We'll Always Have Paris

It was touch and go but we made it to Paris.

Despite the transit strike that was going on when we arrived in France, our artists group managed to make it into Paris by train one day. Jane and I had never been to Paris before, so we were going to be mighty disappointed if we were that close but couldn't go. It was a bucket list issue for us.

First we all walked over to the Musée d'Orsay where a few of us lunched in the exquisite restaurant before touring the museum.

(It's possible that you might be seeing the remains of some absinthe cocktails.)

Jane and I then went through the Impressionists wing of the Musée d'Orsay and because we were so awestruck we wandered through too slowly. So we didn't have time to view many of the other rooms in the museum before it was time to meet up with our group again. I think that means a trip back to Paris is necessary, n'est-ce pas? (Alas, we weren't allowed to take pictures.)

Then off we went across the Seine river and through the Tuileries Gardens to the Musée de L'Orangerie. Monet, Degas, Matisse ... oh my! Again, sorry I don't have pictures to show.

We crossed one of two bridges in Paris with the "love locks," the tradition of lovers writing their names on a padlock, locking it to the bridge and throwing the key into the Seine ... a symbol of their undying love.

The bridge is packed with locks on both sides ... you have to see it to believe it! Recently a portion of the railing collapsed from the weight of them.

As our day in Paris neared the end, we walked a different route back to the metro, through some elegant areas.

The window shopping was phenomenal.

Paris .... CHECK!

Hailing! And not the icy kind.

One more post before heading off to France on Tuesday where I will be learning to paint figures in pastel (and more) under the tutelage of the amazing Margaret Dyer. Two weeks of painting plus some day excursions to Paris and other local places to break up the studio time! So very excited about this!

I'm going to try to blog from there but will be using my iPad instead of my computer for that, something I've not done before, so this post is kind of a test. Hopefully it will all work out and I'll be able to share photos and descriptions of the fabulous experience I'm about to have.

In the meantime, here is a painting I've almost finished of my daughter hailing a taxi in the rain in New York two weeks ago. Maybe just a tad more tweaking required. Suggestions are welcomed ... there are a few things about it that are still bothering me but sometimes I can't see what they are! Feel free to jump in.