Wednesday 17 November 2010

My next Expovente at T-mode

If you're in town(Paris of course don't be silly) on the weekend of the 26th, 27th and the 28th of November come visit me at the marathon Creator's market, and I'll be sharing my space with Lunaticart from Etsy of course.

T-mode (Espace d'animator des blanc manteaux)
48 Rue vieille du temple
75004 Paris

Firstly I must say on a personal note, that I'm not a huge fan of the organizer's choice of images so far especially with these 2 twin Barbie dolls fondling each other in full glory, but hey beggers can't be choosers right. Ahmm but how is it representing tactile creations as such? It's somehow lacking some kind of intelligence just like the subjects you've chosen. There'll be 95 creators showcasing their finest handmade wares... not 95 naked chics possibly shopping or selling their "wares", oh great and it says 'Free entry' as well.

Thank goodness the saving grace is in it's location; at one of the most popular places for hipsters from around the world to visit in Paris, Marais. One can find in the immediate area of this venue are shops like Muji(one of my fave places to shop for non-label zen looking items, hence the name Muji in japanese means 'no label' indeed!), Corpus Cristie, COS(again my absolute fav!), Comptoir de cotoniere, yummmmy-to-die for falafel and cheese cake etc. It's nearer to St. Paul metro if you're thinking of coming, in a massive space that can fit up to fully clothed 100 creators.

Ok, pixel off now ciao ciao poodles

Thursday 4 November 2010

Collective exhibition on 16th November...



... it's official! Flyer attached with dates, location confirmed. If you want to learn more about the artists involve please read the previous published article.

The dangling porcelain hand in the foreground is one of my creations, to have a closer look click here!

See you! x

Tuesday 2 November 2010

November up-coming collective Exposition/Exhibition





I'm so excited by this small exhibition which I'd be showcasing at Carmen Ragosta's Boutique together with the fabulous Paris based contemporary photographer Dana Cojbuc celebrating the start of the Annual photography fair Paris Photo, from November 18th to the 21st... though for now the advertising image is the only thing all 3 of us are working on together, nonetheless I'm chuffed. I find her work to be contemporary and surreal, capturing flighty moments, yet poetic, whimsical and smart... see the pics attached.

The exhibition will be located at Carmen Ragosta's boutique. She runs on tandem as a cook and designer at her boutique/restaurant NAPOLIPARIS, yes you heard me! It's also a vegetarian restaurant that operates on occasion just below in the cave of the boutique. Carmen has retained some of the old rustic Parisien fit-outs; floor tiles in the shop with my favorite 'Trompe l'oeil' pattern(see last pic), un-painted 100 yr old cast iron railings guiding one down towards the cave, open stoned walls on all sides with many stories to tell etc. All in all, just the perfect ensemble harmonizing her creations nicely in contrast with the rustic vintage interior; as well as her use of finest fabrics of silk, linen, velvet with small surprised details of subtle pleats and folds here and there... like icing on a cake. Chocolate or black forest cake... maybe both.

So go get yourself a plane or train ticket now if you're not based in Paris... the opening is on the 16th of November 2010, starting at 6pm. You'll have both your visual and oral sensory filled with joy as The Carmen Ragosta will be serving her Italian dishes to boot!

NapoliParis (near the Canal St Martin: nearest to the Quai de Jemmapes)
8, Rue de la Grange-aux-Belles
75010 Paris
> Metro Jacque Bonsergeant or metro Goncourt

See you there with your bib too!

Sunday 26 September 2010

200 Rings exhibition...



... or more if you ask! If you're in Paris this week pop over to '200 Rings, 20 Creators' exhibition from the 23rd to the 29th September 2010. Back by popular demand for the 2nd time. An eclectic range of fantastic silver-smiths and costume jewelry makers.

Venue:
Gallery Goutte de Terre
46 Rue Godefroy Cavaignac
Paris 75011
(take the Metro Voltaire)

The list of Creators can be found by clicking HERE.
See you there.
x

Tuesday 21 September 2010

Père Lachaise in Autumn

















Twas an unusually beautiful autumn day last Saturday in Paris, to make the most of it we took a walk through beautiful Père Lachaise... ok it's a cemetery, but one should see it like a microcosm of a sleepy community of over 300,000 that appreciates all things beautifully created in antiquity for the living to appreciate. We'd discovered that benches dotted along the lanes have been removed since we were here last in 2005 unfortunately, I guess to discourage living visitors from hanging around for too long. The name of the cementery by the way takes after the confessor to Louis XIV, Pere Francois de la Chaise (1624–1709), who lived in the Jesuit house rebuilt in 1682 on the site of the chapel.

