Saturday, October 05, 2019

Musee Guimet and First Best Friends

My oldest friend is in town. We've been FIRST BEST FRIENDS since we were 5. After grade school I would walk BARBARA ZUCKER home. Then she would walk me home. Then I...etc. We had a lot to chatter about back then.
She wanted to go to MUSEE GUIMET. I saw the KIMONO and KOREAN shows at the Guimet. Of course I said yes.
The Guimet has a lovely restaurant I can happily recommend for lunch, Salon des Porcelaines.
After lunch we began the search. Barbara is a sculptor and wanted to find the Chinese Tang 8th dynasty tomb figures she'd seen back in 2006. The GUIMET collection contains Southeast Asian artworks including India, China, Japan, Cambodia. We found them on the second floor.
Whimsical, lively and surprisingly realistic, the figures were made of molded earthenware.
We thought they had hints of Minnie perhaps...
Called mingui, they were usually servants, soldiers, dancers, musicians placed in tombs of people of high rank to be available to the deceased in the afterlife.
A single tomb of a member the imperial family could contain 100s of these figures.
Fascinated by the figure's hairdos, Barbara made sketches in 2006.
These drawings later transformed into a recent sculpture show called 'ADORNED' at BCA Center in Burlington this year. We left the Guimet and outside I shared with Barbara recent research I've been doing for the OCTOBER PARIS MAP (I'm still researching on Paris' best Kouign-Amann). It was her first taste. She liked it. A lot. XXX from Paris ❤️🐻

15 comments:

  1. Those figures are delightful. I tried several kouigan-amanns while I was in Paris but never found a really great one.

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    1. Ah ha...the map is coming soon to guide you Sukie 👍🏻😄

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    2. On second thought, its helps if the baker is from Brittany.
      And most of the time a Kouign-amann will taste much better if you heat it up slightly in the oven or on top of the stove. Et voila. Room temperature does not do it justice.

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  2. Wonderful post! Long time friends are THE best!

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  3. Lovely post, wonderful topics. Ram Dass has said, "We're all just walking each other home." My best friend and I didn't know that when we met in 1954 (she was three, I was four), but it wasn't long before we began doing exactly what you and your bestie did - back and forth, back and forth, until one of our parents would put their foot down and make us say goodnight. We don't live near each other anymore, but we're still metaphorically walking side by side.

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    1. Thank you Lynda,
      What a lovely comment ❤️

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  4. Noelle4:42 PM

    So cute! The little girls in their grey coats.

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  5. Lovely to still have a BFF!

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  6. Love the mingui...so interesting. Have a wonderful time with your bff! ❤️

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  7. My BFF as a child lived a few blocks away, and we were inseparable. We did everything together, and on weekend, we had sleepovers. Still close friends as adults, but don't see each other but a few times during the year. Friends from childhood are very special. Glad you got to enjoy time together. The Guimet is a gem, but I've only been a few times. Thanks for sharing.

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    1. Yes the Guimet is a hidden gem indeed. Serenity now.
      And yes childhood friends are very special ❤️
      Thanks Sarah

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  8. Loving the Minnie Mouse ears.
    I prefer "Bugs" but my first
    name is Barbara too.

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  9. I just returned from a vacation to Paris, and a few cities in the North, which were all wonderful! I tried a Kouign-Amann for the first time and I must say I am in love! I am attempting to bake them tomorrow, lol! My love for Paris continues in spite of strikes, more litter than I remember, and a few other things, but I certainly understand why you moved there as it is the most wonderful and magical city!

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    1. Oooo la la bon chance Debi
      There are some good kouign-amann videos on youtube..
      https://youtu.be/RK7AAI6Zicw

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  10. Simply adore that first photograph of the little girls in their gray coats!

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