Our 2nd to last full day in Paris and we are dealing with a little more than a food poisoning at this point. I have had to go the Pharmacie and explain my situation (which was not embarrassing AT ALL! :/ ) and was giving a plethora of meds that actually helped really quickly.
I decided to rally and not let this get me down! We decide that perhaps a light lunch of soup and salad would be best and head to a place called Les Cocottes de Christian Constant on Rue Saint-Dominique. Its not too far on the metro so we figure once we have a good meal and some meds I'll feel much better.
Let me tell you -- food here was AWESOME! It was a little pricey for lunch but WHATEVER we are only here for 2 more days and we aren't gonna start counting euros now! We both order the pumpkin soup and Jeremy gets the special salad of the day with bacon and sundried tomatoes. I ordered the Cesar salad thinking that it would be lighter than the one drizzled with bacon fat - yeah not so much. SUPER glad we also ordered the veggies as well! There was no way I could eat that whole salad! They didnt happen to mention that the salads are made for sharing! We both agree that the portions in Paris are WAY larger than we expected!
pumpkin soup
Jeremy's pork laden salad
veggie en cocottes
the epic Cesar salad
After walking around a bit - and taking time to enjoy a gorgeous fountain and a few other amazing places - we head to the Dali Museum in Montmartre.
L'École de guerr (Paris' military school)
Now I have some how forgotten that in order to get to sat museum there are 3 very large stair cases you have to walk up. I figure this out after my directions are telling me to make a right and the only thing to my right is what looks like something from my nightmares....
there are 2 more after this one! ACK!!!!
After we finished the last set of stairs -- WE DID IT!!!
I CAN'T BELIEVE WE MADE IT UP ALL THESE DAMN STAIRS!!!!! Jeremy starts singing Eye of the Tiger as we dance around the top! This is a major accomplishment for both of us -- if you can't tell. Then we got a look at the view! And just when I hoped that the effort would be worth it --- oh man was it ever!
The Dali... what words are there to describe how utterly magnificent this was. Those words don't even come close to describing this experience. At one point Jeremy and I stood in a corner of the exhibit area and looked around and we had tears come to our eyes. So overwhelmed with all the magical artistic genius of this man, just surrounded by it. It was spectacular. Here are some of our favorites -- and there were a lot more.
Jeremy and I in front of the ESPACE Dali in Montmartre
photo of Dali at the entrance to the gallery - love it!!!
Nobility of Time 1977 "The terminology 'the crown of a watch' usually indicates a mechanical device which allows us to set the hands and wind the timepiece. Time, according to a Dalinian watch, is changeless and cannot be set, and the watch itself has no internal power or motion. Given this absence of movement, the crown in this case in interpreted by Dali as a royal crown which adorns the watch, identifies time's mastery over human beings rather than its utility to them. His majesty is attended by two reoccuring, fastastical Dalinian symbols; a contemplative angel and a woman draped in shawls look on. Time reigns supreme over both art and reality."
Silver Gilt spoon - Designed by Dali (makers mark by Pierre Hugo - Victor Hugos grandson)
The Violin 1966 This was one of my favorites -- "This sculpture is the physical materialization of a nightmare which Dali experienced. Music was coming from his subconscious, a violinist in a white evening-dress with a very pale face with two red flashing eyes. Then, as the vision disappeared, a monstrous being with a goat-like skull and two empty eye-sockets on top of a grotesque body shaped like a bestial violin emerged. Dali woke up and the same morning, took some clay and started modeling this sculpture, which he later cast in bronze."
Alice In Wonderland 1977 - and one of Dali's favorite images. "Her jump rope is twisted symbolizing everyday life. Her hands and hair have blossomed into roses symbolizing feminine beauty and eternal youth."
close up look at the Alice and Wonderland face.
Homage to Newton 1969 "Dali honors and commends Newton for his discovery of the law of gravity, symbolized by the famed falling apple, represented here by a sphere of metal attached to a line. Dali implies that the living being, Sir Isaac Newton, has become a mere name in science, complete stripped of his personality and individuality. To represent this transformation Dali has pierced the figure with two large holes: one which portrays the absence of Newton's organs, while the other clearly displays the lack of a mind. What remains is only a symbolic representation."
Space Venus 1977 "The underlying form in this sculpture is of a classic marble statue of a female torso, to which have been added four Dalinian elements: a soft watch, an egg, two ants, and a separation of the body into two parts. The watch is draped over the neck to give us two opposing messages; that beauty of the flesh is temporary and will vanish, while beauty of the art is timeless and eternal. The ants are reminders of human mortality and impermanence. The Space Venus is divided into two parts to revel the egg, which like the ant, is a favorite Dalinian theme given the duality of its hard exterior and the soft interior. The egg is a positive symbol and represents life, renewal, continuation and the future."
