Monday, 4 May 2015

Paris in the gloom...still exceptional...

I wrote this post in May this year. It was meant to be spring, and you know how that song goes right... "I love Paris in the Springtime...." Well we had Paris in the grey and we still found its magic. And now, Paris is gloomy again. Firstly because winter is upon it and secondly because of the terrible bombings of a few days ago. A serious and sad time in the city of lights, and I want to say this- it won't be long before I am back. I won't allow the dark hearts of madmen to rob me of my travels, anywhere. I think Paris needs visitors...people putting positivity back into a traumatised society...spreading goodwill and support, just by being there. 


And this is why Paris will be in in winter too...read about my winer experience in spring...

They say May is the best time to visit Paris…it's springtime, there's sunshine, blossoms, long walks along the Seine & picnics on the lawns of all those magnificent public gardens. I’ve only ever visited the City of Lights in autumn and winter so you can imagine my anticipation ahead of this trip, and then my subsequent disappointment when I arrived to be met with a stubborn cold front from the bad-mood bosom of Zeus himself. 

Before leaving for a trip, I always keep an anxious eye on those 10 day weather forecasts so I knew that we weren’t going to get Paris at her absolute best. What to do? I’m a Cape Town girl and le soleil plays a major role in the levels of my joie de vivre.

Well I’ll tell you this- the weather can throw the worst at Paris and she will simply upstage it. Lateral Paul and I stepped out of our cab from Charles de Gaulle into a really cold, rainy Friday morning yet were instantly caught up in her magic. That feeling of being in Paris is too amazing and overshadows the negatives- just to be able to say "I'm in Paris" is a delicious feeling. We made a decision then and there to make this our best trip to date…it's the beginning of the honeymoon we never had, 24 years after le marriage (I know, better late than never) and where better to be than in Paris, one of the most romantic destinations on the planet.

I've documented grey Paris so you can see for yourselves that even in bleak mode this city is a gem. 

This is my 5th visit here - this time courtesy Air France as I won 2 air tickets in their #letmebefrench Twitter competition last year - and I’m still as overwhelmed by it as when I first saw it at age 14 as a ballet student. 


Visually, like so many other ancient cities of Europe, it’s thoroughly captivating - all aspects of it. Our brolly covered walkabouts have thus far taken us to the Dome Les Invalides, Notre DamePlace Saint Michel, the Picasso Museum in the exquisite Hotel Sales, the Pompidou Centrethe Rodin Museum and to our favourite area for its vibe, stores great restaurants, stores and coffee, Le Marais. We'll be hanging out there a lot. More to follow…. enjoy the pics... a bientot.

Les Invalides

 Notre Dame




Coffee in Le Marais (The Boot)

Rodin Museum in Varennes...


Eiffel Tower on a wintry evening

Place Saint Michel

Pompidou Centre

Exploring street art, come rain or shine...


So you see, there's beauty in the grey... Paris, je t'aime...

