Wednesday afternoon I went to the presse preview of the annual Fine Arts La Biennaleat Grand Palais 🤸♂️
So lovely to be back after being closed several years for refurbishment - definitely one of Paris’ grandest monuments.
Everyone was scurrying around madly,
Setting up gold silverware on tables for the big Gala that night.
“The menu please” Shall we live vicariously? Not much for billionaire vegetarians. Beet & vegetable 🥦 broth 🤔
Still I’d love to be a fly on the wall to see the gowns at the Gala…
Shall we look at some art 🎨 ?
Very grand…
Welcome to my studio…haha
A little Trompe l’oeil ?
Very popular, this trompe l’oeil 👁️ indeed.
Many fine real books 📚 on offer bien sur
Ancient maps will make your library add a touch of cachet/class.
A complete set of the original printing Chinese Tintin was going for 8,500€ 🙄
Do you know the great Roman print artist, Piranesi? Giovanni Battista Piranesi is renown for his spectacularly complex perspective views of prisons, all in black and white etchings. Flight of imagination for sure.
The London/Paris Librairie Clavreuil dealer had a rare complete set of 16 prints going for 250,000€ - a better value in my opinion.
The exhibition is on through Sunday.
Go & pretend you’re a billionaire 🥰
I left the pre-Gala hungry, looking for warm soup. 
Températures have dropped into the 30’s 🥶 Tafa at Grand Epicerie provided a satisfying noodle soup with crevette dumplings.
So nice have you back Grand Palais 👏👏👏
I’m Carol Gillott, an artist living in Paris. Every month I send out beautifully illustrated letters that capture the true Paris experience.
Sign up to receive whimsical treasures in the mail📮 Thanks for reading PB ❤️
Sigh. I love how Paris kept all those World's Fair buildings and use them all the time for exhibitions. Their such a architectural feast for the eyes in the distance and inside.
ReplyDeleteGood point 👍
DeleteParis is pretty good at hanging on to heritage buildings and making the most of them. The Olympics was a perfect example !
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DeleteBlack and white! The clothes....so well made. Beautiful things. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteYes Sally,
DeleteBlack & white is always chic
Truman Capote had a black & white ball!
https://www.townandcountrymag.com/leisure/arts-and-culture/a46618004/truman-capote-black-and-white-ball-true-story-explained/
I think the bulb like plant is called some kind of lantern. I’ve seen them in the wild and they are usually orange. Not sure though.
ReplyDeleteLooks like a peeled grapefruit to me…but then I’m obsessed with pamplemousse
DeleteThis was so lovely! Thank you for sharing all the beautiful architecture in Paris..my daughter says it is almost all 'a museum'..that was when she was just so young it all was a blur and now we wish we could just snap our fingers and be there again!
ReplyDeleteI just attended a lecture on using AI yesterday, so this is what I found out about the green orbs you pictured:
ReplyDeleteBased on the image, the plant in question appears to be a Balloon Flower (Platycodon grandiflorus).
Here are some of the key characteristics that point to this identification:
* Inflated Calyx: The most distinctive feature is the large, inflated calyx that surrounds the flower bud, giving it a balloon-like appearance.
* Flower Color: The flowers are typically blue or purple, but can also be white or pink.
* Leaf Shape: The leaves are alternate, simple, and oval-shaped with toothed margins.
If you'd like to confirm the identification, you could try to find out more about the plant's growth habit, the time of year it flowers, or the specific location where the photo was taken.
Would you like to know more about Balloon Flowers or have another plant you'd like identified?
WOW !!
DeleteComing back to Paris in April. I hope something is on at the Grade Palais. I’ve never been inside! Thank you for the fabulous look!
ReplyDeleteYou must. For sure something will be going on there 👍
DeletePer Wikipedia - The plant is gomphocarpus physocarpus aka hairy balls, balloon plant, bishop’s balls, nailhead or swan plant.
ReplyDelete👏👏👏
DeleteWonderful Reportage as usual......Piranesi is "Night" to the Grand Palais "Day" but love Piranesi's dark flights of fancies! Thanks Carol!!!!
ReplyDeleteYes I bought a book recently…but can I find it? I cannot 🙄
DeleteYes! Paris is like a grand musé but oh - so much more! Just to admire all the pastries in the patisseries - to walk in the Tuileries - to imagine purchasing all the fabulous things in the shop windows!!! And each emission you bring us new experiences from Paris! Merci mon amie, Carol! Almost forgot: I would prefer a thumb vs the third finger!
ReplyDeletemusée
ReplyDeleteWOW! I've never been in the Grand Palais and would love to see both it and this exhibit. Thanks for showing us some of it.
ReplyDeleteFabulous architecture!! I have only been in it once but was awe struck! Carolyn
ReplyDeleteThe Grand Palais is such an exceptionally beautiful building. It looks even more beautiful after its rehab. How fortunate you are to go to the FAB press preview and take in all that gorgeous art and decor.
ReplyDeleteAnd…I would much prefer that thumb over the banana duct taped to the wall that sold for $6 million this week!
loved this Carol Sigh- down here in the southern Hemisphere- it all seems like a dream up there !!!
ReplyDeleteLoved your mirror picture.
ReplyDeleteThe soup 🥣 looks delicious. I wanted to reach in with my soup spoon. Lynne
That is Balloon Plant (Gomphocarpus).
ReplyDeleteThanks for a fun visit to the Grand Palais! Us vegetarians get the wine still, typical even at a very fancy dinner!
ReplyDeleteI like your selfie too and think you got a good lunch there. Keep warm!
Amazing! A big thumbs up to this event!!! Thank you for sharing! 😘🇨🇦
ReplyDeleteGrand Palais…what a marvelous structure…have been inside once and was amazed by the iron work…outstanding !!!!
ReplyDeleteWonderful photos and views. Thank you for sharing. According to my plant identifier, that plant on the table is a “balloon flower” or Gomphocarpus. It is regarded as a herb. It is toxic humans only if ingested. Ironic that it is on a table where people are eating.
ReplyDeleteThey do provide a nice effect though.