Thursday 12 July 2012

Claude Monet & Other Plans

In May & June I went to Paris for the French Open at Roland Garros. I had a few spare days so I planned to visit the Musee de L'Orangrie which houses 8 large paintings of Monet water lillies. A friend of mine adores this museum and being a fan of Monet I just had to visit.

All I can say is that if you want to see some beautiful paintings by Monet, Renoir and Cezanne then this is the place for you. The best things about this museum is that it is not full of tourists so the wait to enter was short and the galleries are not packed with people.

If you ever go to Paris, please visit this museum - http://www.musee-orangerie.fr/

I loved it so much that when I was sitting looking at the Monet's I made myself a promise that I would visit Giverny and Monet's Garden & House. Once I was back in the UK I had a look around a few websites and found all I needed to book our trip. We are going for 5 days in September and I cannot wait. For futher information see this website - giverny-monet.com

My upcoming trip to France made me think about the most beautiful painting I have ever seen, The Water Lily Pond So I have booked myself an early train to London in September and I am going to spend the day looking at this most beautiful painting.

Now that the art bug has well and truly bitten me I started to think of places I have never been before. I would say I am more appreciative of Impressionist art, I certainly do not like "Modern" so I had a little look online.

I have decided to visit "bonny Scotland" and have day trips to both Glasgow & Edinburgh. During my visit to Glasgow I will go to the Burrell Collection as well as the Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum I am sure I will have a very interesting day out.

In Edinburgh I will visit only one gallery and that is the National Gallery. There are a few exhibitions going on whilst I am there so I am sure I will need the full day to see all that I want here.

In August I am visiting the Tate Liverpool to see an exhibition called Turner, Monet & Twombly. This looks to be very interesting and I am looking forward to the day I go, with my Mum :-)

Until then I will endeavour to keep this site up date with my goings-on.

Apologies & Catch-up

Sorry, sorry, sorry.

I have been so busy recently travelling around watching tennis that my "art & film" hobbies have taken a bit of a back seat.

Fear not though, I have been watching films via Lovefilm and booked myself a few little trips (see my next post).

A selection of films I have watched:

Dr Strangelove - Sellers at his best
The Long Goodbye - Monica & Ross' Dad gives a great performance
The Seventh Seal - Not easy to describe
Last Tango In Paris - Very interesting use of butter
The Sorrow & The Pity - Real documentary of wartime France
Flatliners - Would you?
The Mummy (1932) - This is what happens when you don't do as you are told!
The Crimson Rivers - Good film
Life Is Beautiful - A film of Fatherly love to the limit
Annie Hall - A must-see
Platoon - Hard hitting film
The Apartment - How to get on the right side of the boss
The Odd Couple - How not to share an apartment
Metropolis - A film ahead of its time
Deliverance - Fantastic film that you must watch
Kiki's Delivery Service - A heart warming film for all ages
Jean De Florette & Manon Des Sources - Greed always has a price
Houseboat - What a great way to live
Cape Fear - Bloody hell Gergory, just shoot him already!
Raging Bull - De Niro as a prize fighter
12 Angry Men - Wonderful film
The 400 Blows - Sometimes all they need is a little attention
Fistful Of Dollars - Hello Mr Man With No Name
Copycat - How easy is it to copy a killer
Witness For The Prosecution - Great film with a twist
The Son's Room - Very moving film
Repo Man - Very 80's
Au Revoir Les Enfants - Another very moving film
A Few Dollars More - Clint is back for more action
Days Of Wine & Roses - Epic tale of excess
Dogville - Very strange set
Pom Poko - Don't mess with the racoons
Beyond A Reasonable Doubt - Keep copies of everything

I have also made a few trips to theatre etc.

I went to London in April and paid a visit to The Royal Opera House where I watched 3 short ballets (Polyphonia / Sweet Violets / Carbon Life) I enjoyed the first, the second was pretty decent too, the third was forgetable as well as painful on my eardrums.

Back home in Preston I went to the local Odeon to watch Rigoletto relayed live from the ROH. Excellent opera with great performances from all involved.

I subscribe to a service called SeeFilmFirst and every now and then I receive free offers to concerts or shows. I was offered a ticket to the Opera House in Manchester to watch a Musical called Vampirette. I had nothing better to do on the Saturday afternoon so I went along. What a riot! Great music and songs as well as story (based on the Addams family) They had the whole audience up dancing at the end.

Brass Festival at Bridgewater Hall was a whole day long event I attended. Whilst it was good I had seen a few of the bands before but at least it helped me decide who I like.

La Fille mai Gardee was another show watched at the cinema. This was a very colourful affair with a funny storyline. How they never got tangles up during the Maypole dance I'll never know.

Jools Holland came to Preston in May so I dragged my partner along for a night of live music. Jools and the band did not disappoint playing their jazzy music that had people dancing in their seats.