Saint George and the Dragon 1977 (one of Jeremys favs) "The classic interpretation of 'St. George and the Dragon' is commonly seen as the saint's battle against heresy and evil, St. George being the guardian angel of Aragon and celebrated saint of chivalry throughout medieval Europe. In this sculpture, we can see the artist himself, represented by St. George, slaying the dragon, while his inspirational muse, Surrealist Art, exalts in the background, Metamorphic touches find their way into this piece as well. The dragons wings turn into flames, and the monster's tongue is a crutch, a favorite Dalinian image. We see a woman in the background with her arm raised in the sign of victory."
Whirlwind Spiral from Rose is part of the Neuf Paysages series 1980 "Neuf Paysages is a whimsical and elegant portrayal of dalinian landscapes created with great technical brilliance. Dali spent every summer of his youth in Cadaques. Each of the etching in this series, done using a dry-point technique, illustrates a selection of Dali's favorite phantasmagorical images in combination with landscapes from his youth."
detail of Whirlwind Spiral from Rose
Homage to Terpsichore 1977 "Terpsichore is one of the famed nine Mythological muses. In creating his version of the muse of dance, Terpsichore, Dali uses a reflected image setting the soft, carnal muse against the hardened, statuesque one. The lack of definition in both face clearly underlines the purely symbolic significance of theses figures. The dancer with the smooth and classical form represents Grace and the unconscious, while the other represents the ever-growing and chaotic rhythm of modern life."
The Minotar 1981 "The Minotaur, being one of the mythological figures most well known in the art world, is best brought to life by Dali's enormously beautiful beast, half-man/half-bull. Dali was one of many noted artists in the 1930's to create a cover illustration for the Paris basic magazine, Minotaure. Ultimately masculine, the beast exhibits important Dalinian symbols which he secretly harbours within. Typical of Dali, the figure is adorned with a hidden drawer housing his secret life; a lobster, a cup, a key and a bottle, all famous and often uses Surrealist symbols. The muscular beast parades his beauty and his power, portraying a violent sexuality."
Detail of The Minotaur -- my favorite piece in the entire gallery.
not sure what this is called - was on the wall in the back of an installation
Woman Aflame 1980 "This sculpture unite two of Dali's obsession: fire and the female figure with drawers. The flames seem to have a life of their own, and represent the hidden intensity of unconscious desire, while the drawers represent the mystery of hidden secrets. The beautiful faceless woman symbolizes all women - for Dali a woman's mystery is her true beauty."
The Snail and the Angel 1977 "It is well known that one of Dali's more obsessive fetishes was the snail, because it incorporates the paradox of softness and hardness. The snail is the symbol of the slow passing of time. The angel who keeps the forces of the spirits visits it to bestow the gift of unlimited speed."
This is a set built in 1955 as an optical illusion reconstruction in stucco, of the chapel of St. Pierre de Montmartre. In the back is a video of Dali's first outdoor recreation of Don Quixote and clips from another exhibition both of which took place just around the corner in Painters Square. - See video below!!!!
Lincoln in Dalivision 1977
signature on the bottom of an original lithograph.... Perfection.
If you can't telly by now - we really enjoyed this! We left the gallery around sunset and decided to take a walk around. We went back to the stairs we walked up to take a look at the view -- and I am so very very glad we did.
this was an amazing treat... so much beauty here.
I know I have said this before - but I don't know what it is about the light here. Everything just seems to look its best in the romantic sunsets and rainy nights. Jeremy and I took a moment and held each other... and just appreciated everything we had just seen and everything we had experienced and the pure beauty of this view. I can remember the wind rustling the trees and the sound of people walking around us and it all just faded away while we stood there. We never forget that love brought us here.
By now we are getting a hungry and decide to walk around to see if we can find a little something to tide us over to dinner and we stumble into Painters square and around the corner to Le Sacre Coeur. I couldn't have asked for more but I got it anyway -- the church was GORGEOUS and the streets were busy and there was so much to appreciate.
Painters square
what a view
pic Jeremy took of my tired, still not feeling 100% self... horrible lighting but he thought I was cute.
the bell tower of Le Sacre Coeur
the light is amazing
detail
Le Sacre Coeur at sunset
We even got to see a street artist putting up her work as we walked back down the stairs to get to the metro!
right before we went down the last set of stairs -- Priceless.
Time for wine and terrace time back at the apartment while we decide what to eat for dinner -- all I want is salad with grilled chicken but I'm not gonna get that here. Instead we look up the best places for Poulet Roti (roasted chicken) and find a place that will take last minute reservations and is well known for the poulet - done and done! La Bastide de l’Odéon HERE WE COME!
my roasted chicken -- which was AMAZING - and even better as leftovers the next day!
Jeremy's traditional french Bouillabaisse
Dessert! Chocolate mousse, a chocolate macaron, creme brulee, and espresso.
This was an amazing meal that ended an amazing day.
We rode the metro home and sat in near silence reflecting on the day. Jeremy looked at me at one point, and really said it perfectly, "This has been the best thing we have ever done."
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