Tuesday, July 08, 2008

Rick's Place

Trois Poires, original watercolor, 9" x 11"

Two Autumn pears.

Rick lives in a part of Paris that's surprisingly romantic.

 The 13th arrondissement is the perfect artist's enclave too. Did Jean Gabin walk these streets? It feels like it.
Rick's stairwell reminds me of Chez Mondrian's when he lived in Paris.
The apartment looks so French. Artist Rick created the wonderful book, Paris Cafe: The Select Crowd. If you love Paris, you'll love Rick's book. His lace curtains are to die for. I went looking all over for them. I found some in BHV but I had no measurements nor clue how to figure sizes etc. I love the stripped French dish towels/curtains in the cuisine. An everyday still life on the table. *Note the pear tile. This kitchen painting spoke to me, "Go home and paint PEARS!" Did you know there is a fresh water well in the Butte aux Cailles park?

And the Molitor swimming pool nearby has fresh water - no chlorine.
La Butte is full of charming restaurants like Les Temps Des Cerises and tea salons like L’Oisive Thé, every bit as nice in a more homie way. Will you remember to visit?

Who is Rick?
The artist who sketches in Paris' best cafe.
BONJOUR PARIS!

27 comments:

  1. Anonymous8:59 AM

    I LOVE PEARS.........
    WILL YOU BE DOING ANYMORE?
    Poire Helene?
    Poire a la mode..?

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  2. What a charming place but who is Rick? Love the lace curtains. Hope you can find them again and I love the red restaurant. It looks like the caboose on a train. lol
    Nice pear paintings too.

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  3. Anonymous9:17 AM

    BRAVO CAROL,
    REPORTER OF THE PARIS-DREAM ON PB
    A+C++++++++++++

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  4. Love this post. A beautiful photo essay of Paris. Well done!

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  5. I am quite fond of the thirteenth. Maybe one reason is that there are no tourists to speak of.

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  6. Anonymous9:45 AM

    I love your photos today...Now THAT is romantic!

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  7. Anonymous10:20 AM

    OK Carol...
    This seems to be week you've insisted on knocking-the-socks-off
    this sjerseyboy! (and YES, we do wear socks in S. Jersey)
    I love both of these pear paintings, but the 2nd one; so elegant in its' simplicity, so lush in the washes, so...very, very deeeeeliscious!

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  8. Remember RICK'S PLACE in the movie CASABLANCA?
    Well that was Casablanca and this is Paris in the 13th.
    Say no more...

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  9. I like all the out of the way places in France better than all the touristy spots, so this is "right up my alley!" lovely, Carol, and beautiful pears.

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  10. Anonymous11:03 AM

    Carol,

    When did you take all those photos at our apartment?? I don't remember you doing that. Sneak! You will be hearing from my lawyer......

    LOVED the news paintings. Nice change from the sweet stuff.

    Rick

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  11. I do so love your blogs. I'm swooning.

    Sandi

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  12. Ah thought it might be but had to check. :)
    Play it again Carol.

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  13. Your paintings are out of this world beautiful, I love them! Those pears, their coloring, that basket, that bowl, those pears! :-)

    And Rick's place,
    for the very first time,
    really really really tempts me to come to Paris,
    if only for the area were he lives!
    Right after my heart.
    Do you think he'd want to make an exchange Vienna - Paris? ;-)

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  14. Anonymous1:29 PM

    oooohhhh.....When I started reading and it said 13th... I thought ...oh my...Rue de la Butte aux Cailles.....and then there it was ! I agree - such a little hidden gem of a place. I used to have friends with an office and a tiny studio flat just off where I stayed a couple of times. Happy days :)

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  15. Pears! And a new romantic spot. This is just beckoning. Of curse Bogart is running through my head with that title....and that ain't bad. :) Always a delight here. I LOVE the greys, the stairs, the cuisine, the lace and and the pears...how fabulous and how local..merci, merci!!

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  16. Carol you kept getting better and better --- if that is at all possible, love the pears, love the photographs of the street and the divine apartment --Rue de la Butte aux Cailles-- tempting to leave this beautiful Oregon and live in a Paris apartment---
    had a little apartment years ago in New York with cobblestone street & all the delightful clutter & art strewn around.. but it wasn't Paris
    Annie -Oregon

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  17. The 13th A. and M. Tulka's apartment both beckon. I'm quitting my job, giving away my Hummer bummer, breaking my lease and jet-Metroing to La Butte aux Cailles.

    Does M. Tulka give painting lessons?
    Have beret, will sketch.

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  18. Anonymous4:38 PM

    who is Rick?..who lives in that interesting apartment...?

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  19. You are right; I do not really know the 13ième arrondissement! It seems great!

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  20. GO HOME AND PAINT PEARS!!11!!1
    lol I want to live there

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  21. Yes! Yes, paint pears.

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  22. Anonymous7:04 AM

    Good Day,

    I would like to put in order for some quantity of chocolates i mean
    nostalgic and novelty candies, exquisite handmade truffles and butter
    creams, fudge, toffee, barks and brittle's candy's.I will prefer the
    candy ready for pick-up on 15th of July 10:00am.Kindly advise if you
    can fill in the date and I will be glad to inform you that I have a
    shipper that will come to pick the candy at your doorstep.Please
    advise on the method of payment you accept for orders. Cause am
    willing to use my credit card details for the payment upfront which i
    will include the shipping charges with your fees and i will pay you up for everything and you will take care of the shipment for me.

    I will look forward to hear from you asap.

    ReplyDelete
  23. That's where my brother used to live...ehehehe!! I miss going to his place and walking those streets!

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  24. You find the best places. I will vist next month when I am in Paris.
    I am not changing my avatar or whatever you call it, we call it a picture. My new banner is my alter ego my avatar is MOI!

    ReplyDelete
  25. Anonymous8:50 PM

    I find it awfully damning that quite often I fail the "human being" test and my post is rejected because I can't read the little deformed word.
    However, to you post:
    I have Rick's cut crystal vase! The one sitting by the mirror. It belonged to my late mother-in-law. My vase has not the good fortune of Rick's: mine sits on a shelf at Longears, not in Paris....
    Fantastic pears! You have been holding out on us, leading us to believe you could only paint desserts. And , no matter what your mother told you, fruit is NOT dessert!

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  26. Loving your post with watercolors of pears! Such perfect models!

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  27. Anonymous6:59 PM

    beautiful.. but la piscine Molitor is actually closed since 1989. As you can see on the website pictures it was one of the most beautiful swimming pools in Paris. I used to go there as a child as I used to live nearby (West Paris).
    The swimming pool with fresh water you mentionned is la piscine de la Butte aux Cailles. A very nice swimming pool indeed!
    Love your blog, greetings from a parisienne reader

    ReplyDelete

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