Wednesday, June 01, 2016

Paris monsoon

Non-stop rain patter on my window is perfect background music to practice painting JMW Turneresque storms and maelstroms in watercolor. This weekend I'm off to Aix en Provence for the annual Cote Sud Vivre show. And to visit the new Turner et la Couleur exhibit of 133 watercolors and oils.
A nice escape from weather where your shoes and umbrella never dry.
The swans on the Seine don't seem to mind a bit that the banks are flooded.
On the other side of Pont Sully not so pleasant for my neighbor living in the brown houseboat-
Mr. Pig can not be best pleased.
This hound outside a cafe looks fed up like the rest of us.
At musee d'Orsay the lines were long and patient yesterday.
If only they paid attention to the nearby news kiosk's sign, they would realize they can buy their entry tickets here for the same price and dash inside out of the rain vite!
Speaking of tickets, here's my best Paris secret. At the Orsay enter the RER tunnel to the right of the museum steps. Inside you'ill find a hidden SNCF office. You can buy tickets for all over France without much of a wait...its usually empty unlike most Paris' train stations ticket offices (billetterie). 
More ticket info...on Monday I discovered I'd lost my Metro/bus navigo card. Its been 3 years since i've had to buy a single ticket. Here's what I learned: buy it on the bus and you pay 2€ and its good for just one ride. Buy it in the Metro station and it costs 1,80€. Buy a carnet of 11 tickets for 14€ and each ticket is good for 90 minutes (!) of travel. Later on in the afternoon i went into Picard for my almost daily pistache glace. They greeted me with big smiles and handed me my lost metro card. Hooray!
On rue de Buci a beautiful bouquet of veg.
More bouquets in a gallerie window and more relief from the buckets of rain.
Must return when they are open.
Very cheering to see this bright window of mother's day gifts
One of the cutest chatchka shops in Paris in the 6th.
In their window a notebook stating 'Carpe diem
Paris rain or shine 'SEIZE THE DAY!' 
Or anywhere for that matter.
Thanks for reading Parisbreakfast!
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29 comments:

  1. Same here. Very pretty watercolors.

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  2. Gosh! what horrid weather!
    So much for flaming June!

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    1. at least here you can cross the streets. In New York the pools of water at the curb were 2 ft. Deep. You had to leap to cross the street. Much Better gutter system here. I've never seen that here. Good reason to move to Paris!

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  3. I'm so very glad you found your metro pass! And thanks for the excellent tips. Your Turner paintings are lovely!

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    1. Me too...I was being way too casual and I knew it by keeping it in my pocket. Le vrais Parisians just bang their bags against the card reader and never remove it. It doesn't get lost that way. I guess I'm lucky they know me so well at Picard...

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  4. Here is VACATION weather..

    What are the odds?:)


    Like Donna said very pretty aquarelles..and I am adding very pretty toi.

    Jacques has read Le Figaro for 9 years and we watch TVA..too well informed IMHO.

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  5. Perfect weather for the Barbet! They are, after all, water dogs....so keep your eyes open. So much insider info today! We, too, have had nonstop rain for 2 weeks, but today the sun came out!
    You will of course post everything about the Turner exhibit?

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    1. will be 72 hours of immersion. They will have to pry me odd the walls. Meanwhile there is a pretty nice app for the exhibit for 4 bucks. I already bot the catalog in French and plan to go again when the show opens in Margate UK for the Eng edition in October.
      See you there J
      Turner and colour HD by Culturespaces
      https://appsto.re/us/kA1fcb.i

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  6. Marilyn11:24 PM

    Yes, you cannot let the rain stop you.

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    1. Quite sad to seethe water is up higher on the trees by the Seine than yesterday. I worry about the people in the houseboat :((

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  7. Bon voyage! Enjoy Aix-en-Provence! Hopefully it will be dry in the South!

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  8. Enjoy all the calissons in Aix-en-Provence - and the exhibition and show. AT least you'll get some heat! Unbelievable in Paris just now. Love your opening Turneresque watercolours. Bon voyage!

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  9. cyndi from SD10:45 AM

    Your posts are always beautiful,and entertaining. I finally made it to Aix two years ago. Wonderful.
    I meant to mention in reference to Sarlat,if you happen to go there the 3rd weekend in Sept,it is a very special time with candles everywhere at night,and costumed singers strolling about...Journees du Patrimoine ( which is a National event,so any city I imagine would be having special celebrations).

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  10. Bonnie in ÇA3:24 PM

    Wow. The rain is daunting. I love the picture of the alleyway. And the sweet little doggy. Makes me want to return soon. There is no place on earth like Paris.

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    1. So true Bonnie
      I feel lucky rain,floods or shine :)

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  11. Jane G3:27 PM

    Chatchka shops!! love it! must find -- not that I need more chatchkas.

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  12. Anonymous6:31 PM

    I hate to disagree with a point, especially as I love your blog so much. Even with the Museum Pass you can still wait in a queue, in the rain, to get into musee d'Orsay. It happened to me.

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    1. There were 2 lines. Tpmuch shorter wait for those with tickets.
      Please feel free to disagree anytime Anonymouse

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  13. Regarde:
    Paris under water 100 years ago:
    http://parisbreakfasts.blogspot.fr/2010/01/paris-under-water.html

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  14. Leslie in Oregon3:17 AM

    Your "JMW Turneresque storms and maelstroms in watercolor" are beautiful! Have a great time in Aix, Leslie

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  15. I love your opening watercolor, Carol and all of those beautiful rain shots.
    The shop-fronts at the end are just perfect.
    Looking forward to pics of the south of France......

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  16. Just discovered your blog through Patricia Gilbert's "One Quality, the Finest." Your images, both photos and watercolors, are full of vibrancy and capture the moods of Paris perfectly. Looking forward to more.

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    1. Thanks so much kiwi and much thanks to Patricia gilbert!!

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  17. On one of our first trips to paris, we bought tickets at one of the kiosks, and when we got to the museum we wondered why everyone was standing in a long line.

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    1. Bravo Elaine.
      Its a totally legit way to buy a ticket

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    2. Your are not alone!! Texas Monsoon too

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  18. Anonymous3:39 PM

    How are you faring on your island? Dry I hope.
    Cheers !
    fan from Rural Oregon,where we are sooooo dry!

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  19. Dear Carol, somehow I missed seeing this post before now. I've just read in the NY Times about the Louvre moving artwork because of flooding. Jeepers.

    Hoping that the weather won't prevent your weekend plans and that the Turner show will be fabulous. His watercolors are superb...I've loved seeing his sketchbooks at the Tate and have a few souvenir booklets, and a tiny facsimile of one of his sketchbooks. A treasure.

    xo

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