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Friday, 3 April 2015

Street Art in Woodstock - an outdoor urban gallery in Cape Town

Since my trip to Portugal last December, I'll admit that I've become a bit obsessed by street art. What I saw in Lisbon - mostly vast wall paintings by the brilliant Os Gemeos and Blu - took my breath away and little did I know that right under my nose in Cape Town was a beautiful collection of some of the finest large and small scale murals waiting for me, my camera and my Instagram feed. Nicole Biondi from Cape Town Tourism arranged for myself and Bianca Lee Coleman to do a walking tour in Woodstock, led by Juma Mkwela of Juma Art Tours. We met at Superette at the Woodstock Exchange - next time remind me to have their amazing vegetarian omelette with my excellent cup of Deluxe coffee before going anywhere.
The first stop is at the Side Street Studios, an art and design hub where owner Elad - if he is around that is - will talk you through this and that to do with street art and how and where it gets to be, or not, around the City. The route thereafter crisscrosses several blocks in the area and takes about 2.5 hours. Juma knows all about the various artists and explains the difference between murals, graffiti and gang tagging - it's fascinating and the art is world-class, a vast outdoor gallery of masterpieces created by big local and international names. From New Yorker Gia to Makatron from Australia, Masai Lou from London, Eliscer from Toronto, Ubanski from Germany and our own Cape Town based Freddy Sam,  Faith 47 and her son, 16 year old Jack Fox. Included in the tour price is a stencil art workshop with Paul Senyol at his cool studio-come-apartment. As novices, our end products were quite impressive I might add. Even Paul was impressed.
Street art, be it sculptures, wheatpaste, graffiti, murals, posters or stickers, is an incredible form of expression and social commentary, uplifting urban precincts, turning dead concrete walls into a vibrant visuals and making art accessible to people who may never get to see the inside of a gallery. 
So remember to keep your eyes open. Don't forget to look up.

Juma Art Tours: 073 400 4064

* For excellent info re various types of street art: http://listdose.com/top-10-types-of-street-arts/ 

But first, coffee...






Jack Fox, son of Faith 47 (age 16)...



Freddy Sam...







There's Juma...


Makatron, Gympie Street...










Urbanski & Eliscer...






Masai Lou...


Freddy Sam...


Side Street Studios....










Faith 47...


Nicole, Diva...


@allisonfoat (Twitter)
@capetown_diva (IG)

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Saturday, 2 March 2013

Creative Excellence at the Design Indaba Expo 2013

Design Indaba 2013- a showcase of high-end, homegrown design, craft, decor, fashion, product design, industrial design, new media, publishing, visual art, jewellery design and graphic design, all in one place, over one weekend. I can spend hours wandering around absorbing the amazing creativity & uploading madly on Instagram of course. The Expo is on until Sunday 3 March- it's a must for anyone who appreciates beautiful craftsmanship, across the board. Oh, there's lovely grub to be had too with, amongst others, the El Burro & Limincello caravans parked right there & my fave fudge maker has the dessert: Ma Mere Maison! Could have done with coffee by Deluxe though.... www.designindaba.com @DesignIndaba #designindaba2013

Recycled artworks...

The black sheep of the family is on top...

Bluecollarwhitecollar for fabulous shirts & music played on a real record player...

 

Collage of design prettiness....

 

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Thursday, 22 November 2012

Tshirt, Sneaker, Tattoo

 

 

 

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Monday, 19 November 2012

Oscar Niemeyer

We've been so worried about this genius Brazilian architect, 104 years young, who was recently in hospital with pneumonia ..he is on the mend thank goodness! Have a look at some of his creations...he is exceptional & we wish him excellent health.. Viva Oscar, Viva.

"Here, then, is what I wanted to tell you of my architecture. I created it with courage and idealism, but also with an awareness of the fact that what is important is life, friends and attempting to make this unjust world a better place in which to live.". — Oscar Niemeyer. The Curves of Time: the memoirs of Oscar Niemeyer

 

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Saturday, 29 September 2012

Artist, Sue Pam-Grant

Bumped into Sue today into Melville, opposite her studio. She is an amazing creative...see one of her works below this pic...Sue is a cousin of the late Prima Ballerina Assoluta Phyllis Spira & I've known her since high school days at Wynberg Girls High in Cape Town.

 

 

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Monday, 24 September 2012

Art by Oscar

My company name...made into art by my youngest son Oscar, in 2009...

 

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Saturday, 15 September 2012

A gallery, Commune 1

Loved the way they did the roof at Commune 1, a gallery on Wale Street in Cape Town, next to Honest Chocolate.

One of the installations at the gallery...apparently filled with gunpowder. I decided not to linger.

 

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Tuesday, 11 September 2012

Gardens, Cape Town

I saw this amazing wall mural en route to gym this morning, a block away from Wembley Square in the Gardens...no knowing who did it...

 

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