Indeed it is one of the most famous places in the world to visit, with the size of 118 acres (48 ha) it could take you hours to walk through the little street discovering famous tombs some the size of a granny flat of people from Paris not necessarily french in descent; like Oscar Wilde, Jim Morrison, Edif piaf, Max Ersnt, Marcel Proust just to name a few ubiquitous figures. Street signs are there to help aid visitors who are there for specific visits... I think Jim tops them all. But I do recommend getting hold of a map if you don't intend to get lost.

How funny is that when it first opened where it's situated was considered a little too far away from the city(it is in the city) hence attracted only a few funerals. Consequently, the administrators devised a marketing strategy and organized the transfer of the remains of some french philosopher, and nun scholar transferred to the cemetery with their monument's canopy made from fragments of the abbey of Nogenr-sur-Seine. I guess that's where the tipping point of all the extravaganza.

I don't think my pictures have done justice to what you could see there, so if you're interested in a fuller history and more pics of famous graves, click here (where you can find graves by their first intitial too!)or sign up with Père Lachaise facebook on "happenings" in the cem. teehee.

Thursday 5 August 2010

My Pont Alexandre III where have you been?










I don't know why we had waited that long, but twas just only recently we visited the extravagant historical monument 'Pont Alexandre III' built in the late 19th century... which took I think 3 -4 years to built, ready in time for the then renown Universal Exhibition in 1900 for thousands to admire from around the world, and wow what a sight still today!

For those unfamiliar, it's an arch bridge spanning the Seine named after Tsar Alexandre III Emperor of Russia from the late 19th century ode to the Franco-Russian Alliance 1892. What a breath-taking experience! Though I wish I could have my favorite chair with me there with a freshly brewed cuppa tea to hang out for the afternoon, surrounded by Art Deco in the open air watching boats pass along the Seine whilst blogging too. Wonder if they'd thought about Wifi on pont since there's now Wifi in our local parks!?

If you're a fan of the Art Deco period than this is a must to visit, note that down people. One cannot ignore it's influence from that era by it's exuberant lamps dotted along the bridge in their multitudes which can be seen from afar, figurines characterized by nymphs, cherubs, frogs, winged horses and some gold gilded on parts, just gorgeous. I feel like I've stepped into a set, but forgotten me period costume. Geeshh everything was so well made, and well maintained enough for us to drool all over still. I wish things are made with as much care and quality these days.

What more can I say but enjoy the pics. Oh yeah, the locks! well we've seen a lot of those happenings along other bridges as well, apparently it seals ones love for each other by scribbling your name and yours truly on the lock, THEN locking it on the bridge and throwing the key away. Awwww sick romantic puppies!

Saturday 24 July 2010

Lunching at Mademoiselle VerteAdelie's













VerteAdelie aka Veronique(V)... real-life identity revealed. Who reminds me so much of the character of the film Amelie!

Last week, I had a special lunch invitation by lovely V whom I met through an exhibition of a mutual friend of ours Berenice (whom you'll see 'flipping' in one of the pics) chez hers. So unlike me, she was the perfect host, an ambassador of Paris to an expat lady like moi; she openly invited me over not only to munch up all her yummy concoction over chit chats, but also to view her wonderful, breathtaking, not to be missed Parisian view from her apartment. This was all from the 7th floor of one balcony where one could see not only see a little Eiffel tower but Sacre Coeur and half of Montmarte, city view of Paris, grassy hills etc. Perfectly planted in the heart of Paris' fabric/haberdashery area where countless numbers of these stores congregate, ahh heaven. How weird is that that's the area where 'Amelie' was filmed too.

Home made lunch courtesy of V was tops not to say the least! But here I surrender some pictures I took with my lil camera. Unfortunately it couldn't capture the full 180degree view from the balcony so here's a little teaser of Sacre Coeur in the background and beautiful Paris apartments in the foreground. Wouldn't you like that as a view chez yours?

For a silhouette illustrated version of her Balcony view check the top banner to her Blog!

