So much happens so fast that it is hard to keep up. The leather fauteuil came here is link to what it is. Ours is the one in the middle of the page but ours is a reddish brandy color. For me it is exciting to buy a peice of furniture. For years people would come into my studio in Florence and talk about decorating their homes. This fauteuil has a presence, it almost seems as if someone is already sitting in it, maybe it is the Tibetan monk.
It would always impress me the young couples buying my paintings and talking about where to hang them, next to what, in which room, how far away they would see the painting, what colors it would go with, etc... I never had the opportunity to decorate my own place and especially buy a leather arm chair. So the delivery men finally came, late again. I was just so happy to see the thing and get off to work that I didn't pour hot oil on them but kindly said thank you.
Friday I cooked dinner after an outrageously busy week working on 6 paintings at once. I went to the great 5 star market on Boulevad Auguste Blanqui near Place Italie to buy my stuff. I had antipasti with my artichoke spread and taggiasche olives, then a primo with cooked fava beans, a little bit of smoked bacon and fresh cream so that the French could appreciate it. They loved it, but the best was the baby artichokes that I blanched in lemon water and then lay on a bed of bresaola and then smothered with a mousse made from whipping dijon mustard, lemon juice and then adding olive oil, salt and pepper. This then was coverd with chips of parmesean cheese. We washed all down with a rose from Cote du Provence. Wow, I can cook! For years my ex never let me cook.
After dinner we went to meet the group of friends at the Academie du la Biere owned by Mathias. Some real interesting people are there. Architects, lawyers, boulangere, scientists, bla bla. Everyone was crazy about the Sunday presidential elections.
Saturday we went to the market on Boulevard Saint Michel which is our normal Saturday thing and my beaux made a lunch with asparagus smothered with a sort of cumin flavored mayonaise mousse, fresh sole and my left over pasta. Then for dinner he made a salad with grapefruit, crab meat, avacado, hand made mayonaise and long grain rice. It was so good that it was hard not to over eat.
Sunday, yesterday, we went to a friends house near Saint Re`my with the RER shopped at this great market and then spent the day in the garden grilling lamb. I made marinated red and yellow peppers and marinated tomatoes. Then we played ping pong. The day was gorgeous, clear clear blu skys.
It is so new to me to see the lush green gardens in this area of France after 21 years of arid Tuscany. Being so north in latitude, 48 degrees 51' North. The lateral light goes on for ever. The lateral light is that morning light and late evening light that landscape painters love. It makes long shadows. Shadows that grow and grow and grow with the sun seemingly endless in the sky. I've never seen light like this before.
