for example, are finishing a nice meal.  Not much has changed because Le Pre-Catelan restaurant still exist in the same peaceful bucolic setting.  Reservations and plenty of time for a festive lunch or supper are recommended.

http://www.elizabethonfood.com/content/1415/2/Le_Pr%26eacute%3B_Catelan,_Paris_-_3_Michelin_stars.html

This time we were too early to see the guests and we took a promenade in the park close by to work up an appetite while admiring the daffodils.

Baroque castles

How I enjoyed walking in the garden of Drottningholm castle and Versailles castle! Glad to live now and not then - especially as a women.  The parks are free to enter and to observe the changes of the seasons.  Here in Drottningholm it is a smaller area then in Versailles but enough for a long morning walk.  

This castle is like a miniature of Versailles but the King and his Queen are still living in the Western wing. the Eastern wing is open for visitors.  Swedes do not mind the Royalty as long as they do not get politically involved.  http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/559/

In the Royal Theater they have always their reserved seats available. 

Not for allergy sufferers

Just time enough to buy some birch twigs for the Easter decoration in the home.  Brought inside the branches with water and warmth will grow small leaves, while outside it is still too cold and one has to wait until end of April.  'Paskris' is the name for it and the custom goes back to the 17th century when birch twigs were used for Long Friday's flagellation symbolic of Jesus Christ's suffering. 

Not too many are thinking about that but more of the birch twigs used in the sauna baths - flagellation year round! 

 One can choose to buy plain twigs or the decorative ones with attached feathers in many different colors.  We saw that the prefered feathers are soft down feathers and yellow.

Yellow like daffodils, spring chickens and the SUN which is now rising at 6 am and going down at 6 pm.  The long days and short nights will come back.

IKEA elevated

I

IKEA and Sweden are closely connected because this firm was founded in Sweden. During the last fifty years it has become an institution and each Swede owns some items of this firm. Two generations later the young customers are tired of having Grandmother's style of IKEA basic design.  Help is coming with a clever business idea of manufacturing expensive handles and legs which can be attached.  With new doors in various colors and patterns, the basic IKEA kitchen is hard to recognize.

Judge for yourself:  http://www.superfront.com/eu/wardrobes.html   

Meeting Point

In every town there is a place to meet which is fail proof.  Here in Stockholm it is the Orpheus Fountain in front of the Concert Hall.  (The hall's interior is known world wide because the Nobel Prize ceremony takes place there every year in December.)  The building in the neo-classical style was inaugurated in 1923 and has been the home of the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra ever since.

 The Orpheus fountain created by sculptor Carl Milles (1875-1955) was installed 1937 after the decision by the City Hall was at last made.  Just now, with the water shut off, it is easy to see the connection between the elongated figures and the polygonal columns of the building behind.   Waiting people of course have no eye for this but are more concerned about time and the expected person/s.

http://www.skulptur.stockholm.se/default.asp?id=7867&lang=EN

"Ute i naturen"

Sweden enjoyed one of the warmest International Women's Day - 50F and no snow.  If that happens the urge of hiking is strong.  'Out into nature' is the motto and easily done with public transportation. With Coffee in the thermos in the backpack we could even sit down in the sunshine for a short pause.  Thin ice is still covering the water but we hope that in five months we can go swimming.  

http://www.visitsweden.com/sweden/Things-to-do/Green-Sweden/Top-10-Green-Attractions/

Blog Anniversary

Four years ago I started 'blogging' on 'Blogger' and I hope to continue to 'inform' my friends in this way about where we are and what I am up to.  Looking back on old posts, I discover things about myself and see that even in our 'nomadic' life there is consistency.

Flowers for example - which I change monthly in the 'head' of the blog - are a source of pleasure.  Botanical gardens offer discoveries all year long and with the camera I can take advantage of their beauty.  The snowdrops, first sign of Spring are always uplifting and their resilience against snow and cold winds is inspirational.

The diversity of plants offered in our neighborhood flower shop always make me stop to appreciate the creative display of the owner and to catch some fragrance of the flowers.  In a few weeks Spring will come even to New England! 

For March I choose a 'witch hazel' flower as header and hope it soon will be visible even in Newton.

http://www.sierrapotomac.org/W_Needham/Witch_Hazel_041003.htm