Thank you Veronique for being such a lovely hostess with the mostess :x

Saturday 17 July 2010

Where have I been?! Santorini of course :)











Ok, I must apologize for the lack of attention I've been paying to my own Blog but I have been busy! With work first and foremost and secondly visitors to Paris, 6 sets of them thus far. We've just had our first week + weekend last week without any commitments to meeting or showing anyone where, how, when, what... in Paris. Actually we didn't know what to do with ourselves for a change. But thank you lovelies I feel blessed for your time far far away from home :) gros biz xx

Here are some pics of my trip I'd managed to squeeze in with my not only lovely but talented Australian friend Ella to Oia, Santorini in one of the Greek islands for my birthday :). What a treat indeed and how lucky am I. Apparently the only way to get to the island 2 years ago was via a 7-8hr ferry ride from Athens but since they've opened up an airport every Tom Dick and Harry is packing the tight cobbled streets of Oia, and especially for the sunset considered by many as one of the most beautiful in the world, making it little hard at times to walk and see anything! The only locals I saw were the ones working in the restaurants and stores understandably I would run away too if I were them eeek!

The local cuisine I found was easy to get addicted to; the Greek salads, battered squid, stuffed peppers, local dessert wine Vinsanto thanks for Ella's wee bottle in the fridge;) And here's a little run down on the way most Greek salads were composed of and how... as it's not the way I knew them to be from Melbourne, Australia where I'd lived where there's a huge population of Greek immigrants.

In a nutshell:
• a sprinkle of baby capers or some juicy caper leaves
• quarter cut your tomatoes(chunky) and not too many of them but more than cucumbers so 2:1 ratio
• a small handful of cucumbers and cut chunky also
• olive oil and lemon juice of course to your liking
• ONE BIG slice(about 3x3inches) of Greek feta cheese and on top of the salad
• don't forget to NOT mix the salad like you normally would
And voila!

Here's a little interesting history of Santorini if you'd ever consider going. And you should!
x

Monday 31 May 2010

200 rings exhibition!


If you're ring fanatic AND you're in Paris from the 4th of June, this exhibition is not to be missed. 200 rings made by 20 creators from Paris exhibiting at the Goutte de Terre Gallery from the 4th until the 17th of June, that means you'd still have time to get you plane or train ticket still!

And of course my jewelry and I will be present there, so drop by and say hello. Below's the venue details:

Galarie Goutte de Terre
46 Rue Godefroy
Cavaignac Paris 75011
Metro Voltaire

Tuesday 18 May 2010

Minicyn at the May Hotel Boheme Expovente!


Excellent! I got into the next May 29th-30th Hotel Boheme Expovente, starting from midday Saturday and Sunday 'til 8pm:
6 Rue Beauregard
Paris 75002
Metro 'Bonne Nouvelle'

Unfortunately though I won't be around myself as much as I would much prefer being a little of a perfectionist myself, but my faithful partner and a good friend(Lunaticart) will be helping me out... what are friends for eh ;) So come along to Paris, yes you heard me! Go get yourself a train or plane ticket and come support hand made.

Wednesday 12 May 2010

Trompe l'oeil by night in Paris


The literal translation of 'Trompe l'oeil' in English is 'mislead the eye' (that's from an online translation engine)... I guess it's more like 'trick of the eye'. I've seen more 'Trompe l'oeil' in Paris than anywhere else in the world up to date and I've clocked about 30 countries so far. Here's one I managed to quickly take from the car as we were weeeezing through traffic the other night. It's for an ad. by Internet Explorer, done in such a way that it blends in well with the structure of the building, nice one guys.

In a nutshell, 'Trompe l'oeil' is an art technique involving extremely realistic imagery in order to create the optical illusion that the depicted objects appear in three dimensions, instead of actually being a two-dimensional painting.... want to learn more about the history of it? just ask Wiki, or simply type in Trompe l'oeil in Google/Google image and you'll see tonnes of clever takes by contemporary artists today!

ciao bella x

Monday 10 May 2010

Welcome to Parc de Bagatelle!












On Sunday we decided to get away from the hustle and bustle of Paris in search for everything that encompasses nature;peace, quiet, tranquility, fresh air and space. But we were more than surprised by our search!

I felt so lucky to have stumbled across a second hand guide book about the magnificent gardens of Paris, and was immediately taken by the first page I landed that had beautiful pictures of Parc ou Jardin de Bagatelle on the edge of Paris; not too far to get to by bus... what luck we thought. There were breath-taking pictures of small bridges, water-fall, well manicured flower beds, vegetable gardens, log-like alcove bench etc etc. more than what we were after! And true enough, the real thing is beyond words and my pictures. Even though Jardin du Luxembourg has thus far been one of my top 3 favorite but this is definitely above them all I have to say. Peacocks were the highlight as they were the last thing anyone would've expected.

Here are some pics of my pictures taken on a cloudy day... more on those lovely flowers in my Flickr :)