Monday was visit to the Louvre day part II and was focused on objects of art particularly the amazing tapestries on display at the Louvre. One group of tapestries, known as the Scipio series, particularly enthralled me - I guess I love everything with a classical theme! The tapestries portrayed the Roman General Scipio and his victory over Carthage and they were spectacular - the best one in my view was of 2 huge very worried looking elephants - perhaps they knew they were on the losing side! Also there were a couple of very naughty cherubs up to no good in a side panel that were very amusing - maybe Scipio liked little boys? I also enjoyed some sculptures in the beautiful courtyards that have been enclosed in glass and some sumptuous rooms full of furniture but soon got museum fatigue again and left in search of lunch.
My neighbor Rachel had told me, before I left, the name of the restaurant where Diane Keaton and yummy Keanu Reeves go to in Paris in the movie "Somethings Got to Give" so I was on a mission to find it. Well I did, but there was big black cloth over the windows and a man out the front said it was closed. Disappointed I moved on to the arcade next to it and wandering along I saw the same bistro on the arcade side full of people through the windows, so I decided to try again. This time there was no man out the front and another man just opened the cloth and went inside. Puzzled but curious I followed him inside. There seemed to be a lot of lights and cameras so I thought maybe someone important was there, but I went up to a waiter and asked for a table. He burst out laughing and said "Do you think I am a waiter?" and when I nodded he explained that they were filming a movie in the restaurant and that he was an actor, as was everyone else in the restaurant except me! I was so embarrassed by my persistence that when the director called "silence on the set!" I fled red-faced to another nice bistro nearby. Luckily it was a nice old bistro full of mahogany and brass fittings and I soothed my nerves with a glass of Cotes du Rhone with my lunch.
It was another beautiful sunny day and I strolled along to the Place Vendome and looked at all the posh shops like Chanel, Dior etc and I even bravely went into a jewellery store where you had to buzz first and then the door is unlocked and there is this hushed atmosphere within like a temple. Nothing daunted, I tried on some beautiful emerald ear-rings spookily the same cut, colour and setting of my own recent ring acquisition! Although of course it must be fate, the price of the ear-rings made my eyes water, so I had to reluctantly leave them behind. I consoled myself by visiting the Opera Garnier and marveling at it's Belle Epoque beauty. I was very fortunate to get 2 tickets to see the opera Cinderella, or La Cenerentola, in March - yippee! I am so excited and am now on a mission to buy some suitably sparkly earrings (but affordable obviously) to wear to this gala event.
The next day I visited a perfume museum (only in Paris!) which contained many interesting perfume-making implements and pots of different smells to identify. Then, on the way to another museum called Andre-Jaquemart, I came across a number of heavenly shoe shops having sales and a wine shop where there was champagne as far as the eye could see! I wondered briefly if I had died and gone to heaven! So in accordance with my new policy, I bought a little bottle of Bollinger to taste this week. When I finally resumed my art mission, I found the museum was extraordinary - full of beautiful paintings by Rembrandt, Fragonard and Botticelli. The house still had the original furniture and a fabulous winter garden full of classical sculptures. Funnily enough, I find I like that sort of sculpture! I had lunch in the original dining room which is now a cafe, with a Tiepolo ceiling and crimson plush seats. I felt totally hedonistic and decadent as I left my shoes and champagne in a locker and proceeded to have an exquisite lunch rounded off by a raspberry tart. Talk about the Good Life!
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