Musée Marmottan Monet

My Paris plan was to go places I hadn't visited before.
 Getting into the Monet retrospective at the Grand Palais was next to impossible until mid-December.
 So off I went to the Musée Marmottan Monet In the 16th (pronounced says-e-M [not seizes-e-M 6th arr.] my second cousin reminded me over and over.
2, rue Louis Bouilly
Metro:La Muette
I rarely go to the 16th so it was an adventure.

The musee Marmottan is a rather grand setting and perfect for Monet's paintings.

How au courant to have 'catty patterned' upholstery.

Not nearly as crowded as the Grand Palais exhibit either.

And one can soak up the 19th century atmosphere in these exquisite salons.

I loved this soft portrait by Monet's friend, Berthe Morisot of Julie Manet and her greyhound.

Monet's portrait of his long suffering wife Camille.

She endured years of penury and endless posing for Monet.

I was surprised how loose Monet's drawings were and like his painted brush marks.

Monet adored London smog and painted out the window of his room at the Savoy. Wonderfully casual sketches of London's houses of Parliment.

Foggy London was made for Monet.

Loose sketch of the interior of Gare Saint-Lazare in Paris.

Who knew Claude Monet, at age 15 earned his keep drawing charicatures of his teachers at school? There's a room full of them at the Marmottan.

The big surprise is in the basement at the Marmottan 

Several rooms of waterlily paintings 

You never heard about.

The gift shop is not to be missed, along with the serious tomes are many artsy tchochtkas as only the French can do them.

The grounds are quite serene but I don't think you can 'dejeuner sur l'herbe' here.

Do not miss this small select Monet exhibit if you're going to be in Paris...

And if you're going to be in Philadelphia tomorrow evening, PLEASE drop by my opening at the Alliance Francaise

6:30 - 8:30 PM

1420 Walnut Street - suite 700

Mad MacNYC macarons will be served up +
Paris Facade watercolors by yours truly.

BONJOUR EXPOS!

Bonjour Cat Patterns!

THEY are wearing CAT!

Well OK 'wild' cat patterns

Really any animal pattern will do

But mostly catty patterns are preferred

Tell me the name of this famous high end stocking brand?

It begins with a 'W'. They have cat patterns galore.

Combine the trend for faux furs with cat patterns plus a shorty jacket and you're set.

These are all very neutral, but then Paris does go in for grey/gris in a big way. You'll find animal prints at all price points and for the kids too.

Here's what I can't figure out

With all the perfectly nice flat surfaces.

On these Paris pastries I find it deeply troubling

That the tres au courant and very fashionable Parisien pastry chefs

...Have not added a touch of cat patterns on top of these tartes. All that's required - a stencil + a sprinkling of cocoa powdre et voila! You have a tarte to match your scarf or leggings etc.

Me, I'm dressed in layers, none of them catty.

But ever prepared for Paris' changing weather 

Meanwhile BEAR is busy browsing Paris bears and anything stripey.       BONJOUR PARIS CHATS!