The birthday cake was a pile of her books, 49 to this day, and she is writing the fiftieth. The guests were strictly family, her six children, grandchildren and great grand children with a few siblings and very intimate friends such as playwright and screenwriter Tom Stoppard. Lady Antonia Fraser, whose second husband of twenty eight years, Harold Pinter, died … Read More
New England is the best in the summer
There is nothing that I like more in the summer than flying off to Boston and land in Marblehead, on the North shore, where a fabulous sunset awaits me with a gin and tonic and the view of the harbor. And this is an experience I had not had in four years. So you can imagine my level of excitement … Read More
The Wadsworth Atheneum museum in Hartford is a must
As a member of Frame (French American museum exchange) the Wadsworth Atheneum is on the list of the most excellent “provincial” museums in America and I could not skip a visit there since my last encounter with its galleries dated back to 2017. I went with art historian Cynthia Saltzman whose latest book “Plunder” on Napoleon’s love for Veronese!!! is … Read More
What’s new this week?
The greatest national French news was certainly the award of the Fields Medal (the equivalent of the Nobel Prize for Mathematics) to French mathematician Hugo Duminil Copin (36), along with Ukrainian Marina Viazovska (37), American June Huh (39) and British James Maynard (35). The rule is that the laureate be under 40, and it is awarded every four years to up to … Read More
“Vegetal” and Chaumet at the Beaux Arts, Exceptional!
This week, at every dinner party, only one word was been mentioned “Vegetal” (botanical): the title of the new fantastic exhibition based on plants’ designs in Chaumet’s jewelry, where one almost regrets that there is not more jewelry. Contemporary artists and classical painters have been united by curator and botanist Marc Jeanson to fill two floors of celebration of nature at Ecole … Read More
Gulbenkian meets Al Thani and Vermeulen enters Studio Harcourt
There are some wonderful artists/artisans around and Maison Parisienne specializes in original creators. One of them, the plumassier (feather magician) Julien Vermeulen, works with feathers and started in fashion before becoming a full time artist. He is being shown at Studio Harcourt, the very pretty studio and gallery of black and white photography in the 16 th arrondissement, from June 23 … Read More
Dürer is celebrated in Chantilly and more…
Last Sunday was festive: at 36, Rafael Nadal won Roland Garros for the 14 th time beating the Norwegian Casper Ruud 6/3, 6/3, 6/0, Prince Karim Aga Khan’s horse Vadeni, mounted by Christophe Soumillon, won for teh 9 ht time, the Jockey Club prize at Chantilly. And Yves Bienaimé, celebrated the forty years of Musée vivant du Cheval which he … Read More
The Queen is celebrated in Paris and so is Gene Kelly
Attending the Queen’s platinum jubilee’s party at the British Embassy was a true joy, especially since the weather was perfect, the lawn was mowed just high enough so that we would not feel we were killing it and the staff was totally charming including the young boy and girl scouts from Bougival who were serving hors d’oeuvre. Dame Menna Rawlings, … Read More