Fondation Louis Vuitton

I was recently at LACMA and in addition to seeing The Sympathetic Imagination, I also saw the Frank Gehry exhibition which includes an incredible collection of architectural models of Gehry’s life’s work. Included was the model for Fondation Louis Vuitton , one of his most recent creations which opened its doors in Paris in 2014.

The Fondation is a museum dedicated to contemporary art and was funded by the LVHM Group which owns brands such as Celine, Marc Jacobs and Louis Vuitton, among others. I can’t wait to visit it the next time I am in Paris!

(First photo by me, second photo by Iwan Baan for Fondation Louis Vuitton.)

Paris Views

When I saw these photos by Gail Albert Halaban, I wanted to see more! I’ve always been fascinated by the ordinary in people’s lives, especially as it pertains to  domestic life. I like to see how people choose to decorate their homes and why they choose the items they do. I also wonder what their lives are  like behind closed doors and who they really are when they’re at home because that’s where our truest selves comes to life.

These photos, though staged by  Halaban and  the subjects in their homes, capture domestic scenes which we are all familiar with. They reminded me of my last visit to Paris and the apartment windows I used to sneak glances into  from across the apartment we stayed in. I wonder if the people across the building from us looked at us, and if they did, what they might’ve  thought we were like. What assumptions, if any, did they make about Nick and me? Could they tell we were Americans who were visiting, or did they think we were also inhabitants of Paris, just like them?

It’s fun to wonder and if you want to see more everyday domestic scenes or purchase the  book,  which includes these and other photos, you can do so here.

(Photos by Gail Albert Halaban via PetaPixel)

The Eiffel Tower’s Birthday!

The Eiffel Tower turns 125 years old today. Built by engineer Gustave Eiffel, the Eiffel Tower has become one of, if not the most iconic landmark in the world. To see all 1, 063 feet of  it in person is extraordinary and no matter if it’s your first time or not, it never seizes to take your breath away, or at least that is the effect it has on me every time! If you’d like, you can see more photos I took of the Eiffel Tower here and some Paris photos here and here from our trip there this past September.

(Photo by me.)

Happy Spring and Macarons Day!

 

Happy first day of Spring and happy macarons day! In Paris, pastry shops give away free macarons each March 20. It was a tradition started by celebrated French pastry chef Pierre Herme. So, kick-off spring with a colorful and tasty macaron even if you don’t live in Paris!

Art Replaces Ads

Things at work has been very busy for me during the last few weeks and that means I’ve been escaping mentally to Paris when I have a moment or even a few seconds to do so. Like I’ve mentioned before, Paris is my happy go to place  when I need a mental break and lately, I’ve been going there a lot!

The other night as I was looking at random photos of Paris online for a bit of escapism, I came across French artist Etienne Lavie’s “billboard ads” which he has placed throughout the city. He has called the project, OMG who stole my ads? He covers billboards and ads with classic works of art. As someone who works at a museum, I love this idea of bringing  art to people in this manner. Would you like art to replace advertisements and billboards  where you live?

(Images via Etienne Lavie)

There’s Always Paris…

I’ve mentioned before that my happy place  is always Paris. Since I was just there, it’s become an even happier place to “go to” and lately, I find myself looking at photos I took with my phone often.  I look forward to visiting again soon because if there is one city I know I will never get tired of returning to over and over again, it’s Paris! Where do you “escape” to when you need a little mental break?

(Photos from top to bottom: Oscar Wilde’s tomb, a work on view at the Pompidou, Montmartre, St. Michel and Notre Dame Cathedral. All photos by me.)

The Eiffel Tower

The Eiffel Tower is breathtaking! I remember the very first time I saw it years ago and simply being in awe of how tall it was. I couldn’t believe that after seeing it in photos and television, I was actually there, right in front of it! I felt the exact same way, seeing it again just a few weeks ago. It is such an iconic landmark and so incredibly breathtaking that every time I saw it, even from afar as we walked around Paris or visited  places like Sacre Cour, it was always there in the background. It felt like a good friend who was always there with you, reminding you it was not going anywhere.

(Photos by me)